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August 26, 2025
 

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PLA

Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu salutes before delivering a speech during the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on June 4.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 24, 2023
China ousts defense chief and removes ex-top envoy from Cabinet
Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu has been removed from his positions as defense chief and state councilor, state-run media said.
A Philippine-flagged boat is blocked by a China Coast Guard vessel during an incident that resulted in a collision between the two ships in the disputed waters of the South China Sea in this screen shot taken from video on Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / EXPLAINER
Oct 23, 2023
After collisions at sea, could Sino-Philippine tensions boil over?
Tensions are rapidly surging between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea, where the two countries have overlapping claims.
Military vehicles carrying DF-5B intercontinental ballistic missiles in Beijing in 2019
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 20, 2023
Pentagon says China set to have over 1,000 nukes by 2030
The report adds that China has "probably completed" 300 intercontinental ballistic missile silos as it expands its launch facilities.
A Chinese fighter jet is seen during an intercept of a U.S. aircraft in the South China Sea, including by approaching a distance of just 12 meters before repeatedly flying above and below the U.S. aircraft and flashing its weapons.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 18, 2023
U.S. sees 'sharp increase' in Chinese military's 'risky' behavior
The Pentagon said it has documented nearly 300 dangerous incidents that affected U.S., allied and partner aircraft since the fall of 2021.
A Chinese air force fighter jet is parked at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, or Airshow China, in Zhuhai, China, last November.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 17, 2023
'Aggressive' Chinese fighter jets spook Canadian plane on U.N. mission
A Chinese air force fighter jet cut off a Canadian patrol plane, dropping flares in its path, according to military officials.
South Korea's Aegis-equipped destroyer Yulgok Yi I (right), the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (top), the Aegis-equipped USS Shoup destroyer (bottom center), the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Hyuga destroyer (left) and the South Korean Navy's Cheonji (center) sail in formation during a joint maritime drill in international waters southeast of South Korea's Jeju Island on Oct. 10.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Oct 17, 2023
Military deterrence alone will not dissuade China, experts warn
Governments must be proactive in pressing for diplomatic solutions, as a focus on military power won't make the world safer, analysts say.
The world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, sails during a fueling-at-sea operation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 13, 2023
U.S. must be ready for simultaneous wars with China and Russia: report
The report said the U.S. nuclear arms modernization program must be fully funded to upgrade all warheads, delivery systems and infrastructure.
A visitor takes pictures near models of military equipment and a giant screen displaying Chinese leader Xi Jinping, at an exhibition at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing in October last year.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Oct 11, 2023
As Ukraine war fatigue seeps in, what lessons is China drawing?
Ukraine supporters argue that withholding aid would help Moscow prevail and potentially embolden China to launch an offensive against democratic Taiwan.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen takes the stage during National Day celebrations in Taipei on Tuesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 10, 2023
Taiwan seeks 'peaceful coexistence' with China, president says
President Tsai Ing-wen said in her last national day speech Tuesday that the island will be democratic for generations to come.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 8, 2023
Japan boosting SDF presence in southwestern area of Kyushu
The region will see new SDF units from next April, including an F-35B stealth fighter squadron and a surface-to-ship missile unit.
A China Coast Guard ship blocks the direction of a Philippine Coast Guard ship conducting a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed at a grounded warship in the South China Sea on Wednesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 7, 2023
Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships come within meter of colliding
The close call came Wednesday near Second Thomas Shoal, about 200 kilometers off the Philippine coast, as Manila was carrying out a resupply mission.
Visitors stand in front of a giant screen displaying a map of locations around Taiwan where the Chinese People's Liberation Army conducted military exercises in August 2022, at an exhibition in Beijing in October last year.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Oct 3, 2023
As invasion fears rise, China hones Taiwan blockade strategy
China’s increasingly frequent exercises around Taiwan indicate that Beijing is refining a strategy to isolate the island.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen attends the launching ceremony of Hai Kun, the island's first domestically built submarine, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Thursday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Sep 28, 2023
How Taiwan's new subs could complicate a Chinese invasion
The way in which Taipei deploys what is set to be a fleet of eight new attack submarines will be crucial in its efforts to deter or counter Beijing.
A screen in a shopping area in Beijing broadcasts news footage of military drills by China's People's Liberation Army around Taiwan on Aug. 19.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 27, 2023
China says drills near Taiwan target 'arrogance' of separatists
Taiwan has said this month that it had observed dozens of fighters, drones, bombers and other aircraft, as well as warships operating nearby.
The Chinese Navy's nuclear-powered Long March 11 submarine takes part in a naval parade off the eastern port city of Qingdao, to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, in April 2019.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / FOCUS
Sep 23, 2023
U.S. revives Cold War submarine spy program to counter China
The multibillion-dollar effort, known as the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System, comes as China ramps up activities near Taiwan.
A pilot run toward a F-16V fighter jet for an evening take off as part of a combat readiness mission at the airbase in Hualien, Taiwan, in August last year.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 23, 2023
Taiwan defense chief says China drills risk 'getting out of hand'
The increased frequency of China's military activities around Taiwan recently has raised the risk of an accidental clash.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel gives a speech at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 23, 2023
U.S. envoy to Japan slams China in speech and social media post
Rahm Emanuel posted pictures of Chinese boats he said were fishing near Japan despite Beijing's seafood ban over the Fukushima water release.
A Taiwanese pilot runs toward an F-16V fighter jet for an evening take off as part of a combat readiness mission at the airbase in Hualien, Taiwan, in August last year.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 18, 2023
Taiwan detects 'recent high' 103 Chinese warplanes near island
The incident happened hours after China's top envoy told the U.S. national security adviser that Taiwan is "the first red line that must not be crossed."
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 18, 2023
Top Biden official and Chinese diplomat hold 'constructive' talks
The talks come ahead of an anticipated November meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at an APEC summit.
New Defense Minister Minoru Kihara says Japan-U.S. joint drills are very important for strengthening the U.S. commitment to the region.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 17, 2023
Japan and U.S. boosting joint drills with eye on 'actual combat'
The exercises are intended to prepare forces in areas where a contingency could be possible, in view of military activity by China and Russia.
Character-crazed Japan has little appetite for Labubu
A pop-up advertisement for the newly opened Chiikawa Park in Tokyo's Ikebukuro neighborhood demonstrates how the country is chockful of cute characters — to the detriment of trends like Labubu.
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.
JICA to designate four Japanese cities as 'hometowns' for African nations
The Japanese flag (left) with the flag of the African Union
Man arrested in Kobe stabbing had been staying at hotel near victim’s home
Masashi Tanimoto arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of a woman in Kobe, is sent to prosecutors on Sunday.
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.
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.
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.
Is the LDP’s catch-all approach to politics still effective?
Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi visits Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Aug. 15. Political commentator Toru Hashimoto has suggested that Takaichi ought to lead a group of like-minded hawkish politicians out of the Liberal Democratic Party and form their own party.

Podcast

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

Longform

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.
From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past
By Alex K.T. Martin

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