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June 30, 2026
 

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Jesse Johnson
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. before a meeting at the Akasaka Palace state guest house in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 28, 2026
Japan and Philippines agree to elevate ties to new level amid China concerns
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also said they would begin formal negotiations on a key intelligence-sharing pact.
China's Liaoning aircraft carrier sails off Hong Kong in July 2017.
JAPAN
May 27, 2026
New Chinese frigate joins carrier strike group training in western Pacific for first time
China’s dispatch of its Type 054B for its first far-seas training since entering service a year ago is a milestone in Beijing’s push to punch further into the western Pacific.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (second right) shares a laugh with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong (left), Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar (second left) and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a "Quad" ministerial meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 26, 2026
‘Quad’ diplomats tout ‘concrete’ deliverables in bid to resuscitate partnership
Officials emphasized a clear future for the four-nation grouping, announcing new initiatives on critical minerals, maritime security and energy security.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi answers questions during an Upper House session at parliament in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 25, 2026
Xi strongly criticized Takaichi over Japan’s ‘remilitarization’ during Trump summit
The Chinese leader became visibly agitated over Japan’s increased defense spending, in one of the most heated parts of his summit with the U.S. president, a media report said.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. takes part in a news conference during an Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Cebu, central Philippines, on May 8.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
May 24, 2026
Philippine leader’s state visit to Japan to focus on shoring up defense ties
Energy security will also be on the agenda for Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s trip to Tokyo — the first state visit by the country’s leader in more than a decade.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te speaks at a news conference on the second anniversary of him taking office, at the presidential building in Taipei on Wednesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 21, 2026
Trump says he’ll speak to Taiwan leader, calling democratic island a ‘problem’
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would speak to Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te — a move that would break with years of diplomatic precedent.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung pose for a photo during their meeting in Andong, South Korea, on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 19, 2026
At talks, Takaichi and South Korea’s Lee agree to bolster energy security
The move comes as concerns over energy supplies continue to rattle Asia amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks during a news conference at the Malacanang Palace in Manila on March 25.
JAPAN / Politics
May 19, 2026
Philippines’ Marcos says Japan defense posture on summit agenda amid Taiwan concerns
Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will discuss Japan’s new defense posture at a summit next week with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in talks also likely to touch on Taiwan.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press aboard Air Force One en route to the U.S. following his official visit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, on Friday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
May 17, 2026
Trump says ‘nothing’s changed’ on Taiwan. But his words belie a big shift.
The U.S. president has warned Taipei on independence moves and called American arms deals a “negotiating chip” in talks with China.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te speaks at a news conference about economic talks with the U.S., in Taipei in February.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 16, 2026
Taiwan says it is already ‘independent’ after Trump warning
Taipei’s assertion came after the U.S. president warned the island not to formally declare independence and hinted at using arms sales as a ” negotiating chip” in talks with China.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One as he travels back to the U.S. from China on Friday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 16, 2026
Trump warns Taiwan on declaring independence after China visit
The U.S. president also hinted that he would speak with Taiwan’s president about American arms sales and make a decision on the issue “over the next fairly short period.”
U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One before his departure from Beijing Capital Airport on Friday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 15, 2026
Trump claims ‘fantastic trade deals’ as summit with China’s Xi wraps up
The U.S. leader touted what he portrayed as economic wins at a summit that was overshadowed by Xi’s warning of the possibility of conflict over Taiwan.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to reporters about her phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics
May 15, 2026
Trump gives Takaichi ‘detailed explanation’ of talks with China’s Xi
Trump called his Japanese counterpart from aboard Air Force One on Friday, with Taiwan and other matters facing the Indo-Pacific region believed to have been discussed.
U.S. President Donald Trump takes part in a welcome ceremony with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 14, 2026
Xi warns Trump that Taiwan missteps could lead to U.S.-China conflict
The meeting also saw the Chinese leader emphasize a “new positioning” of ties with, highlighting Beijing’s growing confidence in its ability to grapple with the U.S.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping attend a welcoming ceremony in Beijing in November 2017 — Trump's last visit to the Chinese capital as U.S. president.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / FOCUS
May 12, 2026
How China could lull Trump into softening U.S. language on Taiwan
Any changes would be a boon for China, which views “the Taiwan question” as “the most sensitive red line in bilateral relations.”
An unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) that resembles a football-shaped body is seen in this screenshot from video taken near Japan in 2024.
JAPAN
May 11, 2026
Tokyo analyzing Pentagon UFO file trove with sightings near Japan 
Two of the dozens of videos released by the U.S. Defense Department were taken near Japan, including one that shows an object “that resembles a football-shaped body.”
Then-Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe reviews an honor guard before meeting with his Brazilian counterpart in Brasilia in September 2018.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 7, 2026
China gives two ex-defense ministers suspended death sentences over corruption
Former Defense Ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu were once members of China’s powerful Central Military Commission, the body that oversees the country’s military.
A Japanese Type 88 surface-to-ship missile system is launched during the Balikatan military exercises in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, the Philippines, on Wednesday.
JAPAN
May 6, 2026
Japan’s SDF fires antiship missiles for first time in Philippine military drills
The launches hit a mock enemy ship about 75 kilometers off the shores of Paoay, Ilocos Norte, in the country’s northwest.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. shake hands after a bilateral meeting in Manila on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 5, 2026
Japan eyes ‘early transfer’ of used warships and aircraft to Philippines
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro reached a wide-ranging deal to further promote defense equipment and technology cooperation.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a news conference at the Government Office in Hanoi on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 2, 2026
Takaichi pledges ‘more proactive’ role for Japan in Indo-Pacific strategy update
In a speech in Vietnam, the prime minister said Tokyo will focus on supply chains, the rules-based economic order and security under a revamped Indo-Pacific strategy.
Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup exit
Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez reacts after the team's loss against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
India’s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi’s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family’s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Chinese and Russian bombers and fighter jets stage joint patrol near Japan
A Chinese Air Force H-6 bomber is seen during a joint patrol with Russian military aircraft on Saturday.
U.S. missile moves in Japan send China clear message: A new era has arrived
Soldiers conduct the first Typhon midrange capability live-fire exercise outside of the continental United States, firing an SM-6 missile in July last year in Australia's Northern Territory during Exercise Talisman Sabre.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troublé, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.
‘The colors speak for themselves’: How Japan’s chroma bible went global
“A Dictionary of Color Combinations” is meant to function as a quick-reference guide for artists, designers and anyone with a passing interest in aesthetics as a quantifiable pursuit.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

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