Category: Japan

Japan

Yen Bears Are Suddenly Running for Cover — And the Next Move Could Be Even Bigger

The Japanese yen is showing signs of a potentially major turnaround, putting traders who have spent months betting against the currency under increasing pressure. After plunging to a four-decade low against the U.S. dollar just weeks ago, the yen has sharply strengthened this week. The move has forced investors to reconsider one of the market's most crowded trades: betting that Japan's currency would continue to weaken. The yen was on track for roughly a 2% weekly gain against the dollar as of

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Japan

Two “Manju Shop” Votes Could Cost Japan’s Mayor His Job—Here’s Why the Court Said They Don’t Count

TOKYO — Two handwritten ballots containing the words “manju shop” and “Mr. Dango” have become the unlikely center of a Japanese election dispute that could determine who leads the city of Kamisu in Ibaraki Prefecture. On Sept. 3, the Tokyo High Court upheld a decision invalidating the two ballots, rejecting Kamisu Mayor Toshiyuki Kiuchi’s challenge against the Ibaraki Prefectural Election Commission. The ruling could ultimately cost Kiuchi his mayoral position if it becomes final. It started

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Business

Japan Moves Forward With $550-Billion U.S. Investment Pact—But the Next Phase Could Change Everything

TOKYO/WASHINGTON — Japan says it is making progress on a massive $550-billion investment initiative with the United States, with artificial intelligence and semiconductor projects emerging as potentially crucial areas in the next stage of the agreement. Japanese Trade Minister Ryosei Akazawa said Tokyo and Washington will continue working closely to implement the investment framework after meetings in Washington with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson

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Japan

Japan’s Yakushima Buried Under Nearly 500mm of Rain—Then the Highest Landslide Warning Was Triggered

TOKYO — A powerful combination of tropical storm moisture and a stalled weather front has unleashed extraordinary rainfall across southwestern Japan, prompting authorities to issue the country's highest landslide emergency warning for Yakushima Town in Kagoshima Prefecture. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued the Level 5 emergency landslide warning at 5:10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, warning that a disaster may already have occurred and urging people in affected areas to immediately sec

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Japan

Japan’s Takaichi Signals Cabinet Continuity as Motegi and Katayama Set to Stay

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering keeping Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama in their posts as she prepares for a Cabinet reshuffle expected in mid-September, according to Japanese government sources. The possible decision is emerging as Takaichi seeks to strengthen her political base while maintaining continuity on two fronts that are increasingly important to Japan: foreign policy and economic management. The move could also c

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Business

Japan’s Yen Crisis Puts Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama in the Hot Seat—Now Washington Is Watching

TOKYO — Japan’s battle to strengthen the yen has placed Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama at the center of an increasingly complicated economic showdown involving Tokyo, Washington and the Bank of Japan. Katayama is facing pressure on several fronts: the yen remains vulnerable despite a massive government intervention, U.S. officials are calling for stronger action against the currency’s weakness, and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s expansionary fiscal policies are raising concerns about Japan’

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Japan

Korea Wasn’t Colonized in a Single Day—The Hidden Steps That Put Japan in Control

SEOUL — The story of how Korea became part of the Japanese Empire is often reduced to a single date: August 29, 1910. That was the day the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty was formally promulgated and took effect. But historians and historical records tell a more complicated story. Korea did not suddenly lose its sovereignty in one afternoon. Japan's takeover developed over several years through military pressure, diplomatic agreements, the removal of Korea's control over foreign affairs, incre

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Business

Dollar Slides as Yen Surges 2.4% in Best Week Since July — But the Bigger Shock May Still Be Coming

The Japanese yen is staging a powerful comeback against the U.S. dollar, posting its strongest weekly performance since July as traders increasingly bet that the Bank of Japan could accelerate its interest-rate normalization. The yen gained about 2.4% against the dollar for the week, according to The Japan Times, marking a sharp reversal for a currency that had been battered to a four-decade low just weeks ago. The rally intensified after the dollar-yen exchange rate moved sharply lower during

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Japan

Takaichi Congratulates Meloni After Italy’s Historic Political Record—But Her Message Reveals Something Bigger

ROME/TOKYO — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reached a political milestone few Italian leaders have managed in the postwar era, prompting congratulations from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as Tokyo and Rome look to deepen their strategic partnership. Meloni’s government became the longest continuously serving government in the history of Italy’s postwar republic on September 4, surpassing the previous record held by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The milestone came

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Japan

Japan’s Former Defense Chief Challenges Takaichi Over Trump’s ICC Sanctions—Now Tokyo Faces a Critical Choice

TOKYO — Japan is facing growing pressure to confront Washington over sanctions imposed on International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane, with former Defense Minister Gen Nakatani urging Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to demand that the United States withdraw the measures. Nakatani, a senior lawmaker in Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party and head of a cross-party group focused on human rights and diplomacy, has described the U.S. sanctions as an attack on the international rul

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