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August 27, 2025
 

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Gabriel Dominguez
Tokyo is looking to transfer Abukuma-class vessels to the Philippines as part of broader efforts to boost the defense capabilities of like-minded neighbors amid growing Chinese military assertiveness in the region.
JAPAN
Aug 26, 2025
Philippine bid to acquire used Japanese warships gains steam
A decision is expected in the “coming months,” a senior government official in Manila said, following an inspection of the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts.
Filipino soldiers take part in a flag-raising ceremony on Mavulis Island during a visit by the Philippines' Armed Forces chief of staff, in Batanes, the Philippines, in June 2023. Batanes, a group of idyllic islands at the country’s northernmost tip, sits about 160 kilometers from Taiwan.
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 25, 2025
Philippines quietly deepening ‘unofficial’ defense ties with Taiwan
The moves come as Manila settles into a view that alliances, geography and economic interests would inevitably pull it into any U.S. conflict with China over the island.
Australia’s decision to select Japan's upgraded Mogami-class warship, seen in this computer-generated image, has been “well received across Japanese industry," a Defense Ministry official said.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Aug 17, 2025
Winning warship bid gives Japan confidence boost as Tokyo eyes more exports
Japan’s successful offer of state-of-the-art warships to Australia is seen as a "model" case for the future export of entire military systems, including to Southeast Asia.
An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over Kyiv during a Russian drone strike, on July 30. Moscow has dispatched military specialists to train the Korean People’s Army on how to use combat drones and air-defense systems.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 13, 2025
Ukraine war has transformed North Korean military: Kyiv’s military intel chief
Pyongyang’s alliance with Moscow gives it critical battlefield experience and access to advanced weapons, at the same time making it more unpredictable.
HMS Prince of Wales arrives into the Port of Darwin, Australia, in July during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025.
JAPAN
Aug 12, 2025
Britain’s Prince of Wales aircraft carrier makes Japan debut
This is the second time since the late 1990s that a British aircraft carrier has docked in Japan — after the HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to U.S. troops based in Osan Air Base in South Korea in June 2019.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / FOCUS
Aug 10, 2025
Defense to take top billing at U.S.-South Korea summit as Trump eyes alliance reset
With China looming large, security ties will take center stage at the first summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean leader Lee Jae Myung.
The Maritime Self-Defense Force's Mogami-class frigate. Australia's selection of an upgraded version of the Mogami-class warship for its next frigate class could prove to be a watershed moment for Japan’s defense industry.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Aug 6, 2025
Australia's warship selection signals Japanese defense industry's arrival
Japan's successful bid will serve as a confidence booster and could set a precedent for other countries to consider Japanese capabilities for their own militaries.
The Maritime Self-Defense Force's Mogami-class frigate Niyodo sails at an undisclosed location in this image released Tuesday.
JAPAN
Aug 5, 2025
Australia announces new warships will come from Japan
Canberra will purchase 11 Mogami-class frigates in what will be Tokyo’s biggest-ever defense contract — a breakthrough for Japan's defense industry.
Troops from the Ground Self-Defense Force launch a Type 12 surface-to-ship missile at Beecroft Weapons Range in Australia's New South Wales state during Exercise Talisman Sabre on July 14.
ASIA PACIFIC / FOCUS
Aug 3, 2025
'Firsts’ abound in latest Talisman Sabre joint military drills
The multinational military drills saw over 80 "firsts" in which participants either tested new systems or performed certain combined activities for the first time.
U.S., Japanese and Australian staff work in the JJOC Cooperation Team office at the U.S. Army’s Hardy Barracks in central Tokyo in this image posted to the Australian Embassy's X account on July 25.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jul 31, 2025
Coordination office marks first step in U.S. Forces Japan’s shift to ‘warfighting’ command
The launch of the new joint command team is the fruit of a multiyear effort to reshape and streamline U.S.-Japan operations.
Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby (right) and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon in Washington on July 21
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 30, 2025
U.S. to complete review of AUKUS defense pact in fall
The announcement buys Australia more time to convince the Trump administration of the pact's importance.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte looks at military equipment on the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Mogami stealth frigate during a visit to the MSDF's naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in April.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 29, 2025
Japan and NATO to launch defense-industrial talks, top envoy says
The talks will aim to explore new areas of cooperation and facilitate coordination between the two sides’ defense and security industries.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas speaks to The Japan Times at Europa House in Tokyo's Minato Ward on Wednesday, ahead of an EU-Japan summit.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 23, 2025
EU and Japan aim for deeper defense cooperation in high-tech arena
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says she sees "a lot of room for cooperation" with Tokyo, particularly in technology-driven areas.
European Council President Antonio Costa (left) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (right) join hands with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba prior to a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 23, 2025
Japan and EU launch trade ‘alliance’ amid concerns over U.S. and China
The new agreement will expand bilateral trade ties, promote business cooperation and explore ways to diversify critical mineral supply chains.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosts a drone demonstration at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on July 10.
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Jul 21, 2025
Pentagon looks to unleash ‘military drone dominance’
U.S. defense chief Pete Hegseth has ordered the military to fast-track the adoption of a boosted number of small drones deployed across the force.
The United Nations Command-Rear, which operates from Yokota Air Base, plays a critical role in maintaining peace and stability in Asia.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jul 17, 2025
Little-known U.N. Command bases in Japan play a critical security role in Asia
The United Nations Command-Rear is a small multinational team that works quietly to ensure peace and stability in the region.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting in Wonsan, North Korea, on Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 14, 2025
Ukraine denies North Korea planning to send 30,000 more troops to Russia
Kyiv's military intelligence agency said Pyongyang will instead send 6,000 personnel for reconstruction operations in batches of 1,500 to 3,000 personnel this month and next.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends the East Asia Summit foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 12, 2025
Trump tariffs not broached in two ASEAN-related meetings with U.S. officials
The lack of any mention of trade concerns was glaring amid reports that countries are looking at diversifying partnerships as a way to weather U.S. tariffs.
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya (left) shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during bilateral talks on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related meetings in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 10, 2025
Japan voices strong concern over Chinese military and rare earth moves
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, met for talks on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related gatherings.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand shakes hands with Japan's top diplomat, Takeshi Iwaya, at the end of a signing ceremony for an information security agreement, after bilateral talks in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 9, 2025
Japan and Canada ink key intel-sharing deal
The agreement is another important step toward deepening ties with individual members of the Five Eyes intelligence grouping.
Tokyo releases AI-generated video of Mount Fuji erupting
A screenshot from an AI-generated video showing what could happen to Tokyo if Mount Fuji erupted
Japan aims to tighten rules for business manager visas from October
The number of foreign residents with business management residency status had reached a record 41,615 as of the end of 2024.
Japanese prefectures break with labor ministry on minimum wage
The ministry of labor has suggested a 6% minimum wage increase, but most prefectures reporting so far are opting to go slightly higher.
Japan ranked one of the most peaceful places in Asia as global tensions rise
Visitors look at paper cranes hung at Peace Park in Nagasaki on Aug. 8, a day ahead of the 80th anniversary of the World War II atomic bombing of the city.
JICA to designate four Japanese cities as 'hometowns' for African nations
The Japanese flag (left) with the flag of the African Union
Japanese prefectures break with labor ministry on minimum wage
The ministry of labor has suggested a 6% minimum wage increase, but most prefectures reporting so far are opting to go slightly higher.
Philippines quietly deepening ‘unofficial’ defense ties with Taiwan
Filipino soldiers take part in a flag-raising ceremony on Mavulis Island during a visit by the Philippines' Armed Forces chief of staff, in Batanes, the Philippines, in June 2023. Batanes, a group of idyllic islands at the country’s northernmost tip, sits about 160 kilometers from Taiwan.
Are 'coolcations' the answer for Japan's heat-weary tourists?
Hikers on a trail in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture. As extreme heat continues to grip Japan, a tectonic shift may be underway in the nation’s summer tourism scene as more people gravitate toward cooler destinations.
Germany's first sakemaker offers a bold brew of ideas
Reigen, Germany's first sake brewery, makes a diverse, nontraditional range of sake that includes fruit-flavored sips and wine barrel-aged renditions.
Alicia Keys closed Summer Sonic, but J-pop owned it
Summer Sonic’s 2025 lineup demonstrated its strength, showcasing the latest in J-pop, including “new kawaii” act Fruits Zipper.

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