Japan and South Korea mark 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties
Japan and South Korea mark 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties On June 22, 2025, Japan and South Korea commemorated the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations, a milestone marked by a blend of optimism and lingering tensions rooted in historical grievances. The 1965 Treaty on Basic Relations, signed in Tokyo, ended decades of […]
Japan scraps ‘two-plus-two’ meeting with U.S. over defense spending demand report says
Japan scraps ‘two-plus-two’ meeting with U.S. over defense spending demand report says Japan has abruptly canceled its annual “two-plus-two” security meeting with the United States, scheduled for July 1, 2025, in Washington, following demands from the Trump administration to increase defense spending to 3.5% of GDP, up from an earlier request of 3%, according to […]
Hyogo governor referred to prosecutors over alleged vote-buying
Hyogo governor referred to prosecutors over alleged vote-buying On June 20, 2025, Hyogo Prefectural Police referred Governor Motohiko Saito (斎藤元彦, さいとうもとひこ, サイトウモトヒコ) to prosecutors on suspicion of violating Japan’s Public Offices Election Act during his re-election campaign in November 2024. The allegations center on payments of approximately ¥715,000 ($4,800) to Merchu, a Nishinomiya-based public relations […]
Main opposition CDP decides against no-confidence motion for Ishiba
Main opposition CDP decides against no-confidence motion for Ishiba On June 19, 2025, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), the main opposition, announced it would forgo a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s (石場茂, いしばしげる, イシバシゲル) cabinet during the ongoing parliamentary session, which concludes on June 22. CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda (野田佳彦, のだよしひこ, […]
Farm ministry says farmers ‘misunderstand’ rice statistics
Farm ministry says farmers ‘misunderstand’ rice statistics On June 16, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced it would cease publishing its rice crop situation index, a decades-old metric used to assess rice harvest yields, claiming farmers “misunderstand” its purpose. The decision, articulated by Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (小泉進次郎, こいずみしんじろう, コイズミシンジロウ), follows […]
Reiwa Shinsengumi lawmaker with ALS to retire
Reiwa Shinsengumi lawmaker with ALS to retire On June 17, 2025, Yasuhiko Funago (船後靖彦, ふなごやすひこ, フナゴヤスヒコ), a trailblazing House of Councillors lawmaker from the opposition Reiwa Shinsengumi party, announced his decision to retire from politics at the end of his term, citing his age and declining physical strength due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Funago, […]
Japanese and Canadian leaders agree to enhance security ties
Japanese and Canadian leaders agree to enhance security ties On June 17, 2025, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (石場茂, いしばしげる, イシバシゲル) and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, to strengthen bilateral security ties, signing agreements to share classified information and facilitate defense equipment exports. The […]
Agriculture ministry aims to stop publishing rice index amid accuracy concerns
Agriculture ministry aims to stop publishing rice index amid accuracy concerns On June 16, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced plans to discontinue its rice crop situation index, a nearly seven-decade-old metric used to assess rice harvest yields, due to persistent concerns over its accuracy. The decision, revealed by Farm Minister […]
France doubles down on opposition to new nuclear states top official says
On June 15, 2025, Guillaume Ollagnier, director general of strategic, security, and disarmament affairs at the French Foreign Ministry, reiterated France’s firm opposition to new nuclear states, emphasizing the need to strengthen the global nonproliferation architecture amid rising nuclear ambitions in Asia and the Middle East. Speaking at a disarmament conference in Geneva, Ollagnier warned […]