Leftists’ excesses are turning more South Koreans conservative – Asia Times

South Korea is mired in political unrest as US President Donald Trump continues to implement his” America First” plan. The senate of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is causing perilous social unrest and stifling the regional balance of power.

This issue resembles the shocking impeachment of Park Geun-hye in 2016 in an alarming way. In both instances, the ruling, traditionalist People’s Party acted unfairly toward its own leader, which led to the passage of the senate resolution in the National Assembly.

Legacy internet fabricated and manipulated news to deceive the public, which had a significant impact on shaping public view. The Constitutional Court, which has been widely criticized as a “kangaroo jury,” violated due process by holding two trial sessions per week for President Yoon and four per week for President Park.

Also, doubts have arisen that Foreign citizens, disguised as Koreans, participated in pro-impeachment gatherings. These worries were made even more acute when the Chinese consulate officially forbade its citizens from participating in Korean political demonstrations.

A change in social interactions

Despite connections, important variations exist between the 2016 and current anti-impeachment activities. In 2016, the anti-impeachment demonstrations were disorganized and fundamental. Activists, mostly in their 50s and 60s, wore hiking equipment and waved Korean and US flags to communicate their pro-democracy position.

At the time, pro-impeachment liberals, mostly in their 30s and 40s, ridiculed them as obsolete and capable of good judgment. At the age of 45, Rhyu Si-min, a dramatic communist and former minister of health and happiness, reportedly observed that Koreans ‘ mental powers begin to decline after 60.

Today, however, the political environment has shifted. A considerable majority of Koreans aged 18–30 and 60–70 muscular traditional, leaving liberals in their 40s and 50s extremely isolated. Unfortunately, past Minister Rhyu, then 65, just contradicted his earlier claim by dismissing young liberal men in their 20s and 30s as “garbage”.

Asian girls, usually left-leaning, have furthermore gravitated toward conservative. The traditional parents ‘ online group” Right Terrace” has grown to 8, 500 people. The organization has since expanded its efforts to support different liberal causes, starting with providing heated trucks for march participants during wintertime protests.

The enlightenment of South Korea’s liberal movement

What has changed? Meetings with conservatives disclose a number of important reasons why they engage in engagement:

  1. Media disdain – They were aware of the biases that the legacy media had when they were impeached in 2016 but not imagined they would actually create the news.
  2. New advertising platforms – In 2016, YouTube was never a major media source, and the majority of people relied on traditional advertising. Today, other media play a crucial role.
  3. Financial decline under Moon Jae-in – The prior administration’s policies greatly impacted the economy, leading some to reevaluate their social stance.
  4. A reluctance to change – They refuse to been deceived once after one prosecution based on false information. Some believe that if this prosecution succeeds, South Korea’s politics will be at risk.

In this way, South Koreans are taking real rights of their politics. South Korea has a liberal democracy-style exterior composition but lacks its heart since its independence in 1948.

Then, the people are actively shaping their country in line with their personal background, traditions, and values. They are battling for their liberty, which is a necessary battle because it cannot be just granted or required. South Koreans are living examples of how a thriving politics may be owned by its citizens.

International consequences

On the global front, today’s problems varies from that of 2016. The US also believed that China could be incorporated into the current world order for peaceful coexistence at the time. Yet, the US has since abandoned its proposal plan, then viewing China as a strong competitor.

What are the worldwide consequences? It was destroy the area and cause a “doomsday effect” if isolationism is practiced by America Firsters today in the same manner as their post-World War I predecessors.

The US created the Washington Treaty System in 1921 to halt Chinese development and stop China from entangling. The US omitted it, though, in 1931 when Japan seizes Manchuria because it feared intervening was against its wishes. Essentially, this passive attitude gave Japan free grip in Asia.

Currently, as the US prioritizes its own passions, China has rapidly expanded its control over South Korea – slowly, quietly and secretly.

Two significant occurrences best illustrate this pattern:

  1. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences ‘ ( 2002-2007 ) project aimed to rewrite history by claiming that the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo was a part of China.
  2. The establishment of Confucius Institutes ( 2004–present ) – South Korea was the first country to host a Confucius Institute, a Chinese government-backed institution used to exert soft power and ideological influence.

With US assistance, South Korea has become a regional superpower. However, it remains resilient. If the US fails to stand solidly behind South Korea’s politics, China will eventually fill the vacuum.

