The Japan TimesDec 5
After a bumpy negotiation process, the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, submitted a bill that would cut at least 45 Lower House seats by the end of next year. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/05/japan/politics/seat-reduction-bill-submitted/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #katsunobukato #hirofumiyoshimura #ldp #nipponishinnokai #diet #lowerhouse
LDP and JIP submit bill to eliminate at least 45 Lower House seats

The path to the bill's submission has been rough as the parties had been at loggerheads over the number of seats to cut and which ones, and the legal framework for implementation.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesNov 21
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, have agreed to submit a bill that creates a framework for reducing Lower House seats during the ongoing session of parliament. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/21/japan/politics/ldp-ishin-seat-reduction-bill/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #nipponishinnokai #lowerhouse #diet #sanaetakaichi #katsunobukato #hirofumiyoshimura
LDP and JIP agree to submit bill outlining reduction of Lower House seats

The two parties are postponing reaching a conclusion on the actual number of seats to be cut and whether to cut proportional seats.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesOct 16, 2025
The U.S. expects Japan to stop importing Russian energy in response to Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/10/16/economy/us-japan-russia-energy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #usjapanrelations #scottbessent #katsunobukato #energy #sakhalin2 #lng
U.S. expects Japan to stop buying Russian energy, Bessent says

Russia's Sakhalin-2 project remains vital to Japan's energy security as it accounts for about 9% of its liquefied natural gas imports.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesOct 16, 2025
Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato voiced serious concern over China’s latest export controls on rare earths, stressing the importance of coordinated action from Group of Seven nations. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/10/16/economy/japan-finance-minister-china-rare-earth/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #katsunobukato #rareearths #chinajapanrelations #g7 #scottbessent
Japan’s Kato calls for G7 unity over China’s rare earth curbs

'Japan is deeply concerned about these measures,” Kato told reporters in Washington on Wednesday, referring to China’s latest trade measures.

The Japan Times
Yonhap Infomax NewsOct 10, 2025
The dollar-yen exchange rate fell sharply after Japanese Finance Minister Kato's verbal intervention, with the yen weakening further following political developments and the pair surging 3.76% for the week.
#YonhapInfomax #DollarYen #KatsunobuKato #ExchangeRate #JapaneseYen #WeeklySurge #Economics #FinancialMarkets #Banking #Securities #Bonds #StockMarket
https://en.infomaxai.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=85007
Dollar-Yen Extends Losses After Japanese Finance Minister's Verbal Intervention

The dollar-yen exchange rate fell sharply after Japanese Finance Minister Kato's verbal intervention, with the yen weakening further following political developments and the pair surging 3.76% for the week.

Yonhap Infomax
Yonhap Infomax NewsOct 10, 2025
Japan's Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato warned of "one-sided and rapid" yen movements as the currency weakened to a multi-year low, vowing close monitoring to prevent excessive volatility amid ongoing policy shifts.
#YonhapInfomax
#Yen #KatsunobuKato #DollarYen #ExchangeRate #Volatility
#Economics #FinancialMarkets #Banking #Securities #Bonds #StockMarket
https://en.infomaxai.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=84999
Japan Finance Minister Says Yen Exhibiting 'One-Sided and Rapid Movements' Recently (Update) - Yonhap Infomax

Japan's Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato warned of "one-sided and rapid" yen movements as t

Yonhap Infomax
The Japan TimesSep 12, 2025
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato reaffirmed in a joint statement their commitment to let markets determine currency exchange rates. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/09/12/economy/us-japan-fx-manipulation/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #scottbessent #katsunobukato #us #tariffs #japaneseeconomy #currencies #yen #boj #donaldtrump
U.S. and Japan pledge not to manipulate forex for competitive advantage

Tokyo has spent close to $150 billion in the last three years trying to prop up the yen with the last move in July last year.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesAug 1, 2025
Japan's Finance Minister said he’s worried by movements in the yen, which weakened to levels last seen in March following dovish messaging on interest rates from the Bank of Japan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/08/01/economy/kato-concern-yen-weak/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #katsunobukato #boj #japaneseeconomy
Japan’s Kato voices concern with yen at weakest since March

Kato’s comments came after the yen slid past the 150 level against the dollar on Thursday, following the BOJ’s decision to leave interest rates unchanged.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesJul 18, 2025
Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato says Japan told Group of 20 countries that tariffs aren’t the right way to fix imbalances. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/07/18/economy/kato-trade-imbalances/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #us #katsunobukato #tariffs #usjapanrelations #donaldtrump #japaneseeconomy #trade
Finance minister says tariffs not right tool to fix trade imbalances

Katsunobu Kato's comments come as the global economy braces for higher U.S. tariffs.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesJun 30, 2025
The average income of Japanese lawmakers in 2024 stood at ¥25.13 million, almost unchanged from the previous year, both chambers of the parliament said Monday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/30/japan/politics/japan-lawmakers-income-2024/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #diet #shigeruishiba #cabinet #ldp #katsunobukato
Lawmakers' average income flat at ¥25.13 million

Four lawmakers earned over ¥100 million, and all of them were LDP members.

The Japan Times