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Sanae Takaichi

(高市早苗)

Sanae Takaichi

高市早苗

The latest news and top stories on Sanae Takaichi. A long-serving member of the Japanese House of Representatives, she has held numerous significant cabinet roles. Her past positions include Minister of State for Economic Security, Internal Affairs and Communications, Science and Technology Policy, and Youth Affairs and Gender Equality. Known for her staunch conservative views and close alliance with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi has focused on strengthening Japan’s economic security, cybersecurity and national defence. She has also chaired the LDP’s Policy Research Council and recently led a commission on public safety and cybercrime. Takaichi has twice contended for the LDP leadership.

Hong Kong actor and singer Raymond Lam will not be performing in Tokyo. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong entertainment

Hong Kong Cantopop singer Raymond Lam cancels 2 concerts in Japan

Lam’s shows scheduled for January 31 and February 1 at the Tokyo Garden Theatre have been postponed indefinitely.

1 hour ago

South Korea

Video | South Korea and Japan’s leaders jam to K-pop hits

6 hours ago

South Korea

South Korea-Japan summit exposes ‘strategic’ divide amid great-power tensions

5 hours agovideocam

China travel

‘Structurally hurt’: why are Chinese tourists spending less abroad than before?

China’s outbound travel sector has bounced back from the pandemic, but the era of duty-free shopping sprees appears to be over.

14 Jan 2026 - 4:04PMvideocam

Customers shop for skincare products at a duty-free shopping mall in China’s southern Hainan province. China has opened up to more duty-free retail in recent years, reducing the need for Chinese tourists to splash out while abroad. Photo: Getty Images

Japan

Japan PM, South Korean president rock out to K-pop in surprise drum duet

The Japanese leader led the session by showing the South Korean president how to play the drums after their talks in Nara.

6 hours agovideocam

China-Japan relations

How a snap election in Japan could put Takaichi in a stronger position with China

A decisive win could give Tokyo ‘limited room for concessions in its negotiations with Beijing’ and more room to manoeuvre with Washington.

13 Jan 2026 - 3:00PMvideocam

Japan

Japan PM seeks unity with South Korea’s Lee as China tensions persist

Takaichi aims to bolster ties with Seoul by avoiding ‘divisive’ issues as Tokyo grapples with Beijing’s economic retaliation.

13 Jan 2026 - 2:30PMvideocam

Japan

‘Easier targets’: is Japan safe for foreigners if disaster strikes?

Rising xenophobia, ‘vigilante’ patrols and memories of 1923 have rights advocates concerned that history could repeat itself.

14 Jan 2026 - 9:13AMvideocam

China trade

Japan firms seen ‘stockpiling’ rare earths as Tokyo looks to G7 amid China row

Amid fears of potential mineral export curbs by Beijing, Japanese industry is bracing, and Tokyo appears keen on a united international response.

12 Jan 2026 - 10:14PMvideocam

Japan

Japan’s top diplomat heads to Philippines with South China Sea top of mind

The talks are likely to focus on Manila’s push for a South China Sea code with ‘teeth’ as this year’s Asean chair, analysts say.

13 Jan 2026 - 9:21AM

Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi looks on during a meeting in Israel on Sunday. He is due in Manila on Thursday. Photo: AP

Asia housing and property

The View | 3 factors Asia’s real estate investors must watch in 2026

Asia might have sidestepped the worst of Trump’s tariffs, but investors should focus on price growth, Japan’s resilience and the sustainability of the data centre boom.

12 Jan 2026 - 6:45PMvideocam

Residential and commercial buildings in Tokyo on August 18, 2025. Home prices rose 56 per cent year on year in the Japanese capital in 2025. Photo: dpa

International Property

Heightened tensions with China rattle Japan’s property market: analysts

Bilateral friction is expected to impact assets tied to tourism, including hotels and high-street retail shops, CBRE’s Chinatsu Hani says.

11 Jan 2026 - 9:30AM

China-Japan relations

China calls on US to form united front against Japanese militarism

Tokyo is blurring the line between civilian and military sectors, undermining Beijing’s interests in Taiwan, state media account says.

10 Jan 2026 - 7:56PMvideocam

China-South Korea relations

North Korea: the elephant in the room when Xi met Lee in Beijing

Lee Jae Myung and Xi Jinping found common ground on ‘one China’ but there was no word on what to do about Pyongyang.

