Tag
Japan politics
The Engaging Outsider: Can Ishiba Shigeru’s Iconoclastic Policies Gain Traction?
By Kenji Yoshida and Jason Morgan
The longtime LDP leader has never won the top office, in part because of the pragmatic approach that makes him popular with the public.
Kishida Replaces 4 Cabinet Members as Japan’s Political Fundraising Scandal Deepens
By Thisanka Siripala
The government is in damage control mode as it scrambles to contain public distrust over underreported fundraising revenue.
Slush Fund Scandal Rocks Japan’s Ruling Party
By Shannon Tiezzi
Allegations that members of the LDP underreported fundraising income to create a slush fund have shaken up the political scene.
Is Prime Minister Kishida Leading Japan by Default?
By Aurelia George Mulgan
With plummeting approval ratings, Kishida's biggest strength seems to be that there's no obvious candidate to replace him.
The 2-Level Game in Japan’s Agriculture Trade Negotiations
By Zhuoran Li
The Japanese agriculture sector has a long history of obstructing international trade talks.
Can Kishida Turn the LDP Into a Friend of Labor?
By Jio Kamata
The LDP is hoping to capitalize on rifts within the Japanese Trade Union Confederation and the opposition ranks.
Japan’s Government Will Seek to Revoke Legal Status of Unification Church
By Mari Yamaguchi
Decades of cozy ties between the church and Japan’s ruling party, revealed in the investigation of Abe’s 2022 assassination, have triggered public outrage.
Why Does the Japanese Left Hate Nippon Ishin So Much?
By Jio Kamata
Ishin may have the best chance of becoming an opposition force to be reckoned with, but leftists fear the party even more than the LDP.
Japan Takes Another Step Toward Expanding Defense Exports
By Mina Pollmann
The LDP-Komeito coalition is working to overcome internal differences on loosening the existing restrictions.
Suspect in Japan PM Attack Previously Complained About Election System
By Mari Yamaguchi
The man now in custody for the bomb attack had previously filed a lawsuit claiming Japan’s restrictions on candidates were unconstitutional.
The Politics of Sexual Minorities in Japan
By Vindu Mai Chotani and Olivier Ammour-Mayeur
Despite efforts at the local level, LGBTQ rights won’t move forward much unless the LDP can find the political will to make it happen.
The Japan-South Korea Thaw Is Far From a Done Deal
By Jio Kamata
Japan's Kishida and South Korea's Yoon are ready to mend relations, but both leaders face problems back home.