Japan – Page 5 – Author Carlo Carrasco

America and Japan Confirm Strong Alliance

January 17, 2026January 16, 2026carlocarrasco

As America prioritized its position in the Western Hemisphere, there is concern in Asia that a decline of American military presence in the Indo-Pacific could follow and allow Communist China to be an even bigger threat. That, however, is not the case at all as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi confirmed that their alliance remains strong and it will be backed up with action, according to a report by Kyodo News.

For the newcomers reading this, Japan is currently dealing with the aggression of Communist China. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan officially set its fiscal 2026 defense budget at 9 trillion Yen. Recently, Japan signed new agreements with the Philippines related to security and logistics support between their respective military forces. Prime Minister Takaichi will soon meet US President Trump in America.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Kyodo News report. Some parts in boldface…

The defense chiefs of Japan and the United States on Thursday agreed to reinforce the deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance amid concerns in Asia that Washington’s focus is drifting from the region.

“We confirmed that the Japan-U.S. alliance remains completely unshaken and that both countries are cooperating closely,” Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters following his meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon near Washington.

Koizumi said he was reassured that the United States remains committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, even as President Donald Trump’s administration has designated the Western Hemisphere its top priority.

While Trump has downplayed Chinese military activities around Taiwan, his administration is seeking to strengthen its position in North and South America and the surrounding waters, as evidenced by its recent intervention in Venezuela and designs on Greenland.

In some Asian capitals, Trump’s increased focus on the Western Hemisphere has prompted concerns about a potential decline in U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific, creating a security vacuum in the region as China accelerates its military buildup.

“Our job and our goal here is to continue…to strengthen that in every way possible,” Hegseth said as they began talks, referring to the decades-old security alliance.

After welcoming Koizumi in an honor cordon ceremony, Hegseth hailed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s resolve to increase Tokyo’s defense spending.

According to Koizumi, Hegseth did not call on Japan to raise its defense spending during their meeting, which lasted about 50 minutes.

Koizumi said he told Hegseth that Japan will do its utmost to beef up its defense capabilities and the alliance.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the United States has something planned to enhance its alliance with Japan which could create a bigger challenge towards China in the Indo-Pacific region? What do you think will be announced once Trump and Takaichi meet in America?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Japan And Italy Agree On Strategic Cooperation

January 17, 2026January 16, 2026carlocarrasco

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and they agreed to cooperate with each other on enhancing economic security, according to a report by Kyodo News. Meloni is on her first official visit to Japan since taking office in 2022.

For the newcomers reading this, Japan is currently dealing with the aggression of Communist China not only diplomatically but also economically. Prime Minister Takaichi will soon meet US President Donald Trump in America.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni agreed Friday to cooperate in strengthening economic security including supply chains of critical minerals as they aligned their nations more closely in the face of China’s growing clout.

The two countries upgraded their “strategic partnership” to a “special strategic partnership” to boost ties in “all sectors” including security and culture, Takaichi and Meloni said in a joint statement released after their meeting in Tokyo.

The leaders “shared grave concern for all forms of economic coercion and for use of nonmarket policies and practices and use of export restrictions which disrupt global supply chains for key goods and components,” they said, in an apparent reference to China.

Japan and Italy will also establish a consultative body to promote cooperation in space technology and will advance collaboration in areas such as artificial-intelligence robotics and semiconductors, the statement said.

“As the international community faces a complex crisis and the strategic environment surrounding the Indo-Pacific region has become severe, close collaboration between like-minded countries has become more important than ever,” Takaichi told a joint press appearance with Meloni after the talks.

Japan and Italy, both Group of Seven members, will also work together on securing liquefied natural gas in case of emergencies, among other infrastructure and energy issues, Takaichi said.

Meloni said that the alliance between Japan and Italy has “high potential” and that she discussed with Takaichi diversifying critical mineral providers and reinforcing the resilience of their supply chains.

Japan and Italy share concerns over China, a dominant producer of rare earths essential for cutting-edge products whose trade practices are often criticized as coercive.

