Tag Archives: Elections

The 213th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Japan’s response to the situation in Iran, the fresh round of Chinese dual-use export bans on designated Japanese companies, the fourth anniversary since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, bilateral/trilateral/multilateral military exercises, the first session of the National Conference, a brewing political “scandal” involving the prime minister, the GOJ acquiring shares in domestic chip foundry Rapidus, the nomination of two dovish BOJ policy board members, the record low number of birth rates in 2025, and more.

The 212th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the Japan-U.S. Strategic Investment Initiative, reported updates to the FOIP concept, the LDP’s proposed changes to defense export rules, Takaichi’s re-election as Japan’s prime minister, the start of the 221st Diet session, the first signs of trouble with the “National Conference,” the LDP-Ishin leaders’ summit, shipbuilding policy developments, the MOF’s medium-term fiscal outlook, nominal GDP in 2025, and more.

The 211th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the 2026 Lower House election results, Japan seizing a Chinese fishing boat, Japanese Government representation at the Munich Security Conference, Akazawa-Lutnick talks on the strategic investment initiative, the GOJ’s proposed National Intelligence Strategy, the FY 2026 annual budget and start of the special Diet session, the Centrist Reform Alliance’s new leadership, Japan’s quest for domestic rare earths, the Nikkei Stock Average reaching new heights, the record high annual current account surplus, and more.

The 210th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the 2026 Lower House election campaign, the U.S. hosted Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting, the March 19 Japan-U.S. Summit meeting, Japan-Europe dual-use technology cooperation, the upcoming special Diet session schedule, TSMC’s plans to explore production of cutting-edge AI chips in Kumamoto, the Nikkei Stock Average rebounding to hit record levels, the Engel curve hitting a 44-year record high, and more.

The 209th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the 2026 Lower House election campaign, the Japan-U.K. Summit, the Japan-ROK defense ministerial meeting, the Japan-EU and Japan-NATO cyber dialogues, the finance ministry’s announcement that there was no forex market intervention, the Economic Situation Report for January, and more.

The 208th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the start of the Lower House election, the schedule of the upcoming Japan-U.S. Summit, plans for the Japan-ROK defense ministerial meeting later this month, the GOJ’s policies related to foreign nationals, the upcoming Osaka “double” election, the BOJ’s decision to maintain interest rates, METI’s economic security management guidelines, the updated projections of the primary balance in FY 2026, the GOJ’s Monthly Economic Report for January, and more.

The 207th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the Japan-ROK Summit, Foreign Minister Motegi’s diplomatic tour, the Japan-Italy Summit, the Japan-U.S. defense ministerial meeting, Prime Minister Takaichi’s decision to dissolve the Lower House next week, the birth of a new centrist opposition party, rumored plans to finalize foreign nationals policy next week, the GOJ expert panel’s outline for recommendations around the Economic Security Promotion Act, the Nikkei Stock Average hitting record highs, the Economy Watchers Survey for December 2025, and more.

The 206th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on China’s export controls on Japan, Japan’s response to the U.S. action in Venezuela, Japan-U.S. discussions on the $550 billion investment deal, Defense Minister Koizumi’s upcoming visit to the United States, Takaichi’s new year’s address, plans for the national conference on social security reform, the upcoming finance ministerial meeting on critical minerals next week, the cap on foreign nationals under two working visas, the demand-supply gap in July-September 2025, and more.

The 205th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on wrapping up the end of the year and looking ahead to the new year.

The 204th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on Takaichi’s plans to visit the United States in early 2026, Japan’s plans to join Horizons Europe, record high defense spending plans in FY 2026, the record high FY 2026 annual budget request, plans to convene a “national council” on social security reform in 2026, the GOJ adopting several national strategies at the end of the year, the GOJ’s planned overhaul of foreign nationals policy, changes related to the implementation guidelines of the Act on Specially Designated Secrets, pension and medical fee revisions, real GDP growth rate projections for FY 2026, and more.