In 2025, only a limited number of news stories about the world were featured prominently in Japan's international coverage. For example, Donald Trump, who was sworn in as the President of the United States again in January 2025, was in the news every day. The Ukraine-Russia conflict and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict also continued to receive significant attention. Here, the Yomiuri Shimbun's annual "10 Greatest Foreign News Picks by Readers in 2025The "Mere Old Man" shows that other than those mentioned above, the wildfires in Los Angeles, the theft of the Louvre Museum, and the inauguration of the new Pope in the United States also attracted attention. In addition, the Jiji Press published a report titled "Jiji Press picks the top 10 news stories of 25 years [Overseas].In the "Japan" section, more than half of the events were directly related to the United States.
However, behind the attention given to these issues, there have also been a number of events that have had larger, more significant, or longer-term effects. For example, conflict-related sexual violence in 2024 increased from the previous year by25%.It was revealed that the number of piracy incidents increased In addition, in the first half of 2025, piracy in the Strait of Malacca was found to have increased fromApprox. 4 timesThe number of cases of malaria in East Timor has increased sharply to On the other hand, malaria elimination in Timor-Leste hasdeclarationand the murder rate in Jamaica for the first time in 22 years.decreaseThere were also some positive events, such as a turnaround to the The Japanese press reported little or nothing on these issues.
In past years, GNV has published a series of news stories that are significant but under-reported, entitled "TheTop 10 undercovered world news storiesThe report is titled "The Year 2025," and is compiled in a ranking format. Once again, we present the 10 events selected by GNV for the year 2025. The detailed criteria used to determine the order (*1) and the method used to measure the amount of news coverage (*2) are listed in the footnotes. Let's take a look at the 10 biggest news events lurking in 2025, starting with No. 1.
Table of Contents
No. 1 Military spending and arms manufacturer earnings hit record highs
During the year 2024, government military spending reached unprecedented levels, while at the same time the global arms industry generated the highest revenues in history, according to a new report from the United Nations and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). According to the United Nations and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), global military spending in 2024 increased 9.4% from the previous year toUS$2.7 trillionThe number of new jobs has reached This is the sharpest increase since the end of the Cold War. While this amount is roughly equivalent to the GDP of all of Africa, funding for peacebuilding, public health, and development remains chronically inadequate. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, "The world spends far more on the conduct of war than on peacebuilding."Warning.In the early 1990s, the government of Japan began to increase its public spending by a record amount. This surge in public spending also led to a record increase in revenues for the private arms industry.applyIn 2024, the world's top 100 arms manufacturers will have combined revenues of US$679 billion, up from the previous year. 5.9% increased. While U.S. defense giants such as Lockheed Martin, RTX, and Northrop Grumman recorded modest growth, the most notable gains came from Asian and European companies. Japanese arms manufacturers, in particular, recorded the largest growth in the world, increasing their combined revenues by about 40% in just one year, boosted by expanding defense budgets and a growing export orientation. German arms manufacturers also recorded rapid growth of 36%, benefiting from Europe's growing rearmament drive amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict. Similarly, South Korean arms manufacturers increased their revenues by 31%, supported by surging arms exports and long-term arms supply contracts.
Amount of coverage (*3)
Asahi Shimbun:2article/867the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Mainichi Newspaper:3article/1,482the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Yomiuri Newspaper:2article/2,950the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Missile systems on display at a weapons fair (Photo:Srđan Popović / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 4.0])
No. 2 Facing a Serious Food Crisis Worldwide
World Food Program (World Food Programmeof the(written) reportAccording to,2025age-old school68 countriesindicates certainty, emphasis, etc.Approx. 318 millionis facing a serious food crisis. This figure is based on2019Year.2more than twice the level of the previous year. In addition, theApproximately 1.4 million peopleare in the most severe stage of "catastrophic hunger". At the regional level, Gaza in Palestine and Sudan's2In the two regions, the "famine"occurred.andcertificationThe number of people in the world with severe food insecurity is the highest in the world. On the other hand, in terms of the number of people in severe food insecurity, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudan top the list.3countries. Especially in Nigeria.3,060Although a record 10,000,000 people are facing a severe food crisis,World Food Programmeis the Northeast, citing lack of funds.130Support for 10,000,000 people7At the end of the month.suspension of music, dance, etc. as a sign of mourningThe company is a member of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), a non-profit organization,2026The number of people suffering from "catastrophic hunger" will increase through 2012.guessThe situation in the United States has been described as a "humanitarian crisis". Many people in Yemen, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and other countries are also facing food crises amounting to a "humanitarian crisis," according to the report.World Food Programmeare the causes of the food crisis: conflict, climate, economics, and displaced people.4the greater ofI'm listing them.The number of people who are food insecure is growing rapidly. In fact, about half of food insecure people70percent live in conflict-affected areas, and the food crisis in low-income countries is exacerbated by damage to agriculture caused by drought and flooding, which drives up food prices.
