China and Russia began joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan on Sunday as they seek to reinforce their partnership and counterbalance what they see as a U.S.-led global order. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/03/asia-pacific/china-russia-military-drills-sea-of-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #china #russia #seaofjapan #defense #pla

Preferences for leisure over work grew to an unprecedented level in Japan in 2024 while the tendency to save money became stronger amid rising prices. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/22/japan/japanese-leisure-love/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #inflation

China is set to expand its influence over Southeast Asia's development as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and other Western donors cut aid. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/22/asia-pacific/politics/western-aid-cuts-china-southeast-asia/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #southeastasia #china #us #donaldtrump #republicans #aid #easttimor #cambodia #laos #myanmar #indonesia

The Defense Ministry has established a new unit dedicated to maritime transportation, with a primary mission of enhancing the rapid movement of personnel and the delivery of supplies using transport vessels. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/22/japan/japan-sdf-maritime-transport-group/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #defense #sdf #maritimetransportgroup #chinajapanrelations #taiwan

Five former executives at brokerage SMBC Nikko Securities were found guilty for their roles in a market manipulation case, marking the culmination of a scandal that rocked Japan’s financial industry. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/22/japan/crime-legal/smbc-nikko-guilty/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #smbcnikko #brokerages #japanesecourts

President Trump has cleared the way for a race to the abyss to extract critical minerals, even though seabed mining technology remains under development and commercially unproven. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/22/world/politics/trump-minerals-deep-sea-mining/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #rareearths #mining #oceans #batteries #pollution #sustainability #us #donaldtrump

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. will seek the best deal for itself in tariff negotiations with Japan in an apparent check on Tokyo as it sought a review of U.S. automobile tariffs. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/07/22/bessent-tariff-deals-timing/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #usjapanrelations #trade #tariffs #donaldtrump #ryoseiakazawa #shigeruishiba

U.S. tech giants Meta, X and LinkedIn have lodged an appeal against an unprecedented VAT claim by Italy that could influence tax policy across the 27-nation European Union. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/07/22/tech/meta-x-linkedin-vat-italy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #tech #meta #x #linkedin #italy #socialmedia #europe #eu

Malaysia is looking into a report that fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, wanted in connection with the multibillion dollar collapse of 1MDB, a Malaysian wealth fund, is living in China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/22/asia-pacific/crime-legal/malaysia-1mdb-jho-low-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #crimelegal #malaysia #1mdb #jholow #china

When visitors for this year’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony arrive in Cooperstown in the coming week, they might find something new: Japanese-speaking interpreters to help them shop. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/07/22/baseball/suzuki-cooperstown-preparation/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #baseball #ichirosuzuki #seattlemariners #cooperstown #baseballhalloffame

Canadian Indigenous groups say new laws passed to fast-track energy and mining projects undermine their constitutional rights and violate the government's obligations to Indigenous people. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/21/world/politics/canada-indigenous-fast-track-mine/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #canadian #indigenouspeople