Given China’s regional proximity, financial power and military fall and the growing Chinese people in South Korea, the danger is evident and immediate.

The struggle for politics in East Asia

In 1950, the US formulated National Security Council Document 68 ( NSC-68 ), marking a radical shift in policy. It stated that the global conflict was “momentous, involving the realization or loss of both this Republic and of civilization itself” and established a goal of” to fight local Soviet moves with local actions.”

Now, South Korea stands as the front defence against tyranny.

In a 2017 post for Asia Times, I claimed that the highest rates of crime were a result of a larger subterfuge plot by authoritarian forces.

The current issue suggests that story may become repeating itself, but South Koreans are more knowledgeable, more engaged, and more determined to stand up for what is happening. The battle for the future of democracy in East Asia may be recognized by the global community as a whole.

The risk of allowing authoritarian pushes to advance more is that the free world’s actions could threaten the stability of the entire region. The time has come to show a strong commitment to the politics of South Korea.

Hanjin Lew&nbsp is a former South Korean liberal party foreign official and a social commentator with an emphasis on East Asian matters.

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Researchers find ancient fossils in Krabi cave

A team of experts uncovers fossils of animals, including hyenas, orangutans, deers and wild boars, as well as the teeth of unspecified animals, in To Chong cave in tambon Ao Nang, Krabi. Photos: Niwat Wattanayamanaporn
A team of experts exposes specimens of animals, including wolves, animals, antelopes and wild badgers, as well as the teeth of unknown animals, in To Chong bunker in tambon Ao Nang, Krabi. Photos: Niwat Wattanayamanaporn

During a recent construction of the To Chong bunker in Tambon Ao Nang, a team of researchers and scientists discovered a number of pet remains from the Soon Pleistocene epoch.

A group of scientists and researchers led by Chulalongkorn University’s Assoc Prof. Kantapon Suraprasit and local professional Niwat Wattanayamanaporn led the dig.

The group uncovered the remains of spotted hyenas, animals, antelopes, wild animals, cattle and animals inside the cave, said Assoc Prof Kantapon on Monday.

He estimated the specimens date back from between 200, 000-80, 000 centuries before, from the Late Pleistocene era. He claimed that the southern instance of this varieties in Southeast Asia is the result of the discovery of observed hyena fossils.

According to stable isotope analysis of carbon and oxygen in specimens from a local cave, researchers have discovered that there was once a jungle with areas of dense bush in what is now Krabi around 200, 000 decades ago.

Hyenas are now only found in Africa’s plains, he said.

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‘Outdated’ 2-5pm booze ban faces fresh opposition

Campaigners hold placards at the Public Health Ministry in Nonthaburi in 2023 to urge the ministry to amend the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act BE 2551 to ban the use of alcohol logos and brands to sell other products. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
Campaigners demand that the Public Health Ministry amend the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act Get 2551 to outlaw the use of alcohol symbols and businesses on the sale of different merchandise. They are stationed at the Public Health Ministry in Nonthaburi in 2023. ( Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill )

Hotels and other establishments that sell alcohol on Monday demanded that the government pull the two-hour restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages between 2 and 5pm, claiming that the ban is unconstitutional.

These demands come as a bill to amend the laws governing beer consumption is about to pass its second and third observations in the House of Representatives. The House’s unique council has previously examined and approved the review amendment.

According to Kawee Sakawee Sakawee, the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association ( Tabba ), the 2pm to 5pm alcohol sale ban was put in place in 1972 to stop government employees from consuming alcohol while at work.

It’s about time to modify this more than five generation older oversight, he said.

Immigrants visiting Thailand might not be willing to compromise on their leisure time upon arriving here, Mr. Kawee said,” While Thai individuals may be familiar with the restrictions and have no issues buying booze outside of the prohibited period.

He claimed that the alcohol beverages economy pays about 150 billion ringgit in income to the government and generates about 600 billion baht annually in income.

Mr. Kawee expressed his full support for stringent regulation protection against driving while under the influence, which may help develop responsible drinkers in Thai culture, in response to concerns raised about the possibility of lifting the liquor sales ban, which might have bad effects, such as a rise in drink-driving incidents.

The Thai Hotels Association’s leader, Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, stated that the organization continues to receive numerous complaints from hotel guests regarding the liquor sales ban.

” The government’s policy and strategies for attracting more visitors into the country deserve credit, but archaic laws which are no longer useful or appropriate to the current social context, such as the 2-5pm alcohol selling ban, should be cancelled”, he said.