Beijing imposed stricter controls on exports to Japan of dual-use items last week, escalating a bilateral spat sparked by Takaichi’s remarks in November suggesting an attack on Taiwan could trigger a response by her nation’s defense forces. The targeted goods may include rare earths.

Japan and Italy are heavily dependent on imports from China for their rare earth supplies.

Finance ministers from the G7 nations and some other countries agreed Monday to accelerate the reduction of their overreliance on China for critical minerals during their gathering in Washington.

Tokyo and Rome have also been ramping up defense collaboration against the background of China’s growing military reach in the Indo-Pacific region and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, taking the view that security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic is inseparable.

The two countries have a joint trilateral project with Britain to develop a next-generation fighter jet they aim to deploy by 2035.

For added insight, watch the Nippon TV videos below.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think big developments will happen once Japan and Italy start a new series of cooperation tackling economics and military matters? Do you think Italy and Japan will be able to find alternative sources of rare earth supplies and heavily cut their dependence on China? Do you think China will react angrily at Japan and Italy?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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I Love Israel: Israel And Japan Ties Emphasized As Top Officials Meet

January 13, 2026January 12, 2026carlocarrasco

Israel and Japan formally engaged with each other diplomatically as Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and their Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar separately in Jerusalem, according to reports by The Jerusalem Post and NHK World.

The meetings are significant not just because it marks the first time a delegation representing Japan under the administration of new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrived in Israel for diplomacy and cooperation, but also because Japan supports the American-led Gaza peace plan of US President Donald J. Trump (click here and here) and will be proactive in recovery and reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip. The Japanese, however, expressed disagreement over Israel’s West Bank (biblical Judea and Samaria) settlement activities and insisted on a two-state solution. On the bright side, Japan will still NOT recognize a Palestinian state.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Jerusalem on Sunday to discuss continued cooperation between Israel and Japan, the Prime Minister’s Office stated.

Netanyahu congratulated Motegi and the delegation members on their visit to Israel and thanked them for their support, the PMO noted. During the meeting, Netanyahu and Motegi also discussed different ways to address regional challenges.

Earlier, Motegi met with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.

This is Motegi’s first bilateral diplomatic visit since taking office.

Motegi is also expected to meet with President Isaac Herzog on Monday morning during his visit to Israel, the PMO added.

Japan won’t recognize a Palestinian state given US ties – Israel and Japan align on some regional issues critical to the Jewish State.

The Asahi newspaper, citing unidentified government sources, reported in September 2025 that Japan will not recognize a Palestinian state for now, probably to maintain relations with the United States and to avoid a hardening of Israel’s attitude.

With regards to the meeting with Israel’s Foreign Minister, posted below is an excerpt from NHK World. Some parts in boldface…

Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu has visited Israel and held talks with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa’ar. Motegi called for the steady implementation of a US-led peace plan for the Gaza Strip, while pledging a proactive role by Japan in the strip’s reconstruction.

At the opening of their meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday, Motegi said that to improve the situations surrounding Israel and the Palestinians it is important to steadily implement the peace plan.

He also said both sides should take concrete action toward the elimination of mutual distrust that has persisted over many years in order to ease regional tension and bring peace to the area.

Motegi also urged Israel to take appropriate responses to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian assistance in Gaza offered by international organizations, NGOs and others. He added that Japan will play a proactive role in engaging in the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza.

Motegi told Sa’ar that Israel’s settlement activities in the West Bank are in violation of international law, and that Japan is concerned that the increase in settler violence may further destabilize the situation in the region.

Motegi urged Israel to immediately cease what he described as any unilateral actions that run counter to a two-state solution.

Motegi later met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first face-to-face meeting with him by a Japanese senior government figure since then-Prime Minister Abe Shinzo in 2018.

There are indeed imperfections as revealed by the two news reports regarding the latest Israel-Japan meetings. In my opinion, Japan has yet to realize that the two-state solution is both pointless and worthless. They have yet to realize the truth that the Palestinians have a tradition of violence against the Jewish people, and they often followed terrorist leaders (fact: Palestinians expressed support for Hamas terrorists with regards to the October 7 attacks against Israel in 2023). Japan should realize that the West Bank is not rightfully owned by the global community and international law covering the said region is just an illusion. As such, we who support Israel should pray to the Lord that the Japan’s diplomats will get enlightened as they cooperate more with Israel in the years to come.

