https://www.scmp.com/rss/523161/feed The latest news and top stories on Takeshi Iwaya, Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs since October 2024. He was the Minister of Defense from 2018 to 2019 and has been a long-standing member of the House of Representatives. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Beijing has frozen youth exchange programmes with Tokyo amid the fallout over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan, according to a diplomatic source, raising concern that the bilateral rift could affect younger generations. The Japanese side was told about the cancelled programmes after China launched retaliatory measures against Japan over Takaichi’s comments earlier this month, the source said. “Usually, November and December are the season for youth exchanges, but now... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334452/beijing-freezes-japan-youth-exchange-programmes-over-pm-takaichis-taiwan-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334452/beijing-freezes-japan-youth-exchange-programmes-over-pm-takaichis-taiwan-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 04:02:09 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Officials from China and Japan are hoping closer bonds between younger generations can help stabilise their turbulent relationship, which faces challenges from issues ranging from wartime history to the impact of Donald Trump’s policies. In December last year, the two countries’ foreign ministers agreed to promote youth exchanges as a way of improving relations between their respective populations, including a five-year plan for educational exchanges between high schools and universities. As... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330355/china-and-japan-look-younger-generation-bridge-over-troubled-waters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330355/china-and-japan-look-younger-generation-bridge-over-troubled-waters?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:18 +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 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his German counterpart Johann Wadephul agreed on Monday to strengthen bilateral cooperation, amid the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and shifting relations with the United States. During the first “strategic dialogue” between the two nations, Iwaya and Wadephul agreed at a meeting in Tokyo to work closely towards a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, the Japanese foreign ministry said. The ministers also pledged to cooperate on Indo-Pacific issues,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3322240/japan-germany-boost-security-cooperation-amid-wars-shifting-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3322240/japan-germany-boost-security-cooperation-amid-wars-shifting-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:11:00 +0000 Orange Wang,Laura Zhou,Seong Hyeon Choi Orange Wang,Laura Zhou,Seong Hyeon Choi The United States is unlikely to secure public pledges from Japan and Australia on what they would do if a conflict broke out with Beijing over Taiwan, according to analysts in mainland China and the US. They said Washington’s efforts to pressure its two key Asia-Pacific allies while amplifying the so-called China threat only revealed “weakening” confidence in its ability to manage regional tensions. Over the weekend, the Financial Times reported that the US had also been putting pressure on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318190/if-us-pushing-japan-australia-make-taiwan-pledge-will-they-agree?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318190/if-us-pushing-japan-australia-make-taiwan-pledge-will-they-agree?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 03:49:04 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump will host his Philippine counterpart in the White House this month to discuss how the long-time treaty allies can further deepen their security and economic engagements, Philippine officials said on Friday. President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr will visit the United States from July 20 to 22, but Philippine officials were still finalising details of his meeting with Trump with the US State Department, the Philippine government said. The allies have boosted mutual defence... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3317919/us-trump-host-philippines-marcos-jnr-discuss-asia-trade-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3317919/us-trump-host-philippines-marcos-jnr-discuss-asia-trade-security?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 11:52:20 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju India’s failure to rally international backing for its claims that Pakistan was behind a recent deadly militant attack in Kashmir has exposed the limits of its diplomatic influence. The setback has raised questions about India’s ability to mobilise multilateral platforms in its favour, despite being a prominent member of the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the US-backed Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), according to analysts. At the SCO meeting in Qingdao on June 25,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317231/indias-global-clout-doubt-after-failing-sway-sco-quad-pakistan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317231/indias-global-clout-doubt-after-failing-sway-sco-quad-pakistan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 10:00:16 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem The presence of the USS George Washington aircraft carrier in the South China Sea this week and its port call at Manila signals renewed American commitment to the Philippines, though observers warn that Beijing could view the move as a “containment” effort and ramp up its own naval activity in the disputed waters. Flight deck operations were opened to the media aboard the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered vessel, with commanding officer Captain Timothy Waits telling reporters his ship’s mission... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316925/south-china-sea-us-aircraft-carrier-marks-american-commitment-also-crowded-region?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316925/south-china-sea-us-aircraft-carrier-marks-american-commitment-also-crowded-region?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 08:30:13 +0000