https://www.scmp.com/rss/507407/feed Yoshihide Suga became Japan’s new Prime Minister on September 16, replacing long-serving leader Shinzo Abe. Suga comes to the top job at a time when the country is grappling with a coronavirus-hit economy, geopolitical tensions and the US-China rivalry. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China has held off on congratulating Japan’s new prime minister nearly a week after her appointment, a break with precedent that sends alarm about the state of relations between the two countries. China hawk Sanae Takaichi, 64, took office on Tuesday, becoming the first woman prime minister in the country’s history and the fifth person to hold the office in five years. She took over from Shigeru Ishiba, who was congratulated by both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on the day he... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330382/china-gives-japans-new-prime-minister-sanae-takaichi-cold-shoulder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330382/china-gives-japans-new-prime-minister-sanae-takaichi-cold-shoulder?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 15:55:08 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley Are politicians dispensable, and can elite bureaucrats run a country more efficiently? The question has become one of more than academic importance in Japan, where the political situation has degenerated into chaos as potential leaders and their parties vie for power. This is a question that has considerable economic and financial as well as political significance. Japan is a key trade, investment and security partner to other leading nations in and beyond Asia and its financial markets are... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3329239/japans-political-turmoil-will-weigh-heavily-its-economy-and-beyond?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3329239/japans-political-turmoil-will-weigh-heavily-its-economy-and-beyond?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow When Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced on September 7 that he would step down after his party was trounced at the parliamentary polls earlier this year, the country was already staring at what could be an era of flux, marked by revolving door leaders who are slaves to approval ratings amid relentless electoral cycles. And this trend, according to observers, is likely to persist, pulling Tokyo into a period reminiscent of the 1990s and 2000s when prime ministers were replaced... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327047/ishiba-exits-japan-doomed-revolving-door-era-political-instability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327047/ishiba-exits-japan-doomed-revolving-door-era-political-instability?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Sep 2025 00:00:23 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is grappling with an identity crisis, its decades-long political dominance rattled first by a humiliating electoral defeat and now, the anticipated resignation of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Ishiba, 68, on Wednesday dismissed as “completely unfounded” media reports that he had already decided to step down. But analysts contend that his departure is all but inevitable after the LDP’s second consecutive loss and the collapse of his minority... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319299/japan-pm-ishibas-expected-exit-tips-ruling-ldp-crisis-mode?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319299/japan-pm-ishibas-expected-exit-tips-ruling-ldp-crisis-mode?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:00:07 +0000 Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was appointed on Monday the head of a cross-party group of lawmakers promoting friendly ties between Japan and South Korea, as the two neighbours see increasing signs of a diplomatic thaw. Strengthening the relationship between Tokyo and Seoul is essential for resolving issues including the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea and realising a free and open Indo-Pacific, Suga said at a meeting of the group. Suga is the first former prime... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3215032/japans-ex-pm-suga-leads-cross-party-group-promoting-japan-south-korea-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3215032/japans-ex-pm-suga-leads-cross-party-group-promoting-japan-south-korea-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:07:52 +0000 Unpopular with the public and increasingly within his own party, the political future of Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may hinge on local elections and by-elections in April. And should his Liberal Democratic Party fare badly at the polls, then a familiar name appears to be waiting in the wings. There is growing speculation that former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga may be plotting a return as the public’s perception of his one-year in office is being reassessed in light of Kishida’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3207785/japans-yoshihide-suga-planning-comeback-pm-fumio-kishidas-approval-rating-sinks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3207785/japans-yoshihide-suga-planning-comeback-pm-fumio-kishidas-approval-rating-sinks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jan 2023 00:32:53 +0000 Japan will open an embassy in the Pacific island republic of Kiribati later this year as part of efforts by the US and its allies to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Tokyo will also open a consulate in French-controlled New Caledonia, the Yomiuri newspaper quoted a foreign ministry official as confirming, as Japan steps up its military cooperation with French forces in the region. The move comes after former Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga last July called for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3161955/japan-steps-diplomatic-military-engagement-pacific-islands-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3161955/japan-steps-diplomatic-military-engagement-pacific-islands-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jan 2022 09:31:46 +0000 Former Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga has struck a more conciliatory note towards China in a new media interview, although analysts suggest his comments may be more related to internal differences within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and also designed to rehabilitate a reputation that took a battering before he stepped down in October. In an interview published on Tuesday by the Nikkei newspaper, Suga said it was “overly simplistic” to suggest that the statement issued with US... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3160534/japans-former-pm-yoshihide-suga-strikes-conciliatory-tone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3160534/japans-former-pm-yoshihide-suga-strikes-conciliatory-tone?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Dec 2021 08:00:33 +0000 Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has wasted no time in using the threats posed by regional rivals to boost his campaign ahead of the October 31 general election, declaring that only the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is capable of keeping the nation’s adversaries at bay. “The opposition parties cannot even reach a consensus on the Japan-US security alliance or the Self-Defence Forces, and we cannot let them run this country,” he told reporters on Thursday after announcing the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3152488/pm-kishida-tells-voters-only-ldp-can-keep-japan-safe-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3152488/pm-kishida-tells-voters-only-ldp-can-keep-japan-safe-security?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Oct 2021 09:15:11 +0000 Fumio Kishida has only been Japanese prime minister since October 4. Even so, he is already preparing to win a general election on October 31 as the House of Representatives’ term expires. Internal politics in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is brutal, with many politicians focusing only on holding onto their seats, with little regard for ideology and policy. As such, Kishida has appointed people to several senior posts within the LDP and assembled his cabinet to win the upcoming... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3151181/why-japan-will-take-more-china-friendly-turn-after-its-general?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3151181/why-japan-will-take-more-china-friendly-turn-after-its-general?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Oct 2021 01:15:24 +0000 Japan’s new prime minister, Fumio Kishida, exchanged fist bumps with lawmakers after he was formally elected by parliament on Monday, later announcing he would dissolve the body next week and call an election for October 31. The surprise move, amid widespread expectations for a poll in November, appears to be aimed at exploiting a traditional honeymoon period accorded to new governments and a sharp drop in the number of coronavirus infections. Outgoing prime minister Yoshihide Suga enjoyed... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3151079/japans-incoming-pm-fumio-kishida-call-general-election-october?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3151079/japans-incoming-pm-fumio-kishida-call-general-election-october?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Oct 2021 03:19:52 +0000 The “old guard” of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Wednesday once again defied popular will by electing Fumio Kishida as the new leader of both the party and the nation, with more critical analysts suggesting that party elders wanted a “puppet” who would bend to their wishes rather than a younger maverick as prime minister. Kishida, a 64-year-old former foreign minister, was elected in a second round of voting with 257 votes from LDP politicians, after none of the initial four... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3150541/japan-pm-race-goes-run-between-taro-kono-and-fumio-kishida?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3150541/japan-pm-race-goes-run-between-taro-kono-and-fumio-kishida?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Sep 2021 05:39:30 +0000 Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Wednesday votes for a new leader, who will almost certainly become the next prime minister, after current premier Yoshihide Suga announced he would not seek a second term as party leader. Running for the top post are popular vaccine minister Taro Kono, former foreign minister Fumio Kishida, former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi and Seiko Noda from the party’s dwindling liberal wing. The winner of the LDP leadership race is expected to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3150490/japans-ruling-ldp-picks-new-leader-whats-next-new-pm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3150490/japans-ruling-ldp-picks-new-leader-whats-next-new-pm?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Sep 2021 23:00:20 +0000 Japan’s ruling party is set on Wednesday to vote for the country’s next prime minister in an election that includes women candidates for the first time in 13 years, including a China hawk backed by former premier Shinzo Abe. The winner of the contest to lead the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is almost certain to succeed Yoshihide Suga as prime minister because the party has a majority in parliament’s powerful lower house. Gunning for the top post are popular vaccine minister Taro... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3150238/china-hawk-and-pacifist-politician-vie-become-japans-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3150238/china-hawk-and-pacifist-politician-vie-become-japans-first?