According to a study, European tourists who travel to Asian countries usually set off about US$ 250 (8, 475 baht ) per person for food and beverages each day. If Thailand lifts the liquor sales restrictions, the nation will have a better chance of earning more holiday money.

” Not only hotels and large restaurants will benefit, but also the numerous small eateries and bars,” said Praphawi Hemathat, Thailand’s Craft Beer Trade Association ( Thailand ).

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The rocky road to a Ukraine deal – Asia Times

The Trump administration will likely have to come up with an original plan to put an end to the battle, and it is unlikely to be able to reach a complete agreement with Ukraine right away. There are some challenges to overcome, in part because the Russians have zero faith in anything coming from the West, in part because the Ukrainians are unreliable partners, and in part because Europe wants to keep the combat going.

In an interview with the New York Post, President Trump acknowledges having at least one phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and doesn’t act out having more. The Kremlin has not independently confirmed or refuted reports that names have occurred, but Russia officially claims that it has not received any ideas from the US area.

However, the US is sending Vice President J. D. Vance and retired Public Keith Kellogg to the Munich Security Conference. Zelensky will even attend the meeting, Kellogg says that he is preparing “options” for President Trump but didn’t disclose them at the Munich event.

What can be accomplished in Munich is unclear. In reality, US high level participation at the Munich event was really stifle any agreement with Russia because America’s Western colleagues are urging more war, no less. ( Of course, the Europeans expect America to keep footing the bill for the conflict. )

Russia sees Zelensky and the Europeans as having little or no reason to deal. Putin, however, plainly favors negotiating with the United States. Obviously, if a deal can be found, Putin believes that the only feasible agreement will be between Russia and the US.

The Russians have thrown in more resources to fight in Kursk, but as it appears right now, after some initial increases, the Russian insulting is being rolled up. In other areas, Ukraine is attempting to use more troops to occupy positions in Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk, two important cities. It is too soon to know if the Russian progress, slower and plodding as it is, may be halted. However, Ukraine is working hard to recover from its numerous field loses and is now using its F-16s for the first time to help front-line activities.

The acting chancellor of the Kursk area, Alexei Smirnov, posted a picture of the city of Sudzha in an image on his Telegram network.

All in all, Ukraine is trying to buy time and stop a significant Russian advance that may cause a complete collapse in Ukraine’s threats. Zelensky’s issue is threefold:

  • He is losing men at a higher level, including supposedly thousands of traitors.
  • He can no longer depend on US-wide weapons deliveries, whose have will unavoidably more deteriorate Ukraine’s ability to fight.

I don’t believe the Trump presidency will deliver any great things to Zelensky. In fact, there are more than stories that the management wants to replace Zelensky with a more flexible management, possibly by the fall. Obviously, Zelensky does not consent and says that elections&nbsp, would wreck the military.

While General Kellogg will consider options for President Trump’s consideration, many of the potential elements of a deal with Russia are already known ( and numerous press leaks tend to confirm what the administration is thinking ).

One option may be taken off the table immediately, unless it is apparently modified. That is the concept behind a ceasefire to end the battle. A peace would allow Ukraine to resurrect its defense and build up a new, bigger arsenal of weapons, according to the Russians. A ceasefire in area is similar in concept to what was agreed double ( 2014 and 2015 ) in the Minsk partnerships.

Normandy format talks in Minsk ( February 2015 ): Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, Francois Hollande, and Petro Poroshenko take part in the talks on a settlement to the situation in Ukraine.

The level of confidence is so low now that it’s difficult to believe that the Russians will back any claims, such as stopping any additional arms sales to Ukraine.

Although it’s unclear whether acknowledging Russia’s wars in Ukraine means de facto understanding of the status quo or, rather, de law popularity that the captured lands are a legal part of Russia, the alleged US plan also includes a acknowledgement of the conquests by Russia in Ukraine.

Under the now defunct Minsk agreements, Donetsk and Luhansk would have remained part of Ukraine and subject to ( some ) Ukrainian laws and administration, but would in some unspecified manner be autonomous with protections for the Russian-speaking population of these territories. It is obvious that concept has been superseded by Russia’s settlements of these lands, which also include Zaphorize, Kherson and Crimea.

Without a long-term agreement between the external and internal events, the Ukraine war never come to an end.

