Japan in April 2026: the most important developments in politics
Japan's politics in April 2026 were dominated by tension with China. On April 10 Japan's annual diplomatic report lowered its description of China, and Beijing summoned a Japanese diplomat, saying the root of the strained ties lies in Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's statements on Taiwan. On April 17 a Japanese Self-Defense Forces vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait, and China accused Tokyo of stirring up trouble. On April 21 Takaichi sent a ritual offering to Yasukuni Shrine; China and South Korea both criticized it, and Chinese officials repeatedly said Japan has a duty to prevent a revival of militarism. At month end China's foreign minister criticized Takaichi's "free and open Indo-Pacific" proposal, as she prepared a trip to Vietnam and Australia.
On April 21 the government approved an overhaul of its defense export rules, scrapping most long-standing limits on exports of lethal weapons. Protesters had rallied against the plan earlier in the month, and China warned against Japanese remilitarization. A day earlier Japan formed an expert panel to revise its key security documents, and on April 23 the Lower House passed a bill to create a national intelligence bureau.
The war involving Iran shaped Japan's diplomacy. On April 6 Donald Trump again criticized Japan and South Korea for not helping the United States. Japan held talks with Iran's president, called for safe passage of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, backed Pakistan's mediation efforts, and joined Canada, Britain and Australia in urging an end to fighting in Lebanon. By April 28 and 29 a Japan-bound ship and a Japanese oil tanker had passed through the strait with government assistance, while Tokyo struggled to steer between the United States and Europe within the G7. Russia summoned Japan's ambassador over a drone deal with Ukraine and said relations were at an all-time low.
At home, a record budget of 122.31 trillion yen was enacted on April 7 after a delay. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party adopted a platform that targets spring 2027 for advancing constitutional revision, which opposition parties criticized. Its candidate lost the Nerima Ward mayoral race to Yoshida.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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