Tensions flare up between the United States and China amid a major defense summit in Asia; the political and legal battle over males competing in female sports ramps up in California; Trump hammers out what’s being called the biggest steel deal in history; and the FBI is investigating a suspected terror attack after a firebombing of a pro-Israel event in Colorado.
It’s Monday, June 2, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2>United States &amp; China Trade Barbs At Asian Security Summit</h2>
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Topline: Tensions between the United States and China flare up amid a major defense summit in Asia.
A major defense summit in Asia called the Shangri-La Dialogue that began Saturday has already led to some positive partnerships – as well as the U.S. and China trading barbs. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned about China’s growing military threat, while China accused the United States of “stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific.”
“China is ‘preparing to use military force’ to alter the situation there in Asia,” Hegseth <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/31/world/video/hegseth-singapore-china-threat-taiwan-vrtc">said</a>. “There’s no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent.”
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told The Daily Wire that despite saber rattling from Beijing, it’s unlikely that they’ll engage in military action against regional rivals in the immediate future. Gabbard also told The Daily Wire that much of the conference was spent working with allies to shape policy on a range of issues, not only with respect to China, but also counterterrorism operations and joint law enforcement efforts against cartels and other international criminal organizations engaged in drug trafficking, human trafficking, sex trafficking, and other illegal enterprises across international borders.
“The overwhelming message that [Secretary Hegseth] delivered is the message that we hear from President Trump, which is that he is the president of peace,” Gabbard said. “The goal here within this region, as well as in others around the world, is to be able to achieve that … to come together and engage in dialogue, engage in diplomacy … [and] best pursue our goal of peace and stability that best serve our respective peoples in our countries and around the world.”
<h2>California Track Championship Violates Title IX, Stokes Trans Athlete Controversy</h2>
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Topline: The debate over transgender-identifying athletes in women’s sports is flaring up again, this time in California, where, in defiance of federal policy, a 16-year-old male won two state track and field titles.
On Saturday, protesters gathered outside a stadium in Clovis, California, which was hosting the California Interscholastic Federation State Track and Field Championships. AB Hernandez, a junior male athlete, took first place in the girls’ high jump and triple jump, and second in the long jump. Some held “Save Girls’ Sports” signs, while others supported Hernandez with pro-transgender messages. An airplane even flew overhead with a banner reading “No Boys in Girls’ Sports,” funded by groups like the Independent Council on Women’s Sports. Meanwhile, a pro-trans protester was arrested for assaulting a “Save Girls’ Sports” demonstrator.
Hernandez’s victory flies directly in the face of President Trump’s February 5 executive order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,&#8221; which bars boys who identify as girls from competing in women’s and girls’ sports, citing fairness for female athletes. Trump specifically called out Hernandez on social media, claiming he’s “practically unbeatable,” and threatened to cut federal funding to California if Hernandez competed. California, however, upheld its state law, which allows transgender-identifying students to play based on their professed gender identity.
The U.S. Department of Justice has now launched a Title IX investigation into whether California’s policies violate girls’ rights.
Julie Hamill, President of the California Justice Center, told <a href="https://x.com/JenniferSey/status/1928801014678696268">CNN</a> that California deserves to lose federal funding over its defiance of Title IX policy, and she thinks Hernandez is being mistreated here as well.
“I view AB Hernandez as the victim in this situation,” Hamill said. “I feel for him, and I feel that he has been lied to for his entire life, and it&#8217;s probably very destabilizing and difficult for him right now to realize that what he&#8217;s been told is not actually reality. He cannot become a girl. What he can do is compete in the male category.”
<h2>U.S. Steel Merges With Japanese Company, Announces Billions In American Investments</h2>
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Topline: President Trump hammers out a massive steel deal that Pennsylvania officials say could transform the industry.
President Trump announced a blockbuster deal to bring billions of dollars in new investments to the American steel industry. The news comes as a near record number of Americans say the country is heading in the right direction.
In 2023, Japan’s Nippon Steel offered $15 billion to acquire the iconic U.S. Steel, the second-largest steel producer in America. The company’s board and shareholders approved the sale, but President Joe Biden blocked the acquisition, saying it was critical to national security to maintain American ownership of U.S. Steel. But over the weekend, President Trump announced that after lengthy negotiations, Nippon had agreed to a merger that would preserve American ownership of U.S. Steel. The agreement requires that a majority of the company’s board be American citizens, and C-suite employees, including the CEO, must be American as well. The U.S. government itself will hold a “golden share” of the company, giving it veto power over key decisions.
“We&#8217;re going to produce our own metal, unleash our own energy, secure our own future, build our country, control our destiny,” Trump said during the announcement in Pennsylvania. “We are once again going to put Pennsylvania steel into the backbone of America like never before.”
As part of the agreement, Nippon will invest more than $14 billion into new steel facilities across Indiana, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Alabama — some estimates say the deal will create nearly 150,000 new American jobs. According to Trump, every U.S. Steel employee will receive a $5,000 bonus. As part of his effort to protect American steel manufacturing, the president also announced he would double the tariff on foreign steel from 25% to 50%.
Last month, amid tariff uncertainty and fears of a recession, President Trump’s <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/approval/donald-trump/approval-rating">job approval rating</a> was on the decline, falling on average to 45% approval and 52% disapproval. But following a flurry of trade deals and encouraging jobs and inflation reports, he’s gaining ground fast and is now less than two points underwater, with a 48% average approval rating, which is higher than at any point in his first term. Nearly 44% of Americans now say the country is on the right track, the highest share since President Barack Obama’s first year in office in 2009.
<h2>Egyptian National Attacks Pro-Israel Demonstration, Detained By Authorities</h2>
At least six people were injured Sunday afternoon in a firebombing attack at a pro-Israel event in Boulder, Colorado. Police say victims suffered “injuries consistent with burns.” Officials detained the suspect and have since identified him as Mohamed Sabry Soliman. Three DHS senior officials told <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/1929343593602597179">Fox News</a> that the suspect is an Egyptian national who illegally overstayed his visa after entering the United States during the Biden administration. FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau is “fully investigating” what they believe to be a “targeted terror attack.”

