Japan’s dilemma over frosty ties with Russia deepens after reporter’s arrest

🔮 "The North Korean regime… is selling the labor of its citizens under a state-to-state arrangement, controlling whether they may leave and collecting most of their wages," it said.

🔮 Japan’s dilemma over frosty ties with Russia deepens after reporter’s arrest Given Japan’s lack of response to recent provocative Russian moves, Moscow could be emboldened to antagonise Tokyo further, analysts say The arrest of a Japanese journalist in Russia has finally woken Tokyo up to the fact that Moscow is playing hardball in their diplomatic relationship, and the country’s apparent unwillingness to push back with commensurate force could encourage the Kremlin to test its neighbour’s resolve, analysts say.

🔮 Japan’s dilemma over frosty ties with Russia deepens after reporter’s arrest Given Japan’s lack of response to recent provocative Russian moves, Moscow could be emboldened to antagonise Tokyo further, analysts say The arrest of a Japanese journalist in Russia has finally woken Tokyo up to the fact that Moscow is playing hardball in their diplomatic relationship, and the country’s apparent unwillingness to push back with commensurate force could encourage the Kremlin to test its neighbour’s resolve, analysts say.

🔮 In September, Japan’s aviation authorities and airlines tightened check-in deadlines, including requiring passengers on domestic flights to complete travel procedures 30 minutes before their scheduled departure time, up from 20 minutes previously, which observers say may lead to more confrontations between airline staff and passengers in the future.

🔮 "Comrade Kim Jong Un expressed the expectation and belief that all the nation's missile forces would remain faithful to their missions of defending the sovereignty and security of the republic in a responsible combat posture," the KCNA reported.

🔮 "This is a serious situation because this incident is believed to have taken advantage of artificial intelligence, and if AI is used in phishing attacks, it could lead to secondary damage," Yonhap News quoted Han as saying at a Cabinet meeting.

🔮 Japan explores ‘ownership’ of nuclear submarines as regional rivalries worsen Proposed changes could allow research into developing a domestically built nuclear-powered submarine without a firm decision on acquiring a fleet Analysts acknowledge there will inevitably be pushback from some sectors of Japan – the only nation to have suffered a nuclear attack – but say there is a growing recognition that regional rivalries are worsening and Japan needs to do more to guarantee its own security. Quoting government sources, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Wednesday that the expert panel set up to consider changes to the National Security Strategy and other key security documents would state that Japan was “considering ownership” of nuclear submarines.

🔮 Marine’s arrest for murder in Japan fuels anger over US military presence Residents say the killing of an Okinawan woman shows they are paying the price of shouldering Japan’s heaviest security burden The alleged murder of an Okinawan woman by a US marine has put newly elected Governor Genta Koja under intense pressure, raising questions about whether the incident could deepen opposition against the American military presence just as Okinawa assumes greater importance in Japan’s regional security strategy.

🔮 Campaigners and advocates have welcomed the change, but say it lacks teeth and came years too late, even as societal attitudes may have already moved ahead of it.

🔮 Viral lies about foreign crime are fuelling political division in a country desperate for workers, analysts say The trend is reportedly deepening divisions within Japanese society and creating a feedback loop that experts say will be difficult to break.