YUKIO TAJIMA, Nikkei staff writer   BEIJING — China criticized Japan for plans to host a NATO liaison office in Tokyo, saying the U.S.-led military alliance is interfering in regional affairs and inciting confrontation.   “We urge Japan to draw lessons from history, stay committed to the path of peaceful development, and avoid doing things that could dismantle trust and….Read more

By Yoda Kazuna   Stockholm – On the morning of May 13 (afternoon of May 13, Japan time), Minister of Foreign Affairs Hayashi Yoshimasa met with his Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, to congratulate Finland on its accession to the North Atlantic Trade Organization (NATO). The two ministers agreed to further strengthen the cooperative partnership….Read more

Sunday’s Yomiuri claimed that in updating its strategic document on China next month, the EU is likely to stipulate its plan to deepen engagement with Beijing and other nations in the region to defuse tensions across the Taiwan Strait. The document to be updated at the leaders’ conference scheduled to be held in Brussels is expected to express the need….Read more

Yomiuri wrote that visiting Polish Foreign Minister Rau paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Kishida at the Kantei on Thursday. The two officials discussed the situation in Ukraine and agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation to restore peace there quickly. The visitor reportedly praised Japan’s leadership as the G7 chair in expanding international coordination to push back against Russia’s aggression.….Read more

Nikkei, Yomiuri, and Mainichi reported that Foreign Minister Hayashi and his Polish counterpart Rau met in Tokyo yesterday and affirmed bilateral cooperation to maintain and bolster support for Ukraine and the rules-based international order. The two officials also agreed on the importance for the two partners to deepen security coordination in East Asia. “Our security cooperation should address not only….Read more

Sankei front-paged a report saying it learned from multiple diplomatic sources on Tuesday that arrangements are underway for the G7 leaders to discuss ways to utilize Russia’s frozen assets for financing Ukraine’s reconstruction at the summit in Hiroshima slated for May 19 to 21. According to the daily, the total assets of Russian oligarchs frozen by Japan, the United States,….Read more

All national dailies reported that the governments of Japan and France held a virtual “2+2” meeting of foreign and defense ministers on Tuesday and agreed to deepen their defense cooperation. Nikkei wrote that the ministers agreed on the importance of the rules-based free and open international order with China’s growing military threat in mind and confirmed unity ahead of the….Read more

Yomiuri reported on a MOFA announcement on Tuesday that Foreign Minister Hayashi will visit Sweden from May 12 to 15 to attend the Indo-Pacific Ministerial Meeting to be co-hosted by Sweden and the EU on May 13. During the meeting, which will be held to expand the EU’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific, Hayashi is expected to emphasize that the security….Read more

NHK reported that Foreign Minister Hayashi plans to travel to Sweden this weekend for talks with his European counterparts on the war in Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific situation, saying that ahead of the G7 Hiroshima Summit later this month, Tokyo is hoping to strengthen partnerships with like-minded countries in Europe to maintain and strengthen the rules-based free and open international….Read more

The office of Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) Upper House member Suzuki Muneo announced that he has decided to postpone his trip to Moscow scheduled for May 3-7. On April 26, the Upper House Committee on Rules and Administration approved Suzuki’s plan to visit Russia, but the party had been demanding that he reconsider it.