Japan is facing an intense wave of AI-powered cyberattacks that’s laid bare the vulnerability of one of the world’s largest economies to a new breed of hacking.

Japan’s top government spokesman called for the immediate release of a Japanese journalist detained in Russia for suspected spying, as Moscow denies access to the individual by consular officials.

Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi slipped after a member of her cabinet resigned over a scandal, opinion polls show, but her approval ratings remain relatively strong compared to other recent premiers after a year in office.

Japan protested a rare visit by an official Chinese delegation to an island controlled by Moscow but claimed by Tokyo, the latest indication of a growing alignment between Russia and China to pressure the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Japan is demanding tighter discipline among American troops after a Marine Corps lance corporal was arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman on the southern island of Okinawa, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said.

The US military is planning to deploy an advanced anti-ship missile system to a Japanese island close to Taiwan for the first time during a major training exercise later this month, a move that may draw China’s ire.

Japan held its first meeting of an expert panel tasked with helping develop national intelligence gathering capabilities and anti-espionage measures, moves that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said were vital to guard against foreign threats.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged to continue Japan’s support for Ukraine in her first summit meeting with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged the United Nations to remove references to Japan and Germany as “enemy states,” a classification China has recently seized on to criticize Tokyo after a breakdown in ties over Taiwan.

President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi agreed to closely coordinate on issues related to China just days before a high-stakes trip to Washington by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, a Japanese government spokesman said.

Japan is considering a new mid-term defense spending target of 3.5% of GDP in line with NATO and other US allies, a move that could send a shockwave through financial markets concerned about Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s spending plans.

A candidate backed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling party ousted the incumbent governor of Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture in an election on Sunday, delivering a boost to the premier’s push for a stronger military to stave off threats from China.

Japan needs to stand firm against US pressure as its close security ally challenges international norms and laws under President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda, according to a veteran Japanese lawmaker.

Japan’s Defense Ministry is seeking record spending of around $56 billion in the fiscal year starting in April, and the final bill could be considerably larger as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi prepares to launch a new military buildup plan later this year.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan would defend the International Criminal Court as it comes under increasing pressure from the US, most recently through the sanctioning of its Japanese president.

The US military has scrapped an amphibious landing exercise with South Korea because of shortages related to deployments to the Middle East, according to Seoul, the first apparent confirmation of a major cut to scheduled American military training in the Asia-Pacific region because of the US war against Iran.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi defended her tendency to remain at her residence unless she has official duties outside, saying it lets her work long hours without burdening her staff.

Russia conducted a rare missile exercise involving naval vessels and a land-based launcher near islands in its Far East that are also claimed by Japan, adding to recent friction between the two nations.

The US president also hailed his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

President Donald Trump told the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea and indicated his decision to do so was driven by frustration the longtime US ally hadn’t provided more support for his war with Iran.