By bno - Taipei Bureau Japan has formally launched an independent diplomatic mission to NATO, reflecting its growing collaboration with the alliance as tensions rise with Russia, China, and North Korea.

Chinese foreign minister meets visiting lawmakers from Japanese ruling coalition in latest sign of growing detente.

China just posted a trade surplus with the rest of the world of almost $1 trillion for 2024, according to official data released this week. That giant gap between exports and imports—roughly equal to the annual output of Poland—is now three times what it was in 2018 when decades of Western orthodoxy favoring open trade were upended by Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports.

Japan on Thursday formally inaugurated an independent mission to the NATO military alliance as Tokyo and NATO seek to bolster cooperation amid escalating tension from Russia, China and North Korea

Tokyo on Tuesday urged “stable” ties with Beijing as a Chinese military delegation paid a rare visit to Japan. The delegation from Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army will meet Japanese counterparts and senior Japanese defense officials through Friday.

The Communist Party of China and Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, along with its coalition partner Komeito, agreed on Tuesday to jointly promote the building of a constructive and stable Sino-Japanese relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.

Wang listed Japan’s military deployment on the islands off its southwest coast from October 2023 to September last year. Tokyo has added a 40-person electronic warfare squad on Yonaguni island and expanded its military base on the island to accommodate a soon-to-be-deployed air defense force.

The project signals Tokyo’s desire for wider security ties in the region and Jakarta’s aim for more joint weapon developments, analysts say.

TOKYO -- The Japanese government is expected to invite Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Japan next month, seeking to pave the way for a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing Co. reported strong growth in revenue and operating profit for the three months through November, as robust demand across Japan, North America and Europe helped offset sustained slowdown in China.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange marked the first trading day of 2025 with a ceremony on Monday. But the year got off to a lackluster start.