News

Japan sent a Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer through the Taiwan Strait for the first time in February, a move seen as a response to China's growing military presence in the region. The destroyer also participated in a joint exercise with the United States, Australia, and the Philippines in the South China Sea.

Rengo leader Tomoko Yoshino urged the LDP to pass legislation allowing separate surnames for married couples, sparking surprise and highlighting the growing pressure on the issue. This move comes as the LDP seeks to gain support from labor unions and undermine its political rivals ahead of the Upper House elections.

Nissan is testing its self-driving technology on the streets of Yokohama, aiming to catch up with competitors like Google's Waymo and address the nation's shrinking population and driver shortage. The technology, currently at Level Two with remote monitoring, plans to reach Level Four (no human involvement) by 2029 or 2030.

Chinese and Korean electric vehicles are making inroads in Japan's market, with BYD unveiling its new Sealion 7 SUV and Hyundai showcasing its Inster compact EV at the Tokyo Auto Salon. These developments signal a growing challenge to the dominance of hybrid vehicles and European imports in the Japanese automotive landscape.

Nissan has named Ivan Espinosa as its new CEO, effective April 1, 2024. Espinosa, who has been with the company since 2003, has extensive experience in product planning and development, and will take over from Makoto Uchida, who is stepping down after facing pressure due to declining earnings and the collapse of merger talks with Honda.