Praise and thank the Lord for the high-level meetings between the governments of Israel and Japan. Pray to Him to bless Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi and the people of Japan. Pray also for the potential future visit of Prime Minister Takaichi to Israel.

To all my readers, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!

I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 118

January 12, 2026January 8, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Wagyu Beef In Japan – Have you ever heard of Wagyu? Wagyu collectively refers to four main Japanese breeds of beef cattle. All the Wagyu cattle today are the result of the cross-breeding between Japanese cattle and cattle from overseas (particularly from Europe) that happened centuries ago. When it comes to food, Wagyu beef is a premium type of meat that features marbling (referring to the streaks of fat existing within the red meat). It is of great quality and taste, it is not surprising that a lot of people enjoy it in Japan. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

#2 2001: A Space Odyssey Reaction Videos –When it comes to the science fiction genre of films, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a landmark achievement and it is one of the most defining movies that Stanley Kubrick ever directed. The sci-fi epic was released long before the first Star Wars movie even came out and it influenced at lot of filmmakers. That said, it is not surprising that a lot of YouTubers made lots of reaction videos, retro reviews and analysis about it. Watch the videos posted below.

#3 Lufia Games Revisited – When it comes to Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) in the 1990s, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) had a lot of them. Among the many RPGs from Japan were a few specific games that made waves among gamers but never achieved massive commercial success. I am talking about the games Lufia & the Fortress of Doom and Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals. To this day, there is a dedicated fanbase of those two Lufia titles which were overall enjoyable and immersive in different ways. It is a tragedy that the Lufia series (including handheld titles) has been dormant for a long time and Square Enix (which acquired original Lufia publisher Taito) has not shown any interested to revive it which makes it hard for gamers to play the old games. Lufia game developer Neverland went out of business more than a decade ago. To find out why the two Lufia RPGs were fun and still significant, watch the videos below.

#4 Are Open-World Games Getting Worse? – Open-world games are collectively popular as gamers always enjoy in-depth exploration, quests or activities they can participate it when they decide to, following the main story and sub-plots, and more. As many open-world games have been released over the past two decades, some people observed that game developers are making production short-cuts that reduce the depth of the gameplay experience. And there are games that have bad open-world maps. I understand that video game production today keeps getting more expensive and more stressful to do but there is something to learn from the video posted below. If you’ve been playing open-world games since before 2010, you will realize something.

#5 Scary Crosswind Landings – When traveling far away by airplane, it is only natural for travelers to be safe all the time. Still, nature has its own ways of changing randomly which means varying wind speed which in turn makes it challenging for airplane pilots to land. Some of you might have experienced the rough landing before but what you will see in the video below could scare you.

#6 Influencers Who Died On Mount Everest – When it comes to climbing Mount Everest, it is truly very daunting to do not only because of the sheer height but also because of the weather conditions, the cold, the need to be equipped and the need to work closely with other climbers. Given the significance of Mount Everest, it is not surprising that social media influencers want to make a spectacle online by climbing it and showing images or videos of themselves to their followers around the world. However, to climb the great mountain is very risky and doing something for the sake of social media mileage should be the LAST thing to do. Watch and learn from the video below.

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Vietnam Attracts All-Time High 21.2 Million Foreign Tourist Arrivals In 2025

January 10, 2026January 6, 2026carlocarrasco

Vietnam, a nation ravaged by war decades ago, has emerged as a major tourism magnet in both Southeast Asia and Asia as a whole after successfully attracting more than twenty-one million foreign tourists in 2025, according to a VnExpress International news report. The figure is a new all-time high. What Vietnam achieved was more than 20% higher than its 2024 foreign tourist numbers. For 2026, Vietnam is aiming high with a target of 25 million foreign visitors.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…

Vietnam welcomed a record number of foreign tourists in 2025 with 21.2 million, up 20.4% from the previous year and the highest ever, according to General Statistics Office.

