J Update

The trials for assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe is revealing problems of assassin’s family which was fundamentally exploited by a religious organization, Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), or former Unification Church. The mother of defendant Tetsuya Yamagami admitted that her donation for FFWPU pushed her son into a hard situation to live, identifying herself as causing the incident. Three years have passed until the trial on Yamagami started in late October, since Abe was shot to death in his campaign rally in a city of Nara prefecture on July 8 th , 2022. In the first trial at Nara District Court, Yamagami admitted that he had shot Abe. His lawyers argued that Yamagami did not spend ordinary life as his mother had heavily been obsessed with activity of the religious group.   Yamagami’s mother  appeared  to the seventh trial and later and made testimonies. She apologized to the families of Abe for her son’s deed. However, she ide...

The argument of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Taiwan contingency in the Diet discussion was developed into diplomatic disputes between Japan and China. As Beijing denounced Takaichi’s reference to use of force in Taiwan and demanded to retract the speech, Tokyo accused of provocative posting of a Chinese diplomat as inappropriate. The sudden decay of their bilateral relations does not seem to be fixed anytime soon. In discussion at Committee on Budget of House of Representatives on November 7 th , Takaichi  told  that it would be consist of “survival-threatening situation,’ in which Japan is able to use its force, when China possibly set a blockade in the sea around Taiwan and use its force against the United States coming to the area to defend Taiwan. Former prime ministers did not mention as explicitly as Takaichi did.   The Consul General of China in Osaka, Xue Jian, intimidatingly  responded  to Takaichi in social networking service three days later. “Int...

The Cabinet Office   released  Japan’s gross domestic products (GDP) in the third quarter (July to September) of 2025. The real GDP in the period marked 0.4 percent of decline from the previous quarter, causing 1.8 percent down of annualized real GDP from the previous year. It was the first time for Japan’s real GDP to turn into the negative in these six quarters, or since the first quarter of 2024. Trump tariffs, foreign travelers and housing are main elements of negative growth of Japanese economy. The quarterly estimates by Japanese government indicated 0.1 percent of growth in nominal GDP in the third quarter of 2025, which could be interpreted as 0.5 percent of annual growth. However, when it came to real GDP, which excluded effects of price fluctuation, the growth sank into a minus. Contributions of both foreign and domestic demands to GDP were also declined from the previous quarter.   Exports marked 1.2 percent of decline. Although Japan and the United States hit ...

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi   considers  to include an idea of distributing “rice voucher” to consumers in her economic stimulus package in this fall. While the government of Japan has made efforts to bring down rice price, they did not produce outstanding effect. Takaichi is shifting the policy from reduction of price to back up consumers. It is still not sure whether the measure leads to affordable rice. Former Shigeru Ishiba administration intervened in rice trade market by injecting reserved rice from national storage. Although it temporary reduced the price of rice, it resurged with speculation of future shortage of rice or other reasons. Ishiba administration also changed traditional policy of regulating rice production to maintain rice price and introduced new policy to increase annual production of rice.   As soon as Takaichi administration embarked on, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Norikazu Suzuki, announced that the government should not int...

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) launched five discussion bodies to discuss policies described in the agreement for forming a coalition with Japan Innovation Party (JIP) on October 20 th . The policies were mainly proposed by JIP as the causes of joining the coalition with LDP, the party to which JIP had been criticizing as an opposition party. However, most agenda have no limit of time for fulfillment.   JIP identifies itself as a party for reform. The party imposes the LDP its own conservative policies, calling them political reform, to appeal to the voters. The LDP and JIP established councils for five themes: reduction of Diet seats, management of political donation from companies and organizations, constitutional amendment, reform of governmental systems and social security reform. The LDP is basically reluctant to promote those JIP agenda.   Both parties shared a notion that they would “try to” submit and pass a bill for reducing 10 percent of the seats in the House of...

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi considers revising the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, which has been a basis of security policy of Japan. Takaichi insists on redefining a concept “not to host nuclear weapons,” one of the three principles that determines relationship between Japan and nuclear weapons. Takaichi is changing the shape of a country that is known as seeking eternal peace from the lesson of devastation with nuclear weapons in a war.   The Three Non-Nuclear Principles were established in 1967 by former Prime Minister Eisaku Sato who was awarded 1974 Nobel Peace Prize. The principles declare that Japan does not produce, possess or host nuclear weapons. It was revealed that Japan once had a secret agreement with the United Statas for accepting U.S. vessels that loaded nuclear weapons or introducing nuclear weapons in Okinawa in a contingency.   National Security Strategy (NSS) in 2022 , which consists of one of the three security documents revised by Fumio Kishida administ...

