Prime Minister Ishiba attended a Christmas service on Sunday morning, December 22, at a Protestant church in Tokyo. As discussions are underway to arrange a meeting with U.S. President-elect Trump next month, their shared Protestant background may serve as a point of connection.
The Tokyo District Court has granted bail to Atsuhiko Kurokawa, the leader of 'Tsubasa Party,' and other party members, including Secretary-General Ryosuke Nemoto.
Paul Watson, founder of the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd, who had been detained in Greenland, a Danish territory, has been released after Danish authorities rejected Japan's extradition request.
A criminal complaint against Hyogo Governor Saito and a PR firm representative over alleged violations of the Public Offices Election Act has been accepted by investigative authorities, it was revealed.
On December 13th, it was announced that a new joint venture will be established to advance the collaborative development of the next-generation fighter jet involving Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy.
The Lower House of Japan's Diet has passed a supplementary budget bill worth around 91 billion dollars to pay for a new stimulus package. (NHK)
The government is revising its energy policy framework for the first time in three years. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, the policy has included a commitment to "reduce dependency on nuclear power as much as possible." However, it has been revealed that discussions are underway to remove this wording.
The issue of diplomatic vehicles avoiding parking fines in Japan due to diplomatic immunity continues, with Russia reaching a record-high number of violations, accounting for 63% of the total.