Mainland China was Vietnam’s biggest source of visitors last year with 5.2 million arrivals, up 41% year-on-year, followed by South Korea with 4.3 million and Taiwan with 1.23 million.

The U.S. ranked fourth with 848,000, followed by Japan with 814,000. The rest of the top 10 were India (746,000), Russia (689,000), Cambodia (687,000), Malaysia (573,000) and Australia (548,000).

Tourism industry insiders attributed Vietnam’s strong performance to visa reforms.

*Foreign tourists welcomed in Vietnam. (photo credit: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism)*

In March the government decided to extend visa exemptions until 2028 for citizens of 12 countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the U.K.

In August it waived visa requirements for stays of up to 45 days for citizens of 12 more countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.

This expanded the unilateral visa waiver list to 24 countries and the total number including bilateral waivers to 39.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Considering the strong international tourism momentum it has right now, do you think Vietnam will succeed in attracting 25 million foreign tourists this year? Do you think a lot more visitors from Europe will come to Vietnam this year?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 117

January 7, 2026January 8, 2026carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Supergirl 1984 Revisited – As some of you might know by now, there is a new standalone Supergirl movie from James Gunn’s DCU coming out this year. The first trailer attracted many millions of views on YouTube and yet people are divided over it as they noticed many elements of James Gunn’s cinematic style (note: Gunn is NOT the director of the upcoming movie) in it. Some long-time Supergirl fans and comic readers don’t like the modern portrayal of the character since she appeared in James Gunn’s Superman. Times like these, it is nice to revisit the 1984 Supergirl movie that starred Helen Slater. Watch the retrospective video below.

#2 The Katsu Phenomenon – When was the last time you had a fried pork cutlet for a meal? In Japanese cuisine, katsu is a popular dish of crispy, deep fried cutlets typically made with pork (tonkatsu) or chicken (chicken katsu) served with rice, cabbage and a tangy sauce. Tonkatsu itself is very common in Japan and Japanese restaurants here in my native Philippines offer it to customers. When it comes to pork-related meals I ate in my life, the tonkatsu is a standout meal. Katsu itself gained popularity around the world and it has become a food phenomenon influencing how deep fried cutlets are prepared and served to customers in different forms. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV feature video below.

#3 Ulysses 31 Revisited – Have you ever seen the early 1980s Japanese-French anime series Ulysses 31? I saw some episodes of it on local TV here in the Philippines in the early 1990s and it was a very unique type of anime with science fiction concepts and spectacle. Anyone who is familiar with The Odyssey will be able to related with it. Apart from being a joint production between Japanese and French entities, Ulysses 31 was ahead of its time and it never made an impact with American viewers not because of its quality but because of a costly mistake with the music and wrongful distribution in America. To learn more about Ulysses 31, watch the retrospective videos below.

#4 Rhetorical Thrill Replays The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Did you ever watch The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in the cinema and somehow never replayed it? If you did, how much of the 2002 film do you still remember? YouTuber Rhetorical Thrill confirmed she saw it in the cinema once and has not seen the film in a very long time. That said, watch her reaction video below.

#5 American Woman Who Was Trapped In Iran – Iran is in the news lately. Many Iranians are protesting on the streets and they are strong defying the Islamic terrorist regime. Iran turned evil and twisted since 1979 and their loss to Israel during the 12-Day War of 2025 left their regime crippled. Speaking of Iran, have you learned about the true story of an American woman who was trapped in Iran (because of her abusive Iranian husband’s deception) and could not leave the country without her daughter? The true story that led to the production of the 1991 movie Not Without My Daughter (starring Sally Field) is revealed in detail in the video below. I encourage you to watch it.

#6 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Avengers Movies – There was a time when Marvel Studios released great superhero movies and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) had really entertaining flicks released from 2008 to 2019. After the release of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU went downhill as Marvel Studios and Disney proceeded with a very woke direction which turned away a lot of the fans who enjoyed the superhero movies of 2008-2019. That being said, now is a good time to look back at The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame through the reaction videos of Ashleigh Burton posted below. These are from the days of glory of the MCU.

