Japan’s Record 2027 Defense Budget Request Is Only the Opening Bid
Tokyo is building a force around AI, unmanned systems, a high-low weapons mix, and greater staying power.
Thailand News
Fresh headlines from Thailand, aggregated from leading English-language publications.
India, UK Fire Up Defense Cooperation With Joint Development
An inter-governmental agreement to develop and incorporate integrated full electric propulsion for the Indian Navy’s four landing platform docks is underway.
Philippine Peso Slumps to Record Low Amid Rising Energy Prices
Like some of its regional counterparts, the Philippines continues to be buffeted by the economic shocks of the U.S.-Iran war.
Sri Lanka’s New Anti-Terrorism Legislation
A law that cannot turn intelligence into evidence will reproduce the central weakness of the Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1979, regardless of how much power it gives the state.
India Has a Complex Youth Unemployment Problem, And There Isn’t a Quick Fix
Education and skills don't match available jobs. The economy isn’t creating good-quality employment for an expanding and increasingly educated workforce.
Vietnam Demands ‘Immediate Cessation’ to Construction Activities in Paracel Islands
The request follows reports of extensive Chinese construction activities on Antelope Reef and a nearby islet.
ASEAN and Japan’s Updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific Initiative
Protecting a shared foundation, not a bloc
The Reason Japan Cannot Commit to Dialogue with North Korea
The Tanaka affair has cast a long shadow.
A Historic Villa in Yangon Gets an Upgrade
Myanmar's government is both preserving and erasing the legacy of General Aung San, who was central to the country's struggle for independence from Great Britain.
For Indonesia’s Digital Banks, It’s All About Who You Know
The sector has experienced rapid growth in the past few years, and three large banks are firmly in the lead.
Angola Is Emerging as One of Africa’s Most Important Gateways to the Asia-Pacific
The story of its success has not been straightforward.
Uzbekistan’s Presidential Daughter Just Got a Law of Her Own
The new presidential administration law grants its head – Saida Mirziyoyeva – sweeping new powers, and immunity.
Mongolia Hosts COP17, Urging Global Partners to Action on Climate Issues
Mongolia wanted to see “a shift from talk to action” at COP17. The results were mixed.
Tim Cook’s Dark Legacy in China
Cook’s leadership perfected Apple’s production – but Chinese workers paid the price.
‘Latin Poison’: Kazakhstan’s Latinization in Russian Media Discourse
In criticizing Kazakhstan's Latinization effort, Russian media is not defending the Russian language or the Cyrillic alphabet, but the symbolic, ideological, and geopolitical hierarchy of the Russian...
India’s BrahMos at Sea: Implications for South Asian Stability
The planned Indian deployment of the BrahMos missile on all of its naval warships has destabilizing implications for the region.
More and More Global Leaders Went to Chinese Colleges. Does That Matter?
Does receiving a Chinese education sway Asia’s leaders and, by extension, foreign policy?
Takaichi Is No Abe: Japan’s New Conservative Politics
After roughly 10 months in power, the differences between Takaichi and Abe are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Can Discussions in Cambridge Help Afghans Build a Post-Taliban Future?
Thousands of miles from Afghanistan, prescriptions are being written by Afghans for the country’s future – a future without Taliban rule.
The Kuril Flashpoint: Putin’s Visit and the Future of Japan-Russia Ties
The Kuril Islands dispute is not just a territorial dispute between Russia and Japan but reflects the larger complexity of geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific Region.
Principled Caution: Navigating AI in Asian Newsrooms
In many Asian countries, letting an AI-generated error slip through could mean not only reputational harm but legal and political persecution