The top U.S. military commander in South Korea is urging a rethink of how the Asian country’s strategic position is viewed, arguing that a shift in perspective reveals the crucial role it could play in a regional crisis. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/19/asia-pacific/south-korea-us-alliance-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #southkorea #us #usmilitary #northkorea #china
The U.S. will sell Taiwan an air defense missile system worth almost $700 million — the same one battle-tested in Ukraine https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/19/asia-pacific/politics/us-air-defence-missile-taiwan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #taiwan #china #missiles #defense #us
Amid a ‘tactical pause’ in U.S.-China tensions, Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan warns of a long-term partial decoupling of the U.S. and Chinese economies if Washington and Beijing fail to rebuild trust. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/19/asia-pacific/politics/singapore-pause-us-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #singapore #china #us #xijinping #donaldtrump #tariffs
A student suspected of carrying out a bombing at his school mosque in Jakarta wrote in his diary of feeling isolated and drew inspiration from a Telegram group glorifying white supremacist attacks, police said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/19/asia-pacific/crime-legal/teen-jakarta-mosque-blasts/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #crimelegal #indonesia #terrorism #socialmedia
After living in Thailand for nearly two decades, one Myanmar refugee feels like he can "see a future" following the government in Bangkok announcing such refugees would be given employment rights for the first time. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/19/asia-pacific/society/myanmar-refugees-thai-workforce/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #society #myanmar #refugees #thailand #southeastasia
North Korea has denounced an agreement between Seoul and Washington to build nuclear-powered submarines, saying in a state media commentary that the deal would cause a "nuclear domino" effect. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/18/asia-pacific/politics/north-korea-seoul-us-sub-nuclear/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #northkorea #southkorea #submarines #nuclearweapons #defense #us
Rising anger in the Philippines over a corruption scandal has forced out two ministers from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet, testing his administration’s work to restore public trust and investor confidence. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/18/asia-pacific/politics/marcos-philippine-graft-protest/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #philippines #ferdinandmarcosjr #corruption
In an unprecedented effort to prepare residents for potential emergencies, including the possibility of a Chinese attack, Taiwan will begin distributing millions of civil defense handbooks to all households. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/18/asia-pacific/politics/taiwan-security-handbook-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #taiwan #defense #china
A Bangladesh court sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to be hanged for crimes against humanity, with cheers breaking out in the packed court as the judge read out the verdict. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/17/asia-pacific/bangladesh-ex-pm-sentenced/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #sheikhhasina #bangladesh #deathpenalty
Nuclear “tests” are best conceptualized as environmental disasters with consequences that are still felt today, particularly in Oceania and Central Asia. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/17/world/nuclear-test-legacy-in-asia-pacific/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #nuclearweapons #partialtestbantreaty #asiapacific #bikiniatoll #frenchpolynesia #daigofukuryumaru #oceania
Thailand said tariff talks with the U.S. will move forward on a separate track from its commitments to U.S. President Donald Trump on Thailand's border dispute with Cambodia. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/17/asia-pacific/politics/thailand-us-trade-cambodia-border/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #thailand #us #trade #cambodia
The son of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said supporters of her Awami League would block February’s national election if a ban on the party was not lifted and warned protests could turn violent. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/17/asia-pacific/politics/hasina-violence-party-ban/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #bangladesh #sheikhhasina #sajeebwazed
Indian authorities said that a deadly car blast in New Delhi earlier this week was an attack carried out by a "suicide bomber," announcing the arrest of an accomplice. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/17/asia-pacific/crime-legal/india-accomplice-delhi-bomber/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #crimelegal #india #terrorism #kashmir
Thousands of members of an influential religious group have started gathering in Manila for a rally to call for accountability in the Philippine government over a widening corruption scandal. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/16/asia-pacific/politics/megachurch-protest-philippines-corruption/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #ferdinandmarcosjr #saraduterte #philippines #corruption #manila
The U.S. wants South Korea to eventually deploy its newly approved nuclear-powered submarines to help counter China’s rapidly expanding fleet, calling it a responsibility expected of a key ally, a top U.S. admiral said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/16/asia-pacific/us-south-korea-submarine-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #southkorea #submarines #china #usmilitary #pla #northkorea #us
The U.S. and South Korea are in private negotiations to jointly build nuclear-powered submarines for both navies, a potential major shift in their alliance. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/14/asia-pacific/politics/us-south-korea-nuclear-submarines/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #us #southkorea #defense #submarines
In war-torn Myanmar, necessity — rather than climate goals — is driving a rapid adoption of solar power. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/14/asia-pacific/society/myanmar-solar-power-energy-crisis/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #society #myanmar #thailand #china #energy #solar
As many European countries rethink the cost of maintaining close ties with China, Taiwan is skillfully exploiting the strategic reassessment. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/14/asia-pacific/politics/taiwan-europe-inroads/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #taiwan #europe #defense #china
After detecting faint traces of radiation in shipments to U.S. ports, authorities followed a trail that led to a factory park outside Jakarta, where they found radioactive Cesium-137 had been released into the air. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/14/asia-pacific/us-radioactive-indonesia/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #indonesia #us #food #shoes #nuclearwaste #trade #radiation
More than half a million people in South Korea sat for the country’s grueling university entrance exam on Thursday, causing flights to be halted for a half hour to lessen disturbances. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/14/asia-pacific/south-korea-student-tests/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #southkorea #education #universities #students