Japan will soon have a new prime minister, potentially its first woman, with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party selecting a new leader this weekend; Xi Jinping has released a new and conservative carbon emissions target for the next decade, but China is still emerging as a global leader on climate change and South Korea has increased its defence spending amid pressure from Donald Trump.
The current prime minister is Shigeru Ishiba, who stated his intention to resign on 1 September 2025. Photo: AFP / MASAMINE KAWAGUCHI
Ed White is a correspondent with the Financial Times based in Shanghai
