Fumio Kishida
FILE - Yasuhiro Yamashita, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee, poses for photographers prior to a press conference Monday, June 28, 2021, in Tokyo, ahead of the opening of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 23. Japan announced Friday, Dec. 24, 2021, it won't send a delegation of ministers to represent the government at the Beijing Games but three Olympic officials will attend, a mixed response to a U.S.-led move to boycott the games to protest China's human rights conditions. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee President Seiko Hashimoto, Kazuyuki Mori, the president of the Japan Paralympic Committee, and Yamashita will attend. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
Japan won't send government delegation to Beijing Olympics

By Mari Yamaguchi Dec. 23, 2021 11:39 PM EST

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian invites questions during a press conference in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. China on Tuesday accused the United States of violating the Olympic spirit by announcing an American diplomatic boycott of February's Beijing Winter Games. (AP Photo/Liu Zheng)
China says US diplomatic boycott violates Olympic spirit

Dec. 07, 2021 02:55 AM EST

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga acknowledges as he is elected as new head of Japan's ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, in Tokyo. The ruling LDP chooses its new leader in an internal vote to pick a successor to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who announced his intention to resign last month due to illness. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)
Suga wins party vote, all but assuring election as Japan PM

By Mari Yamaguchi Sep. 14, 2020 05:58 AM EDT

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga attends a speech session for the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election with former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida at its headquarters in Tokyo Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. The official campaigning to lead Japan's ruling party began Tuesday with the longtime right-hand man of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe now seen as a top candidate and his likely successor to lead the government. (Kim Kyung-hoon/Pool Photo via AP)
Campaign to succeed PM Abe as party leader begins in Japan

By Mari Yamaguchi Sep. 08, 2020 05:15 AM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 3, 2017, file photo, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga speaks during a press conference to announce the new line up of Cabinet at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo. Suga, a longtime loyal assistant and the public face of outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in daily media briefings, has emerged as a favorite to succeed him in an upcoming internal party vote. Suga is set to announce his candidacy and key policies later Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File)
Abe's assistant and spokesman seen as favorite successor

By Mari Yamaguchi Sep. 02, 2020 06:16 AM EDT

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows during a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo Friday, Aug. 28, 2020. Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, says he’s resigning because a chronic illness has resurfaced. (Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP)
Abe says 'gut wrenching' resignation leaves goals unfinished

By Mari Yamaguchi Aug. 28, 2020 01:52 AM EDT