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Morning Brief: Defense Summit Drama & Trump’s Steel Revival

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The following is an excerpt from the book &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/At-First-Light-Bravery-Amazing/dp/1642939595" target="_blank" rel="noopener">At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, And An Amazing Horse</a>&#8221; by Walt Larimore and Mike Yorkey (Knox Press, April 19, 2022). 
***
On Saturday evening, December 6, 1941, “Phil,” as Marilyn called him and as he now liked to be called, took her out for dinner at the Bungalow, a popular seafood restaurant in Biloxi, Mississippi that overlooked the calm, brown waters of the Mississippi Sound. The menu had something for every taste: fresh seafood, choice steaks, Southern fried chicken, Cajun specials, and even Chinese dishes. After enjoying the surf-and-turf special, the young couple decided to go to the cinema. 
Marilyn had wanted to see the romance, Johnny Eager, starring Lana Turner and Robert Taylor. In contrast, Phil had a yearning to watch Tarzan’s Secret Treasure, starring Maureen O’Sullivan alongside his favorite movie star, Johnny Weissmuller, one of the world’s fastest swimmers. They compromised with Ball of Fire, starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck.
The next morning dawned clear with unlimited visibility and an unseasonably warm fifty-nine degrees predicted as the high. Rather than attending church together, which was their habit, Phil and Marilyn decided to play hooky. He picked her up early, and they trailered their horses to the nearby De Soto National Forest, where they rode through the gently rolling terrain. When they located Black Creek, Mississippi’s only National Scenic River, they followed the meandering ribbon of water until they found a wide white sandbar. There they set out a picnic lunch and talked for hours in the warm sunshine about their hopes and dreams—and, for the first time, about the prospects of a life together. 
Late in the afternoon, they returned to the stable and found a group of people gathered around a radio. “Whatcha listening to?” Phil asked. The men shushed him as he and Marilyn leaned closer to listen. 
The announcer blurted, “This is KTU in Honolulu, Hawaii. I am speaking from the roof of the Advertiser Publishing Company Building. We have witnessed this morning the severe bombing of Pearl Harbor by enemy planes, undoubtedly Japanese…. This is no joke. It is a real war… There has been serious fighting going on in the air and on the sea.” 
Phil and Marilyn’s eyes met, and he pulled her close. There was another second or two of static. Then the announcer continued, “We cannot estimate just how much damage has been done, but it has been a very severe attack.” 
The sound of rustling papers came through the small radio as the announcer took a deep breath. “Oh, this is much worse than we’ve heard up to now. The BBC is now reporting, and I quote, ‘At oh seven fifty-five local time, the first wave of between fifty and one-hundred-fifty planes struck the naval base for thirty-five minutes, causing several fires and untold damage to the Pacific Fleet. The Japanese squadrons dropped high explosive and incendiary bombs. A second strike followed at about oh nine hundred when a force of at least one hundred planes pounded the base for an hour,’ end quote.” 
Phil looked at his watch. This meant the attack had started just before 1 p.m. in Gulfport, located in the Central Time Zone. 
The broadcaster continued, “The BBC also says, and I quote, ‘The Times newspaper’s Washington correspondent says the U.S. government expects Germany and Italy to declare war on the U.S. within hours. Although the attack has shocked the American people, there is little doubt that it has been brewing for some years,’ end quote.” 
Marilyn began to cry; Phil pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to her. “Oh, Phil,” she muttered, “This can’t be happening, can it?” He could only hold her close as a zillion thoughts raced through his mind. Their shared disbelief mirrored their astonishment.
The announcer paused a moment, and the clacking of a teletype machine could be heard. “This just in. This just in. Japan declares war! Japan declares war!” 
Someone whispered to the man. The pitch of his voice increased as he announced, “This wire is just in from Hirohito, the Emperor of Japan. Here are his words, and I quote, ‘We, the Emperor, hereby proclaim unto our loyal and valorous subjects that we have now declared war upon the United States of America and Great Britain,’ end quote.” 
Phil’s mind swirled. He thought, So, this is it. This is really it. Soon, I’ll be off to war. I’ll be going into battle. He couldn’t have imagined such a confluence of excitement and horror occurring in one moment. Marilyn continued to weep in his arms. 
“I have to get back to GCMA. Now!” he said. 
She nodded. They ran to the car and sped away. 
The next morning, Monday, December 8, the nation awoke to even more bad news: the extent of the damage from the surprise attack on Hawaii. At that point, no one knew that the Japanese attack had killed 2,403 U.S. personnel, including sixty-eight civilians, and destroyed or damaged nineteen U.S. Navy ships, including eight battleships, and destroyed or damaged 328 aircraft. 
Not even the U.S. government was aware that the ship with the most lives lost, the battleship USS Arizona, would report 1,177 dead—meaning that about one half of those who perished at Pearl Harbor were on the Arizona. What everyone did know was that Japan also attacked the Philippines, Wake Island, and Midway on the morning of December 7. The only good news was that the three aircraft carriers of the U.S. Pacific Fleet had been out to sea on maneuvers. 
After a hastily arranged Protestant church service at GCMA, Phil received a call from his father. He had been working on the train running between New Orleans and Memphis. At a stop in Water Valley, Mississippi, Phil Sr. had been given a handwritten note:
Do not permit any Japanese to ride your train. Orders of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Then Phil and his fellow cadets attended a solemn assembly at 11:30 a.m., during which they listened intently to the nationwide radio broadcast of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s address to a joint session of Congress inside the U.S. Capitol. The President started his speech with these memorable words: 
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. 
After recounting details of the aerial assault, the President concluded his speech with this: 
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us. 
With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God. I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.
The roars of approval and tsunami of applause from the members of Congress could be heard over the speakers, and was joined by the young GCMA cadets as they bounded to their feet, throwing their caps toward the ceiling, and hugging and swatting one another on the back. As the cheers faded, though, they became aware that America was about to face an extraordinary test—one that would potentially threaten her very being. The young men at GCMA knew that their training put them in a position to quickly make a difference and play a significant role in the days ahead.
The next five months flew by, and on a beautiful, cloudless, and calm seventy-degree Saturday, May 16, 1942, Phil graduated with honors from GCMA and the Reserve Officers Training Corps, or ROTC.
Before Pearl Harbor, he had planned to begin pre-med studies that fall, but with America in the midst of a global conflict against the Axis powers, he realized that he would not be studying medicine anytime soon. 
Philip Larimore Jr. understood that he was destined for war.

