{"id":12585,"date":"2025-02-22T09:09:05","date_gmt":"2025-02-22T09:09:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/?p=12585"},"modified":"2025-02-28T09:31:29","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T09:31:29","slug":"japanese-politics-updates-20250216","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese Politics Updates &#8211; February 16, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"12585\" class=\"elementor elementor-12585\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-529229a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"529229a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/live\/GIZ0NoSC0ZU\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f445fb3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"f445fb3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/youtube.com\\\/live\\\/GIZ0NoSC0ZU&quot;,&quot;show_image_overlay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;image_overlay&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/2025-02-16-210.png&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:12587,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Japanese Politics Updates, Japanese Politics One-on-One #210, February 16, 2025&quot;,&quot;source&quot;:&quot;library&quot;},&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"><\/div>\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png);\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-custom-embed-play\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play Video about Japanese Politics Updates, Japanese Politics One-on-One #210, February 16, 2025\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-play\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M838 162C746 71 633 25 500 25 371 25 258 71 163 162 71 254 25 367 25 500 25 633 71 746 163 837 254 929 367 979 500 979 633 979 746 933 838 837 929 746 975 633 975 500 975 367 929 254 838 162M808 192C892 279 933 379 933 500 933 621 892 725 808 808 725 892 621 938 500 938 379 938 279 896 196 808 113 725 67 621 67 500 67 379 108 279 196 192 279 108 383 62 500 62 621 62 721 108 808 192M438 392V642L642 517 438 392Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b126011 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b126011\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24f21a8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"24f21a8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<p>Hello fellow Japan Hands, and welcome to your weekly update on what we discussed last Sunday. This of course is just a synopsis and much is lost in making this crisp for you, so please tune-in to the live version on Sunday morning (Tokyo). In particular, the Q&amp;A section produces the most heat-and-light (longer than the actual briefing, in fact). Anyway, here are the latest developments you should be aware of. Broadcasting from the deck of the good ship Gryms, Tokyo Bay:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Week ended at \u00a5\/$152.33, weakening slightly from last week\u2019s \u00a5\/$151.38;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PM Ishiba now back in Tokyo since Monday from his meeting with President Trump. He reported to the Diet on Wednesday and took questions;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>13 days left to settle on the 2025 Budget. The opposition parties are playing hard to extract maximum concession\u2026\u00a0\u00a0but the CDP swooped-in to pull a brilliant move just Friday to secure the passage (and reap the credit for doing so);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Abe Faction Accountant failed to appear in the Budget Committee (as expected). As a result, the CDP (Budget Committee Chairman, remember?) seems to have decided to move onto other weightier issues. Still this leaves plenty of mud-on-face;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>LDP-Komeito reportedly discussing mutual endorsements of competing candidates in anticipation of the upcoming June 22 Upper House campaign. Komeito is regretting having endorsed candidates in the last round who proved to have taken in money from the slushfund scandal\u2026 so their reluctance is straining an already tattered relationship;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The surname issue is bubbling to a boil inside the LDP, pitting the conservative wing against the progressive wing. This is a really serious issue: already signals internal trouble;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shunto negotiations now heading into full swing: Toyota\u2019s labor union insisted on 6.28% pay raise across the board this week. This is huge, and impacts what other labor unions will seek. Likely, given the current dynamics, labor will get what they seek or close to it;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ministry of Agriculture announced a release of rice stockpiles to quench the rising prices due to limited availability (i.e., hoarding by producers).\u00a0\u00a0Rice prices have surged 70% over the last 12 months!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pm-ishiba-s-first-meeting-with-president-trump\"><strong>PM Ishiba\u2019s First Meeting with President Trump<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Prime Minister Ishiba met with President Trump last week\u00a0in Washington, accompanied by key cabinet members. Their discussions covered a range of topics, including defense, the economy, trade, and tariffs, with a strong emphasis on strengthening U.S.