Japan
COMMENT: Why Beijing will never take Taiwan
Xi Jinping needs to think again before he sends so many young Chinese men and women to their deaths on Taiwan, for if the PLA does one day dare to land, they will be buried here.
Extreme poverty falling steadily – OWID
To track progress towards ending extreme poverty, the United Nations relies on World Bank estimates of the number of people living below a poverty threshold called the “International Poverty Line” (IPL), Our World in Data (OWID) reports.
Asia’s gas utilities are politically shielded but economically exposed
Many of the region’s gas distributors enjoy the safety net of being government-related entities and are ‘protected’ to a large extent. Their credit profiles are, in reality, extensions of sovereign ratings rather than stand-alone assessments.
US to draw back from Asia in new defence policy concept
The United States is scaling back its strategic focus on Asia, marking a potential end to over a decade of military and political efforts to counterbalance China’s rise in the region, Politico reports.
Japan’s Ishiba, and South Korea’s Lee – the best of frenemies
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s choice of Tokyo and not Washington for his first state visit since coming to power was no accident.
Japan denies giving away city to Tanzania amid immigration panic
Japan’s government quickly dispelled claims that it was handing over control of a city to Tanzania, after misinformation surrounding a cultural exchange programme triggered a xenophobic backlash.
US EPA’s controversial Climate Crisis report is full of lies and mistakes
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a controversial report in July claiming the effects of the Climate Crisis were overblown. A fact check by Carbon Brief found it is full of lies and errors.
Japan considers new accommodation taxes amid tourism boom
While 728 local governments reported being “interested” in the concept, 506 indicated they had no plans to introduce such taxes.
Mapping global drought risk - Statista
By 2050, more than 1.6bn people, including almost 20% of the African population, will be exposed to severe and extreme droughts, if a pessimistic scenario plays out, according to a report by INFORM Climate Change.
Forest carbon credits are facing a reckoning over albedo risks
Planting trees should reduce the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere right? Well, its not so easy as that. Trees also provide shade and prevent sunlight from reaching the ground that could reflect it back into space, cooling the plant.
South Korea’s Lee to head to Washington after two day visit to Japan
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is concluding a two-day official visit to Japan before travelling to Washington for his first summit meeting with US President Donald Trump.
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North Korea test-fires two new air defence missiles
The timing of the launch was also notable, taking place on the same day South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo, before travelling to Washington.
Jimmy Lai becomes a symbol of hope and despair in fallen Hong Kong
Hong Kong is gone. Taiwan and the South China Sea must not, at any cost, follow suit.
Japan’s Maritime Self Defence Force ‘protects’ Royal Navy in Far East
Japan has provided military asset protection to the British armed forces, marking a further deepening of defence ties amid rising global security concerns.
Japan’s Nikkei sets new record
The Nikkei stock index closed above the 43,000 mark for a second consecutive day on August 13, setting a fresh all-time high amid optimism over the United States economy and expectations of an earlier-than-anticipated interest rate cut.
Pakistan selects Japanese blockchain developer to run digital currency
The State Bank of Pakistan has chosen Japanese blockchain developer Soramitsu to design and implement a central bank digital currency, following last month’s federal approval of the Virtual Assets Act 2025.
Japan presses South Korea to end seafood import ban
Japan’s agriculture minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, has urged South Korea to remove restrictions on Japanese seafood imports that were introduced after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Japan becomes the pillar of security in northeast Asia
Japan's rapid technological leap in embracing stealth aircraft, maritime-launch F-35Bs, advanced missile defence, AI-enabled drones and space-based surveillance, brings a strategic balance to the region.
UN accused of enabling Hamas through Gaza aid mismanagement
There are also persistent claims that Hamas is systematically looting the aid that does make it into Gaza. Military officials estimate 80% of all assistance is intercepted either by Hamas members, its affiliates or civilians acting under its control.