The Senkaku Islands are a group of disputed islands claimed by both Japan and China; China refers to them as the Diaoyu and they are a frequent flashpoint in Sino-Japanese relations.
November 17, 2025
high
geopolitical
Description of a longstanding territorial dispute between Japan and China.
Under Japan's post-war, self-imposed security constraints, Japan's use of military force is highly restricted and is generally considered permissible primarily in cases deemed to threaten Japan's existential survival.
November 17, 2025
high
policy
General description of the conditions under which Japan permits military action following its post-World War II security posture.
Japan has been increasing and advocating a buildup of its defense forces in response to China's military expansion.
November 17, 2025
high
temporal
Frames Japan's defense-policy adjustments as reactionary to regional military trends.
The United States primarily sells the F-35 fighter jet to formal military allies, including NATO member states and Japan.
November 17, 2025
high
general
Typical pattern of U.S. defense exports for the F-35 program
The Senkaku Islands, referred to as the Diaoyu Islands by China, are administered by Japan and are the subject of a territorial dispute between Japan and China.
November 16, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the enduring territorial dispute and differing names used by the parties.
The United States has trade agreements or trade arrangements with the European Union, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
November 13, 2025
high
trade_relationship
A general summary of countries and blocs with which the United States has established trade deals or arrangements.
Trade agreements with Japan, South Korea, and the European Union included investment pledges totaling more than $1.5 trillion into the U.S. economy over multiple future years, and those pledges were commitments for future investment rather than upfront payments.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Agreements that include multi-year investment commitments into the United States.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) routinely holds defense minister-level dialogues with external partners, including the United States, China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, and Russia.
October 31, 2025
high
multilateral_diplomacy
ASEAN engages multiple major powers through defense and security dialogue mechanisms involving regional and extra-regional partners.
Japan has two native bear species: the Asian black bear (also called the moon bear) found across the mainland, and the larger brown bear that inhabits the northern island of Hokkaido.
October 31, 2025
high
descriptive
Species distribution of bears in Japan.
Factors that contribute to increased human–bear encounters in Japan include rural population decline and aging—which can allow abandoned agricultural land to revert to forest and enable bears to expand their range—and climate change, which can shift bear hibernation schedules and affect the availability of natural food sources.
October 31, 2025
high
causal
Durable ecological and demographic drivers of changing bear–human interactions in Japan.
As of 2025, the Japanese government announced a plan to raise Japan's defense spending to 2% of its gross national product.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
The 2% of GNP target reflects a measurable defense spending goal communicated by Japan's government in 2025.
Japan has concentrated defense buildup on its southwestern islands to increase military self-sufficiency in response to regional threats including China's increasingly assertive military activity, and also cites concerns about North Korea and Russia.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
The southwestern islands have been a focus of Japanese defensive posture due to proximity to regional flashpoints.
As of 2025, Japan advanced plans to deploy medium- and long-range missiles, including U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles and Japan's Type-12 anti-ship missiles.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Advancing deployment schedules for these missile types represents a shift toward longer-range strike and maritime-denial capabilities.
Many streets in Tokyo and other Japanese cities are relatively narrow compared with typical U.S. roads, which can make operating or parking large pickup trucks such as the Ford F-150 impractical.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Urban street widths affect the practicality of large vehicles in Japanese cities.
U.S. and Japanese policymakers have sought to limit the expansion of China's manufacturing capabilities, citing concerns that advances in Chinese electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and advanced computer chips could undermine U.S. and Japanese economic competitiveness.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Policy actions are motivated by concerns over strategic economic competition in key technology and manufacturing sectors.
Japan is a longstanding ally of the United States in Asia.
October 27, 2025
high
descriptive
The U.S.-Japan alliance encompasses security cooperation, hosting of U.S. forces in Japan, and close diplomatic and economic ties.
Sanae Takaichi is the first female Prime Minister of Japan.
October 27, 2025
high
temporal
Biographical/political milestone for a national leader.
The United States and its allies prioritize expanding partnerships on semiconductors and critical minerals with Japan and South Korea to reduce reliance on China in global supply chains.
October 26, 2025
high
policy
Describes a sustained policy objective linking technology, resource security, and supply-chain resilience.
Bilateral discussions between the United States and East Asian allies commonly address trade imbalances, technology cooperation, and energy security.
October 26, 2025
high
policy
Describes recurring agenda items in U.S. diplomatic engagements with East Asian partners.
Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo enshrines Japan's war dead, including individuals who were convicted of war crimes for actions during World War II.
October 24, 2025
high
contextual
Describes the composition of those enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine and its historical sensitivity.
Visits by Japanese politicians to Yasukuni Shrine have routinely provoked anger from China and South Korea.
October 24, 2025
high
contextual
Describes a recurring diplomatic pattern tied to visits to the shrine.
The United States has long served as Japan's primary security ally and protector.
October 24, 2025
high
contextual
Summarizes the longstanding security relationship between the United States and Japan.
President Donald Trump has pressed U.S. allies to increase their contributions to defense and has implemented tariffs on imports that have affected allied economies.
October 24, 2025
high
contextual
Describes aspects of U.S. policy toward allies during the Trump administration.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Historical pattern of party governance in Japan
Komeito is a Buddhist-backed political party in Japan that generally holds centrist and dovish policy positions.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Positioning of Komeito within Japan's party landscape
Japan's lower house (the House of Representatives) elects the country's prime minister.
October 21, 2025
high
political
Describes the constitutional/legislative mechanism for selecting Japan's head of government.
Sanae Takaichi is Japan's first female prime minister.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Historical milestone for female political representation in Japan.
In Japan, a candidate for prime minister must gain approval in parliament to become prime minister.
