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China announced today that it has expelled a Japanese fishing vessel for illegally entering Chinese territorial waters.China Coast Guard (CCG) spokesperson Liu Dejun said a Japanese fishing vessel was warned and expelled after illegally entering the territorial waters of China's Diaoyu Dao region, Xinhua news agency reported.The spokesperson added that the CCG had taken the necessary control measures in accordance with the law, issued warnings, and turned the ship away, while emphasizing that Diaoyu Dao and its islands are integral Chinese territory."The CCG will continue to conduct rights-protection law enforcement operations in the waters of Diaoyu Dao to firmly safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," the spokesperson added.

QNB ruled out that the new economic stimulus package will create a major change in Japan’s economic growth trends, expecting growth to slow to 0.6% annually during 2026-2027, compared to the 1.1% growth forecast for this year.In its weekly report, the bank noted that Japan has entered a new phase of economic policy following Sanae Takaichi’s assumption of leadership as Prime Minister, the first woman to ever hold the position.It pointed out that Takaichi has pledged to revive Japan’s economic growth by adopting what she called a responsible, proactive fiscal policy.The report said that this policy aims to strike a delicate balance between allocating spending to strategic sectors and maintaining financial sustainability, while controlling Japan’s very large public debt.In this context, the bank said that boosting growth in Japan is a difficult task for a country facing significant structural challenges and uncertain global outlooks.The analysis in the report was based on several key factors, including the fact that a slowdown in consumption places a major burden on growth, given that household consumption accounts for about 60% of the Japanese economy, and is therefore a decisive factor in its performance.QNB pointed out that, although consumption has improved this year compared to 2024, it has recently shown signs of stagnation.It attributed weak consumption to the erosion of households’ purchasing power due to high inflation rates. Real wages adjusted for prices have contracted throughout this year after several months of gains at the end of last year, a trend expected to continue.The report added that the Bank of Japan has continued normalizing its monetary policy, raising the benchmark interest rate to 0.5% from a deeply negative 0.1%, which has increased borrowing costs for households and reduced the space available for fiscal policy due to higher debt servicing costs.The bank said that these negative factors could be obstacles to Japan’s economic growth, given the important role of consumption.Regarding the second factor underlying the analysis, it noted a decline in external support for exports, weakening Japan’s major growth engine, which is heavily reliant on global integration.In this context, the report referred to the trade agreement concluded between Japan and the United States last July, which imposed a standard tariff of 15% on most Japanese imports to the US, compared to an average tariff of 1.5% last year, placing an additional burden on the economy.Furthermore, the bank argued that the anticipated slowdown in global trade, amid uncertainty surrounding trade policies and ongoing geopolitical tensions, adds to pessimism about the Japanese economy. Exports account for about 20% of GDP and are a key driver of industrial production, making weak export prospects a major obstacle to economic performance.In conclusion, the report said that, given these challenges, the new government will seek drastic measures to boost growth. Within weeks of taking office, Takaichi unveiled plans to launch a fiscal stimulus package worth 21.3 trillion yen (about $135 billion), the first major economic initiative of her administration. 

The Philippines, the United States, and Japan conducted a new round of joint naval exercises in the West Philippine Sea, underscoring their deepening security cooperation.The 13th Multilateral Maritime Cooperation Activity (MMCA) -- and the eighth held this year -- involved key assets from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the US Indo-Pacific Command, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.According to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Sunday, the Philippine side deployed two missile-capable frigates, BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF151), along with an AW159 helicopter.The United States deployed the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, led by the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), while Japan deployed the destroyer JS Akebono (DD-108) along with an SH-60K Seahawk helicopter.The Philippine Coast Guard also supported the activity by enhancing maritime domain awareness.The exercises included communications checks, at-sea replenishment techniques, anti-submarine warfare drills, maritime domain reporting, helicopter deck landings, formation maneuvers, and an integrated final exercise.

A volcano on Sakurajima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, erupted early Sunday morning, sending a plume of ash and smoke up to 4,400 meters into the atmosphere, the Japan's weather agency said.The eruption continued after the initial event, prompting the agency to issue an ashfall forecast for parts of Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Miyazaki prefectures. No injuries or damage to buildings have been reported, according to Japan's News Agency (Kyodo).In the latest series of eruptions, large volcanic rocks flew as far as the fifth station, but no pyroclastic flows were detected. The alert level remains at three on a scale of five, which restricts access to the mountain.Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, is linked to the Osumi Peninsula on Kyushu, the country's southwestern main island. It was once an island, but a a major lava flow in 1914 created a land bridge to the peninsula.

