Japan

Politics

The new head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Japan's presumptive next premier, Sanae Takaichi, and the head of coalition partner Komeito, Tetsuo Saito, have so far failed to agree on a policy for political finance reform, delaying a coalition renewal agreement, The Asahi Shimbun reported on Oct. 7. 

Japan: Presumptive Premier Takaichi Faces Coalition Cracks, Opposition Threats

South Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in the South Korean port city of Busan, and they issued a joint statement pledging to strengthen cooperation on societal and technological issues, Yonhap News Agency reported on Sept. 30.

South Korea, Japan: Leader Summit Confirms Ties, But Political Headwinds Remain

United States

Economics

The Trump administration is engaged in internal talks about how to invest money from the $550 billion investment fund established with Japan as part of trade talks, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sept. 18.

U.S.: Trump Administration Crafting Plans for $550B Japan-U.S. Investment Fund

China

Malaysia

Military & Security

Japan agreed to provide Malaysia with security equipment worth $2.7 million, including drones and rescue boats, as part of its Official Security Assistance program, Nikkei Asia reported on Sept. 15. 

Malaysia, Japan: Tokyo Donates Drones, Rescue Boats to Kuala Lumpur

Global Trade

The White House released an executive order late on Sept. 4 with details on the U.S.-Japan trade deal, confirming a 15% tariff on most goods, including automobiles, as well as tariff exemptions for pharmaceuticals and certain natural resources, though the deal only vaguely outlines their investment agreement, with no timeline or clarification on the allocation of profits, Bloomberg has reported.

U.S., Japan: Details of Trade Deal Revealed, but Disputes Still Likely

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa cancelled a planned trip to Washington, "because it became apparent that certain points [of the trade deal] required further technical discussion," adding that discussions would continue "at the administrative level," CNBC reported Aug. 28.

Japan, U.S.: Japan Envoy Cancels U.S. Trip as Trade Deal Details Remain Unclear

On Sept. 2, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP, will begin procedures for a vote on whether to hold an early election for the party's president, a post currently held by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Jiji Press reported on Aug. 27.

Japan: Vote on Prime Minister's Fate Could Supercharge Nationalism, Spending

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Aug. 25 on Fox News that the United States and Japan would release further details of their trade deal later that week, The New York Times reported on Aug. 26.

U.S., Japan: Lutnick Says Trade Deal Details Imminent, But Problems Remain

Assessments

Tetsuo Saito, the leader of Japan's Komeito party, attends a meeting at the Diet in Tokyo on Oct. 10, 2025.

The collapse of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's longstanding coalition with Komeito increases the likelihood of a fragile opposition government taking power, which could strain U.S.-Japan trade ties while improving Tokyo's regional diplomatic prospects.

End of an Era: Japan's 26-Year Coalition Government Falls Apart

Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected LDP leader, on Oct. 4 in Tokyo.

Takaichi will lean into populism, spurring near-term growth but exacerbating long-term economic challenges, while her nationalism will bolster Japan's military and boost U.S. ties even as it strains those with Japan's neighbors.

Japan's Conservative Takaichi Set To Become Next Prime Minister

Syria

Turkey

France

Tajikistan

Azerbaijan

Georgia

Russia

The assembly hall of the Syrian parliament Oct. 1 in Damascus. An Oct. 5 indirect election for parliament will mark the first time Syrians have had an electoral say in their government since the 1960s.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Japan's Election, Syria's Political Transition

The candidates running in the leadership election of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party -- (from left to right) Takayuki Kobayashi, Toshimitsu Motegi, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Sanae Takaichi and Shinjiro Koizumi -- pose after delivering speeches at the kick-off of the campaign in Tokyo on Sept. 22, 2025. 

Global Elections

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Oct. 4 vote for party president and therefore prime minister will influence the trajectory of Japan's fiscal policy and foreign relations.

Japan's LDP Leadership Election: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Guyana

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Australia

Ukraine

The President of the 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly and former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a General Assembly meeting to vote on a two-state solution to the Palestinian question on Sept. 12 at the United Nations in New York. Countries including Australia, Canada, France and the United Kingdom will likely formally recognize Palestinian statehood over the next several days at the assembly.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: Western Countries Recognize Palestine, the EU Discusses a 'Drone Wall'

Snapshots

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba attends a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office on Sept. 6, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan.

