On July 3, within the GCAP, a contract was concluded between the international government organization GIGO and Edgewing Ltd. covering the period through the end of 2027. Building on this contract, we will further accelerate the programme. 🇯🇵🇬🇧🇮🇹

The Defence Investment Plan sets out an £8.6 billion investment in GCAP over the next four years, driving forward the UK’s commitment to the programme to deliver a next-generation stealth fighter jet for the @RoyalAirForce, alongside our close allies Japan and Italy. 🇬🇧🤝🇯🇵🤝🇮🇹

2026, day 227 Good morning from Asia. ‘Iranian Attacks Push Hormuz Shipping Toward Tehran-Controlled Route’ (gCaptain); ‘The Iran War Is Now About Who Blinks First Under Economic Pressure’ (WSJ) - “Trump doubles down on sanctions and a blockade while Tehran bets high oil prices will force Washington to relent”; ‘Trump says he’ll hit Iran hard economically, will soon declare Hormuz ‘US territory’’ (ToI) - “US president urges Americans to accept slightly higher gas prices for the ‘great service’ of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear bomb, dismisses concerns about conditions aboard aircraft carrier”; ‘US Readies Iran Penalties as Trump Downplays Midterms Impact’ (BBG); ‘Bessent’s Iran Threats Face China Constraint’ (BBG); ‘Two slicks appear in Gulf as huge oil spill off Oman threatens disaster’ (Reuters); ‘‘Everything will stop’ if Hezbollah gives up weapons, US envoy to Beirut says’ (Al Arabiya); ‘The price of dissent: Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanon’s Shiites’ (Ynet); ‘‘Completely unacceptable’: UK condemns Netanyahu for calling Britain an ‘Islamic republic’’ (ToI); ‘Zelenskyy calls for more sanctions on Russian defence supply chains’ (Euractiv); ‘Russia admits new petrol shortages amid ongoing long-range Ukrainian strikes’ (Euronews); ‘Patriot makers hedge on Ukraine production deal as officials question cause of hold-up’ (Defense News); ‘Pentagon inks deals with Boeing, RTX to boost production of SM-3 components’ (Defense News); ‘EU leaders are on holiday. The crises affecting the bloc aren’t.’ (Politico); ‘South Korea's Lee urges talks with North Korea to replace armistice with peace’ (Reuters); ‘Japan defence minister visits contentious Yasukuni Shrine to war dead’ (Reuters); ‘Taiwan passes annual budget after long delay, including drone spending’ (Reuters); ‘Colby: Silence on Chinese aggression is a new strategy based on war fears’ (WT); ‘Chinese magnetic sensor breakthrough may help smartwatch detect submarine 500 metres deep’ (SCMP); ‘The US’ future policymakers are questioning the standard ‘China threat’ playbook’ (SCMP); In geoeconomics, ‘GSA finds China-made tech labeled ‘Made in USA’ in federal procurement program, orders sweeping review’ (Fox); ‘U.S. Urges Apple Not to Buy Chinese Memory Chips’ (WSJ) - “Commerce Secretary Lutnick urges iPhone maker to find other solutions to AI-driven chip supply crunch”; ‘US to tell partners they must pick sides in AI race with China’ (Reuters); ‘China’s 20,000-Mile Solar Trade Route That Battled US Tariffs’ (BBG); ‘China Is Opening the First Regular Cargo Route Through the Arctic’ (WSj); ‘Open-weight Chinese AI models gain foothold in Europe despite Brussels’ trepidation’ (SCMP); ‘Data center backlash echoes fossil fuel politics’ (Axios); ‘Trump's tariffs unevenly reshape American manufacturing’ (Nikkei Asia) - “Activity has risen, but trade policies fail to bring jobs back to sector”; ‘Supertanker Pays Record $4.6 Million to Skip Panama Canal Line’ (BBG); ‘Property downturns rarely last. This one could be different’ (AFR); ‘Think house price falls are bad? The next shock could be far worse’ (AFR) - “Plunging property values have seized the national conversation, but Australia’s economic problems run much deeper – as households are sadly about to learn”; In politics, ‘France’s top court blocks social media ban for under-15s’ (Reuters); ‘Standards watchdog resumes Farage probe as rivals slam needless byelection’ (Guardian); ‘China keeps careful watch on mourning for late premier Zhu Rongji’ (FT); ‘Lula holds slim lead over Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of Brazil election’ (AJ); ‘BBC lawsuit: Channel plans to subpoena Trump family members’ (The Hill); ‘How Much Socialism Is America Willing to Swallow?’ (BBG); In markets, ‘Hanwha, Fincantieri Shares Rise as Trump Opens Navy Shipbuilding to Foreign Yards’ (Reuters); ‘OpenAI upheaval mounts as Sam Altman readies IPO push’ (FT); ‘DOJ, CFTC Investigating Iron Ore Trader Radiant World’s Deals’ (BBG)