Pearl Harbor

From Picnic To Peril: How A Young Couple’s World Was Shattered By Japan’s Attack On Pearl Harbor

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President Donald Trump said on Friday that U.S. Steel will partner with the Japanese company Nippon Steel, and remain headquartered in Pittsburgh.
The partnership comes after Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-revives-possible-sale-of-u-s-steel-to-japans-nippon-steel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordered</a> a review of the possible sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel in April. Former President Joe Biden blocked the $14.9 billion sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns and risks to U.S. supply chains. Now, the two companies will form a &#8220;planned partnership&#8221; that will result in 70,000 jobs, according to the president.
&#8220;I am proud to announce that, after much consideration and negotiation, U.S. Steel will REMAIN in America, and keep its Headquarters in the Great City of Pittsburgh,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;For many years, the name, &#8216;United States Steel&#8217; was synonymous with Greatness, and now, it will be again. This will be a planned partnership between United States Steel and Nippon Steel, which will create at least 70,000 jobs, and add $14 Billion Dollars to the U.S. Economy.&#8221;
U.S. Steel is facing major losses, reporting a net loss of $116 million in the first quarter of 2025, but the steel industry remains an important part of the economy in America, <a href="https://www.zippia.com/steel-worker-jobs/demographics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">employing</a> over 44,000 people.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=memorial&amp;utm_content=editorialmemorialday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Memorial Day Sale – Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
In December, one month before Biden blocked the deal, Trump said he also opposed the sale to the foreign company, vowing to &#8220;make U.S. Steel Strong and Great Again.&#8221; The White House confirmed that Trump received a recommendation from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., which reviewed the proposed deal between the American and Japanese steel companies, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-23/trump-backs-us-steel-nippon-partnership-following-cfius-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Trump reportedly spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over the phone on Friday, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick met with Japan&#8217;s top trade negotiator to discuss tariffs. It&#8217;s unclear if either of those conversations included talks about the U.S. Steel-Nippon deal. Trump added that he will speak at a &#8220;BIG Rally&#8221; in Pittsburgh on Friday, May 30.
&#8220;The bulk of that Investment will occur in the next 14 months. This is the largest Investment in the History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;My Tariff Policies will ensure that Steel will once again be, forever, MADE IN AMERICA. From Pennsylvania to Arkansas, and from Minnesota to Indiana, AMERICAN MADE is BACK. I will see you all at US Steel, in Pittsburgh, on Friday, May 30th, for a BIG Rally. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!&#8221;
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.

U.S. Steel

‘Made In America’: Trump Says U.S. Steel Will Remain In Pittsburgh, Partner With Japanese Company

