Photo : The Guardian

Japan and the Philippines agree to defense exports to counter China

Japan Reader | 27 February | Vol.1 No. 261
Japan’s ruling party and opposition agree to budget deal
On 25 February, Japan's ruling coalition and the opposition party Nippon Ishin no Kai, reached an agreement regarding the government's fiscal 2025 budget. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba who heads the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito, and Nippon Ishin chief Hirofumi Yoshimura all agreed to the budget in parliament. The education reforms and social insurance adjustments were agreed upon in exchange for the opposition party’s support for the budget. The deal would also increase spending on public and private education, reduce health insurance costs, provide free school lunches, and lower nursery school fees. Although the deal initially faced internal resistance from Nippon Ishin lawmakers it was ultimately approved. All party lawmakers except former general affairs committee chairman Hirofumi Yanagase voted in favor of the agreement with the government. The opposition party has 38 Lower House members ready to vote in favour of the hill however negotiations with another opposition party, the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), are ongoing. The budget vote is expected soon, but unresolved issues remain. (Himari Semans and Gabriele Ninivaggi, “Ruling coalition clinches budget deal with Nippon Ishin,” Japan Times, 25 February 2025)

Japan Reader | 25 February | Vol.1 No. 260
Japan and the Philippines agree to defense exports to counter China
On 25 February, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Philippines Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro agreed to establish a high-level strategic dialogue framework over exporting defense equipment from Japan. During their meeting, they discussed countering China’s “hegemonic behavior” and strengthening bilateral ties with the framework. Both countries vehemently opposed attempts at unilaterally changing the status quo by force by China. The two countries already had cooperation regarding the export of defense equipment and planned to increase it. The two countries also agreed to establish a strategic dialogue to strengthen cooperation between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military. They also promised to strengthen trilateral and quadrilateral cooperation with the US and Australia. They also discussed how to share sensitive military intelligence while protecting the information. Nakatani also met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace after he met with the minister. (Takanori Nakada and Shumpei Takeuchi, “Japan, Philippines Agree to High-Level Dialogue over Defense Equipment Exports; Foreign Ministers Agree to Strengthen Ties to Counter China,” The Japan News, 25 February 2025)

Japan Reader | 24 February | Vol.1 No. 259
Japan worried by practical combat experience of North Korean soldiers
On 24 February, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi raised concern about the formation of a de facto military alliance between Russia and North Korea, which provides real world combat experience for North Korean troops. They gain actual combat experience and are given the opportunity to use high-technology weapons like drones, increasing their weapons knowledge and experience. The deployment of troops by North Korea was due to the signing of the  comprehensive strategic partnership agreement calling for mutual support in the event of an emergency by heads of both countries. This allows for North Korea to receive arms and technology in return for sending troops to Russia. Japan is concerned that this could result in an instability in the region with North Korea’s growing threat and the lack of the Japan Self - Defense Force’s practical combat experience. To counter this, Japan looks to strengthen its defense and improve ties with the US and South Korea through a trilateral framework, but Trump's actions and words could impact the whole situation, and not necessarily in a good way. (Jiji, “Japan Wary of N. Korea's Practical Combat Experience,” The Japan News, 24 February 2025) 

Japan Reader | 22 February| Vol.1 No. 258
Japanese nationals rescued from scam centers in Myanmar 
On 21 February, seven Japanese nationals were taken into protective custody from scam centers at the Thai-Myanmar border. At least 120000 people are believed to be captive with many more Japanese to be rescued. Thailand authorities began to send many people who had been held at the centers back to their countries. A senior Foreign Ministry official Keiichi Iwamoto said in parliament that two high school boys were among the returned Japanese. Four of the returned people had been detained by the Thai police earlier for illegally crossing the border in Myanmar. The National Police Agency’s director of the criminal affairs bureau Shigeyuki Tani said, “We believe that the scam center may be used as a base for fraud against people in Japan and that there may be other Japanese nationals still held there,” Chinese nationals also play a role in these scam centers according to the police. The Thai police have taken the issue seriously and have implemented a four-step action plan for immediate enforcement. (Yukana Inoue, “Japanese nationals returned from Myanmar as scam probe continues,” Japan Times, 21 February 2025)

Japan Reader | 21 February| Vol.1 No. 257
Japan offers diplomatic and financial support to Ukraine 
On 21 February, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya offered diplomatic and financial help to Ukraine amid tensions caused by Trump. Iwaya vowed continued support at a meeting of the G7 diplomats and contributions to a long-term recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. Iwaya also reiterated the importance of standing up to Moscow calling the war a “major challenge to the rule of law,” Japan, according to Iwaya also depends upon the security of the US and the recent statements made by Trump calling the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and blaming the war on Ukraine, worries Japan. Whether these statements are part of a hardball negotiation tactic is not sure, but it raises concern to the allies of the US. Iwaya also raised concerns about the growing cooperation between Russia and North Korea and called for “A strong response by the international community is necessary, including the full implementation of U.N. Security Council resolutions,” A defense pact has been signed between Russia and North Korea, which threatens the regional security of the Indo-Pacific. During these issues, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio boycotted the G20 summit to be conducted in South Africa due to several policy issues of the host. Iwaya called on the grouping “to find common ground through dialogue, transcend differences in positions and promote concrete cooperation.”(Jesse Johnson, “At G20, Japan FM vows to continue support for Ukraine amid Trump tensions,” Japan Times, 21 February 2025)

Japan Reader | 20 February | Vol.1 No. 256
Japan urges the Taliban to respect human rights during a state visit to Tokyo 
On 20 February, Japan Today reported that officials of the Taliban regime had arrived in Tokyo at the invitation of the Nippon Foundation. Although the Japanese government does not recognize the Taliban regime as Afghanistan’s Official government, Japan has urged the Taliban to “reflect the voice of the Afghan people” and respect human rights. The Taliban delegation sought to deepen relations and trade with Japan and assist Afghanistan in areas such as education, and healthcare infrastructure. (“Japan asks Taliban to respect human rights during talks in Tokyo,” Japan Today, 20 February 2025)

Pipe bomb attacker sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted murder against PM 
On 20 February, the Wakayama district Court sentenced Ryuji Kimura to 10 years in prison for the attempted murder of former Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida in 2023. Kimura had thrown a homemade bomb at the Fumio on April 15, 2023. The explosion injured a bystander and a police officer while Kishida was unharmed. In the trial, Kimura had denied any intent to kill and had argued that he wanted to create a disturbance in a political event, bringing public attention to his dissatisfaction with the electron system. However, the court found him guilty after proving that the explosives were powerful enough to kill. The court gave the ruling after deeming that the act of throwing an explosive disrupted an election activity that forms the basis of democracy. However, the court took into consideration that Kimura was young and had no criminal record and his rehabilitation would be financed by his mother. (“Man given 10 years for a pipe bomb attack on former PM Kishida,” Japan Today, 20 February 2025)

Japan Reader | 19 February | Vol.1 No. 255
Japan to not attend Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons meeting 
On 18 February, Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya announced that Japan would not attend the signatories meeting of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in March. This announcement came with the message that if Japan became a participant or observer of such a treaty it would misalign with Japan’s policy of nuclear deterrence. Iwaya mentioned that their region was seeing an increasing buildup of nuclear weapons and Japan would safeguard its independence and peace. Takeshi said: “It is more desirable that progress be made for nuclear disarmament under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, in which both nuclear powers and nations without nuclear weapons widely participate.” Although Japan had said they would attend as an observer nation they later redacted after much consideration and deliberation from analyzing the precedence of previous countries who took part in the meetings as observers like Germany. (Yomiuri