🇯🇵🇮🇩🇵🇭 Japan pushes lethal arms deals in Southeast Asia

Japan's Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi signed a defence cooperation pact in Jakarta with Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin on Monday, before proceeding to Manila where Japanese forces are participating in the annual Balikatan exercise alongside US troops. Frigate and submarine sales are reportedly under discussion with both countries.

The visits follow Tokyo's decision last month to lift its post-WWII ban on lethal weapons exports, now permitting arms transfers to 17 designated defence partners — a structural break from Japan's pacifist doctrine. The regional tour signals a deliberate effort to harden Indonesian and Philippine maritime postures against Chinese pressure in the South China Sea and surrounding waters.

The sequencing — Jakarta pact, then Manila trilateral drills — positions Japan as an active security provider in Southeast Asia, not merely a diplomatic observer.

#Japan #Indonesia #Philippines

@asianomics

Чебоксары ... повторные прилеты

Israeli grain trader Dizengoff Trading does not plan to purchase new batches of “Russian wheat” amid a scandal involving grain allegedly stolen from Ukraine, — Haaretz.

The publication recalls that last week the Ukrainian Embassy in Tel Aviv filed a complaint with the Israeli police against two local companies — Zenziper Grains & Feedstuffs Importers and Dizengoff Trading — which may be involved in importing stolen grain.

According to the complaint, Dizengoff received 43,800 tons of grain, including about 16,500 tons of wheat delivered by the vessel Abinsk.

The bulk carrier docked at the port of Haifa on April 12 and has since left the port without restriction.

The wheat was allegedly first loaded onto two smaller vessels in occupied Ukrainian ports: Leonid Pastrikov took on about 7,600 tons in Berdyansk, and Fyodor about 8,900 tons in Sevastopol. The ships then reportedly transferred the cargo in the Black Sea to the Abinsk near the so-called Caucasus anchorage.

The grain was supplied by the Russian company Strategic Grain Management, headquartered in Dubai.

Satellite images reportedly confirm the presence of the vessels in temporarily occupied Ukrainian Berdiansk and Sevastopol. The Abinsk is also said to have turned off its transponders during the transfer before reactivating them and sailing to Israel.

Dizengoff Trading said it has no future orders for Russian wheat and added: “Our company has no future orders for Russian wheat. Like other importers in this sector, we were surprised by this case and are awaiting instructions from the relevant Israeli authorities. We operate according to international trade standards and have all necessary documentation.”

Zenziper also refused to accept a shipment whose origin is in doubt.

A source in the grain trade described the situation as a “Russian trap,” noting that Israeli companies have traditionally worked with trusted suppliers, but a growing share of cargo is now linked to uncertain origins.

Israel imports around 90% of its wheat, with Russia being its largest supplier. Since the start of the full-scale war, imports from Russia have increased, while imports from Ukraine — previously the leading supplier — have declined.

The report concludes that Ukraine’s legal and economic campaign against the trade of allegedly stolen grain could make it increasingly difficult to trace the true origin of wheat labeled as Russian.

Чебоксары .. колледж напротив ВНИИР Прогресс после ночной атаки

Чувашия .. другой ракурс ночной прилета ..