"Petro Calls for Moving UN HQ After Trump Admin Revokes His Visa Over Protest Speech" Sounds good to me. Trump hates the very idea of the UN, and will probably get around to taking a wrecking ball to it anyway. www.commondreams.org/news/gustavo...

Japan Foreign Min. Iwaya: "If we determine that such actions have reached a point where they undermine the foundation for a 2-state solution, Japan will take new steps." What the hell is he waiting for? "Netanyahu has officially moved forward with a settlement expansion mainichi.jp/english/arti...

"doubts have increasingly dogged [Trump’s] trade talks with South Korea, spooking investors who now worry Seoul may end up with a raw deal" As Trump regards any deal that isn't "raw" for the other side as a failure, why bother negotiating with him at all? www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"doubts have increasingly dogged [Trump’s] trade talks with South Korea, spooking investors who now worry Seoul may end up with a raw deal" As Trump regards any deal that isn't "raw" for the other side as a failure, why bother negotiating with him at all? www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

Ishiba: "what is most important is whether Palestine can coexist sustainably in peace with Israel." What's most important is stopping the genocide NOW. And it's absurd to place all the burden of coexistence on Palestine, none on genocidal Israel. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

"Takaichi... said she would seek to deepen cooperation with South Korea" While visiting Yasukuni and claiming "comfort women" were volunteers and that no Korean laborers were forced? Good luck with that. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

"Ishiba demanded Israel’s military immediately halt its expanded ground operations in the Gaza Strip" Good, but while condemning Russia for its war on Ukraine, why are you silent about the US, which hardly goes a week without massacring innocents somewhere, and www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

Japan refrains from recognizing Palestinian state at UN confab Foreign Minister Iwaya: "The issue of recognizing a Palestinian state is not a matter of if, but of when." After thousands of more children die, maybe he'll consider it. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

University in Taiwan opens center to study Abe’s policies At an inauguration ceremony, President Lai called Abe a “good friend of Taiwan.” Perhaps, but he was also corrupt as sin. Will they study his many scandals? www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

LDP candidates vow to deal with foreigner-related problems, crimes Motegi Toshimitsu: “The acquisition of land by foreigners and foreign capital has become a concern for the region.” But the fact that US military bases take up 15% of Okinawa Island www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

US Marines in Japan to keep training troops in use of new "NMESIS" missile system In many ways, USMC treats the Okinawan people as if THEY'RE the nemesis. The Marines in Okinawa commit heinous crimes, poison the environment, endanger Okinawan lives mainichi.jp/english/arti...

"AOC Reportedly Prepping for 2028 Presidential or Senate Run" Great, but once the triangulating begins, where does it stop? www.commondreams.org/news/will-ao...

What’s more astonishing: 1) that the president clearly believes, and repeatedly suggests, that asylum seekers are people from mental asylums, or 2) that no journalist has ever challenged him on this and no mainstream media outlets have done any deep dives on this story?

Japan holds off on Palestinian state recognition for the time being "Japan will demand Israel cease unilateral actions & urge the [US] to apply more pressure on Israel." Neither will listen. Tell Israel: end genocide or we'll recognize Palestinian state! www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"Nippon Ishin proposes a cap on share of foreign residents" #Okinawa has a population of 25,000 "foreign residents" that's responsible for many crimes, including rape & murder. But Ishin wouldn't dream of applying their cap to the US military. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"Armed US soldier walking on Kyoto road sparks backlash" In #Okinawa, they would even point their guns at local people. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

Japan PM Ishiba to attend UN General Assembly next week CCS Hayashi: "It will be a meaningful opportunity to convey Japan's position on nuclear disarmament" We know, we know: Japan is implacably opposed to US disarming, or even declaring no first use. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

‘Brother parties’ estranged as their political fortunes diverge I, for one, am glad that conservative-leaning Noda's dream of working hand in hand with the even more conservative DPP is vanishing into thin air. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"Koizumi lands key conservative for campaign in LDP election" If Koizumi backs away from progressive positions (like separate surnames for married couples) to get right-wing support now, who could trust him to stand his ground once he's prime minister? www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"Japan lodges protest over suspected South Korean maritime survey in EEZ" If China did the same, Japanese media would refer to "China's increasingly assertive actions," and politicians would exclaim that Japan needs more Tomahawk missiles. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Aid Groups Demand 'Decisive Action' From World Leaders to Stop Israel's Genocide in Gaza We must tell our representatives that unless they take serious—not just symbolic—action to stop the genocide, they will not have our votes in the next election. www.commondreams.org/news/aid-gro...

