Japan

Core Summary Japan’s parliament has passed a controversial bill limiting imperial succession rights to male members only. This decision has triggered extensive debate both domestically and internationally, touching on issues of gender equality, preservation of traditional culture, and the future of the imperial household. Event Details According to the Associated Press, Japan’s parliament has officially passed legislation restricting imperial succession to male members. This decision concludes years of intense debate over whether female emperors should be permitted. ...

Core Summary Japan’s parliament passed a landmark cryptocurrency tax reform bill on July 15, dramatically reducing the tax rate on crypto assets from the current maximum of 55% under the comprehensive income tax to a separate rate of approximately 20%, aligning with rates applied to stocks and foreign exchange. The reform fundamentally reclassifies crypto assets from “miscellaneous income” to “financial products,” removing the biggest institutional barrier to Japan’s crypto industry growth. ...

Core Summary Japan’s largest credit card network JCB has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with stablecoin issuer Circle to explore using USDC stablecoin for cross-border payments and merchant transactions. This marks an important step for Japan in integrating stablecoins into everyday commerce, potentially covering approximately 40 million merchants. Details CoinDesk reported on July 14 that JCB and Circle will collaborate on research into how USDC can support cross-border payments and merchant transactions. As Japan accelerates efforts to bring stablecoins into everyday commerce, this partnership will provide Japanese merchants with more efficient and lower-cost payment solutions. The combination of JCB’s extensive merchant network and Circle’s technical expertise in stablecoins is expected to drive further adoption of stablecoins in the Asian market. ...

Core Summary According to The New York Times and Al Jazeera, Japan has formally established its first national intelligence agency since the end of World War II, with a budget of $407 million and a personnel strength of 33,000. This historic move marks a major turning point in Japan’s security policy, aimed at addressing increasingly complex regional security threats and ending Japan’s longstanding embarrassment as what the intelligence community has called a “spy paradise.” ...

Japanese publicly traded company Metaplanet has purchased another $170 million worth of Bitcoin, expanding its total holdings to 43,000 BTC. It is now the world’s third-largest publicly traded Bitcoin holder.

SBI Crypto, a subsidiary of Japanese financial giant SBI Group, will close its Bitcoin mining pool on July 31. The pool currently controls approximately 2% of the global Bitcoin network hashrate.

Major Japanese financial services group SBI Holdings announced the acquisition of crypto exchange Bitbank for $289 million, with the deal expected to close in October 2026, marking traditional finance’s accelerating entry into digital assets.

Core Summary Japan’s National Business Corporate Pension Fund plans to allocate approximately 1% of its assets to cryptocurrency, according to Coinpost. This marks the first time a major Japanese institutional investor has explicitly committed to including digital assets in its portfolio, signaling a significant shift in Asian institutional attitudes toward crypto. Event Details The Block, citing Coinpost, reports that the pension fund’s crypto allocation plan has entered substantive stages. While 1% may appear conservative, given the massive scale of Japan’s pension system, this decision carries milestone significance. ...

Core Summary The UK and Japan have announced a bilateral investment agreement worth £18 billion. According to a statement from Downing Street, Japanese companies will invest billions of pounds in UK infrastructure and offshore wind energy. This is one of the largest bilateral investment deals signed since Brexit, demonstrating the two nations’ deep commitment to economic security and green transition cooperation. Event Details Downing Street announced in a statement that Japanese companies have committed to investing over £18 billion (approximately $23 billion) in the UK over the next five years, focusing on three key areas: infrastructure development, offshore wind energy, and advanced manufacturing. ...

Japan LDP Proposes Crypto ETF Trading Framework, Yen Stablecoins Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has submitted a proposal to the finance minister recommending that the country establish a legal framework for trading cryptocurrency ETFs. The proposal also supports the creation of yen-based stablecoins. The move signals Japan’s accelerating push toward comprehensive crypto regulatory reform and could position the country as the first major Asian economy to fully open crypto ETF trading. ...