Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA

08/07/2026

Japan's government is considering deploying multiple U.S.-made artificial intelligence systems in command and control for Self-Defense Force units to enable faster decisions while further integrating operations with the American military.

Tokyo would deploy US tech for quick implementation, with homegrown AI eyed for oversight

08/06/2026

The U.S. will do "whatever it takes" to support Japan's effort to stabilize the yen, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday, ‌following last week's joint intervention by Washington and Tokyo to buy the Japanese currency.

The U.S. will do "whatever it takes" to support Japan's effort to stabilize the yen, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday, ‌following last week's joint intervention by Washington and Tokyo to buy the Japanese currency.

08/06/2026

As Japan and India deepen their defense ties, the Defense Ministry plans to dispatch Air Self-Defense Force F-2 fighter jets to India for the first time to participate in a joint exercise, according to ministry sources.

As Japan and India deepen their defense ties, the Defense Ministry plans to dispatch Air Self-Defense Force F-2 fighter jets to India for the first time to participate in a joint exercise, according to ministry sources.

08/06/2026

Japan and the United States last week started working-level talks on Tokyo’s host nation support for U.S. forces in Japan, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

The U.S. government during preliminary talks indicated that it would ask Japan to increase its host nation support.

08/06/2026

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized Japan’s commitment to its long-held nonnuclear principles in a speech Thursday in Hiroshima, paying tribute to those killed and injured 81 years after the city was devastated by a U.S. atomic bomb.

https://ow.ly/gXUW50Zx9Ts

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s first appearance at the ceremony as the nation’s leader comes as the government prepares to revise key national security documents later this year.

08/05/2026

Ukraine’s relations with Japan have not met Kyiv’s “high expectations,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a gathering of ambassadors Monday, months after Tokyo eased some of its onerous restrictions on the export of lethal weapons.

https://ow.ly/MNTM50Zwi2C

08/05/2026

The U.S. State Department has notified Congress of plans to close five overseas diplomatic missions in five countries, including its consulate in the central Japan city of Nagoya, Reuters reported Monday.

The U.S. State Department has notified Congress of plans to close five overseas diplomatic missions in five countries, including its consulate in the central Japan city of Nagoya, Reuters reported Monday.

08/04/2026

The yen strengthened sharply to the lower 155 range against the dollar on Monday morning, as markets remain wary of further currency interventions by Japan and the U.S.

JGB yields rise and stocks fall as Japan finance minister's words keep traders wary

08/04/2026

Japan's Ministry of Defense has warned that growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea could significantly strengthen Pyongyang's military capabilities, heightening security risks across Asia.

White paper says Ukraine war boosts Pyongyang, cautions over deeper Beijing-Moscow ties

08/04/2026

Japan's government is portraying its accelerating military buildup not only as ​a way to protect the country but as a route to greater prosperity, arguing in ‌its latest defence white paper that arms production can support economic growth.

Japan's government is portraying ​its accelerating military buildup not only as a way to protect the country but as a route to greater ‌prosperity, arguing in its latest defence white paper that arms production can support economic growth.