On 24 Mar 2020: Japan's Prime Minister #ShinzōAbe announces the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to the summer of 2021 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Memo to Takaichi: Reject the temptations of populism

The year 2026 has crystallized a geopolitical landscape defined by nationalist leadership.

The Japan Times
Former members of Liberal Democratic Party factions that were disbanded in the wake of a slush funds scandal have been meeting informally since the party’s landslide election victory in February. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03/12/japan/politics/ldp-factions-politics-comeback/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #sanaetakaichi #sanaetakaichi #shinzoabe #fumiokishida #taroaso #toshimitsumotegi #toshihironikai
Are disbanded LDP factions staging a comeback?

Former members of the disbanded factions have been meeting informally since the party’s landslide victory in the Feb. 8 Lower House election.

The Japan Times
https://www.wacoca.com/news/2785901/ 「台湾統一」狙う中国に圧倒的軍事力誇示した米国、安倍外交を継承する高市首相 | JAPAN Forward ##中華人民共和国 #China #Iran #SanaeTakaichi #ShinzoAbe #Trump #政治・安全保障問題

Agenzia Nova: Giappone: Alta corte conferma lo scioglimento della Chiesa dell'Unificazione (3)

04 mar 05:15 - (Agenzia Nova) - La Chiesa e' finita sotto intenso scrutinio dopo l'assassinio nel 2022 dell'ex primo ministro Shinzo Abe, il... (Git)

Japan: High court confirms dissolution of the Church of Unification (3)

04 mar 05:15 - (Agenzia Nova) - The Church has been under intense scrutiny after the assassination in 2022 of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe… (Git)

#Japan #AgenziaNova #Church #ShinzoAbe

https://www.agenzianova.com/a/69a7b5801945b7.00440141/7093651/2026-03-04/giappone-alta-corte-conferma-lo-scioglimento-della-chiesa-dell-unificazione-3

Giappone: Alta corte conferma lo scioglimento della Chiesa dell’Unificazione (3)

La Chiesa è finita sotto intenso scrutinio dopo l'assassinio nel 2022 dell'ex primo ministro Shinzo Abe, il cui attentatore dichiarò di...

Agenzia Nova
Japanese diplomats like Hiroshi Suzuki, the ambassador to the U.K., are using social media, humor and local culture to build influence, win hearts and project soft power in ways traditional diplomacy cannot. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/03/02/japan/art-of-modern-diplomacy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #hiroshisuzuki #uk #ukjapanrelations #paddingtonbear #shinzoabe
Paddington, pints and the art of modern diplomacy

'48 times the Japanese ambassador made us proud to be British,” gushes one typical headline.

The Japan Times
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi must steer Japan between pressure from China and an unpredictable United States by bolstering defense, diversifying partnerships and asserting strategic autonomy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/27/japan/keeping-china-us-wolf-at-bay/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #us #china #usjapanrelations #chinajapanrelations #indopacific #shinzoabe
Keeping the Chinese ‘tiger’ and U.S. ‘wolf’ at bay

Often mischaracterized by detractors as a radical nationalist, Takaichi represents a center-right continuity of the 'Abe line.'

The Japan Times
Stability as strategy: Japan’s moment for global leadership

Rising anti-China sentiment may have contributed to Takaichi’s strong mandate.

The Japan Times
China's claim that Japan is returning to militarism is misleading because legal and institutional constraints make such a shift unlikely and current defense reforms reflect responses to changing regional threats. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/20/japan/myths-of-japanese-militarism/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #wangyi #china #munichsecurityconference #yasukunishrine #taiwan #alliedoccupation #sdf #gsdf #msdf #sanaetakaichi #article9 #shinzoabe #defense #us
Debunking the myth of Japanese militarism

It is necessary to be clear on this point: Japan in 2026 is not the Japan of 1936.

The Japan Times