https://www.scmp.com/rss/519899/feed A former defence chief, Shigeru Ishiba was elected leader of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on September 27, 2024. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was under pressure on Wednesday after it emerged she gave congratulatory gift catalogues to lawmakers from her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) following its landslide election victory this month. Each of her party’s 315 MPs was given the option to choose an item from the catalogue “as an expression of appreciation for their success at this very tough election”, Takaichi wrote in a social media post, saying that no taxpayer money was used. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3344556/japans-takaichi-faces-backlash-over-us190-victory-gifts-ruling-party-lawmakers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3344556/japans-takaichi-faces-backlash-over-us190-victory-gifts-ruling-party-lawmakers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:40:50 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, has extended its lead from last week in a new poll on the race ahead of the February 8 election, with 36.1 per cent backing the party, up 6.9 percentage points, the survey showed on Sunday. The Centrist Reform Alliance, a new major opposition force, was second with 13.9 per cent, up 2.0 points. At the single-constituency level, the survey conducted over two days from Saturday showed that 44.0 per cent would vote for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342018/japans-takaichi-seeks-mandate-improved-majority-snap-election-poll?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342018/japans-takaichi-seeks-mandate-improved-majority-snap-election-poll?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 14:33:11 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall In Japan, “foreigner policy” has entered mainstream consciousness, with a politically middle-of-the-road newspaper concluding that xenophobia dominated the country’s “national conversation” last year. In a December 29 review of the year, the Mainichi reported that policies and attitudes towards foreign nationals “leapt to the forefront of Japanese politics and onto front pages”, propelled in part by the “xenophobic policies and rhetoric of the right-wing Sanseito party” in the July general... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3340260/japans-year-outsider-how-anti-foreigner-sentiment-went-mainstream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3340260/japans-year-outsider-how-anti-foreigner-sentiment-went-mainstream?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, riding high in opinion polls, is expected to call a general election in the coming months to capitalise on her popularity and seize the opportunity to rebuild a Liberal Democratic Party-led government. Takaichi has done little to play down the possibility, telling a news conference on Monday: “It is important that the public can feel the tangible effects of our measures against rising prices and our economic policies. We are working hard to tackle the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339211/japans-takaichi-tipped-snap-election-gamble-poll-ratings-soar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339211/japans-takaichi-tipped-snap-election-gamble-poll-ratings-soar?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is no stranger to political volatility, often characterised by a rapid turnover of prime ministers, and when Sanae Takaichi took office in October, many had believed her premiership would not last long. But more than two months later, Takaichi has proved the sceptics wrong and even managed to bring back voters who abandoned the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party and rallied behind far-right groups like the anti-immigrant Sanseito party in the July election. The LDP under then prime... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338138/takaichi-shaping-japans-thatcher-amid-china-feud-can-her-popularity-last?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338138/takaichi-shaping-japans-thatcher-amid-china-feud-can-her-popularity-last?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, is confronting an unexpected dilemma: whether she will be allowed to enter the country’s most sacred sporting arena – the sumo ring – to present the winner’s trophy that bears her office’s name. Just days before the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament opens on Sunday in Fukuoka, the all-male Japan Sumo Association (JSA) is reportedly weighing what to do if Takaichi wishes to perform the long-standing prime ministerial duty of handing over the Prime... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3331643/japan-wrestles-dilemma-allowing-first-female-prime-minister-sacred-sumo-ring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3331643/japan-wrestles-dilemma-allowing-first-female-prime-minister-sacred-sumo-ring?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces the first major test of her diplomatic skills on Monday when US President Donald Trump arrives in Tokyo for a three-day visit, with the Japanese leader using her first week in office to institute policies designed to please her American counterpart. In a policy speech to the Diet on Friday, Takaichi vowed to bring forward a goal of defence spending matching 2 per cent of gross domestic product to the current financial year ending in March, two years earlier... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330258/japans-pm-takaichi-faces-high-stakes-meeting-trump-over-defence-and-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330258/japans-pm-takaichi-faces-high-stakes-meeting-trump-over-defence-and-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 03:00:22 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Sanae Takaichi has made a strong debut as Japan’s first female prime minister, with early polls showing widespread public confidence in her leadership – despite her decision to appoint several politicians who have been embroiled in scandal. A Yomiuri Shimbun survey released this week found 71 per cent of respondents backed her administration, climbing to 80 per cent among voters aged 18 to 39. That places Takaichi’s debut as the fifth most popular of any new government since 1978 – surpassing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3330104/why-japans-first-female-pm-winning-hearts-even-scandal-hit-cabinet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3330104/why-japans-first-female-pm-winning-hearts-even-scandal-hit-cabinet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 01:30:18 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Taku Yamamoto, husband of Japan’s first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, said he hopes to support his wife as a “stealth husband”, adding, “Unlike in the West, it is better for the partner to stay out of the spotlight here.” A former fellow Liberal Democratic Party member in the House of Representatives, Yamamoto said he was initially “drawn to the contrast” between Takaichi’s tough exterior and her femininity. The couple, who married in 2004, divorced in 2017 over political differences but... