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Tokyo

Tokyo
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Tokyo. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Head of Government
Governor Yuriko Koike
A view of traffic during evening rush hours in the business district in Jakarta, Indonesia, on February 3. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia

Indonesians weigh peril and promise of Jakarta – the world’s most populous city

Extreme heat, floods, pollution, congested traffic and a tough job market are some of the major challenges faced by the city’s residents.

Banking & finance

Macroscope | How robust domestic financial markets could ease era of AI uncertainty

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China-Japan relations

Beijing and Tokyo in maritime stand-off after Japan seizes Chinese boat, captain

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North Korea

Why Takaichi’s landslide victory in Japan has North Korea on edge

North Korea has accused Japan of resurrecting its wartime ambitions by expanding its defence and pursuing security alliances.

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Military personnel hold national flags of Japan and the US during a Japan Ground Self-Defence Force training at Camp Narashino, near Tokyo, on January 11. Photo: EPA
Japan

Is Japan’s US$550-billion Trump ‘signing bonus’ a deal with strings attached?

Tokyo races to fund US projects to keep a 15 per cent tariff rate, as critics question if the ‘signing bonus’ is a gift or a high-interest loan.

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The Philippines

Leaked letter spotlights Philippines’ South China Sea tug of war

The letter by Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro warns against public exchanges that could narrow the country’s ‘diplomatic space’.

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South Korea

South Koreans swap ancestral rites for Japan getaways this Lunar New Year

Short holidays and a weak yen drive the ‘aeroplane instead of the ancestral table’ trend.

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Tourists in traditional outfits visit the snow-covered Kanazawa Castle in Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture last month. Photo: AFP
Japan

‘Job terrorism’: 1 in 4 workplaces in Japan victims of employee pranks

Psychologists say the quest for online clout is driving the rise in ‘meaningless’ workplace pranks, also known as part-time job terrorism.

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China-Japan relations

How Takaichi’s big win in Japan may complicate Beijing’s Taiwan policy

Taiwan’s opposition leader warns against ‘being reduced to a pawn in strategic competition’, urges efforts to prevent conflict in strait.

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China trade

Businesses to ‘keep doing it’ as Japan-China trade stays defiant after election

Neither side likely to want escalation in months-long dispute but near-term outlook uncertain, analysts say.

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The dispute between Beijing and Tokyo erupted on November 7, 2025, after Takaichi became the first Japanese prime minister to explicitly state that any use of force by Beijing against Taiwan could be a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, suggesting that the country’s military could intervene. Photo: Reuters
Asia housing and property

The View | Asian property markets’ supply constraints are a double-edged sword

The narrow pool of high-quality assets benefits landlords and affluent investors but poses a challenge to prospective buyers and renters.

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Tokyo Skytree is pictured between buildings in a residential area of Tokyo on February 20, 2025. Photo: AFP
Japan

Is Japan’s labour shortage to blame for surge in police crime, ‘lax discipline’?

National Police Agency figures showed that 337 personnel had to be disciplined last year, the highest in a decade.

Japan

Japan workshop helps young voters spot deepfakes ahead of general election

Digital platforms are trying to curb the adverse impact of disinformation and fake news on Generation Z ahead of Japan’s election on Sunday.

Pokemon

Video | Tickets sell out fast for Tokyo’s Pokemon theme park

Social media video shows visitors brought to tears as Pokemon ‘comes to life’.

Social media video shows visitors brought to tears as Pokemon ‘comes to life’.
Japan

Video | Viral ‘sanamania’ craze boosts Japan PM’s popularity

‘Sanakatsu’ fever turns Japan’s PM Sanae Takaichi into unexpected youth icon ahead of election.

Sanae Takaichi, Japan's Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks next to Hirofumi Yoshimura, Japan Innovation Party leader, at an election campaign event on the first day of campaigning for the February 8 snap election, in Tokyo, Japan, January 27, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
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US-Japan relations

Trump announces White House visit by Japanese PM Takaichi on March 19

The US and Japan have been working to strike a ‘very substantial’ deal on trade, as well as collaborating on national security, Trump said.

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Hong Kong property

Hong Kong property back as a top choice for foreign investors, study says

Commercial sector rebounds after missing top 10 a year ago, CBRE says, as Knight Frank research shows recovery in luxury residential deals.

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Japan

Exams or election? Japan’s young voters face ‘extremely unreasonable’ choice

Opposition members have criticised Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for holding an election during the university entrance exam period.

Applicants sit for an entrance exam at the University of Tokyo on January 18, 2025. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

Could a ‘shock’ Pyongyang visit cement Japan PM Takaichi’s snap election bid?

Despite scepticism, a leading campaigner claims Pyongyang is ready to return surviving abductees for ‘immediate, large-scale’ aid.

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Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Tokyo Taxi: Takuya Kimura and Chieko Baisho lead moving Yoji Yamada drama

Tokyo Taxi is an utterly captivating ride that sees an elderly woman bond with her taxi driver while reminiscing about her eventful life.

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Japan

Will rice crackers, rock ‘n’ roll help Japan’s Sanae Takaichi bag youth votes?

The social media-savvy prime minister, 64, is surprisingly popular with voters under 30, according to polls.

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Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi holds up her personal pen at a House of Representatives session in November last year. Photo: Kyodo/AP
Tourism

Simply magical! Sailor Moon shines on in a new permanent theatre in Tokyo

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon’s legacy continues to thrive with a new, permanent Tokyo theatre, which will feature an original story.

A Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live performance in London during a 2025 tour. A new permanent Sailor Moon theatre opens in Tokyo this April. Photo: Kyodo
Japan

Do voters expect smiles? Why masks hurt female politicians in Japan

While there was no decline in support for masked male politicians, their female counterparts saw a significant drop, the survey showed.

Japan

Japan’s Takaichi seeks mandate, improved majority with snap election: poll

The election outlook remains uncertain, with almost a quarter of voters undecided ahead of the February 8 election.

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China’s military drills

PLA Navy warns off foreign jets with jamming missiles near Taiwan: CCTV

State broadcaster says Yanan destroyer encountered aircraft near the island and took ‘electronic countermeasures’.

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The PLA destroyer Yanan fires electronic jamming missiles in “waters near Taiwan island”, to warn off foreign aircraft. Photo: CCTV
Britain

Japan, UK agree outer space, critical mineral supply chains collaboration

PMs Sanae Takaichi and Keir Starmer also said they’d work together in other areas, including cybersecurity, trade and defence.

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer shakes hands with Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during a press conference after their bilateral meeting in Tokyo on Saturday. Photo: via dpa
Japan

Macroscope | Could Japan stop being the ballast of the bond market?

A lower house election victory would give flight to Prime Minister Takaichi’s fiscal expansionism – and introduce upheaval far beyond Japan.

Japan

Video | South Korea and Japan’s defence ministers face off in table tennis

The defence ministers of Japan and South Korea agreed to strengthen cooperation with the United States amid growing security risks, particularly with North Korea.

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