I think the Japanese Navy in response should sail right through so called Japanese territorial waters in the South China Sea in response to this:
The Chinese coast guard entered waters Japan claims as its territorial limit around the Senkaku Islands over the weekend, less than 10 days after Japan’s prime minister warned Tokyo would use military force if China attacked Taiwan. Four Chinese vessels crossed into the 12-mile zone east of the Senkakus around 10:15 a.m. Sunday, according to a Japan coast guard statement released the same day. The uninhabited Senkakus — five islets and three rocky outcrops — lie about 105 miles east of Taiwan and 254 miles west of Okinawa. They are administered by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan.
You can read more at the link.
It looks like the ROK military is adjusting its recruitment standards in order to meet manpower needs with a shrinking population:
The South Korean military plans to introduce an adjustment program next year for service members from a multicultural background who face difficulties communicating in Korean, the Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday, as concerns mount over linguistic barriers and uneven support across units.
Under the new plan, recruits may voluntarily indicate their Korean-language communication ability when completing personal information forms for their physical examination. Those who feel their proficiency is insufficient will be eligible to join the program, which will consist of one week of adjustment training followed by five weeks of basic training. The additional week will also count toward mandatory service time.
The program, which is currently available four times a year to overseas permanent residents who voluntarily enlist, will be expanded to include soldiers with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds beginning next year. Training will cover Korean-language practice, repeated instruction in daily and military expressions, etiquette education, unit-level communication drills, military-life simulations and base facility tours.
You can read more at the link.
This is actually smart of PM Takaichi to have a half American cabinet member lead the crackdown on illegal immigration and crime by foreigners so the usual suspects cannot claim racism:
Economic security minister Kimi Onoda, tapped to lead the government’s policies on foreign nationals, says she is committed to strictly enforcing regulations related to non-Japanese workers and land acquisitions by foreign nationals.
In a joint interview with media organizations including The Japan Times on Monday, Onoda, a first-time Cabinet member who has been named “minister in charge of a society of well-ordered and harmonious coexistence with foreign nationals,” stressed the importance of cracking down on foreign nationals who do not follow rules in order to alleviate public concerns.
“There shouldn’t be a situation where law-abiding foreign residents find it harder to live here,” she said, noting that she has foreign roots as well. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she has an American father and a Japanese mother.
You can read more at the link.
It looks like this deal will allow South Korea via UAE to sell arms to Islamic militant groups in Africa that UAE is backing:
South Korea and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to work together to export defense equipment and nuclear reactors to third countries, marking a significant expansion beyond their fast-growing bilateral trade in these sectors. President Lee Jae Myung’s aides announced the agreement Tuesday during a briefing in Abu Dhabi, following a summit between the leaders of the two nations.
Kang Hoon-sik, presidential chief of staff, told reporters that the two countries will elevate their defense cooperation by jointly developing defense equipment, establishing a manufacturing base in the UAE and pursuing defense sales not only to the UAE’s Middle Eastern neighbors but also to countries in Africa, Europe and North America.
The plan will “increase the likelihood” of South Korean defense exporters securing deals in these regions, Kang said, noting that the potential value of such contracts could reach a combined $15 billion.
You can read more at the link.
