Australia Briefing

Japan’s Takaichi Arrives, RBA Set for Third Hike

Get caught up.
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg

Good morning, and welcome back. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi touched down in Canberra last night for a three-day visit set to zero in on defense, critical minerals and economic security.

The backdrop: rising geopolitical strain. Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi warned just weeks ago that the Asia-Pacific security environment is “increasingly severe.”