Politics
Quad eyes highlighting respect for sovereignty
Japan, the United States, Australia and India are seeking to underscore respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine when their leaders meet and issue a joint statement later this month, sources close to the matter said. The Quad summit, the second in-person… Read
Japan, U.S. to agree to semiconductor cooperation
Japan and the United States will agree to commit to improved research and production of semiconductors at a leaders' summit set for May 23, a Japanese government source said Saturday. The expected agreement between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden will aim for a framework ensuring… Read
Japan, Ukraine top diplomats agree to keep strong sanctions on Russia
The foreign ministers of Japan and Ukraine agreed Friday that the international community should remain united in maintaining strong sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, now in its third month with the war showing no signs of easing. During talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Weissenhaus,… Read
EU council chief visits Hiroshima; condemns Russian nuclear threat
European Council President Charles Michel condemned Russia on Friday for threating to use nuclear weapons following its invasion of Ukraine, saying during his Hiroshima visit it is a "shameful and unacceptable" threat to global security. In one of the two Japanese cities devastated by the 1945 U.S. atomic bombings at… Read
N Korea fires 3 ballistic missiles toward sea
North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea on Thursday, its neighbors said, the latest in a series of weapons demonstrations this year and one that came just hours after it confirmed its first case of the coronavirus since the pandemic began. The launches could underscore North Korea’s… Read
Japan freezes assets of Russia's Sberbank, Alfa Bank
The Japanese government has frozen assets of Russia's largest financial institution, Sberbank, and its largest private bank, Alfa Bank, as Japan ramps up pressure against Moscow's Ukraine invasion. In line with the United States and European countries, the measure will force Japanese companies to seek alternative ways to settle payments… Read
Japan, EU agree to step up sanctions against Russia, focus on Indo-Pacific
Japan and the European Union on Thursday agreed to step up their sanctions against Russia as leaders from the two sides raised concerns about the war’s impact in the Indo-Pacific, where they seek to strengthen their partnership and increase engagement amid China's growing assertiveness. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who… Read
Yoon tells Japanese lawmakers he opposes politicizing historical issues
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol told Japanese lawmakers on Wednesday he has no intention of using wartime history issues with Japan for domestic political gains, in yet another sign the new leader will seek to repair frayed bilateral ties. "The future matters for the relationship between nations. I am… Read
Biden trip to Asia to signal U.S. keeping its eye on China
U.S. President Joe Biden will embark later in May on his first trip to Asia since taking office, a sign that Washington is not taking its eyes off China's assertiveness in the region even in the midst of Russia's war in Ukraine. With the Ukraine crisis bringing renewed attention to… Read
Diet passes economic security bill
Japan's House of Councillors on Wednesday enacted into law a bill for enhancing the country's economic security amid increasing geopolitical risks associated with Russia and China. The four pillars of the new law include strengthening supply chains to stably procure semiconductors and other vital products as well as facilitating the… Read