China warned its neighbor Japan against using force to intervene in Taiwan, signaling that such a step would be met with a firm response.Beijing also urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan amid Chinese anger over remarks made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan. Tokyo responded by summoning the Chinese ambassador to lodge a strong protest over an article posted on the platform X by China's Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao concerning Takaichi, which was another escalation in a dispute that has been growing for a week.Takaichi sparked a diplomatic confrontation with Beijing after saying in parliament last week that any Chinese attack on Taiwan could be considered a situation threatening Japan's survival and could trigger a military response from Tokyo.A Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesperson said in comments that Takaichi's words lacked responsibility and were extremely dangerous. He added that if Japan failed to learn from history and dared to take risks or even use force to interfere in the Taiwan issue, the only outcome would be a crushing defeat. His remarks came a day after China's Foreign Ministry summoned the Japanese ambassador in Beijing to deliver a strongly worded protest over the Japanese leader's statements.The spokesman also expressed what he described as serious concerns over Japan's recent military and security actions, including ambiguity surrounding its non-nuclear principles. He said that Japan's decision not to rule out acquiring nuclear-powered submarines signaled a major negative shift in its policy.On the other side, some prominent political figures in Japan called for the Chinese ambassador to be expelled, but Tokyo has so far only asked Beijing to take the appropriate measures, without elaborating.This marks the first time in more than two years that Beijing has summoned the Japanese ambassador. The last occurrence was in August 2023, when China protested Tokyo's decision to release wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea.

