Japan’s Foreign Minister Motegi, currently visiting Kenya, held a phone call with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi early on May 3rd Japan time, urging Tehran to ensure the passage of all vessels remaining in the Persian Gulf. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government has emphasized that sufficient supplies are secured, but escalating tensions in the Middle East are beginning to ripple across Japan’s Golden Week holiday period, affecting not only fuel prices but also tourism and agriculture in unexpected ways. (News On Japan)

A sharp exchange unfolded at the review conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in New York, where China accused Japan of seeking to deploy nuclear weapons belonging to its allies, prompting a firm rebuttal from Tokyo. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attended the central May Day rally organized by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, known as Rengo, and called for cooperation in achieving sustained wage increases that outpace inflation, as concerns grow over rising prices amid worsening tensions in the Middle East. (News On Japan)

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi met Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on April 28, confirming the importance of stable natural gas supplies from Australia, one of Japan's key energy suppliers, against the backdrop of rising tensions involving Iran. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government held the first meeting of an expert panel on April 27 to begin discussions on revising three key security-related documents, including the National Security Strategy. (News On Japan)

A survey by Nikkei Inc. and the Japan Center for Economic Research found that 66% of economists believe Japan needs measures to curb petroleum consumption in response to rising crude oil prices. (News On Japan)

Japan's House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to establish a National Intelligence Council aimed at strengthening the government's intelligence-gathering and analytical capabilities. (News On Japan)

Three members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force were killed in a tank shell explosion during a live-fire exercise at a training ground in Oita Prefecture, with the force now planning to examine radio communications at the time of the accident. (News On Japan)

Four more Japanese crew members have disembarked from Japan-related vessels staying in the Persian Gulf, reducing the number of Japanese nationals still aboard ships in the area to 16. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government on April 21 revised the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and related guidelines, in principle allowing the export of weapons with lethal capabilities. The move marks a major turning point in Japan's postwar security policy. (News On Japan)

The approval rating for the cabinet of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi rose 3.1 percentage points from March to 70.2%, recovering to the 70% range for the first time in two months, according to an FNN public opinion survey. (News On Japan)

North Korea launched several missiles on Sunday morning, with reports suggesting they may have included a submarine-launched ballistic missile, or SLBM. (News On Japan)

Australia has formally decided to jointly develop its next-generation frigate with Japan, marking a major step forward in defense cooperation between the two countries. (News On Japan)

Japan will release around 50 million stockpiled medical gloves from next month as concerns grow over shortages of medical supplies linked to tensions in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said. (News On Japan)

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi held telephone talks on the night of April 15 with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, conveying Japan’s hopes for the resumption of ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran and for an early agreement. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Takaiichi met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on April 15th, marking their first summit talks, where the two leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" amid growing global security tensions. (News On Japan)

Yonaguni Town Mayor Tsuneo Uechi met Defense Minister Koizumi on April 13th and conveyed his intention to accept the deployment of a missile unit at the Yonaguni garrison, marking a shift in his previously neutral stance on the issue. (News On Japan)

Members of the globally renowned hard rock band Deep Purple paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on April 10th during their visit to Japan. (News On Japan)

Japan’s House of Representatives Commission on the Constitution convened on April 9th for its first round of deliberations since the ruling party’s landslide victory in the February lower house election, with lawmakers beginning discussions on potential constitutional revisions. (News On Japan)