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Gabriele Ninivaggi
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 10, 2023
Bill that would hike Kishida and Cabinet's pay clears Lower House committee
The plan has been met with fierce backlash from opposition parties, with lawmakers lambasting the government for its “poor political judgment.”
PODCAST / deep dive
Nov 9, 2023
Japan’s 'four-eyed tax hiker' and the curse of Colonel Sanders
Baseball writer Jason Coskrey and editor Joel Tansey discuss the Hanshin Tigers’ Japan Series victory; Gabriele Ninivaggi explains how the prime minister hopes to get a home run with his tax plan.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 9, 2023
Kishida rules out snap election amid record low popularity
The prime minister has once again ruled out a snap election as he faces record low popularity ratings and growing criticism from within his own party.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa speak as they wait for a group photo session during the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 8, 2023
G7 top diplomats call for ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Israel-Hamas war
The statement didn’t mention a cease-fire, only noting the necessity of humanitarian action.
BUSINESS
Nov 2, 2023
Kishida unveils ¥17 trillion stimulus package amid pushback
A supplementary budget proposal — worth a total of ¥13.1 trillion — to back the package will be submitted to parliament in the upcoming weeks.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 1, 2023
Hotly debated tax cuts risk backfiring on Kishida administration
When Kishida announced plans to cut income and residence taxes to ease the hit from inflation, there was a chorus of skepticism rather than joy.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 31, 2023
State justice minister resigns over link to illegal campaigning
Mito Kakizawa, state minister of justice, resigned Tuesday after admitting to being involved in election campaign misconduct in the spring.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 27, 2023
Amid scrutiny, Kishida emphasizes tax cuts to pull out from deflation
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has heavily criticized the government for its belated response to rising inflation.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida listens as Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan chief Kenta Izumi speaks in parliament in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 24, 2023
Tough questions for Kishida in parliament over spending plans
Japan’s main opposition party began its scrutiny of Kishida's economic stimulus package as the country struggles with inflation and stagnant wages.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivers a policy speech during an extraordinary session of parliament in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 23, 2023
The economy takes center stage in Kishida’s policy speech
"'The economy, the economy, the economy.’ I will focus my attention on the economy more than anything else,” Kishida said in opening remarks.
For Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, tackling the impact of rising prices has become a key priority.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 19, 2023
Upcoming parliament session puts Kishida's stimulus package in spotlight
Tackling inflation has become a key priority for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, as economic trends have played a part in his low approval ratings.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 16, 2023
Kishida’s popularity in free fall ahead of key political events
The government’s popularity hit a record low in four public opinion surveys over the weekend, just as the political calendar looks set to heat up.
Israeli Ambassador to Japan Gilad Cohen speaks about the current situation in Israel amid the ongoing conflict with the Hamas militant group, at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 13, 2023
Israeli and Palestinian envoys to Japan detail a week of violence
Both envoys expressed hope for Japan's diplomatic role in the conflict, but from very different perspectives.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a high level Security Council meeting on the situation in Ukraine, on the sidelines of the 78th U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York on Sept. 20.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 11, 2023
Ukraine fatigue unlikely to reach Japan anytime soon
Japan’s support for Ukraine remains steadfast at a time when popular opinion across several Western countries shows growing signs of weariness.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 5, 2023
Kishida’s attendance at union event offers hint at electoral strategy
The prime minister attended the event in his latest effort to court union members and expand his party's electoral base.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends a news conference after his Cabinet reshuffle in Tokyo on Sept. 13.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 3, 2023
Two years in, Kishida delivers stability but fails to wow
Despite little to boast about, Kishida is on his way to becoming one of the longest-serving prime ministers in recent history.
Ukrainian refugees arrive at Haneda airport in Tokyo on April 5, 2022.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 26, 2023
Japan to introduce new residency status for asylum-seekers
A program to offer a long-term residence status that will allow asylum-seekers to work in Japan will be introduced in December.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shakes hands with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a high-level Security Council meeting on the situation in Ukraine on the sidelines of the 78th U.N. General Assembly, at the U.N. headquarters in New York City on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 22, 2023
As Kishida takes center stage, Japan's diplomacy enters a new phase
The prime minister looks set to take on a larger role in representing the country on the world stage as he struggles to build a legacy domestically.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addresses the 78th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 20, 2023
In speech, Kishida seeks to maintain momentum for U.N. reform
Kishida stressed the importance of human security and alluded to the increasing dysfunction of the U.N. Security Council caused by Moscow's vetoing power.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 14, 2023
Japan's new foreign minister: A change in face, not policy
Yoko Kamikawa's appointment as foreign minister — the first time a women assumed the role in 19 years — is unlikely to bring a change in policy.

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Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.