New Polish President’s inaugural visit to Berlin

The new Polish President Karol Nawrocki has arrived in Berlin for his inaugural visit. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier received his Polish counterpart with military honours outside Bellevue Palace. A meeting with Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz for talks is the next item on Mr…[Read more]

Merz’s CDU wins election in key German state, as support for AfD surges

Nationalist AfD nearly triples share of vote in local polls in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, preliminary results show.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative party has won local elections in the country’s most populous state, while the far-right Alter…[Read more]

Germany updates: Nord Stream suspect cleared for extradition

Lawyers for suspect Nord Stream saboteur Serhii K. argued at his extradition hearing that he was a soldier “following orders” during the September 26, 2022 incident and thus the “military nature of the alleged acts entails functional immunity.”

Neither K. nor his lawyers specified who…[Read more]

LDP’s Kobayashi announces he will run in the party leadership race

Former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi said Thursday he will run in the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election, days after former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi threw his hat into the ring.
This will be Kobayashi’s second presidential attempt after…[Read more]

Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture Warned of Record-Breaking Short-Duration Precipitation, Meguro Ward Logs 134 Millimeters for an Hour

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a record-breaking short-duration heavy rain advisory for Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture around 2:51 p.m. on Thursday.

Meguro Ward in Tokyo recorded 134 millimeters of rainfall for…[Read more]

Japan-Philippines visiting-forces pact comes into force as defense ties blossom

Japan and the Philippines are set to intensify joint military activities after a bilateral visiting-forces agreement entered into force on Thursday — a move that could potentially also pave the way for rotational deployments by Self-Defense Force personnel to the S…[Read more]

German carmakers, trade union jointly urge EU to drop combustion engine ban

Germany’s VDA car industry association and IG Metall metalworkers’ union on Thursday urged the European Union to drop plans to ban the production of CO2-emitting vehicles from 2035, joining a chorus of sector voices warning against the move.
VDA and the union said in a…[Read more]

Merz wants proactive spy agency to match German economic might

Germany needs its BND foreign intelligence service to operate at a level that reflects the country’s size and economic weight to deal with hybrid attacks from increasingly aggressive rivals, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday.
In a speech marking the inauguration of a new head…[Read more]

Merz: “We are and will remain ready to defend ourselves”

At a joint press conference with António Costa, president of the European Council, Germany’s Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued a statement about the violation of Polish NATO airspace by Russian drones. Merz said that he shared the assessment of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk “…[Read more]

Was the German pension system built to bust?

Germany is growing older and the pressure on the German pension system is increasing. The younger generation won’t be able to make up the difference, and economists think the elderly should foot the bill.

“People will always have children.” This is supposedly what Chancellor Konrad Adenauer said — h…[Read more]

Why the legacy of East Germany’s prefab housing blocks is more relevant than ever

Once considered progressive, then later derided, a new exhibition is exploring the developments’ place as part of a collective experience

Communist East Germany’s high-rise prefab residential blocks and their political and cultural impact in what was one of the b…[Read more]

Germany inaugurates Europe’s fastest computer

Europe’s fastest computer, the world’s fourth-fastest computer and the most energy-efficient computer ever -superlatives abound as Jupiter is inaugurated.

Germany’s Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Hendrik Wüst, the state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, have inaugurated Europe’s fastest co…[Read more]

Chinese Destroyer Circumnavigates Japan

A Chinese Navy destroyer and supply ship have completed a near circumnavigation of the Japanese archipelago before returning to the East China Sea.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the vessels sailed between Okinawa’s main island and Miyako Island on August 31st, heading toward the East China Sea. T…[Read more]

Kuwaiti FM meets Japanese counterpart on sidelines of Japan-GCC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya met his Japanese counterpart, Takeshi Iwaya, in Kuwait to discuss bilateral ties.

Iwaya led the Japanese delegation to participate in the second Japan-GCC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which was held on…[Read more]

Japan and South Korea record hottest summers in history

Record temperatures come amid scientists’ warnings that climate change is causing more frequent extreme weather events.

Japan and South Korea have sweated through their hottest summers since records began.

Japan’s average temperature this summer was 2.36 degrees Celsius (4.24 degrees Fah…[Read more]

Japan, U.K. Defense Ministers Issue Joint Statement on Cooperation; Nations Will Work Together to Counter China in Indo-Pacific

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey, after meeting at the Defense Ministry on Thursday, issued a joint statement pledging to expand security cooperation between their two countries.

This…[Read more]

Japan releases AI-generated Mount Fuji eruption video to encourage Tokyo residents to be prepared

Large clouds of smoke billow from Japan’s most famous mountain.

In no time, volcanic ash spreads to the heavily populated capital of Tokyo, fogging up the air and blanketing buildings and vehicles.

This is all from an AI-generated video released b…[Read more]

At Tokyo summit, India and Japan outline path forward for the coming decade

Japan and India agreed Friday to significantly ramp up cooperation in a number of areas, including trade, security and people exchanges, as the special strategic partners draw closer amid growing international concern over unilateral U.S. trade tariffs.
In a press…[Read more]

Germany tells nationals to leave Iran, fearing retaliation over sanctions

Germany has told its nationals to leave Iran and refrain from travelling there to avoid getting caught in retaliatory acts by Tehran over Germany’s role in triggering U.N. sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.
Britain, France and Germany on Thursday launched a…[Read more]

Meeting between Merz and Macron: united for a strong Europe

Large parts of the German and French governments are meeting for a Franco-German Ministerial Council on economic and security policy issues today. Prior to this session, Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron had met at the French president’s summer home in Brégançon for initial talks. At t…[Read more]