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A deal with India is &#8220;very close,&#8221; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday, signaling what could be a major breakthrough in negotiations with a significant trade partner.
Many foreign countries, including India, face a 10% baseline tariff after President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause for harsher &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs he unveiled at the beginning of April. The tariffs for India could rise to 26%, which was the initial rate, if a deal is not reached.
At a White House press briefing, a reporter asked Bessent if he had anything to share on whether &#8220;something could happen&#8221; this week or the next. He <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/04/29/bessent_trade_talks_with_india_korea_japan.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chose</a> to focus on India.
&#8220;I think we’re very close on India,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;India — just a little inside baseball. India, in a funny way, is easier to negotiate with than many other countries because they have very high tariffs and lots of tariffs.&#8221;
He added: &#8220;So, it’s much easier to confront the direct tariffs when, as we go through these unfair trade deals that have been put in over decades, that the non-tariff trade barriers can be much more insidious and also harder to detect. So, a country like India, which has the posted and ready tariffs, it’s much easier to negotiate with them. I think the India negotiations will move well.&#8221;
Last week, Vice President JD Vance travelled to India and met with the country&#8217;s prime minister, Narendra Modi.
Vance <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1914650218940805207" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the United States and India finalized the “terms of reference” for a trade negotiation, adding that he believed it was a &#8220;vital step toward realizing President Trump&#8217;s and Prime Minister Modi&#8217;s vision because it sets a roadmap toward a final deal.&#8221;
India, along with Japan and South Korea, seem to be making the greatest amount of headway in talks with the United States.
These &#8220;Asian trading partners and allies,&#8221; Bessent said, &#8220;have been the most forthcoming in terms of doing the deals &#8230; Vice President Vance was in India last week. I think that he and President Modi made very good progress, so I could see some announcements on India. I could see the contours of a deal with the Republic of Korea coming together, and then we&#8217;ve had substantial talks with the Japanese.&#8221;
Because Japan and South Korea have elections coming up in the months ahead, Bessent sees an opportunity to reach agreements with them sooner rather than later.
&#8220;I think from our talks that these governments actually want to have the framework of a trade deal done before they go into the elections to show that they have successfully negotiated with the United States,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;So, we’re finding that they’re actually much more keen to come to the table, get this done, and then go home and campaign on it.&#8221;
Trump implemented the &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs by declaring a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national emergency</a> to combat what his administration says are unfair trade practices, protect American workers, and strengthen national security. While most countries received a 90-day reprieve, the United States <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-issues-90-day-pause-on-most-tariffs-raises-chinas-to-125" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> the overall tariff level on China to 145%. Beijing responded by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/11/china-strikes-back-with-125percent-tariffs-on-us-goods-starting-april-12.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raising</a> tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%.
Bessent would not say during the briefing whether Trump administration officials have been talking with their counterparts from China about tariffs, but he did <a href="https://grabien.com/story?id=525096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">express</a> the view that, &#8220;over time, we will see that the Chinese tariffs are unsustainable for China.&#8221;

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Sorry, China: Bessent Says Deal With Massive Trade Partner ‘Very Close’

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President Donald Trump will meet with Japan on Wednesday to negotiate over tariffs and American military support.
The meeting comes after Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs on countries worldwide, including a 24% tariff on Japanese goods. That tariff was later paused after Trump hit China with a 125% tariff and lowered reciprocal tariffs for all other countries across the board to 10% for 90 days to allow for negotiations.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will attend Trump’s meeting with Japan.
“Japan is coming in today to negotiate Tariffs, the cost of military support, and ‘TRADE FAIRNESS.’ I will attend the meeting, along with Treasury &amp; Commerce Secretaries,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114347128422370864" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> Wednesday on Truth Social. “Hopefully something can be worked out which is good (GREAT!) for Japan and the USA!”
Japan has also been impacted by a 25% tariff on auto imports imposed by Trump, which the country hopes to see ended. 
Economy Minister Ryosei Akazawa said that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba “has a strong desire to help the U.S. achieve its goals in a win-win way, through investments rather than tariffs,” <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/japan-economy-minister-urges-win-win-solutions-ahead-of-u-s-trade-talks-d5397df3?mod=e2twe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Wall Street Journal. 
At the same time, Ishiba recently told Japan’s parliament that he doesn’t want to rush negotiations.  
&#8220;I&#8217;m not of the view that we should make big concessions for the sake of wrapping up negotiations quickly,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/trump-says-cost-military-support-table-japan-talks-hell-attend-2060372" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;In negotiating with the United States, we need to understand what&#8217;s behind Trump&#8217;s argument both in terms of the logic and the emotional elements behind his views.&#8221;
Trump has defended tariffs, saying it has brought in billions of dollars in revenue to the United States. 
“The United States is taking in RECORD NUMBERS in Tariffs, with the cost of almost all products going down, including gasoline, groceries, and just about everything else,” he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114345526663892197" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social Wednesday. “Likewise, INFLATION is down.”
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/from-tariffs-to-talks-trump-adviser-reports-130-countries-now-seek-a-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Sunday that 130 nations have reached out to negotiate trade with Trump after the “Liberation Day” tariffs were announced. 
“If you come to the table and negotiate with us and treat us the same way we treat you, then we will get your rate really low,” he said. “So, right now, 130 countries, 130 countries have responded, and we’re negotiating with them, and they have got their rate down to 10%.”

