- Ishiba Hopes To Push Up His Approval Ratings Through Foreign Visits
Nikkei reported this week that the results of opinion polls conducted by various media outlets in January regarding support for the Ishiba Cabinet are seen in the table below:
Survey Period Approval Rating Disapproval Rating
Nikkei Jan 24 – 26 43% (+2 points) 50% (-1 point)
Kyodo Jan 25 – 26 35.7 (-0.8) 49.2 (+6.1)
Asahi Jan 18 – 19 33 (-3) 51 (+8)
Sankei Jan 18 – 19 43.5 (-2.4) 48.7 (+1)
Yomiuri Jan 17 – 19 40 (+1) 46 (-2)
NHK Jan 11 – 13 38.7 (+1) 39.8 (+1.5)
"Numbers in parentheses indicate the point difference from the previous survey."
With the exception of Kyodo News and the Asahi Shimbun, the approval ratings remained largely unchanged.
Prime Minister Ishiba’s visit to Southeast Asia at the beginning of the year and his policy speech on January 24 did not lead to a significant increase in support.
Starting on the 27th of this month, parliamentary questioning by opposition and ruling party representatives will begin, which is likely to put the Ishiba Cabinet on the defensive and could result in a decline in approval ratings.
It is speculated that Prime Minister Ishiba hopes to boost support by fostering a close relationship with the Trump administration during his upcoming visit to the United States this weekend.
- PM Ishiba To Meet With President Trump On February 7
The media reported that Prime Minister Ishiba will visit Washington, D.C., in the United States starting on the 6th and is scheduled to hold his first Japan-U.S. summit meeting with President Trump on the 7th.
The Japanese government aims to issue a joint statement following the meeting.
So far, discussions have been moving toward positioning the Japan-U.S. alliance as the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, advancing cooperation in the security sector, and further strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the alliance.
Additionally, it is being considered that the U.S. will reaffirm its unwavering commitment to Japan’s defense, while Japan will confirm its fundamental reinforcement of its own defense capabilities.
The early convening of the foreign and defense ministerial meeting, known as the "2+2," is also expected to be included.
During the ordinary Diet session, Ishiba also expressed his intent to ask for understanding and cooperation of the Trump Administration with regard to the North Korean abduction issue.
In the economic sector, the statement is expected to include significant expansion of bilateral investment and employment, as well as cooperation in fields such as AI and semiconductors.
There is a possibility that Ishiba might raise the issue of the U.S. government order to Japan Steel to cancel the acquisition of US Steel during the meeting with President Trump.
3. The Number Of Employed People In Japan Reached The Highest Level Last Year
Japan's population is on a declining trend, but the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications announced on January 31 that the number of employed people in Japan in 2024 reached 67.81 million, an increase of 340,000 from the previous year, marking the highest level since comparable statistics became available in 1953, Nikkei reported.
This increase is attributed to the growing participation of women and elderly individuals in the workforce, as well as the transition to full-time employment.
The employment rate, which represents the proportion of employed individuals among the population aged 15 and older, also rose to 61.7% in 2024, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous year.
Despite this, businesses continue to face a strong sense of labor shortage.
In all industries, the percentage of companies reporting a "shortage" of workers overwhelmingly exceeds those reporting a "surplus."
Going forward, further participation of women, elderly individuals, and foreign workers in the workforce, along with increased full-time employment, will be encouraged.
At the same time, productivity improvements through labor-saving and automation technologies, such as AI, will be essential.
4. Japan To Set Up Its Own GPS Soon
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced on February 2 that it successfully launched the fifth H3, a domestically developed large rocket, and deployed its payload, the quasi-zenith satellite "Michibiki No. 6," into its target orbit.
Michibiki No. 6 is a positioning satellite that functions as part of Japan’s GPS system.
It was developed by Mitsubishi Electric and is operated by the Cabinet Office.
