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U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel speaks during an interview at the ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 30, 2023

U.S. military begins Japan seafood purchases to counter China ban

China, which had been the biggest buyer of Japanese seafood, says its ban is due to food safety fears.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the first Japanese leader to address a special joint session of the Philippine Congress, waves beside Philippines' Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Philippines' House Speaker Martin Romualdez at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Philippines, on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 4, 2023

Japan and Philippines agree to take defense ties to next level

Tokyo and Manila launched talks on a visiting forces agreement, while the Philippines became the first recipient of Japan's new military aid program.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida waves with Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim during his official visit to Malaysia, in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 5, 2023

Japan turns to Southeast Asia to boost security network

The leader sought to strengthen Japan's security and defense ties with Malaysia and the Philippines, amid growing concerns over Chinese assertiveness.
Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa attends a news conference during the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday. The Oct. 7 surprise attack by Hamas on Israel fundamentally changed the nature of this year's meeting.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 9, 2023

Dispelling myths about Japan’s ‘balanced’ Middle East diplomacy

Unfortunately, many in the Japanese media do not seem to understand what is really happening in the Middle East.
U.S., Japanese and South Korean navy destroyers take part in joint missile defense exercises in international waters between South Korea and Japan in April.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 13, 2023

Japan, U.S. South Korea to share missile-warning data

Following talks between the countries' defense chiefs, the three sides said the mechanism is now "in the final stages of testing."
Japan's decision to provide patrol boats to Bangladesh will make Dhaka the second beneficiary of defense equipment under Tokyo’s new official security assistance military aid program.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 15, 2023

Bangladesh to get patrol boats under Japan's military aid program

The move makes Dhaka the second beneficiary of defense equipment under Tokyo’s new aid program.
JAPAN
Nov 15, 2023

Visitors to Japan in October exceed pre-COVID level for first time

Visitor numbers improved to 100.8% of levels seen in 2019 before the outbreak of COVID-19 led to travel curbs around the world.
The U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey fires a Tomahawk land attack missile in April 2018.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 18, 2023

U.S. approves deal to sell long-range Tomahawk missiles to Japan

The Pentagon said Friday that the U.S. State Department had signed off on the estimated $2.35 billion deal for 400 Tomahawk missiles.
Toyosu, a reclaimed area and former industrial zone in the Tokyo Bay area, has become popular with a new wave of Chinese immigrants for its breathtaking views of the Tokyo skyline.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 28, 2023

A new wave of Chinese elites is flocking to Japan

Recent newcomers are affluent and financially savvy, and choose Japan after weighing the pros and cons of other potential overseas destinations.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 26, 2023

Japan, South Korea and China seek leaders' summit at 'earliest' time

The talks were seen as a steppingstone toward reviving the three-way summit, but progress on hammering out a specific date appeared elusive.
Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrive for a document exchange ceremony and joint news conference after their meeting in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 28, 2023

With eye on China, Japan and Vietnam take ties to ‘new heights’

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong agreed to elevate the relationship to a “comprehensive strategic partnership.”
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2023

Japan asks U.S. to suspend Osprey flights until safety is confirmed

The U.S. air station in Futenma continued its operation of Osprey aircraft after Wednesday’s incident, causing local residents to voice their concern.
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2023

U.S. Osprey crash rekindles safety concerns in Japan

The unique aircraft has had its share of incidents, but still has a relatively safe record compared to other military aircraft.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 5, 2023

Japan defense chief says concerns linger after U.S. Osprey crew remains found

Dive teams have found the remains of five more crew members from a CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft that crashed off southwestern Japan last week.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 7, 2023

U.S. military grounds all Osprey aircraft after Japan crash

A preliminary investigation into the crash last week indicated that problems with the aircraft — not a mistake by the crew — had led to the deaths.
Former South Korean "comfort woman" Lee Yong-soo with a statue symbolizing "comfort women" at the Seoul Comfort Women Memorial
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 9, 2023

No appeal by Japan after 'comfort women' ruling: South Korea

The ruling ordered Tokyo to pay around 200 million won ($152,000) to each of the Korean complainants.
Prime Minster Fumio Kishida joins ASEAN leaders for a family photo before the start of the ASEAN-Japan summit in Jakarta in September.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 14, 2023

