Politics | Page 5

Japan minister resigns after row over ties with Unification Church
ANI Asia - Oct 25
Daishiro Yamagiwa, Japan's minister in charge of economic security, became the first minister of Fumio Kishida's government on Monday to step down over his ties with the controversial Unification Church.

Australia and Japan sign 'landmark' security agreement
9 News Australia - Oct 22
Australia and Japan have signed a bolstered security agreement, sending a "strong signal" to the region of the nations' strategic alignment.

Japan alarmed as Chinese buy up farmland near military base
Spotlight on China - Oct 21
Chinese buyers have become interested in farmland in Japan, and policymakers in the country are uncomfortable with this.

Damages awarded to Japan's #MeToo symbol over defamatory tweet likes
Kyodo - Oct 20
A Tokyo court on Thursday ordered ruling party lawmaker Mio Sugita to pay Shiori Ito, a journalist and symbol of Japan's #MeToo movement, 550,000 yen ($3,700) in damages for clicking "like" on several tweets she said defamed her.

Group of 90 Japanese lawmakers visit war-linked Yasukuni shrine
Kyodo - Oct 18
A cross-party group of around 90 Japanese lawmakers on Tuesday visited the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo for its fall festival, a move expected to irritate some Asian neighbors who view it as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

Japan PM orders probe into Unification Church after Abe assassination
arabnews.com - Oct 17
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered on Monday a government probe into the Unification Church, after the assassination of former premier Shinzo Abe renewed scrutiny of the sect.

Former PM Abe's state funeral cost lower than previous estimate
NHK - Oct 15
The Japanese government says the actual cost of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's state funeral last month was over 1.2 billion yen, or more than 8 million dollars.

North Korea launches new ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan
MSN - Oct 14
North Korea's military launched an unspecified ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan -- known as the East Sea in South Korea -- on Thursday, early Friday morning already in Pyongyang, South Korean military sources said.

Japan to abolish health insurance cards by 2024, integrate with 'My Number'
NHK - Oct 13
The Japanese government plans to abolish health insurance cards in the fall of 2024 by integrating them into "My Number" ID cards.

Myanmar military sentences Japanese journalist to 3 more years in prison
Nikkei - Oct 13
A Myanmar military tribunal on Thursday sentenced Japanese documentary filmmaker Toru Kubota to an additional three years in prison for violating immigration laws.

Japan launches third Taigei-class submarine for JMSDF
The Diplomat - Oct 13
Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has launched the third Taigei-class diesel-electric attack submarine (SSK) on order for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

Japan's main ruling LDP punishes member for calling ex-PM Abe Shinzo 'traitor'
NHK - Oct 13
Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party has decided to suspend a member from party offices for one year after calling former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo "a traitor."

North Korea launches two more missiles into Sea of Japan
rte.ie - Oct 09
North Korea fired two more ballistic missiles into the sea on Sunday, the South's military said, the latest in a blitz of launches amid tensions over US-led military exercises in the region, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Japan's missing children: The lingering trauma of North Korean abductions
FRANCE 24 English - Oct 08
In the 1970s and 1980s, North Korea organised a kidnapping campaign in "enemy" countries. As one of its closest neighbours, Japan became a prime target.

‘US bases on Okinawa inevitable’: perceptions shift in Japan on American military presence
South China Morning Post - Oct 08
For decades, residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa have strongly opposed hosting the dozens of US military bases set up there. But a subtle shift in perception appears to be under way among Okinawan, driven by heightening regional security concerns.

Kishida faces backlash over son's appointment
WION - Oct 07
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is facing accusations of nepotism after he appointed his inexperienced son to be his executive secretary.