June 1-7
China
Caixin Media reported that a junior judge in the Beijing No. 3 Intermediate Court had fled the country with up to 300 million CNY (approximately $41.7 million USD) from a court account. The funds reportedly had been collected by the court pursuant to judgments. According to the unofficial report, which was only briefly online, the missing judge, Bai Bin (白彬), was an assistant judge who had submitted his resignation. Bai left with his family for Japan on the eve of the May 1 holiday, and his location was not known. On May 30, the Beijing City Supervision Commission announced it was opening an investigation into a deputy president at the same court.
The State Supervision Commission’s revised Supervision Law Implementation Regulations (监察法实施条例) took effect on June 1, 2025. Key changes include adding three new types of compulsory measure: compulsory appearance (强制到案), orders to remain available for investigation (责令候查), and custodial care (管护) to supplement the existing option of retention in custody (留置). The maximum period for custody is extended from six months up to fourteen months in certain circumstances, such as if major new crimes are discovered during the investigation.
The Supreme People’s Court released six typical cases involving maritime disputes to mark International Ocean Day. The cases address issues such as pre-litigation property attachment, recognition of an arbitration agreement, insurance claims, ocean environment, and seafarers’ employment disputes.
Guangzhou police put a bounty on the heads of 20 persons it said were members of a Taiwan military hacking group accused of attacking Chinese targets. Police said the 20 belonged to the Information, Communications, and Electronic Force Command ( 资通电军) under Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, and accused them of carrying out a May 20 cyber attack on an unidentified Chinese technology company. They offered a reward of 10,000 CNY (approximately $1,390 USD) for information leading to their arrest. Taiwan’s government denied the accusation and warned that any Taiwanese citizens who offer tips to China to collect the bounty could contravene Taiwan’s National Security Act.
The Dalian Public Security Bureau said a Chinese man who had been a long-term resident of Japan is suspected of killing two former Japanese business partners over a business dispute. The Japanese men were killed in Dalian on May 23. Details have not been released. The Japanese consulate general in Shenyang disclosed the killings on June 3.
Hong Kong
Former student activist Joshua Wong, already serving a prison term for participating in an unofficial primary election, was charged with conspiring to encourage foreign actors to impose sanctions or other hostile moves against Hong Kong. Wong, 28, was brought from prison into court for a brief appearance and asked if he understood the new charge. The case was adjourned until August. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
The High Court heard arguments from a lesbian couple who are seeking to have both their names on their son’s birth certificate. The child was born in Hong Kong in 2021 using reciprocal in vitro fertilisation (RIVF), in which an egg from one woman was fertilized and implanted in the other woman, who gave birth. Under Hong Kong law, only the birth mother is listed on the child’s birth certificate. Hong Kong does not recognize same-sex marriage, but its top court has ordered the government to provide a framework for recognizing same-sex partnerships by October 2025.
Japan
The Osaka District Court ordered the government to pay 110,000 Yen (about $770 USD) in compensation to a constitutional scholar who was denied access to information about a massive government program to produce and distribute face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government of then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe distributed masks to every household at great expense, but the masks were criticized as too small, defective or dirty.
The Tokyo High Court overturned a lower court ruling ordering former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings to pay 13 trillion yen ($90 billion USD) in damages for failing to protect the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant against a tsunami. At issue was whether management’s failure to take countermeasures was reasonable after the utility estimated in 2008 that a tsunami of up to 15.7 meters could hit the plant. A tsunami hit in 2011, causing a nuclear disaster. About 24,000 Fukushima Prefecture residents remain displaced.
Koreas
Newly elected South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took the oath of office on June 4 at a ceremony at the National Assembly, the day after winning an election called because President Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached. Lee is expected to move to improve relations with China and North Korea, which suffered under conservative President Yoon. But he said he also would strengthen trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan. He said South Korea and Japan have common interests and should have friendly relations. Lee’s office said that in a phone call with US President Trump, the two leaders agreed to work toward a swift tariff agreement.
President Lee’s Democratic Party of Korea, which controls the National Assembly, passed three bills mandating special counsel investigations into alleged wrongdoing by former President Yoon and Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee. The move suggests that South Korea’s deeply partisan politics - which inspired Yoon’s short-lived martial law declaration in December 2024 - will continue. However, the Democrats delayed action on controversial legislation that would expand the Supreme Court bench from the current 14 to 30. Opponents say such court-packng would undermine judicial independence. Democrats are angry with the Supreme Court for ruling against Lee in May in an election violations case.
Taiwan
The Supreme Court finalized prison sentences for ten defendants - all but two of whom were active or retired military servicemen - were convicted of making propaganda videos showing themselves surrendering to China. The convicted leader of the video project, the female leader of a temple in New Taipei, allegedly received assignments to carry out pro-China work in Taiwan during trips to China for religious exchanges. She recruited current and retired military personnel who needed money. She was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison.
The amended Regulations on Enhanced Vetting of Civil Servants for National Security or Significant National Interests (國家安全或重大利益公務人員特殊查核辦法) took effect on June 6, 2025. The new rules increase the frequency and scope of vetting of government employees in response to the increase in Chinese espionage cases, including in high places.
The Central Election Commission will meet on June 20 to determine whether recall campaigns targeting dozens of Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers will proceed to public votes. Local election officials are currently verifying petition signatures for recall initiatives targeting 31 KMT lawmakers. If 10 percent or more of eligible voters in a constituency sign a recall petition, a vote must be held. The commission has already ruled that four petition drives failed to meet the target. Fifteen legislators from the Democratic Progressive Party have been the targets of recall efforts; eight have failed and others are still collecting signatures.
A Taiwanese man accused the government of power abuse for revoking his citizenship because he holds a Chinese permanent residence certificate. The Mainland Affairs Commission issued an interpretation in May of art. 9-1 of the Cross-Strait Act that expanded the list of Chinese documents that can lead to loss of Taiwanese citizenship. Under the new interpretation, permanent resident certificates were added to the list, along with Chinese household registrations, ID cards, and passports.
Justice Minister Cheng Ming-chien (鄭銘謙) told legislators that his ministry is considering increasing penalties for child abuse, including eliminating parole for cases that result in the death a child younger than seven years old. The ministry is responding to a high profile 2023 case in which two sisters who were registered nannies were convicted of torturing to death a one-year-old boy in their care. They were sentenced in May 2025.