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Sep 2021 05:54:38 +0000 Leaders of the “Quad” alliance comprising the United States, India, Japan and Australia convened at the White House on Friday to pledge cooperation on coronavirus vaccine distribution, advanced technologies, climate change, and scientific exchanges, the latest move by the US administration in its growing focus on Indo-Pacific alliances that has angered China. “We are four major democracies with a long history of cooperation,” US President Joe Biden said in opening remarks ahead of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/3150059/joe-biden-discusses-indian-bidens-narendra-modi-and-asks-are-we?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/3150059/joe-biden-discusses-indian-bidens-narendra-modi-and-asks-are-we?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Sep 2021 18:22:33 +0000 China’s rapidly growing military influence and unilateral changing of the status quo could present a risk to Japan, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday ahead of the first Quad summit. “The changing power balance brought by the rise of China in the Indo-Pacific, along with the increasing inward focus spurred by the pandemic have increased uncertainty,” Suga said before the first in-person leaders’ meeting of Quad nations US, Australia, India and Japan, which is to be held on Friday at... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3149691/chinas-military-expansion-could-threaten-japans-peace-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3149691/chinas-military-expansion-could-threaten-japans-peace-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Sep 2021 09:53:53 +0000 Two women are in contention to become prime minister of Japan for the first time in its history – a potential turning point for a country that ranks below Saudi Arabia in terms of female political representation. Victory for either Seiko Noda and Sanae Takaichi, both former internal affairs ministers in their 60s, in a September 29 vote for leader of the ruling party would mean Japan sees its first female premier. Even having women make up half the ballot of four candidates is a step forward for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3149259/will-japan-get-its-first-female-prime-minister-two-women-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3149259/will-japan-get-its-first-female-prime-minister-two-women-run?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Sep 2021 07:46:38 +0000 China and Japan, as neighbours and Asia’s two biggest economies, have a vital role in reinvigorating the region’s growth and development after the Covid-19 pandemic is vanquished. But with different approaches to defeating the coronavirus and hawkish Japanese policies towards Beijing, that is unlikely without enlightened leadership from Tokyo. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s decision to step down over his mishandling of the disease and economy offers an opportunity for a foreign policy reset.... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3148616/pragmatic-approach-china-essential-next-japanese-pm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3148616/pragmatic-approach-china-essential-next-japanese-pm?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Sep 2021 17:16:28 +0000 As a former senior Japanese official once told me, Japan is a country of “excellent foot soldiers but poor commanders”. Now, as a new batch of would-be commanders jostles to become prime minister, the danger is that whoever wins will again disappoint hopes of more visionary leadership. Public enemy No 1 for any new leader is the Covid-19 pandemic, an adversary outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has had limited success in fighting. Repairing Japan’s pandemic-ravaged economy will be another... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3148323/ailing-japan-needs-new-ideas-leadership-contest-revive-its-regional?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3148323/ailing-japan-needs-new-ideas-leadership-contest-revive-its-regional?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:45:13 +0000 As the race to replace outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party heats up, Japan’s relations with Beijing – and the issue of Taiwan in particular – has emerged as a top priority for leadership contenders amid the continuing rivalry between China and the US. Taro Kono, Japan’s popular Covid-19 vaccination minister, announced on Friday his candidacy for the LDP leadership, which opened up after Suga said last week that he would be stepping down. Fumio... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3148470/china-ties-taiwan-top-agenda-race-japans-new-ldp-leader-prime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3148470/china-ties-taiwan-top-agenda-race-japans-new-ldp-leader-prime?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:15:17 +0000 After less than a year in office, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced last Friday that he would not seek re-election as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. When his term as party leader ends on September 30, his short yet turbulent stint as prime minister will also come to a close. In his first months in office, he had enjoyed approval ratings as high as 65 per cent. However, his popularity began to decline late last year, before reaching a nadir of 29 per cent during... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3147638/what-now-japan-suga-steps-down-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3147638/what-now-japan-suga-steps-down-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Sep 2021 00:45:12 +0000 Taro Kono, Japan’s minister in charge of fighting Covid-19 and a top choice of voters for Japanese prime minister, may also pick up the backing of a popular ruling party heavyweight in the race for party leader, broadcaster TV Asahi said on Monday. