Top Asian News 11:45 a.m. GMT

Cambodia accuses Thailand of escalating tensions with new land crossing restrictions

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s government on Tuesday accused Thailand of escalating border tensions by imposing new restrictions that have blocked almost all land crossings, especially for tourists heading into Cambodia. Relations between the neighbors have deteriorated following an armed confrontation on May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier was killed in a relatively small, contested territory along their border. While the two sides have agreed to de-escalate their dispute, they have continued to implement or threaten measures that have kept tensions high. The Thai army on Monday imposed heightened restrictions at border checkpoints with Cambodia following an order from Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to allow only students, medical patients and others with essential needs to enter or leave Thailand.

Japan conducts first missile test on its own territory as part of military buildup to deter China

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s army announced Tuesday that it conducted a missile test for the first time on Japanese territory, as the country accelerates its military buildup to deter increasingly assertive China. The test-firing of the Type 88 surface-to-ship, short-range missile was conducted Tuesday at the Shizunai Anti-Air Firing Range on Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido. About 300 soldiers participated in Tuesday’s exercise by the Ground Self-Defense Force’s 1st Artillery Brigade, using a training missile targeting an unmanned boat about 40 kilometers (24 miles) off the southern coast of Hokkaido, officials said. Officials were still examining the results of the test, the GSDF said.

Japanese company blames laser tool for its 2nd crash landing on the moon

A laser navigating tool doomed a Japanese company’s lunar lander earlier this month, causing it to crash into the moon. Officials for ispace announced the news from Tokyo on Tuesday. The crash landing was the second for ispace in two years. This time, the company’s lander named Resilience was aiming for the moon’s far north in Mare Frigoris, or Sea of Cold. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter relayed pictures of the crash site last week where Resilience and its mini rover ended up as wreckage. Company officials blamed the accident on the lander’s laser range finder, saying it was slow to kick in and properly measure the spacecraft’s distance to the lunar surface.

US consulate condemns Hong Kong’s government for ‘repression’ of Independence Day celebrations

HONG KONG (AP) — The U.S. consulate in Hong Kong on Tuesday condemned the city’s government for what it called repression of U.S. Independence Day celebrations after local education authorities reportedly cautioned teachers and students not to attend such events organized by American diplomats. The consulate accused the Hong Kong government of interfering with U.S. Consulate General-hosted events, saying U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide celebrate Independence Day every year by hosting receptions and other festivities. “We condemn the Hong Kong government’s repression of U.S. Independence Day celebrations,” it said in an emailed reply to The Associated Press’ questions. “Its attempts to characterize these activities as ‘unlawful’ only further reveals its insecurity and fear of freedom.” The consulate’s criticism came days after a Facebook page, “Edu Lancet,” reported that the city’s education authorities had sent “friendly reminders” to multiple schools asking their teachers not to “casually join” the consulate’s events and be cautious about violating the national security law.

China plans to show off new equipment at parade marking 80th anniversary of Japan’s WWII surrender

BEIJING (AP) — China plans to hold a military parade Sept. 3 marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender and featuring the People’s Liberation Army’s newest weaponry. President and head of the military Xi Jinping will deliver a speech on the occasion, which will feature “new-type combat capabilities,” including hypersonic weapons and a range of electronic gear, said Wu Zeke, identified as a senor officer of the PLA, the ruling Communist Party’s military wing. The force is the world’s largest standing military with more than 2 million members and an increasingly sophisticated arsenal of missiles, aircraft carriers and fighter aircraft.

President Lee picks South Korea’s first civilian defense chief in 64 years

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung nominated a five-term liberal lawmaker as defense minister Monday, breaking with a tradition of appointing retired military generals. The announcement came as several prominent former defense officials, including ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, face high-profile criminal trials over their roles in carrying out martial law last year under then-President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was indicted on rebellion charges and removed from office. Ahn Gyu-back, a lawmaker from Lee’s Democratic Party, has served on the National Assembly’s defense committee and chaired a legislative panel that investigated the circumstances surrounding Yoon’s martial law decree.

Okinawa marks 80 years since end of one of harshest WWII battles with pledge to share tragic history

TOKYO (AP) — Okinawa marked the 80th anniversary of the end of one of the harshest battles of World War II fought on the southern island. With global tensions escalating, its governor said on Monday it is the Okinawan “mission” to keep telling the tragic history and its impact today. The Battle of Okinawa killed a quarter of the island’s population, leading to a 27-year U.S. occupation and a heavy American troop presence to date. Monday’s memorial comes one day after U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, adding to a sense of uncertainty on the island about the heavy American military presence and in its remote islands, already worried about getting embroiled in a potential conflict in Taiwan.

Pakistan condemns Trump for bombing Iran a day after recommending him for a Nobel Peace Prize

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan condemned U.S. President Donald Trump for bombing Iran, less than 24 hours after saying he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize for defusing a recent crisis with India. Relations between the two South Asian countries plummeted after a massacre of tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir in April. The nuclear-armed rivals stepped closer to war in the weeks that followed, attacking each other until intense diplomatic efforts, led by the U.S., resulted in a truce for which Trump took credit. It was this “decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership” that Pakistan praised in an effusive message Saturday night on the X platform when it announced its formal recommendation for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

As it attacks Iran’s nuclear program, Israel maintains ambiguity about its own

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel says it is determined to destroy Iran’s nuclear program because its archenemy’s furtive efforts to build an atomic weapon are a threat to its existence. What’s not-so-secret is that for decades Israel has been believed to be the Middle East’s only nation with nuclear weapons, even though its leaders have refused to confirm or deny their existence. Israel’s ambiguity has enabled it to bolster its deterrence against Iran and other enemies, experts say, without triggering a regional nuclear arms race or inviting preemptive attacks. Israel is one of just five countries that aren’t party to a global nuclear nonproliferation treaty.

Thai authorities seize more than 2 tons of crystal methamphetamine worth over $90 million

BANGKOK (AP) — Thai authorities seized more than 2 metric tons of crystal methamphetamine from a tourist boat near a pier in eastern Thailand before the drugs could be smuggled out of the country, officials said Monday. Eight men were arrested Saturday in Rayong province for allegedly attempting to smuggle the nearly 2.4 metric tons (2.6 tons) through the southern border, officials said. They did not elaborate on the intended destination or the drugs’ origin. If sold abroad, the drugs are estimated to be worth over 3 billion baht ($90.8 million), Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation said. The drugs were packed in plastic bags disguised as corn flour packages.