The Cabinet Office plans to expand the current four-satellite system by adding Michibiki No. 6, as well as Michibiki No. 5 and No. 7, which are scheduled for launch by the end of fiscal year 2025, to create a seven-satellite network.
With this seven-satellite system, Japan will be able to achieve stable positioning without relying on foreign GPS systems.
５．Mr. Son Of SoftBank And Mr. Altman Of OpenAI Jointly Promote Corporate Generative AI In Japan
Various media outlets reported that on February 3, SoftBank Group (SBG) Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Ishiba.
Prime Minister Ishiba referred to his upcoming summit meeting with U.S. President Trump later this week and emphasized, "Japan and the United States will deepen cooperation in the field of AI and strive to make the world more peaceful, prosperous, and secure."
Son explained "Stargate," a U.S. AI infrastructure development project backed by SBG, OpenAI, and other investors, and conveyed plans to expand the initiative to Japan.
Altman, referring to the joint investment company between the two parties, stated, "I expect it to bring about significant transformation."
The aim of the corporate generative AI initiative announced by SBG on February 3 is to monetize their investment in OpenAI.
The two companies are focusing on Japanese businesses struggling with a shortage of system developers, promoting AI as a way to enhance productivity.
The so-called "2025 Digital Cliff" characterized by the aging of existing systems and other issues, is intensifying, and many companies are being forced to take countermeasures.
The timing coincides with the renewal of core systems at large Japanese corporations, leading to a shortage of programmers skilled in the programming languages used for mainframe computers.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry estimates that economic losses could amount to as much as 12 trillion yen annually.
However, there are risks associated with companies entrusting sensitive data to external entities, and a technician at a major IT firm notes that it's uncertain whether the use of corporate generative AI by SBG and OpenAI will expand.
6. Honda To Break Off The Negotiations With Nissan For A Merger (source: Yahoo News and Nikkei)
Honda and Nissan announced last December that they had entered discussions to establish a new joint holding company in August 2026, bringing both firms under its umbrella and delisting them.
However, frustrated by Nissan’s delays in formulating a restructuring plan, Honda has shifted toward a strategy of making Nissan a subsidiary in order to take control and push through the restructuring.
Since last weekend, Nissan has been holding intermittent discussions but is increasingly leaning toward rejecting the idea of becoming a subsidiary.
Meanwhile, Honda has reportedly indicated externally that if its proposal is refused, it may have no choice but to break off the negotiations.
The purpose of the integration that both companies explored was primarily to reduce costs through joint development of EV and electrification technologies, strengthen competitiveness by integrating procurement and production bases, and enhance their ability to adapt to Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs).
While streamlining through integration was expected in these areas, the potential downsides could not be ignored.
There were numerous challenges, including differences in brand strategy, clashes in corporate culture, and the need to coordinate existing alliance relationships.
Honda has a strong inclination toward independent development, while Nissan aimed to pursue its own reforms while maintaining its relationship with Renault.
During its merger negotiations with Honda, Nissan was bound by an "exclusive negotiation obligation."
Now that this restriction has been lifted, the likelihood of Taiwan’s Hon Hai (Foxconn) making another move to acquire Nissan has increased.
Hon Hai’s objectives are quite clear.
First, it aims to revamp its EV business.
The company, which grew through contract manufacturing of iPhones, had positioned EVs as its next growth area but had struggled to achieve significant results.
Additionally, Hon Hai seeks to leverage Nissan’s production infrastructure.
While it has EV production bases in Taiwan, China, and the U.S., it lacks expertise in large-scale manufacturing.
Nissan’s production facilities in Kyushu and Yokohama would be invaluable assets for full-scale EV mass production.
Furthermore, Hon Hai intends to establish a foothold in the Japanese market.
Amid the rise of Chinese manufacturers, the company has concerns about its competitiveness in China.
By bringing Nissan under its umbrella, Hon Hai hopes to strengthen its influence in both the Japanese and U.S. markets.