It appears that the Trump administration is not opposed to reversing any upcoming Ukrainian participation in NATO. &nbsp, Keeping NATO out of Ukraine is a vital requirement made by the Russians. There is a concern, yet.

If Ukraine is to join NATO, Zelensky has argued that he will need protection offers from the US and NATO troops to protect Ukraine. One can ask, what is the difference in practice if there are NATO troops in Ukraine ( perhaps officially as peacekeepers ) and security guarantees?

In fact, this is exchanging one difficulty, NATO membership, for another, NATO military and security offers.

A cushion zone, which is still undefined, is one way out of this conundrum. The alleged peacekeeping force may either work in the buffer area or remain outside of it. Who would be in charge of creating a cushion area, and how could it be managed?

In the Minsk agreements, the&nbsp, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe&nbsp, ( OSCE ) was supposed to help keep the peace and prevent violations of the deal. It was a loss, and the OSCE is unlikely to do so once more. Today there are not many other applicants. The UN had serve some sort of monitoring function, similar to the OSCE, but the UN’s performance abroad has been far from stellar.

The Ukraine kerfuffle has many other problems, too. Russia does want its cash reserves in European and American businesses &nbsp, returned, apparently with interest. Whatever it may be fair, the arrest of Russian funds is likely to violate international law. Those assets are &nbsp, valued at around$ 300 billion, perhaps more. Ukraine has received the information gained from the seized Russian resources.

Another problem of some result is the gas and oil pipelines. Nordstream, for instance, was largely destroyed by “unknown” events. You Russia, one of the owners in Nordstream, &nbsp, require compensation?

In addition, there is the broader spectrum of sanctions, including the bank and SWIFT system, blocking transport and sales of products and other limitations that affect Russia. You Trump offer the Russians restrictions comfort, and can he get Europe to collaborate? Get note that General Kellogg is suggesting&nbsp, greatly increasing the sanctions&nbsp, then as a way to force Russia into a package.

Internally, there is a problem with Russian speakers being protected in Ukrainian cities and towns that are under Ukraine’s command. Infringes on Western political and human rights standards by enacting cultural and religious laws in Ukraine. Did a resolution to peace require that Ukraine reform them?

Given the breadth of the issues and Trump’s unwillingness to support any agreement that rewards the Russians, the EU and its main supporters ( Germany and France ), are, it is unlikely that Trump will be able to secure a comprehensive agreement.

This suggests that the Trump administration may possibly attempt to “move the knife” on a package by creating potential future alternative mechanisms in trade for ending the fighting, with the remaining issues left for future discussions.

Even though doing this requires a difficult path, the Russians will want very strong and binding assurances regarding Ukrainian weapons, particularly long-range weapons like the USHIMARS and ATACMS and the British-French Stormshadow/SCALP EG.

Other than being subjected to pressure to keep the war in Ukraine going, it is unclear what Vance and Kellogg will bring home from Munich. Trump will have to work with the Russians to see if there is a way forward while Trump will have to rely on his NATO partners to watch him closely.

Stephen Bryen is a former US deputy undersecretary of defense for policy and a special correspondent for Asia Times. This article, which originally appeared on his Substack newsletter Weapons and Strategy, is republished with permission.

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Commentary: Beyond the big spenders, Singapore needs budget tourists too

PRICE-SENSITIVE Visitors

In reality, price-sensitive local travelers from other Southeast Asian nations are less and less interested in visiting Singapore. Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese visitors in particular are starting to trip abroad.

Visitor visitors from these three nations are considerably below their 2019 levels. In contrast to 2023, both Thailand and Vietnam saw declines in guest visitors, with all other major markets seeing increases year over year.

Vietnam experienced the biggest decline, with Vietnamese arrivals at Changi dropping 33 % in 2024 compared to 2019, including a 46 % decline in November and a 42 % decline in December.

Thailand’s visitor arrivals to Changi dropped 26 % from their 2018 levels, including a 35 % decrease in November and a 29 % decrease in December.

In the much bigger Indonesian business, visitor arrivals at Changi were over 16 per share, including 22 per cent in November and 17 per cent in December.

For local travelers, attracting more visitors from these and other Southeast Asian nations may involve more affordable lodging options and a drop in aircraft departure fees.

India is another source of concern, with its visitor arrivals at Changi of 13 % &nbsp, below 2019 levels in 2024, despite the country’s benefiting other Southeast Asian nations ‘ booming overall growth in its outbound travel sector. For instance, Malaysia had 37 per cent more American tourists in 2024 compared with 2019.