Amount of coverage (*4)
Asahi Shimbun:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Mainichi Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Yomiuri Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Displaced Nigerians who fled to Niger receive food aid(Photo:EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid/ Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])
No. 3 Severe underfunding of the UN
In the United Nations, member statesfailure to pay one's share of the paymentThe organization itself is undergoing a major overhaul due to a serious budget shortfall caused by the 2025Year 12month 1On the day ofapproximately 16Billion U.S. dollarsare in arrears, the UN Secretary-General warned. In addition, peacekeeping operations (PKOThe budget also represents only a fraction of the world's military spending.0.5%Despite the fact that this is the case, the unpaid amount is ballooning, and the security situation in conflict areas is shaky. In addition, the amount of humanitarian aid requests for the entire world collected through the UN is also 2025Year 12As of May.Approx. 29%The UN has not been able to raise enough money to support the project. Many specialized agencies of the United Nations are also experiencing severe funding shortfalls. For example, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCRIn the case of the displaced people in the122 million peoplesuper and 10While doubling compared to a year ago, the amount of funds has remained almost the same, 2025Year 10In May.5,000 people... and upwardsThe report stated that the UN has reduced the number of jobs in the United States. Furthermore, due to a lack of funding, the UN has been forced to cut 2026Substantial humanitarian aid request for the yearcurtailmentI'm doing it.The UN has been facing a number of challenges, including the lack of funding for the UN. The lack of UN-related funding has also had a significant impact on the private-sector aid organizations that the UN supports and their activities. For example, due to funding cuts, organizations working to end violence against women and girls have stopped or scaled back many of their operations around the world, and the loss of field knowledge and support capacity isreportThe company has been
information volume
Asahi Shimbun:4article/3,228the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Mainichi Newspaper:3article/3,901the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Yomiuri Newspaper:4article/1,724the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA (Photo:United Nations Photo / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])
No. 4 4 million people displaced in the Central Sahel region due to ongoing conflict.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced that the October 2025(written) reportin the Central Sahel region, consisting of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, revealed that approximately 4 million people are currently displaced. In addition, the region is also included in the 2025 edition of theGlobal Terrorism Index (GTI)in the Sahel, the region was ranked as the most terror-affected region in the world. Most of the violence in the Sahel region is associated with cross-border armed groups such as the Islamic and Muslim Support Group (JNIM) and the Islamic State of the Greater Sahel (ISGS). In Mali, armed groups have been supplying fuel to the capital, Bamako.interferenceThe group has been active in three countries in the Central Sahel region. These armed groups, which initially operated in three countries in the Central Sahel region,Beninand ... andTogoIt has also increased attacks on coastal countries such as the United States. These conflicts and the resulting forced displacement of populations have led to a greater need for humanitarian assistance in the region. However, of the approximately US$410 million that UNHCR has requested from donors for humanitarian assistance, as of November 2025, only33%.The number of countries in the region has remained at only One of the factors contributing to the difficulties in raising humanitarian funds is the emergence of military regimes following a series of coups in these countries. This has prevented some donor countries from providing aid topassiveIn 2023, the military regimes of these three countries formed the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES).EstablishmentThe AES countries themselves have also been reluctant to distribute some of the humanitarian aid for fear of external influence.Limit or stopThe company is doing so.