10 Jan 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung holds summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday. Photo: EPA

Science

China cites Biden’s message to Xi that Japan could build nukes ‘overnight’

Beijing releases 30-page report that includes a call for international community to ‘take concrete and strong measures’ against Japan’s nuclear ambitions.

9 Jan 2026 - 8:08PMvideocam

A new report out of China says Japan has stockpiled plutonium far exceeding its needs for civilian nuclear power and has the tech foundation to develop nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. Photo: Kyodo

Legacy of war in Asia

Opinion | Amid historical tensions with Japan, Hong Kong must engage for the future

Remembering the pain of the Nanking massacre does not preclude engagement, but ensures lessons of the past strengthen our shared commitment to peace.

9 Jan 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

China trade

With US focused on Venezuela, China has window to pressure Japan: analysts

Beijing’s trade actions raise stakes with Tokyo, as China’s rare earth power and Japan’s chip dominance are seen as potentially key levers in their bilateral dispute.

9 Jan 2026 - 9:00AMvideocam

Japan

Japan’s Takaichi tipped for snap election gamble as poll ratings soar

The Japanese prime minister has won plaudits at home over her tough stance towards China, but inflation remains a major voter concern.

9 Jan 2026 - 6:11PMvideocam

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivers a speech in Tokyo on Tuesday. Her approval rating has hovered around 68 per cent in the past few months, according to one poll. Photo: AFP

Diplomacy

Editorial | For South Korea to reset relations with China, it must withstand US pressure

The South Korean president’s visit to China was a sign of a more pragmatic approach that departs from that of his US-leaning predecessor.

9 Jan 2026 - 7:15AM

China-Japan relations

As Beijing targets Tokyo over Taiwan remarks, what levers does Japan have?

Japanese control of chemical used in semiconductors could prove significant, analysts say.

8 Jan 2026 - 10:06AMvideocam

China trade

China initiates anti-dumping probe against Japan over key semiconductor chemical

Beijing’s investigation targets imports of dichlorosilane from Japan, alleging dumping that harms Chinese production, amid escalating bilateral and trade tensions.

7 Jan 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

A worker is seen at a semiconductor factory in China’s Jiangsu province. Beijing has launched an anti-dumping investigation against Japan over a chemical used in chipmaking. Photo: AFP

China-South Korea relations

Lee’s bid for South Korea-China reset can only go so far

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s success in improving relations with China means little when it comes to the issue of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.

7 Jan 2026 - 5:00PM

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung takes a selfie including China’s President Xi Jinping. (Photo: AFP)

China trade

China, South Korea sign US$44 million in trade deals after years of friction

High-level summit strengthens bilateral ties after years of strained relations, as China shores up regional relationships amid row with Japan.

7 Jan 2026 - 4:03PMvideocam

China trade

China bans exports of military-related goods to Japan as dispute intensifies

Shipments of select goods – which could include drones and rare earths – to entities associated with the Japanese military have been restricted.

6 Jan 2026 - 6:43PMvideocam

China-Japan relations

‘Real and accelerating’: China-Japan military tensions surge amid missile race

Analysts hold out little hope that security pressures will ease, given US insistence that regional allies boost first island chain defences.

8 Jan 2026 - 8:34AMvideocam

North Korea

North Korea fires missiles ahead of major party congress

The projectiles, launched off the North Korean east coast, are believed to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

4 Jan 2026 - 1:44PMvideocam

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (centre) visits a military factory in this photo released on Sunday. Photo: KCNA/Reuters

China-Japan relations

Why China is turning down the nationalist heat in its row with Japan

With economic stakes high, Beijing seen as ‘more cautious in handling external frictions’, avoiding fanning of ‘uncontrollable’ nationalism.

4 Jan 2026 - 6:06AMvideocam

China-Japan relations

Japanese militarism invading culture and sports, China’s Study Times warns

Japanese far-right forces using culture and sports to ‘influence public perception and beautify the history of aggression’, article says.

3 Jan 2026 - 8:03PMvideocam

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Sanae Takaichi

(高市早苗)

Hong Kong Cantopop singer Raymond Lam cancels 2 concerts in Japan

Lam’s shows scheduled for January 31 and February 1 at the Tokyo Garden Theatre have been postponed indefinitely.

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | South Korea and Japan’s leaders jam to K-pop hits

South Korea-Japan summit exposes ‘strategic’ divide amid great-power tensions

‘Structurally hurt’: why are Chinese tourists spending less abroad than before?

China’s outbound travel sector has bounced back from the pandemic, but the era of duty-free shopping sprees appears to be over.