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Trump To Discuss ‘Cost Of Military Support’ In High-Stakes Tariff Meeting With Japan

Howard Lutnick

Japan&#8217;s population plummeted for the 14th year in a row in 2024, declining by nearly 900,000 people despite massive government spending aimed at encouraging childbirth.
New data <a href="https://www.stat.go.jp/data/jinsui/2024np/index.html">released</a> on Monday by Japan&#8217;s Internal Affairs Ministry shows the number of Japanese nationals declining by 898,000, marking the steepest annual decline since authorities began keeping records in the 1950s.
Roughly a quarter of the decline came in the 15-64 age demographic, which fell by 224,000 in a severe blow to the nation’s tax base, according to Bloomberg.
The country&#8217;s fertility rate in 2023 stood at just 1.2 expected births per woman over her lifetime, far below the 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-15/japan-s-population-falls-by-half-million-as-birth-rate-stays-low">reflected</a> in Japan’s child population declining to a record-low 11.2% of the population, 13.8 million, after a decline of 343,000 last year.
The sharp demographic downturn comes despite the Japanese government <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-15/japan-s-population-falls-by-half-million-as-birth-rate-stays-low">approving</a> a $25 billion package in late 2023 to expand child allowances, improve childcare, and increase education support, only for birth rates to plummet further.
Former Health Minister Keizo Takemi described Japan&#8217;s demographic outlook as &#8220;critical,&#8221; warning the country only has until the 2030s to reverse course, per Newsweek.
Surveys show many younger Japanese are reluctant to marry or have families, discouraged by bleak job prospects, rising living costs outpacing salary growth, and corporate cultures incompatible with dual-income parenting.
The nation&#8217;s population is <a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-birth-rate-declining-population-82662ea061286cb907fd7d071e5b0b9b">projected</a> to shrink by approximately 30% to 87 million by 2070, when four out of every ten Japanese will be 65 or older, potentially placing a crippling strain on Japan’s extensive welfare state, according to the Associated Press.
Experts like Ekaterina Hertog, an associate professor at the Oxford Internet Institute and Institute for Ethics in AI who researches the societal impact of Japanese labor practices, are concerned that monetary incentives simply won’t be enough to increase fertility simply due to how Japanese culture has developed in the modern era.
&#8220;Marriage trends in Japan and South Korea are significantly shaped by economic conditions and their intersection with gender roles,&#8221; she told Newsweek.
The number of annual marriages on the island nation dipped below 500,000 for the first time in 90 years in 2023.
Hertog explained that Japanese women still have the expectation of prospective husbands fulfilling the &#8220;traditional male breadwinner” role, causing many lower-paid men to postpone marriage or skip it entirely.
&#8220;Another important set of factors are family norms, that prescribe children&#8217;s support of elderly parents and the difficulty of negotiating them in societies which have had low fertility rates for decades,&#8221; she added.
Ryuichi Kaneko, demographer and professor at Meiji University, told the Asahi Shimbun newspaper: &#8220;I believe one of the reasons Japan&#8217;s declining birthrate has become especially severe is that, in the postwar period, the country built a society that prioritized economic activity to an extreme degree.”
&#8220;We believe the declining births has not been effectively controlled,&#8221; Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters regarding the new demographic data, according to the Associated Press.
This trend has been reflected in other Southeast Asian countries post-World War II, with China, South Korea, and Taiwan all experiencing similar if not more severe declines in fertility following mass urbanization, demanding work cultures, and changing attitudes toward marriage.
Similar trends are emerging in the United States, where fertility rates have dropped to 1.67 births per woman — also below the 2.1 replacement level — despite various government incentives for families.
Both nations are discovering that financial packages alone may be insufficient to overcome deeper cultural and economic factors affecting family formation decisions.
With fewer working-age citizens supporting a growing elderly population, Japan&#8217;s traditional social welfare systems face unprecedented strain — creating economic challenges that many other developed nations may soon confront.

