LDP’s Yasukuni Show of Force Tests Takaichi’s Balancing Act
When four of the Liberal Democratic Party’s top executives visited Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, the 81st anniversary…
Putin’s Visit to Disputed Island Exacerbates Japan-Russia Tensions – The Diplomat
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup Island (known in Japan as Etorofu) on August 13. It’s the largest…
Japan Trend Radar: Kumamoto, Takaichi Criticism, Empress Support
Japan Trend Radar is a feature for members of our Unseen Japan Insider program that tracks trending issues…
![[Insider] Takaichi Wants Japan to "Coexist" With Foreigners. Japan's Hard Right HATES Her for It](https://www.europesays.com/japan/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/1785629532-380x220.jpeg)
[Insider] Takaichi Wants Japan to “Coexist” With Foreigners. Japan’s Hard Right HATES Her for It
This week, Japan’s government announced that the country’s Japanese population had fallen below 120 million for the first…
Japan’s Intelligence Reform Has a Counterintelligence Problem – The Diplomat
In order to deal with a worsening regional security environment, Japan is stepping up its intelligence capabilities. Since…
Time to decide: A critical moment in Japan-US missile defense cooperation
There is no more important bilateral air and missile defense cooperative relationship than that between the United States…
![[Insider] Japan's PM Says She Doesn't Sleep. That's Gonna Get People Killed.](https://www.europesays.com/japan/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1785052939-380x220.jpeg)
[Insider] Japan’s PM Says She Doesn’t Sleep. That’s Gonna Get People Killed.
Japan’s first female Prime Minister is apparently also its eepiest. Things had been going well for Takaichi Sanae…
The Power Behind Japan’s Takaichi Government – The Diplomat
On the day of a snap winter election – one that would ultimately end in a landslide victory…
China Doubles Japan Export Control List in Rare Earth Squeeze
Chinese President Xi Jinping. Reuters/Yonhap News China has added a large number of Japanese defense-related research institutes and…
Japan PM Takaichi Sanae Likely to Visit Assam in July for Talks with Modi on Security, Economy
Staff Reporter Guwahati: Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae is likely to visit Assam in the first part of…
Japan’s Takaichi Scores Historic Landslide in Snap Election Gamble
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae‘s wager on a snap election paid off spectacularly Sunday, with her Liberal Democratic…
![[Insider] Why Gender Equality is Stalling Under Japan's First Female Prime Minister](https://www.europesays.com/japan/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1780099087-380x220.jpeg)
[Insider] Why Gender Equality is Stalling Under Japan’s First Female Prime Minister
A recent post on X that garnered over 20K likes lamented: “We (the Heisei-era born) were born in…