Energy Security & Diplomacy: Japan’s PM Sanae Takaichi is set to skip the July NATO summit, with a plan floated to send the foreign minister instead, as Tokyo weighs Ukraine and Middle East developments. Power & LNG Infrastructure: Mitsubishi Power’s Philippines unit signed a long-term parts-and-services deal for a 1,278MW Batangas LNG-linked gas facility, aiming to keep critical components and advisory support in place for stable generation. Industrial Policy for Defense Exports: Japan is considering a “Japanese-style FMS” approach to help defense exporters with coordination, after-sales support, and capacity surge—still under review. Markets & Tech Sentiment: Asian trading was mixed after a Wall Street tech sell-off; Japan’s Nikkei slipped while South Korea’s chip stocks dragged broader sentiment. Auto Manufacturing Reshuffle: Nissan reportedly halted development of a fully electric Qashqai in Sunderland as it cuts costs and seeks UK support, potentially delaying any EV launch to the early 2030s. Hydrogen Strategy: A Japan–EU Centre seminar highlights shared hydrogen supply-chain challenges and the push to align parts of hydrogen ecosystems. Japan Economy Watch: Japan’s private sector activity expanded fastest in three months in June, led by manufacturing output and a services rebound.