In brief
Japan’s lawmakers are set to vote on lowering the food consumption tax on November 6, 2026. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced plans to strengthen ties with China and, later in the week, Japan and the U.S. condemned Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong’s 10‑year sentence. A draft statement between Japan and Vietnam pledged cooperation on power projects, and a new emergency cybersecurity package was announced to address data‑breach concerns.
On November 6, 2026, Japan’s House of Representatives is slated to vote on a bill that would cut the consumption tax on food, according to a Kyodo News report. The move follows a series of domestic and foreign policy actions highlighted in the Kyodo digest.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in Tokyo that Japan will work to build constructive ties with China, a day before the first anniversary of her remarks on Taiwan that had strained relations.
"We will promote dialogue to protect our national interests and build a constructive and stable relationship," Takaichi told reporters at her office.The statement signals a shift toward a more open diplomatic stance as discussions are slated to resume next week.
In Washington, the U.S. State Department, joined by Japan and eight other countries, condemned the 10‑year imprisonment of Hong Kong pro‑democracy activist Joshua Wong. The countries said the case “provides further examples of how the legislation is being used to target individuals for political expression and participation.”
Against a backdrop of international engagement, Japan and Vietnam signed a draft joint statement promising cooperation on power‑generation projects. Prime Minister Takaichi and Vietnamese President To Lam, who also heads Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party, aim to launch a gas‑fired power plant early in the year, according to the draft released after their Monday talks.
Japan also unveiled an emergency cybersecurity package to tackle a recent surge of personal‑data breaches. Measures include the promotion of artificial intelligence to spot vulnerabilities and the creation of several teams of highly skilled experts, a move announced at a meeting of the prime minister and relevant ministers.