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Asahi Shimbun:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Mainichi Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Yomiuri Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Evacuation camps in West Africa (Photo:Ewien van Bergeijk - Kwant / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 4.0])
No. 5 Surge in Antibiotic Resistance Linked to 3 Million Child Deaths Worldwide
New evidence of the loss of life caused by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has come to light: a large, announced in April 2025researchAccording to the "Mere Old Man," more than 3 million children died worldwide in 2022 due to infections related to antimicrobial resistance. Particularly hard hit were Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, where health systems face chronic shortages, overcrowding, and limited access to diagnostic tools. Additional data released later that year confirmed this warning: in October 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO)(written) reportfound that about one-sixth of bacterial infections worldwide in 2023 were caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens; between 2018 and 2023, about 40% of antibiotics used for common infections such as urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal infections, bloodstream infections, and gonorrhea lost efficacy. The report also noted that resistance levels in tracked drug combinations were increasing by 5-15% per year.AMR'sMain Factorsis the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, especially inappropriate prescribing for viral infections, which accelerate bacterial adaptation. In many low- and middle-income countries, weak surveillance systems, lack of infection prevention measures, and delayed access to new generation antibiotics exacerbate the problem. At the same time, the development of new antibiotics (especially pediatric formulations) is lagging, and clinicians' treatment options are shrinking. increasingly, AMR is being viewed as a global crisis, requiring urgent action regarding surveillance, sanitation, vaccination, and equitable access to effective medicines. Urgent action is required regarding surveillance, sanitation, vaccination, and equitable access to effective medicines.
information volume
Asahi Shimbun:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Mainichi Newspaper:1article/285the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Yomiuri Newspaper:1article/928the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Bacteria undergoing drug resistance testing (Photo:DFID - UK Department for International Development / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY 2.0])
No. 6 Political unrest in Haiti, worst ever
In October 2025, WFP analysis shows that Haiti will have a record5.7 million(51% of the total population) are facing severe food insecurity, and more than 1.2 million children under the age of five live in areas experiencing severe food insecurity. If current trends continue, more than 5.9 million could face severe food insecurity by 2026. This serious problem has been compounded by the assassination of the then president in July 2021, which led to a significant reduction in government functions.declineand the rise of armed groups. Today, Port-au-Prince is the capital of Haiti.90%are controlled by armed groups, and since 2025 this control has extended to neighboring provinces. People have been forced to flee their homes due to violence and instability, and in 2025 alone, the number of displaced people reached a record high of1.4 millionrecorded in the past two years. In response to this unrest, the United Nations Security Council (Security Council) has been working since 2024 toMultinational Security Support (MSS) Missionhas failed to stop the rapidly deteriorating situation, and in September 2025, the MSS was replaced by an expanded force, the Multinational Gang Task Force (GSF). Meanwhile, how much of the Haitian people's voice is reflected here?Skeptical voicesalso exist.
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Asahi Shimbun:1article/547the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Mainichi Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Yomiuri Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
A look at the life of the Haitian people (photo:naTsumi / Shutterstock)
No. 7 Norway: Sovereign fund changes code of ethics
On November 4, 2025, the Norwegian Parliament suspended the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global (GPF-G), the world's largest sovereign wealth fund with US$2.1 trillion in assets, from withdrawing its investment under ethical guidelines.resolutionThe company has made a decision to Under these guidelines, one cannot invest in a company that seriously violates the rights of individuals in a conflictprovisionsThe Fund's shareholding in the company was Behind this resolution, seven big tech companies in the U.S., including Amazon, Google and Microsoft, which account for more than 151 TP3T of the Fund's equity holdings, wererelationshipThe company is working on a number of projects. These companies provide the cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) services needed to carry out the Israeli genocide against Gaza.offerThe Fund's Code of Ethics requires that these companies be subject to withdrawal from the investment. Originally, under the Fund's Code of Ethics, these companies would be subject to investment withdrawal, but this resolution avoids thataimIt is believed that the In addition, on November 25, 2025, the Norwegian Parliament will have one year to make a decision on investments that conflict with the ethical guidelines.postponementThe proposed revisions to the GPF-G Code of Ethics are to be submitted by October 15, 2026.
