The weak yen increases the prices of imported energy and food. This has raised average household costs in 2024 by 90,000 yen (US$590). To combat this, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba implemented stimulus measures to subsidise utility bills and provide cash for poorer households. But one problem with both the BOJ’s tightening and Ishiba’s

The assumption is that, with the right incentives, Moscow might be willing to moderate its ties with Beijing. Yet, this assumption is flawed. Unlike during the Cold War, when ideological rifts separated China and the Soviet Union, today’s Russia-China partnership is built on shared opposition to Western dominance. Both countries benefit from econ