Elderly people seen during the concert at Ikebukuro

Marriage Crisis: Japan’s Birth Rate Falls To Record Low Despite $25 Billion Gov Intervention

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The Supreme Court hands President Donald Trump two wins – one on deportation and another on downsizing the government. The stock market sees another turbulent day, leading to China increasing its reciprocal tariffs on U.S. imports to 84%. And, Trump is set for nuclear negotiations with Iran but warns that the regime might be in jeopardy if talks go south.
It’s Wednesday, April 9, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Supreme Court Clears The Way For Deportations &amp; DOGE</h2>
<div id="attachment_905039" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-905039" class="size-large wp-image-905039" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for the Trump administration to deport alleged illegal alien gang members under a 1798 law. 
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that President Trump may use the Alien Enemies Act to deport suspected gang members –  but the court also said those potential deportees have a right to due process. The decision had both sides of the case claiming victory.
“Today is a bad day to be a terrorist in the United States of America,&#8221; Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said on Monday. “Today, the Supreme Court came out with a decision that reaffirmed that President Trump was correct in using his authority on using the Alien Enemies Act to deport terrorists out of this country. Thank you President Trump for your leadership in making America safe again.”
However: The justices unanimously agreed that in each case, the alien has a right to have his deportation order reviewed by a judge. 
The case was brought by a group of Venezuelan nationals. They filed suit in the D.C. District Court and the case fell to Judge James Boasberg – who has frequently ruled against the administration. Boasberg put a freeze on not only the deportations. The Supreme Court said the lawsuit should have been filed in Texas, where the deportees were being held.
The illegal immigration case was related to a lower court judge’s deadline for the administration to return a mistakenly deported Salvadoran national to the United States. Kilmer Abrego Garcia, 29, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador – he had previously said he would face violence if deported back to his home. A judge had given the Trump administration until midnight on Monday to get him back to the United States. The administration said that timeline was impractical, and the Supreme Court agreed.
In other news: The Supreme Court knocked down a lower court order that blocked Trump from cutting 16,000 probationary workers from the federal government
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<h2>The Trade War Continues: Allies Seek Detente, Rivals Escalate</h2>
<div id="attachment_905041" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-905041" class="size-large wp-image-905041" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-864x576.jpg 864w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: One week after Liberation Day, President Trump says he is gearing up for formal tariff negotiations with trade partners, offering optimism for consumers and markets as China raises its reciprocal tariffs on U.S. goods to 84%. 
On Tuesday, the president announced major developments on a trade deal with South Korea, America’s sixth-largest trading partner. Writing on Truth Social, Trump said he’d just finished a “great call” with acting President Han Duck-soo, <a href="https://x.com/annmarie/status/1909597238260625410">adding,</a> “We have the confines and probability of a great DEAL for both countries. Their top TEAM is on a plane heading to the U.S., and things are looking good.” 
According to the South Korean government, they’re willing to import more American products, particularly natural gas, in exchange for reduced tariffs. Likewise, the president said <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-spoke-ishiba-set-tough-141853292.html">Japan</a>, our fourth-largest trade partner, is sending a negotiating team to Washington to meet directly with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
In the coming days, the Trump administration will host representatives from Vietnam, our tenth-largest trading partner. And on April 17, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will visit the White House to negotiate on behalf of the European Union. All told, the White House says nearly 70 countries have expressed a desire to negotiate.
“To countries around the world, bring us your best offers and [President Trump] will listen,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1909660284568109505">told</a> reporters on Tuesday. “Deals will only be made if they benefit American workers and address our nation’s crippling trade deficits. America does not need other countries as much as other countries need us and President Trump knows this.”
