Japan-ASEAN Industry Cooperation: Japan and ASEAN met in Bangkok for the 18th DISG Task Force Meeting, adopting a joint declaration focused on supply-chain resilience, co-creation of innovation, AI/digital investment, and energy transition. Aviation Connectivity: Papua New Guinea’s Air Niugini restored direct Port Moresby–Narita flights, a boost for tourism, investment, and people-to-people ties. Defense & Aerospace Industrial Base: Edgewing is setting up GCAP fighter-jet production sites in Warton (UK), Turin (Italy), and Nagoya (Japan), plus a secure communications network to link digital development across the three countries. AI Infrastructure in Japan: METI-backed FRONTIA is moving toward a national physical-AI compute push, with Noetra and Nvidia supplying the hardware foundation for multimodal models and robotics use cases. Logistics Payments Modernization: Japan’s AZ-COM Maruwa plans to adopt the JPYC stablecoin for driver and logistics-partner payments, aiming to streamline operations. Energy Security Watch: Japan is scrambling for oil as Strait of Hormuz risks intensify amid US-Iran tensions, with shipping disruptions raising supply concerns. Manufacturing Strategy: Honda is preparing an additional North American assembly plant to protect output flexibility and meet demand for hybrids and ICE vehicles. Cyber Disruption in Food Supply: Nichirei resumed operations after a cyberattack disrupted frozen-food production. Regional Trade & Compliance: Japan’s ruling party warned about suspected collusion between activist investors and private equity, adding uncertainty for corporate governance and dealmaking.