Takaichi, Mario and the Year of the Fire HorseBy Gearoid Reidy / Bloomberg OpinionEvery year, Japanese vote for a single Chinese character to sum up the past 12 months. There was a much better option: the character 高, pronounced kou or taka — as in Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Takaichi has a generational opportunity to cash in on her popularity and secure her grip on power. Both men would aim to be part of Samurai Japan, the squad for March’s World Baseball Classic. Nonetheless, the Fire Horse is a timely reminder for a country on the front lines of demographic change.

Source: Taipei Times December 28, 2025 16:11 UTC