Following Beijing’s ban on exports of dual-use items to Japan, Tokyo should consider creating a supply chain for defense equipment that pivots away from China, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi says. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/27/japan/politics/china-free-supply-chain/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #china #defense #rareearths #toshimitsumotegi
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
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 and the Philippines signed two defense pacts Thursday, with both countries seeking to strengthen security cooperation in response to rising regional tensions. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/15/japan/politics/japan-philippine-new-security-pacts/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #philippinesjapanrelations #defense #toshimitsumotegi #theresalazaro
Japan will send personnel to the Civil-Military Coordination Center, established to monitor the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/12/japan/politics/japan-personnel-gaza/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #toshimitsumotegi #gaza #israel #palestinians #israelhamaswar
In Tokyo, South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac has affirmed good ties with senior Japanese Cabinet members ahead of a visit by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to Japan expected early next year. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/23/japan/politics/south-korea-japan-tie-motegi-kihara/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #southkorea #southkoreajapanrelations #minorukihara #toshimitsumotegi #sanaetakaichi #leejaemyung
The number of Japanese workers at U.N. agencies as of the end of 2024 was 979, the highest since records began in 1990. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/14/japan/japanese-workers-un-agencies-record/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #un #foreignministry #toshimitsumotegi
The Foreign Ministry has been focusing on visually appealing messages on social media posts, such as videos and illustrations, in its campaign to explain the country's stances on international affairs. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/08/japan/politics/foreign-ministry-social-media/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #foreignministry #socialmedia #toshimitsumotegi #china
In Japan’s political heart of Nagatacho, a question swirls: Will Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi bank on her popularity and call a snap election ahead of next year’s parliamentary session? https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/05/japan/politics/takaichi-risks-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #ldp #komeito #taroaso #toshimitsumotegi #shunichisuzuki
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
Beijing's top diplomat told his Japanese counterpart he sees "positive signals" from Tokyo's new leadership, after the country swore in a prime minister long viewed as a China hawk. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/28/asia-pacific/politics/china-japan-positive-signals/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #china #wangyi #sanaetakaichi #toshimitsumotegi
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
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
Newly elected Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi’s new party leadership lineup places former Prime Minister Taro Aso as vice president while excluding rival farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his allies. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/07/japan/politics/takaichi-leadership-lineup-ldp/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #taroaso #ldp #shunichisuzuki #takayukikobayashi #harukoarimura #toshimitsumotegi
Sanae Takaichi is set to become Japan's first female prime minister as the ruling LDP turns to her conservative leadership to restore stability amid internal division, economic pressure and strained U.S. relations. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/05/japan/is-takaichi-japans-thatcher-or-truss/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #sanaetakaichi #shinjirokoizumi #yoshimasahayashi #toshimitsumotegi #takayukikobayashi
The Liberal Democratic Party is electing a new president on Saturday to unify the divided party and, in all likelihood, steer a minority government as Japan’s next prime minister. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/04/japan/politics/ldp-election-voting/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #sanaetakaichi #shinjirokoizumi #yoshimasahayashi #toshimitsumotegi #takayukikobayashi
The ruling LDP faces a critical election with candidates offering little change, struggling to regain traditional support and confronting a political landscape that has shifted dramatically in recent years. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/02/japan/ldp-not-likely-to-change-with-new-leader/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #shinjirokoizumi #sanaetakaichi #yoshimasahayashi #takayukikobayashi #toshimitsumotegi
For Komeito, the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election on Saturday could prove to be a turning point. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/02/japan/politics/komeito-ldp-candidates/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #shinjirokoizumi #yoshimasahayashi #toshimitsumotegi #takayukikobayashi #ldp #komeito #tetsuosaito #nipponishinnokai #dpp
Foreign policy experience aside, the next prime minister will have to deal with the U.S. president’s “quirks” in the practice of diplomacy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/01/japan/trump-effect-on-the-ldp-race/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #defense #sanaetakaichi #shinjirokoizumi #toshimitsumotegi #yoshimasahayashi #takayukikobayashi #budgets #china #usjapanrelations #donaldtrump