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July 12, 2026
 

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DEFENSE

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un salutes the new Choe Hyon destroyer following its commissioning ceremony at Nampo port in North Korea on Tuesday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 24, 2026
North Korea’s Kim unveils plans for new warships and nuclear-armed navy
Kim Jong Un has vowed to modernize his navy, but questions remain whether the investment will ultimately prove worthwhile for the strongman.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara speaks during a news conference on Wednesday at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Jun 24, 2026
Two Japanese held in China for allegedly smuggling export-restricted goods
The goods the two are alleged to have smuggled were rare-earth related products, media reports said.
This picture taken and released by Taiwan's Central News Agency on June 22 shows a row of armored military vehicles driving along the highway in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 24, 2026
Taiwan says warning time for any China attack is shortening
The island’s military needs to test if it can respond immediately to ⁠a war breaking out, its defense minister says.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at a World War II memorial event in Okinawa on Tuesday
JAPAN
Jun 24, 2026
Takaichi heckled at WWII memorial in Okinawa
A small but vocal number of demonstrators shouted slogans throughout Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s speech at an event commemorating the 81st anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa.
Samples of rare earth luminescent materials displayed at an exhibition on China’s manufacturing achievements at the National Museum in Beijing in March
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Jun 24, 2026
China’s mineral squeeze testing Japan’s military buildup
The restrictions are exposing vulnerabilities in Japan’s defense-industrial supply chains while also providing the clearest test yet of Tokyo’s push to bolster economic security.
Destroyed facilities of Azovstal Iron and Steel Works during the Russia-Ukraine war in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, in May 2022.
WORLD
Jun 24, 2026
Ukraine’s Azov fighters were forced from Mariupol. Now they’re hitting back.
The 2022 defeat turned Azov into a symbol of endurance in Ukraine — and paved the way for its return.
Rheinmetall headquarters in Duesseldorf, Germany. The company aims to cooperate with Japanese firms, with an eye toward setting up its first defense-related production base in Japan.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 23, 2026
Major German defense firm Rheinmetall eyes production base in Japan
A spokesperson said the company hopes to promote projects together with Japanese industry to open up opportunities for defense exports from Japan.
China's Liaoning aircraft carrier takes part in a military drill in the western Pacific in April 2018.
JAPAN
Jun 23, 2026
China accuses Japan of ‘harassment’ during far-seas aircraft carrier training
Beijing said the Japanese side had conducted “dangerous” close-in reconnaissance of the Chinese Navy’s Liaoning aircraft carrier flotilla.
The J-20S (right) and J-35A stealth fighter jets are exhibited at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, China, in November 2024.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 22, 2026
In selling arms, China is still no superpower
In fact, China’s strategy of avoiding military entanglements and binding security commitments is one of the reasons why it struggles to break through in the export market.
The Typhon ground-launched missile system is displayed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercise by the U.S. Marines and the Self-Defense Forces last September.
JAPAN
Jun 21, 2026
U.S. deploying powerful midrange missile system to Japan for joint drills
The deployment of the land-based Typhon system is seen as part of a more robust allied approach to countering China’s growing military assertiveness in the region.
Navy personnel and members of the media sail on board the Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat as the Taiwan military demonstrates combat readiness in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Jan. 9, 2025.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 21, 2026
Taiwan to stage five days of combat readiness drills
Taipei will base some of its drills on a scenario where China ⁠suddenly turns one of its regular exercises around the island into an actual attack.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with U.S. President Donald Trump during the Group of Seven summit in Evian, France, on June 17.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 21, 2026
What’s in a name? America’s Indo-Pacific reversal
The decision to restore the Pacific Command name has raised questions about whether Washington is reducing its emphasis on India within its regional strategy.
A Ground Self-Defense Force uncrewed ground vehicle takes part in a live-fire military exercise at the Higashi Fuji Training Field in Shizuoka Prefecture on May 7.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Jun 21, 2026
Can automation offset Japan’s military workforce shortage?
Japan is building a 21st-century military, but it is running out of 21st-century citizens to staff it.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders prepare for a family photograph during the Group of Seven summit in Evian, eastern France, on Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
Jun 19, 2026
An absence of drama means the G7 summit was a success
This year, the G7 once again muddled through. It avoided the worst outcome — a public display of disarray
Stanislav Gryshyn, co-founder of Ukrainian drone-maker General Cherry, at the Japan Drone 2026 and International Advanced Air Mobility Expo in the city of Chiba, last month
WORLD / FOCUS
Jun 19, 2026
Ukrainian drone-makers target Asia as Taiwan tensions spur demand
Ukraine has developed a reputation as a master of drone warfare, which has helped an otherwise-outgunned Kyiv hold out for more ‌than four ‌years against Russia.
A concept model of the Global Combat Air Program fighter jet is displayed during a security trade exhibition in Chiba in May 2025.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 19, 2026
Japan’s GCAP push signals a new security role beyond the U.S. alliance
The renewed GCAP backing comes less than a week after the apparent failure of the Future Combat Air System — a program led by France, Germany and later Spain.
Helsing company presents the new air combat system CA-1 Europa in Tussenhausen, Germany, in September last year.
WORLD
Jun 19, 2026
‘Wingman’ drones center stage as Europe looks to bolster its defenses
Investment in the technology comes as Europe faces a debate over reducing reliance on the United States.
A South Korean Air Force's Black Eagles aircraft flies near Seoul in October 2025.
JAPAN
Jun 18, 2026
Japan and South Korea mull regular aircraft refueling support
Work to regularize the refueling support is aimed at fostering a framework for cooperation amid improving Japan-South Korea ties.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te speaks during a briefing at the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents Club in Taipei.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 18, 2026
Taiwan not ‘provoking’ China and hopes new U.S. arms sale package can be approved soon, president says
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te reiterated his desire for talks based on “parity and respect” with China, but said Taiwan had a right to protect ⁠its interests.
Fumitake Fujita, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday. The JIP has said that nuclear power is the only option for the next-generation propulsion systems that enable submarines to operate underwater for long periods and over long distances.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 18, 2026
JIP to submit proposals seeking swift introduction of nuclear submarines
The JIP has said that nuclear power is the only option for propulsion systems that enable submarines to operate underwater for long periods and over long distances.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
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