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☆ Japan's PM Kishida plans to sack justice minister - media
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has firmed up his intention to sack his justice minister, media reported on Friday, raising the possibility of a second minister leaving the cabinet because of a scandal in less than a month. Hanashi has come under widespread criticism over comments reported in the media in which he made light of his duties, specifically signing off on executions, which he referred to as "tedious". Hanashi's office declined to comment when asked about the media reports that the prime minister was preparing to sack him. Kishida has struggled to overcome revelations of deep and longstanding ties between the ruling party and the church in following the July assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Economic revitalisation minister Daishiro Yamagiwa resigned on Oct. 24 due to his ties to the religious group.

☆ Japan to seek U.S. flexibility on EV purchase incentives, Kyodo reports
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Andrew KellyTOKYO, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Japan will ask the United States to be more flexible on electric vehicle (EV) purchase incentives for non-American carmakers, Kyodo news agency reported on Friday, citing unidentified government sources. The move follows a statement from South Korea's foreign ministry saying Seoul is seeking a three-year grace period on the U.S. Inflation Act to enable its automakers to continue receiving EV incentives in the United States. The law restricts tax credits for EVs to those assembled in North America. The Biden administration said in mid-August that about 20 models still qualify for tax credits of up to $7,500. The government will seek to make nearly completed cars exported from Japan eligible for the tax credits as long as the final process takes place in the United States, Canada, or Mexico, Kyodo said.

☆ Approval of Japan PM Kishida's gov't hits new low, no help from economic plan
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Support slid to 42% in a poll conducted by the Nikkei newspaper at the weekend, the lowest since Kishida took office in October 2021. Approval edged up slightly in a Kyodo news agency survey to 37.6% from 35% at the start of October. read moreThe Unification Church, founded in South Korea in the 1950s and famous for its mass weddings, has been fending off criticism for the means by which it collects donations. In the Kyodo poll, nearly 80% of respondents thought the LDP should expand its investigation into the church. A poll earlier this month showed it had slid to 27.4%, a level low enough to make it difficult to carry out policy.

☆ Nissan mulls taking up to 15% stake in Renault's planned EV unit - report
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Japan's Nissan Motor Co is considering investing up to a 15% stake in Renault SA's planned electric vehicle (EV) unit, Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday, as the two companies negotiate an overhaul of their decades-old partnership. The Japanese and French automakers said this month they were in talks about the future of their alliance, including Nissan potentially investing in the electric vehicle business being spun out of Renault. No further details were immediately available. Nissan said it had no comment to make beyond a joint statement issued by the two firms earlier this month, in which they said they were engaged in discussions on a number of issues, including the EV unit. Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Writing by Elaine Lies; Editing by Jan HarveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japanese economic minister steps down over church links
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

He added that he regretted attending so many church gatherings and giving the organisation recognition as a result. INVESTIGATIONThe church, founded in South Korea in the 1950s and famous for its mass weddings, has came under the spotlight following the July 8 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Since the killing, evidence has come to light of deep and longstanding ties between the church and LDP members. The LDP has acknowledged that many individual lawmakers have ties to the church but have said there was no organisational link to the party. Critics say the church built ties with politicians in Japan to attract followers and gain legitimacy while politicians gained access to church members for help with campaigns.

☆ Japan econmin Yamagiwa to step down - NHK
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Japanese Economy Minister Daishiro Yamagiwa plans to step down on growing calls from the opposition to resign due to his insufficient explanations about his ties to the controversial Unification Church, public broadcaster NHK said on Monday. His resignation would be a blow to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as revelations about connections between nearly half of the lawmakers at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the church came under the spotlight following the July assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. read moreRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Mariko Katsumura, Writing by Elaine Lies Editing by Chang-Ran KimOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. mulls joint weapons production with Taiwan, Nikkei reports
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Oct 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. government is considering a plan to jointly produce weapons with Taiwan, Japan's Nikkei newspaper said on Wednesday, citing three sources. Washington wants to step up production capacity for U.S.-designed arms and speed up their transfer as part of a move to bolster deterrence against China, Nikkei reported. Possibilities would include the U.S. providing technology to produce weapons in Taiwan, or producing the weapons in the United States using Taiwanese parts, the Nikkei added. On Tuesday, the Taiwan Defence Ministry said two Chinese air force planes crossed the Taiwan Strait median line. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Elaine Lies and Daniel Leussink; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Mourners offer flowers at the altar outside Nippon Budokan Hall which will host a state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Japan September 27, 2022. REUTERS/Issei KatoTOKYO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Two months after he was assassinated, Shinzo Abe is still stirring controversy, evidence of how the polarising former premier's legacy is shaping Japanese politics on everything from defence to monetary policy. Japan's longest-serving prime minister was a divisive figure who was dogged by scandals. That's a reflection of how Abe transformed both the LDP and Japan's policy landscape, experts say. That could mean more of the ultra-loose policy and fiscal stimulus set in motion under "Abenomics".

A portrait of Shinzo Abe hangs above the stage during the state funeral for Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe on September 27, 2022 at the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. Several current and former heads of state visited Japan for the state funeral of Abe, who was assassinated in July while campaigning on a street. read moreIn one part of downtown Tokyo, protesters waved signs and chanted "No state funeral" to the tune of a guitar. DIVISIVE FIGUREJapan's longest-serving prime minister was a divisive figure who was dogged by scandals. read moreThe state funeral for Abe, who received a private funeral days after his assassination, was the first for an ex-premier since one in 1967 for former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida.

☆ Japan prepares to bid farewell to slain Abe with controversial state funeral
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Mourners offer flowers at the altar outside Nippon Budokan Hall which will host a state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Japan September 27, 2022. REUTERS/Issei KatoTOKYO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Japan will honour on Tuesday its assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a polarising figure who dominated modern-day politics as its longest-serving leader, with a rare state funeral that has become nearly as divisive as he was. "It has a completely different meaning to a funeral for ordinary people. The sole Group of Seven leader set to join, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, cancelled in order to tackle a natural disaster at home. read moreThe state funeral for Abe, who received a private funeral days after his assassination, is the first since one in 1967 for former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida.

☆ Japan's funeral for divisive slain PM Shinzo Abe fuels backlash
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Some 62% of respondents in a recent poll by the Mainichi newspaper said they opposed holding a state funeral for Abe. Holding a state funeral "was a big miscalculation" for Kishida, said Tomoaki Iwai, an expert on Japanese politics and professor emeritus at Nihon University. The opposition to the funeral reflects how divisive Abe remains in Japanese society. A private funeral for Abe was held on July 12, four days after his killing. About 50 heads of state or government are expected, and media reports say Kishida may meet with around 30 of these.

☆ Japanese man sets himself on fire in apparent protest at former PM state funeral - media
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERSTOKYO, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A man set himself on fire near the Japanese prime minister's office on Wednesday in an apparent protest of the government's decision to hold a state funeral for former premier Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated earlier this year, TV Asahi reported. A letter opposing Abe's state funeral was found nearby, media added. His state funeral is set for Sept. 27, with some 6,000 people from Japan and overseas set to take part. The suspect in Abe's death has said the church bankrupted his mother and he felt the former prime minister supported it. Public sentiment was narrowly in favour of a state funeral at the time it was announced, shortly after Abe's death, but opinion has shifted sharply.

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