Japan said on Wednesday that China had detained two of its citizens in the port city of Dalian over an alleged rare-earth export attempt. The case surfaced as Beijing opened a whistleblower hotline for illegal mineral exports, sharpening a rivalry that runs through every economy — Europe's included — dependent on Chinese supply.
Japan recorded 705,809 births in 2025, a 10th consecutive record low, while South Korea's fertility rate rose to 0.80 from 0.75. Tokyo and Seoul are forming a joint task force on the demographic crisis. Here is what the numbers mean, why Korea's uptick may not last, and why below-replacement Europe should pay attention.
Japan's NICT has signed a collaborative research agreement with Luxembourg start-up Odysseus Space and a memorandum of understanding with the University of Luxembourg, both inked on 4 May 2026 at the Prime Minister's Office. The deals, announced on 21 May, target optical satellite-to-ground communications and non-terrestrial networks, with ministers from both countries present at the signing.
Japan is trying to lock in a Trump-Takaichi meeting before the US president's planned mid-May visit to Beijing, anxious that a Trump-Xi deal could quietly trade Japanese interests.
On 20 April 2026, a major earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan. Authorities urged residents to stay away from coastal areas of Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido as tsunami waves of up to 3 metres were expected.
On 8 February 2026, the LDP under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi won at least 316 seats — Japan's largest single-party haul since 1945. Takaichi succeeds Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned in September 2025 after consecutive electoral losses.