"Following US request, Japan won’t recognize Palestinian state" When it comes to moral cowardice, the Japanese government is world-class. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"Descendants of Tojo, Truman meet in Hiroshima, call for reconciliation 80 yrs after WWII" Ok, but Japan & US don't need to reconcile. Now, if Japan reconciled with its Asian neighbors—THAT would be great. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

"Takaichi, a proponent of government stimulus and monetary easing" "Kobayashi laid out policy planks ... ranging from temporary income-tax cuts and a long-term overhaul of income tax" Well, that's ONE way to avoid mentioning their militarism. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"What to know after US says it has reached framework deal with China to keep TikTok in operation" Out of principle? No way: "Trump has amassed more than 15 million followers on TikTok since he joined last year, and he has credited the trendsetting platform www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

Review eyed as anger continues for Japan-Africa ‘hometown’ plan If the false rumors were about a flood of immigrants from Europe or Canada, the uproar would have been miniscule compared to what's going on now. There's a word for this. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

Japan's foreign minister cautious on Palestinian statehood recognition "Recognition alone would not resolve all issues." Iwaya would never say, "F-35s alone would not resolve all issues." He's just groveling before Trump. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

R.I.P. Hermeto Pascoal. I got to see his band here in Seattle back in the 1980s.

"Japan holds Sado mine memorial without S. Korea amid forced labor rift" Governments everywhere that paper over their past misdeeds live in a historical fantasyland and obstruct human progress. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

'We Took the Gloves Off': Former Israeli Military Chief Admits 220,000 Gaza Casualties Former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi: “over 10%” of Gaza’s population of approximately 2.2 million “were killed or injured” since October 2023. www.commondreams.org/news/ex-idf-...

"Defense" Minister Nakatani: "security in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions is inseparable." What sounds like "We are the world" pablum is really a commitment that the next war will be a world war–World War III. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

"Takaichi tops Kyodo poll as most fit to be next head of Japan ruling LDP" Who cares? Among LDP supporters, 36.0% chose Koizumi, far surpassing 15.7% for Takaichi. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

"Days before death, Charlie Kirk debuted his conservative message in Asia" "After Seoul, Kirk traveled to Tokyo where he spoke at a symposium hosted by the upstart Sanseito party" Of course. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"Crime victims say US military subverts intent of suspended terms" via "policy of quickly transferring personnel back to the [US] if they receive suspended sentences" With all the uproar in Japan over foreigners, why don't they ever focus on US military? www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"Japan strongly criticizes Israeli strike on Hamas in Qatar" Then complain to US about their part in this! Propose a UN resolution condemning Israel! mainichi.jp/english/arti...

"Prison term upheld for US airman over sexual assault of minor in Okinawa" This won't solve the problem—only ejecting the US military will do that. But overturning the conviction would have made the problem even worse. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Kamiya "said [Sanseito] may deny participation if [the reporter] refuses to cooperate with requests, such as 'Please stop asking questions' or 'One question per person.'” So if you get a BS answer to your question, don't ask again or they'll throw you out. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"we hope the [LDP] will engage in debate that is appropriate for one purporting to be a 'people’s party' under the banner of toleration and inclusion." Dream on, Asahi! www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"In race to replace Ishiba, Koizumi, Takaichi will likely lead pack" I have no enthusiasm for Koizumi, but at least he's less of a warmonger than Takaichi (or Kobayashi). www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"Japan PM Ishiba resigns after series of bruising election losses" Whatever you think about Ishiba, it could have been worse. How much worse? We may be about to find out. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

US special forces killed North Korean civilians in botched 2019 mission, NYT says "The civilians appeared to be diving for shellfish" No apologies, no reparations. US kills anyone, anywhere and is never held accountable. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

Australia’s defense minister visits frigate in Japan "as the 2 countries step up military ties to deter China's growing influence." Any evidence that it's working—as opposed to bringing war with China closer? If not, stop repeating this deterrence claptrap. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

Hibakusha in iconic photo as young girl dies in Hiroshima at 86 R.I.P. Yoshida Emiko. "Miyatake [the photographer] was ordered to burn the photos, but he secretly stored them at home." Why was he so ordered? Perhaps US dimly recognized that the photos www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

'Shameful Assault on Human Rights': Trump Sanctions Palestinian Orgs That Called for UN to Investigate Israeli War Crimes Rubio: sanctions were imposed on these groups because they 'directly engaged in efforts by the international criminal court to www.commondreams.org/news/trump-s...

"PM Ishiba could face leadership challenge on Monday" The Trump administration would love to see a militarist like Takaichi become Japan PM. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

US calls Japan’s defense spending ‘manifestly inadequate’ "The official, who is versed in Indo-Pacific affairs"—probably Elbridge Colby, who can't wait to have Japan on the front lines of the China war. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

"Japan, Australia to boost cooperation on long-range missile capabilities" Will be celebrated by those whose only notion of security is through violence or threatening violence. The risks introduced by such "deterrence" never seem to trouble them. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

"Ex-PM Aso calls for ruling LDP snap leadership election to replace Ishiba" Gee, I wonder why. "In the 2024 election, Ishiba beat former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi in a runoff vote. Aso is believed to have supported Takaichi." mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Your guide to AIPAC Democrats’ fake Israel criticisms Adam Johnson: "As Israel’s genocide explicitly reaches the stage of full blown depopulation & mass starvation, pro-Israel Democrats are going to create increasingly elaborate, convoluted & exotic workarounds therealnews.com/your-guide-t...

"India and China are partners, not rivals, Modi and Xi say" Congratulations to the US NatSec wonks who've happily praised Modi as a paragon of democracy while ignoring his authoritarianism and harsh repression of Muslims. You reap what you sow. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...