Singapore’s substantial cost in comparison to other places and its visa-free policies are the main reasons why India has failed to grow. Singapore needs to lift card limits to American citizens to engage with Malaysia, which adopted a visa-free scheme for India in soon 2023, and different destinations.

In February 2024, Singapore implemented a visa-free scheme for Chinese citizens, which has helped to boost the country’s largest tourist export market. Another Southeast Asian nations lifting immigration restrictions for China has, however, been a little lessening the effect.

Foreign visitor arrivals at Changi were also 3 percent below last year’s level, despite quite weak demand over the previous two months of the year. In comparison to the same months in 2019, Chinese visitor arrivals at Changi decreased by 20 % in November 2024 and 23 % in December 2024.

Indonesia, India and Malaysia are Singapore’s largest supply industry after China. In comparison to 2019, Malaysia visitor arrivals at Changi decreased by 6 % in 2024, but also by a worrying 24 % in December.

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There’s method behind Trump madness but he’s set up China for wins – Asia Times

It has been three weeks since Donald Trump was inaugurated as America’s 47th president, but it feels like three years.

Tariffs imposed, tariffs suspended; a Gaza ceasefire negotiated and then put in danger; Greenland, Panama and Gaza all desired as potential new US territory; America’s $40 billion overseas aid budget destroyed; American withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organisation, and sanctions on the International Criminal Court.

It has been dizzying and disturbing in equal measure.

During Trump’s first term in the White House it was common to describe his administration as chaotic and unpredictable. We have learned that being unpredictable is a deliberate technique to put opponents off balance. The blizzard of actions and announcements is another deliberate technique, to make it hard for critics to focus on what really matters.

Yet so far it is unclear whether chaotic is going to remain the right word to describe the Trump effect. Wild, it certainly is. But what is happening so far looks like a combination of two much more coherent efforts than before.

One is the attempted destruction of many traditional elements of the federal government and of American commitments abroad; the other is the seizure of power to the presidency from Congress and other parts of the American constitutional system.

These two coherent efforts depend partly on Trump’s own instincts but substantially on the ideology of those around him, including Elon Musk as well as many other zealots who have spent the Biden years planning for this moment. It will remain wild for some time, but several patterns are emerging.

For the outside world, the clear pattern of the Trump administration is that “America First,” his campaign slogan, is going to be insufficient to describe the change under way: “America Alone” seems more appropriate.

Collaboration in forums and institutions is being dumped, unceremoniously: Although the Paris accord and World Health Organization were predictable victims, the replacement of collaboration by imperialism was not.

So far, it is an imperialism of words, though the sudden swing of policy this week on Gaza comes close to action.

The world has been left speculating whether President Trump can really be serious when he says he wants Gaza to become US territory, given his previous resistance to spending American money or risking American lives on conflicts overseas. Yet the real implication is something more immediate: Almost certainly, this wild move will act as a cover for Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu to break the ceasefire and resume his war against Hamas.

That may have been Trump’s intention, or it may just be a consequence.

Regardless of the explanation, he has thrown aside any idea of a collaborative effort with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states to rebuild and govern Gaza, for those states all demand negotiations for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state to go alongside the ceasefire and reconstruction.

The fact that he has countered that demand with his own demand that the 2.1 million Palestinians who were living in Gaza be taken in by Egypt, Jordan and other Arab states means that he has no interest in serious negotiations. Soon, citing evidence that Hamas militias have moved back into Gaza, the Israeli forces are likely to invade again.

A second pattern that emerges from Gaza but also from his threats of import tariffs on Canada and Mexico is that it is wrong to call Trump a “negotiator,” as Giorgia Meloni has done. If he were a negotiator, he would genuinely want to make deals with other countries, just as he did during his first term when his administration made a new trade arrangement with America’s two giant neighbours.

Instead, what we have seen is a man who wants “wins,” not deals, and uses his threats not to achieve a sustainable outcome but rather to emphasize and display his own power.

That is why he has followed his pressure for a Gaza ceasefire so swiftly with his destabilizing claim to Gaza as potential US territory. And it is why he was willing to suspend his tariff threats against Canada and Mexico as soon as both governments offered concessions, even though the concessions they offered were trivial.

To Trump, if it can be made to look like a win, it is a win regardless of the truth.

The third pattern is related to this desire to display power. Trump and the zealots around him know that he is currently at the peak of his political power, having won November’s election and having turned the Republican Party in Congress into a largely supine group.

