Pentagon ramps up pressure on Japan to hike defense spending
KEN MORIYASU
August 13, 2025 02:30 JST
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Defense Department is intensifying pressure on Japan to spend more on defense, above 3.5% of gross domestic product, Nikkei Asia has learned, appearing to ignore claims by Japanese officials that such a move would be difficult under a minority government.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NHK
3 hours ago
- NHK
Chinese fishing boats head out to East, South China Seas
Fishing boats have set sail from Chinese ports after the lifting of an annual ban on operating in parts of the East and South China Seas. The areas include waters around Taiwan, and those off the Senkaku Islands in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture. Japan controls the Senkaku islands. The Japanese government maintains they are an inherent part of Japan's territory. China and Taiwan claim them. On Saturday, the Chinese government lifted the ban that it had imposed each year for what it says was to protect marine resources. A large number of boats left a port in Quanzhou in Fujian Province, facing the East China Sea. Tensions were raised after the ban was lifted in 2016, when more than 200 fishing boats swarmed to waters near the islands. Some of them, including Chinese government vessels, entered Japan's territorial waters. Fujian provincial authorities apparently hope to prevent tensions this year. They have instructed fishers to be rigorously attentive to sensitive sea areas and consciously avoid political risk. Officials are expected to strengthen monitoring and law enforcement measures for the ships. One of the fishers told NHK that they are not allowed to operate near Japan and Taiwan, and that their activities are restricted to designated maritime zones. Chinese government ships have often entered Japan's territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands. The Japan Coast Guard says a record high number of such vessels were spotted in the contiguous zone just outside Japanese territorial waters on 355 days in 2024.
Nikkei Asia
4 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Japan eyes African trade deals to grow auto, other exports
Trade Kenya, East African countries seen as 1st candidates for agreements Motorcycle taxis in Nairobi. Japanese exports seek inroads into Africa's fast-growing consumer markets. © Reuters SHIMPEI KAWAKAMI August 17, 2025 00:18 JST TOKYO -- Japan is looking to start domestic discussions on possible trade agreements with African countries, seeking to promote auto exports and other commerce, Nikkei has learned.
SoraNews24
7 hours ago
- SoraNews24
How to try the viral 7-Eleven smoothie hack in Japan
This convenience store trend takes an already popular drink to new heights of deliciousness. Japanese convenience stores are known for selling amazing products, but recently customers have been taking these products and making them even better with secret hacks that are going viral on social media. One such hack involves 7-Eleven smoothies, or 'Seven Café Smoothies' as the chain likes to call them. These smoothies, sold in the freezer section in pre-blended form with fresh ingredients inside them, have become super popular due to their freshly made aspect, as customers blend them up using a specially designed machine at the counter. The range of smoothies has now grown to include a wide variety of delicious flavours, with loads of vitamins and nutrients to boot, but now it's becoming popular to add a little something to them from another section of the store. The secret ingredient is… ▼ …Meiji's R‑1 probiotic yoghurt drink. According to rave reviews from people following the trend on social media, the addition of R-1 yoghurt drink transforms a 7‑Eleven smoothie into a lassi, and customers have been using the mango smoothie to get the best results. Curious to see if the hack would live up to the hype, we purchased three of the smoothies to try them out, whipping them up in store before taking them home with the R-1s for the tasting. Starting with the mango smoothie, we poured the R-1 in and gave it a good stir with the straw. ▼ The smoothie costs 360 yen and the R-1 160 yen, so this hack will set you back 520 yen. The only thing left to do now was to take a sip, and as soon as we did that, we reeled back in surprise as it really did taste like a lassi. The subtle tartness was refreshing and clean on the palate, and the fruity brightness fit the flavour profile so well we almost wished we had a curry to pair with it. While the taste was fantastic, what surprised us even more was the fact that the added R‑1 fit perfectly in the cup, filling it to the rim as if it the smoothie had been measured out specifically for a little addition. It was such a great hack that we went on to experiment with two more flavours. ▼ Acai Banana Smoothie + R‑1 Light and refreshing, yet you can clearly feel the presence of the fruit. Blends together naturally with the R‑1 and has great compatibility, elevating it to the levels of a luxurious smoothie you'd drink at a cafe. The only downside was the R‑1 tended to sink to the bottom, so it took a bit of extra stirring before drinking. ▼ Strawberry Banana Soy Smoothie + Drinkable Yogurt This time, instead of R‑1, we added 7-Eleven's own-brand Yoghurt Drink to the mix. Thanks to the richness of the yoghurt, the result was super luxurious, adding extra creaminess to the drink while still allowing the flavour of the fruit and soy milk from the smoothie to shine through. ▼ The added thickness makes for a filling beverage that's particularly great for breakfast. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy breakfast option, or a fun pick-me-up at any time of the day, you might want to try the viral 7-Eleven smoothie hack. Our preferred variation was Strawberry Banana with the Yoghurt Drink, but if you prefer a lighter yoghurt flavour, then you'll want to opt for the R-1. Once you open the door to experimenting with the smoothies, you'll be tempted to explore even more options, so let us know if you find any combinations that are worth trying! Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
