The defense minister’s trip reminded observers of two things: China’s proclivity for overreaction and the challenges facing Japan in a tough neighborhood. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/28/japan/koizumis-yonaguni-visit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #shinjirokoizumi #gsdf #taiwan #china #defense #yonaguni
Japan’s defense minister, visiting a military base close to Taiwan, said plans to deploy missiles to the post were on track as tensions smolder between Tokyo and Beijing over the East Asian island. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/23/japan/japan-deploying-missiles-to-island-near-taiwan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #yonaguni #ishigaki #miyako #okinawa #taiwan #china #usmilitary #shinjirokoizumi #sanaetakaichi #sdf
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is actively using social media and other means to disseminate information on the military movements of countries around Japan and how the Japanese Self-Defense Forces are responding. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/23/japan/politics/defense-chief-koizumi-one-month/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #defense #defenseministry #sdf
Japan and Indonesia have agreed to boost their defense and security ties, opening up opportunities for trilateral cooperation involving Australia following Jakarta’s plan to upgrade a key pact with Canberra. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/18/japan/politics/indonesia-japan-meeting-defense/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #defense #indonesiajapanrelations #shinjirokoizumi #toshimitsumotegi #indonesia #china #sdf #msdf
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi held talks with his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, on Monday after the pair inspected frigates and submarines that Jakarta has expressed an interest in acquiring. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/17/japan/politics/japan-indonesia-defense-chiefs/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #indonesiajapanrelations #indonesia #defense #shinjirokoizumi #sjafriesjamsoeddin
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Wednesday that a proposed supplementary budget would include spending to help local governments address attacks by bears. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/12/japan/politics/extra-budget-bear-attacks/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #bears #animals #budgets #shinjirokoizumi #localgovernment
The government has decided to extend the deployment of Self-Defense Forces personnel in the Middle East for one year to deal with issues such as maritime piracy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/07/japan/sdf-middle-east/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #middleeast #sdf #defense #shinjirokoizumi
Members of the Ground Self-Defense Force were dispatched to Akita Prefecture to assist with bear control as the number of attacks and subsequent fatalities continue to rise in Japan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/05/japan/gsdf-bear-akita-deployed/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #bears #animals #akita #sdf #gsdf #defenseministry #shinjirokoizumi #kentasuzuki
Defense chief Shijiro Koizumi used a series of meetings during a regional summit to push for deepened cooperation with partners while expressing concern to his Chinese counterpart over military moves near Japan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/02/japan/politics/koizumi-defense-ministers-china-asean/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #defense #defenseministry #china #chinajapanrelations #pla #eastchinasea #senkakus #budgets #sdf
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
The Japanese government has said it will renew measures to deal with the rising number of bear attacks nationwide — 12 of them fatal — as more bears are seen roaming around residential areas in the north of the country. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/30/japan/society/bears-government-meeting/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #animals #localgovernments #bears #shinjirokoizumi #norikazusuzuki #yoheimatsumoto #minorukihara #sdf
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
The governor of Akita Prefecture asked the Defense Ministry on Tuesday to send in Self-Defense Forces personnel to help deal with a "truly dire" spate of deadly bear attacks. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/28/japan/akita-governor-sdf-bears/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #akita #kentasuzuki #bears #sdf #defenseministry #shinjirokoizumi
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
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
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s picks for Japan’s new defense, foreign and economic security ministers are not your typical stodgy line-up. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/22/japan/politics/new-foreign-defense-ministers/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #defense #cabinet #toshimitsumotegi #shinjirokoizumi #kimionoda #economicsecurity #foreignministry #defenseministry #sanaetakaichi
Sanae Takaichi's Cabinet picks reflect her strategy of balancing political alliances, rewarding loyal supporters, managing factional politics and bringing in fresh faces to navigate Japan's evolving political landscape. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/22/japan/takaichi-cabinet-picks/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #komeito #cabinet #shinjirokoizumi #yoshimasahayashi #toshimitsumotegi #ryoseiakazawa #minorukihara #satsukikatayama
With early shipments of rice from the 2025 harvest having reached the market, attention is turning to supply, demand and prices amid uncertainty over how this summer's weather will affect yields. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/17/japan/new-rice-crop-competition/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #rice #agriculture #shinjirokoizumi #maff
The average price of rice sold at about 1,000 supermarkets across Japan in the week through Sunday fell ¥6 from the previous week to ¥4,205 per 5 kilograms, agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Friday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/10/japan/rice-price-fall/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #rice #shinjirokoizumi #agriculture #supermarkets