In policy speech, Abe vows to establish 'new era of Japanese diplomacy'
The prime minister Monday focused his speech on foreign policy, delivering a notable change in phrasing regarding South Korea.
Opposition grills LDP on risks facing Japan's SDF mission to Mideast
Any overseas SDF mission is politically sensitive, but U.S.-Iran tensions are so high that debate on the constitutional hazards has ensued even before the Diet has opened.
U.S. slaps sanctions over firms exploiting North Korean overseas workers
The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on two companies for exploiting North Korean overseas labor after a U.N. deadline to return workers who bring vital revenue to the regime. The sanctions — which block any US assets of the companies and criminalize any financial ...
Abe and Abu Dhabi crown prince agree to secure a stable oil supply
Abe also briefed the crown prince on Japan’s deployment of a destroyer and reconnaissance planes to the Middle East to safeguard commercial shipping, Japanese officials said.
Poll finds 58% of voters oppose dispatch of MSDF personnel to Middle East
A national opinion poll conducted over the weekend showed 58.4 percent of voters are opposed to the dispatch of a Maritime Self-Defense Force unit to the Middle East.
Defense Minister Taro Kono said Friday he will visit Washington this coming week for a meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Mark Esper, to discuss the situation in the Middle East and other regional affairs. During the meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Kono is also expected to ...
Abe to visit Middle East as originally planned despite earlier media reports of cancellation
The prime minister’s trip is still a go after U.S. President Donald Trump eased Japanese fears of full-scale war with Iran.
NATO critic Trump now floats expanding group to include Middle East
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he supported expanding the North American Treaty Organization to include Middle Eastern nations, as the United States seeks to limit its troop footprint globally. "I think that NATO should be expanded and we should include the Middle East, ...
Japan firms pull staff out of Iran and limit Iraq travel amid high tensions
As of Oct. 1, 2018, Japanese companies have 30 operational bases in Iran, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Tokyo stocks recovered Thursday with the benchmark Nikkei index jumping over 530 points, or 2.3 percent, as investor concern eased regarding a further escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran. The 225-issue Nikkei average ended up 535.11 points, or 2.31 percent, from Wednesday ...
Japan defense chief observes map exercise ahead of MSDF Mideast dispatch
Defense Minister Taro Kono observed an exercise conducted by Maritime Self-Defense Force personnel Thursday ahead of their dispatch to the Middle East on an information-gathering mission later this month. Commanding officers — including the captain of the Takanami destroyer, which is scheduled to be sent ...
Japan opposition bloc to push for halt to Mideast mission amid Iran-U.S. tensions
Major opposition parties have agreed to press the government to cancel its plan to dispatch Maritime Self-Defense Force units to the Middle East following the Iranian missile attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq on Wednesday. Some in the ruling bloc have started to express concern ...