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3329831/sanae-takaichis-husband-vows-stealth-support-japans-first-female-pm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3329831/sanae-takaichis-husband-vows-stealth-support-japans-first-female-pm?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:49:42 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Japan’s parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister on Tuesday, a day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner expected to pull her governing bloc further to the right. Takaichi replaces Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the Liberal Democratic Party’s disastrous election loss in July. Ishiba, who lasted only one year as prime minister, resigned with his cabinet earlier in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3329748/sanae-takaichi-becomes-japans-first-female-pm-ending-political-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3329748/sanae-takaichi-becomes-japans-first-female-pm-ending-political-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 04:53:49 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow With Japan’s parliament poised to vote on who it wants to next lead the country, a resurgent opposition and the collapse of the ruling coalition have put the prospect of the nation’s first female prime minister in real doubt. On Tuesday, the leaders of Japan’s principal opposition factions agreed to convene in hopes of fielding a unified candidate for the top job, as they aim to break the Liberal Democratic Party’s 13-year grip on power. “It will be essential for us to achieve consensus on basic... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329121/japans-ruling-party-falters-non-ldp-prime-minister-becomes-real-possibility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329121/japans-ruling-party-falters-non-ldp-prime-minister-becomes-real-possibility?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan’s ruling coalition collapsed on Friday as junior partner Komeito quit the alliance, putting in peril Sanae Takaichi’s bid to become the country’s first woman prime minister. Takaichi became head of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) less than a week ago, and had been expected to be approved by parliament as premier this month. But Komeito’s decision to end the alliance that has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for 25 years has plunged Japan into a new political crisis. The yen dropped... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3328510/japans-komeito-exit-ruling-ldp-coalition-blow-new-pm-takaichi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3328510/japans-komeito-exit-ruling-ldp-coalition-blow-new-pm-takaichi?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 07:27:19 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall With his days in power numbered, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba appears poised to make one final, politically risky stand by invoking the country’s wartime past, a move that could complicate the agenda of his incoming, more hardline successor. Ishiba has resisted pressure from within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and is expected to deliver a speech on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II – a politically fraught subject that has stirred... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3328144/japans-outgoing-pm-eyes-risky-final-act-blunt-hawkish-china-tilt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3328144/japans-outgoing-pm-eyes-risky-final-act-blunt-hawkish-china-tilt?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 02:30:07 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Sanae Takaichi is poised to make history as Japan’s first female prime minister, but her government may be imperilled before it even begins amid a deepening rift within the ruling coalition. The Liberal Democratic Party Takaichi now leads and its long-time junior partner, Komeito, have been in coalition for 26 years. Without Komeito’s parliamentary support, the LDP would lose its majority in the Diet, forcing its leader to seek new political allies. Yet analysts warn that Takaichi’s hardline... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3328004/japans-first-female-pm-hits-political-gridlock-she-even-takes-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3328004/japans-first-female-pm-hits-political-gridlock-she-even-takes-office?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Conservative Sanae Takaichi hailed a “new era” on Saturday after winning the leadership of Japan’s ruling party, putting her on course to become the country’s first woman prime minister. The 64-year-old, whose hero is Margaret Thatcher, said that a “mountain of work” lay ahead to restore the fortunes of her ailing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The LDP has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades, but it has been haemorrhaging support as backing grows for smaller parties, including the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3327862/japans-ruling-ldp-pick-new-leader-amid-trump-summit-and-election-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3327862/japans-ruling-ldp-pick-new-leader-amid-trump-summit-and-election-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Oct 2025 02:49:07 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba travelled to South Korea on Tuesday, seeking to reinforce fragile ties as his government faces a looming leadership transition. Analysts say the landmark visit, at the invitation of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, reflects an effort by both nations to consolidate gains in security and economic cooperation while signalling Seoul’s intent to join a Japanese-led trade bloc. Ishiba’s two-day trip to Busan – the first visit by a Japanese leader to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327318/japans-outgoing-pm-seeks-cement-south-korea-ties-final-visit-exit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327318/japans-outgoing-pm-seeks-cement-south-korea-ties-final-visit-exit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 