In the past, US military planners have treated Japan as a forward position for its troops in East Asia, but without much coordination with historically underdeveloped Japanese forces, and this move underscores the deeper investment Japan has made in recent years in its own military capabilities.
It’s also a response to a perceived growing threat from China, including in the Taiwan Strait. (The Kishida administration has referred to Taiwan as Japan’s “extremely crucial partner and an important friend.”)
It signals a stronger stance by the US and its East Asian allies on threats from North Korea. And thanks to the improvements in Japan’s relationship with South Korea, Seoul is not objecting to the upgraded ties as it once might have..
The specifics will take months for senior US and Japanese officials to hash out, but even the initial announcement will raise heart rates in Beijing.
The Regime's viral banger "Special Military Operation" is NOW STREAMING on most platforms, including those TWO BIG ONES. #PUPPETREGIME
What is President Trump trying to achieve in Iran, and how does his strategy compare to past US interventions in the Middle East?
The US has paused Russian oil sanctions in a bid to stabilize energy markets rocked by the war with Iran. Administration officials stress that it’s a “tailored” measure, applying only to oil already loaded onto tankers, but it’s still a gift to Russia, which has already been clocking an extra $150 million daily in oil revenues since the war began.
4: The number of crew members aboard a US refuelling plane – out of six total – who died after the aircraft crashed in neighboring Iraq on Thursday, US Central Command said this morning.