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 Reiji Yoshida

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Reiji Yoshida
Reiji Yoshida is a staff writer and deputy manager of the Domestic News Division. Since joining The Japan Times in 1993, he has intensively covered domestic politics, diplomacy and defense issues as well as the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.
For Reiji Yoshida's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Aug 30, 2019
TICAD closes with effort by Japan to differentiate its African investment projects from China's
The three-day African development conference ends with a 13-page Yokohama Declaration viewed as criticism of Beijing's “debt-trap diplomacy” in the rapidly growing continent.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 29, 2019
Japanese and African business leaders hold first investment dialogue at TICAD
A Keidanren official said Japanese firms now have a “keen interest” in the huge potential of the continent's rapidly growing economy.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 28, 2019
Abe pledges to push Japanese investment in Africa but steers clear of target at TICAD
A three-day conference on African development kicked off Wednesday in Yokohama, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to aggressively promote private-sector investment in Africa in his opening speech but failed to set a new numerical target on funds to be funneled to the continent.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Aug 27, 2019
Chinese presence in Africa looms over opening of TICAD development conference in Yokohama
Dozens of top African leaders are due to visit, but Tokyo is worried that some may cancel their trip because of pressure from China.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Aug 23, 2019
Seoul and trilateral alliance with Japan and U.S. will suffer most with GSOMIA pullout, Tokyo defense insiders say
The intelligence-sharing pact benefitted the South Korean military much more than it did Tokyo and Washington, experts say.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Aug 20, 2019
Controversial art exhibit's closure leaves Japan pondering limits of freedom of expression
Ever since a section of a public art exhibition in Nagoya was closed after coming under a barrage of complaints and threats, Japan has been in a state of introspection over its freedom of expression.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 7, 2019
Rising Japan political star Shinjiro Koizumi and Christel 'omotenashi' Takigawa to marry, with baby on way
Wedding preparations are underway for Lower House member Shinjiro Koizumi, 38, a prominent politician who is widely seen as a potential future prime minister, and TV personality Christel Takigawa, 41.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Aug 4, 2019
Saitama woman tests negative for Ebola, health ministry says
A woman in her 70s from Saitama Prefecture who recently returned from a visit to Congo tests negative for a possible Ebola infection at a Tokyo medical institute.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 31, 2019
Japan fears compromise on South Korea wartime labor could open Pandora's box of WWII issues
Tokyo worries the ripple effects of South Korea's top court ordering Japanese firms to pay redress could cascade into other issues, and reignite war compensation issues with other countries.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 25, 2019
Allies agree to quick access for Japan officials to U.S. military accident sites, but consent still required
Tokyo and Washington revised a set of 2005 guidelines Thursday that deal with off-base U.S. military aircraft accidents in Japan to allow for the "expeditious early entry" of Japanese officials into an inner cordoned off area to be set up around the wreckage, the Foreign Ministry said.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 22, 2019
John Bolton meets key officials in Tokyo amid U.S. push to build multinational force for policing the Strait of Hormuz
U.S. national security adviser John Bolton met with key diplomatic and security officials in Tokyo on Monday amid Washington's push to build a multinational force to safeguard commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 20, 2019
Taro Kono rips Seoul for refusal of wartime labor panel under '65 pact, calls ambassador 'extremely rude'
The foreign minister lambasted the ambassador for rejecting an arbitration panel on wartime labor proposed under the 1965 pact that normalized bilateral ties and settled war compensation issues.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 19, 2019
In Akita, close Upper House race serves as symbol for fierce battle between ruling and opposition camps
The campaign office of the Liberal Democratic Party's Matsuji Nakaizumi, an incumbent running in Sunday's Upper House election, features something rather unusual: Dozens of endorsement posters signed by top party heavyweights.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 2, 2019
U.S. has reached out to Japan and other 'like-minded' nations over freedom of navigation in Persian Gulf, Saudi minister says
Minister Adel al-Jubeir said options aimed at securing freedom of navigation include both military and economic measures.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 2, 2019
Japanese officials play down Trump's security treaty criticisms, claim president's remarks not always 'official' U.S. position
Trump had strongly criticized the security treaty, calling the pact one-sided as Japan does not need to come to the U.S.'s aid if it is attacked.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 29, 2019
Abe and Putin upbeat on bilateral ties, but progress on territorial dispute continues to elude
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet but fail to reach any major breakthrough in the long-standing territorial dispute.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 29, 2019
At G20, Abe has held talks with several world leaders and even a pop idol, but not Moon Jae-in
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe finds time for a radio interview by a member of the pop idol group Kanjani Eight, but not to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Group of 20 summit.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 28, 2019
Abe and Trump reaffirm military alliance despite dangerous dual nature of U.S. leader
Glowing exchanges between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump gloss over Trump's overt bashing of the Japan-U.S. security alliance before the summit.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 27, 2019
Underlining improved Japan-China ties, Abe and Xi meet ahead of G20 summit
Visiting Chinese President Xi and Prime Minister Abe held a bilateral meeting in Osaka ahead of the G20 summit Thursday to underline the recent improvement in Japan-China ties.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / G20 Osaka
Jun 26, 2019
World leaders' bilateral talks likely to carry more weight than G20 Osaka summit
Some of the planned one-on-one meetings, such as the Trump-Xi meeting, could have a heavy influence on the fate of a number of key global issues.

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