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
The incumbent mayor and two challengers filed their candidacies for the Jan. 25 mayoral election in Nago, Okinawa, which will focus on the planned relocation of a U.S. military base to the city’s Henoko area. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/19/japan/politics/okinawa-nago-mayor-election-kickoff/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #okinawa #nago #henoko #futenma #usbases #usmilitary
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
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened fresh tariffs on goods from nations that oppose his push to take control of Greenland, stepping up his rhetoric while Denmark hosted U.S. lawmakers on its home turf. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/17/world/politics/trump-tariffs-greenland-denmark/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #donaldtrump #us #greenland #denmark #europe #eu #nato #usmilitary
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
Joachim
and 1 other
boosted
Okay. That's terrifying.
"In late July 2025, deep within the Pentagon’s bureaucratic machinery, the U.S. Army quietly signed away a piece of its sovereignty...
A strategic handover of core military functions to a private company whose founder, Peter Thiel, has declared that “freedom and democracy are no longer compatible.”"
https://www.authoritarian-stack.info/
#Trump #GOP #Hegseth #USPol #USMilitary #Military #Politics #US #USA #UnitedStates #America #News #Press
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 appears to be quietly contemplating an unconventional approach to rapidly boosting its naval power — transforming its vast commercial shipping fleet into an armada of makeshift warships. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/12/asia-pacific/china-merchant-fleet-military/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #china #pla #taiwan #usmilitary #indopacific
In Taiwan’s Yilan county, efforts are being made to preserve aircraft bunkers built by Imperial Japan during World War II for its kamikaze suicide attack pilots and commemorate them as part of local history. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/11/japan/history/taiwan-kamikaze-wwii/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #history #taiwan #wwii #okinawa #usmilitary #imperialjapanesearmy #yilan
Greenland's political parties say they do not want to be under Washington's control as U.S. President Donald Trump again suggested using force to seize the mineral-rich Danish autonomous territory. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/11/world/us-greenland-no-trump-threat/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #us #greenland #denmark #donaldtrump #usmilitary #europe
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Wednesday met with Nago Mayor Taketoyo Toguchi to seek local understanding on relocating U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the city. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/08/japan/koizumi-local-understanding-futenma/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #shinjirokoizumi #okinawa #futenma #henoko #us #usmilitary #usbases #usjapanrelations #defense
America’s allies have offered a measured response after U.S. troops captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a raid, a move that sent shock waves around the world and highlighted divisions among governments. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/06/world/politics/us-allies-muted-response-venezuela/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #venezuela #donaldtrump #us #usmilitary #usjapanrelations #un #nicolasmaduro #sanaetakaichi
Rob Whittaker
boosted
i knew (& dated) military men in the past but now, with great sadness, i recognize that there are NO DECENT PEOPLE left in the US MILITARY who will stand up to illegal orders & protect democracy. The #USmilitary is now more likely to kill US citizens rather than help them. They are not our friends.
The U.S. strikes on Venezuela and seizure of the country’s president could push Latin American nations closer to China while simultaneously emboldening Beijing in the Indo-Pacific. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/05/asia-pacific/politics/us-china-venezuela-analysis/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #us #venezuela #donaldtrump #china #taiwan #pla #indopacific #usmilitary
Trump’s removal of Venezuela’s dictator could define his legacy, succeeding if it brings stability but damaging America’s global standing if it unleashes chaos. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/04/world/venezuela-will-define-trump-legacy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #venezuela #donaldtrump #us #nicolasmaduro #usmilitary
Donald Trump’s decision to attack Venezuela, arrest its president and temporarily run the country marks a striking departure for a politician who has criticized vowed to avoid foreign entanglements. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/04/world/politics/trump-venezuela-maga-agenda/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #us #donaldtrump #republicans #democrats #congress #venezuela #nicolasmaduro #usmilitary
i knew (& dated) military men in the past but now, with great sadness, i recognize that there are NO DECENT PEOPLE left in the US MILITARY who will stand up to illegal orders & protect democracy. The #USmilitary is now more likely to kill US citizens rather than help them. They are not our friends.
The mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro came as a surprise, but planning for one of the most complex U.S. operations in recent memory had been in the works for months and included detailed rehearsals. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/04/world/us-operation-capture-maduro/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #us #usmilitary #venezuela #nicolasmaduro #defense #donaldtrump