-Japan relations. The meeting was well received, with both leaders displaying good chemistry. PM Ishiba took a diplomatic approach. He offered praise to Trump, which many believe to produce good results when engaging with him. Despite concerns over looming tariffs, Japan remains a key ally of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pm-ishiba-and-cabinet-approval-ratings\"><strong>PM Ishiba and Cabinet Approval Ratings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>PM Ishiba&#8217;s approval rating saw a notable increase, rising 5 points from 39% to 44% according to NHK polling. Meanwhile his disapproval dropped by five points. However, the Cabinet\u2019s approval rating remains at 28.5%, still below the 30% \u201cdanger zone\u201d threshold. To solidify his position, Mr. Ishiba needs to secure 13 additional votes to pass the budget. In doing so, he needs to build a stronger coalition with opposition parties. A breakthrough came on Friday, as negotiations between Ishin no Kai and the ruling LDP over education funding and tax thresholds showed progress. The Constitutional Democratic Party strategically submitted an alternative budget proposal, likely securing the Budget\u2019s passage and sidelining the other opposition groups. A brilliant move by Mr. Noda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-us-administration-s-trade-policy\"><strong>US Administration\u2019s Trade Policy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Trade relations with the U.S. remain a pressing issue, particularly as Trump\u2019s new tariffs on steel and aluminum pose a significant challenge for Japan, a major player in global steel production. Japan exports a substantial amount of auto parts to the U.S.. This makes potential reciprocal tariff adjustments concerning for the economy here. The country also faces a stark trade deficit in food imports from the U.S., importing far more than it exports. Meanwhile, digital trade, including payments for U.S.-based services like Google and Microsoft, has grown to the point where it now equals Japan\u2019s annual oil spending, highlighting a major economic shift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-japan-s-defense-spending\"><strong>Japan\u2019s Defense Spending\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On the defense and economic fronts, Japan did not commit to increasing\u00a0defense spending during the Ishiba-Trump meeting. It will maintain steady investments in U.S. industries. The Japanese government continues to explore new industries, such as semiconductor production, AI, and a defense industry, as part of a strategy to revitalize its stagnant economy. At the same time, it remains aligned (at this stage) with the former U.S. policy on Ukraine and Gaza, Climate, the EU, NATO, etc., reinforcing its commitment to international stability. So now what is it supposed to do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mizuhara-sentenced-in-the-us\"><strong>Mizuhara Sentenced in the US<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In sports news, Shohei Ohtani former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was\u00a0sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for bank fraud. Mizuhara pilfered (reportedly without Otani\u2019s knowledge) $17 million from Ohtani, claiming a gambling addiction. In addition to jail time, he must repay $18 million in restitution and fines. Following his release, he is expected to be deported back to Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-looking-ahead\"><strong>Looking Ahead\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The next two weeks will be pivotal for Japan. The ongoing budget\u00a0negotiations and trade relations with the U.S., compounded by tariff discussions, economic shifts and the like, propel political maneuvering which will shape the country\u2019s direction under the Ishiba administration. Stay tuned because next week\u2019s update will be critical in understanding where Japanese politics is heading short and medium-term. As it stands, the LDP is in an increasingly weakened position. It could get worse \/ it could get better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-questions-from-the-audience-answered-exclusively-during-the-briefing\"><strong>Questions from the Audience<\/strong> Answered exclusively During the briefing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Regarding the CDP breakthrough you reported, does it look like a political dispute or a policy decision made through dialogue?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Should the Constitutional Democratic Party form a coalition with other opposition parties to challenge the LDP, or is the game to work with the LDP to advance their own policies and gain voter support?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What was the strategy behind the Constitutional Democratic Party\u2019s recent move?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How does this affect the other opposition parties?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What impact will this have on the upcoming Upper House election. Does it enhance the possibility for a double-election in July?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Budget must pass through the Lower House by March 2, which are 10 workdays! Will there be a deal?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60ccb29 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"60ccb29\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc5dafd elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"bc5dafd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-841e162 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"841e162\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a89946 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6a89946\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Are you familiar with \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLdFBN0Nedy2yMBKgkglb1AE_GWdKBNZUn\">Tokyo on Fire<\/a>\u201d? Episodes are available on YouTube \u201cLangley Esquire\u201d: excruciatingly-gained insights sifted over 40 years in-country! Entertainingly presented.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLD_K55pXIzjVDaktKOW32EkBCaACZz7gH\">Japanese Politics One-on-One<\/a>\u201d episodes are on YouTube \u201cJapan Expert Insights\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>If you gain insight from these briefings, consider a tailored one for your Executive Team or for passing-through-Tokyo heavyweights.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>To learn more about advocacy in Japan, read our article \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/the-dynamics-of-lobbying-in-japan\/\">Understanding the Dynamics of Lobbying in Japan<\/a>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70a3ed3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"70a3ed3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b9f9168 elementor-widget elementor-widget-template\" data-id=\"b9f9168\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"template.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-template\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"section\" data-elementor-id=\"7923\" class=\"elementor elementor-7923\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2827954c elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2827954c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-249c62ad\" data-id=\"249c62ad\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7245daef elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7245daef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Join the Success!