Japan's leadership contest will threaten to split the ruling party as conservative and reformer factions compete to place their leaders in the country's highest office.

In Japan, Ishiba's Resignation Sparks a Volatile Party Leadership Contest

Ethiopia

Brazil

United Kingdom

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou leaves after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Aug. 27, 2025.

The Weekly Rundown: France's Bayrou Faces a Confidence Vote, Ethiopia Inaugurates Its Mega-Dam

Argentina

Bolivia

Canada

Paraguay

Uruguay

Venezuela

Lebanon

United Arab Emirates

Indonesia

Singapore

Vietnam

Europe

The Geopolitics of Trade

Mercosur is increasingly opening its markets in pursuit of free trade agreements with partners around the world, particularly as U.S. protectionism shifts global trade dynamics.

The Geopolitics of Trade: What Changing Trade Dynamics Mean for Mercosur

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (left) speaks next to leaders of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) during a press conference at the LDP's headquarters in Tokyo on Oct. 28, 2024. 

Following recent setbacks, the powerful party will evolve to ensure it stays relevant on key policy issues and resists dissolution, but it may emerge as a first among equals rather than as Japan's undisputed leader.

The LDP, Japan's Political Leviathan, Faces Another Reckoning

Mexico

Cambodia

Taiwan

Thailand

A Cambodian soldier stands on a truck with a rocket launcher in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Thailand, on July 25, 2025. 

U.S.-China Relations

The Weekly Rundown: U.S. Tariff Deadline Passes, Thai-Cambodian Border Tensions Persist

A photo taken on Feb. 21, 2025, shows Subaru vehicles bound for shipment at a port in Yokohama, Japan. 

The deal is a win for Japan's economy and its ruling party, but it may hasten Prime Minister Ishiba's exit. It will also help South Korea and Taiwan secure their own U.S. trade deals.

U.S. Trade Deal Is a Mixed Victory for Japan, a Template for Regional Partners

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addresses the media at the vote counting center in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) headquarters in Tokyo on July 20, 2025.

Prime Minister Ishiba's days are likely numbered following his party's poor electoral performance, which will worsen policy gridlock and potentially weaken Tokyo's position in trade talks with Washington.

LDP's Defeat in Japan's Upper House Elections Will Stoke Political Instability

<p>Japan is a mountainous, volcanic island chain located in the western Pacific Ocean. The islands arc from Russia in the north toward the Korean Peninsula in the south. The country has four main islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, plus thousands of minor ones extending through the Ryukyu island chain framing the East China Sea. Japan&#39;s rugged terrain and lack of interregional connecting rivers isolated its population into separate, densely populated coastal plains. The Yamato plain, which dominates the &quot;Inland Sea,&quot; the birthplace of Japanese civilization. The Inland Sea saw the rise of early Japanese maritime culture and facilitated communication and political control. As Japanese culture expanded over the island chain, the seat of power moved to the more productive and strategically located Kanto plain, Japan&#39;s core region and home to Tokyo, the world&#39;s largest metropolitan area. The country&#39;s primary geographic challenge is sustaining its large population on an island with little arable land and few natural resources. Japan&#39;s geography has prompted the country to alternate between periods of isolationism and expansion. When Japan unifies under strong centralized control, it is often drawn toward the continent for resources and land. This happened in the late 1500s and again in the early 1900s, leading to World War II. Given its location, the Korean Peninsula has been the corridor of invasion between Japan and China, and its status remains of strategic importance to Tokyo. The lack of natural resources in Japan continues to force the country to seek them abroad, leaving the country to balance between U.S. naval dominance and China&#39;s expanding maritime interests.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Japan: Presumptive Premier Takaichi Faces Coalition Cracks, Opposition Threats

South Korea, Japan: Leader Summit Confirms Ties, But Political Headwinds Remain

U.S.: Trump Administration Crafting Plans for $550B Japan-U.S. Investment Fund

Malaysia, Japan: Tokyo Donates Drones, Rescue Boats to Kuala Lumpur

U.S., Japan: Details of Trade Deal Revealed, but Disputes Still Likely

Japan, U.S.: Japan Envoy Cancels U.S. Trip as Trade Deal Details Remain Unclear

Japan: Vote on Prime Minister's Fate Could Supercharge Nationalism, Spending

U.S., Japan: Lutnick Says Trade Deal Details Imminent, But Problems Remain

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