With eye on China, Japan and ASEAN to unveil ‘new vision’ for ties

The three-day summit will see the two sides launch a wide range of cooperation initiatives.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Dec 14, 2023

Japan’s next-gen fighter project with U.K. and Italy hits milestone

The three countries agreed to establish an intergovernmental organization, divide up work share and set out the roles of each partner.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the start of a bilateral meeting in Tokyo on Saturday
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 16, 2023

Japan-ASEAN summit aims to advance 'security cooperation'

Japan is also expected to use the summit to push energy cooperation as it seeks to export emissions-reducing tech that critics have questioned.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim applaud as Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa poses with her Malaysian counterpart, Mohamad Hasan, after a signing ceremony in Tokyo on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 16, 2023

Japan and Malaysia sign ¥400 million maritime security aid deal

Jakarta became the third country to receive the grant under Japan's new official security assistance program.
ASEAN leaders and their spouses release paper lanterns into the air with students from ASEAN member states during a lighting ceremony for the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit at Azabudai Hills in Tokyo on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Dec 18, 2023

With China in mind, Japan expands security ties with ASEAN

At a leaders summit, the two sides agreed to deepen security ties in areas such as defense equipment and joint training and exercises.
An apartment block that was heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike in Dnipro, Ukraine, on Jan. 18, 2023. Housing, transportation networks and various types of other infrastructure facilities across the nation have suffered substantial damage in the wake of Russia's invasion.
JAPAN
Jan 2, 2024

Japan sharing reconstruction lessons with Ukraine

Ukrainian officials have reportedly said reconstruction efforts will draw inspiration from successful examples in Japan.
A PAC-3 surface-to-air guided missile at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo in June
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 20, 2023

Japan may make U.S. PAC-3 missiles in first weapon deal after ban

The missiles, made under license from a U.S. company, would be the first weapons to be exported in finished form from Japan after the ban is eased.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Kenyan President William Ruto arrive at a joint news conference in Nairobi in May.
JAPAN
Jan 2, 2024

Japan to boost ties with Africa, with eye on China

Japan's shift in approach mirrors Africa's importance as "a significant voting bloc" of 50-plus countries that Tokyo can look to for support in international conferences.
JAPAN
Jan 2, 2024

Five dead after Japan Airlines jet collides with coast guard plane at Haneda Airport

All 379 people on board the JAL plane exited safely but five of the six people on the coast guard plane died, with the captain sustaining serious injuries.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends an event with students to celebrate the new year in Pyongyang in this undated picture released Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 6, 2024

North Korea's Kim sends rare sympathy message to Japan over Ishikawa quake

The rare communication between the two countries’ leaders delivered Friday is believed to be Kim's first direct message to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jan 15, 2024

Japan finds ally in new Taiwan president-elect amid fears of war

Lai Ching-te signaled he will deepen cooperation with Japan by meeting with Tokyo’s de facto ambassador and a Japanese lawmaker just a day after the election.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 15, 2024

COVID and Japan, four years later: Normality, but words of caution

The nation has mostly returned to the pre-pandemic norm, but experts warn against people letting their guard down completely.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel speaks during a news conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 18, 2024

U.S. envoy to Japan vows to continue calling out Chinese ‘hypocrisy’

Emanuel also gave a speech on what he described as Japan’s “groundbreaking accomplishments” in fields such as defense, economic growth and diplomacy.
A member of the Ground Self-Defense Force stands on the flight deck on the Maritime Self-Defense Force's amphibious transport ship JS Osumi in waters close to Okinawa in November 2023.
JAPAN
Jan 18, 2024

Japan inks deal to buy 400 long-range missiles from U.S.

Faced with growing Chinese military clout and a nuclear-armed North Korea, the Japanese government plans to double its defense spending to 2% of GDP by 2027.

Longform

The byzantine process for converting a foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one entails mountains of paperwork and significant stamina — unless you're a lucky license holder from a country or region where these requirements are waived.
Driving in Japan isn’t hard. Getting the license is.