3 d. ago Is it time for property investors to end their love affair with Japan?

As Japan enters a new era with the likely election of Sanae Takaichi as the first female prime minister of Asia’s second-largest economy, is it time for property investors to end their enduring love affair with Japanese real estate? The 64-year-old Takaichi emerged last week as the leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, paving the way for her to seek the premiership, although uncertainties remain following the collapse of a coalition with the party’s allies. Under an anticipated...

Society

5 d. ago Turbulent Japanese politics could slow progress with China, South Korea: analysts

Japan’s unstable political landscape is expected to cast doubt over its diplomatic commitments and could hinder progress in its trilateral summit with China and South Korea, analysts have observed. Uncertainties are mounting as the path to the Japanese premiership for recently elected Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaichi has been complicated by the abrupt exit of the LDP’s junior coalition partner, Komeito. Takaichi, aiming to be Japan’s first female prime minister, remains short of...

Politics

2 w. ago Japan is getting a new leader, but her government could be over before it begins

Sanae Takaichi is poised to make history as Japan’s first female prime minister, but her government may be imperilled before it even begins amid a deepening rift within the ruling coalition. The Liberal Democratic Party Takaichi now leads and its long-time junior partner, Komeito, have been in coalition for 26 years. Without Komeito’s parliamentary support, the LDP would lose its majority in the Diet, forcing its leader to seek new political allies. Yet analysts warn that Takaichi’s hardline...

Politics

2 w. ago Sanae Takaichi is set to be Japan’s next leader. What will it mean for China?

Tensions between Beijing and Tokyo may escalate further with Sanae Takaichi poised to become Japan’s next leader, observers warn, citing her controversial positions on the Taiwan issue and Japanese wartime history. Takaichi, a former internal affairs minister known for her conservative views, was chosen to lead Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Saturday in a run-off vote against more moderate candidate Shinjiro Koizumi. The victory sets her up to be Japan’s fifth prime minister in...

Politics

2 w. ago Japan’s LDP to pick new leader amid Trump summit talks and election woes

Japan’s long-governing party will choose a new leader to replace Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in a key party vote on Saturday, as it hopes to regain public support and stay in power after major election losses. The Liberal Democratic Party (LFP), whose consecutive losses in parliamentary elections in the past year have left it in the minority in both houses, wants to select a leader who can quickly address challenges in and outside Japan, while seeking cooperation from key opposition groups to...

Politics

2 w. ago Japan’s LDP elects Sanae Takaichi, poised to be first female PM

China hawk Sanae Takaichi won the leadership of Japan’s ruling party on Saturday, putting her on course to become the country’s first woman prime minister. The 64-year-old, whose hero is Margaret Thatcher, is charged with reviving the ailing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as a new anti-immigration grouping snaps at its heels. The arch-conservative will almost certainly be approved by parliament as Japan’s fifth prime minister in as many years, a step that local media say could come the week of...

Politics

2 w. ago ‘New era’: Japan’s LDP elects Sanae Takaichi, poised to be first female PM

Conservative Sanae Takaichi hailed a “new era” on Saturday after winning the leadership of Japan’s ruling party, putting her on course to become the country’s first woman prime minister. The 64-year-old, whose hero is Margaret Thatcher, said that a “mountain of work” lay ahead to restore the fortunes of her ailing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The LDP has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades, but it has been haemorrhaging support as backing grows for smaller parties, including the...

Politics

3 w. ago Japan’s next leader? LDP showdown pits Abe protégé against reformist scion

As Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party begins the process of selecting a new leader – and by extension, the country’s next prime minister – the race is quickly shaping into a duel between a conservative heir to Shinzo Abe’s legacy and a reformist standard-bearer promising broader appeal within the divided party. The party’s internal election on October 4 follows Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s resignation after barely a year in office, with the winner expected to assume leadership through a...

Politics