Soon, some things are bound to go wrong, reducing his popularity and, crucially, giving Republicans a motive to diverge from him to save their seats in the mid-term congressional elections due in November 2026.

He and the zealots in his team know they must move fast if they want to achieve anything. More crucially, they are also trying to exploit his current political power to increase the practical power of the presidency, to guard against the revival of congressional opposition.

Musk’s destruction of US AID, the development aid agency, is part of this effort: It is a small and weak target, as it mainly employs people overseas. But is a symbolic one – as, by succeeding in destroying it, he has shown that the US Constitution, under which Congress is supposed to have the final say over such agencies, can be ignored.

This is a genuine constitutional crisis, yet for the time being is one in which the part of the constitution whose powers are being violated, Congress, is doing nothing about it. That will now be tested further, as Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, a new body that has no constitutional status, will seek to impose further spending cuts and even to abolish whole federal government departments. Only private lawsuits and the courts are currently standing in their way.

This brings in the final pattern that is emerging. The Trump teams’ mission to establish “America Alone,” to impose trade tariffs on allies to achieve “wins” and to withdraw from international collaboration is creating an open goal for China.

If Beijing wants to strengthen its friendships with the Global South or even with long-time American allies, it now has a huge chance to score.

Formerly editor-in-chief of The Economist, Bill Emmott is currently chairman of the Japan Society of the UK, the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the International Trade Institute.

First published on his Substack newsletter Bill Emmott’s Global View, this English original of an article in Italian in La Stampa is republished with permission.

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Japan’s hypersonic arsenal getting up to speed – Asia Times

In response to growing threats from China and North Korea, Japan is expanding its fast weapons arsenal, but modern gaps and reliance on the US defense sector could stymie progress.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense ( MOD ) announced this month that it had successfully conducted flight tests for its island defense hypersonic glide vehicle ( HGV ). Four check launches were conducted at a page in California, with one start in August 2024, two in November 2024 and one in January 2025.

The stand-off missiles, designed to neutralize threats first and at long range, effectively demonstrated their expected aircraft performance, according to the Japanese dialect news. Japan’s HGV study will be finished by 2025, while mass production has been afoot since 2023.

Previously, Japan’s Acquisition, Technology &amp, Logistics Agency ( ATLA ) released footage of a successful test launch of the Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile ( HVGP ) in July 2024, signaling apparent significant hypersonic weaponry progress.

The” Early Deployment Version ( Block 1 )” test featured extended-range variants planned for 2030.

The 900-kilometer-range HVGP will enter the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces ( JGSDF) service in 2026, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is reportedly speeding up the weapon’s production.

In March 2020, Japan unveiled two hypersonic weapon concepts: the Hypersonic Cruise Missile ( HCM) and the HVGP. The HCM, which is powered by a scramjet website, resembles regular cruise missiles but has longer ranges and faster speeds. A solid-fuel jet motor propels the HVGP’s bomb while maintaining high velocity as it glides toward its target.

At the military level, fast weapons are necessary to Japan’s emerging counterstrike features, although using them poses professional challenges.

HGVs and HCMs demonstrate advanced missile systems. Launched from nuclear missiles, HGVs may strike speeds of up to Mach 20 and glide suddenly to escape interception. If the power permits, they may evade during the final step.

Likewise, HCMs use ramjets or scramjets for sustained speeds over Mach 6 and a boost for motion, enabling detailed strikes in rough, strong dives.

Satoru Mori and Shinichi Kitaoaka explain the military justification for Japan’s purchase of hypersonic arms in a February 2021 RAND statement. They claim that they can attack weapon defenses, attack critical infrastructure, including air and naval bases, logistics centers, and control centers.

But, Masashi Murano points out in a March 2024 content for the Hudson Institute that Japan lacks sufficient flying ships and escort jammers for serious hit functions.

Murano notes that Japan has substantial gaps in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting ( ISR-T) capabilities for hitting mobile, time-sensitive targets and still struggles to build warheads for hardened targets.

Japan needs to address its significant dependence on the US and the security industry constraints, even though it is speeding up its fast weapons system to protect against a possible conflict in its disputed islands with China and Russia and to hinder local missile threats.

In a possible conquest of its distant islands, especially in the Senkaku Islands contested with China, Japan may use fast weapons to breach opponent defenses, according to Katsuhisa Furukawa’s report for Open Nuclear Network in April 2021.

