Japan Parliament

Japan should have nuclear weapons, PM's security adviser reportedly says

The official cited Japan's worsening security environment, pointing to China's expanding nuclear arsenal, Russia's nuclear threat and North Korea's ongoing development of nuclear weapons

How a single remark on Taiwan by Japan has reignited tensions with China

Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remark on defending Taiwan has triggered a fierce diplomatic clash with China, reopening historical wounds

Trump hails US-Japan alliance, offers PM Takaichi 'anything you want'

Takaichi told Trump she would nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize over his diplomatic efforts, while Trump offered the prime minister signed golf hats reading 'JAPAN IS BACK' in gold text

For Japan's new PM, building rapport with Trump may depend on a Ford F-150

President Donald Trump arrives Monday in Japan where new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is banking on building a friendly personal relationship with the US leader to ease trade tensions. One key to this strategy might lie in an idea floated by Japan's government to buy a fleet of Ford F-150 trucks, a meaningful gesture that may also be impractical given the narrow streets in Tokyo and other Japanese cities. It's an early diplomatic test for Takaichi, the first woman to lead Japan. She took office only last week, and has a tenuous coalition backing her. Trump instantly bought into the idea of Ford trucks as he flew to Asia aboard Air Force One. She has good taste, Trump told reporters. That's a hot truck. The two spoke over the phone while Trump was mid-flight on Saturday. Takaichi stressed her status as a protege of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a favorite of Trump's from his first term, and said she praised him for brokering the Gaza ceasefire that led to the return of hosta

Japan's new PM faces foreign policy tests with Trump and regional summits

Just days after taking office, Japan's new leader faces a series of back-to-back foreign policy tests, with a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Tokyo sandwiched between Asia-region summits in Malaysia and South Korea. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, with limited experience in international affairs, will have to manage Trump's demands and unpredictability and China's wariness of her strong support for a military build-up and her right-wing views on Japan's invasion of China before and during World War II. She arrives in Malaysia on Saturday for meetings with Southeast Asian leaders, then returns to Japan to meet Trump before heading to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit at the end of the week. In her first news conference as prime minister, she described her schedule as packed with diplomatic events and said it will be a valuable opportunity to meet other regional leaders. Chinese leader Xi Jinping will also attend the summit in South Korea, where ta

What to expect for Japan's economy under Sanae Takaichi, its 1st female PM

Share prices have soared recently in Tokyo on hopes that conservative Japanese lawmaker Sanae Takaichi, who was chosen on Tuesday to be Japan's first female prime minister, will double down on market-friendly policies, including hefty spending on defense and cheap credit. The benchmark Nikkei 225 share index climbed close to the symbolically important 50,000 level, gaining 0.7 per cent to 49,517.57. Takaichi, a motorbike and heavy metal enthusiast, prevailed in a lower house parliamentary ballot that gave her 237 votes, above the 233 votes required to win. Here's what might be expected from what has been dubbed Sanaenomics: Inflation and wages are the top concerns ----------------------------------------------- Increases in consumer prices have surpassed the Bank of Japan's 2 per cent target range at 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent. So the central bank is gradually raising rates from their longstanding level near or below zero. Wages remain near the level they were at 30 years ago, onl

PM Modi congratulates Sanae Takaichi on becoming Japan's new prime minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated Sanae Takaichi on her election as Japan's prime minister and said he looked forward to working closely to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations. Takaichi, the first woman prime minister of Japan, succeeds Shigeru Ishiba. "Heartiest congratulations, Sanae Takaichi, on your election as the Prime Minister of Japan," Modi said in a post on X. "I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen the India'?Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Our deepening ties are vital for peace, stability, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific and beyond," Modi said.

Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan's first woman PM after parliamentary vote

She secured 237 votes in the more powerful lower house, bringing her four votes above the majority line needed to confirm her victory

Japan's parliament set to elect Sanae Takaichi as nation's first female PM

Japan's parliament is set to elect ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country's first female prime minister on Tuesday, one day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner that would pull her governing bloc further to the right. Takaichi will replace Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the Liberal Democratic Party's disastrous election loss in July. Ishiba, who lasted only one year in office, resigned with his Cabinet earlier Tuesday, paving the way for his successor. The LDP's off-the-cuff alliance with the Osaka-based rightwing Japan Innovation Party, or Ishin no Kai, ensures her premiership in a vote later in the day because the opposition is not united. Takaichi's untested alliance is still short of a majority in both houses of parliament and they need to court other opposition groups to pass any legislation -- a risk that could make her government unstable and short-lived. Political stability i

Former Japanese PM Murayama, known for 1995 wartime apology, dies at 101

Japan's former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, who was known for his 1995 Murayama statement apologising to Asian victims of his country's aggression, died Friday. He was 101. Murayama died at a hospital in his hometown Oita, southwestern Japan, according to a statement from Mizuho Fukushima, the head of Japan's Social Democratic Party. As head of what was then known as the Japan Socialist Party, Murayama led a coalition government from June 1994 to January 1996. The apology he issued as prime minister on Aug 15, 1995, marking the 50th anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender ending World War II, is seen as Japan's main expression of remorse for its wartime and colonial past. It has since been endorsed by all prime ministers until nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stopped apologising in 2013. Murayama had criticised growing attempts by nationalist lawmakers to discredit the apology for forced prostitution by citing the lack of official wartime documents specifically ..

Japan's Komeito exits ruling coalition citing concerns over corruption

The head of Japan's Komeito says it is leaving the ruling coalition headed by the Liberal Democratic Party due to concerns over corruption. The decision announced Friday by Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito deals a serious blow to the Liberal Democrats, who last weekend chose ultra-conservative lawmaker Sanae Takaichi as its leader. Takaichi could still become Japan's first female prime minister, but the departure of the Buddhist-backed Komeito will compel the Liberal Democrats to find at least one other coalition partner in order to stay in power. The ruling coalition had already lost its majorities in both houses of parliament. The lower house is due to vote on a new prime minister later this month.

Japan's new PM Sanae Takaichi faces early test as coalition talks stall

While the most likely outcome is that the two parties will reach agreement in the coming days, the delay shows the level of reservations Komeito has over Takaichi's right-wing views

Who is Sanae Takaichi? Japan set to get its first-ever woman prime minister

Sanae Takaichi won Japan's ruling party leadership on Saturday, defeating male rivals; she is set to become Japan's first female prime minister, following in her idol Margaret Thatcher's footsteps

Japan's ruling party elects Takaichi as 1st female leader, set to become PM

Takaichi will face a parliamentary vote later this month to become premier, a contest expected to go to the LDP chief

Takaichi and Koizumi advance to run-off to choose Japan's next PM

Takaichi won the most number of votes with 183 out of the total 589 valid votes, while Koizumi came in second place with 164 votes in a field of five candidates

Japan's ruling party set to pick new chief with runoff expected today

Political scion Shinjiro Koizumi is leading in most polls of LDP supporters, with right-leaning Sanae Takaichi, who is more popular among the general public, ahead in some

Japan's ruling party faces crisis as far-right Sanseito gains influence

Sanseito warned of a "silent invasion" of foreigners, and leader Sohei Kamiya used a derogatory term for ethnic Koreans at a rally, later issuing an immediate apology

Japan's ruling party opens leadership race to choose Ishiba's successor

Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba 's ruling party opened official campaigning Monday to find his replacement who can restore political stability and voter support for the beleaguered Liberal Democrats. Five candidates are vying for the Liberal Democratic Party's top job ahead of a highly unpredictable vote in early October. The race has a slogan: Change, LDP. The winner must act quickly to address rising prices if the party is to have any chance of winning back support following devastating losses to both the LDP and its junior partner Komeito in the past year that deprived their coalition of a majority in either house of parliament. Its new leader is still likely to be prime minister because the LDP remains the No. 1 party, while opposition groups are too splintered to form a coalition. Whoever becomes the LDP leader must also gain cooperation from main opposition parties or risk facing constant no-confidence motions and a cycle of short-lived leadership. Vote for L

Japan's stressed bond market, stocks brace for PM Ishiba exit reaction

Yields on super-long Japanese government bonds (JGBs) have already been hovering near record highs due to global concerns about fiscal deficits and domestic political pressure on Ishiba

How Japan will pick its next leader following PM Ishiba's resignation

The process to pick Japan's next leader is more complicated than before