Politics
South Korea to restore Japan's trade status to improve ties
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday his government will move to restore Japan’s preferential trade status as he pushes to resolve history and trade disputes with Japan despite domestic opposition. In lengthy, televised comments during a Cabinet Council meeting, Yoon defended his moves, saying that leaving ties with Japan as… Read
Kishida visits Kyiv for meeting with Zelenskyy
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a surprise visit to Kyiv on Tuesday to offer "solidarity and unwavering support," Japan's foreign ministry said. Kishida is the last G7 leader to visit the war-torn country and has come under increasing pressure to make the trip,… Read
Kishida says India 'indispensable' in ensuring free Indo-Pacific
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday called India vital to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific after talks with his counterpart touching on shared concerns about China. Speaking in New Delhi after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kishida laid out plans for billions of dollars in investments in infrastructure… Read
Canada seeking to set up 4-way framework with Japan, S Korea, U.S
Canada has proposed creating a quadruple cooperation framework with Japan, South Korea and the United States as part of efforts to counter China and Russia, diplomatic sources said Sunday. Canada conveyed the idea directly to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida when he visited Ottawa in January, the sources said, adding… Read
Gov't to spend additional ¥2 trillion to ease inflation pain
Japan will spend over 2 trillion yen in reserve funds from the state budget for the current business year to March to give cash handouts to low-income families and cut liquefied petroleum gas bills as part of a fresh inflation-relief package, government sources said Monday. As key pillars of the… Read
Kishida in India to announce new Indo-Pacific plan
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday invited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for the Group of Seven major industrial nations summit in May and was later expected to announce a new plan for a free and open Indo-Pacific aimed at countering China's growing influence in the region. On his… Read
Japan discusses security in first foreign minister visit to Solomon Islands
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi discussed global security and China's presence in the Pacific with the leader of the Solomon Islands on Sunday, in what was the first visit by a Japanese foreign minister to the island state. Hayashi said Japan was "watching the developments" of a security pact the… Read
N Korea launches short-range ballistic missile into sea
North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile toward the sea on Sunday, its neighbors said, ramping up testing activities in response to ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal. The North’s continuation of missile tests showed its determination not to back down, despite the U.S.-South Korea exercises,… Read
Kishida to announce new Indo-Pacific plan; seek India's support
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will on Monday announce a new plan for an open and free Indo-Pacific in New Delhi and seek India's support to partner with Tokyo to check China's growing influence across the region. Under the plan, which will be announced during Kishida's visit to India from… Read
Japan, Germany to watch developments of investigation against Putin
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday that Japan will carefully monitor the developments of an investigation against Russian President Vladimir Putin after holding talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Tokyo. Scholz also said he supports the International Criminal Court's issuance Friday of an arrest warrant for Putin on the… Read
