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The case concerning the fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a street in Nara in 2022 reached a verdict on January 21. The Nara District Court found the defendant, Tetsuya Yamagami, guilty of murder and other charges, and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Given that the case involved the assassination of a former prime minister and raised concerns about public security and political violence, the verdict has once again drawn attention both in Japan and internationally.

Prosecutors stated that the crime caused severe shock to society and constituted a grave criminal offense. According to case details compiled by the media, Yamagami’s motive was linked to the Unification Church. He believed that Abe had connections to the church and therefore planned the attack over an extended period. During the trial, issues such as the relationship between the Unification Church and the political world, the influence of religious organizations, and the factors contributing to individual radicalization sparked widespread debate in Japanese society.

Following the verdict, attention has also turned to whether the defendant will file an appeal and to the broader impact of the case on security measures for political activities in Japan. Multiple media outlets have noted that since Abe’s assassination, Japan has heightened security for election campaigns, street speeches, and other public events. Relevant authorities continue to review and strengthen protective procedures in an effort to reduce the risk of attacks on political figures.

According to a report by Japanese media outlet Yomiuri Shimbun, the number of foreign visitors to Japan surpassed the 40-million mark in 2025, reaching approximately 42.7 million arrivals—an increase of 16% from 2024 and a new all-time high.

Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Hiromasa Kaneko, stated at a press conference following a Cabinet meeting on the 20th that the number of inbound foreign visitors in 2025 reached 42.7 million, a significant rise from 36.87 million in 2024. The growth was mainly driven by the weak yen and a strong post-pandemic recovery in tourism demand. In terms of economic impact, total spending by inbound tourists in 2025 amounted to about ¥9.5 trillion (approximately NT$1.9 trillion), up 17% year on year, marking a record high for the third consecutive year.

In terms of the composition of inbound visitors, the Chinese market—accounting for more than 20% of total arrivals—has been a key driver of growth. However, after the Chinese government called on its citizens from November 2025 to reduce travel to Japan, the number of Chinese visitors in December plunged 45% compared with the same period a year earlier, falling to around 330,000. This marked the first time in nearly four years that the number of Chinese visitors to Japan declined year on year.

With the Lunar New Year holiday in China approaching in February, the sharp drop in Chinese visitor numbers has sparked serious concern within Japan’s tourism industry over lost holiday business opportunities. In response, Kaneko emphasized that the Japanese government will not only work to diversify its sources of international visitors, but will also make efforts to encourage the early return of Chinese tourists.

H.E. Dame Cynthia A. Pratt, Governor-General of The Bahamas, receives the FOWPAL Peace Bell Award in recognition of her distinguished service and enduring dedication to national unity, public welfare, and civic engagement.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of the Trump administration’s use of the 1977 “International Emergency Economic Powers Act” (IEEPA) to impose global reciprocal tariffs. Although the outcome of the judicial review has not yet been announced, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in an interview with “The New York Times” that even if the Court ultimately finds the current tariff measures unlawful, the administration has long prepared contingency plans. He stressed that alternative measures would be launched “immediately the next day” after the ruling, reimposing tariffs under other legal authorities to ensure that President Trump’s trade policy objectives continue to move forward.

At the heart of the judicial review is whether Trump can bypass Congress and unilaterally invoke the emergency powers granted by IEEPA to levy broad-based tariffs on global trading partners. The Supreme Court is expected to issue its decision as early as January 20. Greer emphasized that multiple legal options have already been presented to Trump precisely to prevent trade policy from being disrupted by a court ruling. Even if the Supreme Court rejects the current legal basis, the White House could quickly pivot to other relevant statutes, such as the Trade Act, to maintain similar tariff pressure worldwide and ensure policy continuity.

The direction of U.S. tariff policy has direct implications for Taiwan’s export-oriented industries, particularly core supply chains such as semiconductors, electronics, and manufacturing. While markets had initially expected the judicial ruling to clearly delineate the limits of U.S. trade authority, the White House’s display of determination that “tariffs will not be withdrawn” means companies and investors must be prepared for scenarios in which policy could “switch rapidly” at any time. Although the Supreme Court released three rulings on the 20th (local time), none addressed Trump’s invocation of IEEPA. The final outcome of this legal battle remains under close scrutiny, and signals from Washington suggest that global trade tensions are unlikely to subside in the near term, requiring affected supply chains to make advance preparations.

A major railway accident occurred on the evening of the 18th in Adamuz, southern Spain, when an Iryo high-speed train (No. 6189) traveling north from Malaga to Madrid derailed, crossed onto the opposite track, and collided head-on with a southbound Renfe train bound for Huelva. Both trains derailed as a result of the crash. According to police, the death toll has risen to 39, with 152 people injured. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on social media platform X that it was “a heartbreaking night.”

At the time of the accident, the Renfe train was traveling at about 200 kilometers per hour, while the speed of the Iryo train remains unknown. The Iryo train was carrying more than 300 passengers, while the Renfe train had around 100 on board, most of them Spaniards returning home after the weekend. Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the section of track had been renovated as recently as May last year, adding that a derailment on a straight stretch of track was “extremely rare.” He noted that most of the casualties were in the first two carriages of the Renfe train, which were thrown down an embankment after the collision, resulting in heavy losses.

The impact of the accident was widespread, with more than 200 train services between Madrid and the Andalusia region canceled, affecting major cities including Córdoba, Seville, and Granada. Authorities have launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Sánchez said the entire nation stands with the families of the victims and the injured during this difficult time, and called for unity in the face of the tragedy.

Anti-government protests continue to escalate across Iran, driving international tensions to a boiling point. U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 17th that Iran should put an end to the 37-year rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and seek “new leadership” to achieve regime change.

