Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA

06/23/2023

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi has stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between Japan and the U.K., saying it is in the U.K.’s own interest to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific. (via The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun)

LONDON — Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi has stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between Japan and the U.K., saying it is in the U.K.’s own interest to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific.

06/23/2023

Japan will push ahead with support for Ukraine and plans to host a meeting to encourage companies to participate in the economic recovery of the nation torn by Russia's invasion, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a conference on Ukraine's reconstruction. (via Kyodo News - English)

Japan will push ahead with support for Ukraine with a plan to host a meeting aimed at encouraging companies to participate in the war-torn country's economic recovery, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on June 21.

06/23/2023

The Defense Department has denied a recent report that it’s planning to help Japan and Taiwan exchange real-time data from reconnaissance drones. (via Stars and Stripes)

The Defense Department has denied a recent report that it’s planning to help Japan and Taiwan exchange real-time data from reconnaissance drones.

06/22/2023

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promised to deliver "structural wage growth" in the face of rising prices in a news conference Wednesday, calling for a labor market where workers with newly gained skills can move to growth fields. (via Nikkei Asia)

PM focuses on policy priorities after choosing not to call a snap election

06/22/2023

The ITS Francesco Morosini, an offshore patrol ship of the Italian Navy, on Thursday paid a port call to Yokosuka -- home to the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force -- as part of a five-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific.

Francesco Morosini highlights speed to potential customers in region

06/22/2023

With the recent session of parliament having come to an end, speculation has now turned to whether Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will order a Cabinet reshuffle and changes to top leadership in the Liberal Democratic Party. (via The Japan Times)

Both moves, if made, would be aimed at boosting the prime minister's popularity and strengthening his position within the LDP ahead of an autumn parliament session.

06/22/2023

Japan needs to consider immigration reforms to prepare for a future in which 10% of its population will be foreign, an independent group of policy advocates says. (via Asia)

Reiwa Rincho says foreigners will play major role, make up 50% of some cities

06/22/2023

Japan will harmonize the standards for domestically produced defense equipment with those of the U.S. and Europe to reduce maintenance costs and increase business opportunities for Japanese defense companies, under draft guidelines issued by the government on Tuesday. (via Nikkei Asia)

Move would boost domestic industries and military readiness while reducing costs

06/21/2023

Japan has fallen in the global gender gap rankings, coming in nine positions lower than last year at 125th out of 146 countries, according to a World Economic Forum report released Wednesday. (via The Japan Times)

Women’s participation in the political arena scored particularly low, and the report comes as Yokosuka's mayor faces a backlash over discriminatory remarks about women.

06/21/2023

The US-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative published a summary of its latest US-Japan C2 modernization dialogue event that took place on May 18. The paper is the fourth dialogue summary on C2 modernization and covers perspectives by John Schaus, Senior Fellow at CSIS | Center for Strategic & International Studies. Mr. Schaus’ contributions to this broader alliance effort followed his participation in the NEXT Alliance Conference (NAC) held in Tokyo in March of this year.

Read more: https://spfusa.org/publications/us-japan-task-force-on-command-relationships-for-new-challenges-dialogue-summary-4/

06/21/2023

The Japanese Diet’s annual session, which drew to a close Wednesday after 150 days of debate, went off without major hitches for the government, which was able to pass key pieces of legislation in spite of at times vehement resistance from the opposition. (via The Japan Times)

Out of 60 bills it submitted, 58 became law, a 96.7% passage rate — a slight drop from the equivalent session last year, where all 61 bills received parliament's approval.

06/20/2023

The Bank of Japan's governor on Friday said he would rather carry out too much monetary easing than too little, after the central bank decided to keep its ultraloose policy intact despite anti-inflation tightening in other countries. (via Nikkei Asia)

Japanese central bank sticks to ultra-easy policy, bucking global trend