Indonesia

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Vietnam

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Science & Technology

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi signed agreements with Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung to deepen cooperation on energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and space during the former's visit to Hanoi, Reuters reported on May 2.

Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam: Tokyo Deepens Strategic Foothold in Southeast Asia

Australia

China

Japan and Australia will prioritize and fast-track six critical minerals projects in Australia spanning rare earths, nickel, gallium and mineral sands-based rare earth extraction, Nikkei Asia reported on May 1. 

Japan, Australia: Critical Minerals Push Targets China Supply Risk

Brunei Darussalam

Malaysia

Singapore

South Korea

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has signaled growing opposition to a windfall tax on gas exports that had been expected to be proposed for the May 12 federal budget, making its inclusion unlikely in the upcoming legislative session, the Australian Financial Review reported on April 23.

Australia: Fuel Diplomacy Shelves Canberra's Gas Tax Push

United States

Philippines

Japan's government unveiled revisions to its rules on defense equipment and technology transfers, abolishing the restriction that had largely confined transfers to nonlethal items, according to a Ministry of Defense readout on April 21.

Japan: Tokyo Opens the Door to Lethal Arms Exports

Canada

New Zealand

France

The Philippines and the United States began the largest iteration of annual Balikatan military drills yet, running through May 8 with more than 17,000 troops, including around 10,000 U.S. personnel, and expanded participation from allies including Japan -- which is participating in live-fire drills for the first time -- Australia, Canada, France and New Zealand, AP reported on April 20.

Asia-Pacific: Balikatan Military Drills Largest Ever as China Launches Parallel Exercises

Iran

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged her ruling Liberal Democratic Party to accelerate work on constitutional revision so it can enter the 2027 party congress with a clear path toward formal amendment, particularly regarding defense, Bloomberg reported on April 12.

Japan: Prime Minister Argues for Constitutional Reform Amid Hormuz Crisis

The upper house of Japan's Diet passed the general budget for fiscal year 2026 on April 7, with 122.3 trillion yen ($766 billion) in spending, up 6.2% from 2025. 

Japan: Budget Passes, Takaichi Prioritizes Defense Over Food Tax Cut

Europe

United Kingdom

In two separate presidential proclamations signed April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered changes to U.S. steel, copper and aluminum tariffs that would simplify the regime for low metal content goods and authorized new tariffs of up to 100% on certain imported pharmaceuticals.

U.S.: Trump Orders Changes to Steel, Copper and Aluminum Tariff Regime, Authorizes New Pharmaceutical Tariffs

Assessments

India

An oil products tanker at Muscat Anchorage on March 21, 2026 at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman. 

U.S.-Iran Relations

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: U.K. Elections, Iran War Resumption Risk

Russia

Employees walk at the construction site of a gas metering station, part of the pipeline link between Bulgaria and Greece near the village of Malko Kadievo, on March 18, 2022. 

The Weekly Rundown: No U.S.-Iran Breakthrough, EU Ban on Spot Market Russian LNG

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi answers questions at a legislative budget committee session in Tokyo on April 7, 2026, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) looks on. 

Japan's ability to sustain increased spending on defense and other strategic investments in the coming years will be constrained by sluggish economic growth, high government debt and a challenging geopolitical landscape.

Reviewing Japan's New Budget: Balancing Spending Hikes and Fiscal Reality

Taiwan

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (C) answers questions during a plenary session of the House of Representatives at Parliament on March 26 in Tokyo. Poor ties with China under Japan's new premier portend industrial disruptions in Japan, and supply chain and defense cooperation with regional partners like South Korea and the United States.

Poor ties with China under Japan's new premier portend industrial disruptions in Japan, and supply chain and defense cooperation with regional partners like South Korea and the United States.

A New Leader in Japan and an Old Feud With China

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addresses a news conference at the Prime Minister's office in Tokyo on Feb. 18.

Global Trade

The Japanese prime minister may offer economic and security concessions during her upcoming summit with the U.S. president to avoid direct entanglement in the Iran conflict while preserving the relationship with Washington.