<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ec08f77 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1ec08f77\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">Experience exceptional, personalized solutions designed to meet your business&#8217;s specific needs. Discover how we can elevate your operations to the next level.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71100ba3 elementor-align-center elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"71100ba3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-lg elementor-animation-grow\" href=\"\/contact\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-envelope\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M502.3 190.8c3.9-3.1 9.7-.2 9.7 4.7V400c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V195.6c0-5 5.7-7.8 9.7-4.7 22.4 17.4 52.1 39.5 154.1 113.6 21.1 15.4 56.7 47.8 92.2 47.6 35.7.3 72-32.8 92.3-47.6 102-74.1 131.6-96.3 154-113.7zM256 320c23.2.4 56.6-29.2 73.4-41.4 132.7-96.3 142.8-104.7 173.4-128.7 5.8-4.5 9.2-11.5 9.2-18.9v-19c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v19c0 7.4 3.4 14.3 9.2 18.9 30.6 23.9 40.7 32.4 173.4 128.7 16.8 12.2 50.2 41.8 73.4 41.4z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">CONTACT US<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hello fellow Japan Hands, and welcome to your weekly update on what we discussed last Sunday. This of course is just a synopsis and much is lost in making this crisp for you, so please tune-in to the live version on Sunday morning (Tokyo). In particular, the Q&amp;A section produces the most heat-and-light (longer than [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":12587,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[255],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Japanese Politics Updates - February 16, 2025<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Japan defense spending, PM approval ratings, US trade policy, Ministry of Agriculture announces release of rice stockpiles and more\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"\/en\/https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Japanese Politics Updates - February 16, 2025\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Japan defense spending, PM approval ratings, US trade policy, Ministry of Agriculture announces release of rice stockpiles and more\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"\/en\/https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Langley Esquire Government Relations &amp; Public Affairs: Getting the impossible done in Japan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/langleyesquire\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-22T09:09:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-02-28T09:31:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Maya\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@langleyesquire\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@langleyesquire\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Maya\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Maya\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b7da9460beeda383d24da8bd5af4b428\"},\"headline\":\"Japanese Politics Updates &#8211; February 16, 2025\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-02-22T09:09:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-02-28T09:31:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1130,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/2025-02-16-210.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Politics\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#respond\"]}],\"copyrightYear\":\"2025\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/\",\"name\":\"Japanese Politics Updates - February 16, 2025\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/2025-02-16-210.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-02-22T09:09:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-02-28T09:31:29+00:00\",\"description\":\"Japan defense spending, PM approval ratings, US trade policy, Ministry of Agriculture announces release of rice stockpiles and more\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/2025-02-16-210.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/2025-02-16-210.png\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":720,\"caption\":\"Japanese Politics Updates, Japanese Politics One-on-One #210, February 16, 2025\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Japanese Politics Updates &#8211; February 16, 2025\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Langley Esquire\",\"description\":\"The Longest-Standing and Most Experienced Government Relations &amp; Public Policy Agency In Japan\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"The Government Relations And Policy Agency of Japan\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Organization\",\"Place\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Langley Esquire\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#local-main-organization-logo\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#local-main-organization-logo\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/langleyesquire\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/langleyesquire\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/langley-esquire\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/langleyesquire\"],\"telephone\":[],\"openingHoursSpecification\":[{\"@type\":\"OpeningHoursSpecification\",\"dayOfWeek\":[\"Monday\",\"Tuesday\",\"Wednesday\",\"Thursday\",\"Friday\",\"Saturday\",\"Sunday\"],\"opens\":\"09:00\",\"closes\":\"17:00\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b7da9460beeda383d24da8bd5af4b428\",\"name\":\"Maya\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e79a3a119fd9be0577f5905d9ce0961e0932dc32ef24f047f50ff61299ec577f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e79a3a119fd9be0577f5905d9ce0961e0932dc32ef24f047f50ff61299ec577f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e79a3a119fd9be0577f5905d9ce0961e0932dc32ef24f047f50ff61299ec577f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Maya\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/author\\\/maya-matsuoka\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/en\\\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\\\/#local-main-organization-logo\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/09\\\/Langley_Esquire_Logo.