Addressing defense officials, military leaders and diplomats gathered in Singapore, Koizumi argued that criticism of Japan’s security posture was misplaced given the country’s longstanding adherence to international law and the absence of strategic weapons such as nuclear arms and long-range strategic bombers.

“Think about it. There’s a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled ‘new militarism’?” Koizumi said in remarks widely interpreted as directed at China.

The comments reflected growing tensions between Asia’s two largest economies as regional governments respond to shifting security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific. Japan has expanded defense spending and strengthened security partnerships in recent years amid concerns over China’s military modernization and increasingly assertive actions in regional waters.

Koizumi said Japan had consistently supported the international rules-based order since the end of the Second World War and remained committed to the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

“Since the end of the Second World War, Japan has consistently respected international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, and has made sincere efforts to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order,” he said.

The speech came weeks after China’s Foreign Ministry urged Asia-Pacific nations to remain vigilant against what it described as Japan’s “neo-militarism,” reflecting Beijing’s longstanding concerns over Tokyo’s defense reforms and closer security cooperation with Western allies.

Koizumi also expressed disappointment that he was unable to meet Chinese defense officials during the forum.

“I feel sad,” he said, referring to the absence of Chinese counterparts from discussions at the annual gathering.

For the second consecutive year, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun did not attend the Shangri-La Dialogue, depriving regional officials of one of the few opportunities for informal high-level military engagement between China and other countries.

The absence comes as strategic competition intensifies across the Indo-Pacific, with disputes in the South China Sea, concerns over Taiwan, and competing military buildups increasingly shaping regional security discussions.

Japan’s efforts to modernize its defense capabilities have become a central element of its national security strategy, but Tokyo maintains that its policies remain defensive in nature and consistent with the country’s post-war constitutional framework.

The adjustment to the landmark defense agreement was announced on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore by Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and British Defence Secretary John Healey.

In a joint statement, the three ministers said the revised arrangement would simplify Australia’s acquisition process while reducing logistical and maintenance complexities.

“The deputy prime minister and secretaries welcomed the proposed approach to streamline Australia’s acquisition of Virginia-class submarines, simplifying supply chain management, operational and maintenance requirements, and maximizing cost efficiencies,” the statement said.

Under the revised plan, Australia will receive three operational Virginia-class submarines from the U.S. Navy rather than the previously anticipated mix of two used vessels and one newly built submarine.

The change reflects ongoing production challenges within the United States naval shipbuilding sector. The U.S. Navy currently operates 24 Virginia-class submarines, but American shipyards have struggled to achieve construction targets of two new submarines annually.

The AUKUS partnership, unveiled in 2021 by Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, is designed to strengthen security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarine capabilities for the first time.

The submarine program remains the centerpiece of Australia’s long-term defense strategy amid growing strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. Government projections estimate the initiative could cost up to A$368 billion (US$235 billion) over three decades.

The revised arrangement may also help address concerns raised by some U.S. lawmakers and defense analysts who have questioned whether Washington should transfer advanced submarines to allies while facing pressure to expand its own naval fleet.

Officials from the three countries did not indicate any changes to the broader objectives of the AUKUS partnership, which also includes cooperation on advanced military technologies, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and undersea capabilities.

The announcement came as defense leaders from around 45 countries gathered in Singapore for the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, where maritime security, military modernization and regional strategic competition dominated discussions.

Australia has argued that acquiring nuclear-powered submarines is essential to enhancing its long-range deterrence and operational capabilities in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific security environment.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth said the United States possesses sufficient military capabilities and munitions stockpiles to restart operations if required, while emphasizing that the administration remains committed to pursuing a diplomatic settlement.

“Our ability to recommence if necessary ,we are more than capable,” Hegseth said, adding that US military inventories are adequately positioned both in the region and globally.The remarks come as negotiators from Washington and Tehran continue efforts to overcome key differences that have stalled a broader agreement aimed at extending an early-April ceasefire and establishing a permanent framework to end hostilities.

Hegseth said President Donald Trump remains committed to securing what he described as a strong agreement that would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Trump said on Friday he would convene advisers in a secure White House facility to make a final decision on a proposal that would extend the current truce by an additional 60 days.