On Jul 21, DM Koizumi held the Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting with 🇬🇧 SecDef Streetings and 🇮🇹 DM Crosetto to discuss #GCAP#. The Ministers welcome the conclusion of the GIGO-JV contract and reaffirmed their commitment to further accelerate the programme🇯🇵🇬🇧🇮🇹

On Jul 21, DM Koizumi, alongside 🇬🇧 SecDef Streeting, 🇮🇹 DM Crosetto and 🇨🇦 DM McGuinty, announced Canada’s participation to Global Combat Air Programme (#GCAP#) as an Observer🇯🇵🇬🇧🇮🇹🇨🇦

On Jul 21, DM Koizumi held a meeting with 🇮🇹 Minister Crosetto. Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to closely advancing defense cooperation, ensuring the success of GCAP, and looked forward to the 🇯🇵🇬🇧🇮🇹 meeting later that day. Summary:

On Jul 20, DM Koizumi visited the @FIAFarnborough International Airshow, one of the world's largest aerospace and defense exhibitions. He toured the GCAP pavilion and 🇯🇵 booths, highlighting the strengths of 🇯🇵’s defense industry and advanced technology to a global audience.

2026, day 261 Good morning from Australia - and it’s yet another day of major geopolitical headlines from Greenland to Russia to AI to east Asia. GEOPOLITICS: 🌍🔥 ‘Trump claims deal with Denmark for ‘permanent’ US security control over Greenland’ (AFP) - “From now on, no US adversary can EVER have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval…We will immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland, of which there are many.”; ‘Putin preparing to escalate war’ (Telegraph) - “European leaders fear president will mobilise more troops and increase hybrid attacks on Nato after latest sham election ‘European leaders prepare public for ‘intensified threat’ from Putin’ (Politico) - “However, NATO sees no risk of “imminent attack””; ‘Macron orders protection of France’s infrastructure against ‘Russian hybrid attacks’’ (AFP); ‘Macron to call emergency G7 meeting as energy prices spike and Russian hybrid attacks mount’ (Politico); ‘Trump signs Russia sanctions bill that opens China, India to tariffs’ (Nikkei Asia) - “Law gives US leader authority to impose 100% levies on Moscow's top energy buyers”; ‘The world must force Russia to end mass starvation in occupied Oleshky’ (Kyiv Independent); ‘Drone hit Russian nuclear plant cooling tower, no fire: IAEA’ (AFP); ‘Trump touts plan for new U.S. base in Poland as NATO ally's leader warns of "real risk" from Russia’ (CBS); ‘Ukraine, Russia are done with Steve Witkoff. Trump sees no problem’ (Kyiv Independent); ‘More U.S. troops have died amid Iran war than Pentagon has disclosed publicly’ (WaPo); ‘US military had close call after using AI for false intelligence report, sources say’ (CNN) - “the intelligence report….A Chinese ship in the Middle East was transporting components of a nuclear weapons program…. was “entirely false.” But it also “almost started a war,””; ‘OpenAI's Sam Altman to brief UN Security Council next week’ (Reuters); ‘Australia must train AI at home to protect national security: ASD boss’ (AFR); ‘South Korea’s FM stresses to Rubio its intent to contribute to restoring free passage in Hormuz’ (Reuters); ‘Italy to escort its own ships through the Red Sea over Aspides delays’ (Euractiv); ‘Collision near Sabina Shoal sparks fresh escalation between China and the Philippines’ (SCMP); ‘CGA plans a historic 2027 visit to Philippines’ (Taipei Times) - “Coast Guard Administration (CGA) ships are scheduled to sail to the Philippines bearing the words “Taiwan Coast Guard” in a high-profile visit in October next year”; ‘Takaichi seeks Trump meeting early next week ahead of US-China summit’ (Nikkei Asia); GEOECONOMICS: 🌍 ✈️ ⛴️ 🚛 ‘Xi’s edge over Trump on AI’ (FT) - “The US president’s anti-regulatory stance fails to take into account that China is catching up”; ‘Irish Finance Minister says Hormuz closure, not Ukraine, causing energy crisis’ (Euronews); ‘Record US diesel prices squeeze farmers; food prices may rise’ (Reuters); ‘Shipping’s New Normal: Slower Trade, Higher Costs, Bigger Profits’ (gCaptain); ‘US, China Weigh Reducing or Eliminating China’s LNG Tariff’ (Reuters); ‘Trump Extends $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee as Legal Fight Plays Out’ (BBG); POLITICS: 🗳️ ‘Germany’s Merz girds for a post-election fight for political survival’ (Politico) - “One conservative official predicts “all hell breaks loose” if the ruling CDU fails to win any seats in the regional election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania”; ‘Trump Says He Is Banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico From the White House’ (WSJ); ‘From vodka to vanished names: Russia’s parliamentary election gets off to a strange start’ (Ynet); MARKETS: 📈 ‘OpenAI expects to burn $280bn by 2030’ (FT); ‘The BOJ’s Balancing Act With Bessent Is Only Going to Get Harder’ (BBG); ‘White House attacks Fed official after review of Silicon Valley Bank collapse’ (FT)