Putin and U.S. Envoy Witkoff Hold “Truly Friendly” Talks as Ukraine Peace Efforts Intensify 
Taiwan Opposition Criticizes Plan to Block Chinese App Rednote Over Security Concerns 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
Cuba Quietly Signals Openness to Post-Maduro Venezuela as U.S. Pressure Intensifies 
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
CFPB to Review Anti-Discrimination Policies and Fair Lending Rules Amid Policy Shift 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
Trump Meets Mexico and Canada Leaders After 2026 World Cup Draw Amid USMCA Tensions 
Trump Backs Review of U.S. Childhood Vaccine Schedule After Hepatitis B Policy Change 
Trump’s New U.S. Strategy Seeks to Deter China and Protect Taiwan 
Trump’s Name Appears on U.S. Institute of Peace Ahead of Rwanda–Congo Deal Signing 
Australia Progresses AUKUS Review as U.S. Affirms Strong Support 
Hong Kong Faces Low Turnout in “Patriots-Only” Election Amid Public Grief After Deadly Fire 
U.S. Expected to Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries 
U.S. Appeals Court Rules Trump Can Remove Members of Key Federal Labor Boards 
China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
The Japanese government defended a canceled North Korea missile alert that resulted in millions of residents taking cover from potential missile debris. The potential missile debris likely fell into the sea, which Tokyo reiterated the importance of the safety of the residents.
On Thursday, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters during a media briefing that the canceled missile alert was not a mistake. The alert was 8 a.m. local time, which triggered sirens in Hokkaido and sent automated messages to its residents through its J-Alert system, urging its population of five million to take cover after North Korea fired a ballistic missile. Officials turned off the alarm by 8:16 after receiving further information on the missile’s trajectory, with the Japanese coast guard saying that the missile landed in the water at 8:19.
“The projectile disappeared immediately after detection, but the limited information we had, indicated it could fall within the vicinity of Hokkaido, and people’s safety is our priority,” said Matsuno.
The country’s missile alert system has come under scrutiny since November when portions of central and northern Japan were alerted of a North Korean missile that was expected to fly over the Japanese islands. The projectile fell into the sea before it reached Japan.
An official from the FDMA said the agency is in charge of making sure the J-alert system functions properly. The official added that the Cabinet Secretariat decides whether to issue the alert. Cabinet Secretariat official Wataru Ishida said that their decision and analysis depend on the assessment by the defense ministry.
On Friday, the Japanese and South Korean foreign ministries said the two countries would be holding their first security talks in Seoul. This marks the first security talks between the two countries since 2018. The talks between Japanese and South Korean defense and diplomatic officials will include the topics such as the strategic environments between Japan and South Korea.
The talks come amidst the threats posed by North Korea as Pyongyang continues to advance its nuclear and missile programs, with the isolated nation firing a record number of missiles in recent years.