However: Beijing appears to be digging its heels in for a drawn-out trade war. On Wednesday, China, America’s largest trading partner, said it would increase its reciprocal tariffs on U.S. imports to 84%. This was after China had doubled down, saying it would “never accept such treatment” before slapping additional 34% tariffs on U.S. imports. China accused the White House of economic “blackmail,” and Trump responded with a 50% tariff on top of those already in place — starting at midnight on April 9, when the Chinese began facing 104% tariffs on all goods coming to America. It’s not exactly breaking news that the U.S. imports a lot of stuff from China — the expected price increases on those goods are clearly spooking investors.
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<h2>Trump Announces “Top Level” Talks With Iran</h2>
<div id="attachment_905047" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-905047" class="size-large wp-image-905047" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Topline: On Monday, President Trump announced that his administration will have “top-level” direct talks with Iran.
During a meeting in the Oval Office with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump announced that he would be open to negotiations with Iran on Saturday. If these talks do not go well, Trump said that the Iranian regime will be in “great danger.”
“It’s not a complicated formula,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/KassyAkiva/status/1909339143026663769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1909339143026663769%7Ctwgr%5E7d8fe0700f7a5f78c5fbe98930a68e6e11b7c20f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Ftrump-says-iran-will-be-in-great-danger-if-saturdays-nuclear-talks-fail">said</a>. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, that’s all there is. Right now we have countries that have nuclear power that shouldn’t have it but I’m sure we will be able to negotiate out of that too as part of this later and down the line. But Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and if the talks aren’t successful, I actually think it will be a very bad day for Iran.”
President Trump said the talks would be high-level and direct but declined to say where they would occur. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi later said the talks would take place in Oman and be indirect. In a post on <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/1909381747709546786">X</a>, Araqchi wrote, “It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court.” Iranian state-run media gave some more <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx25e5rd2v9o">purported details</a> – they reported that the talks would be between Araqchi and U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff, with Oman’s foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi as a mediator.
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Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks.
It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America&#39;s court.
&mdash; Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) <a href="https://twitter.com/araghchi/status/1909381747709546786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Remember: Trump was an outspoken critic of former President Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal with the Iranian regime, calling it “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into” and withdrew from it in 2018. Throughout his entire first term, Trump waged a “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran in hopes of curbing both its nuclear program and its support of terror around the world. Under President Joe Biden, Iran’s various proxy groups in the Middle East ramped up their aggression: in Yemen, the Houthis began attacking shipping vessels in the Red Sea, and in Gaza, Hamas launched the October 7 terror attacks, killing roughly 1,200 people in Israel. 
Trump is pursuing a deal now because Iran is reportedly <a href="https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/the-iran-threat-geiger-counter-extreme-danger-grows">weeks away</a> from producing a nuclear weapon. The Trump administration has taken<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-shares-footage-of-military-strike-on-houthis-they-will-never-sink-our-ships-again"> extensive military action</a> against the Houthis, which could be construed as a show of force against their Iranian backers, and American military assets have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/irans-military-commanders-locked-and-loaded-for-preemptive-strike-on-u-s-bombers-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surged</a> to the region in preparation for a possible strike.

