US seeks Japanese explosives for Ukraine artillery.

The US is seeking to procure TNT in Japan for 155mm artillery shells to rush weapons and ammunition to Ukraine for a counteroffensive against Russian forces. Japan's export rules ban Japanese companies from selling lethal items overseas, but the allies appear to have found a workaround to enable the TNT sale amid global shortages of munitions. Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida wants to help Ukraine because his administration fears a Russian victory would embolden China to attack Taiwan and embroil his country in a regional war.