Japan
Tokyo politics, the yen and the industrial economy, demographics and the Japanese role in the region.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Launches Physical AI Hub in Silicon Valley
Kawasaki Heavy Industries has established a Physical AI development center in San Jose, California. The facility aims to integrate AI and ro
Japan's Takaichi Navigates Budget, Party, and Defense Spending Challenges
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae is pushing a ¥3 trillion supplemental budget but faces opposition demands for stimulus. Her LDP study group dr
ULVAC to Build Rare Earth Furnace Factory in Japan, Reducing China Dependence
ULVAC, a Japanese vacuum technology firm, will establish a new factory in Chigasaki to produce rare earth melting furnaces. The move respond
Global Bond Selloff Rattles Japan as Yields Hit Multi-Year Highs
Global bond yields are surging, with Japanese 30-year government bonds reaching their highest since 1999. The selloff is straining Tokyo's f
Japan's Rearming Ambition Hits Hard Limits: Manpower, Demographics, and Strategy
Japan's defense budget has reached 1.9% of GDP, but manpower shortages and demographic decline threaten sustainability. The southwestern isl
From Tokyo: Iran Conflict Erodes Japan's Trust in US Leadership
Japanese media polls show 75-86% opposition to US-Israel attacks on Iran. Tokyo officials worry about a power vacuum in East Asia as US forc
Japan's Care Robot Ambitions Still Fall Short of Human Touch
Japan leads the world in care robot development, but lab tests reveal a wide gap between controlled demonstrations and real-world care envir
Japan's Military Normalization: Why It's Time to Scrap Postwar Constitutional Constraints
Japan's cabinet approved revisions to arms export regulations in April, allowing sales of lethal equipment. The country is deepening defense
Japan's Balancing Act: Energy Ties With Russia vs. Defense Support for Ukraine
A Sakhalin-2 oil tanker arrived at Imabari in May, highlighting Japan's continued reliance on Russian energy. Meanwhile, Japanese drone firm
Takaichi's Vietnam and Australia Visits Redefine Japan's Role in Asia
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visits Vietnam and Australia to advance energy security and critical minerals partnerships. A foreign
Idemitsu Maru's Hormuz Passage Echoes Japan's 1953 Oil Blockade Break
The Panama-flagged, Japanese-owned VLCC Idemitsu Maru has passed through the Strait of Hormuz carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi crude. The
Japanese Parties Push PM Takaichi for Stronger Action on Hormuz Energy Crisis
Japan's LDP policy chief Takayuki Kobayashi urged PM Takaichi to consider post-conflict minesweeper deployment in the Hormuz crisis. Opposit