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Stock trading appeared to stabilize late Monday after days of volatility on the heels of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff announcement.
The opening of trade negotiations between the United States and Japan appeared to buoy stock prices on the hope that the tariffs, announced last week by Trump in a “Liberation Day” Rose Garden event, may be avoided, according to Reuters. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Dow Jones was trending back down after a 3.5% jump in the morning hours. The S&amp;P 500 was also up 3.6% Tuesday morning before it dipped in the afternoon. The Nasdaq jumped by 4.5% before it also dropped later in the day. 
Shares in Japan showed strength as the Nikkei stock index closed up 6% on Monday. Trump announced on Monday morning that he had spoken with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba about beginning negotiations over trade.
“Countries from all over the World are talking to us. Tough but fair parameters are being set. Spoke to the Japanese Prime Minister this morning. He is sending a top team to negotiate!” Trump posted on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114296909356614075" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a> on Monday morning.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to lead negotiations with Japan over tariffs.
“Importantly, a little ray of sunshine is starting to emerge that gives hope that the U.S. is genuinely open to trade negotiations, [with] the most significant being Japan with Treasury Secretary Bessent,” Tapas Strickland, the head of market economics at National Australia Bank, told Reuters.
Stock indexes across Asia, Europe, and the United States also showed some positive signs alongside hopes that the White House is open to negotiations.
Japan received other welcome news after Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-revives-possible-sale-of-u-s-steel-to-japans-nippon-steel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> an executive action on Monday reopening the potential purchase of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel. Trump’s order gives the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment 45 days to review the agreement and submit a recommendation.
“I direct the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to conduct a review of the acquisition of U.S. Steel by the Purchasers to assist me in determining whether further action in this matter may be appropriate,” the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/review-of-proposed-united-states-steel-corporation-acquisition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">order</a> says in part.
Former President Joe Biden previously blocked the nearly $15 billion deal in January. At the time, Trump agreed with the decision. He had previously pledged to block the deal and stop U.S. Steel from being “bought by a foreign company.”
Trump appeared to warm to a potential deal in February when he said he would be open to Nippon Steel investing in U.S. Steel, though the president said he still opposed foreign ownership.

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