#7 You, Me and The Movies React To Rocky III – Starring and directed by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky III was a crucial turning point of its film franchise. The first two movies were dramas with boxing matches as the payoffs and conclusion. In Rocky III, the tone shifted more towards action with a strong focus on changing Rocky himself as he faces his toughest opponent yet. YouTuber You, Me and the Movies posted its reaction video of the 1982 movie and you can see for yourselves how it impacts them.

#8 Wild Arms Retrospective – In 1997, I played Wild Arms on the PlayStation. It was Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) developed by Media.Vision and published by Sony which turned out to be fun and adventurous while maintaining strong focus on three main characters (note: they are the only characters you get to play). Two years later, I played Wild Arms 2 but never managed to finish it. The Wild Arms game franchise is turning thirty this year although it has been many years since the last game was released. To discover more about the PlayStation-exclusive JRPG series, watch the retrospective video below.

#9 Trump In 2025 – A lot has happened since Donald Trump returned as President of the United States on January 20, 2025. Apart from implementing changes to reshape America in ways that the Democrats and the Satanic Left do not like, Trump made his nation’s presence felt strongly in the international community. Not only did Trump’s tariffs compel nations to negotiate, America helped Israel with the 12-Day War by dropping massive bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s nuclear sites. This was followed by Trump’s military operations against Islamic terrorists and narco-terrorists. To find out more, watch and learn from the in-depth video below.

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Influential Japanese Business Lobby Calls For Greater Government Role In Issues Related With Foreigners

January 6, 2026January 1, 2026carlocarrasco

As Japan struggles with economic challenges, an aging population, immigration and filling up the gaps of its workforce, an influential business lobby called for a stronger role by the government on issues related to foreign residents, according to a Kyodo News article. It should be noted that new rules regarding foreigners will be announced this month.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news release of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…

Japan’s most influential business lobby has urged the government to show stronger leadership on issues concerning foreign residents and enact a “basic law” on policies related to non-Japanese as they become a growing part of the labor force and society.

The Japan Business Federation called for the establishment of a permanent headquarters led by the prime minister that will compile policies related to foreigners across agencies and ministries, saying a ministerial meeting launched by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November was positive but insufficient.

The federation, also known as Keidanren, pointed out in a set of proposals released in mid-December that issues remain under the current framework regarding the effectiveness of medium- to long-term policymaking.

“A framework in which strong political leadership can be exerted is needed,” the group said.

It highlighted the need for a new ministerial post dedicated to foreigner-related policies with the authority to recommend that other agencies and ministries carry out investigations or formulate new rules.

The federation stressed that Japan is at a “turning point,” with steps to promote the smooth integration of foreign workers and their families into society essential, particularly with regard to education and social services.

With Japan’s population shrinking, the number of foreign residents will likely continue to rise beyond 2030, the group said.

It also noted “public anxiety and a sense of unfairness” in Japan, prompted by media reports that some foreigners were engaging in illegal activities and not complying with rules.

The House of (Councilors) election in July saw increased support for a populist party that campaigned on a “Japanese First” platform.

Takaichi, known for her conservative views, set up the ministerial meeting to demonstrate a stricter approach to foreigner-related issues, saying the government is seeking to “build a safe, secure, orderly, and inclusive society for the (Japanese) people and foreigners living in our country.“

As in a previous set of proposals released in 2022, the federation called for a shift in mindset from “passive acceptance of foreigners” to “strategic acquisition of foreign talent.”

It suggested placing more focus on the quality as well as quantity of foreigners accepted, including clearly defining what kind of human resources the country is hoping to attract from overseas.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the central government of Japan will be able to come out with new rules on foreigners that will make sense socially and economically?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi To Meet With Trump In America

January 4, 2026January 3, 2026carlocarrasco

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will meet again with US President Donald Trump specifically in the United States in the spring, according to a Kyodo News article. The upcoming meeting will also by Takaichi’s first official visit to America as Prime Minister.

