# Japan
Latest news and articles about Japan
Total: 123 articles found
Allies Hedge as Trump Urges Multinational Naval Escorts in the Strait of Hormuz
President Trump urged allied navies to escort shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but France, Japan, South Korea and the UK offered largely cautious or negative replies. The responses highlight allies’ reluctance to join a potentially escalatory military intervention and complicate Washington’s options amid halted shipping and rising regional tensions with Iran.
Japan’s Cost-No-Object Bid for Rare-Earth Independence Meets a Hard Reality
Japan has escalated efforts to end reliance on Chinese rare earths, investing in foreign suppliers, deep‑sea exploration and substitution technologies. Despite a new ‘cost‑no‑object’ posture and allied cooperation, technical, environmental and industrial hurdles mean Japan cannot quickly displace China’s refining dominance.
Japan's Deployment of Long‑Range Missiles to Kumamoto Signals a Shift from Pacifism to Strike Capability
Japan's plan to station two long‑range missile systems in Kumamoto has ignited domestic debate and will reverberate across the region. The weapons — an upgraded anti‑ship missile with roughly 1,000 km reach and a vehicle‑mounted hypersonic glide system — mark a tangible shift toward longer‑range strike options that critics say contravene Japan's pacifist posture.
China Imposes Anti‑Dumping Duties on Japanese and Canadian Halogenated Butyl Rubber, Raising Costs for Importers
China will levy anti‑dumping duties on halogenated butyl rubber imports from Japan and Canada from March 14, 2026, after finding dumping and material injury to domestic producers. Company‑specific rates range from 13.8% to 30.1%, the measure lasts five years and includes limited retroactive conversion of provisional bonds to duties.
Largest Ever IEA Oil Release Fails to Calm Markets as Iran Threatens Strait of Hormuz and Japan Acts Alone
The IEA coordinated release of 400 million barrels — the largest ever — failed to reassure markets after renewed tensions over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says it will allow some vessels transit but threatens to use the strait as leverage, while Japan has unilaterally released reserves, highlighting acute supply anxieties and limits to reserve deployments.
Major Powers Tap Strategic Oil Stocks as Middle East Strikes Send Prices Surging
In response to supply fears after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, the IEA and several countries have agreed to release strategic oil reserves—400 million barrels collectively from IEA members, with the US, Germany, Japan and South Korea announcing significant national drawdowns. The injections are intended to calm markets and limit a supply-risk premium, but their physical impact is limited and they are primarily a political and psychological tool.
Japan Deploys Long‑Range Coastal Missiles to Kyushu, Raising Regional Tensions
Japan has moved modified Type 12 coastal missile launchers to a garrison in Kumamoto, marking a tangible step in its development of long‑range “counterstrike” capabilities. With reported ranges near 1,000 km, the deployment tightens Tokyo’s reach into nearby maritime areas and raises legal and escalation risks for the region.
France Sides with Japan in Export‑Controls Row with China — A Risky Play for Billion‑Yuan Sino‑French Deals
China has imposed targeted export controls on dual‑use items destined for Japanese military users, prompting a rare public rebuke from France which called the measures ‘‘economic coercion.’' Beijing insists the controls are legal and security‑driven, while Paris’s stance reflects a mix of defence cooperation with Japan and domestic industrial concerns. The episode risks complicating Sino‑French commercial deals and signals growing friction between commercial ties and security priorities in global supply chains.
Tokyo Between a Rock and a Strait: Hostages, Oil Dependence and the Perils of Escalation
Renewed Middle East tensions have placed Japan in a strategic bind: heavy dependence on Strait of Hormuz oil shipments, the detention of two Japanese nationals in Iran, and the prospect of deploying the Self-Defense Forces to escort shipping. Tokyo must balance alliance obligations to the United States with the imperative to protect energy supplies and citizens, all under legal and political constraints.
When Safe Havens Fail: Why the Yen Slid as Nikkei Plunged and Oil Soared
A spike in Iran-related geopolitical risk pushed oil prices sharply higher and sent the Nikkei tumbling, but rather than strengthening, the yen weakened — exposing Japan’s acute reliance on imported energy, fragile fiscal space and constrained monetary options. Policymakers face a painful choice between defending the currency, supporting households against fuel pain, or preserving an already tentative recovery.
Risk-Off Roars Through East Asia: South Korea Stocks Crash over 12% as Japan Also Slips
A sharp, externally driven risk-off wave on March 4 sent South Korean equities into a dramatic slide of more than 12% and pushed Japanese shares lower. The rout — amplified by offshore selling and concerns about Middle East tensions and rising oil prices — has raised the prospect of policy intervention in Seoul and heightened global investor caution toward export-dependent Asian markets.
Asia‑Pacific on Edge as Middle East Fighting Sends Energy, Shipping and Security Risks Across the Region
Escalating fighting in the Middle East has raised alarms across the Asia‑Pacific, where governments are heightening readiness, considering naval deployments to protect shipping, and preparing evacuations for citizens. The crisis threatens to push up energy and shipping costs, test diplomatic balances and exert politically sensitive domestic pressures.