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s shock announcement on Friday that he was stepping down has thrown a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race set for September 29 wide open, with an array of candidates – including two women – considering... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3147724/japans-vaccine-minister-taro-kono-emerges-front-runner-become?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3147724/japans-vaccine-minister-taro-kono-emerges-front-runner-become?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Sep 2021 08:27:16 +0000 The Taiwan Strait may be the next major diplomatic problem after China’s clampdown on Hong Kong, according to former Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida, one of at least two candidates likely to vie to become the next premier. Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg News on Friday, just before Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga made a surprise announcement that he was stepping down, Kishida said Japan should seek to cooperate with Taiwan and countries that share its values of freedom, democracy... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3147568/japan-pm-contender-fumio-kishida-warns-taiwan-next-big?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3147568/japan-pm-contender-fumio-kishida-warns-taiwan-next-big?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Sep 2021 03:08:04 +0000 The surprise decision by Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga not to recontest the presidency of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has thrown this month’s party leadership election wide open, with implications for the national lower house election due to follow soon after. Suga made the sudden announcement this Friday amid wrangling among the various LDP factions, as the worsening unpopularity of his government ultimately undid his premiership. Although last month’s spectator-free Tokyo... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3147537/japans-next-prime-minister-vaccine-tsar-taro-kono-shot-suga-steps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3147537/japans-next-prime-minister-vaccine-tsar-taro-kono-shot-suga-steps?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Sep 2021 13:36:31 +0000 After months of sliding approval ratings, Yoshihide Suga called time on his short and troubled stint as Japan’s prime minister on Friday, announcing he would not stand for re-election as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party when it votes later this month. The news has caught many in Japanese politics by surprise, and leaves the door wide open as to who will succeed him. While Suga’s former rival for the top job Fumio Kishida is widely seen as the frontrunner, the decision has also prompted... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3147466/japanese-prime-minister-yoshihide-suga-resigns-what-happens-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3147466/japanese-prime-minister-yoshihide-suga-resigns-what-happens-now?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Sep 2021 08:30:11 +0000 Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday he will not run for re-election as party leader this month, effectively ending his tenure after just one year. He told a news conference in Tokyo that he will not run for leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party later this month. Whoever becomes the next LDP leader is virtually assured of becoming prime minister thanks to the party’s dominance in parliament. “Since I became prime minister a year ago, dealing with coronavirus has been at... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3147409/japan-pm-yoshihide-suga-resign-after-just-one-year-post?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3147409/japan-pm-yoshihide-suga-resign-after-just-one-year-post?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Sep 2021 03:52:31 +0000 Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pledged on Sunday that the country would not wage war again, making the vow on the anniversary of the end of World War II as members of his cabinet visited a controversial shrine. Nearly eight decades since the end of the war, the conflict remains a source of tension between Japan and its neighbours, particularly China and North and South Korea. “Since the end of the war, Japan has consistently walked the path of a country that values peace,” Suga said in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3145100/japanese-pm-suga-vows-never-again-repeat-devastation-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3145100/japanese-pm-suga-vows-never-again-repeat-devastation-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Aug 2021 06:17:06 +0000 Japan plans to revise its Medium Term Defence Programme earlier than originally scheduled as it looks to boost spending to counter China’s growing assertiveness in surrounding waters and prepare for contingencies in the Taiwan Strait, government sources said Friday. The programme, which covers the five years through fiscal 2023, could be updated within the year, with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi having agreed earlier this month that some changes are necessary,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3145022/japan-revise-5-year-defence-plan-ahead-schedule-eyeing-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3145022/japan-revise-5-year-defence-plan-ahead-schedule-eyeing-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Aug 2021 18:20:05 +0000 A decision to cancel the Tokyo Paralympics could be made this week unless Japan’s new coronavirus infections can be brought under control, according to a senior government health adviser. The Olympics, which finished on the weekend, have been hailed as a relative success in uniquely trying circumstances, and public sentiment gradually warmed as Japanese athletes claimed record medal hauls. However, Japan must now confront soaring infection numbers and a US$15 billion bill for staging the Games –... