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July 12, 2026
 

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DRONES

"(Japan) must now start to vigorously promote the domestic production of defense drones," Terra Drone President Toru Tokushige said in a recent interview.
BUSINESS
Jul 9, 2026
Japan’s Terra Drone to mass-produce defense drones domestically
The Tokyo-based company aims to speed up work to establish supply chains that do not rely on imports by promoting the development and production of drone components at home.
Service members of the Sparta company of the 422nd Unmanned Systems Regiment "Luftwaffe" of the Ukrainian Armed Forces prepare a Zozulia midstrike drone for a flight while they work at a position near a front line in an undisclosed location in southern Ukraine.
WORLD
Jul 9, 2026
Russia tries to jam Musk’s Starlink systems to counter Ukrainian drones
Kyiv’s development of drones that can hit targets dozens of kilometers behind front lines, and are often flown via Starlink, has transformed the war in Ukraine.
An American soldier demonstrates how to fly a drone during a training exercise at a U.S. military facility in Hohenfels, Germany, on April 30.
COMMENTARY
Jul 8, 2026
America’s battlefield dominance is under serious threat
The U.S. still possesses the most capable military, but its ability to dominate a battlefield is under threat due to the rapid evolution of warfare.
KDDI and KDDI SmartDrone will study the potential use of AI drones for disaster prevention and for patrolling and inspecting infrastructure facilities.
BUSINESS
Jul 7, 2026
KDDI to conduct AI drone feasibility study in Vietnam and the Philippines
KDDI and KDDI SmartDrone will study the potential use of AI drones for disaster prevention and for patrolling and inspecting infrastructure facilities.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi attends an annual training session near Mount Fuji at Higashifuji Training Field in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, on June 7.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jul 5, 2026
‘Defense,’ not ‘warfare,’ stressed as pacifist Japan beefs up capabilities
The move is seen as at least partially aimed at winning public support for boosting the country’s defense capabilities.
U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to the White House in Washington on Sept. 25, 2025.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 2, 2026
Erdogan shows Europe why NATO needs Turkey’s clout on defense
Turkey has become a major source of hardware as Europe arms itself in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure.
The Taiwan Pavilion, featuring aerospace and technology companies highlighting non-Chinese drone supply chains, at Japan Drone 2026 and International Advanced Air Mobility Expo, in Chiba, east of Tokyo on June 5
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 2, 2026
Taiwan needs a ‘hornet’s nest’ of drones to deter conflict, U.S. diplomat says
The ​U.S., Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier, has strongly backed the government’s military modernization plan ​and increased defense spending.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries is collaborating with companies including Nvidia to integrate AI and ⁠robotics, and last month announced a development hub in Silicon Valley.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 1, 2026
Kawasaki Heavy seeks ¥200 billion via new shares and convertible bonds
The company will decide on ‌the details ‌of the issuance as soon as this week, the sources said.
Japan Airlines has fraudulently received about ¥280 million in subsidies for a state project on next-generation air mobility, sources have said.
BUSINESS
Jun 30, 2026
JAL fraudulently receives subsidies for state project
The major Japanese airline plans to return the subsidies, totaling about ¥280 million. The misconduct may date back to 2022.
A tactical short-range unmanned aerial vehicle during a military exercise at a military facility in Taichung, Taiwan, on Saturday. Taiwan’s debate over drone procurement is being closely watched because the successful use of unmanned systems by Ukraine and Iran have underscored the ways in which the technology can be used to defend territory against larger adversaries.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 30, 2026
Taiwan opposition pitches $7.5 billion drone plan after stalling government bid
The debate is being closely watched because use of unmanned systems elsewhere has shown how the technology can be leveraged to defend against larger adversaries.
Self-Defense Forces drones are flown during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on Sunday.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Jun 29, 2026
Does a new arsenal of deterrence run through Japan?
A spate of defense deals have highlighted Japan’s emergence as a potentially key manufacturing base for the Indo-Pacific region.
An Airbus Eurodrone remotely piloted aircraft system is displayed at the International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris in June last year.
JAPAN
Jun 27, 2026
KHI and Airbus eye cooperation on Japanese variant of Eurodrone
Kawasaki Heavy Industries has signed a preliminary deal with Airbus to cooperate on a possible Japanese anti-submarine version of a European defense drone.
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videolink in Moscow on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 27, 2026
Ukraine’s Crimea attacks expose limits of Putin’s protection
Ukrainian drone and missile strikes are disrupting Russian logistics and supply routes to Crimea, plunging the region into crisis as officials resort to emergency measures.
Smoke rises from Crimea Bridge on Monday. The Ukrainian army is pounding supply routes and striking energy facilities across Crimea.
WORLD
Jun 26, 2026
No fuel, no sleep: Ukrainian strikes seek to cut off Crimea
“It’s like some kind of psychological pressure: Every night there are drones, air alerts, it’s impossible to sleep,” a 23-year-old resident of Crimea said.
Nissan Motor's Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. U.S. defense firm Anduril Industries is in talks to acquire the plant to build military drones in Japan, sources say.
BUSINESS
Jun 25, 2026
U.S. defense firm Anduril in talks for Nissan plant to build drones in Japan, sources say
While sources say no decision has been made, any deal could transform one of Japan’s first large-scale postwar car factories into ​a weapons hub.
Destroyed facilities of Azovstal Iron and Steel Works during the Russia-Ukraine war in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, in May 2022.
WORLD
Jun 24, 2026
Ukraine’s Azov fighters were forced from Mariupol. Now they’re hitting back.
The 2022 defeat turned Azov into a symbol of endurance in Ukraine — and paved the way for its return.
Rheinmetall headquarters in Duesseldorf, Germany. The company aims to cooperate with Japanese firms, with an eye toward setting up its first defense-related production base in Japan.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 23, 2026
Major German defense firm Rheinmetall eyes production base in Japan
A spokesperson said the company hopes to promote projects together with Japanese industry to open up opportunities for defense exports from Japan.
Removing the limit on simultaneous drone use by one person is aimed at optimizing logistics and infrastructure inspections, and at making damage assessment and search operations more effective during disasters.
JAPAN
Jun 22, 2026
Japan lifts upper limit on drones operated by one pilot
Removing the limit is aimed at optimizing logistics and infrastructure inspections, and at making damage assessment and search operations more effective during disasters.
A Ground Self-Defense Force uncrewed ground vehicle takes part in a live-fire military exercise at the Higashi Fuji Training Field in Shizuoka Prefecture on May 7.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Jun 21, 2026
Can automation offset Japan’s military workforce shortage?
Japan is building a 21st-century military, but it is running out of 21st-century citizens to staff it.
Stanislav Gryshyn, co-founder of Ukrainian drone-maker General Cherry, at the Japan Drone 2026 and International Advanced Air Mobility Expo in the city of Chiba, last month
WORLD / FOCUS
Jun 19, 2026
Ukrainian drone-makers target Asia as Taiwan tensions spur demand
Ukraine has developed a reputation as a master of drone warfare, which has helped an otherwise-outgunned Kyiv hold out for more ‌than four ‌years against Russia.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

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