Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s handling of bilateral relations has become a campaign issue. Her earlier comments on Taiwan brought reprisals from Beijing.

However you cut it, this is a one-woman story.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan and Britain agreed Saturday to accelerate cooperation on cybersecurity and the supply of critical minerals, as China’s influence grows in the region. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his visit to Japan comes at a time “when geopolitical, economic and technological shocks are literally shaking the world.”

The chances of getting a replacement are poor, with Tokyo's relations with Beijing at their lowest point in years amid tensions over Taiwan.

In Tokyo, just a few hours before polls open in the snap election she called, hundreds of people crowded into a park to see Sanae Takaichi. Despite the bitter temperatures and the fact many struggled to see her over the sea of heads,

Japan said Monday it has successfully drilled and retrieved deep-sea sediment containing rare earth minerals from the seabed near a remote island, as the country seeks to reduce its reliance on China.