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3144362/tokyo-olympics-infection-numbers-threaten-paralympics-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3144362/tokyo-olympics-infection-numbers-threaten-paralympics-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Aug 2021 07:45:09 +0000 Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka described the moment as “undoubtedly the greatest athletic achievement and honour” of her life. Flaming torch in hand, she climbed the steps of a miniature Mount Fuji, lit the Olympic cauldron and, with that, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games began. There were widespread fears in the build-up that the Games, which finish on Sunday after two weeks of intense sporting action, could become a superspreader event for host nation Japan. Set against the backdrop of the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3143963/tokyo-olympics-all-too-fleeting-glimpse-youthful-and-diverse-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3143963/tokyo-olympics-all-too-fleeting-glimpse-youthful-and-diverse-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Aug 2021 02:45:09 +0000 A visit by Russia’s premier this week to an island chain claimed by Japan has fuelled a fresh bilateral disagreement between both sides, and a suggestion that Moscow’s actions were deliberately timed during the Tokyo Olympics to bring about a “toned-down” response from Japan. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s visit on Monday to the Kurils, also known as the Northern Territories, was the first by a Russian premier since a constitutional amendment last July barred Russia from ceding... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3142705/japan-and-russias-kuril-islands-dispute-spotlight-putins-special?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3142705/japan-and-russias-kuril-islands-dispute-spotlight-putins-special?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jul 2021 09:39:13 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day three of the Tokyo Olympics here. Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games organisers on Monday reported 16 more coronavirus cases, including three infections among athletes, as a poll found support for Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga slid nine points to 34 per cent, its lowest since he took office last September. Those who tested positive included contractors and employees of Tokyo 2020, according to a statement. Six of the 16 are Japanese residents. Only one of those... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3142497/tokyo-olympics-japanese-pm-yoshihide-sugas-support-falls-lowest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3142497/tokyo-olympics-japanese-pm-yoshihide-sugas-support-falls-lowest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jul 2021 02:48:15 +0000 Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on Saturday that Japan will pass on its experience of hosting a “safe and secure” Olympics – being held in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic – to Paris, host of the 2024 Summer Games. In a joint statement released after their meeting in Tokyo, Suga and Macron also affirmed deeper security cooperation as part of efforts to realise a free and open Indo-Pacific in the face of China’s military build-up and assertive... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3142405/japan-pm-suga-frances-macron-vow-boost-defence-ties-veiled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3142405/japan-pm-suga-frances-macron-vow-boost-defence-ties-veiled?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jul 2021 13:56:33 +0000 Problems continued to mount for Tokyo Olympic organisers on Thursday, as the city reported 1,979 new daily Covid-19 cases, the highest number since mid-January. Meanwhile, two more athletes at the Olympic Village tested positive for Covid-19 a day before the Games are set to officially open and the director of the opening ceremony was fired over comments he made about the Holocaust. Organisers announced 12 new infection overall on Thursday, including the two athletes, bringing the total number... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3142045/tokyo-olympics-two-more-athletes-test-positive-covid-19-opening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3142045/tokyo-olympics-two-more-athletes-test-positive-covid-19-opening?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jul 2021 03:46:13 +0000 Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will meet US First Lady Jill Biden on Thursday as part of a string of bilateral talks with world leaders and other foreign dignitaries in the lead-up to the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Suga will also separately meet Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), the ministry said. Biden is set to arrive at Yokota... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3141998/tokyo-olympics-japans-suga-meet-jill-biden-who-chief-tedros?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3141998/tokyo-olympics-japans-suga-meet-jill-biden-who-chief-tedros?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jul 2021 13:14:30 +0000 When Tokyo’s successful Olympic bid was announced in 2013, there was widespread domestic fanfare. A viewing party in one Tokyo city park attracted 2,000 excited revellers who celebrated the victory with live music and a fun run. The Games were billed as the “recovery Olympics”, a tonic in the aftermath of the triple disasters of 2011. At that time, domestic commentators questioned whether the Games should go ahead in a country still affected by nuclear anxiety. Large swathes of Fukushima... