Surging exports of products like scallops, green tea, and sake reflect the global expansion of Japanese culinary culture and brand value. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry a
On February 24, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae firmly rejected the possibility of a NATO-style nuclear sharing arrangement with the United States, drawing a clear political boundary at a time
The strategic geography of the Western Pacific is returning to the center of U.S. national security thinking. The recent National Security and National Defense Strategies both reaffirmed defense of th
Just before Japan’s recent general elections, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) joined the national government for the first time. At the election, the JIP won a solid but underwhelming 36 seats. The p
On March 19, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae made her first official visit to the United States for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. She acknowledged that this summit would be “very d
The Israeli-U.S. military strikes on Iran that began on February 28 have done more than ignite a Middle Eastern war. They have sent shockwaves rolling across Asia, from the Strait of Hormuz to the Sea
When Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae arrived at the White House on March 19, the visit carried a palpable sense of political risk in Tokyo. With tensions escalating in the Israel-U.S. conflict
When Japan reinterpreted its constitution and updated its defense legislation under then-Prime Minister Abe Shinzo to allow for collective self-defense in 2015, there was much speculation about what t
During a press briefing on the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declared, “Fighting shoulder to shoulder with such a capable ally is a true for
On March 19, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae will face President Donald Trump at the White House. Her summit meeting with Trump will be the biggest foreign policy challenge for her to date. She
The February 2026 lower house election in Japan resulted in a landslide victory for the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The LDP secured 316 of the 465 contested seats, achieving a two-thi
On March 8, China’s foreign minister gave his annual press conference during the Two Sessions, the meetings of China’s legislature and political consultative body. Most coverage of Wang Yi’s press con
The February 2026 lower house election in Japan delivered electoral results that will take some time to fully understand. The major election headline was that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)