Tim Kelly

Jan 7, 2025 | japantoday.com | David Brunnstrom |Simon Lewis |Trevor Hunnicutt |Tim Kelly

The foreign ministers of Japan and the United States said their countries' ties were stronger than ever on Tuesday, even after Japan's prime minister called U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to block Nippon Steel's $14.9 billion bid for U.S. Steel "perplexing." Biden's move last Friday was a jolt to U.S. efforts to boost ties just as neighboring South Korea's political crisis potentially complicates a deepening trilateral relationship between Washington, Seoul and Tokyo formed to counter...

Nov 25, 2024 | japantimes.co.jp | Tim Kelly |David Dolan |Aishwarya Jain

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden asking him to approve Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel, to avoid marring recent efforts to strengthen ties between the countries, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Nov 7, 2024 | japantoday.com | Yoshifumi Takemoto |Yukiko Toyoda |Tim Kelly

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hopes to meet U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in the United States this month, four sources said, in an attempt to emulate then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's close ties during Trump's first term. The U.S. is Japan's most important economic and security partner, while Tokyo is a key Washington ally in Asia, providing bases that allow it to keep a large military presence on China's doorstep.

Oct 29, 2024 | japantoday.com | Tim Kelly

A shock election result in Japan, Washington's key Asian security ally, and the United States' potentially destabilizing presidential election next week could provide an opportunity for China and other rivals to test Western resolve in East Asia. Analysts say China could increase intrusions into Japanese territory as well as step up pressure on Taiwan, while North Korea, which has been deepening its security cooperation with Russia, could intensify ballistic missile testing.

Sep 27, 2024 | japantoday.com | Tim Kelly

Japan's next prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, says he reads three books a day and would rather do that than mingle with the ruling party colleagues who picked him as their new leader on Friday. The 67-year-old's successful leadership bid after four failed attempts puts the self-confessed lone wolf at the helm of a Liberal Democratic Party that has ruled Japan for most of the past seven decades.