Erica Yokoyama

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet approved the largest round of extra spending since the pandemic, deploying funds to address the frustrations of voters in a package that may unsettle investors scrutinizing the nation’s finances.

China’s recent warning to travelers to avoid Japan and for students already there to exercise caution is unacceptable, a Japanese government spokesperson said after Beijing ratcheted up its response to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments related to Taiwan.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent refrained from weighing deeply into Bank of Japan monetary policy in talks, according to his Japanese counterpart Satsuki Katayama, despite having previously describe the BOJ as “behind the curve” on inflation.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke favorably of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s expansionary fiscal stance, telling his counterpart Satsuki Katayama that it appears to be contributing to record stock gains in Tokyo.

Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama signaled that it may be necessary to issue additional debt to fund Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s upcoming economic package, if existing resources prove insufficient.

Japan’s Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato stepped up his jawboning of the yen after it hit a fresh eight-month low against the dollar, despite efforts by the ruling party’s new leader to calm market concerns.

Japan’s economy likely contracted in the third quarter after five consecutive periods of growth, as US President Donald Trump’s tariffs campaign took a toll on exports, according to a Bloomberg survey of economists.

The top contenders to lead Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party will need to collaborate with opposition parties to help make progress on policy and stabilize the LDP’s shaky grip on power.

Japan’s Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, a reform proponent, says he will run in the ruling party leadership race as the Liberal Democratic Party looks for a successor capable of turning around its prospects and leading the nation.

Japan’s finance minister pushed back against a US call to ramp up pressure on President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine by imposing higher tariffs on China and India for importing Russian oil.