03:21:59 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow As Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party begins the process of selecting a new leader – and by extension, the country’s next prime minister – the race is quickly shaping into a duel between a conservative heir to Shinzo Abe’s legacy and a reformist standard-bearer promising broader appeal within the divided party. The party’s internal election on October 4 follows Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s resignation after barely a year in office, with the winner expected to assume leadership through a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327041/japans-next-leader-ldp-showdown-pits-abe-protege-against-reformist-scion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327041/japans-next-leader-ldp-showdown-pits-abe-protege-against-reformist-scion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 00:00:14 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A top contender to lead Japan’s ruling party suggested that a trade renegotiation with the US could be on the table if the deal does not serve Japan’s interests. “We must stand our ground if anything unfair that is not in Japan’s interests comes to light in the process of implementing the deal,” Sanae Takaichi said on Sunday with regard to a US$550 billion Japanese investment fund that was part of an agreement to lower US tariffs. “That includes a potential renegotiation.” The right-leaning... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3327136/japan-pm-hopeful-takaichi-signals-review-trade-deal-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3327136/japan-pm-hopeful-takaichi-signals-review-trade-deal-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Sep 2025 07:34:34 +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 Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he is expected to urge sweeping reform of the UN Security Council, which Tokyo has long criticised as “dysfunctional” and unfit for today’s world order. Ishiba left for New York on Tuesday morning, telling reporters just before his departure, “After reflecting on the 80 years since the founding of the United Nations, I would like to state that now is the time to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326559/can-japan-shake-un-security-council-ishiba-make-last-ditch-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326559/can-japan-shake-un-security-council-ishiba-make-last-ditch-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:43:20 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan will not recognise a Palestinian state at a UN meeting next week amid concerns that doing so could worsen the situation in the Middle East and hurt its ties with the United States, a move one analyst described as “embarrassing”. Several US allies including Britain, Australia, Canada and France have said they will back the formal recognition of a Palestinian state during the United Nations General Assembly summit that begins on Monday. But Tokyo’s position was influenced by the US, which... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326277/japan-reject-palestinian-state-recognition-un-avoid-annoying-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326277/japan-reject-palestinian-state-recognition-un-avoid-annoying-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 01:30:16 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s police are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to identify individuals who appear likely to commit “terrorist attacks” based on their social media posts, but observers say the move could backfire by sweeping up innocent citizens engaging in normal political discussion. The National Police Agency is seeking 49.5 million yen (US$338,000) in next year’s budget for a pilot project that would use AI to analyse online activity and flag individuals deemed potential threats. Officials say... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325890/japan-ai-powered-policing-thwart-lone-wolf-threats-sparks-civil-liberties-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325890/japan-ai-powered-policing-thwart-lone-wolf-threats-sparks-civil-liberties-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 00:00:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba plans to deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly later this month when he is expected to share his views on the causes of World War II, prompting concerns among conservatives that he may offer a more sweeping apology than any previous Liberal Democratic Party leader. Ishiba announced on Sunday that he would step down, with an election to replace him as party president and prime minister of the nation expected to take place in early... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324896/why-japan-worried-about-ishiba-giving-wwii-speech-un?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324896/why-japan-worried-about-ishiba-giving-wwii-speech-un?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 00:00:17 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Less than 24 hours after Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation as prime minister, Japan’s ruling party faces a leadership contest that few seem eager to win and even fewer to survive, as it lays bare internal rivalries. Few within Japanese politics were truly taken aback when Ishiba confirmed his decision to step down as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a televised address on Sunday evening. On Monday, former LDP secretary general Toshimitsu Motegi became the first to throw his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324720/who-will-be-japans-next-pm-poisoned-chalice-leadership-awaits-ldps-winner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324720/who-will-be-japans-next-pm-poisoned-chalice-leadership-awaits-ldps-winner?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 08:13:41 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced on Sunday that he will resign, following growing calls from his party to take responsibility for a historic defeat in July’s parliamentary election. Ishiba, who took office in October, said he was stepping down as prime minister and as the head of his conservative Liberal Democratic Party. The 68-year-old centrist had resisted demands from opponents further to the right within his own party to resign. Ishiba argued that he wanted to avoid a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3324644/japan-pm-shigeru-ishiba-resign-avoid-split-ruling-ldp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3324644/japan-pm-shigeru-ishiba-resign-avoid-split-ruling-ldp?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Sep 2025 06:45:29 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is presiding over a political “house of cards” that analysts say is looking more shaky every day, as he continues to resist growing calls from within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to step down. This week, the chorus demanding Ishiba’s resignation grew louder after the LDP released an internal report examining its dismal performance in July’s Upper House election. The party lost 18 seats, leaving it short of a parliamentary majority even with its... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324332/japans-house-cards-ishiba-clings-power-hawks-demand-ldp-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324332/japans-house-cards-ishiba-clings-power-hawks-demand-ldp-election?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:00:14 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Japan’s National Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead took place on August 15, which marked the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender. “The remorse and lessons from that war should once... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3323158/what-japanese-leaders-choices-war-surrender-anniversary-reveal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3323158/what-japanese-leaders-choices-war-surrender-anniversary-reveal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 03:31:27 +0000 Reuters Reuters Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung agreed on Saturday to closer security and economic ties ahead of Lee’s planned summit with US President Donald Trump on Monday. On his first official visit since taking office in June, Lee met Ishiba at the premier’s residence in Tokyo to discuss bilateral ties between the East Asian neighbours, including closer security coordination with the United States under a trilateral pact signed by their predecessors. “As the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3322929/south-koreas-lee-makes-japan-first-foreign-visit-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3322929/south-koreas-lee-makes-japan-first-foreign-visit-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 12:09:16 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s push for closer ties with Tokyo has upended expectations in Japan, with analysts describing his outreach as a pragmatic shift that could reshape the tone of bilateral ties long coloured by historical disputes. Lee is due in Japan on Saturday for a two-day summit with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, with the two leaders expected to sign several agreements spanning trade, youth exchange and security. The visit also marks the 60th anniversary of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322845/south-korea-needs-japan-lee-and-ishiba-meet-hopes-closer-ties-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322845/south-korea-needs-japan-lee-and-ishiba-meet-hopes-closer-ties-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 10:33:48 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan is positioning itself as a partner offering a transparent and “human-centred” approach to development in Africa, providing an alternative to China’s economic influence through what analysts describe as a rules-based and mutually accountable model. Unveiling a proposal to create a regional economic zone linking the Indian Ocean to Africa, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told a major development summit in Yokohama on Wednesday that Tokyo’s approach could boost free trade and regional... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322778/why-japan-pushing-transparent-human-centred-development-model-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322778/why-japan-pushing-transparent-human-centred-development-model-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 08:30:15 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong China’s military mouthpiece has accused Japan of hollowing out its pacifist constitution and “embarking on the dangerous path of military expansion”. As Japan marked the 80th anniversary of its surrender in World War II on Friday, the PLA Daily warned in a commentary that “the spectre of militarism has never left the Japanese archipelago”, and that right-wing forces had “never abandoned the dream of becoming a military power”. It accused Tokyo of using American support to steadily roll back... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3321994/wwii-anniversary-chinas-pla-says-japan-never-abandoned-dream-military-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3321994/wwii-anniversary-chinas-pla-says-japan-never-abandoned-dream-military-power?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen On the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Tokyo to face up to its history and “make the right choice” regarding Taiwan. “A series of international documents … clearly defined Japan’s war responsibilities and required Japan to return the territories it had stolen from China, including Taiwan,” Wang said on Friday on the sidelines of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Anning, in southwest China’s Yunnan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321991/beijing-says-tokyo-must-make-right-choice-taiwan-japan-remembers-cost-wwii?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321991/beijing-says-tokyo-must-make-right-choice-taiwan-japan-remembers-cost-wwii?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 08:08:01 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea and Japan could use their coming bilateral summit to project stability to Washington, which was simultaneously imposing high tariffs on its allies while seeking their cooperation to counter China, analysts said. The summit, scheduled for August 23 in Tokyo, will be the first full bilateral meeting between South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. It comes at a time of mounting global uncertainty – from the war in Ukraine and Middle East... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3321937/south-korea-japan-aim-show-solidarity-amid-conflicting-us-signals-tokyo-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3321937/south-korea-japan-aim-show-solidarity-amid-conflicting-us-signals-tokyo-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 03:55:28 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba may have hailed the 15 per cent tariff imposed on his country by the United States as a “win-win” deal, but Tokyo is expected to push back if the levies adversely affect Japan’s economy – especially the vital vehicle sector. One of the biggest sources of domestic criticism has been the absence of a joint text on the agreement, observers say. While Ishiba has touted the trade deal reached last month as benefiting both nations, he also acknowledged on Monday... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3320785/all-talk-no-paper-japans-us-tariff-deal-hits-snag?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3320785/all-talk-no-paper-japans-us-tariff-deal-hits-snag?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Aug 2025 00:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s future is uncertain, but an unlikely campaign for him to stay was growing online this week, including from people who are his natural political opponents. The life raft has emerged since upper house elections on Sunday deprived Ishiba’s coalition of an upper house majority, months after it suffered a similar disaster in the lower chamber. Despite Ishiba, 68, insisting that he has not discussed his resignation with members of his Liberal Democratic Party... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3319636/japans-ishiba-finds-unlikely-support-stay-power-and-prevent-far-right-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3319636/japans-ishiba-finds-unlikely-support-stay-power-and-prevent-far-right-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 13:00:14 +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 Maria Siow,Reuters Maria Siow,Reuters Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba denied on Wednesday that he planned to quit, following earlier reports that he intended to step down in the wake of a punishing upper house election defeat. The embattled 68-year-old leader insisted that media reports claiming he had already decided to quit were “completely unfounded”. Ishiba chose to remain in office immediately after Sunday’s electoral setback to avert political instability amid trade talks with the United States, according to a senior... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319217/japan-pm-shigeru-ishiba-resign-after-election-drubbing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319217/japan-pm-shigeru-ishiba-resign-after-election-drubbing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 02:44:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters The United States and Japan struck a deal to lower the hefty tariffs President Donald Trump threatened to impose on goods from its Asian ally that included a US$550 billion package of US-bound investment and loans from Tokyo. The agreement will bring immediate relief to Japan’s critical automotive sector, with existing tariffs cut to 15 per cent from 25 per cent, and proposed levies on other Japanese goods that were set to come in on August 1 also cut by the same amount. Automobile exports... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3319210/trump-closes-massive-trade-deal-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3319210/trump-closes-massive-trade-deal-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:05:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Populist ideals are gaining traction in Japan, spurred by right-wing politicians running rampant elsewhere railing against “elitism”, “globalism” and immigration. While Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s coalition lost its upper house majority in an election on Sunday, the “Japanese first” Sanseito party, created only five years ago, increased its seats from two to 15. Sanseito’s agenda comes straight from the copybook of right-wing movements such as US President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3319120/echoes-trump-and-farage-reach-japan-populist-wave-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3319120/echoes-trump-and-farage-reach-japan-populist-wave-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:50:27 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall With his grasp on power slipping, Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office despite a stinging electoral rebuke that plunged his ruling coalition into fresh turmoil. The humiliating setback, confirmed late on Sunday, has fuelled doubts about Ishiba’s leadership as rivals within his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) circle and stoked anxiety in the world’s fourth-largest economy, already reeling from rising prices, mounting security threats and the disruptive effects of US... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319039/ishibas-last-stand-japans-ldp-turmoil-sanseito-surge-erodes-pms-grip-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319039/ishibas-last-stand-japans-ldp-turmoil-sanseito-surge-erodes-pms-grip-power?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters The fringe far-right Sanseito party emerged as one of the biggest winners in Japan’s upper house election on Sunday, gaining support with warnings of a “silent invasion” of immigrants and pledges for tax cuts and welfare spending. Birthed on YouTube during the Covid-19 pandemic spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites, the party broke into mainstream politics with its “Japanese First” campaign. The party won 14 seats, according to public broadcaster NHK,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3318943/sanseitos-japanese-first-gains-traction-amid-concerns-over-immigration-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3318943/sanseitos-japanese-first-gains-traction-amid-concerns-over-immigration-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 01:55:37 +0000 Reuters,Maria Siow Reuters,Maria Siow Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s ruling coalition failed to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a crucial parliamentary election on Sunday, Japan’s NHK public television said on Monday. Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats on top of the 75 seats they already have to reach the goal. With two more seats to be decided, the coalition had only 46 seats. While the ballot does not directly determine whether Ishiba’s shaky... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318885/weakened-mandate-looms-ishiba-japan-votes-upper-house-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318885/weakened-mandate-looms-ishiba-japan-votes-upper-house-election?