
Tokyo has established multiple peace mediation initiatives in 2024, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' International Peace Mediation Unit in March, the Parliamentary Association for Peace Mediation in May, and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation's Centre for Mediation Support, expanding Japan's diplomatic toolkit for conflict resolution.
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Tokyo is enhancing its diplomatic capabilities for peace mediation through newly established government and private sector initiatives.
Tokyo is seeking to upgrade its diplomatic toolkit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Peace Mediation Unit was set up in March, followed by the launch of the Parliamentary Association for Peace Mediation in May.
Around the same time, the Tokyo-based Sasakawa Peace Foundation separately opened a Centre for Mediation Support, providing another channel for Japanese actors to engage in peacemaking efforts.

This week, Ukraine faced pressure from US President Trump to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries and hinted at changing the president; its Starlink (military version) satellite communication system was suddenly restricted, affecting frontline operations. Although Europe bears more aid, it lacks an alternative Starlink system and has severe funding differences. Ukraine said it needed an additional 70 billion euros for defense, but the EU was only willing to pay two-thirds. The German Chancellor advocated delaying discussions until the end of the year.

Aden International Airport in southern Yemen was attacked by missiles on the 16th. Two missiles landed near the runway, about 500 meters away from an aircraft preparing to take off. The Saudi-led multinational coalition intercepted and destroyed 3 missiles and 4 drones that day. The Houthis did not claim responsibility for the airport attack, but claimed they attacked the Saudi military command headquarters and weapons depot, and accused Saudi Arabia of using internationally banned cluster bombs to attack residential areas in Yemen, killing three children. Saudi Arabia has not yet responded, but it accused Iran of inciting the Houthi armed forces, which the Iranian Foreign Ministry refuted.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order pausing a sweeping sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, named after late Senator Lindsey Graham, which aimed to clamp down on financial resources fuelling the war in Ukraine. The move follows Trump's recent statement about purchasing diesel from Russia to lower global energy prices.

Beijing has agreed to let the Japanese Business Federation (Keidanren) send a larger delegation to China next month, but observers warn that 'hot economics and cold politics' will continue to define the strained China-Japan relationship.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo at the start of its autumn festival, despite refraining from visiting the shrine since becoming prime minister a year ago, according to a source close to her, amid strained relations with China and stable ties with South Korea.

Beijing warned the EU not to believe that pressure would force concessions, confirming plans for a mechanism to exclude China from the single market, just days after a surprise deal to limit Chinese hybrid car exports to Europe, indicating that trade war risks between two of the world's three largest economies remain high.