Japan–Bangladesh Energy Boost: Japan agreed to raise support for Bangladesh’s energy sector from $312m to $500m, alongside progress checks on JICA-backed projects like the Matarbari deep-sea port and Dhaka’s airport third terminal, with a December completion target. India–Japan Summit Push: Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi began a three-day visit to India for the 16th annual summit, with both sides set to deepen cooperation on economic security, resilient supply chains, emerging tech and defence. Energy Security Pact: India and Japan are also set to sign an LNG supply security agreement, including a possible joint task force for stockpiling and information-sharing. China Disaster-Sensing Satellites: China and Central Asian partners are developing the “Tianwu” satellite constellation to monitor earthquakes, glacial floods and other risks, feeding data into AI for earlier warnings. Taiwan Crypto Rules: Taiwan’s legislature passed a Virtual Asset Service Act creating a licensing regime for crypto firms and a stablecoin framework under Financial Supervisory Commission oversight. Hong Kong Economy: Hong Kong’s economy showed steady momentum, with Q1 real GDP growth of 5.9% and its position as a leading Asia-Pacific financial hub reaffirmed. Central Asia Politics: Kazakhstan set Aug 23 for elections as its new constitution takes effect, while FlyArystan launched an Almaty–Xi’an route to expand China–Central Asia connectivity. EU/Trade & Policy: Sweden adopted new development assistance strategies for Africa, Latin America and Asia, aiming to focus funding on what works and cut the number of targets.