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Can't make it up.

The Nippon Steel deal has become a highly politicized issue, with Kamala Harris vowing that the company should remain domestically owned. William Chou underscores to Shoko Oda and Tsuyoshi Inajima that this is short-term thinking. bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

This is a big deal.

“It’s extremely damaging to our region & to the state as a whole,” said Sam DeMarco III, the Allegheny County councilman at large & the county’s Republican Party chairman. “It signals that we’re not open for investment, that we’re not business-friendly.” nytimes.com/2024/09/05/us/…

Shameful that the Biden administration is allowing swing state politics to damage our alliance with Japan, let alone the future of thousands of US Steel employees.

notable: no mention of Hamas or the hostages killed over the weekend

I’ve now read this 3 times as I’m convinced I’m missing something. But I’m not. That this is his extemporaneous analysis of the war and his prescription for how to go forward is …alarming.

Stunning.

Same in 🇯🇵 Eyeglasses as well!

La prochaine fois ne s’allie pas avec des antisemites obsessionnels.

Honoured to accompany Madame Akie Abe on her visit with H.E. Dr. S. Jaishankar. Brought home to me PM Shinzo Abe was truly an inspirational leader.

Never mentions Hamas. Talks as though the Palestinian people have zero agency over their future. Says that everyone is on the peaceful path EXCEPT for the Israeli prime minister (the obstacle!) And ends with a big hug for Hamas cheerleaders in the U.S.

Harvard freshman Sarah Silverman writes about finding her dorm room mezuzah missing in The Harvard Crimson: "I’m left wondering whether someone on my floor — or even someone I had just met — hated my identity so much that they felt compelled to frighten me." thecrimson.com/article/2024/9…

Two mysteries solved: first, we know exactly why Walz said "When I'm having a tough day .... I think, Ilhan Omar is in Congress, and I smile." Second, Walz walking away when a reporter asked him on Sunday about the brutal murder of six hostages by Hamas was intentional.

The prospect of Biden blocking Nippon Steel's merger with US Steel is stirring up discontent in Tokyo. If American politicians scuttle this deal, Japan may shrink its role in promoting a rules-based order in the Pacific, warns William Chou.

Surprised by Cheney's decision to engage in the TX Senate race, since: a. control of the Senate would be a check for anti-Trump Republicans to feel more comfortable supporting Harris b. Supporting Dems across the ballot undermines the argument about Trump being unique threat:

There is no legitimate national security or reasonable economic rationale for the prevention of the Nippon - US Steel deal. Japan is one of our staunchest allies.

Japan Chair Kenneth Weinstein hosted Chris Brose of Anduril Industries and Phoebe Greentree of the Australian Embassy for an event on the considerable value Japan could bring to Pillar 2 of the AUKUS agreement. Watch: hudson.org/events/aukus-p…

BREAKING: PALANTIR $PLTR HAS JOINED THE S&P 500 INDEX, REPRESENTING THE TOP 500 COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.