Japan–China Maritime Tensions: Japan protested after China installed a mobile offshore drilling rig on its side of the East China Sea median line, raising fears of exploratory gas drilling and calling for renewed talks under a 2008 joint development framework. Japan Politics: Japan’s Cabinet approved a bill to revise the Imperial House Law, allowing male-line adoptions from former branches and letting women keep imperial status after marriage. China Flood-Heat Preparedness: China’s Politburo ordered faster, stronger disaster response, urging better forecasts, timely evacuations and frontline rescue capacity as extreme weather risks rise. ASEAN–Greater Bay Area Links: ASEAN aims to deepen supply-chain and tech ties with China’s Greater Bay Area, with Hong Kong positioned as a connector for AI and green technology cooperation. South Korea Economy & Tech: South Korea’s World Cup exit sparked public anger at coach Hong Myung-bo, while separate data showed overseas direct investment rising 36.2% in Q1, led by ICT and scientific services. China Space Industry: CAS Space completed a long-duration qualification test for a reusable-rocket engine, hitting a 620-second burn time and setting a stability record. US–China Legal Fallout: Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui was sentenced to 30 years in the US for a fraud scheme that prosecutors said raised over $1bn from followers. Human-Robot Reality Check: A Chinese humanoid robot completed a six-day factory run with a 99.99% success rate, but rental-market reports still show limits—“oversized toys” for now.