Hello, everyone. Today at WPR, we’re covering the short-sightedness of the Trump administration’s efforts to reengage with military-led regimes in the Sahel, and why Germany’s new drones are a positive step for the country’s defense acquisition system.
But first, here’s our take on today’s top story:
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of their talks in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2025 (pool photo by Kyodo via AP).
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has long been known as a China hawk who strongly supports Taiwan. She visited the island multiple times as a lawmaker, most recently in April. As such, her ascension to the premiership last month was widely viewed as placing Japan on a collision course with China.
Still, not many analysts expected a row to erupt over the issue within mere weeks of her taking office.
The dispute started when Takaichi said during parliamentary proceedings last week that a Chinese attack on Taiwan—which lies just 70 miles from Japan’s westernmost municipality—would be “a situation threatening Japan’s survival” that could trigger deployment of the country’s Self-Defense Forces.
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