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JAPAN

George Glass, U.S. President Donald Trump's pick to be ambassador to Japan, attends a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing in Washington on March 13.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 9, 2025
Japan gets a new U.S. ambassador — and he has his work cut out for him
The U.S. Senate has voted to confirm George Glass, whose top agenda items include resolving the tariff row and getting Tokyo to spend more on defense.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte speaks during a forum at Keio University in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 9, 2025
NATO chief calls on allies and partners to ‘outproduce and outpace’ rivals
In Tokyo on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called on members of the alliance and its four Indo-Pacific partners to work more closely together.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks near Elbridge Colby (right) at Colby’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee for undersecretary of defense for policy, at the Capitol in Washington on March 4.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 9, 2025
U.S. confirms new Pentagon No. 3 as Japan defense budget in crosshairs
Elbridge Colby is a known China hawk and advocate for Asian allies — including Japan — to spend more on defense.
Hon Hai Precision Industry's chief strategy officer for electric vehicles, Jun Seki, speaks during an interview.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 9, 2025
Hon Hai makes case to build EVs for Japan’s automobile industry
Electrified cars and buses made by Foxconn, as the Taiwanese company is known, will appear on roads in Japan over the next few years, its EV strategy chief says.
The Japan Coast Guard has introduced Starlink, a high-speed satellite internet service, on some of its patrol vessels.
JAPAN
Apr 9, 2025
Starlink brings internet to Japan Coast Guard ships in bid for new blood
The JCG hopes the upgrade will help appeal to younger generations amid growing concerns over rising retirement numbers and declining recruitment.
The U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works facility in Pennsylvania
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 9, 2025
U.S. Steel says activist investor now in favor of Nippon Steel deal
Ancora Holdings owns less than a 1% stake in the company.
Masatoshi Asari is one of Japan’s foremost living authorities on cherry trees and their blossoms.
JAPAN
Apr 9, 2025
The man who sent Japan's cherry blossoms out to the world
Masatoshi Asari's trees — symbols of peace and reconciliation — blossom in the U.K., U.S., Poland and China.
Former Kanto Rengo member Tetsuya Yamaguchi arrives at Haneda Airport in Tokyo's Ota Ward on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 9, 2025
Ex-member of 'Kanto Rengo' quasi-gang group arrested
Tetsuya Yamaguchi, 46, was arrested for his alleged involvement in a phone scam operation in Cambodia.
A MQ-4C Triton drone taxis at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam
JAPAN
Apr 8, 2025
U.S. to send long-range surveillance drones to Japan amid Taiwan tensions
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said that the drones will be sent to the U.S. air base in Kadena, on Okinawa Prefecture’s main island, in the coming weeks.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte speaks after touring the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Mogami frigate at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 8, 2025
NATO chief makes Japan debut with focus on defense industry tie-ups
Rutte will speak with defense industry representatives to get their assessment on “what they do to ramp up production and how we can better work together.”
Economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa enters the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 8, 2025
Japan and U.S. appoint tariff negotiators after Ishiba-Trump phone call
Ryosei Akazawa, minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy, will spearhead talks with the U.S.
A screen displays rising share prices outside a securities firm in Tokyo on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Markets
Apr 8, 2025
Japan stocks rebound on hopes of Trump tariff deal and weaker yen
Major shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange ended Tuesday's session at 33,012.58, up 1,876 points, or 6.02%, from Monday, when it suffered its third-biggest daily point loss.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi speaks during a news conference on Tuesday at the Prime Minister's Office. Hayashi has cited Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and missile development programs as well as its abduction of Japanese nationals as reasons for Japan's extension of sanctions on North Korea.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 8, 2025
Japan to extend sanctions against North Korea for two years
Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and missile development programs, and its abduction of Japanese nationals were cited as reasons.
The 2025 Diplomatic Bluebook says that Tokyo will communicate closely with Washington over various issues facing the international community.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 8, 2025
Japan foreign policy report highlights importance of building ties with Trump
The 2025 Diplomatic Bluebook said that Tokyo will communicate closely with Washington over various issues facing the international community.
Two Japanese men are suspected of helping an IT worker from North Korea create an account for a job-matching service by sending driver's license photos and other information to the IT worker in September and October 2020.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 8, 2025
Pair suspected of helping North Korean IT worker pose as a Japanese citizen
Police in Tokyo believe the IT worker was involved in North Korea's efforts to obtain foreign currency.
Japan is facing challenges with Donald Trump's new tariffs and is considering increased purchases of U.S. goods, negotiating tariff reductions and expanding auto production in the U.S. to reduce the trade deficit and avoid further economic tension.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 8, 2025
What is Japan's play on Trump's tariffs?
Japan had expected some consideration for being the largest source of foreign direct investment in the U.S. from 2019 to 2024, with total investment of around $860 billion.
Donald Trump’s complaints about Japan’s auto market are based on misconceptions, as Japan has not imposed car tariffs since 1978 and American cars fail to meet local preferences.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 8, 2025
The Japan tariff myth that just won’t die
The belief that unfair trade practices are at fault isn’t only false, but also one of those enduring myths that refuses to die.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba attends a joint press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington on Feb. 7.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 7, 2025
Japan responds to Trump's tariffs with a polite phone call and request
The call was the first interaction between the two leaders since the U.S. president rolled out new tariffs targeting almost every country on the planet.
Kwai Chung container ports in Hong Kong earlier this month
BUSINESS / Markets
Apr 7, 2025
East Asia tries a mix of measures to counter U.S. tariffs as markets suffer
U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced a raft of tariffs, with almost every country affected.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks in a video message shown at a national rally demanding the return of the Northern Territories held in Tokyo in February.
JAPAN
Apr 7, 2025
Russia bans Japanese NGO amid disputed islands row
The four islands were captured by the Soviet military during the final months of the war, and have been held by Moscow since, in what Tokyo describes as an "illegal occupation."

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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.