The Japanese yen’s renewed weakness is testing the patience of policymakers in Tokyo and unnerving investors.The currency fell to 154.79 against the dollar on November 12, its lowest level in around nine months, following recent declines largely prompted by the emergence of Sanae Takaichi as Japan’s new leader. Takaichi’s focus on boosting economic growth has fuelled expectations she will be reluctant to prod the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates — a move that would support the yen.If the central bank waits longer to increase borrowing costs, the government may be forced to wade into currency markets to prop up the yen. Officials have indicated they are keeping a close eye on currency market movements, a typical first step before direct intervention.While Japan is committed to international pacts that stipulate markets should determine exchange rates, the Group of 20 has acknowledged that excessive or disorderly currency moves can threaten economic and financial stability, giving members wiggle room to intervene when volatility spikes. Japanese officials insist it is sharp or disorderly movements — not any specific exchange-rate threshold — that trigger intervention.The question now is how far — or how quickly — the yen needs to fall before Tokyo steps in to protect it.Why is the yen’s weakness cause for concern?While the yen’s slide over the past decade or so has transformed Japan into an affordable travel destination for millions of foreign tourists and boosted the profits of the nation’s biggest exporters, its weakness has become acute.For an economy heavily dependent on imported energy and raw materials, the feeble yen drives up costs, fuelling inflation for households and squeezing margins for domestically focused businesses. The resulting cost-of-living crunch has already helped bring down two prime ministers.There’s another reason why Japan’s government may want to act. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised Japan for its weak currency, arguing it gives Japanese manufacturers an unfair trade advantage. That’s a point that came up in trade negotiations between the two nations.What is currency intervention?When a country’s central bank steps into the foreign exchange market with the intention of strengthening or weakening its currency, that’s known as direct intervention.In Japan’s case, the Finance Ministry decides when to act and the BOJ carries out the operation via a limited number of commercial banks. Japan will either buy yen or sell dollars to strengthen the local currency or sell yen and buy dollars to weaken it. The scale of the transactions depends on how much impact the ministry seeks and how quickly the market reacts.Where does the money come from?When Japan intervenes to prop up the yen, the dollars typically come from its foreign reserves in the form of cash or US Treasury holdings. As of the end of October, Japan had $1.15tn in foreign currency. During last year’s interventions, for example, Japan appeared to sell some US Treasuries from its reserves to help finance the action.How effective is currency intervention?Intervention is a clear way for the government to tell speculators it won’t allow its currency to go into free fall or rocket up. However, it only offers a temporary fix unless economic fundamentals driving the trend are also addressed. In addition, foreign reserves are generally there to protect the economy in the event of a major financial shock or unexpected event, not to artificially prop up the currency. A unilateral move is still seen as unlikely to turn the tide of currency momentum, but it can buy time until market dynamics change.How often does Japan intervene in its currency market?Japan has exchanged vast amounts of money over the years — usually to weaken the yen. But recent intervention has been in the opposite direction. The government spent a total of almost $100bn on yen-buying to prop up the currency in 2024. On each of the four occasions the exchange rate was around 160 yen per dollar, setting that level as a rough marker for where action might take place again.To keep traders guessing, officials often don’t immediately confirm an intervention. But the ministry discloses the amount spent on intervention at the end of each month. Generating doubt and fear of losses in the market is part of the ministry’s strategy, making the comments of officials highly potent.What is verbal intervention?To keep traders on guard and slow movements in markets, senior officials can make remarks that hint at the prospect of intervention and bloody noses for market players. Comments by the finance minister or the ministry’s top currency official can quickly scare speculators. Officials typically use a carefully calibrated set of expressions to ratchet up their warnings and show how close they are to moving. References to “taking action” suggest intervention is close.What are the flow-on effects of monetary intervention?When Japan’s authorities intervene in currency markets, the immediate impact is typically sharp. Past episodes show the yen jumping around 2 yen against the dollar within seconds and 4 to 5 yen within hours.These abrupt swings can cause huge losses for traders making speculative bets that the currency will keep moving in the previous direction. Sharp moves can also cause headaches for businesses trying to price goods, make payments and hedge against exchange rate fluctuations.For the government, intervention also carries political and diplomatic risks. It can draw criticism for currency manipulation, especially when intervention is aimed at weakening the yen, a direction that can help exporters with trade. That charge is harder to argue when Tokyo acts to support the yen.What is the US stance on a weak yen?Trump accused Japan’s leaders of guiding the yen lower to gain a competitive advantage in early March and said tariffs were the solution. Japan remains on the US Treasury Department’s “monitoring list” for foreign-exchange practices after posting trade and current account surplus against US, but doesn’t fulfil all the conditions to be characterised as a currency manipulator.Tokyo and Washington issued a joint statement in September, in which the two finance chiefs reaffirmed that intervention “should be reserved for dealing with excess volatility or disorderly movements” and not for competitive advantage. Still, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on October 7 said Japan’s government needed to give the central bank space to manage volatility — comments seen as a warning against excessive weakness in the yen.Any intervention would take place after prior notice to the US and if it ended up strengthening the yen, it may be tacitly welcomed by the Trump administration.

His Excellency Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi met on Tuesday in Tokyo with the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Akazawa Ryosei.During the meeting, they discussed bilateral and cooperation relations between the two countries in the energy field, and ways to enhance them.HE Minister of State for Energy Affairs also met with senior Japanese energy industry leaders, including Chairman of the Board of Maruben, Masumi Kakinoki, and Managing Executive Officer of Tohoku Electric, Kaoru Hijikata.During the meetings, discussions focused on existing and future cooperation and further strengthening bilateral relations in the energy sector.

Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Japan's ORIX Corporation (ORIX) announced Tuesday that they have entered into an agreement to launch a commitment-based private equity (PE) fund (OQCI Fund LP). The total fund size will be the yen equivalent of USD 2.5 billion, with QIA committed to contributing USD 1 billion of the fund's capitalThe fund will invest in Japanese companies, primarily targeting business succession, privatization of listed companies, and carve-outs (the transfer of business divisions or subsidiaries from large corporations), with an enterprise value investment size of at least 30 billion yen (approx. 200 million USD) per investment.This marks the first time that ORIX has launched a fund that welcomes capital from an international third-party investor for domestic private equity investment in Japan. It is also the first time QIA has invested in a domestic private equity fund focused solely on the Japanese market.Investment decisions for the fund will be made by OQCI GP Ltd. (the GP), which will act as the general partner of the fund. ORIX and QIA will be the only two investors (LPs) in the fund, committed to contributing 60% and 40% of the capital, respectively. ORIX will provide the GP with introductions to potential investment targets, post-investment monitoring, and advisory support for portfolio companies.CEO of QIA Mohammed Saif Al Sowaidi said: "Japan represents a core component of QIA's long-term private equity strategy. With disciplined valuations, a deep pipeline of governance-driven deals, and growing global investor interest, we see this as an exceptional opportunity to partner with best-in-class Japanese businesses to create value. We are pleased to be the first international partner in ORIX's inaugural private equity fund in Japan in its 60-year history. This partnership will enable both parties to capitalize on market opportunities and support ORIX's ambition to build a thriving asset management initiative.""We are honored to enter into this partnership with Qatar Investment Authority today. QIA is a significant and influential sovereign wealth fund, and we are pleased to be able to help it increase its investments in the Japanese economy. ORIX has built up considerable expertise in private equity investment in Japan," Representative Executive Officer, Chairman and CEO of ORIX Makoto Inoue said."This partnership is the next logical step on the path to improving the corporate value of companies with high-growth potential. Moreover, it will contribute to Japan's broader industrial development. Increasing the portion of third-party funds in ORIX's investment portfolio will enhance capital efficiency and help further grow our asset management business. This partnership is a key strategic move to help realize our long-term growth strategy," he added.Following the guidelines published by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the request for management reforms by the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan's M&A market has been seeing a surge in listed companies going private, corporate reorganizations, and carve-outs. As deal sizes become larger, and against the backdrop of Japan's stable economy and society, an increasing amount of foreign capital has been flowing into the market.ORIX and QIA will together aim to enhance the corporate value of companies with high-growth potential and contribute to the advancement of Japanese industry. They will also explore opportunities for collaboration across other fields.

The Embassy of Japan in Qatar hosted the 2025 Japan-Qatar Illustration Contest Award Ceremony on Wednesday. The contest, themed 'Draw a Japanese element in a Qatari setting,' attracted over 130 entries from artists of diverse ages and backgrounds, an embassy statement said. The first prize went to Moza al-Marri for her piece titled 'Qahwa wa Chai – Coffee and Tea.' The jury, which included noted Qatari artist Kholoud al-Ali, praised the participants for their creative works that truly captured the elegance of Japanese aesthetics and the warmth of Qatari environment. The contest was co-organized by Geekdom, Nakama, and the Japanese Club at Qatar University. The Embassy also thanked the sponsors, including Teyseer Motors – Suzuki, FNAC Qatar, Daiso Japan, and North Café. In his opening remarks at the ceremony, ambassador Naoto Hisajima, commended all participants for their exceptional creativity, and expressed his hope that such initiatives would continue to enhance the excellent bilateral relationship between Japan and Qatar.

Bank of Japan (BoJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda kept his policy options open by reiterating the bank’s long-held stance on interest rates, avoiding sending any clear signals about the prospects for a rate hike when the board meets later this month.“If the baseline scenario for economic activity and prices outlined so far is realised, the bank, in accordance with improvement in economic activity and prices, will continue to raise the policy interest rate,” Ueda said Friday in a speech to local business leaders in Osaka.Ueda refrained from telegraphing any policy changes after market speculation over an impending rate hike gained momentum in recent weeks. Two board members dissented from the decision to hold settings steady last month, and a member considered dovish cited the heightened need for policy change in a speech earlier this week.Instead, Ueda took a more neutral tack by highlighting the factors officials are monitoring as they mull the timing for a rate shift.“To determine whether economic activity and prices are improving, the bank will, for the time being, monitor factors such as the points I mentioned,” Ueda said, citing the global economy — especially the US economy — and the impact of US tariffs on Japan’s corporate profits as factors to watch. He added that wage and price trends including food inflation required attention.The yen weakened as much as 0.4% to 147.82 against the dollar after Ueda spoke.“Some dovish comments from Ueda have prompted selling of the yen,” said Akira Moroga, chief market strategist at Aozora Bank. “While the market had expected Ueda to sound more hawkish, the governor refrained from taking an aggressive posture toward rate hikes.”Still, the mere reiteration of the existing policy stance will likely keep alive market speculation over a rate hike when authorities next set policy on October 30, as the governor refrained from backing or opposing such notions.Pricing in the overnight swaps market shows that traders see about a 56% chance for a move at that meeting, up sharply from around 22% early last month, though down from levels seen earlier in the week.The annual Osaka conference tends to be where BoJ governors deliver one of their most important speeches of the year. Friday’s event comes days after the central bank released its latest Tankan survey — the first time since 2013 that the key speech followed the quarterly survey. The timing fuelled market speculation that the bank might wish to lay the groundwork for a hike after examining the closely watched dataset. It showed business sentiment at a solid level.“Given the corporate sentiment until now, we can say that the likelihood is rising for our economic outlook to be realised,” Ueda told reporters later Friday. “But, looking ahead, it doesn’t give us strong information over the future impact of US tariffs.”Japan’s inflation has stayed at or above the BoJ’s 2% target for more than three years. Ueda has justified a gradual approach to rate hikes by explaining that the underlying trend remains shy of the target.At the September meeting, board members Naoki Tamura and Hajime Takata called for hiking rates. It was the first time in Governor Ueda’s tenure that more than one member had dissented from a vote to hold steady.Ueda didn’t cite political uncertainty among the factors he’s monitoring, but it’s likely he’ll be closely watching when the ruling Liberal Democratic Party selects a new leader on Saturday.Sanae Takaichi, a top contender for the party race and an advocate of monetary easing, said borrowing costs shouldn’t be raised while the other four candidates said monetary policy should be left to the central bank, Kyodo News reported Thursday, citing a survey.Another emerging uncertainty comes from a US government shutdown that began Wednesday. Economic data releases from the US are expected to be delayed as a result, including the unemployment report scheduled for Friday.“It’s a severe problem,” Ueda said. “We just have to gather information by various ways and make a decision” if the absence of data lasts until the October meeting, he said.

