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People walk past a mural depicting Iranian missiles in Tehran on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Apr 20, 2024

Israel's Iran attack carefully calibrated after internal splits and U.S. pressure

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war Cabinet had initially approved plans for a strike on Monday night, but held back at the last-minute.
The Liberal Democratic Party's presidential race is expected to have a record number of candidates.
COMMENTARY / Japan / Perspectives
Sep 8, 2024

Unpacking Japan’s messy leadership election

With so many candidates and old rules gone, brace for the most unpredictable LDP race in ages
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, in Chartes, France, on Friday
WORLD / Politics
Sep 22, 2024

France's Macron appoints new government in shift to right

The cabinet announced by Macron and led by Prime Minister Michel Barnier comes 11 weeks after an inconclusive parliamentary election.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 14, 2023

LDP increasingly wants land minister post back from Komeito

Calls are growing within the LDP to get the post of land minister back from Komeito just as Kishida considers a possible Cabinet reshuffle.
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.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 18, 2023

Defense minister’s miscue is an opening for the opposition

Can a single statement by the defense minister really disrupt the Japanese political landscape? For better or worse, it can.
The Ground Self-Defense Force's Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade takes part in a marine landing drill on Tokunoshima island, Kagoshima Prefecture, on Nov. 19.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 29, 2023

Kishida’s military build-up plans face bumpy road ahead

One year on, questions remain as to whether the embattled leader, whose support rate recently dipped to new lows, can follow through on his pledges.
As Japan's productivity declines due to the shrinking working-age population, policies that allow for everyone’s full participation in the labor force, especially women, are needed more than ever.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 29, 2023

A look back at Japan’s gender laws and fairness in 2023

Gender equality needs to improve to boost Japan’s prospects. What hits and missed opportunities will we remember from 2023?
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 2, 2024

Who might succeed Fumio Kishida in 2024?

Several names have emerged as potential candidates for prime minister in the wake of a political funds scandal enveloping the LDP.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other key Labour figures with working-class backgrounds will have to work with elites in the civil service, business world and beyond who do not share their class origins.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 8, 2024

No class war from the U.K.’s most working-class government

This is the most working-class government the U.K. has had in recent years. Not only is Keir Starmer from a humble background, but so are many of his Cabinet members.
Choi Sang-mok, South Korea's finance minister, during an interview in Seoul on Thursday
BUSINESS / Markets / ANALYSIS
Dec 6, 2024

In South Korea's crisis playbook, currency stability is paramount

In the four decades since South Korea was last under martial law, the nation has significantly evolved its systems to focus on ensuring economic stability.
Israel delayed meetings expected on Thursday when the cabinet was expected to vote on the ceasefire. But in the early hours of Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said approval was imminent.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 17, 2025

Israel set to approve Gaza ceasefire deal, Netanyahu's office says

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he’s confident implementation of the Gaza deal will begin as scheduled on Sunday once "loose ends” are resolved.
The city government of Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, used corporate donations to create a volunteer tour, during which participants help farmers harvest apples and enjoy sightseeing in the city.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Feb 20, 2025

Corporate hometown donations gain traction in Japan

Some local governments have been found to provide de facto rewards to donor companies, violating the system's rules and raising concerns about improper practices.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 28, 2023

Kishida seeks reset as My Number woes hit approval ratings

The prime minister has embarked on a nationwide tour to listen to the concerns of local communities in an effort to expand his political reach and prop up his popular support.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 21, 2023

Scandal-tainted Yuko Obuchi's appointment could backfire on Kishida

Obuchi still faces questions over a nearly decade-old political funds scandal, and last week she was hit with fresh allegations of financial impropriety.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends an extraordinary session at the Lower House of parliament in Tokyo on Oct. 23.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 31, 2023

Prime Minister Kishida and a month of misery

The challenges Fumio Kishida faces are eroding confidence in his leadership and are likely to influence policy decision-making.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 22, 2024

Kishida's LDP factions gamble fails to improve his popularity

A Yomiuri Shimbun poll conducted over the weekend found the Kishida Cabinet’s approval rating was 24%, the lowest since the LDP returned to power in 2012.
A man maneuvers media equipment following an Israeli police raid on an Al Jazeera de facto office at the Ambassador Hotel in Jerusalem on Sunday.
WORLD
May 6, 2024

Israel raids Al Jazeera’s offices after banning broadcaster

Al Jazeera’s broadcasts and access to its website are now blocked throughout Israel.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrives at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 21, 2024

For Kishida, the LDP election means a fraught summer ahead

Attention is turning to what the prime minister will do as potential rivals rally support ahead of September's vote for party president.
A rendering of the next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed and manufactured by Japan, Britain and Italy
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jun 25, 2024

Concerns raised over strength of Japan's fighter jet export 'brakes'

The closed nature of decision-making has been criticized, while worries persist over the potential use of Japanese equipment.
Former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba answers reporters' questions at parliament on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Aug 8, 2024

Shigeru Ishiba remains public's favorite for next LDP leader, poll shows

In the August poll, Shigeru Ishiba was backed by 18.7% of respondents, followed by former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi with 12.5%.
Indonesia's new leader, Prabowo Subianto, arrives for his presidential inauguration ceremony in Jakarta on Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 20, 2024

Prabowo Subianto, a former general, sworn in as Indonesian president

The inauguration marks a noteworthy comeback for a man who faced Western-imposed sanctions and had two failed election bids against Widodo, the man he is now replacing.
Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Chisato Morishita bows to reporters on Sunday in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, after she was projected to win a seat in the Lower House election.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 28, 2024

Record number of women elected to Japan's Lower House

A total of 73 female candidates won seats in Sunday’s general election, making up about 16% of the membership of the chamber of parliament.
Smoke and flames rise after an Israeli strike in the Chiyah district of Beirut's southern suburbs on Monday.
WORLD
Nov 26, 2024

Israel and Hezbollah seen on the cusp of a deal as attacks continue

Israel’s security cabinet is expected to vote on an agreement on Tuesday, and passage is considered likely.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk watch the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket in Brownsville, Texas, on Nov. 19.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 27, 2024

Musk pushes his preferred political picks via X. Trump isn't always swayed.

Several high-profile cases show some early limits to the billionaire's influence even as he has emerged as one of the president-elect's most powerful allies.
Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano in Seoul in October
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 10, 2025

Japan announces new national security adviser

Masataka Okano is a 60-year-old career diplomat with experience in both Washington and Beijing and a former chief of the Foreign Ministry’s Russia division.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Aug 17, 2023

Kishida may call snap election to halt rise of rival Nippon Ishin

The prime minister, however, must first regain his standing in the polls to a level where he will feel more confident about holding an election.
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.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (center) meets soldiers at undisclosed location in the Gaza Strip on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 27, 2023

Netanyahu's two-front war against Hamas and politics

The Israeli prime minister is conducting a two-front war, one against Hamas and the other for his own political survival.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida awaits the results of  a vote on a no-confidence motion in the Lower House against his Cabinet on Wednesday over the ongoing party financing scandal.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 14, 2023

Kishida tries to clean up the Liberal Democratic Party house

A political event of the magnitude of the LDP-funding scandal bears close observation of what happened, why and what comes next.

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A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami