Japan
Japan’s strategic stance in a Taiwan conflict
Experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies China Power Project and other think tanks predict a higher likelihood of a Chinese invasion or blockade of Taiwan after this year’s presidential elections.
Tenga aims to break taboo with stylish sex toys as Japan grapples with demographic decline
In a sleek, airy new store in Tokyo’s fashionable Harajuku district, hourglass-shaped sex toys glide along a conveyor belt — but these are no ordinary adult products.
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North Korean troop deployment in Russia: bilateral deal and little more, or intentional distraction?
Intelligence services in Kyiv say they have intercepted phone calls suggesting disarray as Russia attempts to work alongside North Korean soldiers as part of its ongoing campaign in Ukraine
Japan's rice production set to surpass demand despite price pressures
Japan is poised to produce 6.83mn tonnes of rice in 2024, outpacing the estimated demand of 6.74mn tonnes for the year ending next June, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
F-35B stealth jet makes historic landing on Japanese warship
In a significant advancement for Japan's naval capabilities, a US military F-35B stealth fighter jet successfully landed on the Japanese destroyer Kaga off the coast of San Diego on October 20
Can the BRICS beat the G7?
Leaders of the Global South will flock to Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, on October 22 for this year’s BRICS summit hosted by Russia, where they hope to thrash out some more details of the new non-aligned global order.
Japan set to restart first boiling water reactor since Fukushima
Chugoku Electric Power Company is gearing up to restart unit 2 of its Shimane nuclear power plant, marking a significant milestone as it prepares to become Japan’s first boiling water reactor to resume operations since the Fukushima disaster.
China’s military – bringing together modernisation and escalating aggression
In recent years, the PRC has escalated both maritime and aerial incursions into Taiwan's territory, including detaining a Taiwanese fishing boat, conducting patrols that crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line, and increasing harassment around Kinmen
Taiwan, Japan and ASEAN member nations deliver a diplomatic broadside to China
Taiwan President William Lai on October 10 – the nation’s National Day - vowed to safeguard the island’s self-governing status in his most prominent public address to date since taking office earlier this year
Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway makes waves with $1.9bn yen bond sale
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has completed a substantial yen-denominated bond deal, raising JPY281.8bn - $1.9bn - in its largest issuance in five years
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Rising rice prices spark urgency for policy change in Japan’s staple food market
In the wake of soaring rice prices, Japanese households are feeling the pinch, with many struggling to afford this essential staple
Yen plummets as Ishiba signals no immediate rate hike from BOJ
Japan's yen has taken a significant hit, plunging to 147.15 against the US dollar, following dovish comments from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba regarding interest rates
Ishiba’s tax plans raise doubts over BOJ's rate hike agenda
Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is stepping into office with ambitious plans, but his proposal to raise the capital gains tax could complicate the Bank of Japan's strategy for further monetary tightening
Japan’s scorching September: a warning sign for a warming world
September 2023 has etched itself into the annals of Japan’s climatic history as the second-hottest since records began. According to the Japan Met Agency, the month saw average temperatures soar by an alarming 2.52 degrees Celsius above the norm
South Korea, Japan to join NATO's defence summit: a new era of Indo-Pacific cooperation
South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand will join NATO’s defence ministerial meeting for the first time later this month
Japanese destroyer passes through Taiwan Strait sparking protests in Beijing
A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel has traversed the Taiwan Strait for the first time under the directive of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, igniting immediate backlash from China
Rising gold ETF inflows set to drive global bullion prices
Inflows into gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), particularly from Western investors, are expected to increase in the coming months, adding more upward momentum to already record-high bullion prices, analysts have said
China's ICBM launch signals growing nuclear ambitions
On September 25, China conducted a significant test of its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities, launching a missile with a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean
AI uncovers over 300 new Nazca geoglyphs in Peru, revealing ancient mysteries
Researchers from Japan's Yamagata University have uncovered 303 new geoglyphs in Peru’s Nazca Desert, thanks to the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
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Ishiba leads in Japan's LDP presidential race as public sentiment swings
Shigeru Ishiba has surged ahead as the most popular choice among the Japanese public for the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) presidential election, according to a recent survey