The conflict, launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, has resulted in thousands of deaths, primarily in Iran and Lebanon, while disrupting global energy markets through the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes.

Despite the Middle East conflict, Hegseth rejected suggestions that Washington’s strategic focus had shifted away from the Indo-Pacific. He said the United States is expanding its defense-industrial capacity to increase weapons production and maintain readiness across multiple theaters simultaneously.

At the same forum, Hegseth urged Asian allies to increase defense spending in response to China’s growing military capabilities, describing Beijing’s military expansion as a source of concern for regional security.

He argued that a stronger network of capable regional partners is necessary to preserve the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and deter potential aggression. Hegseth warned that dominance by any single power would undermine regional stability and prosperity.

Echoing a longstanding position of the Trump administration, Hegseth said allies should assume greater responsibility for their own defense and reduce dependence on US military support.“The era of the United States subsidizing the defense of wealthy nations is over,” he said, adding that strong alliances require all partners to contribute meaningfully to collective security.

Hegseth cited defense contributions from countries including South Korea, Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, while highlighting efforts by Japan to strengthen its military capabilities and deepen cooperation with Washington.

The annual summit, hosted in Singapore and attended by defense ministers, military leaders and security experts from across the Indo-Pacific and beyond, has traditionally provided a platform for senior Chinese officials to outline Beijing’s strategic priorities and engage directly with counterparts from major powers.

This year, however, China did not send Defense Minister Dong Jun. Instead, Beijing dispatched a delegation composed largely of military academics and researchers from the People’s Liberation Army, marking a noticeable departure from its customary high-profile representation.

The absence also meant Dong did not participate in face-to-face meetings with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth or defense officials from countries including Australia, Britain, France and Japan.

A centerpiece of previous Shangri-La Dialogues had been a keynote address by China’s defense minister or another senior official outlining Beijing’s views on regional security, military modernization and international affairs. That session was absent from the conference agenda for the second consecutive year.

Speaking during his keynote address, Hegseth noted the absence of his Chinese counterpart and said he hoped future opportunities would arise for direct communication between the two sides on issues where military actions and intentions can be interpreted differently.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles described China’s limited participation as a missed opportunity for candid dialogue on regional security concerns.

Despite the absence from Singapore, Dong met Hegseth earlier this month during President Donald Trump’s visit to China.

Members of the Chinese delegation downplayed the significance of the minister’s nonattendance. Retired PLA senior colonel Zhou Bo said academic delegations had participated in the forum before, though he acknowledged that this year’s representation was at a comparatively lower level.

Analysts attending the forum suggested Beijing may have sought to avoid difficult questions regarding cross-strait tensions involving Taiwan and the impact of recent military corruption investigations on China’s defense establishment.

Chong Ja Ian said the composition of the delegation raised questions about its authority to speak on behalf of the Chinese government and military leadership.

Some diplomats also suggested Beijing may have wished to avoid a repeat of previous confrontations at the forum. In 2025, Hegseth sharply criticized China’s actions in the Indo-Pacific and urged regional allies to strengthen defense spending, prompting a strong response from Beijing.

This year, Hegseth adopted a more measured tone while still warning against any attempt by a single power to dominate the region. He said no country should be able to impose hegemony over regional security and prosperity, while also noting that relations between Washington and Beijing had improved compared with previous years.

China began regularly sending senior delegations to the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2007 and elevated its participation by dispatching defense ministers on multiple occasions, including from 2022 through 2024. The conference was suspended in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Veteran Singaporean diplomat Bilahari Kausikan said the primary purpose of the forum remains maintaining U.S. strategic engagement in Southeast Asia. While Chinese ministerial participation is welcome, he argued, it is not essential to the event’s broader objectives.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump said Pakistani civilian and military leaders had urged the United States to avoid broadening military operations during sensitive diplomatic talks with Tehran.“As you know, Pakistan has been fantastic.

And their leaders have been fantastic, the field marshal and the prime minister, and they asked us not to do it during the negotiation,” Trump said when asked why the United States suspended “Project Freedom,” a naval mission intended to secure commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, in place since April 8, remained active despite what the U.S. military described as an Iranian attack on three American destroyers in the Gulf.The United States Central Command said American forces intercepted the attacks and launched retaliatory strikes against Iranian military targets.

