For Satoshi Sugiyama's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Success for the prime minister depends on how well he oversees the passage of a record-breaking fiscal 2022 budget — all while tackling COVID-19 and fending off opposition challenges.
The prime minister's factional background and time as foreign minister have influenced his thinking on Japan's neighbor and will play a role in determining what line he takes with Beijing.
An upcoming Upper House poll and the omicron variant are among the things that will test the prime minister's capacity to build on successes and lessons from 2021.
In an attempt to strike a diplomatic balance in its relationships with both the U.S. and China, only Olympic officials will represent Japan at the Winter Games.
The land ministry was "rewriting" monthly data from about 12,000 select companies since 2013, at a pace of about 10,000 entries per year.
After weeks of a vacillating central government and frustrated local officials, the reversal raises questions about intraparty cooperation.
The prime minister introduced an array of specifics, including details about booster shots, tax credits and national security.
Confusion over tough entry restrictions prompted by the new COVID-19 variant has thrown a wrench into the leader's plans while emboldening the opposition.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday that the government would release some of its oil reserves in concert with the United States.
After just over a month in office, some experts say Kishida may be looking to moderate an increasingly hawkish approach to Tokyo's relationship with Beijing.
