Hegseth hints Japan must ramp up defense spending even more
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has delivered a veiled warning to Tokyo, saying that while Japanese defense spending was “headed in the right direction,” more must be done.
Trees taking drastic measures to survive climate-driven heat
Countless trees across Europe’s forests are adopting drastic — and often fatal — strategies to survive worsening heat and drought linked to climate change.
Trump insists on red lines as Iran deal remains elusive
An Iranian state media report also rebutted several key elements of Trump’s characterization of the deal, with sources calling his remarks a “mixture of truth and lies.”
N.Z. to decide on Japan’s Mogami frigates by end of 2027, defense chief says
New Zealand Defense Minister Chris Penk highlighted interoperability with Australia as a key factor in the ongoing deliberations.
Few Japan firms take steps toward economic security, government paper finds
Only about 30% of Japanese companies have taken substantive measures to ensure economic security, such as diversifying procurement sources and strengthening cybersecurity.
Prices for over 1,000 food items in Japan set to rise in June
Seasoning accounted for the largest share of products set to see higher prices, followed by processed food.
Sakanaction’s overseas breakthrough came from a viral dance meme
A video of an Indonesian preteen dancing on a boat became the unlikely springboard for Japanese rockers Sakanaction to gain global attention.
Japan voices concern over rice imports in white paper
Private-sector rice imports experienced a sharp increase after retail prices roughly doubled year on year in May 2025.
BOJ will probably raise rates in June, former board member says
The central bank’s policy will fall into a state of being behind otherwise, says Makoto Sakurai, who served on its board from 2016 to 2021.
Japan enacts bill to drastically raise visa-related fees
Under the bill, the statutory upper limit for fees to change residency statuses or extend a period of stay will go from ¥10,000 to ¥100,000.