Japan
2026 March
2026-03-19 Trump joked about Pearl Harbor during a visit from Japan’s Prime Minister. He said, “Who knows better about surprises than Japan?”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/19/trump-mocks-japan-pearl-harbor-iran-war
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cx248jvgwj8o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QldP6hff84
2026-03-25 Japanese protestors handed out anti-war leaflets outside US military bases.
https://www.arabnews.jp/en/japan/article_171206/
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1213708687509011
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/22/japan-youth-pacifist-constitution-trump-iran
2026 April
2026-04-20 Japan opened its doors to the global arms market and passed a record $58B defense budget for 2026. Part of the change is to eliminate the ban on lethal weapons and allow Japan to export missiles and warships. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated, “No single country can now protect its own peace and security alone, and partner countries that support each other in terms of defense equipment are necessary”.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/20/asia/japan-defense-export-arms-sales-intl-hnk
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2026/04/22/lqcf-a22.html
2026 August
2026-08-14 Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the disputed Kuril Island sparking a sharp diplomatic escalation with Japan.