information volume
Asahi Shimbun:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Mainichi Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Yomiuri Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Norwegian Parliament (Photo:Andreas Haldorsen / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 4.0]
No. 8 Poverty Population Declines by About 26% in Mexico in Six Years
Mexico's National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGIis2025counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)7month30In Mexico on2018Since the year2024Year.6In the past two years, "multidimensional poverty" has13.4 million(approximately)26(%) decrease.Announced.。「multidimensional povertyPoverty" is a term that describes "poverty" that cannot be captured in economic terms alone, but manifests itself in various forms, such as educational opportunities, health status, social security, and living standards such as clean water and electricity. This concept is.2010In 2006, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP(Mexico was adopted by theworld-firstMultidimensional poverty index ((MPI)introduced. In Mexico, the leftist government2018Since its birth in 2006,Household incomes are to be increased by improving welfare programs for the elderly, farmers, and young people.15.6% (15.6%)increase, and multidimensional poverty is2024By 1949, the number of such companies had declined significantly. In addition2026Year.1Minimum wage in a year.13The government, workers, and companies have agreed to raise the rate byreport(The northern border region bordering the U.S. is5％）。However, it is important to note that the multidimensionalof people in a state of poverty.regional differencesschool (e.g. of ikebana)It remains serious, and the aforementionedINEGIreports that, in urban areas, the25%(at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion2,550million, whereas in rural areas the population45.8%hit the bull's-eye1,300The number of respondents was 10,000,000.
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Asahi Shimbun:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Mainichi Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Yomiuri Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
People flocking to food stalls in Mexico City (Photo:Daniel Case / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 3.0]
No. 9 Separatist Forces Seize Southern Yemen
In December 2025, the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed Southern Yemeni separatist movement, "Southern Transitional Council (STC)The "Mere Old Man" is on a rapid offensive throughout the eastern part of the country.startThe STC faction took control of the province of Hadramawt, which borders Saudi Arabia. Within days, the STC faction took control of Hadramout, Yemen's largest oil-producing province bordering Saudi Arabia, and Al-Maharra, which borders Oman. The group has also taken control of large parts of the former South Yemeni region, including Aden and Abyan. By mid-December, STC flags were flying along the Omani border. This series of moves has made it the largest single military operation in Yemen since the unification of North and South Yemen in 1990.for the first timeThe region that corresponds to the former South Yemen came under the control of a single power. On the one hand, this move caused regional tensions, especially with Saudi Arabia and Oman. At the same time, it deepened divisions within the forces opposed to Ansar Allah (commonly known as the Houthis). Yemen's currentdisputewas triggered by Ansar Allah's occupation of the capital Sanaa in 2014. In response, a Saudi- and UAE-led military intervention took place in 2015, leading to a humanitarian crisis. Since then, the country has remained divided into northern areas under Ansar Allah and southern areas controlled by a divided external support coalition.change of domicileIt became one of the
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Asahi Shimbun:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
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Sibam, Hadramout Valley, Yemen (Photo:Jialiang Gao / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 3.0]
No. 10 2.8 Million Afghan Refugees Deported
In 2025, Afghanistan experienced a refugee exodus of a magnitude and speed rarely seen in recent years. From Iran and Pakistan, a total ofApproximately 2.8 million peopleof refugees from Afghanistan were forcibly repatriated, including more than 1.8 million from Iran and approximately 930,000 from Pakistan. This massive migration occurred primarily due to the intensification of forced return policies in neighboring countries. Afghanistan.situationremains unstable and economically fragile, making voluntary return difficult for many refugees. Iran announced the expiration of its refugee registry in March 2025, which triggered a sharp increase in deportations. from July to October 2025,More than 900,000of Afghan refugees were deported and repatriated. In Pakistan, the government announced in March 2025 that "theIllegal Alien Repatriation ProgramThe "new" law was expanded to include the "new" law. This would require foreigners without valid documents to leave the country and deport them if they do not comply. This policy also applies to Afghan refugees with valid temporary protection documents.affectThe situation has been exacerbated by the Refugees returning to Afghanistan face a serious humanitarian situation in the country. Already marginalized by poverty and economic collapse, Afghan society lacks basic necessities such as food, shelter, clean water, medical care, and employment.shortageThe two countries are. Pakistan and Afghanistan.international border disputecontinues to exacerbate the situation and place additional burdens on the local population. The UN and aid agencies say the surge in deportations has overburdened Afghanistan's fragile social services, putting vulnerable populations, including women, children, and the elderly, at increased riskWarning.The company is doing so.
