🇱🇹🇱🇻 BREAKING: A gas pipeline connecting Lithuania and Latvia has exploded.

Public broadcaster LRT reports that the entire town of Pasvalys, located in northern Lithuania, has evacuated due to the situation.

🌍 @European_Insider | 🕊 Retweet

🇰🇷 Will South Korea acquire nuclear weapons?

President Yoon Suk Yeol made remarks regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons in the Republic of Korea. The government doesn’t rule out the possibility of obtaining such weapons either from the US, as its main military ally, or with its own capabilities, because, according to Yoon, the country has the scientific potential to have a nuclear program. So, will the country acquire such powerful weaponry?

I have no doubt about South Korean scientists - they seem to be able to do anything. But under the circumstances there is another very important factor to consider. It is the US position on the issue. I wrote about the confusion that has happened recently regarding the joint exercises involving nuclear weapons between the US and Korea - Yoon and his administration said negotiations were under way and Joe Biden and other US officials said the exercises in question were tabletop, where there is only simulating of scenarios in which nuclear weapons could be used. Sides, especially the USA, didn’t consider any nuclear deployment on the territory of the ROK.

That makes one important point clear - Washington opposes the possession of nuclear weapons by Seoul. Why? North Korea would make it clear right away that the South should not have done so. Of course, it will not lead to a full-scale war, but relations between the DPRK and South Korea, which are already at their worst, will deteriorate completely, leading to more instability in the region. Does the US need this? I don’t think so.

Yoon Suk Yeol can say what he wants. This is his way of trying to intimidate North Korea, which has broken all records for missile launches that year. The country ended 2022 with the successful launch of drones into the South, which the South Korean army failed to shoot down. The statements about nuclear weapons can kill two birds with one stone - reassure South Korean people and frighten the North. It is that simple, in my opinion.

#SouthKorea

@asianomics

🇯🇵🇺🇸 US and Japan are holding talks at the White House

The meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has started. Biden welcomed Japanese leader at the White House today, January 13th, and told him that the United States strongly supports the defense of Japan.

In their Oval Office meeting, Biden also thanked Kishida for strong leadership in working closely on technology and economic issues.

#Japan #USA

@asianomics

🇯🇵 Aaronal: In Japan the average age of business owners has risen to ~62 & approximately 60% of businesses have no succession plan & some owners are thus giving away their businesses & land for free.

⬛️ As a result of the demographic crisis Japan's trade ministry projected in 2019 that by 2025, around 630,000 profitable businesses could close, costing the Japanese economy $165 billion & up to 6.5 million jobs.

⬛️ When looking at these massive numbers it is important to remember that the situation is likely to be even worse in China, Korea & Taiwan. Even Italy's demographic situation is not entirely different from that of Japan. The consequences for the global economy will be dire.

⬛️ If you extrapolate this globally to similar aging societies, this would lead to more than $1 trillion in economic losses, and tens of millions of jobs lost worldwide.

⬛️ We are on the precipice of some truly monumentally destabilizing events, which will be led by demographic decline. The topic does not get nearly the amount of attention it deserves.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/03/business/japan-businesses-succession.html

🇧🇴🚩🚫🚶‍♂️ — Bolivian government considers that any demonstration, even peaceful, is liable to violence and prohibits popular meetings

🇵🇪🚩🚫🚶‍♂️ — Peruvian government prohibits demonstrations in the country, even if only in the form of a peaceful walk

🇧🇷🚩🚫🚶‍♂️ — The Brazilian Government is studying, in support of the Ministry of Justice (Dino) and Gilmar Mendes (STF), the prohibition of popular organizations,with the aim of preventing 'coup' demonstrations

According to Gilmar (STF), a scenario where 30 or 300 thousand people meeting over the internet is dangerous.