Japan Set to Have First Female Premier After LDP Leadership Victory -2-

By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Sanae Takaichi is poised to become Japan’s first female prime minister after winning the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership election on Saturday. Known for her conservative, right-leaning views, Takaichi has previously called for increasing government borrowing to stimulate the economy and has signaled in her willingness to reopen trade […]

Japan Weekahead: Ruling, Opposition Parties Gear Up for October Snap Elections Widely Expected after Conservative LDP Picks Leader

–Bank of Japan to Stand Pat amid Political Storm Following PM Ishiba’s Resignation, Board Monitors Trump Tariff Impact on Q3 Data–August Data to Highlight Tariff Impact: Japan Carmakers’ Discount Strategy Keeps Their US Market Share but Depresses Export Values–Core CPI to Ease Below 3% on Summer Fuel Subsidies, Yen’s Relative Strength Vs. Slump in Early […]

Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba to Step Down, Citing Risk of Party Split

TOKYO (MaceNews) –  Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned on Sunday, citing the conclusion of negotiations over U.S. tariff measures and calling it a “painful decision” aimed at preventing deep divisions within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), according to national broadcaster NHK. Ishiba told reporters he must take responsibility for a string of election […]

Japan Weekahead: PM Ishiba’s Fate Up in the Air After His Minority Government Suffers Setback in Upper House Election; BOJ to Stand Pat as Trade Rows Cloud Growth Outlook

–June Industrial Output Seen Flat, Retail Sales Sluggish, Setting Soft Tone for Q2 GDP Due August 15–June Jobless Rate to Remain Low and Stable at 2.5%, Job Creation Continues for Nearly 3 Years amid Labor Shortages By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic and political events for the coming week. Prime […]

Report: Japan PM Ishiba to Step Down by end-August to Take the Blame for Historic Election Loss; Ishiba Stresses US Trade Accord Mutually Beneficial

–Mainichi Exclusive: Resignation May Come Sooner Amid Calls from Within Ruling Party, Opposition Camp By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided to step down by the end of August after leading the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to a historic defeat in Sunday’s Upper House election, the Mainichi Shimbun daily reported […]

Japan’s Ruling Coalition Loses Majority in Upper House After Last Year’s Loss in Lower Chamber Election; PM Ishiba Leadership in Question amid Voter Ire Over Inflation, Political Scandals

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s ruling coalition failed to clinch a majority in Sunday’s upper house elections, as widely expected, amid voter frustration over rising costs of living and a string of political funding scandals, just nine months after it lost a majority in the more powerful lower chamber of parliament. It is the […]

Japan Weekahead: Ruling Coalition May Lose in Upper House Election; Tokyo CPI to Show Further Easing but Inflation Seen Still around 3% Amid High Processed Food Prices

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic and political events for the coming week. – Sunday, July 20 Voting and vote counting for the House of Councillors general elections. Opinion polls show the ruling coalition led by the conservative Liberal Democratic Party may lose a majority in the upper house, which […]