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
Japan is facing the tall order of becoming less dependent on rare earth imports from China amid souring ties between Tokyo and Beijing. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/30/japan/china-rare-earth-dependence/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #china #chinajapanrelations #rareearths #tech
China's coast guard patrolled Japan-administered islands in the East China Sea almost daily last year, it said on Friday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/30/japan/china-coast-guard-patrol/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #eastchinasea #china #chinajapanrelations #sanaetakaichi #senkakus #taiwan #defense
South Korea is on track to overtake Japan as the top destination for Chinese travelers during the upcoming holiday for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/27/economy/china-japan-tourism-south-korea/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #china #chinajapanrelations #tourism #southkorea #sanaetakaichi #leejaemyung #xijinping
The last remaining giant pandas in Japan have set off on their way to China in a move that will leave Japan with no giant pandas for the first time in about half a century. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/27/japan/japan-pandas-leave-for-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #pandas #chinajapanrelations
China warned its citizens against traveling to Japan during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, citing deteriorating public security, with Tokyo and Beijing locked in a diplomatic spat. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/26/japan/china-japan-travel-warning-lunar/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #chinajapanrelations #tourism #sanaetakaichi
Panda fans flocked to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo on Sunday to say goodbye to its star attractions — two giant pandas, who will be sent back to China at the end of the month. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/25/japan/japan-zoo-panda-last-day/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #pandas #uenozoo #chinajapanrelations
Japan is moving from ambiguity to clarity on Taiwan, signaling a shift in East Asian security that challenges China and pressures Europe to make harder choices. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/23/europe-should-follow-japans-taiwan-lead/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #china #taiwan #europe #eu #southkorea #us #northkorea #russia #eujapanrelations #chinajapanrelations
When Ueno Zoo’s last pandas leave this month, the loss won’t just be emotional. Economists estimate the absence of pandas could cost the area ¥15 billion a year — a reminder that pandas are serious business. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/23/japan/society/japan-china-panda-diplomacy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #chinajapanrelations #china #pandas #ueno #tokyo #animals #zoos #uenozoo
Prime Minister Takaichi is advancing a more assertive security agenda, but insufficiently refined strategic signaling risks diplomatic friction and undermining the coherence and credibility of its foreign policy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/22/japan/takaichis-strengths-and-strategic-signaling/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #apec #southkorea #china #ldp #komeito #jip #taiwan #nuclearweapons #freeandopenindopacific #chinajapanrelations #usjapanrelations #defense
Japan’s diplomatic mission in the southwestern Chinese megacity of Chongqing has been left without a consul-general, as relations between Tokyo and Beijing remain strained. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/22/japan/politics/japans-china-consulate-vacant-amid-tensions/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #chinajapanrelations #chongqing #sanaetakaichi #taiwan
The LDP pledged in its election manifesto to secure a stable supply of rare earths, as it looks to counter “economic coercion,” an apparent reference to recent moves by China to halt the flow of the minerals to Japan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/21/japan/politics/ldp-election-manifesto/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #sanaetakaichi #rareearths #china #chinajapanrelations #2026lowerhouseelection #diet #defense #inflation #japaneseeconomy #familyregistry #marriage #familylaw #names #women039sissues
Chinese exports of rare earth magnets to Japan in December fell 8% from November, when a diplomatic spat left concerns about future shipments. Beijing has since banned exports to Japan of some dual-use materials. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/20/economy/chinese-rare-earth-exports-to-japan-down/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #chinajapanrelations #rareearths #trade #taiwan
The two remaining giant pandas in Japan, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei of Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, are to leave for China on Jan. 27, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/20/japan/pandas-china-return/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #chinajapanrelations #china #pandas #ueno #tokyo #animals #zoos #uenozoo