In the days surrounding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's February election win, several dozen X accounts linked to a Chinese misinformation campaign attacked her deeply conservative views and hawkish approach to China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/26/world/chinese-influence-operation-target/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #chinajapanrelations #sanaetakaichi #donaldtrump #socialmedia
China's Commerce Ministry took action against 40 Japanese companies and entities on Tuesday, citing national security concerns over their military ties. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/02/24/china-japan-companies-watch-list/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #china #chinajapanrelations #space #mitsubishi #defense #taiwan #sanaetakaichi #trade
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stressed the importance of communication with China in a speech before parliament Friday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/20/japan/politics/motegi-speech-need-communication-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #toshimitsumotegi #china #chinajapanrelations #sanaetakaichi #taiwan #russia #southkorea
Sanae Takaichi’s election win gives her the political capital to tackle Japan’s voting issues, including religious and union influence, foreign interference and proportional representation flaws. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/18/world/tackling-japans-political-taboos/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #sanaetakaichi #japan #sokagakkai #komeito #ldp #rengo #cdp #china #ccp #diet #cra #jip #dpp #chinajapanrelations
Following the LDP’s landslide victory, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is poised to use the firm base of her administration to support her diplomacy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/17/japan/politics/takaichi-diplomacy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #usjapanrelations #donaldtrump #chinajapanrelations
China’s top diplomat said “ghosts of militarism” are haunting Japan, warning of “a very dangerous development in Asia,” less than a week after a resounding election victory by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s LDP. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/15/japan/politics/china-japan-wang-yi-toshimitsu-motegi/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #wangyi #china #wwii #sanaetakaichi #chinajapanrelations #taiwan #pla #defense #sdf #marcorubio #toshimitsumotegi
Japan released a Chinese fishing boat captain Friday night, local media reported, one day after the fisheries agency seized the boat, saying the captain had refused to comply with an order to stop for an inspection. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/14/japan/japan-china-fisherman-released/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #china #fishing #chinajapanrelations
Japanese authorities seized a Chinese fishing boat and arrested its skipper, authorities said Friday, in a move likely to further heighten tensions with Beijing. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/13/japan/japan-arrests-chinese-fisihing-boat-captain/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #chinajapanrelations #china #fishing
Shiseido’s fourth quarter earnings and full-year forecast beat analyst estimates, prompting the stock to surge as much as 15% in Tokyo trading on Thursday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/02/12/companies/shiseido-shares-up-on-earnings/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #shiseido #cosmetics #chinajapanrelations
Japan is accelerating a decade-old plan to extract rare earths from the deep seabed, an ambitious initiative given extra impetus by the country’s drive to cut reliance on Chinese supply. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/12/japan/japan-rare-earth-deep-sea-mining/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #rareearths #minerals #economicsecurity #chinajapanrelations
Following her electoral mandate, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi must prioritize restructuring Japan’s China strategy to strengthen deterrence while preserving stability amid shifting U.S.-China dynamics. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/11/japan/us-china-truce-japan-challenge/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #china #us #japan #chinajapanrelations #usjapanrelations
Japan's vote was for a realist in a dangerous neighborhood, not a license for performative nationalism or domestic culture wars. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/10/japan/takaichis-win-victory-for-realism/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #2026lowerhouseelection #sanaetakaichi #ldp #us #china #defense #indopacific #usjapanrelations #chinajapanrelations
China’s bid to pressure Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi following remarks about a Taiwan crisis has fallen flat, with the LDP’s stunning election victory giving her the political capital to confront Beijing on her terms. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/10/japan/politics/china-japan-relations-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #china #chinajapanrelations #2026lowerhouseelection #sanaetakaichi #xijinping #us #donaldtrump #taiwan
U.S. President Donald Trump has again broken with tradition, offering his “total endorsement” of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Sunday’s election and announcing the pair's planned meeting in Washington on March 19. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/06/japan/politics/trump-takaichi-endorsement/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #2026lowerhouseelection #sanaetakaichi #donaldtrump #china #xijinping #us #usjapanrelations #chinajapanrelations #ldp
Japan Airlines says that its passenger revenue on China routes in December was about 20% lower than its projections. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/02/04/companies/jal-china-revenue-low/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #jal #aviation #china #chinajapanrelations #tourism
Since late last year, some Japanese officials have been discreetly urging fishermen around the Senkaku Islands — known as the Diaoyu in China — to steer clear of them to avoid escalating a diplomatic clash with Beijing. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/03/japan/china-senkaku-fishermen/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #senkakus #disputedislands #chinajapanrelations #okinawa #ishigaki #japancoastguard #eastchinasea
Duty-free sales at Japan’s top department stores fell again in January, highlighting the prolonged pain for the country’s retail industry as tensions between Tokyo and Beijing show no sign of easing. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/02/02/duty-free-sales-china-tensions/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #chinajapanrelations #sanaetakaichi #tourism #dutyfree
Sediment containing rare earth was retrieved from ocean depths of 6,000 meters on a Japanese test mission, the government announced, as it seeks to curb dependence on China for the valuable minerals. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/02/japan/japan-rare-earth-deep-sea/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #rareearths #chinajapanrelations #sanaetakaichi
Opening a new chapter for Japan-U.S.-Europe cooperation may define the strategic legacy of the Takaichi administration. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/02/world/japans-strategic-crossroads/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #sanaetakaichi #usjapanrelations #chinajapanrelations #eujapanrelations #indopacific #defense #donaldtrump
Russia’s Sergei Shoigu told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that Moscow continues to support Beijing over Taiwan, as Russia keeps a close eye on Japan’s “accelerated militarization.” https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/02/asia-pacific/politics/shoigu-russia-china-taiwan-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #russia #china #taiwan #sergeishoigu #wangyi #chinajapanrelations #russiajapanrelations #russiaukrainewar