Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, 19 March 2026, in a high-stakes discussion reaffirming the US-Japan alliance amid rising maritime security concerns in the Strait of Hormuz, disrupted by the ongoing US-Iran conflict. During the bilateral meeting in the Oval Office,…
U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington is not currently planning to deploy additional troops to the Middle East, even as the conflict involving Iran approaches its fourth week. Speaking at the White House during an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trump downplayed the likelihood…
Japan has announced an ambitious plan to dramatically increase the production and sales of domestically manufactured semiconductors, aiming to reclaim a stronger position in the global technology supply chain. The government has set a target to boost chip sales eightfold by 2040 compared with 2020 levels, reflecting a renewed national…
Panda lovers in Tokyo gathered on Sunday for an emotional farewell to Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, the hugely popular twin pandas at Ueno Zoological Gardens, who are set to return to China this week. Their departure will leave Japan without pandas for the first time in half a century.…
Nearly 60 women lawmakers in Japan, including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, have submitted a formal petition calling for an increase in women’s restroom facilities within the National Diet building, citing improved female representation in parliament. The cross-party appeal highlights a practical challenge stemming from long-standing infrastructure that no longer reflects…
Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has revealed that she functions on just two to four hours of sleep each night, raising concerns about the message this sends to a workforce already burdened by demanding schedules. Speaking before lawmakers, Takaichi pointed to the visible signs of fatigue beneath her eyes and…
Japan has made history with the election of Sanae Takaichi as its first female prime minister, following a decisive parliamentary vote on Tuesday. The 64-year-old conservative leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secured 237 votes in the Lower House and 125 in the Upper House, marking a new…
Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, positioning the 64-year-old conservative nationalist to become the country’s first female prime minister. A parliamentary vote to formally replace outgoing leader Shigeru Ishiba is scheduled for October 15, 2025. A Party at a Crossroads Takaichi assumes…