thejapantimes, 11 days ago to worldwithoutus

North Korea said on Friday it had fired 18 short-range ballistic missiles during a drill as a demonstration of its willingness to launch a pre-emptive strike against South Korea's "gangsters' regime" if necessary to counter an attack. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/31/asia-pacific/north-korea-missile-salvo/ #asiapacific #northkorea #missiles #kimjongun

thejapantimes, 11 days ago to worldwithoutus

The U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs on Friday held their first face-to-face talks since 2022, meeting on the sidelines of a major Asian security conference in Singapore, as the two sides seek to manage their rival nations’ increasingly tense relationship. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/31/asia-pacific/politics/us-china-defense-chiefs-meet/ #asiapacific #politics #china #us #defense #dongjun #lloydaustin #southchinasea #taiwan

thejapantimes, 11 days ago to worldwithoutus

The United States and China have significantly increased the volume of military exercises across Asia amid roiling regional tensions in recent years, though Beijing's drills still lag in scale and complexity, a new study has found. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/31/asia-pacific/politics/asia-military-drill-tempo-up/ #asiapacific #politics #us #china #defense #militarydrills

thejapantimes, 12 days ago to worldwithoutus

Myanmar's junta has lost control of large areas and key borders, enabling ethnic armed groups to expand and consolidate power. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/30/asia-pacific/myanmar-ethnic-armies-junta/ #asiapacific #myanmar #southeastasia

thejapantimes, 12 days ago to worldwithoutus

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin warns that China's military pressure on Taiwan aims to create a new normal. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/30/asia-pacific/politics/taiwan-china-create-a-new-normal/ #asiapacific #politics

thejapantimes, 12 days ago to worldwithoutus

Entrepreneur Lee Hee-tae is pushing forward for South Korea's adult content industry, arguing that it boosts the economy and curbs spycam crimes, despite strong conservative backlash and legal hurdles. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/30/asia-pacific/society/entrepreneur-south-korea-porn/ #asiapacific #society #southkorea #pornography

thejapantimes, 12 days ago to worldwithoutus

Thailand is entering a new phase of political uncertainty that threatens further damage to the nation’s fragile financial markets, with popular ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra facing a fresh indictment for an alleged lese majeste offense. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/30/asia-pacific/politics/thailand-turmoil-thaksin-indictment/ #asiapacific #politics #thaksinshinawatra #thailand

thejapantimes, 12 days ago to worldwithoutus

A Hong Kong court will convene Thursday morning to deliver verdicts in the city's biggest case against pro-democracy campaigners since China imposed a national security law to crush dissent. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/30/asia-pacific/politics/hong-kong-democracy-verdicts/ #asiapacific #politics #hongkong #democracy #china

thejapantimes, 12 days ago to worldwithoutus

North Korea fired at least 10 apparent short-range ballistic missiles toward the waters off its eastern coast on Thursday, Seoul said, days after its attempt to put another spy satellite launch into orbit ended in a ball of fire. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/30/asia-pacific/north-korea-10-missiles-may-30/ #asiapacific #northkorea #missiles

thejapantimes, 13 days ago to worldwithoutus

Militant Rohingya groups in Bangladesh have forcibly recruited hundreds of young Rohingya men and boys to battle the Arakan Army, a rebel outfit in neighboring Myanmar that has won a string of victories against the junta there. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/29/asia-pacific/rohingya-myanmar-army-tormentors/ #asiapacific #rohingya #bangladesh #refugees #myanmar

thejapantimes, 13 days ago to worldwithoutus

A massive landslide has buried a village in Papua New Guinea, with up to 2,000 feared dead. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/29/asia-pacific/papua-new-guinea-landslide-site/ #asiapacific #papuanewguinea #landslides

thejapantimes, 13 days ago to worldwithoutus

North Korea's rare swipe at China this week underscored how Beijing and Pyongyang do not entirely see eye-to-eye on the latter's illicit nuclear weapons arsenal, despite warming ties in other areas. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/29/asia-pacific/politics/china-north-korea-nuclear-weapons/ #asiapacific #politics #china #northkorea #nuclearweapons

thejapantimes, 13 days ago to worldwithoutus

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday new rules outlined by China's coast guard that could result in the detention of foreigners in the South China Sea were an escalation and "worrisome." https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/29/asia-pacific/politics/philippines-president-china-coast-guard/ #asiapacific #politics #philippines #china #ferdinandmarcosjr

