Tokyo may be surprisingly more suited to work with Trump — and beat back any exorbitant demands — than it was during his first stint. Read more
The primary balance, which excludes interest payments on public debt, is projected to remain in the red with a deficit of around ¥4.5 trillion. Read more
A new target is likely to be agreed at a NATO summit in June, but the key questions are what that new target will be and whether it will be enough to satisfy Trump. Read more
Overcoming the challenges that lay ahead will require the prime minister to make the best use of his political and diplomatic negotiating skills. Read more
A slew of obstacles are jeopardizing Tokyo’s pursuit of raising defense spending to 2% of gross domestic product by fiscal 2027. Read more
Ministers also agreed to raise the upper limit on out-of-pocket medical expenses. Read more
The share of Japan’s contribution to the United Nation’s regular budget will drop by about 1 percentage point from the current level to 6.930%. Read more
Elbridge Colby said in an interview earlier this year that Japan is moving at a leisurely pace on defense despite being under threat from China and North Korea. Read more
After weeks of tense negotiations that went down to the wire, U.S. lawmakers passed a bill to fund federal agencies through mid-March. Read more
The economic policy package aims to finance measures against inflation and disaster relief. Read more
