Taiwan's top story is a political fight over defense spending, with the Cabinet pushing to restore a huge arms budget that opposition parties slashed — a negative for defense readiness but a positive for markets, which stayed calm and bullish.

• The opposition KMT and TPP cut NT$1.25 trillion from a weapons purchase bill, and the Cabinet now wants to bring the money back through regular and extra funds.
• Investors are piling into a batch of local stocks, drawn by strong company revenue and profits.
• Japan drew notice: new leader Takaichi's war-anniversary speech skipped any mention of remorse for the past.
• Government auditors flagged that local self-driving car efforts are out of step with the central government's plans.
• A magnitude 5.2 quake hit northeastern Taiwan, gas and diesel prices will hold steady next week, and high-speed rail fares face review in 2027.

Outlook: Expect a drawn-out budget standoff between the government and opposition, while investors stay upbeat on earnings-strong stocks.