thejapantimes, 13 days ago to worldwithoutus

Thai prosecutors decided to formally charge former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a royal defamation case, creating fresh legal risk for the head of the political dynasty that controls the country’s ruling party. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/29/asia-pacific/politics/thai-pm-thaksin-royal-insult-case/ #asiapacific #politics #thaksinshinawatra #thailand

thejapantimes, 13 days ago to worldwithoutus

In all areas of life, Hong Kong is hewing closer to mainland China, blurring distinctions that once cemented the city’s status as mostly free from the politics of Beijing. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/29/asia-pacific/politics/business-hong-kong-beijing-politics/ #asiapacific #politics #china #hongkong

thejapantimes, 13 days ago to worldwithoutus

Taiwan's parliament has passed a package of controversial bills to expand its power despite thousands of disapproving protesters who chanted "defend democracy." https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/29/asia-pacific/politics/taiwan-parliament-bills-protest/ #asiapacific #politics #laichingte #taiwan #dpp #kmt #tpp

thejapantimes, 13 days ago to worldwithoutus

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to continue building spy satellites, calling this an “essential task,” state-run media said Wednesday, his first comments after the nuclear-armed country’s latest attempt at orbit failed in a ball of fire. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/29/asia-pacific/politics/north-korea-kim-satellite-failure/ #asiapacific #politics #northkorea #satellites #missiles #southkorea #nuclearweapons #us #kimjongun

thejapantimes, 14 days ago to worldwithoutus

North Korea’s fiery satellite launch failure Monday is being viewed as just a temporary setback in the country’s space ambitions, with more attempts at orbit expected. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/28/asia-pacific/politics/north-korea-satellite-launch-failure-analysis/ #asiapacific #politics #northkorea #southkorea #defense #defenseministry #missiles #usmilitary #sdf #nuclearweapons

thejapantimes, 14 days ago to worldwithoutus

The U.S. and Europe are trying to catch up to China’s lead in industrial policy, a rival skilled in using all the levers of government and banking to dominate global manufacturing. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/28/asia-pacific/politics/china-ahead-industrial-policy/ #asiapacific #politics #us #europe #renewables #wind #solar #energy #oil #china #electricvehicles #manufacturing

thejapantimes, 14 days ago to worldwithoutus

South Korea, historically an underdog in the space race, launches its new space agency, KASA, to catch up with global leaders. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/28/asia-pacific/south-korea-space-powerhouse/ #asiapacific #yoonsukyeol #southkorea #space

thejapantimes, 14 days ago to worldwithoutus

Protesters are gathering in Taipei as opposition lawmakers try to push through controversial legislation that would give them greater investigative powers and effectively curb the authority of Taiwan's new president, Lai Ching-te. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/28/asia-pacific/politics/taiwan-protesters-opposition-law/ #asiapacific #politics #laichingte #taiwan #dpp #kmt #tpp

Feature: Myanmar: Young insurgents changing the course of a forgotten war (www.bbc.com)

The BBC's Quentin Sommerville spent a month with revolutionary forces at jungle bases and on front lines in Myanmar....Two loudspeakers, as big as the men carrying them, are brought to the rocky hilltop. Some 800m below, in the town of Hpasang, lies a sprawling Myanmar army base....

thejapantimes, 14 days ago to worldwithoutus

Japan said over its J-Alert broadcasting system that North Korea appeared to have fired a missile, sending out the alert to residents in Okinawa before lifting the warning. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/28/asia-pacific/north-korea-satellite-failure/ #asiapacific #northkorea #northkoreajapanrelations #satellites #rockets #space #defense #jalert #okinawa

thejapantimes, 15 days ago to worldwithoutus

Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers have resettled in the United Kingdom since 2021, including prominent pro-democracy activists — and China has not forgotten them. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/27/asia-pacific/crime-legal/spying-britain-hong-kong-community/ #asiapacific #crimelegal #uk #china #hongkong #espionage

thejapantimes, 15 days ago to worldwithoutus

Taking advantage of a unique system in which tenants fork out huge deposits for free housing, real estate scammers in South Korea are robbing victims of not just their money, but also their dreams and their very lives. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/27/asia-pacific/crime-legal/south-korea-real-estate-scams/ #asiapacific #crimelegal #southkorea #realestate #fraud