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Jul 2025 01:22:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Associated Press Agence France-Presse,Associated Press Dozens of bags of mildly radioactive soil collected from near the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant were delivered on Saturday to the Japanese prime minister’s office, in an effort to show it is safe for reuse. Soon after the March 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster, authorities scraped a layer of contaminated soil from swathes of land in Fukushima to reduce radiation levels. A vast quantity of soil – 14 million cubic metres – has since been stored at facilities near the Fukushima Daiichi plant,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3318855/radioactive-fukushima-soil-sent-japanese-pms-office-bid-ease-radiation-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3318855/radioactive-fukushima-soil-sent-japanese-pms-office-bid-ease-radiation-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 10:18:07 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Support for Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is ebbing away in the lead-up to a crucial poll on Sunday for the House of Councillors, with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s political fate on the precipice as his party is expected to be eviscerated by the electorate. A survey by the conservative Yomiuri newspaper published on Wednesday concluded that opposition parties were rapidly making up ground on the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito, with seats that were previously considered... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318783/japans-ruling-ldp-pm-ishiba-set-historic-loss-upper-house-election-snub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318783/japans-ruling-ldp-pm-ishiba-set-historic-loss-upper-house-election-snub?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall As Japan heads into a pivotal upper house election, populist parties on the far-right are seizing on anti-immigrant rhetoric to win over voters, echoing the strategies of US President Donald Trump’s Republicans and hard-right movements across Europe. While candidates from across the political spectrum in Japan campaign on familiar issues such as inflation, jobs and defence, a surge in anti-immigrant messaging has also reframed the national conversation ahead of the House of Councillors election... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318332/will-japans-anti-immigrant-far-right-parties-win-more-votes-key-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318332/will-japans-anti-immigrant-far-right-parties-win-more-votes-key-election?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 00:00:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Japan on Tuesday set up an administrative body aimed at easing citizens’ concerns over the rapid rise in the number of foreigners in recent years, as policies concerning non-Japanese residents emerge as a key issue in Sunday’s national election. The body would serve as a cross-agency “control tower” to respond to issues such as crime and overtourism involving foreigners, the government said. Headed by Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary Wataru Sakata, the office will have 78 employees, including... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3318252/japan-creates-new-agency-manage-foreigner-related-issues-amid-rising-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3318252/japan-creates-new-agency-manage-foreigner-related-issues-amid-rising-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 06:22:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Three years after the assassination of Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, his legacy continues to cast a long shadow over a struggling ruling party and an embattled successor, fuelling a wave of public nostalgia ahead of Sunday’s crucial upper house election. Abe, remembered as a polarising yet dominant figure who shaped Japan’s modern conservative identity, was gunned down on July 8, 2022, while campaigning in the city of Nara. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba quietly observed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3318070/japans-political-turmoil-sparks-nostalgia-shinzo-abe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3318070/japans-political-turmoil-sparks-nostalgia-shinzo-abe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 01:30:15 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Tokyo says it is standing firm on trade after US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on all Japanese imports, with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba vowing to do what was best for his country rather than yield to pressure from Washington. In a speech on Wednesday in Chiba prefecture, Ishiba declared: “This is a battle for our national interests. We will not be taken advantage of. Even if it is an ally, we must speak honestly. We will protect what needs to be protected.” The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3317746/japan-refuses-yield-trumps-tariff-threat-we-will-not-be-taken-advantage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3317746/japan-refuses-yield-trumps-tariff-threat-we-will-not-be-taken-advantage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 00:00:07 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Even as Washington ramps up pressure on Japan and South Korea to settle trade disputes with the US, diplomatic observers believe tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump are not likely to push its two Asian allies closer to Beijing. However, they suggest that the trade tensions could create an opportunity for China to offer stronger incentives to enhance trilateral cooperation with Tokyo and Seoul. The assessment was made following US announcements that reciprocal tariffs on Japan and South... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317440/will-us-tariff-pressure-japan-and-south-korea-push-them-closer-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317440/will-us-tariff-pressure-japan-and-south-korea-push-them-closer-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 14:10:37 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pledged on Tuesday to set up a new command centre within the Cabinet Secretariat early next week to address challenges related to foreign residents in Japan, the top government spokesman said. The issue has become one of the major topics during official campaigning for the July 20 House of Councillors election, with some minor parties arguing that regulations on foreigners living in Japan should be tightened to “protect the rights of Japanese people”. “Realising an... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3317338/japan-set-new-team-help-foreigners-election-speeches-spark-xenophobia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3317338/japan-set-new-team-help-foreigners-election-speeches-spark-xenophobia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:20:22 +0000