Tehran, however, accused Washington of initiating the exchange.The confrontation marked the most serious challenge yet to the truce that halted weeks of conflict sparked by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets beginning Feb. 28.

Iran responded during the war with missile and drone attacks across the Middle East and by restricting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas shipments.

The United States announced Project Freedom on May 4 to escort merchant vessels through the strait after attacks on commercial shipping, though the operation was later suspended.Trump said negotiations with Iran were progressing positively and reiterated Washington’s demand that Tehran abandon any pathway to nuclear weapons capability.

“We’re not going to give them the right to have a nuclear weapon. There’s zero chance,” Trump said.Esmail Baghaei said Tehran was reviewing messages and proposals relayed through Pakistan but had not yet responded formally to the United States.Iranian state media quoted Baghaei as saying the Islamic republic had “not yet reached a conclusion.”

Pakistan has emerged as a central intermediary in efforts to end the conflict. Direct U.S.-Iran talks hosted in Islamabad last month failed to produce a final agreement but established ongoing diplomatic channels between the two sides.

Ishaq Dar separately spoke by telephone on Thursday with Abbas Araghchi, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.Pakistani foreign ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Islamabad hoped negotiations would produce a sustainable resolution supporting regional and international stability.

“We hope the parties will reach a peaceful and sustainable solution that will contribute not only to peace in our region but to international peace as well,” Andrabi said.

Pakistan also said it was coordinating with Singapore to facilitate the repatriation of 11 Pakistani and 20 Iranian seafarers aboard vessels seized by U.S. authorities near Singaporean waters.

Reliance Retail is India’s largest retailer and is led by Asia’s richest person Mukesh Ambani. The talks with investors are part of an internal target to raise $3.5 billion which the company wants to close by the end September, Reuters has reported. Of that, QIA last month announced a $1 billion investment and KKR & Co (KKR.N) this week $250 million.

Singapore’s GIC, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) are looking to invest at least $500 million each in Reliance Retail at a valuation of $100 billion, one of the sources told Reuters.

GIC, ADIA declined to comment, while PIF did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Reliance (RELI.NS) said: “we do not comment on media speculation and rumours”.

A second source said some of the three investors could end up putting in less than $500 million, and talks were also on with at least one or two further investors for the fund raising.

“All the three investors have evaluated the company quite seriously,” said the first of the three sources, all of whom declined to be named as the discussions are private.

The final investments or funding plans could still change.

GIC, PIF and ADIA are among the world’s biggest investment funds and together they own a 4.4% stake in the Indian retailer.

Reliance Industries (RELI.NS), the retail arm’s parent, also has plans to invest in the ongoing fund raising round of $3.5 billion, two of the sources said.

Reliance sold a 10.09% stake in its retail unit in 2020, valuing it at 4.68 trillion rupees ($56.4 billion). At that time, GIC and ADIA invested $664 million each, while PIF pumped in $1.15 billion, based on current exchange rates.

A fourth source briefed on the dealmaking said the 2020 fund raising agreements had a clause that allowed existing investors to increase their stakes, and those investment funds were showing keen interest.

Ambani’s Indian retail empire has more than 18,000 stores, with operations ranging from groceries to electronics. It includes foreign partnerships with brands such as Marks and Spencer (MKS.L) and competes with Amazon (AMZN.O) and Walmart’s (WMT.N) Flipkart in one of the world’s biggest markets.

When ADIA invested in Reliance Retail in 2020, it said it was part of its strategy of targeting market leading businesses in Asia linked to the region’s consumption-driven growth.

Last month Ambani said in a speech that “several marquee global strategic and financial investors have shown strong interest” in his company, but gave no names. In 2019, the billionaire said his group planned to list the retail business in five years.

Reliance Retail reported a consolidated net profit of 91.81 billion rupees ($1.11 billion) for the financial year that ended in March 2023, on revenue of 2.6 trillion rupees. It has also forayed into the consumer goods business, which will compete with likes of Coca-Cola (KO.N) and Unilever (ULVR.L).

The ministers discussed potential areas of cooperation, including trade and investment, finance and banking, infrastructure development, technology, and tourism. They expressed mutual interest in promoting trade flows and exploring investment opportunities that can benefit both economies.