Niigata Prefectural Government made a survey to the people in Niigata on resumption of nuclear reactors in Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in the prefecture. Although the result was evenly divided, it was notable that the people in two cities mostly approved restarting the reactors. The governor of Niigata, who has an authority to turn on a green light to the resumption, is expected to make a decision by the end of November.   Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant (TEPCO) is one of the biggest nuclear power plants in the world with seven reactors, which have 8.2 million kilowatts. The reactors halted its operation after a severe accident occurred at First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in 2011. Although the reason why Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant cannot resume its operation is attributed to its insufficiency of security measures, including anti-terrorism, skepticisms on its owner, Tokyo Electric Power Company, that owns crippled Fukushima plant, is another main reason against th...

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Japan Innovation Party (JIP)   started discussion  over reduction of Diet seats. While JIP demands a conclusion before the end of current Diet session, which will close on December 17, the LDP is reluctant to have an early conclusion. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the president of LDP, hopes to have a broad consensus among parties beyond the aisle.   The LDP and JIP set a table to discuss the seat reduction, headed by Katsunobu Kato with LDP and Yasuto Urano with JIP. In the first bilateral meeting, both parties agreed on starting detailed discussion for the bill of election reform from next meeting. Kato insisted that both parties would seek enactment of a law for new electoral districts within current session of the Diet. LDP decided to establish a team in the party for the seat reduction.   JIP has shown its firm determination for reduction of the Diet seats, because it had achieved a success in reducing seats of Osaka Prefe...

Hyogo Prefectural Police   arrested   the head of a populist anti-NHK party, Takashi Tachibana, with suspicion of defamation on a member of Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, who were one of the members of investigation committee on harassment by Governor of Hyogo, Motohiko Saito. Tachibana is suspected as circulating false information about Takeuchi, which caused broad criticisms against Takeuchi in social networking services. Tachibana does not dispute what he commented about Takeuchi.   Tachibana said in his campaign of mayoral election in Izumiotsu City, Osaka, in December 2024 that Takeuchi had been interviewed by police. Takeuchi killed himself with mental uneasiness January 2025, suffering from Tachibana’s offensive comments on him. Tachibana further spread false information about Takeuchi’s death that Takeuchi was scheduled to be arrested, as if Takeuchi had been concerning about it.   Tachibana’s offense on Takeuchi was related to a scandal of the governor Saito wh...

The co-leader of Japan Innovation Party (JIP), Fumitake Fujita, announced in his press conference not to request a printing company to print flyers about his political activities. The president of the company is Fujita’s first secretary. Fujita has paid 21 million yen for the company from his political fund from the government, which was titled “payment for research, study, public affairs and accommodation.” Fujita denied illegality of his activity.   The daily newspaper of Japan Communist Party, Shinbun Akahata,  reported  in late October that Fujita had circulated public money to his ally. It revealed that Fujita had paid 21 million yen for a company, run by his pubic first secretary, between June 2017 and November 2024. A law prohibits public secretary of a member of the Diet to be involved in a side business. The newspaper accused Fujita of his management of political fund which was appropriated by the government.   Fujita admitted that he had paid the money for ...

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi   ordered   her ministers to begin the process of revisioning Economic Security Act, which passed three years from the activation. The revision will be made extending the basic infrastructures which are controlled by the law. Supply chain of important goods will be reinforced and overseas projects by private companies in Japan will be supported by the government. The government will launch a thinktank to oversee policies for economic security.   In the meeting of ministers of Takaichi Cabinet for economic security, Takaichi ordered Minister in charge of Economic Security, Kimi Onoda, to discuss revisioning of Economic Security Act. The law was legislated by Fumio Kishida administration in 2022. Takaichi worked in Kishida Cabinet as the Minister in charge of Economic Security.   The economic security act consisted of four pillars: securing important goods such as semiconductors through reinforcing supply chain, keeping basic infrastructur...

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi   announced   at Committee on Budget in the House of Representatives on November 7 th  that she would revise the target of primary balance of national budget from annual one to multiple years. It will make easier for the government to issue governmental bonds (GB), which balance is already at the worst level among developed countries. It is concerned that fiscal discipline of Japan will be further deteriorated.   Primary balance indicates how national budget is healthy. It is drawn by deducting spendings except redemption for GB from revenue except income through issuing new GB. It means how national budget can be maintained without relying on debt.   It was former prime minister Jun-ichiro Koizumi, being serious about fiscal healthiness as setting limitation of issuing new GB at annual 30 trillion yen, who  set the target  of achieving that surplus in early 2010s in 2002. The target became FY2011 in 2006, which was not im...

In the discussion at Committee on Budget in the House of Representatives on November 7 th , Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi  revealed  her recognition that a contingency in Taiwan can be categorized as a “survival-threatening situation,” which is a condition for Japan to use force as an exercise of collective self-defense right. Although former prime ministers did not give a clear answer on it, Takaichi passed the line to a question of a veteran opposition lawmaker. It is concerned how China responds to it.   For decades after the World War II, Japan had been interpreting Article 9 of the Constitution as prohibiting exercise of collective self-defense right which means use of force for foreign country with close relationship with Japan. Former prime minister Shinzo Abe reinterpreted it and enable Japan to exercise collective self-defense right in a kind of situation, even if no direct attack on Japan is made. The situation is named “survival-threatening situation.”   T...

