Takaichi’s landslide victory demonstrated that when candidates find compelling issues that affect their lives, young people show up. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/10/japan/japans-youth-secure-nations-future/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #dpp #shigeruishiba #2026lowerhouseelection
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has energized voters and strengthened the LDP ahead of a snap election, but her inexperience and ties to the Shinzo Abe faction pose risks for governance and public trust. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/editorials/2026/02/06/takaichi-ldp-poised-for-big-win/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #editorials #sanaetakaichi #ldp #jip #cra #cdp #komeito #shinzoabe #shigeruishiba #upperhouse #lowerhouse #2026lowerhouseelection
The option being talked about — whispered, actually — is the nuclear option. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/05/japan/the-list-of-japanese-security-options/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #markcarney #us #indopacific #shigeruishiba #defense #nato #sdf #usjapanrelations #donaldtrump #china #taiwan #sanaetakaichi #nuclearweapons
Japan’s fading global profile highlights a deeper diplomatic decline and raises questions about whether Takaichi or Japan’s next leader can restore influence in a shifting world. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/30/japan/japans-diminishing-relevance/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #worldeconomicforum #davos #markcarney #canada #southkorea #us #donaldtrump #xijinping #g7 #canada #shigeruishiba #ukraine #sanaetakaichi #shinzoabe #russia #china #iran #northkorea #ukraine #greenland #asean
Sanseito aims to realize its policy goals by positioning itself as an ally to a popular prime minister while targeting her left-leaning party colleagues at the ballot box. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/29/japan/politics/sanseito-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanseito #soheikamiya #sanaetakaichi #shigeruishiba #ldp #2026lowerhouseelection
Japan's opposition politics remain fragmented as Komeito and the CDP merge to form a new party, despite policy divides and a history of electoral struggles. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/18/japan/japans-rare-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #komeitolowerhouse #komeito #cdp #centristreformalliance #cra #tetsuosaito #yoshihikonoda #sokagakkai #ccp #aeon #china #shinzoabe #fumiokishida #shigeruishiba #jip
Takaichi is weighing a snap election to win enough seats to govern without coalition constraints but risks repeating Ishiba’s failure if she misreads voter priorities and coalition politics. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/13/world/why-a-japan-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #sanaetakaichi #liberaldemocraticparty #ldp #japaninnovationparty #jip #democraticpartyforthepeople #sanseito #shinzoabe #komeito #yurikokoike #partyofhope #shigeruishiba #snapelections
High public approval ratings for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have led to little open criticism of the Liberal Democratic Party chief from members of her own party. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/31/japan/politics/anti-takaichi-low-key/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #ldp #shigeruishiba #fumiokishida #hiroshimoriyama
Japan and India must deepen defense and tech cooperation to bolster Indo-Pacific stability amid a fragile "Quad" and rising China tensions. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/12/09/japan/japan-india-defense-in-the-indo-pacific/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #shigeruishiba #narendramodi #indiajapanrelations #thequad #australia #us #china #pakistan #philippines #australia #defense
Collective defense is too big a leap at this time. But collective deterrence is a legitimate strategy to thwart a rising China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/26/japan/the-argument-for-indo-pacific-collective-deterrence/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #defense #sdf #sanaetakaichi #china #russia #northkorea #quad #australia #india #us #southkorea #philippines #seato #shigeruishiba #nato #taiwan #southchinasea #eastchinasea
China is using threats, diplomatic pressure, economic measures and manufactured media narratives to attack new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and influence Japanese politics. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/20/japan/good-relations-with-communist-party-is-a-fools-errand/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #china #sanaetakaichi #taiwan #xuejian #reiwashinsengumi #us #ldp #shigeruishiba #komeito #japaninnovationparty #ccp #philippines #shinzoabe #laichingte #xijinping #worldwarii
With COP30 upon us, surveys show increasing climate disengagement, especially among younger generations in Japan, despite rising awareness and education. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/10/world/time-to-fight-climate-fatigue/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #sanaetakaichi #shigeruishiba #cop30 #cop29 #climatechange #carbonemissions #greenenergy
In her first weeks as prime minister, Sanae Takaichi unified the LDP, formed a new conservative coalition, advanced Japan’s defense and trade agendas and secured strong public support. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/30/japan/four-questions-for-takaichi-after-one-week/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #fumiokishida #shigeruishiba #yoshimitsumotegi #shinjirokoizumi #yoshimasahayashi #takayukikobayashi #satsukikatayama #hirofumiyoshimura #fumitakefujita #donaldtrump #ldp #komeito #jip #dpp #sanseito
Japan’s top security adviser Keiichi Ichikawa is set to play a leading role in Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s foreign policy strategy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/30/japan/politics/national-security-adviser-change/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #keiichiichikawa #sanaetakaichi #defense #shinzoabe #shigeruishiba
Former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday called for the swift restoration of a deleted section of a parliamentary record of a 1940 anti-military speech criticizing Japan's war with China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/28/japan/politics/ishiba-anti-military-speech/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shigeruishiba #china #wwii #ldp
Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister, forming a coalition with the Japan Innovation Party to focus on defense, economic reforms and international diplomacy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/24/takaichi-heads-into-the-breach/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #sanaetakaichi #ldp #japaninnovationparty #komeito #shigeruishiba #fumiokishida #toshimitsumotegi #shinjirokoizumi #yoshimasahayashi #minorukihara #ryoseiakazawa #satsukikatayama #kimionoda #sanseito #shinzoabe
Newly appointed farm minister Norikazu Suzuki has hinted of a potential rethink of a policy to increase rice production advocated by the administration of former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/24/japan/society/farm-minister-rice/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #agriculture #rice #norikazusuzuki #shinjirokoizumi #shigeruishiba #sanaetakaichi
Immigration is shaping up to be a key policy focus for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, with her Cabinet including a new post specifically for handling interactions with foreign residents. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/23/japan/politics/onoda-immigration-policy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #kimionoda #sanaetakaichi #shigeruishiba #jip
Minoru Kihara, the “cool-headed” spokesman of Japan’s new prime minister, has many things in common with his new boss. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/21/japan/politics/who-is-minoru-kihara/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #minorukihara #sanaetakaichi #ldp #shinzoabe #yoshihidesuga #fumiokishida #hirokazumatsuno #shigeruishiba #yoshimasahayashi #kumamoto #taiwan
Members of Japanese ruling and opposition parties expressed their sadness over the death of former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama on Friday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/18/japan/politics/murayama-tributes/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #tomiichimurayama #yoheikono #shigeruishiba #mizuhofukushima #sanaetakaichi
