News & Insights

According to the Asahi Shimbun, the Japanese government plans to propose abolishing tariffs on up to 85% at TPP negotiations in Brunei. This will not include politically sensitive agricultural products. 

The Nikkei Shimbun reports that new direct investment by foreign firms to Japan is decreasing. According to government statistics, from January to June, new investment was at the lowest level in ten years. Abenomics has attracted short-term equity in...

A 100-member delegation left Japan to participate in the Trans-Pacific Parternship (TPP) negotiations that began last week in Malaysia. Led by Deputy Foreign Minister Koji Tsuruoka, the delegation also consists of representatives from the Ministry of...

This morning, GR Japan's Senior Adviser Dr. Llewelyn Hughes presented a study predicting that the governing coalition will secure a stable majority in the upcoming election. The Liberal Democractic Party (LDP) and the New Komeito Party (Komeito) coal...

While most politicians are out of Nagatacho campaigning for the upcoming election to the House of Councilors, Kasumigaseki is fighting over control of the nuclear energy policy discussion. The Denki Shimbun runs an interesting story about both METI a...

On July 6 and 7, the Asahi Shimbun conducted a second survey (telephone) in regards to the House of Councillors election. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) topped the list at 41% (the first survey conducted on June 29 and 30 indicated 44%) of propor...