Politics
Japan to U.S. on auto tariff assurances: Put it in writing, please
The Japanese government wants written assurances from Washington that it will not impose hefty tariffs on its auto exports when U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meet to clinch a deal on farm goods and digital trade next week. What form such a promise might take, however,… Read
Japan accepts talks with South Korea on WTO arbitration
Japan announced Friday it will accept South Korea's request for joint talks leading to arbitration by the World Trade Organization after Seoul filed a complaint with the international body over Tokyo's tightening of export controls. Trade minister Isshu Sugawara, however, said Japan's controls on exports to South Korea follow WTO… Read
Japan considers adding economic division to national security unit
Japan is considering adding an economic division to the National Security Secretariat, government sources said, as part of efforts to enhance the functions of the policy-coordination unit until now primarily focused on foreign affairs. The planned reform comes as the NSS sees the importance of incorporating economic perspectives more into… Read
UK appeals for public input in setting post-Brexit trade with Japan
The British government said on Friday it wanted to hear from businesses and members of the public what their priorities were for a post-Brexit trade deal with Japan. Japan is one of Britain's biggest foreign investors, encouraged by successive British governments who have promised a business-friendly base from which to… Read
N Korea, Japan gov'ts not communicating despite Abe's summit call
The top North Korean negotiator on normalizing ties with Japan said there has been no communication between the two governments since Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in May began calling for a summit, according to a Japanese delegation that returned from Pyongyang on Thursday. Abe has voiced eagerness to meet… Read
Opposition parties join forces to counterbalance ruling bloc in Diet
Japan's two major opposition parties agreed Thursday to join forces in both houses of parliament in their latest bid to counterbalance the ruling bloc in an upcoming extraordinary Diet session. The agreement to integrate parliamentary groups was reached at a meeting between Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yukio Edano… Read
Japan, New Zealand to jointly aim for expanded TPP
Japan and New Zealand agreed Thursday to work toward expanding the existing 11-member trans-Pacific partnership free trade pact as they seek further economic and regional integration in the Indo-Pacific. After meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Abe said they agreed to deepen defense ties through joint exercises, adding… Read
Diet to convene extraordinary session on Oct 4
The government and ruling coalition plan to convene an extraordinary Diet session on Oct 4, senior ruling party lawmakers said Wednesday. The session, likely to end around Dec 10, will see the ruling and opposition parties engage in parliamentary debate for the first time since the July upper house election,… Read
Abe says ASDF may evolve into 'Air and Space SDF'
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday Japan's existing Air Self-Defense Force may "evolve into the Air and Space SDF" in the future as he stressed the need to strengthen the country's defense capabilities in outer space. Referring to the planned launch of a space operation unit inside the ASDF in… Read
Abe says he will meet Iran's Rouhani this month in New York
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday he would meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the end of the month, as regional tensions rise in the Middle East after the weekend attacks on Saudi oil facilities, public broadcaster NHK said. It was during a meeting with members of… Read