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/langleyesquire.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/09\\\/Langley_Esquire_Logo.jpg\",\"width\":400,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"Langley Esquire\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Japanese Politics Updates - February 16, 2025","description":"Japan defense spending, PM approval ratings, US trade policy, Ministry of Agriculture announces release of rice stockpiles and more","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"\/en\/https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Japanese Politics Updates - February 16, 2025","og_description":"Japan defense spending, PM approval ratings, US trade policy, Ministry of Agriculture announces release of rice stockpiles and more","og_url":"\/en\/https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/\/","og_site_name":"Langley Esquire Government Relations &amp; Public Affairs: Getting the impossible done in Japan","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/langleyesquire\/","article_published_time":"2025-02-22T09:09:05+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-02-28T09:31:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Maya","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@langleyesquire","twitter_site":"@langleyesquire","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Maya","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/"},"author":{"name":"Maya","@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b7da9460beeda383d24da8bd5af4b428"},"headline":"Japanese Politics Updates &#8211; February 16, 2025","datePublished":"2025-02-22T09:09:05+00:00","dateModified":"2025-02-28T09:31:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/"},"wordCount":1130,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png","articleSection":["Politics"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#respond"]}],"copyrightYear":"2025","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/","url":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/","name":"Japanese Politics Updates - February 16, 2025","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png","datePublished":"2025-02-22T09:09:05+00:00","dateModified":"2025-02-28T09:31:29+00:00","description":"Japan defense spending, PM approval ratings, US trade policy, Ministry of Agriculture announces release of rice stockpiles and more","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png","width":1280,"height":720,"caption":"Japanese Politics Updates, Japanese Politics One-on-One #210, February 16, 2025"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Japanese Politics Updates &#8211; February 16, 2025"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/","name":"Langley Esquire","description":"The Longest-Standing and Most Experienced Government Relations &amp; Public Policy Agency In Japan","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/#organization"},"alternateName":"The Government Relations And Policy Agency of Japan","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Organization","Place"],"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/#organization","name":"Langley Esquire","url":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/","logo":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#local-main-organization-logo"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#local-main-organization-logo"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/langleyesquire\/","https:\/\/x.com\/langleyesquire","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/langley-esquire","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/langleyesquire"],"telephone":[],"openingHoursSpecification":[{"@type":"OpeningHoursSpecification","dayOfWeek":["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday","Saturday","Sunday"],"opens":"09:00","closes":"17:00"}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b7da9460beeda383d24da8bd5af4b428","name":"Maya","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e79a3a119fd9be0577f5905d9ce0961e0932dc32ef24f047f50ff61299ec577f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e79a3a119fd9be0577f5905d9ce0961e0932dc32ef24f047f50ff61299ec577f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e79a3a119fd9be0577f5905d9ce0961e0932dc32ef24f047f50ff61299ec577f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Maya"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/author\/maya-matsuoka\/"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/japanese-politics-updates-20250216\/#local-main-organization-logo","url":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Langley_Esquire_Logo.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Langley_Esquire_Logo.jpg","width":400,"height":400,"caption":"Langley Esquire"}]}},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png",1280,720,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210-300x169.png",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210-768x432.png",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210-1024x576.png",1024,576,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png",1280,720,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png",1280,720,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2025-02-16-210.png",18,10,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Maya","author_link":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/author\/maya-matsuoka\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Hello fellow Japan Hands, and welcome to your weekly update on what we discussed last Sunday. This of course is just a synopsis and much is lost in making this crisp for you, so please tune-in to the live version on Sunday morning (Tokyo). In particular, the Q&amp;A section produces the most heat-and-light (longer than&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12585"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12585\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12596,"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12585\/revisions\/12596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12587"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langleyesquire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}