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torsdag 18 juni 2026
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Japan-China Relations
Japanese Minister Wants to End Pacifism – Points to China
Japan needs to build up its military capabilities and change the pacifist parts of the country's constitution. This is what Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said in an interview with the BBC – among other things, referring to Chinese aggression.
– Given how dramatically the security situation has changed, we must adapt if Japan is to continue to be a peaceful country, says Koizumi.
The current Japanese constitution was written in 1947, in the aftermath of World War II. It states that the country may not use war or the threat of war as a way to resolve international conflicts.
Since then, Japan has not formally had a military, even though the country's "Self-Defense Force" SDF functions as such in practice.
Political situation in Niger
Shooting at airport in Niger – lasted for several hours
Explosions and gunfire have reportedly been heard at Diori Hamani airport in the capital Niamey in Niger, several media outlets report.
According to the AP, armed men have reportedly broken through the airport's security system. Witnesses and security personnel say the shooting lasted for several hours, writes AFP. The attack was then reportedly interrupted by the military.
At present, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Nor have authorities wanted to comment on the incident, according to the BBC.
Earlier this year, the airport was reportedly attacked by jihadists, where four soldiers were injured and 20 attackers were killed, according to Niger's Ministry of Defense.
The situation in Afghanistan
Taliban have applied for visas ahead of EU meeting
Five representatives of Afghanistan's Taliban regime have applied for visas to Belgium, reports TT.
The reason is the meeting on deportations to Afghanistan that the EU Commission has taken the initiative for. A meeting that Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M) said in April that Sweden has been "strongly pushing" for.
The aim is to enable deportations to Afghanistan, which has been impossible in practice since the Taliban took power in 2021. The decision to hold the meeting at all - which is expected to take place in July - has been heavily criticized by both human rights organizations and the political opposition in Sweden.
NATO's future
Hegseth: Some NATO countries need to "do more"
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says that "many" NATO allies are fulfilling their defense commitments. At the same time, other countries need to do more, he believes.
- NATO must return to being a real and tough military alliance, with real capacity to meet threats and defend Europe, he says at a press conference according to TT.
Both NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Hegseth are talking about a version 3.0 of NATO, which should be able to do more to meet military threats.
Rutte: Not a problem that the US is withdrawing NATO support
NATO chief Mark Rutte says that the US is moving away from Europe by reducing the American forces that are supposed to support in a crisis, writes AFP.
- In some cases, it has been presented as a problem that the US is withdrawing from its allies. But that is not the reality, he says, and believes that NATO has been too dependent on American support.
He believes that the United States has therefore adjusted its promised contribution. Instead, member states should provide more resources to NATO, to compensate for the American loss.
Last week, there were reports that the United States is, among other things, withdrawing a third of its fighter jets.
The press conference is being held in connection with a meeting of defense ministers in Brussels.
G7 meeting in France
Analysis: Trump stayed – G7 summit was a success
US President Donald Trump was charmed by French President Emmanuel Macron during the G7 summit in France this week. This is according to Mark Landler at The New York Times, among others.
“By one measure, this summit was a success: Trump stayed until the end, something he has not done at previous G7 summits, including the two held in Canada.”
Politico’s Clea Caulcutt also believes that Macron’s way of adapting to the US president contributed to the countries’ agreement on tougher sanctions against Russia.
“They tailored their messages to match Trump’s binary view of global power politics, portraying Ukraine as a winner and Russia as a loser in the latest phase of the war.”
Claire Gatinois at Le Monde believes that Macron catered to Trump's "every whim" and exploited their long-standing acquaintance to create a success.
Trump to world leaders: "I'm the boss"
Donald Trump called himself the boss in front of the rest of the world leaders in the G7 on Wednesday. The American president stopped in front of the round table before sitting down for the meeting.
- I'm the boss, he said in front of Keir Starmer, Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron, among others.
Reuters writes that Trump's statement was joking but true. The United States plays a major role in several issues discussed at the meeting, including support for Ukraine.
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