Politics
Takaichi tops Kyodo poll of LDP supporters as most fit to be Japan PM
Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi is viewed by 27.7 percent of Liberal Democratic Party supporters as most suitable to be Japan's next prime minister, a Kyodo News poll showed Monday, two weeks ahead of the party's presidential election. Takaichi is running in the Sept 27 LDP race to choose… Read
Ex-PM Noda top choice to lead Japan's main opposition party: poll
Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is the top choice to lead the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, a Kyodo News poll of party supporters and lawmakers showed Monday, ahead of its leadership vote on Sept 23. Four candidates are vying for the role, with the winner set to… Read
Opposition leadership hopefuls say snap general election poses risks
Candidates vying for the leadership of Japan's main opposition party said various factors must be taken into account before the incoming prime minister decides whether to quickly go to the polls after winning control of the ruling party. Yoshihiko Noda, a former prime minister from a party that preceded the… Read
Quad plans joint patrols in Indo-Pacific to counter illegal fishing
Japan, the United States, Australia and India plan to launch joint patrols to monitor vessels in the Indo-Pacific, diplomatic sources said Sunday, in the latest effort by the Quad group to counter illegal fishing in waters where China's influence is growing. The plan involving the four countries' coast guards is… Read
Gov't, forced sterilization victims reach compensation settlement
The Japanese government and people who were forced to undergo sterilization surgeries from the 1950s to the 1970s under a now-defunct eugenics protection law have settled their lawsuits, following a recent ruling by Japan's top court that deemed the law unconstitutional. Under the agreement signed by the government and the… Read
Japan PM candidates seek ties with like-minded nations amid China's rise
Candidates in Japan's ruling party leadership election on Saturday underlined the importance of bolstering ties with like-minded partners in Asia and beyond to cope with the rise of an assertive China and provocative North Korea. While the security alliance with the United States remains key for Japan, the contenders showed… Read
Canada in talks about joining expanded AUKUS
Canada is in discussions about joining an expanded AUKUS deal between the U.S., Britain, and Australia formed to counter China's growing military influence in the Asia Pacific region, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair said. Canada has said it wants to join a second pillar of AUKUS that will collaborate on… Read
Biden administration appears to be in no rush to stop U.S. Steel takeover by Nippon Steel
President Joe Biden has voiced his opposition to Nippon Steel buying U.S. Steel, but the federal government appears to be in no hurry to block the deal. White House officials earlier this month did not deny that the president would formally block the acquisition. But the necessary report from the… Read
Japan PM hopefuls agree on Kishida's economic push; differ on how
Contenders for Japan's ruling party leadership, who are vying to become the next prime minister, underscored the need to build on the wage growth momentum seen under incumbent Fumio Kishida, but they differed on how to support households and the broader economy amid rising prices. Shinjiro Koizumi, a rising star… Read
Japan's main opposition slams reform claims by LDP leader candidates
Japan's main opposition party has criticized pledges by Liberal Democratic Party leadership candidates to clean up politics tarnished by the LDP's slush funds scandal, as campaigning for its Sept 27 presidential race began Thursday. The left-leaning Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is also in the midst of a campaign for… Read