Carlos Alcaraz said he had to go on the offensive to protect his injured ankle after beating Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday to reach the Japan Open semi-finals.The world number one hurt himself during his opening match in Tokyo and he admitted after his next outing that the injury had worried him and was on his mind on the court.The Spaniard again played with strapping showing above his left sock but it did not appear to trouble him as he brushed aside American world number 33 Nakashima with a brutal display of power tennis.Alcaraz will face Norway's world number 12 Casper Ruud in Monday's semi-finals and he said he was "still thinking about the ankle"."I had to play more aggressive than normal because I just want to let him run much more than I do in the match," said Alcaraz."You can see that there are some times that I can't go as fast as I want, I'm just taking care about the steps I'm doing in the match."That's why sometimes I was playing really big shots, because I didn't want to run from side to side," he added.Alcaraz had his service broken three times in his previous night's win over Belgium's Zizou Bergs.He gave Nakashima no such help and did not face any break points as he stayed on the front foot all match.Alcaraz is playing in Japan for the first time and he treated the crowd to some outrageous shots that grew gasps from the packed stands."First of all, I'm a huge fan of tennis, and seeing these kinds of shots, if it comes from me or not, I just enjoy," said Alcaraz."Tonight there were a few of them that I was like 'that was a really good one'."Alcaraz said the love he is receiving from the Tokyo crowd is mutual."Really grateful and really happy with the atmosphere that they're creating," he said."I just try to play in a style that I like them to be entertained watching the match."Alcaraz's semi-final opponent Ruud beat Australian qualifier Aleksandar Vukic 6-3, 6-2.World number five Taylor Fritz will play fellow American Jenson Brooksby in the other semi-final.Fritz, the number two seed, came through a tough quarter-final against another American, Sebastian Korda, winning 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3.Brooksby beat the number three seed, Denmark's Holger Rune, 6-3, 6-3.Fritz, who beat Alcaraz this month at the Laver Cup, said he had struggled with the weather in Tokyo, with temperatures around 27C for his late morning match."I wasn't expecting it to be that hot and humid," he said."Tough to play in that heat and play a lot of physical, long points."

Japan on Wednesday strongly condemned Israel's strikes on a residential compound in Doha that targeted several Hamas leaders, describing the attack as a threat to Qatar's sovereignty and regional security.Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the attack represented a "hindrance to diplomatic efforts" aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages. He expressed Japan's solidarity with Qatar and urged Israel to return to negotiations.Hayashi underlined Qatar's pivotal role in mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire and facilitate the release of hostages, warning that the Israeli strikes could undermine the negotiating process and further complicate efforts to achieve peace in the region.