Japan

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to the United States underscored Japan’s desire to maintain strong US ties amid global uncertainty.

In the wake of the West Asian crisis, the challenge for Japan, a US ally, is to maintain strategic autonomy given its energy dependencies on the region.

The Ministry of Defence document, ‘Directions of Change in Defence Capabilities 1’, released on 12 March, offers a glimpse into the evolution of Japan’s security strategy.

The Japan–Australia Special Strategic Partnership has become an important pillar of Indo-Pacific stability.

Heightened activity around Dokdo/Takeshima by the ROK could generate a ‘clash of nationalisms’ with Japan and endanger delicate bilateral relations.

The Japan–Philippines Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) aims to enhance interoperability and rapid-response capabilities.

Japanese diplomacy in 2025 underwent several paradigm shifts, each of which brought in train potentially transformative impacts.

Sanae Takaichi could draw Japan closer to the US, while maintaining steady relations with India and the ROK, even as relations with China are likely to remain challenging.

Sanseito’s rise in the political landscape signals a disruptive shift.

The initiatives announced during the TICAD9 summit in Yokohama offer a second chance to reinvigorate India-Japan collaboration in Africa.