Prime Minister Takaichi is advancing a more assertive security agenda, but insufficiently refined strategic signaling risks diplomatic friction and undermining the coherence and credibility of its foreign policy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/22/japan/takaichis-strengths-and-strategic-signaling/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #apec #southkorea #china #ldp #komeito #jip #taiwan #nuclearweapons #freeandopenindopacific #chinajapanrelations #usjapanrelations #defense

Japan’s diplomatic mission in the southwestern Chinese megacity of Chongqing has been left without a consul-general, as relations between Tokyo and Beijing remain strained. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/22/japan/politics/japans-china-consulate-vacant-amid-tensions/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #chinajapanrelations #chongqing #sanaetakaichi #taiwan

With chips, investments and planned defense spending hikes, Taiwan is aiming to win over U.S. President Donald Trump and avert a crisis. Will it work? https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/22/asia-pacific/politics/taiwan-trump-china-appeasement/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #china #taiwan #us #uschinarelations #pla #laichingte #donaldtrump #defense #chipmakers #budgets

Manchmal ist #Taiwan auch richtig schraeg! Ein fetter Kater, inkl Gemaecht, inmitten einer Modelleisenbahn in Nangang, Taipei.

Moin #Fediverse und euch einen gesunden Start in diesen Donnerstag. Alles wird gut!

Despite Japan bracing itself for the worst when Donald Trump was elected for a second term as U.S. president, the tumult generated in his first year back has exceeded even Tokyo's deepest fears. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/21/japan/politics/trump-us-japan-year-one/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #us #usjapanrelations #indopacific #donaldtrump #sanaetakaichi #defense #budgets #china #pla #taiwan #greenland #venezuela #usmilitary

Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang is planning to travel to China in late January as he works to reopen a crucial market for his company’s artificial intelligence chips. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/21/nvidia-huang-china-market/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #nvidia #jensenhuang #china #taiwan #semiconductors #chipmakers #tech #trade #ai #us

Taiwan's economy soared last year on skyrocketing exports of AI hardware and semiconductors, but traditional manufacturers struggled as they were clobbered by U.S. tariffs and a strong local currency. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/21/markets/taiwan-manufacturers-no-export-boom/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #markets #taiwan #exports #tsmc #semiconductors #manufacturing #us #donaldtrump #trade #tariffs #republicans #chipmakers

https://youtu.be/rmawho3TooE
🛑🇺🇸‘Trump would be asking his military to do something illegal’ if he ordered them annex Greenland (Times Radio VIDEO) #Ukraine #Poland #Warsaw #Netherlands #Greenland #Nuuk #Norway #Sweden #Estonia #Latvia #Lithuania #Paris #Rome #London #Berlin #Canada #Finland #Brussels #Denmark #Germany #France #Italy #Cyprus #SouthKorea #Press #News #Taiwan #Media #Japan #US #UK #EU #UnitedStates #UnitedKingdom #EuropeanUnion #Czechia
#11yrInvasionOfUkraine #RussiaIsATerroristState

https://youtu.be/rmawho3TooE
🛑🇺🇸‘Trump would be asking his military to do something illegal’ if he ordered them annex Greenland (Times Radio VIDEO) #Ukraine #Poland #Warsaw #Netherlands #Greenland #Nuuk #Norway #Sweden #Estonia #Latvia #Lithuania #Paris #Rome #London #Berlin #Canada #Finland #Brussels #Denmark #Germany #France #Italy #Cyprus #SouthKorea #Press #News #Taiwan #Media #Japan #US #UK #EU #UnitedStates #UnitedKingdom #EuropeanUnion #Czechia
#11yrInvasionOfUkraine #RussiaIsATerroristState

Chinese exports of rare earth magnets to Japan in December fell 8% from November, when a diplomatic spat left concerns about future shipments. Beijing has since banned exports to Japan of some dual-use materials. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/20/economy/chinese-rare-earth-exports-to-japan-down/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #chinajapanrelations #rareearths #trade #taiwan

China doesn’t hold the solution for Canada’s economic issues and isn’t a trustworthy partner, Taiwan’s top representative to Ottawa has said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/20/markets/china-canada-trade-taiwan-envoy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #markets #china #canada #trade #taiwan #xijinping #markcarney

Bitte macht mal fuer 22 Sekunden den Ton an!
Standardwagen im Shinkansen von Taipei nach Taichung und ihr hoert nichts ausser den Fahrgeraeuschen.

Endgeraete muessen auf Mute stehen, es muessen Kopfhoerer genutzt werden und fuer Anrufe muss man in eine Kabine gehen.

Moin #Fediverse und euch einen gesunden Start in diesen Montag. Ruecksicht nehmen ist ein tolles Konzept!

#Taiwan #Verkehrswende

@pallenberg
Ist ja schon fast idyllisch! 😀
#Fediverse #Taiwan #Verkehrswende

Bitte macht mal fuer 22 Sekunden den Ton an!
Standardwagen im Shinkansen von Taipei nach Taichung und ihr hoert nichts ausser den Fahrgeraeuschen.

Endgeraete muessen auf Mute stehen, es muessen Kopfhoerer genutzt werden und fuer Anrufe muss man in eine Kabine gehen.

Moin #Fediverse und euch einen gesunden Start in diesen Montag. Ruecksicht nehmen ist ein tolles Konzept!

#Taiwan #Verkehrswende

A Chinese reconnaissance drone briefly flew over the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands at the top end of the South China Sea on Saturday, in what Taiwan's Defense Ministry called a "provocative and irresponsible" move. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/18/asia-pacific/taiwan-china-drone-pratas/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #pla #taiwan #us #usmilitary #southchinasea

As U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to seize Greenland, tensions over whether his actions would undermine efforts to deter China in the Indo-Pacific were laid bare at a recent major security forum in Hawaii. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/17/asia-pacific/politics/trump-greenland-allies-skepticism-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #us #china #donaldtrump #indopacific #usmilitary #taiwan #pla #defense

The approval rate for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Cabinet increased 1.1 percentage points from the previous month to 61% in January, a poll has found. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/16/japan/politics/takaichi-cabinet-poll-january/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #surveys #cabinet #china #taiwan #chinajapanrelations

The U.S. and Taiwan have agreed to a trade pact that would lower tariffs on goods from the island to 15% and see Taiwanese semiconductor companies increase financing for American operations by $500 billion. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/16/economy/us-taiwan-trade-deal/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #us #taiwan #trade #chipmakers #tsmc #nvidia #howardlutnick #jamiesongreer #donaldtrump #laichingte

But also, I had a sinking feeling that this is all just a sideshow, and the moment we should all be bracing for is when China invades #Taiwan I don't see that ending quickly--I do not want Taiwan to capitulate--but it's going to be ugly.

The U.S. seizure of Venezuela’s leader shows that Washington is not retreating into a tidy world of spheres of influence but is instead using raw power to challenge rivals and weaken the rules-based order. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/13/world/us-sphere-of-influence-is-big/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #venezuela #nicolasmaduro #us #russia #china #taiwan #ukraine #donroedoctrine #monroedoctrine #vladimirputin #latinamerica