Iran War Heightens Stakes of Key Takaichi-Trump Summit

Israel

Ukraine

A large plume of smoke rises March 7 over Tehran after explosions were reported in the Iranian capital during the night.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: The Iran War Continues, Takaichi Meets With Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney walks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra, Australia, on March 5, 2026. 

Canada's push to deepen economic and security ties with India, Australia and Japan faces constraints and may inadvertently strengthen the U.S.-led regional structure Ottawa is trying to hedge against.

The Promise and Limitations of Canada's Push to Diversify Strategic Partnerships

The U.S. Supreme Court in October 2024 in Washington.

The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling against the Trump administration's tariffs imposed under the IEEPA still leaves Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam vulnerable to other trade escalation mechanisms.

Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam Assess Their U.S. Trade Deals After IEEPA Tariffs

Germany

The Tehran skyline on Dec. 30, 2025. On March 2, U.S. and Iranian negotiators will meet in Vienna, Austria, to begin technical talks on a nuclear deal.

The Weekly Rundown: The Conflict in the Middle East, Merz meets Trump 

Snapshots

Mexico

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House on Feb. 20, 2026, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Trump's use of emergency powers to implement international trade tariffs.

The Trump administration will use other trade authorities to replace many of the IEEPA tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court, meaning U.S. trading partners will remain incentivized to engage on trade matters.

What the Supreme Court Tariff Ruling Means for Trump and U.S. Trading Partners

Japanese Prime Minister and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Sanae Takaichi reacts as she speaks with media on the day of lower house elections at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on Feb. 8, 2026. 

The LDP's decisive lower house victory will enable Prime Minister Takaichi to boost social and defense spending and strengthen ties with the U.S., though at the expense of Japan’s relations with China and South Korea.

Election Landslide Stabilizes Japanese Politics, Cements Defense Modernization

Thailand

Bangladesh

Campaign posters Feb. 6 of candidates running in the upcoming Japanese House of Representatives election, in Inagi, Tokyo prefecture.

The Weekly Rundown: Japan Holds Snap Elections, U.S. Weighs Options After Iran Talks

<p>Japan is a mountainous, volcanic island chain located in the western Pacific Ocean. The islands arc from Russia in the north toward the Korean Peninsula in the south. The country has four main islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, plus thousands of minor ones extending through the Ryukyu island chain framing the East China Sea. Japan&#39;s rugged terrain and lack of interregional connecting rivers isolated its population into separate, densely populated coastal plains. The Yamato plain, which dominates the &quot;Inland Sea,&quot; the birthplace of Japanese civilization. The Inland Sea saw the rise of early Japanese maritime culture and facilitated communication and political control. As Japanese culture expanded over the island chain, the seat of power moved to the more productive and strategically located Kanto plain, Japan&#39;s core region and home to Tokyo, the world&#39;s largest metropolitan area. The country&#39;s primary geographic challenge is sustaining its large population on an island with little arable land and few natural resources. Japan&#39;s geography has prompted the country to alternate between periods of isolationism and expansion. When Japan unifies under strong centralized control, it is often drawn toward the continent for resources and land. This happened in the late 1500s and again in the early 1900s, leading to World War II. Given its location, the Korean Peninsula has been the corridor of invasion between Japan and China, and its status remains of strategic importance to Tokyo. The lack of natural resources in Japan continues to force the country to seek them abroad, leaving the country to balance between U.S. naval dominance and China&#39;s expanding maritime interests.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam: Tokyo Deepens Strategic Foothold in Southeast Asia

Japan, Australia: Critical Minerals Push Targets China Supply Risk

Australia: Fuel Diplomacy Shelves Canberra's Gas Tax Push

Japan: Tokyo Opens the Door to Lethal Arms Exports

Asia-Pacific: Balikatan Military Drills Largest Ever as China Launches Parallel Exercises

Japan: Prime Minister Argues for Constitutional Reform Amid Hormuz Crisis

Japan: Budget Passes, Takaichi Prioritizes Defense Over Food Tax Cut

U.S.: Trump Orders Changes to Steel, Copper and Aluminum Tariff Regime, Authorizes New Pharmaceutical Tariffs

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