July 12, Wednesday, 2023

1. Japan’s defense ministry says it believes the missile North Korea launched earlier Wednesday fell into the Sea of Japan outside of the exclusive economic zone. Officials also confirm it was an intercontinental ballistic missile-class. Tokyo says it has lodged a protest. 2. A major trans-Pacific trade deal has come into force in all 11 countries that originally signed it. This comes after the Southeast Asian nation of Brunei completed its ratification process. The deal, known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, creates a massive free trade bloc spanning the Pacific.
3. Japanese businesses are lending a hand to municipalities in the transition to electric vehicles, launching new services that help local governments replace their official-use cars with EVs. A group company of major trading firm Mitsubishi Corporation is leasing out nearly 200 EVs to Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward starting this month. This will help lower the cost of making the switch to eco-friendly transportation.