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3141561/tokyo-2020-japans-recovery-games-little-benefit-local-residents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3141561/tokyo-2020-japans-recovery-games-little-benefit-local-residents?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jul 2021 01:15:16 +0000 South Korea on Monday confirmed that President Moon Jae-in will not visit Japan this week, bringing an end to speculation that the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games would see a summit between the leaders of the two neighbouring countries. “President Moon Jae-in has decided not to visit Japan on the occasion of the Tokyo summer Olympics,” South Korea’s presidential Blue House announced. The two governments have had “meaningful discussions on ways to move forward in pending history-related issues and on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3141704/south-koreas-moon-jae-cancels-tokyo-trip-amid-outcry-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3141704/south-koreas-moon-jae-cancels-tokyo-trip-amid-outcry-over?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jul 2021 11:30:49 +0000 The South Korean government has summoned the Japanese ambassador to the foreign ministry over crude remarks about President Moon Jae-in and his attempt to organise a summit with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga during the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Hirohisa Soma, the deputy head of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, reportedly ridiculed Moon’s chances of holding a summit with Suga during the Games, accusing the South Korean president of “masturbating”. In response, South Korea’s First Vice Foreign... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/3141497/south-korea-summons-japanese-ambassador-after-diplomat-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/3141497/south-korea-summons-japanese-ambassador-after-diplomat-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jul 2021 03:45:11 +0000 A Tokyo hotel has apologised and removed signs saying “Japanese only” and “foreigners only” from elevators after the Covid-19 precaution sparked outrage on social media ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics. Tokyo entered a state of emergency on Monday amid concerns that an influx of tens of thousands of athletes and officials during the July 23-August 8 Games will spread the coronavirus, cases of which are rising in the Japanese capital. Akasaka Excel Hotel Tokyu in downtown Tokyo put up the signs... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3140792/tokyo-olympics-japanese-only-signs-spark-outrage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3140792/tokyo-olympics-japanese-only-signs-spark-outrage?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jul 2021 09:30:08 +0000 The South Korean government on Sunday warned against continued reports from media outlets in Japan about President Moon Jae-in’s possible visit to Tokyo during the 2020 Olympic Games later this month, which could include a summit with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “strong regrets over leaks of the two sides’ consultations through media reports describing Japan’s unilateral perspective citing Japanese government officials”. The statement added that “it... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3140695/speculation-moon-suga-summit-tokyo-mounts-south-korea-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3140695/speculation-moon-suga-summit-tokyo-mounts-south-korea-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jul 2021 00:00:17 +0000 The Tokyo Olympics will be held without spectators at venues in the Japanese capital due to a spike in coronavirus infections, Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa said on Thursday after organisers made the unprecedented decision just two weeks ahead of the opening of the global sporting event. The announcement came after the Japanese government decided to put Tokyo under another state of emergency until August 22, amid rising concern the Games could trigger a further surge in infections. The new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3140189/tokyo-olympics-iocs-bach-arrive-japan-covid-19-forces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3140189/tokyo-olympics-iocs-bach-arrive-japan-covid-19-forces?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jul 2021 04:00:15 +0000 “The vision I am aiming for is that of ‘a beautiful country, Japan’,” declared Shinzo Abe in his maiden speech as prime minister before the Diet in 2006. As the first Japanese leader born after the Second World War, Abe envisioned his country’s re-emergence as a global force, one that is “filled with charm and vitality” and “open to the world”. The upcoming Summer Olympics in Japan, which were postponed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, would have been his crowning achievement, capping... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3139998/japan-can-be-dynamic-alternative-superpower-hubris-just-ask?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3139998/japan-can-be-dynamic-alternative-superpower-hubris-just-ask?