Category Archives: Tokyo Observer

The 190th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Ishiba’s last diplomatic visit, the Trump Administration’s reduced auto tariff rate kicking in, defense expert panel proposals to fundamentally reinforce capabilities, the upcoming LDP presidential election, political maneuvering by both ruling and opposition parties to shape economic policy, the Nikkei 225 hitting new heights, the BOJ maintaining policy interest rates, the new Japan-EU battery supply chain partnership, the GOJ’s draft cybersecurity guidelines, MOFA appointing a new representative to the WTO, the August trade balance, and more.

The 189th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on prospects for an Alaskan LNG deal, Japan’s defense ties with regional partners, additional sanctions on Russia, the establishment of a new GCAP consortium, Prime Minister Ishiba’s resignation, opposition demands for an extraordinary Diet session, the draft Basic AI Plan, the Board of Audit’s cybersecurity assessment report, the Japan-U.S. finance ministers’ meeting, August’s Economy Watchers Survey, and more.

The 188th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the Japan-U.S. tariff deal, the 12th Japan-Australia “2+2” meeting, the Japan-Taiwan ruling parties’ “2+2” meeting, Defense Minister Nakatani’s diplomatic visit to South Korea for a defense ministerial, the ongoing political drama surrounding Ishiba’s future, news of a fall economic stimulus package, the establishment of the GOJ’s AI Strategy HQ, record high hikes in the national average minimum wage, the index of business conditions, and more.

The 187th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Akazawa’s cancelled visit to the United States, the Japan-India Summit, Foreign Minister Iwaya’s visit to Central Asia, the MOD’s updates on standoff missile capabilities, the FY 2026 budget requests, growing internal disagreements in the LDP over Ishiba’s continued leadership, a fresh political scandal involving a Ishin lawmaker, Mitsubishi Corp.’s decision to withdraw from a national wind power project, the GOJ’s plan to develop a critical technologies list, the GOJ potentially setting a cap on the number of foreigners entering the country, August’s Monthly Economic Report, and more.

The 186th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the TICAD 9, the Japan-ROK Summit, Ishiba’s participation in a virtual summit meeting to support Ukraine, the Japan-Türkiye defense ministerial meeting, the LDP’s decision to make public names of lawmakers who want an early presidential election, the GOJ’s decision to likely revise the cash handout proposal, Nvidia’s participation in Japan’s supercomputer project, the JFSA’s proposal to expand NISA and revise crypto taxation, July’s trade balance and how tariffs have affected Japan’s trade activities, and more.

The 185th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Japan’s preparations to host TICAD 9, the upcoming Ishiba-Lee Summit, Ishiba’s participation in the virtual leaders meeting to support Ukraine, the JMSDF protecting a U.K. aircraft carrier, Ishiba’s address at the war memorial ceremony, the indictment of a former Abe faction member’s secretary, the impending approval of the first yen-denominated stablecoin, Bessent’s verbal intervention in financial markets, Japan’s growing dependence on foreign laborers, and more.

The 184th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Japan lobbying for special treatment on U.S. reciprocal tariffs, Japan winning the Australian general frigate project, summit previews with South Korea’s Lee and India’s Modi, the first Japan-ROK defense ministerial meeting with Seoul’s new defense chief, Ishiba’s message on the occasion of the peace memorial ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the LDP’s ongoing discussions over whether to hold a presidential election, the FY 2026 budget request guidelines, a new cybersecurity certification for information security providers, record national average minimum wage hikes, July’s Economy Watchers Survey, and more.

The 183rd edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Japan’s reaction to Trump’s executive order on the reciprocal tariff rate, MOFA’s first major reorganization in nineteen years, the inauguration of the new JSDF Joint Staff of the Chief of Staff, the extraordinary Diet session, increasing pressure on Ishiba to step down, Ishiba reportedly forgoing issuance of a statement marking the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, the BOJ’s decision to maintain policy interest rates, the establishment of the GOJ’s AI Policy Promotion Office, final arrangements to raise the average national minimum wage, the GOJ’s Monthly Economic Report for July, and more.

The 182nd edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the tariff agreement between Japan and the United States, the Japan-EU Summit, Foreign Minister Iwaya’s first phone call with the new ROK foreign minister, Defense Minister Nakatani’s diplomatic travel plans next month, pressure on Prime Minister Ishiba to step down, the potential re-submission of legislation to scrap the provisional gas tax rate, METI’s plan to expand the scope of support for next-gen solar battery development, MEXT’s plans to raise the maximum cap at universities to attract foreign students, capital investment amounts according to a Nikkei survey, and more.

The 181st edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the ongoing Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations, the Defense of Japan 2025, the Japan-U.S.-ROK trilateral vice ministerial meeting, leadership changes at the MOD and JSDF, Ishiba’s third major election defeat, the new government office tasked with tightening regulations on foreigners, the end to the Seven & i Holdings takeover saga, the G20 FMCBG meeting, record high tourism numbers in June, and more.