The 170th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the second round of Japan-U.S. tariff talks, Ishiba’s diplomatic travel to Southeast Asia, lawmaker visits during Golden Week, Foreign Minister Iwaya’s diplomatic travel during Golden Week, Defense Minister Nakatani’s discussions on shipbuilding with U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan, Constitution Memorial Day, discussions over an inflation relief package, Ishiba’s participation in RENGO’s May Day convention, the BOJ’s decision to maintain policy interest rates, the Japan-U.K. quantum memorandum, plans to expand the Chiang Mai Initiative, the impact of yen appreciation on corporate current earnings, and more.
Tag Archives: Japan
The Weekly Observer: April 21-25
The 169th edition of the weekly newsletter aggregating news on Japanese politics. This week focuses on the upcoming second round of Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations, Ishiba’s upcoming visit to Southeast Asia, the extension of Gen. Yoshida’s tenure as Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff, the GOJ’s emergency tariff relief package, the first political party leaders’ debate this Diet session, potential coalition realignment, pension system reform legislation, AI and chip legislation, the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting, METI’s 2040 industrial structure vision, and more.
The Weekly Observer: April 14-18
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 Weekly Observer: April 7-11
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 Weekly Observer: March 31-April 4
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 Weekly Observer: March 24-28
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 Weekly Observer: March 17-21
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 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.