“I will ensure Japan emerges from deflation,” he said, promising to accelerate Kishida’s policies aimed at boosting household income through wage hikes."

I haven't seen anything that suggests Ishiba is an inflation hawk. And as former defense minister, he's going to accelerate Japan's defense spending further and counter Chinese threat in the region. Which will boost economy.

Japan has struggled with deflation for decades. Inflation has been a welcome development for them. With an aging population and low birth rates, they aren't in danger of heading into hyper inflation.

Chinese desire for cessation of combat in Myanmar was communicated to MAL during Chinese Foreign Minister's visit in August. This is the Junta following Chinese orders to conduct peace talks. I believe Chinese-influenced and armed guerillas will be amongst the 1st to agree to these "peace talks" - 1st and foremost MNDAA. It'll be interesting to see if Taang National Liberation Army and Arakan Army follows suit as we are approaching the dry winter season when it is most advantageous to conduct warfare in the jungles of Myanmar. This will show us just how tight a leash China has on TNLA and AA.

Chinese desire for peace in Burma isn't based on altruism. Afterall, they have been arming various guerilla groups in Burma since the 1950s to this very day. They want the cessation of combat as it has infringed upon the large infrastructure projects they have been trying to implement through Burma in order to ignite economic growth in the land-locked and poor southwestern part of China by paving a trade corridor through Burma to India whose growing large population is an attractive market, Africa where it has invested billions and billions of dollars to ensure guaranteed supply of resources, and the European market. China has been facing a slowing economy for more than a few years now, and currently is dealing with real-estate collapse and deflation. It is desperate to re-ignite economic growth, the lowest hanging fruits being populous regions with low level of economic development.

Basically trying to bring Ukraine back to stone age. Ukraine needs to do the same to Russia. War is fucked.

He's plainly asking for Russian interference on his behalf.

NSFW in the title. Forgot to tag it.

This will force the hand of US and EU to sanction China one way or another. Of course diplomatic solutions can be worked out. What it will be has yet to be seen. As you're aware, China has tried to avoid supplying arms directly to Russia until this move. It maybe that Chinese will manufacture the drones in Russia to avoid being seen as exporting arms.

Time to put sanctions on China. This would be interesting.

Japan is withdrawing its ambassador to Myanmar. Essentially, it is a face loss for Min Aung Hlaing's government. That it is not considered a country and a government worthy of ambassador level relationship. This is also a sharp contrast to the Chinese who have been sending a flurry of dipomats and its foreign minister in recent months legitimizing the illegal government of Myanmar.

This is a "new" move by India in its relations with Burma. In the decades past India had either armed or cooperated with Burmese guerillas operating out of its territory. This policy changed in the past decade and a half to one of cooperation with Burmese military to root out ethnic guerillas on both sides of the border as its regional ambitions grew. This latest turn isn't likely a reversal and reversion to the old policies of arming guerillas, but likely an attempt at becoming a power broker in Burma in order to grow its influence there.

What a piece of shit. And this guy was running US foreign policy? Wow. Saudis must be regretting paying this man $40m a year to manage their billions.