For the newcomers reading this, the Prime Minister first met with Trump in Japan last October. The said meeting happened not so long after Takaichi was elected to her position. For the upcoming meeting in the United States, the stakes are high for Prime Minister Takaichi as her nation has been dealing with tension from Communist China.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Friday that she and U.S. President Donald Trump have agreed to work toward meeting in the United States in the spring, with the aim of further strengthening the alliance between the two countries.

Takaichi’s plan to make her first visit to the United States since taking office in October, confirmed during their phone call, comes at a time of strained relations between Japan and China, and ahead of Trump’s possible trip to Beijing in April to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“At the start of the new year, I consider it extremely significant that I was able to exchange words directly with President Trump and confirm the strong partnership of the Japan-U.S. alliance,” Takaichi told reporters following the call.

Takaichi said she and Trump agreed to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific as well as cooperation among like-minded countries, including in the three-way partnership also involving South Korea.

She said their discussion was mainly about the region, without elaborating as to whether it had anything to do with China specifically.

According to Japan’s Foreign Ministry, the conversation lasted about 25 minutes, during which Trump, who met with Takaichi in October in Tokyo, invited her to visit the United States.

In late December, Takaichi said she was exploring a visit to the United States for another meeting with Trump early in the upcoming year, with Japanese officials proposing late March for her trip to Washington.

Late on Friday night, Takaichi said she had conveyed her congratulations to Trump on the United States marking in 2026 the 250th anniversary of its independence.

She said they agreed this year should also be one that opens a “new chapter in the history of the Japan-U.S. alliance” and that they will further deepen the wide-ranging cooperation and friendly relations between the two countries.

If all goes smoothly, Takaichi’s upcoming trip will coincide with the U.S. capital’s well-known annual cherry blossom festival.

The festival commemorates the 1912 gift of cherry trees from Tokyo to Washington and the longtime friendship between Japan and the United States.

When Takaichi hosted Trump in Japan in late October, the two leaders affirmed their intention to jointly celebrate the 250th anniversary, and she confirmed Japan’s promise to give 250 cherry trees to the United States.

Takaichi and Trump last spoke by phone on Nov. 25, with the conversation taking place after his call with Xi and amid escalating tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over Taiwan.

China has been taking a hard-line stance against Japan since Takaichi suggested earlier that month that an attack on Taiwan could constitute an existential threat to Japan and warrant a response from its forces.

Trump, who also met with Xi in late October during his trip to Asia, has not made his position public on the ongoing tensions between Japan and China, which views Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.

Trump has repeatedly said he has good relationships with both Takaichi and Xi.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? What kind of developments do you think will manifest after the next meeting of Trump and Takaichi? Do you think the Trump administration will be able to maintain healthy ties with China and Japan even as the tension between the two Asian nations goes on? Do you think there will be more joint military exercises between Japan and America this year?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Japan Sets Fiscal 2026 Defense Budget At Record 9 Trillion Yen

January 3, 2026December 26, 2025carlocarrasco

In light of the aggression of Communist China in the Pacific and security challenges coming from North Korea, the government of Japan set its draft defense budget for fiscal 2026 at a record figure of 9 trillion yen (estimated at $58 billion), according to a news article published by Kyodo News.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news release of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…

Japan’s draft defense budget was set at a record 9.04 trillion yen ($58 billion) for fiscal 2026, the government said Friday, as the country faces increasing security challenges from China and North Korea.

The figure, including outlays linked to hosting U.S. military bases, eclipses the then record 8.7 trillion yen in the initial budget for the current fiscal year to March 2026. Fiscal 2026 marks the fourth year of Japan’s five-year 43-trillion-yen defense buildup plan.

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi approved the same day a draft initial state budget for the year starting next April worth 122.3 trillion yen, also a record high, including defense and other expenditures.

Under the defense budget, 100.1 billion yen has been earmarked for building the “Shield” layered coastal defense system, which requires numerous aerial, surface and underwater vehicles. The spending on Shield comes at a time when many countries have been rapidly developing drone technology since the Russia-Ukraine war changed the nature of warfare.