Japan PM, South Korean president rock out to K-pop in surprise drum duet

The Japanese leader led the session by showing the South Korean president how to play the drums after their talks in Nara.

How a snap election in Japan could put Takaichi in a stronger position with China

A decisive win could give Tokyo ‘limited room for concessions in its negotiations with Beijing’ and more room to manoeuvre with Washington.

Japan PM seeks unity with South Korea’s Lee as China tensions persist

Takaichi aims to bolster ties with Seoul by avoiding ‘divisive’ issues as Tokyo grapples with Beijing’s economic retaliation.

‘Easier targets’: is Japan safe for foreigners if disaster strikes?

Rising xenophobia, ‘vigilante’ patrols and memories of 1923 have rights advocates concerned that history could repeat itself.

Japan firms seen ‘stockpiling’ rare earths as Tokyo looks to G7 amid China row

Amid fears of potential mineral export curbs by Beijing, Japanese industry is bracing, and Tokyo appears keen on a united international response.

Japan’s top diplomat heads to Philippines with South China Sea top of mind

The talks are likely to focus on Manila’s push for a South China Sea code with ‘teeth’ as this year’s Asean chair, analysts say.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}The View | 3 factors Asia’s real estate investors must watch in 2026

Asia might have sidestepped the worst of Trump’s tariffs, but investors should focus on price growth, Japan’s resilience and the sustainability of the data centre boom.

Heightened tensions with China rattle Japan’s property market: analysts

Bilateral friction is expected to impact assets tied to tourism, including hotels and high-street retail shops, CBRE’s Chinatsu Hani says.

China calls on US to form united front against Japanese militarism

Tokyo is blurring the line between civilian and military sectors, undermining Beijing’s interests in Taiwan, state media account says.

North Korea: the elephant in the room when Xi met Lee in Beijing

Lee Jae Myung and Xi Jinping found common ground on ‘one China’ but there was no word on what to do about Pyongyang.

China cites Biden’s message to Xi that Japan could build nukes ‘overnight’

Beijing releases 30-page report that includes a call for international community to ‘take concrete and strong measures’ against Japan’s nuclear ambitions.

Opinion | Amid historical tensions with Japan, Hong Kong must engage for the future

Remembering the pain of the Nanking massacre does not preclude engagement, but ensures lessons of the past strengthen our shared commitment to peace.

With US focused on Venezuela, China has window to pressure Japan: analysts

Beijing’s trade actions raise stakes with Tokyo, as China’s rare earth power and Japan’s chip dominance are seen as potentially key levers in their bilateral dispute.

Japan’s Takaichi tipped for snap election gamble as poll ratings soar

The Japanese prime minister has won plaudits at home over her tough stance towards China, but inflation remains a major voter concern.

Editorial | For South Korea to reset relations with China, it must withstand US pressure

The South Korean president’s visit to China was a sign of a more pragmatic approach that departs from that of his US-leaning predecessor.

As Beijing targets Tokyo over Taiwan remarks, what levers does Japan have?

Japanese control of chemical used in semiconductors could prove significant, analysts say.

China initiates anti-dumping probe against Japan over key semiconductor chemical

Beijing’s investigation targets imports of dichlorosilane from Japan, alleging dumping that harms Chinese production, amid escalating bilateral and trade tensions.

Lee’s bid for South Korea-China reset can only go so far

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s success in improving relations with China means little when it comes to the issue of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.

China, South Korea sign US$44 million in trade deals after years of friction

High-level summit strengthens bilateral ties after years of strained relations, as China shores up regional relationships amid row with Japan.

China bans exports of military-related goods to Japan as dispute intensifies

Shipments of select goods – which could include drones and rare earths – to entities associated with the Japanese military have been restricted.

‘Real and accelerating’: China-Japan military tensions surge amid missile race

Analysts hold out little hope that security pressures will ease, given US insistence that regional allies boost first island chain defences.

North Korea fires missiles ahead of major party congress

The projectiles, launched off the North Korean east coast, are believed to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

Why China is turning down the nationalist heat in its row with Japan

With economic stakes high, Beijing seen as ‘more cautious in handling external frictions’, avoiding fanning of ‘uncontrollable’ nationalism.

Japanese militarism invading culture and sports, China’s Study Times warns

Japanese far-right forces using culture and sports to ‘influence public perception and beautify the history of aggression’, article says.

Video | South Korea and Japan’s leaders jam to K-pop hits

The View | 3 factors Asia’s real estate investors must watch in 2026