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jul 2021 00:00:14 +0000 Two people died and around 20 others remained missing on Saturday after a huge landslide at a resort town in central Japan swept away homes following days of heavy rain, officials said. Television footage showed a torrent of mud obliterating buildings as it crashed down a hillside in Atami, southwest of Tokyo, sending people fleeing as it buried part of a road. “I heard a horrible sound and saw a mudslide flowing downwards as rescuers were urging people to evacuate. So I ran to higher ground,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3139716/two-feared-dead-20-missing-after-homes-swept-away-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3139716/two-feared-dead-20-missing-after-homes-swept-away-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jul 2021 10:38:48 +0000 Japan’s prime minister on Friday dismissed claims that the country’s emperor is “concerned” the Tokyo Olympics could spread the coronavirus, saying the comments were the opinions of an imperial household representative. On Thursday, Yasuhiko Nishimura, the head of the Imperial Household Agency that manages royal affairs, told reporters that Emperor Naruhito is “very worried about the current infection situation of Covid-19”, Japanese media reported. Nishimura said he believed the emperor “is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3138713/tokyo-olympics-japans-suga-rejects-claims-emperor-naruhito?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3138713/tokyo-olympics-japans-suga-rejects-claims-emperor-naruhito?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jun 2021 04:46:49 +0000 Japan’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that laws requiring married couples to have the same surname are constitutional, dismissing a challenge by three couples seeking to keep their original names. The decision to affirm a 2015 Supreme Court ruling was a major disappointment for rights activists who say the laws violate the constitution’s guarantee of gender equality since women almost always sacrifice their surnames. The three couples challenged provisions of the Civil Code and the family... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3138508/japans-supreme-court-rules-married-couples-must-adopt-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3138508/japans-supreme-court-rules-married-couples-must-adopt-one?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jun 2021 19:30:12 +0000 Yokohama resident Nana Kimura remembers rolling her eyes when her sports-mad husband admitted two years ago that he had paid 150,000 yen (US$1,360) for three tickets to the women’s 100-metres final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. With less than five weeks to go to the Games and worries that the event could still trigger a cluster of Covid-19 infections, Kimura has decided she will not be attending the event, although her husband, a doctor who has been vaccinated, will still go ahead with their... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3137930/tokyo-olympics-between-covid-19-and-financial-worries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3137930/tokyo-olympics-between-covid-19-and-financial-worries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jun 2021 10:55:00 +0000 It was supposed to be another sign of Joe Biden bringing together US allies left adrift under four years of Donald Trump: the leaders of Japan and South Korea sitting down for a meeting at the weekend’s G7 summit. Yet Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and South Korean President Moon Jae-in failed to hold the first substantive direct talks between the leaders of the oft-sparring neighbours since December 2019, only exchanging greetings before the start of one of the formal meetings. Suga... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/3137293/japan-south-korea-spat-g7-highlights-bidens-challenge-building?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/3137293/japan-south-korea-spat-g7-highlights-bidens-challenge-building?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jun 2021 02:56:11 +0000 Japan’s relations with Taiwan are non-governmental and practical and are based on Tokyo’s recognition of China as the sole legitimate government, a senior Japanese official said on Friday, following Beijing’s protest over the prime minister’s recent reference to the island as a country. As China flexes its muscle in the Taiwan Strait and the Asia-Pacific region, the issue of Taiwan is a sensitive topic, especially as Japan, the United States and other democracies develop closer ties with the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3136914/japan-says-ties-taiwan-are-only-unofficial-wake-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3136914/japan-says-ties-taiwan-are-only-unofficial-wake-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jun 2021 07:16:28 +0000 Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday he regretted having to take all the flak for holding the Summer Olympics during a pandemic as his government was reported to favour allowing domestic spectators into stadiums to watch. Tokyo 2020, already postponed by a year, has faced strong opposition from the public, medical experts and some former athletes amid a fourth wave of infections. And Suga’s comments appeared to illustrate tensions bubbling to the surface as the government... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3136622/tokyo-olympics-japanese-government-poised-allow-local?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3136622/tokyo-olympics-japanese-government-poised-allow-local?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jun 2021 07:33:22 +0000 A diplomatic dispute has erupted between Russia and Japan after three Japanese fishermen were killed in a collision with a Russian ship. Moscow’s embassy in Tokyo on Monday demanded that Japan not “politicise” the incident following the arrest of a Russian sailor charged with causing the deaths. Russia, in turn, has been accused by observers of “hostage diplomacy” for seizing a Japanese trawler with 14 crew aboard two days after the fatal collision. Pavel Dobrianski, 38, was detained on Monday... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3136525/hostage-diplomacy-russias-seizure-japanese-trawler-raises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3136525/hostage-diplomacy-russias-seizure-japanese-trawler-raises?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jun 2021 11:37:12 +0000