'Godmother of Politics' Yoko Abe Passes Away at 95

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrived in Italy early on June 15 Japan time, beginning the second leg of her European tour after concluding diplomatic meetings in the United Kingdom, where she reached agreements with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on strengthening cooperation in economic security, energy, advanced technologies and defense.

Japan faces growing uncertainty over North Korea's expanding nuclear arsenal after Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his first visit to Pyongyang in seven years without mentioning denuclearization, raising concerns that the long-standing international goal of eliminating North Korea's nuclear weapons may be steadily losing support among the region's major powers.

The Japanese government on June 12th released new guidelines calling for women’s toilets to have at least as many fixtures as men’s toilets in public facilities, seeking to address the persistent problem of long queues at women’s restrooms in places such as train stations and event venues.

Japan's parliament is expected to formally adopt a proposal on June 10th aimed at maintaining a stable number of Imperial Family members, endorsing measures that would allow female royals to retain their status after marriage and permit the adoption of male-line descendants from former imperial branches, while leaving the current line of succession unchanged.

Komeito has begun considering a plan under which all of its Upper House lawmakers would join the Centrist Reform Alliance, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

For several months, Japan has been moving in a more nationalist and conservative direction. The shift has been fuelled by economic challenges at home and growing regional tensions with China.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration is facing mounting scrutiny over allegations that members of her campaign were involved in distributing online videos that disparaged rival candidates during the February House of Representatives election, with opposition parties intensifying their questioning in the Diet and demanding further clarification.

The Japanese government approved its 2026 Environment White Paper at a Cabinet meeting on June 5th, warning that a record-high 50,000-plus bear sightings recorded nationwide during fiscal 2025 have become a serious threat to public safety while also highlighting growing concerns over Japan's aging hunting population and the need to train a new generation of hunters.