Jeffrey J. Hall 🇯🇵🇺🇸

I just appeared on BBC News to talk about the rise of Sanseito in the 2025 election, which indicates that right-wing populism can have some success in Japan:

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba intends to resign at the end of August. Staying on for all of August will allow him to make a mark oh history by being leader of Japan during ceremonies marking the 80th anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki and the end of…

What Trump & the US got from the trade deal with Japan: ・Japan won't lower tariffs on foreign agricultural goods. ・There were no tariffs on American cars in Japan in the first place, so that stays the same. ・Japan won't increase its quota for tariff free imports of rice…

Japanese trade negotiator Akazawa poses inside the White House with a commemorative photo of Ishiba and Trump after trade talks Tuesday DC time: "I went to the White House today. The mission is complete. I sincerely thank all those involved.“

The Public Security Intelligence Agency has identified the second son of Shoko Asahara — the founder of the now-defunct Aum Shinrikyo cult — as the de facto head of Aleph, the group regarded as Aum’s successor. ebx.sh/CXkTEY

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Tamiya Chairman, Shunsaku Tamiya, age 90 His unfaltering vision and passion has truly shaped not only the Hobby industry, but many outside it too. Tamiya President, Mr N Tamiya will continue to drive and shape Tamiya's future.

Ishiba’s fate hangs in balance after U.S. tariffs deal japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/2…

BREAKING: U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. Government agreed to reduce reciprocal tariffs on Japan to 15% in exchange for $550 billion investment in the United States and enhanced market access for U.S. auto, rice (ag), etc.

An NNN poll finds that 54% of Japanese people think that Prime Minister Ishiba should resign after the LDP's Upper House election loss. After the LDP lost its majority in the Lower House last year, only 29% of people thought Ishiba should resign. youtube.com/watch?v=GbslGs…

One of the surprises of the election was Anno Takahiro, AI engineer & sci-fi enthusiast who won a seat under his Mirai ("Team Future") party. A newcomer to politics, his platform focuses on digitization, participatory democracy & tech-driven policy, with support mainly in Tokyo

Rest in Peace Tamiya Shunsaku (1934-2025): you were an absolute legend who turned the Tamiya brand of plastic models into a global success and made Shizuoka City the world capital of models.

Prime Minister Ishiba will met with former LDP PMs tomorrow. Is he trying to stop Takaichi Sanae? A tabloid article last year claimed that former PM Kishida urged his supporters to vote against conservative "Taliban" Takaichi in the LDP leadership election last year.