Japan PM Ishiba survives parliament vote as Trump looms large
Tokyo, Japan Reuters Japanese lawmakers voted for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to stay on as leader on Monday, after his scandal-tarnished coalition lost its parliamentary majority in a lower house election last month. Ishiba, who called the snap poll after taking office on 1st October, must now run a fragile minority government as protectionist Donald […]
Japan’s ruling coalition loses majority, election outcome in balance
Tokyo, Japan Reuters Japan’s ruling coalition lost its parliamentary majority in a drubbing at Sunday’s national election, raising uncertainty over the make-up of the next government and the outlook for the world’s fourth-largest economy. With all but 20 of the 465 seats accounted for, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has ruled […]
Japan’s new PM Ishiba unveils cabinet ahead of snap election
Tokyo, Japan Reuters Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday unveiled his cabinet as he seeks to heal party divisions and secure a national mandate with an 27th October snap election. The 67-year-old former defence minister, who last week won a close-fought contest to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was confirmed earlier […]
Shigeru Ishiba: political troublemaker set to take charge in Japan
Tokyo, Japan Reuters Japan’s next Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, says he reads three books a day and would rather do that than mingle with the ruling party colleagues who picked him as their new leader on Friday. The 67-year-old’s successful leadership bid after four failed attempts puts the self-professed lone wolf at the helm of […]
Japan PM Kishida to step down as scandals prove too much
Tokyo, Japan Reuters Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he will step down in September, ending a three-year term marred by political scandals and paving the way for a new premier to address the impact of rising prices. “Politics cannot function without public trust,” Kishida said in a press conference on Wednesday to announce his […]
With flowers and a gun salute, Japan bids farewell to Abe at state funeral
Tokyo, Japan Reuters With flowers, prayers and a 19-gun salute, Japan honoured slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday at the first state funeral for a former premier in 55 years – a ceremony that has become as controversial as he was in life. The ceremony started at 2pm, with Abe’s ashes carried into […]
Japan’s funeral for divisive slain PM Shinzo Abe fuels backlash
Tokyo, Japan Reuters Japan will honour former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a rare state funeral on Tuesday, a ceremony that has become a flashpoint for public anger over political scandal and deepened opposition to successor Fumio Kishida. Abe’s assassination in July touched off a series of revelations about ties between lawmakers in the ruling […]
In Japan, efforts afoot to win hearts, and votes, of the alienated young
Tokyo, Japan Reuters Momoko Nojo’s campaign for Japan’s upcoming election revolves around social media and T-shirts, but she’s not running for office. Instead, the activist is fighting a different battle – against the apathy that keeps young voters away from the polls. It’s no wonder the young don’t vote, with many of them saying candidates […]
Outcome uncertain as Japan’s ruling party heads to vote on next PM
Tokyo, Japan Reuters Japan’s ruling party votes on Wednesday for the country’s next prime minister in an election that has turned into the most unpredictable race since Shinzo Abe made a surprise comeback almost a decade ago, defeating a popular rival in a runoff. The winner of the 29th September contest to lead the conservative […]
Struggling Japan PM Suga steps down, setting stage for new leader
Tokyo, Japan Reuters Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday he would step down, setting the stage for a new premier after a one-year tenure marred by an unpopular COVID-19 response and rapidly dwindling public support. Suga, who took over after Shinzo Abe resigned last September, citing ill health, has seen his support ratings […]