The meeting also touched upon enhancing financial cooperation, such as facilitating financial transactions and encouraging partnerships between financial institutions of both countries. They highlighted the potential for collaboration in Islamic finance, given Saudi Arabia’s expertise in this sector and Singapore’s position as a leading global financial hub.

Furthermore, the ministers discussed the importance of fostering innovation and digital transformation in their respective economies. They explored avenues for sharing knowledge and best practices in areas such as financial technology (fintech) and digital payments.

Overall, the discussions between the Saudi and Singaporean finance ministers underscored the commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and exploring opportunities for economic cooperation between the two countries.

The Singapore-listed Hotel Properties Ltd (HPPS.SI) said in a statement no charges had been filed against its managing director Ong Beng Seng, adding that he was asked by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) to provide information on his interactions with transport minister S Iswaran.

Contacted by Reuters, the CPIB said it had no immediate comment on the issue.

The CPIB earlier this week said it had launched an investigation into Iswaran, but did not provide further details. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday said he had instructed Iswaran to take a leave of absence until the investigations were completed.

The case is a rare high-level probe in Singapore, a top Asian financial hub that prides itself on a corruption-free government. Civil servants are paid handsomely to discourage graft, with some ministers’ annual salaries exceeding S$1 million ($758,000).

Ong, who was travelling on Friday, will surrender his passport to the CPIB upon his return to Singapore, his company said. He has been given a notice of arrest and posted bail of S$100,000, it added.

The 79-year-old’s company has around 38 hotels and resorts operating under brands that include COMO, Four Seasons, Hard Rock Hotels and Concorde, according to the London Stock Exchange’s Refinitiv Eikon.

Shares in Hotel Properties Ltd fell as much as 7% on the news and were last down 4.4%, heading for their worst session in more than two years.

Malaysia-born Ong is also credited with bringing Formula One (F1) motor racing to Singapore in 2008. He and his wife Christina Ong had a net worth of $1.75 billion in 2022, according to Forbes

Singapore is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which barred Myanmar’s junta from its high-level meetings after the putsch plunged the country into violence, with the military battling on multiple fronts to try to crush an armed pro-democracy resistance movement.

Balakrishnan told a press conference a lack of progress meant it was not the time to re-engage at a high-level with Myanmar’s junta, but said current ASEAN chair Indonesia was engaging with “a wide spectrum of stakeholders” on Myanmar, a reference to talks involving opponents of the coup.

“You do need everyone ultimately to sit down and negotiate. I don’t know how long it will take. The last time it took 25 years for some form of democratic transition to occur in Myanmar. I hope it wont take that long,” he said, adding that he remained “pessimistic.”

Blinken said he agreed with his Singaporean counterpart and that Washington supports ASEAN’s efforts on Myanmar.

“It’s very important that we continue – all of us – to sustain the appropriate pressure on the junta and look for ways, of course, to engage the opposition,” he said.

The United States has issued sanctions against Myanmar’s military and its companies, and urged other countries to stop weapons sales to the junta.

A UN expert in May identified $254 million of supplies shipped from entities in Singapore to the Myanmar military.

Asked about the report, Balakrishnan said Singapore’s policy was to “do our best” to prevent arms or so-called dual-use items that can be used in warfare getting to Myanmar and said the city-state would act on the UN expert’s findings.

Hameed was deported from Singapore to India and detained upon arrival in Madurai. He was presented to a Delhi court, which remanded him for ten days to the ED’s custody.

The reward for any information regarding Shahul Hameed was increased by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to Rs 3 lakh in May.

The ED filed a money laundering investigation against the top officials of the now-banned group last year.

The Centre designated PFI and its affiliates as a “unlawful association” in a broad assault on PFI.

“The Popular Front of India and its associates, affiliates, or fronts have been found to be involved in serious offences that are detrimental to the integrity, security, and sovereignty of the nation, such as terrorism and its financing, targeted brutal killings, disobeying the country’s constitutional order, causing public disturbances, etc. The Popular Front of India, along with its associates, affiliates, or fronts, has been declared a “unlawful association” under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Centre said in a release. As a result, the Ministry of Home Affairs felt it necessary to stop the organization’s evil deeds.

Since the prohibition last year, the ED and the NIA have conducted raids on a number of PFI leaders and employees.