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 man who fatally shot former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to appeal his life imprisonment ruling. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/03/japan/crime-legal/yamagami-trial-appeal/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #shinzoabe #tetsuyayamagami #japanesecourts #nara #unificationchurch #shinzoabeassassination
Japan’s Feb. 8 snap election will test whether Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the LDP can rebuild a Lower House majority by reclaiming conservative and independent voters as it faces a fragmented opposition. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/03/japan/conservative-voters-returning-to-ldp/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #cdpj #komeito #cra #jip #dpp #sanseito #sokagakkai #rengo #shinzoabe
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
Without U.S. leadership, the G7 is adrift. Japan and other middle powers should look to the OECD for direction. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/23/japan/after-davos-middle-powers-matter/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #markcarney #canada #g7 #worldeconomicforum #davos #switzerland #us #donaldtrump #shinzoabe #fumiokishida #china #brettonwoods #imf #worldbank #wto #oecd
An expert has emphasized the importance of continuing to review support systems for people harmed by their parents' religious beliefs, amid lackluster progress in aid and awareness activities. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/21/japan/victims-religious-parents-rescue/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #humanrights #religion #unificationchurch #shinzoabe
Tetsuya Yamagami, the man who assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Nara in July 2022, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Nara District Court. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/21/japan/crime-legal/abe-assassin-trial-ruling/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #tetsuyayamagami #shinzoabe #japanesecourts #nara
The Nara District Court is set to rule on Tetsuya Yamagami, the man standing trial for the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, bringing the high-profile case to an end. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/20/japan/crime-legal/japan-yamagami-trial-ruling-preview/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #tetsuyayamagami #shinzoabe #japanesecourts #nara #guns
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
Security cooperation between Japan and Italy is more important than ever for the two Group of Seven members. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/09/japan/takaichi-meloni-summit-signals-stronger-ties/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #g7 #g20 #italyjapanrelations #italy #sanaetakaichi #giorgiameloni #us #china #nato #ronaldreagan #margaretthatcher #shinzoabe #donaldtrump #defense #trade #freeandopenindopacific
The Unification Church backed 290 lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the 2021 Lower House election, according to South Korean media reports. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/02/japan/unification-church-ldp-lawmakers/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #ldp #unificationchurch #shinzoabe
As the United States retreats from its postwar leadership role under Donald Trump, Japan must overcome domestic constraints and step up with partners to help sustain the global order it has long quietly supported. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/editorials/2025/12/31/it-is-japans-time-to-step-out/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #editorials #us #donaldtrump #nationalsecuritystrategy #worldwarii #apec #shinzoabe #tpp #china #africa #developmentaid #article9 #constitution #coldwar #sanaetakaichi #taiwan #shinzoabe
Kazuhiro Sugita, who was Japan's longest-serving deputy chief Cabinet secretary, with a tenure of eight years and nine months, has died at 84. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/23/japan/society/japan-former-top-bureaucrat-sugita-obituary/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #kazuhirosugita #obituary #npa #shinzoabe
Prosecutors demanded a 45-year-old man charged with fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 be sentenced to life in prison, according to media reports. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/18/japan/crime-legal/prosecutors-yamagami-court/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #japanesecourts #tetsuyayamagami #shinzoabe #shinzoabeassassination #nara
The Finance Ministry disclosed a fifth set of Moritomo Gakuen papers to the widow of a regional official who died by suicide after being ordered to tamper with official records on the sale. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/18/japan/politics/moritomo-papers-widow/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #akieabe #corruption #financeministry #japanesecourts #osaka #shinzoabe #moritomogakuen
In 2025, Trump’s second-term policies, including aggressive U.S. tariffs, a trade war with China and inconsistent commitments to allies, disrupted economic and security trends that are expected to continue in 2026. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/12/16/world/washington-transform-asia-in-2025-2026/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #donaldtrump #us #china #asia #shinzoabe #vietnam #japan #australia #europe #thailand #xijinping #sanaetakaichi #taiwan #myanmar #cambodia
Japan is moving to create a National Intelligence Bureau as part of a broader effort to break down intelligence silos, strengthen information protection and modernize its intelligence system. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/12/14/japan/japans-planned-intelligence-bureau/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #defense #intelligence #sanaetakaichi #nationalintelligencebureau #nationalsecuritysecretariat #nationalsecuritycouncil #liberaldemocraticparty #japaninnovationparty #shinzoabe #fiveeyes
Shiori Ito's Oscar-nominated #MeToo film finally screened in Japan https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/13/japan/society/shiori-ito-documentary-release/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #shioriito #documentaries #sexcrimes #rape #shinzoabe #noriyukiyamaguchi #japanesefilm #blackboxdiaries
The wife of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, who is charged with murdering Abe, for the first time on Wednesday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/03/japan/crime-legal/akie-abe-trial/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #japanesecourts #nara #tetsuyayamagami #shinzoabe #unificationchurch #shinzoabeassassination #akieabe