The Weekly Observer: March 28-April 1

The 30th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics! This week focuses on Omicron variant taking over Japan, a new vaccine minister, the TICAD ministerial meeting, PM Kishida and U.S. Ambassador Emanuel’s visit to Hiroshima, the 2022 Diplomatic Bluebook’s contents, the scheduled “2+2” meeting with the Philippines and India, new MOD units, the proposed economic stimulus package, legislation passed this week, HoC election updates, the ruling coalition-DPP discussion on responses to rising oil prices, the BOJ Tankan survey, new systems in place in the new FY, the BOJ’s maneuverings to manage the long-term interest rate, Bain Capital’s bid to privatize Toshiba, and more.

The Weekly Observer: March 14-18

The 28th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics! This week focuses on the GOJ’s decision to lift all pre-emergency measures, Japan’s booster shots, the Japan-India summit, the Japan-Australia-India trilateral supply chain resilience initiative, Japan-U.S. joint exercises, North Korea’s missile test, Chinese incursions into Japanese waters, MOD’s new cyber and space units, the 89th LDP Convention, the FY 2022 budget vote, ruling and opposition parties preparing for the HoC election, progress on unfreezing the trigger clause on the gas tax, the BOJ’s monetary easing policy, latest on the Kawai bribery scandal, the earthquake, the pensioners’ cash handout, and more.

The Weekly Observer: February 21-25

The 25th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics! This week focuses on the latest COVID-19 situation, Shionogi’s oral drug approval, Japan-U.S. meetings on Ukraine, the GOJ’s formal protest over a diplomat’s arrest in China, Japan and “enemy base strike capabilities”, the FY 2022 budget and the DPP, electoral strategy ahead of the summer election, the GOJ raising subsidy amounts for oil suppliers, the Emperor’s 62nd birthday address, the GOJ’s university fund, and more.