Furukawa advises using multiple platforms and trajectories to launch them at various speeds to maximize the advantages of hypersonic weapons. He claims that maneuvering could narrow those weapons ‘ ranges, necessitating air-launch platforms like the F-35, even though they could theoretically strike missile storage and launch facilities in China and North Korea.

Furthermore, The Mainichi reported in December 2024 that Japan would earmark US$ 1.57 billion to speed up hypersonic weapons development.

That figure is in addition to the$ 130 million that will be used to mass-produce long-range missiles starting in FY 2025, which will cost$ 130 million. Japan will allocate$ 110 million to mass-produce an improved version of its Type 12 extended-range shore-based anti-ship missile and$ 19.75 million for a submarine-launched version.

However, Japan’s defense industry faces significant challenges in achieving these goals. In an article for Asia Military Review this month, Gordon Arthur mentions that Japan is still dependent on imported US weapons and that its defense sector is uncompetitive due to the JSDF’s small order sizes and self-imposed export restrictions.

He mentions Japan’s efforts to address these shortcomings by providing direct financial support to its defense manufacturers.

However, Grant Newsham says Japan’s long-term overreliance on the US has hobbled its ability to defend itself. He concludes that there is no substitute for the US defense” services” in Asia and that Japan cannot defend itself against China alone, let alone adding in North Korea and Russia.

As for the strategic impact of Japan’s counterstrike capabilities, Fabian Hoffman mentions in a May 2024 article for the peer-reviewed Journal of Strategic Studies that long-range conventional strike ( LRS ) weapons, such as cruise, ballistic and hypersonic missiles, have four primary strategic functions: counter-population, strategic interdiction, counter-leadership and counterforce.

He mentions that LRS weapons can weaken an adversary’s will or capacity to resist by targeting enemy populations, critical infrastructure, leadership and military assets.

In a complex security environment, Japan’s National Security Strategy 2022 and National Defense Strategy 2022 provide the country’s justification for acquiring conventional counterstrike capabilities.

In response to rising missile threats and geopolitical conflict, the National Security Strategy emphasizes the need for proactive measures to safeguard Japan’s sovereignty and regional stability.

In the meantime, the National Defense Strategy emphasizes counterstrike capabilities as crucial for preventing and halting missile attacks. In order to bolster deterrence while upholding Japan’s defense-oriented policy, it emphasizes that these capabilities will be used as a last resort under constitutional and self-defense principles.

Japan’s efforts to develop counterstrike capabilities may also contribute to a regional arms race.

In a November 2023 article in the peer-reviewed Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament, Michiru Nishida mentions that China has expressed serious concerns about Japan’s development of intermediate-range missiles, particularly in light of their dual-use nature, which could allow them to carry conventional or nuclear warheads, with some voices advocating for Japan to obtain the latter. &nbsp,

From the perspective of China, Nishida believes it is crucial to prevent a regional arms race and lower the chance of miscalculation by making sure these missiles are not equipped with nuclear warheads. However, he says China remains skeptical of Japan’s military intentions, perceiving these missile developments as a potential threat to its security and regional influence.

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Thai govt projects draw Google interest

Marcus D Jadotte, Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy from Google (left) and Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan (right). (Photo: Commerce Ministry)
Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan ( right ), and Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Marcus D. Jadotte, both from Google ( left ). ( Photo: Commerce Ministry )

The Commerce Minister stated that Google has expressed an interest in growing its investment in Thai government-related tasks.

Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan and Google executives had discussions about developing collaboration in the online economy, improving cybersecurity, and investing in innovative technologies in Thailand during his trip to the US next month.

Common project investments were a key topic of conversation during their discussions. Google is strong on increasing its investment in Thai government-related jobs, especially in cloud service and data centres.

The United Arab Emirates is interested in setting up data centers in Thailand, according to him, while big international tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have already made significant investments there.

Developing Defa

Mr. Pichai added that Google is eager to support the development of an agreement as an international standard for digital economy collaboration and acknowledges Thailand’s role as chair of the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement‘s ( Defa ) negotiations.

He emphasized the president’s desire to establish Defa as a comprehensive, high-quality digital economy deal that encourages the development of the digital sector.

Intellectual property rights were identified as a crucial area of focus, particularly in adapting legitimate systems to modern technology like AI.

The Defa negotiations are expected to be finished by this year, which, if successful, would lead to the first local digital economy agreement in the world and would increase Asean’s involvement in online cooperation, including the US.

