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Tokyo Report
How Will Tokyo’s Solar Panel Mandate Handle Allegations of Forced Labor in China?
By Daisuke Akimoto
Tokyo’s metropolitan government is requiring new construction to use solar panels, but the industry’s reliance on parts from Xinjiang poses a thorny moral dilemma.
Japan, US Discuss Longer Range Missiles to Counter China
By Thisanka Siripala
At a defense ministers’ meeting, Japan gets U.S. support to bolster its defenses with “counter strike capabilities.”
Japan and the Controversial Unification Church
By Thisanka Siripala
In a post-Abe era, Japanese politics has been rocked by the Unification Church’s links to LDP lawmakers.
Japan Set to Welcome Unrestricted Tourism by October
By Thisanka Siripala
Japan’s struggling tourism sector sees a light at the end of the tunnel as “self-guided” tours make way for full travel.
Okinawa Reelects Governor Opposing Heavy US Troop Presence
By Mari Yamaguchi
Resentment and frustration run deep in Okinawa because of the heavy U.S. presence and Tokyo's lack of efforts to negotiate with Washington.
Half of LDP National Lawmakers Tied to Unification Church
By Mari Yamaguchi
An internal survey by Japan’s ruling party confirmed widespread ties between the Liberal Democratic Party and the South Korea-based church.
NPT Conference Collapse, Military Drills Further Strain Japan-Russia Relations
By Mina Pollmann
Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine has seriously damaged Russia-Japan relations, and the fallout continues to be felt.
Tokyo Olympics Sponsorship Scandal Widens With More Arrests
By Yuri Kageyama
The latest allegations center on 76 million yen a former Tokyo Olympics organizing committee member received from Tokyo-based publishing company Kadokawa.
TICAD 2022: Japan’s Deepening Partnerships in Africa
By Brittany Morreale and Purnendra Jain
The international context has changed markedly since the last TICAD in 2019. How is Japan approaching African countries today?
Abe Murder Suspect Says Mother’s Involvement in Unification Church Destroyed His Life
By Mari Yamaguchi
The claimed motive for the crime – poverty and neglect – has sparked a surprising amount of sympathy among Japanese for the alleged assassin.
Japan to Ease COVID-19 Border Controls From Sept. 7
By Mari Yamaguchi
Japan, which has imposed some of the toughest border measures amid the pandemic, continues its gradual reopening even as case counts soar.
Preparation for Abe’s State Funeral Proceeds Amid Growing Public Opposition
By Jio Kamata
As former PM Abe Shinzo’s state funeral – Japan’s first in 55 years – inches closer, more and more Japanese are turning against the idea.