Shinzo Abe

The Economist provides global news, analysis, and predictions on various topics.

Philippine President Aquino compared China's South China Sea expansion to Nazi Germany's pre-World War Two territorial aggression, urging Beijing to reconsider land reclamation projects that violate international agreements and threatening regional stability.

The United States demanded North Korea take concrete nuclear disarmament steps at six-party talks resuming February 8 in Beijing, while separately discussing a financial dispute involving twenty-four million dollars frozen in Macau accounts.

Japan witnesses large anti-war protests as PM pushes for stronger defense.

Global leaders face economic and social challenges in 2015, echoing the late 1990s, with issues in Europe and beyond.

Japan updates its Indo-Pacific strategy, prioritizing Southeast Asia amid great-power rivalry.

Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Australia and Vietnam, pledging ten billion dollars to Southeast Asia and reversing weapons export restrictions to position Japan as a stabilizing regional force amid rising Chinese assertiveness and American unpredictability.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi updated Tokyo's Indo-Pacific strategy in Vietnam, signing six cooperation agreements and pledging $10 billion for energy security while targeting $5 billion annual Japanese investment and $60 billion bilateral trade by 2030, positioning Southeast Asia centrally amid great-power competition.

Japan and Australia discuss energy and critical minerals amid a global oil supply squeeze.

A Japanese conservative magazine urges Tokyo to emulate South Korea's defense industry success, which exported over 1 trillion yen by 2022, citing Seoul's combat-tested weapons, simplified operations, and coordinated government-military sales strategy as models for Japan's expanding weapons export push.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi pledged to deepen strategic ties with Vietnam, focusing on energy and critical minerals under a $10 billion initiative, while urging Southeast Asia to strengthen regional supply chains amid geopolitical risks and Middle Eastern conflicts disrupting global markets.

Japan and Vietnam elevated their strategic partnership, agreeing to deepen cooperation in energy, semiconductors, critical minerals, and AI while signing six memorandums, as Tokyo seeks to reduce supply chain dependence on China through a $10 billion energy resilience initiative.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi pledged to deepen Japan-Vietnam energy and critical minerals ties, with Japan assisting Vietnam's refinery under a $10 billion Power Asia Initiative, amid Middle East geopolitical risks disrupting regional supply chains.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi pledged to deepen strategic ties with Vietnam on energy and critical minerals, with Japan committing $10 billion through its Power Asia Initiative to strengthen regional supply chains amid Middle East geopolitical risks.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi pledged to strengthen energy and critical minerals cooperation with Vietnam, as the nations signed six bilateral agreements and Japan committed crude oil support through its Power Asia Initiative despite Japanese investment dropping 75% quarterly.

The Danger of Japan and China’s Escalating Spat

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi outlined an expanded Indo-Pacific vision in Hanoi, deepening Vietnam ties through increased economic collaboration, space technology cooperation, and semiconductor development, positioning Vietnam as critical to Japan's resilient regional supply chains.

Japan and Vietnam are strengthening energy and minerals partnerships to reduce supply chain vulnerabilities amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the region, enhancing mutual economic resilience.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visits Japan May 26-29, marking the first Philippine presidential state visit in 11 years and the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, while Japan undergoes historic strategic shifts including deploying combat troops to joint exercises and lifting post-World War II arms export restrictions.

Japan participates in the Philippines' largest military drills, reviving debate on an "Asian NATO".

Modi's party dominates Indian state elections, winning West Bengal.

Japan elected hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi as its first female prime minister with 237 lower-house votes, signaling a rightward political shift while raising concerns about economic stimulus and debt sustainability.

Japan upgrades its Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy, revealing geostrategic ambitions.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi updated the nation's Indo-Pacific strategy during a Vietnam visit, prioritizing energy security, critical minerals, and ASEAN resilience while targeting $5 billion annual Japanese investment and $60 billion bilateral trade by 2030.

Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi unveiled an updated Indo-Pacific strategy in Vietnam, signing six cooperation agreements and pledging $10 billion in energy support while targeting $5 billion annual Japanese investment and $60 billion bilateral trade by 2030 amid intensifying great-power rivalry.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Australia in May, meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to strengthen defence, economic and energy cooperation, signing a joint declaration on economic security amid Indo-Pacific regional challenges.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi pledged to deepen strategic ties with Vietnam through energy and critical minerals collaboration under a $10 billion Power Asia Initiative, aiming to strengthen regional supply chains amid Middle East geopolitical risks and reduce China dependence.

BJP chief Nitin Nabin met Japan's LDP delegation, emphasizing strengthened bilateral ties through initiatives like Make in India, youth entrepreneurship programs, and structured party-to-party engagement to enhance India-Japan strategic partnership.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi pledged to deepen economic ties with Vietnam, focusing on energy and critical minerals through a $10 billion Power Asia Initiative, while strengthening regional supply chains amid Middle East disruptions and geopolitical tensions.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledges to promote a "free and open Indo-Pacific" in Hanoi.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledges deeper energy cooperation with Vietnam.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged stronger regional engagement during a Vietnam visit, promoting a rules-based Indo-Pacific strategy while cautioning against overreliance on single countries and emphasizing secure supply chains, as both nations elevated their strategic partnership amid China-related concerns.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi pledged to deepen strategic ties with Vietnam on energy and critical minerals amid Middle East conflicts, with Japan committing $10 billion through the Power Asia Initiative to strengthen regional supply chains and reduce China dependence.

Japan's prime minister vows to ensure a "free and open Indo-Pacific" in a speech in Vietnam.

Japan fired missiles at a decommissioned Philippine ship, marking its first overseas missile launch.

The Economist offers news and analysis on Asia's integration and geopolitical tensions.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi eliminated Japan's postwar restrictions on defense exports to security partners in April, marking a historic policy shift that positions Japan's defense industry for potential global growth, though actual industry participation remains uncertain pending government follow-up support.

Japan conquered the world with iconic video game franchises like Mario and Pokémon.

Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi overturned 80 years of pacifist policy, authorizing lethal weapons exports including missiles and jets, while tripling defense spending to 2% of GDP, strengthening regional alliances against China's aggression in the strategically critical Indo-Pacific.

A Japanese politician's effort to reset ties with Russia is unlikely to succeed due to public and ally objections.

Japan and South Africa agreed to strengthen critical mineral supply chains and boost corporate investment to counter China's African influence, addressing Japan's resource security amid Middle East tensions and Chinese export restrictions.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi concluded visits to Vietnam and Australia, securing economic security agreements on energy supplies, critical minerals, and supply chain resilience while strengthening regional security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi promotes a "free and open Indo-Pacific" with Australia to counter China's influence.

Japan's PM Takaichi warned that Strait of Hormuz disruptions are causing enormous impact on Asia-Pacific energy security, announcing Japan and Australia will urgently cooperate to secure stable supplies amid regional oil crisis.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi pledged to deepen energy and critical minerals cooperation with Vietnam, committing $10 billion in support through Japan's Power Asia Initiative to strengthen regional supply chains amid Middle East disruptions and geopolitical risks.

Japan and Vietnam deepen energy and mineral ties, pledging cooperation on supply chains and critical minerals.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi pledged to deepen Japan-Vietnam ties focusing on energy, critical minerals, and semiconductors amid Middle East supply disruptions, committing $10 billion to strengthen regional supply chains and reduce China reliance.

Japan is strategically positioning itself as a principal architect of the Indo-Pacific rules-based order through expanded economic statecraft, enhanced defense capabilities, and deeper ASEAN engagement, while maintaining its pacifist identity amid rising regional tensions.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi pledged to deepen ties with Vietnam on energy and critical minerals, securing crude oil supplies for Vietnam's refinery under Japan's US$10 billion Power Asia Initiative, addressing Middle East supply disruptions and strengthening regional economic security.

Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi pledged in Vietnam to strengthen a "free and open Indo-Pacific" strategy, advancing regional resilience against China's influence while deepening Japanese-Vietnamese ties on security, energy, and trade.