The Pentagon’s No. 3 official has heaped praise on South Korea for being the first U.S. treaty ally outside of NATO to hike spending 3.5% of GDP on defense — a move expected to impact Japan’s own spending plans. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/16/japan/politics/south-korea-defense-spending-us-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #southkorea #us #usjapanrelations #budgets #defense #donaldtrump #elbridgecolby #sanaetakaichi

The Bank of Japan signals it's inclined to increase interest rates, with the usual caveats about the need for data, especially on wages, to stay in line with forecasts. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/11/10/economy/nagata-boj-october-meeting-opinions/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #boj #us #tariffs #usjapanrelations #inflation #japaneseeconomy

Japan and the U.S. will join forces to extract rare earths in waters around a small Pacific island, after the two struck an agreement to work to cut their reliance on China for the material. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/07/japan/us-rare-earth-pacific-island/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #us #usjapanrelations #rareearths #china #sanaetakaichi #donaldtrump

Japan's strategic positioning is central to countering China’s economic and geopolitical influence, with a focus on technological collaboration, military alignment and supply chain security. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/05/japan/us-china-meaning-for-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #china #rareearths #us #donaldtrump #xijingping #trade #tariffs #apec #uschinarelations #usjapanrelations #chinajapanrelations

After months of tariff threats and brow-beating on defense spending, U.S. allies in Asia had ample reason to be wary of President Donald Trump. But the message after his Asia tour? The U.S. still has your back. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/02/asia-pacific/politics/trump-asian-allies-focus/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #asean #asia #donaldtrump #sanaetakaichi #xijinping #china #uschinarelations #usjapanrelations #apec #trade #tariffs #usmilitary

Nagasaki’s mayor on Thursday condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s order to restart nuclear tests, calling it “absolutely unacceptable.” https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/31/japan/nagasaki-mayor-trump-nuclearg/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #nagasaki #shirosuzuki #donaldtrump #us #usjapanrelations #nuclearweapons #atomicbombings #nobelprize

The Bank of Japan kept the policy rate at 0.5% despite high inflation, sticking to a wait-and-see approach owing to continued uncertainty. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/10/30/economy/boj-meeting-oct-2025/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #boj #us #tariffs #usjapanrelations #inflation #japaneseeconomy

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sent a message indicating support for the Bank of Japan’s independence as Abenomics comes back into fashion. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/10/29/economy/bessent-katayama-boj/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #scottbessent #satsukikatayama #sanaetakaichi #usjapanrelations #us #financeministry #boj #us #tariffs #usjapanrelations #inflation #japaneseeconomy

A “near-perfect meeting.” That was how one senior LDP official labeled new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. Rivals and supporters both say it’s hard to argue with that. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/29/japan/politics/trump-takaichi-summit-analysis/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #usjapanrelations #us #donaldtrump #sanaetakaichi

In his first meeting with new Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, U.S. defense chief Pete Hegseth said Washington never demanded Tokyo further hike its defense spending, calling Japan's current spending plans "wonderful." https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/29/japan/politics/koizumi-hegseth-defense-talks/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #usjapanrelations #us #defense #petehegseth #shinjirokoizumi

No projects were finalized under Japan’s $550 billion investment pledge while U.S. President Donald Trump was in Japan for a three-day visit heavy on sentiment but light on substance. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/10/29/economy/japan-us-investment-no-deals/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #ryoseiakazawa #tariffs #donaldtrump #trade #carmakers #us #japaneseeconomy #usjapanrelations

Sanae Takaichi’s first meeting with Donald Trump mirrored Shinzo Abe’s charm-based diplomacy, earning her praise, strong poll numbers, and a positive start for her new government. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/29/trump-flattery-will-get-takaichi-everywhere/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #us #usjapanrelations #shinzoabe #sanaetakaichi #donaldtrump

Toyota plans to ship vehicles produced at its U.S. plants to Japan, according to a document on an investment framework between Japan and the United States released by the U.S. government on Tuesday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/10/29/companies/toyota-car-imports-us/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #usjapanrelations #us #cars #toyota #trade

Forging a bond similar to that of her predecessor with the leader of Japan's key security partner could help Takaichi bolster a weak political position at home and navigate Trump's erratic decision-making, analysts say. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/29/japan/politics/abe-bonds-takaichi-trump-gifts/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #us #sanaetakaichi #donaldtrump #shinzoabe #defense #usjapanrelations #golf

Pickup trucks such as Ford's top-selling F-150 have now become a symbol of international trade talks. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/28/japan/trump-japan-hot-truck/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #usjapanrelations #trucks #sanaetakaichi #donaldtrump #trade

The Bank of Japan is expected to sit this one out and keep its benchmark rate at 0.5% as political and economic uncertainty remain high. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/10/28/economy/boj-preview-october-2025/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #boj #us #tariffs #usjapanrelations #inflation #japaneseeconomy

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was holding her first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, with trade and security issues on the agenda, as Japan’s new leader looks to cultivate ties with her counterpart. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/28/japan/politics/trump-takaichi-us-japan-summit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #us #usjapanrelations #shinzoabe #sanaetakaichi #donaldtrump #usmilitary #defense #trade #tariffs #investments #budgets #ldp

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in his first meeting with Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama, praised Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s economic policy as the Nikkei topped the 50,000 mark the same day. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/10/27/us-japan-finance-leaders-meet/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #scottbessent #satsukikatayama #sanaetakaichi #usjapanrelations

U.S. President Donald Trump was bound for Tokyo on Monday, where he is set to meet the emperor in the evening and new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday for a summit that will focus on trade and defense spending. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/27/japan/politics/trump-takaichi-japan-arrives/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #us #usjapanrelations #shinzoabe #sanaetakaichi #donaldtrump #usmilitary #defense #trade #tariffs #investments #budgets #ldp

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will make a stop in Japan during a visit to the Indo-Pacific region this week, during which he is scheduled to meet Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi for talks. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/27/japan/politics/us-defense-chief-japan-visit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #petehegseth #shinjirokoizumi #usjapanrelations #defense #defenseministry