October 10, 2025
high
procedural
Japan's head of government is selected through parliamentary approval.
Kadena Air Base in Japan is the largest U.S. Air Force base in the Asia-Pacific region and is regarded as strategically important.
October 06, 2025
high
infrastructure
Status and strategic characterization of the base
As of 2025, women comprised about 15% of the members of Japan's House of Representatives (the lower house of the National Diet).
October 05, 2025
high
temporal
Representation of women in Japan's national legislature.
As of 2025, two of Japan's 47 prefectural governors were women.
October 05, 2025
high
temporal
Gender balance among Japan's prefectural governors.
Japan's House of Representatives (the lower house of the National Diet) is the more powerful chamber of Japan's bicameral legislature.
October 05, 2025
high
timeless
Relative powers of the two chambers of Japan's National Diet.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has dominated Japan's postwar politics almost without interruption.
October 05, 2025
high
timeless
Long-term dominance of a major political party in Japan's postwar era.
China was the largest source of tourists to Japan in early-to-mid 2025, with almost 7.5 million Chinese visitors to Japan in the first nine months of 2025; Chinese visitors spent more than $1 billion per month in Japan in the third quarter of 2025, accounting for about 30% of tourism-related spending in that quarter.
September 30, 2025
high
statistical
Data on tourist flows and spending by nationality for Japan in 2025.
A July 2025 agreement imposed a 15% tariff on Japanese imports to the United States and included a commitment by Japanese parties to invest about $550 billion in the United States over the following few years.
July 01, 2025
high
temporal
Trade and investment terms between Japan (Tokyo) and the United States as described in a bilateral agreement.
The 2025 Henley Passport Index ranked Singapore first with visa-free access to 193 destinations, South Korea second with access to 190 destinations, and Japan third with access to 189 destinations.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Top three country rankings and their visa-free destination counts in the 2025 Henley Passport Index.
Sanae Takaichi became Japan's first female prime minister in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Milestone in Japanese political leadership indicating the first woman to hold the prime minister office in Japan.
Sanae Takaichi advocates closer ties between Japan and the United States and supports strengthening Japan's military.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Describes policy positions associated with Sanae Takaichi.
A Stockholm International Peace Research Institute report covering 2020–2024 found that Saudi Arabia accounted for 12% of all U.S. weapons exports between 2020 and 2024, followed by Ukraine at 9.3% and Japan at 8.8%.
December 31, 2024
high
temporal
Share of U.S. weapons exports by destination over the 2020–2024 period, per SIPRI
Japan's 2022 national security strategy expanded the roles of Japan's Self-Defense Forces to include more offensive capabilities and eased restrictions on arms exports.
January 01, 2022
high
temporal
The 2022 strategy marked a policy shift from a post-World War II focus on strictly defensive roles.
Japan began maintaining official records on people killed by bears in 2006.
January 01, 2006
high
temporal
Start year for Japan's official fatality records related to bear encounters.
Japan occupied Taiwan for decades until Japan's defeat in World War II in 1945.
September 02, 1945
high
historical
Historical context about Japanese governance of Taiwan prior to the end of World War II.
A mitochondrial disease–causing mutation in a gene required for mitochondrial protein synthesis affects about 50,000 people across the United States, Europe, and Japan.
high
statistical
Reported prevalence of a relatively common mitochondrial disease–causing mutation across multiple regions.
Japan ranks poorly on international measures of gender equality.
medium
societal
General statement about Japan's standing on global gender-equality indices.
Japan's lower house (the House of Representatives) is the more powerful chamber of the country's bicameral parliament and selects the prime minister.
high
political
Describes the constitutional role of Japan's lower parliamentary chamber.
Japan, South Korea, and China compete commercially in industries including electric vehicles and semiconductors (computer chips).
high
economic
Regional manufacturing competition in advanced technology sectors.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) consults closely with the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Japan, and other regional allies and partners when monitoring or responding to ballistic missile launches by North Korea.
high
procedural
Regional military commands routinely coordinate with allied nations on security incidents and missile activity.
Sanae Takaichi is the first woman to serve as prime minister (or lead) of Japan.
high
descriptive
Describes a durable leadership milestone for Japan.
Japan hosts more than 50,000 American troops.
high
temporal
Size of U.S. military presence stationed in Japan.
Japan and the United States maintain a decades-long security alliance.
high
temporal
Enduring bilateral security arrangement between the two countries.
Postwar Japanese policy and constitutional constraints historically limited Japan's military capabilities and scope of armed forces.
high
temporal
Background on Japan's defense posture following World War II.
Taiwan is a democratically governed island located approximately 60 miles from Japanese territory.
high
geographic
Geographic proximity between Taiwan and Japan is a factor in regional security considerations.
China and Japan are the two largest economies in Asia.
high
economic
The relative economic size of China and Japan shapes their regional influence.
Japan maintains the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), which can be deployed in response to security threats.
high
defense
The JSDF are Japan's organized forces used for national defense and security operations.
G20 membership includes the United States, China, Russia, India, Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the European Union.
high
descriptive
List of major members commonly cited as part of the G20.
Neither the United States nor Japan has official diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
high
contextual
Formal diplomatic recognition policy affecting interactions with Taiwan.
Japan is a military ally of the United States and hosts American troops at multiple U.S. bases on its territory, including a major navy base south of Tokyo.
high
contextual
Bilateral security alliance and U.S. force posture in East Asia.
Japan's post-World War II constitution limits the use of force by Japan's military, permitting force primarily for defending Japan's territory.
high
legal
Explains the constitutional constraint shaping Japan's security policy and military operations.
Japan is an important ally of the United States in the East Asia region.
high
general
Geopolitical context describing regional alliances.