With China in mind, 1.1 billion yen has been set aside to assess the use of long-endurance drones as a measure against airspace violations.

Japan plans to rebrand the Air Self-Defense Force as the Air and Space Self-Defense Force to enhance the country’s space capabilities.

Another 1.1 billion yen has been earmarked for acquiring equipment to monitor satellite interference.

The country has secured 30.1 billion yen to procure hypersonic guided missiles, which travel at above five times the speed of sound and are considered hard to intercept, as a means of counterattack.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the record defense budget of 9 trillion yen is sufficient to keep Japan secured from the threats of China and North Korea?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Philippines Behind Many Southeast Asian Neighbors On International Tourism

January 3, 2026December 29, 2025carlocarrasco

With 2025 already behind us, one has to wonder how the Philippines performed when it comes to attracting foreign tourists and as of this writing, the final statistics have yet to be announced by the government. What is clear is that the Philippines really slumped on international tourism last year and the nation is behind many of its Southeast Asian neighbors, according to a recent news article by VnExpress International.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the VnExpress International. Some parts in boldface…

Vietnam and Malaysia are rising tourism stars in Southeast Asia thanks to relaxed visa policies and improving infrastructure while Thailand has lost its lead due to border clashes and safety concerns.

Vietnam received its 20th millionth foreign visitor in a year for the first time at the Phu Quoc International Airport on Dec. 15, marking a milestone for its tourism sector. The full-year is expected to exceed 21 million, surpassing the previous record of 18 million achieved in 2019 before Covid.

With its 21% growth rate this year, Vietnam is regarded by the United Nations World Tourism Organization as one of the fastest-growing markets in the world.

Malaysia attracted 28.2 million tourists in the first eight months of this year, a 14.5% increase year-on-year.

The industry will be supported by stronger Chinese tourist arrivals, improving flight connectivity and the government’s ambitious “Visit Malaysia 2026” campaign, according to HSBC Global Research.

“Malaysia is on track to easily exceed its 2025 tourism target of 31.4 million tourists, making it one of the few ASEAN economies to achieve its target.

“We estimate the number of tourists is likely to exceed 40 million.”

This year, both countries have strived to ease visa polices, enhance promotion campaigns and improve airport infrastructure.

Indonesia and Laos have also seen increasing tourist numbers.

Indonesia received over 12.76 million foreign visitors in the first 10 months, a 10% increase, with Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and India being the leading source markets. Laos received 3.8 million, a 13% increase.

Challenging year for Thailand, Cambodia – Once a tourism powerhouse in Southeast Asia, Thailand has struggled with setback after setback this year.

The crisis began in January as many Chinese tourists canceled their trips to the country following the high-profile abduction of Chinese actor Xing Xing.

Two months later a deadly earthquake in Myanmar that sent tremors across Bangkok caused widespread damage to the tourism industry.

Escalating military clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border also triggered a surge in cancellations across provinces near the fighting. Some countries warned their citizens to postpone traveling to Thailand.

Arrivals as of early December declined by 7% to 30 million. Thailand had received 40 million tourists in 2019 and 35 million last year.

Meanwhile, Cambodia’s reputation took a beating in the eyes of South Koreans due to online scams and the disappearance of hundreds of their fellow citizens who entered that country.

The South Korean government has issued warnings to its citizens to cancel or postpone non-essential travel to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh and areas like Sihanoukville and Bokor Mountain.

Cambodia attracted only 4.75 million tourists in January-October, a decrease of 11.6%.

The Philippines received 4.7 million foreign visitors in the first 11 months of the year, a 3.02% decline due to significantly lower arrivals from South Korea and China.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines still has a lot of problems to solve regarding infrastructure, tourism promotions and domestic travel costs before it could become competitive with its Southeast Asian neighbors? If ever the Philippines fails to hit its 2025 foreign tourist arrivals target, do you think the Department of Tourism (DOT) will once again point to tourism revenues as a barometer for success? With its current standing on international tourism, do you consider the 2023-2028 National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) of the Philippines a failure already?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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