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July 06, 2026
 

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DEFENSE

Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watch a welcome performance at Pyongyang Gymnasium on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 9, 2026
What was left unsaid may be biggest takeaway from Xi-Kim summit
The lack of any public reference to North Korea’s nuclear program during the talks has reinforced the perception that China no longer views denuclearization as a viable option.
People stand near the newly launched N9 electric vehicle under BYD's premium brand, Denza, displayed at a launch event in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China, on May 18. The U.S. has added BYD to a list of companies it believes are aiding China's military.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 9, 2026
U.S. says BYD, Baidu, Alibaba and other tech giants are aiding China’s military
The move could inflame tensions between both countries, coming less than a month after a summit between their leaders.
A Thunderbolt-2000 multiple launch rocket system fires rockets during a live-fire military exercise, which simulates an enemy invasion, in Taichung, Taiwan, on Tuesday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 9, 2026
Taiwan simulates destroying an invading Chinese force in coastal drill
The military described the amphibious assault training as a ​more realistic combat scenario with less preparation time.
Le Vigilant is one of France's four Le Triomphant-class ballistic missile submarines and is equipped with M51 nuclear warheads.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 9, 2026
Europe weighs its nuclear future as U.S. certainty fades
Just a few nuclear weapons may be enough to transform a regional crisis into a global one.
The nuclear-powered submarine USS Annapolis is greeted by South Korean Navy sailors upon its arrival at a naval base on Jeju Island, South Korea, in July 2023.
ASIA PACIFIC / ANALYSIS
Jun 9, 2026
South Korea’s nuclear sub ambitions to intensify Indo-Pacific naval competition
Seoul insists its plan to build the ships is aimed at countering North Korea. But the decision carries implications far beyond this, with China watching particularly closely.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a news conference to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration in Seoul on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 9, 2026
South Korean president mentions need for acquisition pact with Japan
In 2012, the Japanese and South Korean governments were close to concluding an ACSA, but strong criticism in South Korea stalled momentum for a deal.
Koji Yamazaki, former chief of the Defense Ministry's Joint Staff, speaks to reporters at the Prime Minister's Office on Monday. Yamazaki has called for revising Japan's policy of not allowing nuclear weapons to be brought to the country.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 9, 2026
Experts urge caution amid proposal to revise Japan’s nonnuclear principles
At a meeting on Monday, a former chief of the Defense Ministry’s Joint Staff had called for revising the policy of not allowing nuclear weapons to be brought to Japan.
Scale models of the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System, Europe's next-generation fighter jet, in Paris in February 2020
WORLD
Jun 9, 2026
Germany and France drop joint fighter jet project
The decision comes as Western military officials have warned of a growing threat from ⁠Russia, while the U.S. is stepping up pressure for Europe to rearm itself.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attend a ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 8, 2026
China’s Xi vows boosted ties with Kim, but avoids North Korea nuclear issue
Chinese leader Xi Jinping stressed China’s “firm commitment to safeguarding the shared interests of the two countries” during a rare summit with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
The Maritime Self-Defense Force dispatched its Kongo destroyer and the South Korean Navy sent its Cheon Ja Bong landing ship for a joint search-and-rescue exercise in waters west of the Goto Islands on Sunday.
JAPAN
Jun 8, 2026
Japanese and South Korean navies hold first joint drills in nine years
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi hailed the resumption of exercises as signaling “a new chapter” in bilateral defense cooperation.
A hyper velocity gliding projectile launcher was unveiled to the public for the first time during the Ground Self-Defense Force's live-fire exercise in Shizuoka Prefecture on Sunday.
JAPAN
Jun 8, 2026
Standoff weapon launcher showcased in SDF live-fire exercise for the first time
The Type-25 HVGP missile system, which was deployed at the GSDF’s Camp Fuji in March, appeared in an exercise attended by about 3,000 GSDF troops on Sunday.
A production line at a Mercedes-Benz factory, in Rastatt, Germany, in June 2025
BUSINESS
Jun 7, 2026
German carmakers weigh China and defense tie-ups for idle plants