According to Mr. Pichai, the discussion also highlighted the need to strengthen cybersecurity infrastructure to secure data and net transactions on a global scale.

They even discussed the regulatory framework for the modern economy and possible obstacles that might prevent trade and investment.

Also, Mr. Pichai offered to work with Google to create a super software for the Ministry of Commerce to increase the efficiency of public projects, to which Google responded with a “yes” response.

Broad US attention

Mr. Pichai also spoke with members from the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-Asean Business Council, in addition to Google.

He met with representatives from more than 26 leading British firms including Nasdaq, FedEx, the Asia Group, PepsiCo, IBM, Mars, Citi, Organin, Intel, Vriens &amp, Partners, ConocoPhillips, Caterpillar, Seagate, Tyson Food, Apple, DGA-Albright, Stonebridge Group, BowerGroupAsia, S&amp, P Global, Visa, Boeing, Dow, Cargill, 3M and Viatris.

In 2024, the US was Thailand’s second-largest buying companion, with complete business value exceeding US$ 74.4 billion.

The US continues to be Thailand’s best trade marketplace, contributing$ 54.9 billion in exports, which includes essential items such as computers, plastic items, stones, automobiles and air conditioning units.

The value of imports from the US amounted to$ 19.5 billion, which includes crude oil, machinery and chemicals.

    Connected: Thai finance secretary supports more US imports to reduce trade deficit

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Indian police shut down Ed Sheeran’s street gig

After authorities said he lacked the necessary permission to play, he was arrested and immediately ended a city performance, denying that he fraudulently serenaded the American public. The British singer-songwriter and four-time Grammy winner is currently touring the world’s most populous nation, but he took time off to busk toContinue Reading

‘Puzzling’: Malaysia’s new rules for Sarawak’s oil and gas sector set to trigger fresh political tensions

CAN THE DIFFERENT LAWS CO-EXIST?

Sarawak, which has longer pushed for greater control over its oil resources, has been the subject of decades of flimsy conversations with Petronas and the Malaysian authorities over Petronas ‘ dominance over the nation’s oil and gas reserves, as mandated by the PDA.

Sarawak, which insists that the PDA does not use to it, has passed laws governing its oil and gas industry and appointed Petros as its single gas aggregate in February last year, a step that instantly challenged Petronas ‘ long-held power.

The eastern position holds about 60 per cent of Malaysia’s oil resources and helps about 90 per cent of Malaysia’s LNG imports.

Both events have tried to reach a deal in discussions that started in April of last year, but they have broken down double, with Petronas suspending all discussions in December, according to professionals from the federal oil company.

Under the condition of anonymity, top Indonesian government leaders who spoke to CNA claimed that Petronas and the Sarawak government’s latest confusion is the result of efforts by the Anwar leadership to negotiate a deal.

One senior government official who was close to the circumstance said,” The true issue here is that discussions have broken down between the events and that is why Petronas and Sarawak doesn’t make any statements.”

Representatives from Petronas, who also spoke unnamed, claimed that the state had become unworkable in recent months as the condition began enforcing registration requirements for personal oil and gas companies operating in the position.

” The enactments of laws by the state ( Sarawak ) government have complicated the situation”, said the government official, adding that it has” caused a lot of uncertainty among international investors”.

” What used to go through Petronas in the state ( under the PDA ) before must now go through Petros, and that is putting pressure on both the foreign independent contractors and ourselves,”

Any group engaging in petrol distribution activities in Sarawak is required to apply for a license under the state’s distribution of gas ordinance, which states.

However, Azalina claimed in her published political response that Petronas and its affiliates are not required to obtain a license or follow any other requirements in Sarawak besides what is set forth in Act 144, which is the PDA 1974, based on the arrangement between Anwar and Abang Johari.

Some even have reservations about the compatibility of the various pieces of regulations governing Petronas and Petros.

Zaid Ibrahim, a notable Malaysia lawyer and a previous secretary overseeing legal matters, told CNA that Anwar’s notes in mid-January over a settlement reached are misplaced.

” There didn’t get two sets of rules, such as the PDA and the Sarawak Distribution of Gas Ordinance, because it will only result to more fight, and international investors want certainty”, he said.

Zaid thinks a fresh strategy is required.

The best outcome would be to have Petronas continue as it did before and both parties take to the authorities to resolve the dispute, he said.

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