Tensions between Beijing and Tokyo may escalate further with Sanae Takaichi poised to become Japan’s next leader, observers warn, citing her controversial positions on the Taiwan issue and Japanese wartime history. Takaichi, a former internal affairs minister known for her conservative views, was chosen to lead Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Saturday in…
Conservative Sanae Takaichi hailed a “new era” Saturday after winning the leadership of Japan’s ruling party, putting her on course to become the country’s first woman prime minister. The 64-year-old, whose hero is Margaret Thatcher, said that a “mountain of work” lay ahead to restore the fortunes of her ailing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The…
Japanese equities are extending record highs, fueled by steady inflows from foreign investors and governance reforms. However, risks remain — from political instability to a potential yen spike or U.S. market downturn — but analysts say such shocks are more likely to trigger buying opportunities than end the rally. The Nikkei 225 and broader Topix…
TOKYO—Among the questions facing ruling-party members who will choose Japan’s likely next leader is who will get along best with President Trump. PREMIUM Sanae Takaichi is viewed as pro-U.S. and hawkish on China. Would it be Sanae Takaichi, a conservative and adherent of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s expansive economic policies? Or Shinjiro Koizumi, a…
Storm ahead There is still time for Starmer to become either of them. He left the White House under dark clouds — literally — and unanswered questions. Aides later clarified that despite Trump speaking of a trade deal, they were not prioritizing a full-fat free-trade agreement, long coveted in London after Brexit. Starmer, on the…
Beijing, traditionally reliant on its economic muscle, growing importance and elite China-inclined “old friends” to influence Washington, is having a tough time figuring out how to connect with the incoming, unpredictable administration of president-elect Donald Trump, according to analysts and former US officials. China is hardly alone. Many countries have turned to flattery, golf and…
Former Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda has warned of a “crisis of dialogue, comprehensive understanding, and mutual trust” between Japan and China, urging leaders from the two nations to take decisive action. “In the past three years … mutual understanding has declined further with goodwill towards each other plummeting,” Fukuda said in a written speech…