Tokyo International News Agency

On March 24, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued an unprecedented alert to Japanese nationals residing worldwide, citing the deteriorating situation in the Middle East. It urged them to "thoroughly gather information and exercise the utmost caution to avoid being caught in unforeseen circumstances." This alert is believed to be partly prompted by a warning from the U.S. Department of State, and notably includes the phrase, "the possibility of unforeseen circumstances arising in regions other than the Middle East cannot be ruled out." On social media, numerous voices expressed surprise and anxiety, with comments like "I've never heard of an alert for Japanese nationals worldwide before" and "This is serious." While MOFA avoided specific mentions of particular incidents, it broadly urged vigilance. This has led to views suggesting that overseas living and travel should be avoided, and that increased caution against crimes such as thef...

A statement by the US Ambassador to the UN, made after the Japan-US summit, claiming that the Japanese Prime Minister had “promised” support from the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), has sparked widespread controversy. In response, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara explicitly denied any such agreement, stating there was “no factual basis for a specific promise,” highlighting a clear divergence in understanding between Japan and the United States. The controversy originated from the US Ambassador’s assertion that the Japanese Prime Minister had “promised” SDF support for ensuring safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz amidst the Middle East situation. This statement garnered significant attention on Japanese social media, with “US Ambassador to UN” becoming a trending topic. However, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara vehemently denied to multiple media outlets that the Prime Minister had promised the dispatch of the SDF. The prevailing view is that the Prime Minister’s remark during the meeting, “...

On February 28, 2026, the situation in the Middle East plunged into an immediate crisis. The Israeli military announced that the United States and Israeli forces had launched a large-scale military attack on Iran, to which Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel. The situation is heightening concerns of an all-out war. The Israeli military announced that it confirmed multiple missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel shortly after 10:00 AM JST (5:00 PM IST) on the 28th. Reports followed around 5:30 PM IST of further missile launches and interceptions, strengthening the view that these were retaliatory attacks by Iran. In response, the Iranian military reportedly scrambled over 350 fighter jets, and its missile units are preparing for wave attacks in various locations. This conflict was triggered by a pre-emptive strike by US and Israeli forces on Iran. The US-Israel coalition reportedly targeted dozens of military objectives within Iranian territory, including nuclear-relate...