Category Archives: Tokyo Observer

The 168th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the first round of Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations, Ishiba’s diplomatic travel schedule, the “active cyber defense” bill, the GOJ’s economic package in response to soaring prices and tariffs, the first “government-labor” meeting in sixteen years, targeted subsidy program for critical technologies, the pension system reform legislation, the GOJ’s Monthly Economic Report, and more.

The 167th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the 90-day suspension on U.S. tariff measures, the 2025 Diplomatic Bluebook, updates on the “active cyber defense” bill, the Diet debates over inflation/tariff relief measures and funding, gasoline-related policy developments, updates on the U.S. Steel acquisition, Japan’s new rice export targets, the Economy Watchers Survey, and more.

The 166th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Japan’s response to the U.S. reciprocal tariffs, Ishiba’s historical review of WWII actions, Iwaya’s diplomatic efforts in Europe and Northeast Asia, Japan’s humanitarian support for Myanmar, the revision of the “active cyber defense” bill, the enactment of the FY 2025 annual budget, Diet debates over whether to ban corporate political donations, the return of suspended ruling party lawmakers involved in the slush fund scandal, the Japan-PRC-ROK trilateral economy and trade ministers’ meeting, Rapidus’s prototype development, the GOJ exploring the idea of raising the FDI target, the BOJ’s TANKAN, and more.

The 165th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Japan’s reaction to the U.S. auto tariffs, the Japan-Brazil summit, Ishiba’s Golden Week diplomatic travel plans, the establishment of the JSDF Joint Command HQ, the dissolution of the Unification Church, the slow march to enactment of the annual budget, the resignation of a special advisor to the prime minister, the announcement of the development of a national strategy to enhance international standard-setting power, BOJ board member opinions on the U.S. tariff impact on the economy, concerning real GDP global ranking projections, and more.

The 164th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Japan’s diplomatic engagements in Northeast Asia, U.S. media reports on potential budget cuts to the USFJ, the Japan-Brazil summit next week, the start of Diet discussions on the “active cyber defense” bill, the continuing saga over Ishiba’s political scandal, ongoing talks over the re-revised annual budget, policy measures to promote Ishiba’s flagship “regional revitalization 2.0,” the Bank of Japan’s decision to maintain policy interest rates, the inaugural public-private watt-bit integration conference, official land appraisals in 2024, March’s monthly economic report, and more.

The 163rd edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on METI Minister Muto’s trip to D.C. seeking tariff exemptions, the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, the GOJ’s ODA White Paper for 2024, U.S. Ambassador to Japan nominee George Glass’s nomination hearing, the fourteenth anniversary since the 3.11 triple disaster, Ishiba’s new political scandal, the ruling parties’ decision to re-revise the budget, the LDP’s annual party convention, anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese graphite electrodes, RENGO’s preliminary wage hike survey, the latest Economy Watchers Survey, and more.

The 162nd edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Trump’s comments over the lack of reciprocity in Japan-U.S. security arrangements, the inaugural Japan-U.K. economic “2+2,” METI Minister Muto’s scheduled visit to the United States, the first passage through the Taiwan Strait by a JMSDF vessel, the impending re-vote on the annual budget, the LDP’s plans to issue a new “national vision,” the 7&i buyout ordeal, revisions to the AI guidelines reflecting AI risks, opening bids on stockpiled rice, the possibility of record-high wage hikes by large corporations, and more.

The 161st edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the continued dilemma over the GOJ’s response to Trump’s tariffs, the G7 leaders’ video conference, Defense Minister Nakatani’s visit to the Philippines, the first Diet-revised annual budget in 29 years, new testimony over the Abe faction slush fund scandal, the gradual start of campaigning for the Upper House election, GOJ plans to support domestic production and laying of undersea cables, the Nikkei index’s response to Trump tariffs, concerning depopulation trends, and more.

The 160th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the GOJ’s lobbying efforts with the United States over tariff exemptions, the Japanese business delegation visit to China, Foreign Minister Iwaya’s attendance at the G20 meeting, the upcoming Japan-Philippines defense ministers’ meeting, the likely passage of the FY 2025 annual budget, discussions over social media regulations during elections, a new Japan-U.S.-ROK initiative on economic security-related technologies, Foxconn’s continued interest in the failed Honda-Nissan partnership, record-high nominal GDP, and more.

The 159th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the GOJ’s reaction to Trump’s tariff announcements, the possibility of PM Ishiba visiting China, the upcoming Japan-U.S.-ROK trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting, the potential Japan-U.S. defense ministers’ meeting next month, the annual budget talks in the Diet, discussions over social media regulations during elections, the GOJ’s revised Economic Security Promotion Act guidelines, updates on the GOJ’s AI legislation, the GOJ’s unprecedented decision to release stockpiled rice, Japan’s current account surplus in 2024, and more.