Sanae Takaichi is often compared to Margaret Thatcher, but the analogy fails because Japan today is not 1980s Britain and her success depends on pragmatism, not ideology. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/editorials/2025/10/10/ideology-must-not-guide-takaichi/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #editorials #sanaetakaichi #ldp #chinajapanrelations #usjapanrelations #southkoreajapanrelations #defense #china #southkorea #us
Taiwan will build a new multi-layered air defense system called "T-Dome" to defend itself against enemy threats, President Lai Ching-te said on Friday, calling on China to renounce the use of force to seize the island. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/10/asia-pacific/taiwan-air-defense-system/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #taiwan #china #us #defense
U.S. President Donald Trump has floated the idea that Spain could be removed from NATO over the country's low defense spending. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/10/world/politics/spain-nato-defense-spending/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #nato #spain #us #defense #europe
China is increasing military activities near Taiwan and honing its ability to stage a surprise attack, as well as seeking to undermine trust in the government with online tactics, the island's defense ministry said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/09/asia-pacific/politics/china-future-attack-taiwan-report/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #taiwan #china #defense
Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s likely first female prime minister, will face key diplomatic challenges with the U.S., China and South Korea, while addressing economic and demographic issues, if she is appointed. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/08/japan/will-takaichi-be-the-leader-japan-needs/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #chinajapanrelations #usjapanrelations #defense #china #southkorea #us
U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be the Pentagon's top Asia official has urged Japan to ramp up its defense budget, saying Tokyo “has long underemphasized spending for its own defense.” https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/08/japan/japan-us-defense-spending-pentagon/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #usjapanrelations #donaldtrump #defense #budgets #shigeruishiba #defenseministry #indopacific #johnnoh #sanaetakaichi
An expert panel has called for Japan’s next-gen subs to be able to operate longer and strike targets from father away. Easier said than done, analysts say, amid an array of technical and political challenges. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/08/japan/japan-nuclear-submarines-analysis/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sdf #defense #submarines #nuclearenergy #missiles #china #us #indopacific #pla
A Pentagon review of the AUKUS pact is a "brass-tack” evaluation of its affordability and whether the agreement fits with President Donald Trump’s foreign-policy priorities, a Defense Department nominee has said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/08/asia-pacific/politics/pentagon-review-aukus-nominee/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #usmilitary #aukus #defense #us #uk #australia #congress #submarines
Russia is waging an aggressive hybrid war against Europe, using tactics like cyberattacks, sabotage, disinformation and covert operations to destabilize governments, undermine NATO and weaken the EU. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/07/world/russias-hybrid-war/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #russia #china #nato #eu #russiaukrainewar #defense
Tokyo and Manila have begun using their recently enacted visiting-forces pact, employing it for the first time Tuesday to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in the Philippine province of Cebu. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/07/japan/japan-philippines-raa/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #philippinesjapanrelations #defense #sdf #philippines #china
Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit North Korea for celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party of Korea later this week, Beijing and Pyongyang announced Tuesday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/07/asia-pacific/politics/north-korea-china-li-qiang/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #northkorea #china #kimjongun #liqiang #missiles #defense #nuclearweapons #donaldtrump #russia
In many other countries, startups producing defense-related technology would be unremarkable. But Japan has long had few startups and a taboo against the defense industry, including severe restrictions on arms exports. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/07/japan/society/japan-investment-defense-startups/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #defense #defenseministry #startups #airkamuy #sdf #sanaetakaichi #constitution
Australia and Papua New Guinea have signed a major mutual defense treaty mainly intended to offset China’s expanding military clout in the South Pacific and prevent it from projecting power in the area. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/06/asia-pacific/politics/australia-papua-new-guinea-defense-treaty-signed/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #papuanewguinea #australia #defense #china #indopacific
India and Pakistan’s brief war earlier this year has offered numerous lessons on the evolving nature of warfare — particularly for the Indian military, army Chief of Staff Gen. Upendra Dwivedi said in an interview. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/06/asia-pacific/indian-army-chief-interview/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #india #pakistan #nuclearweapons #china #defense
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer to voluntarily maintain limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons "sounds like a good idea." https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/06/world/politics/trump-putin-nuclear-arms-control/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #russia #us #vladimirputin #donaldtrump #russiaukrainewar #nuclearweapons #missiles #defense
U.S. President Donald Trump rewrote Washington’s rules for dealing with China in his first presidency, upending decades of policy. In his second term, China hawks fear that Trump is going soft. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/06/asia-pacific/politics/china-hawks-trump-deal/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #china #us #uschinarelations #tech #tariffs #trade #donaldtrump #pla #usmilitary #defense
India's challenge is to maintain strategic autonomy and to promote its vision of a more inclusive, rules-based and connected South and Southeast Asia. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/05/world/indias-dangerous-neighborhood/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #india #nepal #thailand #indopacific #southeastasia #malaysia #cambodia #defense #china #pakistan #bangladesh #democracy
China is transforming parts of its east coast into a platform for potential missile strikes against Taiwan and the nearby seas — a move crucial to bringing Taipei under Beijing’s control and fending off U.S. forces. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/05/asia-pacific/china-missiles-threatening-taiwan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #taiwan #china #pla #missiles #usmilitary #asia #indopacific #defense
Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth advocate a more militaristic approach to military preparedness with an inward-looking defense strategy focused on domestic issues while sidelining global threats and alliances. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/editorials/2025/10/03/trump-and-hegseth-address-to-military-officers/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #editorials #us #usmilitary #defense #donaldtrump #china #petehegseth #indopacific
Four years after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Donald Trump's demands for the return of Bagram Air Base and his ultimatums are escalating tensions and increasing the specter of a renewed conflict. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/03/world/trump-new-afghan-war-over-bagram-airbase/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #afghanistan #taliban #us #donaldtrump #bagramairbase #defense
