# Japan
Latest news and articles about Japan
Total: 30 articles found
Japan's Deep‑Sea Gamble: Mining the Pacific to Escape China’s Rare‑Earth Grip
Japan has begun sea trials to harvest rare‑earth‑rich mud off Minami‑Tori‑shima, seeking to reduce reliance on China’s dominant refining industry. The tests face steep technical, economic and environmental hurdles, and even successful extraction would not immediately displace China’s lead in processing and supply chains.
A Costly Gamble: Japan’s Takaichi Retreats After US Demand for Bigger Defence Bill
Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, quietly scaled back hawkish rhetoric after a visit from a senior US defence official who urged Tokyo to boost defence spending toward 5% of GDP. The encounter exposed the strain between Washington’s demand for greater burden‑sharing and Japan’s domestic politics, while Beijing’s export controls and military pressure limit Tokyo’s room for manoeuvre.
South Korean C-130 Makes Emergency Landing in Okinawa En Route to Saudi Defence Expo
A South Korean C-130 transport made an emergency landing in Okinawa after one engine’s power dropped during a flight to a Saudi defence exposition; technicians replaced the faulty part and the aircraft departed later that day. The diversion, handled without injury, underscores routine maintenance and logistics challenges for long-range military flights and highlights practical benefits of regional basing and defence cooperation.
UN Showdown Over Taiwan: China Confronts Japan After Cabinet Minister’s Threat to Consider Force
A comment by Japanese cabinet minister Sanae Takaichi — that Japan should consider force if U.S. troops were attacked in a Taiwan contingency — provoked a sharp rebuke from China at the UN Security Council. Beijing used the forum to frame Tokyo’s rhetoric as dangerous and tied to domestic political manoeuvring, intensifying regional strategic tensions and complicating U.S.-Japan alliance management.
Tokyo Signs Logistics Pact with Manila, Deepening Military Ties and Raising Tensions over China
Japan and the Philippines signed an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement that will let their forces exchange supplies duty-free during joint operations, accompanied by Japanese security aid and coastal radar deliveries. Tokyo presents the pact as disaster-response and interoperability cooperation, but it also deepens military ties that could strengthen deterrence against China and raise regional tensions.
Japan Moves to Government‑Own, Contractor‑Run Munitions Plants as It Rebuilds Defence Industrial Base
Japan is considering a GOCO model — government ownership of munitions plants with private contractors operating them — to guarantee ammunition supply in a crisis. The plan, part of a broader defence‑industry reorganisation, is being coordinated with revisions to national security documents and reflects lessons from global ammunition shortages since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
China’s Maritime Pressure Forces Tokyo to Pull Back as Tension Swells Around Senkaku/Diaoyu
Beijing’s intensified maritime enforcement around the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands and renewed East China Sea development have led Tokyo to privately advise its fishing fleet to withdraw from contested waters. The stumble of conservative politician Sanae Takaichi, whose hawkish comments have eroded domestic support, highlights how external pressure is feeding internal political strain in Japan and complicating the U.S.-Japan-China triangular relationship.
Beijing Rebukes Japan’s Sanae Takaichi, Says Tokyo Has ‘No Right’ to Intervene in Taiwan
China’s foreign ministry publicly rejected Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi’s suggestion that Tokyo and Washington could act together in the event of a Taiwan Strait crisis, saying Japan has "no right" to interfere. Beijing invoked post‑war treaties and historical grievances to frame Tokyo’s remarks as irresponsible and a threat to regional stability.
Pandas Return to China as Beijing Invites Japanese Visitors — A Quiet Soft‑Power Move
Two pandas from Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, returned to China on January 27 under existing agreements. Beijing used the occasion to invite Japanese visitors to see pandas in China, underscoring the animals’ role as instruments of cultural diplomacy amid broader bilateral tensions.
Nearly Half of China–Japan Flights Axed as February Schedules Shrink
Flight-tracking data show a sharp rise in cancellations on China–Japan routes: 49 routes have no scheduled February flights and January cancellations hit 47.2 percent, up nearly eight points from December. Airlines have extended free refunds through March 28 as they contend with volatile demand and operational uncertainty, a development that could dent Japan’s inbound tourism recovery.
UK Budget Strain Forces Delay in Japan–UK–Italy Sixth‑Generation Fighter Deal, Jeopardising 2035 Goal
A planned contract to move the Japan–UK–Italy sixth‑generation fighter programme into full development has been delayed because the UK has not finalised its funding amid rising defence bills. The pause risks derailing the partnership’s 2035 deployment target, forcing national workstreams and raising coordination, cost and capability risks for all three partners.
A Rare Step: U.S. and Japan Signal Joint Action to Stop the Yen’s Slide — Why Markets Are on Alert
Japan’s struggle between a collapsing yen and fragile government bond market prompted an unusually visible New York Fed ‘rate check’ at the U.S. Treasury’s direction, a signal markets read as readiness for coordinated U.S.-Japan intervention. The episode highlights Tokyo’s dilemma and could reshape dollar dynamics, Treasury demand and regional risk sentiment if followed by real onshore action.