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.
Tag Archives: G7
The Weekly Observer: March 10-14
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 Weekly Observer: March 3-7
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 Weekly Observer: February 24-28
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 Weekly Observer: February 17-21
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 Weekly Observer: February 10-14
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.
The Weekly Observer: February 3-7
The 158th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the Ishiba-Trump summit, the GOJ approved “active cyber defense” bill, the Japan-Saudi Foreign Ministerial Dialogue, the visit by Australia’s defense force chief, ongoing negotiations between the ruling parties and opposition parties on budget-related items, a high court ruling on the “Moritomo documents,” SoftBank and OpenAI’s new AI servicing company, the GOJ’s Rapidus support bill, the possibility of further rate hikes, wage statistics, and more.
The Weekly Observer: January 27-31
The 157th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on next month’s Ishiba-Trump summit deliverables, the first Japan-U.S. defense ministers’ phone call under the second Trump administration, the first full week of the Diet session, the indictment of a Tokyo LDP staffer over the local fundraising scandal, the implementation guidelines for the security clearance system, the BOJ and additional interest rate hikes, excess migration to Tokyo, and more.
The Weekly Observer: January 20-24
The 156th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the GOJ’s first diplomatic engagements with the new Trump administration, the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting, Iwaya’s foreign policy speech, the delays in deploying advanced stealth fighter jets, Ishiba’s policy speech to the Diet, a preview of the ordinary Diet session, the summer Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, the Rapidus support bill, the GOJ’s proposed pensions system reform, the Monthly Economic Report, and more.
The Weekly Observer: January 13-17
The 155th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the Ishiba administration’s preparatory work for Trump 2.0, the ruling party delegation’s visit to China, Foreign Minister Iwaya’s diplomatic engagements with the Philippines and South Korea, Defense Minister Nakatani’s engagements with Indonesia, a brewing new political scandal for the LDP, the GOJ’s planned AI legislation, rumors of the Bank of Japan hiking rates, the current account balance, and more.