The LDP pledged in its election manifesto to secure a stable supply of rare earths, as it looks to counter “economic coercion,” an apparent reference to recent moves by China to halt the flow of the minerals to Japan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/21/japan/politics/ldp-election-manifesto/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #sanaetakaichi #rareearths #china #chinajapanrelations #2026lowerhouseelection #diet #defense #inflation #japaneseeconomy #familyregistry #marriage #familylaw #names #women039sissues

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

From the United States’ reverse-engineering of Iranian drones to Japan’s building of a drone “shield,” the tech is becoming increasingly crucial, especially as China’s military modernization continues unabated. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/20/japan/us-japan-drones-focus/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #china #us #usmilitary #defense #sdf #defenseministry #drones #pla

Beijing isn’t issuing idle threats. Countries ready to defy it must find alternative rare-earth sources. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/18/japan/china-export-controls/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #china #chinajapanrelations #rareearths #trade #defense

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

Putin’s willingness to be pushed around has its limits, and it is entirely possible that Donald Trump's administration will prove pushy enough to find out what those limits are. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/16/world/putins-silence-on-venezuela/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #vladimirputin #nicolasmaduro #venezuela #russia #us #donaldtrump #russiaukrainewar #defense

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has called the U.S.-Japan alliance “unshakable” after talks with U.S. defense chief Pete Hegseth, but declined to offer specifics about any discussions on China during their meeting. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/16/japan/politics/hegseth-koizumi-meeting-alliance/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #petehegseth #us #usjapanrelations #washington #china #defense #defenseministry

Japan and the Philippines signed two defense pacts Thursday, with both countries seeking to strengthen security cooperation ​in response to rising regional tensions. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/15/japan/politics/japan-philippine-new-security-pacts/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #philippinesjapanrelations #defense #toshimitsumotegi #theresalazaro

Japan has roughly 12 years to overhaul its postwar strategy, military posture and political mindset to preserve its autonomy and deter China as U.S. reliability fades and regional power balances shift. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/13/world/japan-cant-afford-strategic-confusion/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #usjapanrelations #chinajapanrelations #defense #china #sdf #xijinping #donaldtrump #sanaetakaichi

Finance ministers from the Group of Seven major industrial nations agreed at a meeting in Washington on Monday to take measures quickly to enhance supply chains for rare earth minerals. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/13/economy/g7-rare-earth-supply-issue/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #china #chinajapanrelations #sanaetakaichi #defense #rareearths #trade #g7 #scottbessent #washington

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday is expected to reconfirm improving bilateral ties as Japan faces a diplomatic falling-out with another key neighbor, China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/13/japan/politics/japan-south-korea-takaichi-lee-nara/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #southkoreajapanrelations #southkorea #leejaemyung #sanaetakaichi #china #chinajapanrelations #indopacific #defense #taiwan #northkorea

The Pentagon used a secret aircraft painted to look like a civilian plane in its first attack on a boat that the Trump administration said was smuggling drugs, in what some said amounted to a war crime called "perfidy.” https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/13/world/us-attack-civilian-plane/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #us #defense #usmilitary #donaldtrump #warcrimes #southamerica #centralamerica #drugs #petehegseth

Sen #MarkKelly sues #Pentagon over punishment for warning troops of illegal orders

Kelly, a former Navy pilot, is seeking to block his censure from #Defense Secy #PeteHegseth last week. #Hegseth announced last Monday that he censured Kelly over the former Navy pilot’s participation in a video that called on #troops to resist #unlawful orders.

#law #MilitaryLaw #Trump #RevengePolitics
https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-1-12-2026?utm_source=onesignal&utm_medium=push&utm_campaign=2026-01-12-Breaking+News

Sen #MarkKelly sues #Pentagon over punishment for warning troops of illegal orders

Kelly, a former Navy pilot, is seeking to block his censure from #Defense Secy #PeteHegseth last week. #Hegseth announced last Monday that he censured Kelly over the former Navy pilot’s participation in a video that called on #troops to resist #unlawful orders.

#law #MilitaryLaw #Trump #RevengePolitics
https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-1-12-2026?utm_source=onesignal&utm_medium=push&utm_campaign=2026-01-12-Breaking+News

Prime Minister Takaichi's growth strategy is not merely about domestic economic expansion. It is a geoeconomic and security strategy aimed at elevating Japan’s status in the international system. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/12/japan/takaichis-twin-challenges/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #japaneseeconomy #trade #defense

The U.S. will host a gathering of Group of Seven ministers to discuss rare earths this week as Japan steps up efforts to reach out to its G7 peers and others amid concerns over new export restrictions China has imposed. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/12/japan/g7-japan-rare-earths/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #china #chinajapanrelations #sanaetakaichi #defense #rareearths #trade #g7

People in China are calling for a Venezuela-style snatch of Taiwan's leaders in a prelude to taking over the island, but analysts, scholars and security officials say China's modernizing military is still far from ready. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/12/asia-pacific/china-taiwan-venezuela-lai-assassination/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #china #taiwan #pla #us #usmilitary #defense #indopacific #venezuela #laichingte

China cutting off rare-earth exports to Japan over the Taiwan issue will have a limited impact because Japan and other countries have diversified supplies and taken steps to weaken Beijing’s long-term leverage. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/11/japan/china-rare-earths-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #chins #chinajapanrelations #sanaetakaichi #taiwan #defense #rareearths #trade

China has restricted dual-use exports to Japan that can be used for military purposes, including rare-earth elements, prompting Tokyo to reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/editorials/2026/01/09/china-lawfare-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #editorials #chinajapanrelations #sanaetakaichi #taiwan #defense #rareearths #trade #china

Trump: ‘It may be a choice’ between seizing Greenland or preserving NATO https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-interview-us-greenland-grab-nato-preservation-choice/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication #Foreignpolicy #Military #Security #Politics #Defense #War