Sanae Takaichi Cabinet   launched  a new conference of cabinet ministers for discussing measures to deal with social problems caused by foreigners in Japan. They raised some agenda to discuss, which included illegal foreigners in Japan, further regulation on foreigners’ purchase of the land and false payment of social insurance. Although Takaichi argues that fixing problems of foreigners is one of her major political agenda, the measures discussed in the ministers’ conference are something the previous administrations have already tackled on.   Japan has been accepting foreigners to compensate labor shortage in farms or small businesses in local economy, which caused annual increase of foreigners in Japan in recent years. The government of Japan is going to introduce new system for foreign workers, in which technical interns will be replaced by “educational working” in 2027. Japan has also been promoting tourism to boost Japanese economy, seeking income from purchasing go...

The extraordinary session of the Diet started   debate  over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s policy speech by the representatives of parties. Takaichi was fundamentally negative on promoting political reforms on donations or reduction of Diet seats. Instead, she showed her ambition to promote her economic policies. It is still unclear whether she can overcome current situation of a minority government in the Diet.   The reduction of Diet seat is one of the commitments in the agreement for building a coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Japan Innovation Party (JIP). They agreed on concluding 10 percent reduction in proportional district of the House of Representatives during current session of the Diet. However, the opposition parties are firmly negative on LDP-JIP idea, because reduction only in proportional district works against small parties.   The leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, Yoshihiko Noda, proposed Takaichi that the reducti...

With establishment of new administration in October, the government of Japan looks like changing its policy on domestic trade of rice Although the previous administration led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sought increase of rice production, Sanae Takaichi Cabinet seems to pursue less production to maintain wholesale price. It is questioned whether Takaichi would stabilize steep inflation of rice. Rice inflation occurred when the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) miscalculated the production of rice in the harvesting season of the fall 2024. The trade market was paralyzed with speculation of shortage of rice and the price was elevated quickly in late 2024. It doubled from early summer in 2024 to May 2025, as traders kept rice in their backyard, being afraid of shortage of rice supply.   Ishiba appointed Shinjiro Koizumi to Minister of MAFF in May and Koizumi urged the traders to provide more rice to the market, with a decision of releasing national rice reser...

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi   revealed  that she had requested North Korea to have a summit meeting with Kim Jong Un to settle the issue of abduction of Japanese. Takaichi has been recognized as a hardliner to North Korea. It is unclear whether Pyongyang will accept the request. North Korea’s abduction issue is well known as an agenda with which former prime minister Shinzo Abe earnestly grappled. Takaichi is likely to attract the conservative groups that follow Abe’s legacy. Takaichi told about the request in her speech to a meeting of abductees’ community held in Tokyo on November 3rd. She insisted that she would make best effort whatever it takes to secure lives of Japanese abductees and sovereignty of Japan. “I will seek a practical outcome through one-on-one meeting between supreme leaders and taking bold actions as the leader,” said Takaichi.   Abe argued that North Korea had kidnapped some Japanese citizens away in 1970s and 1980s. He attended prime minister Jun-...

The major six parties in the Diet – the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Japan Innovation Party (JIP), the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), Komeito, and Japan Communist Party (JCP) --   agreed   on abolishing provisional gasoline tax rate by the end of 2025. It marked the first comprehensive policy agreement beyond the aisle after Sanae Takaichi administration started on October 24 th . However, those parties have not found relevant fiscal resource for the tax cut. The provisional tax rate was introduced in 1974 to build or maintain roads. 25.1 yen per litter has been imposed on gasoline, and 17.1 yen on diesel oil. Elimination of provisional gasoline tax rate was first proposed by DPP last year and DPP reached an agreement with the LDP and Komeito to abolish it last December. But it has not been implemented, because they could not find a fiscal resource. After the defeat in Upper House election in July 2025, the LDP de...

Japan is under unusual threat this year. Twelve people were killed, marking the worst record in Japan. Japan Self-defense Force (JSDF) was dispatched for the first time to secure life and property of Japanese citizens. The conference of national government on this issue was upgraded from the level of officials of ministries to ministers. This threat is not about military power of North Korea or China, but wild bears frequently appearing in urban area.   Wild bears are broadly living in highlands of Northern Japan. the Island of Hokkaido is known as the place with brown bears and Japanese black bears are prevalent in northern part of Honshu Island (Tohoku area). Two people were killed in Hokkaido by assault of brown bears in Hokkaido this summer. The deaths and injuries moved to Tohoku as fall began.   Far more victims were seen in Tohoku than in Hokkaido so far. One characteristic of wild bears this year is that they would not be frightened by seeing humans. The bears not only...