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Asahi Shimbun:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Mainichi Newspaper:2article/1,649the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Yomiuri Newspaper:0article/0the ... word (i.e. "the L word" = "love")
Afghan refugees being deported from Pakistan (Photo:UN Women Asia and Pacific / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]
As we have seen, there was a lot of very significant news in 2025 as well, albeit with less coverage. The top three of the ten most important news stories of 2025 are particularly impressive. From these three, we can see that the funds needed to stop humanitarian crises and infectious diseases around the world will be spent on arms manufacturers as military spending.flowAs a result, vulnerable populations are in serious jeopardy. In fact, more than half of the news items on this list could be solved if sufficient funds were properly allocated.
Also this year, there were many other significant news items that did not make the Top 10 list. For example,Iranand ... andSaudi ArabiaIn the United States, the number of executions carried out reached a record high. In addition, the humanitarian crisis in Mozambique, where the conflict is expandingaggravationThe company has been working on this project for the past two years. Meanwhile, Australia's first treaty with indigenous peoples has beenhold (i.e. hold true)and gender-based violence has officially become a "national disaster" in South Africa.designationPositive news was also taken up as a candidate, such as being None of these received much attention in the Japanese press.
If the press can communicate what is happening in the world and the causes of it, it is possible that it can also provide direction for making the world a better place.
GNV will continue to report important world news that major news organizations do not pay attention to, based on its philosophy of "reporting the unreported world.
The ranking is based on the amount of coverage and impact of the event or phenomenon,2025The evaluation was conducted according to several criteria, including the scale of change over the years. Also,2025Even if it is an event or phenomenon that has been going on since before the year 2000,2025For matters that became apparent in the year2025It is ranked as well as the news that occurred in 2006.
The specific decisions are as follows World.6The report is divided into four regions ((1) East, South and Central Asia, (2) Southeast Asia, Pacific and Indian Ocean, (3) Middle East and North Africa, (4) Sub-Saharan Africa, (5) Europe, and (6) North and South America), and the events and phenomena that were considered significant in each region and received little media coverage in Japan.4case by case, as well as global events and phenomena that are not limited to a particular region.6Total30The case was picked up.
For each event or phenomenon (1) The low volume of coverage, (2) the number of people affected and the degree of impact, (3) the degree of impact on the political, economic, social, security, and other systems, (4) cross-border nature, (5) It's called freshness.5For each of the three criteria3The scores were given on a point scale. Since the ranking is particularly important for matters that have not received much attention (see1) We doubled the specific weight with respect to the small amount of press coverage. The results were used as the basis for the candidates.30since the beginning10The number of articles was narrowed down to a few, and their ranking was determined through discussions at the editorial meeting. In addition, the amount of coverage was2025counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)1month1from the day of2025counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)12month24The following table is a tabulation of the results up to the date of the report.
2 When examining the amount of coverage, Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, and Yomiuri Shimbun3The online databases of the three companies (Asahi Shimbun: Asahi Shimbun Cross Search, Mainichi Shimbun: My Search, Yomiuri Shimbun: Yomidas Rekishikan) were used. We focused not only on the headlines but also on the main text of the Tokyo morning and evening editions of both the national and regional editions of the newspapers.
3 All of these newspaper articles were about global military spending. On the other hand, there was no coverage of SIPRI's December report that arms manufacturers' revenues hit a record high.
3 We did not find any articles about the global food crisis as a whole, but we did find several articles about food shortages in individual countries and regions, such as Gaza.
Writers: Virgil Hawkins, Seita Morimoto, Hayato Ishimoto, Yosr Laarifi, Kanako Kinoshita, Maiko Takeuchi, Gaius Ilboudo, Ito Risa, Mohammad Istiaq Jawad
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