Protests erupted across Iran late last month over severe economic hardship and have since evolved into large-scale anti-government demonstrations. Protesters are demanding an end to the current regime, while authorities have deployed security forces and opened fire on demonstrators. According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), verified data show that 3,090 people have been killed, including 2,885 protesters, and more than 22,000 people have been arrested.

Although the United States has temporarily refrained from launching military strikes against Iran, tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high. Trump further lashed out at Khamenei, calling him a “sick person” who should govern his country properly and stop killing his own people. Trump said true leadership is about earning respect, not consolidating power through violence and the killing of citizens. He added that due to disastrous leadership, Iran has become one of the worst places in the world to live.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro went even further, predicting that Trump could order a “decapitation strike” against Supreme Leader Khamenei in the coming days. Shapiro noted that U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups are set to deploy to the Middle East, and argued that Trump’s increasingly hardline stance toward the Iranian regime, combined with Khamenei’s provocative rhetoric on social media, points to the possibility that Washington may resort to extreme measures.

While Trump has confirmed that his national security team has presented him with a range of hardline policy options, including military ones, he has yet to publicly confirm whether he has signed a specific order to assassinate Khamenei. Nevertheless, Trump has already canceled all planned contacts with Iranian officials, making Washington’s strategy of using military pressure to force political change increasingly clear.

Shapiro stressed that even if Khamenei were removed, regime change in Iran would not occur immediately, and that genuine political transformation must ultimately be driven by the Iranian people themselves.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have temporarily eased after U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 16th that he welcomed Iran’s decision to cancel the execution of more than 800 people. In a post on social media, Trump thanked Tehran for the move, saying it had a “very significant impact” on his decision-making. He stressed that his decision to hold off on attacking Iran was not the result of persuasion by allies, but rather a conclusion he reached on his own. A White House spokesperson, however, underscored that in response to Iran’s various threats, the United States continues to keep “all options on the table.”

Over the past three weeks, Iran has been gripped by nationwide protests, followed by a sweeping government crackdown. At least several thousand demonstrators are reported to have been killed across the country. Trump had repeatedly warned that if the Iranian regime continued killing protesters, the United States would launch military strikes against Iran. He had earlier urged the Iranian people to keep resisting, saying that “help is on the way.”

Not long afterward, however, Trump abruptly shifted his tone, saying he had been informed by the Iranian government that the killing of protesters had stopped. The streets of the capital, Tehran, also appeared to be gradually returning to calm.

Despite the lull, the war of words between the two sides has continued. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Trump on social media of being responsible for the violence and unrest inside Iran. In response, Trump told Politico in an interview on the 17th: “It’s time to find new leadership for Iran.”

Trump went on to condemn Khamenei’s system of governance in harsher terms, saying: “This man is sick. He should govern his own country properly and stop killing his people. Because of terrible leadership, that country has become one of the worst places in the world to live.”

Observers speculate that Trump called off military action against Iran after consultations with U.S. allies in the Middle East and Israel, and amid concerns over how to stabilize the situation should the Iranian regime collapse, in order to prevent wider chaos in the region. Even so, the United States continues to deploy additional military forces and equipment to the area, and the risk of conflict remains.

FOWPAL President Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, center, Belizean Minister of State Ramiro Ramirez, left, and Belize CityMayor Bernard Wagner formally endorse the Declaration of Transparency and Integrity, underscoring the importance of these principles in ethical governance and global peace.

Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado visited the White House on the 15th and met with U.S. President Donald Trump. After the meeting, Machado stated that she had presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump in an effort to gain his support, saying that the gift was meant to recognize Trump’s contributions to the freedom of the Venezuelan people.

Trump later confirmed on social media that he had accepted the medal, describing Machado as an extraordinary woman who has endured many hardships. He said that her decision to pass on the Nobel Peace Prize medal in recognition of his efforts was a beautiful gesture of mutual respect.

The news sparked strong criticism from various quarters. Norwegian figures said that Machado had disrespected and harmed the Nobel Committee and the Nobel Peace Prize, accusing her of treating the Nobel Peace Prize as a commodity and using it as a bargaining chip with Trump, thereby politicizing the Peace Prize to gain her own influence in Venezuela.

On the 16th, the Nobel Committee issued a statement saying that it does not restrict how laureates handle their medal, diploma, or prize money. While Machado gave the medal to Trump, the honor itself still belongs to her. According to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, once an award is conferred, the decision is final and permanent, and the Foundation will not comment on the actions or statements of laureates.

According to media reports, Iranian authorities have used force to suppress nationwide protests, with the death toll exceeding 2,000. On the 14th, countries including the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and India successively urged their citizens to leave Iran as soon as possible to avoid being drawn into potential military conflict. At the same time, the situation continues to attract intense international attention. The European Parliament has called on EU leaders to increase pressure on the Iranian government in order to demonstrate the international community’s support for the Iranian people.

The report noted that a spokesperson for the British government said the UK embassy in Tehran has been temporarily closed and all staff have been evacuated from Iran. The Spanish government advised its citizens to use any means necessary to leave Iran as soon as possible. Italy stated that there are approximately 600 Italian citizens in Iran and urged them to depart promptly, while also condemning Iran’s violent crackdown on demonstrations and its serious human rights violations.

The report also quoted European Parliament President Roberta Metsola as saying that Iranian authorities continue to suppress the people’s fundamental freedoms through violence, repression, and abuse, and that the international community cannot stand by and do nothing. Whether through imposing sanctions on Iran or designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, the European Union should not wait for the United States to finalize its plans regarding Iran before taking action.