Volkswagen said in April it is also open to the idea of “partnering” with Chinese manufacturers at its plants.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrives to attend a ceremony marking the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 7, 2026
Hegseth urges Europe on D-Day to counter present-day ‘invasion’
The U.S. Defense Secretary also called on European countries to do more to contribute to their own defense.
The Maritime Self Defense Force's Asagiri-class destroyer Setogiri is docked for a goodwill visit to Metro Manila in May 2018.
JAPAN
Jun 6, 2026
Japan and Indonesia to begin talks on exporting Asagiri-class destroyers
The agreement to begin working-level discussions is the latest in a push by Tokyo to transfer defense equipment to like-minded partners.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects a newly inaugurated nuclear materials production factory at an undisclosed location in the country in this image released Thursday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 4, 2026
North Korea’s Kim says ‘newly inaugurated’ nuke site opens door to ‘larger plans’
Kim Jong Un said the suspected uranium-enrichment facility will help create an “environment for going into the new next-stage of bolstering up the nuclear forces.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.
COMMENTARY / World / Geoeconomic Briefing
Jun 4, 2026
India’s China dilemma: engagement vs. dependence
India’s attempt to reduce dependence on China, for now, requires deeper engagement with the Asian giant. This is the central contradiction shaping the relationship.
French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin speaks during the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Saturday.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jun 4, 2026
France opens Space Command to Japanese officer as ties deepen under new road map
The move, announced by France’s defense chief, is one of the clearest signs yet that the security relationship is evolving from political alignment into practical integration.
Critics argue the selection of Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to lead U.S. intelligence reflects a preference for political loyalty over expertise.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 4, 2026
Pulte will drag U.S. intelligence from bad to worse
Pulte, though, appears to be worse. He seems even less qualified for the job than Gabbard (who at least had military experience).
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul speaks to the press following the election of the non-permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, during a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York City on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 4, 2026
Germany fails to gain seat on U.N. Security Council
This is the first time that Germany, Europe’s largest economy that has already served six terms, failed to get elected to the 15-member council.
U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, commander of the U.S. European Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), in Washington on March 12
WORLD / Politics
Jun 4, 2026
Europe and Canada told to boost NATO aircraft and ships as U.S. steps back
Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO and told its European members they will have to take over primary responsibility for the conventional defense of the continent.
‘My dream is broken’: Japan visa rules push out foreign residents
A man orders from a kebab shop in the Okubo district in Tokyo.
Thailand gets serious about chasing high-spending tourists
Chinese tourists at Wat Arun Ratchawararam Rathawaramahawihan in Bangkok
Murakami says his novels are ‘different’ from AI literature
Haruki Murakami's first book in three years hit shelves in Japan on Friday.
Japan’s princesses face life-altering legal revisions
Princess Aiko, the daughter of Emperor Naruhito, said in a 2022 news conference upon coming of age that she hopes to “spend a long time together” with her parents.
Japan plans to sharply raise fees for residence permits from October
Foreign tourists walk on the path leading to the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in May.
Okinawa’s prized seaweed under threat as oceans warm
Local harvesters gather <i>mozuku</i> during low tide at Hyakuna Beach in the city of Nanjo, Okinawa Prefecture. As the planet warms, rising ocean temperatures are placing increasing pressure on the seaweed industry.
Japan plans to sharply raise fees for residence permits from October
Foreign tourists walk on the path leading to the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in May.
X Games returns to Chiba with new team format
Skateboarder Sora Shirai practices at Makuhari Messe in Chiba on Friday afternoon. X Games Chiba begins on Saturday.
NU Festival tests Takanawa Gateway City complex’s culture cred
Veteran improvisers Kazuo Imai and Atsuhiro Ito brought some unruly energy to NU Festival, a three-day multimedia event held at the Takanawa Gateway City complex.  
Japan’s princesses face life-altering legal revisions
Princess Aiko, the daughter of Emperor Naruhito, said in a 2022 news conference upon coming of age that she hopes to “spend a long time together” with her parents.

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