This article comes on the heels of another that says Japanese births continue to decline this year: https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2896432/births-in-japan-fall-another-6-in-first-half

Just because some 500 years ago Portuguese who’s never been there before called the area “South China Sea” Chinese thinks they own it.

I mean there are a lot of dead bodies on Everest. Why is this still news?

Bangkok’s colourful street vendor scene is about to change and disappear with the upcoming rules.

I am a bit puzzled at European response to the Ukraine invasion. The initial support was slow (obviously due to economic ties to Russia). It took sometime to galvanize some meat into the assistance being provided to Ukraine. Still not seeing leadership being taken on this issue by any of the bigger NATO nations (i.e. Germany, France). Part of this I suspect is that they are playing it smart by letting US take the leadership AND fund the Ukrainian defense thus costing them little. Part of it is perhaps the belief that Russia won’t touch non-former USSR countries. But what European countries should realize is, the current world order depends on respecting the borders. If one country is allowed to take territories from another by hot conflict, we’re going to see more of this elsewhere in the world, including in Europe! Threat of war, and wars are the enemy of trade, investment, and economic growth. It will impact Europe directly or indirectly.

It’s more like he doesn’t need it anymore since he’s got that new billion dollar palace now.

lol is this what passes for “scandal” in Japan? They are so fortunate.

NSFL. This is particularly gruesome:

The official confirmation came after photos circulated on messaging app WhatsApp depicting a severed head on top of a pick-up truck, appearing to be that of Arcos. Reuters could not independently verify the photos’ authenticity.

I think part of the treaty will be compensation from UK and US for the lease. Which they weren’t getting any prior to the handover.

“I will ensure Japan emerges from deflation,” he said, promising to accelerate Kishida’s policies aimed at boosting household income through wage hikes."

I haven’t seen anything that suggests Ishiba is an inflation hawk. And as former defense minister, he’s going to accelerate Japan’s defense spending further and counter Chinese threat in the region. Which will boost economy.

Japan has struggled with deflation for decades. Inflation has been a welcome development for them. With an aging population and low birth rates, they aren’t in danger of heading into hyper inflation.

Basically trying to bring Ukraine back to stone age. Ukraine needs to do the same to Russia. War is fucked.

This will force the hand of US and EU to sanction China one way or another. Of course diplomatic solutions can be worked out. What it will be has yet to be seen. As you’re aware, China has tried to avoid supplying arms directly to Russia until this move. It maybe that Chinese will manufacture the drones in Russia to avoid being seen as exporting arms.

Time to put sanctions on China. This would be interesting.

It is worth noting that China is supplying arms to both sides of the conflict.

This I believe is an intended effect of Chinese government’s shift away from depending on housing investment as primary factor in driving growth - to bring home affordability back as home ownership has become a deterrent to marriages and child-rearing, both in severe decline and the biggest long term strategic threat to China.

There has been Chinese-sponsored (or coerced) peace talks in Yunan in the past. There were truces that came out of them, only for fighting to break out months later with both sides accusing the other of breaking the terms of truce. With every disparate guerilla force gaining momentum and growing more powerful, there is no end in sight. Not for the next 50 years.

As a long time observer of Myanmar’s civil war, I need to clarify the somewhat misleading nature of this article. The journalist makes it appear as if RSO and the military Junta have reached some sort of a “truce”. This is further from the truth. Rohingya guerillas have had little to no presence in Burma since the military’s operations in 2017 and subsequent years marked by the infamous massacre of over 100 Rohingya villagers in August 2017. Due to the emergence of Arakan Army (AA) as a powerful guerilla force in Burma since the 2021 coup (Arakan are the native tibeto-burman people of the state of Arakan who are predominantly buddhist), and in a twist of irony, the military junta has been arming and training Rohingya guerillas as a counter to the threat from AA. Currently, AA has control of most of the state of Arakan with the exception of major cities and a Chinese-owned deep sea port.

China is doing its best to antagonize all of its neighbors.

Guerillas the Chinese helped founded, have supported and provided arms to have become more successful than they wanted. This development clearly confirms that Chinese are worried the Junta will collapse and Burma will fall into chaos, without a central authority but under disparate armed groups with constantly shifting territories due to rivalries amongst them. They need a central government in control of the country whom they can manipulate in order to implement their strategic interests in and through Burma. It seems their support for guerilla groups have been too successful and the situation is spinning out of their grasp.

First, we saw China appeal for regional unity in helping bring about stability in Burma 12 days ago, a break from its usual go-alone stance. Now they are blocking border trade that guerillas partially depend on for their revenue to bend them to Chinese will. The Chinese still have more leverage that they haven’t used yet of course. And it is interesting they are also pressuring the Wa who are not active participants in the civil war, but possesses the largest army amongst the guerillas with 30,000 soldiers (bigger than Sweden, Hungary or Portugal).