Defense R&D Access: Japan is drafting a plan to let universities and national labs more easily work on defense research, including secure research bases and tighter facilities to prevent tech leakage, with details due by year-end under the 2026 Comprehensive Innovation Strategy. Space & Security Industry: Japan is also pushing deeper space partnerships as security priorities drive new industry growth, while ispace plans “ride-share” moon deliveries using SpaceX Starship. Green Hydrogen Buildout: Kanadevia signed a framework deal with Oman’s Bahwan Engineering to develop green hydrogen and e-methane projects, pairing Kanadevia’s electrolysis stack tech with local engineering and customers; the firm is also expanding mass production in Yamanashi to cut costs. Ukraine–Japan Missile Link: Zelenskyy says Ukraine wants technical exchange with Mitsubishi on Patriot missile production after Japan’s license-based know-how, aiming to scale domestic anti-ballistic manufacturing. AI/Chips Market Pulse: Japan’s Nikkei jumped on AI-led buying and hopes for pension funds to shift toward domestic assets, while global sentiment is being shaped by chip earnings and SK hynix’s massive Nasdaq listing. Health & Lifestyle Science: A study claims regular manual-transmission driving may help cognitive health, echoing Japan’s broader interest in aging and brain research. Climate Risk to Food Prices: Japan researchers warn a potential “Super El Nino” could lift global food prices, with Japan estimating a sizable jump by 2027 if oil stays high. Corporate Tech & Data Centers: NTT Data Group and other major players announced leadership changes to support expanding data center and cloud operations.