PDB Afternoon Bulletin | Novebmer 24th, 2025: Xi Rages as Japan Deploys Missiles Near Taiwan & Russian Tracker Found Off U.K. Coast

Summary

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The President's Daily Brief: Afternoon Bulletin

Episode Title: Xi Rages as Japan Deploys Missiles Near Taiwan & Russian Tracker Found Off U.K. Coast
Date: November 24, 2025
Host: Mike Baker (Former CIA Operations Officer)
Podcast: The President’s Daily Brief (The First TV)

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Episode Overview

In this Afternoon Bulletin, Mike Baker delivers concise, intelligence-oriented updates on two pressing international developments:

• Japan’s decision to deploy advanced missiles close to Taiwan, escalating tensions with China.
• The discovery of a suspected Russian surveillance device off the coast of Wales, reflecting ongoing undersea security concerns for the UK and Europe.

Baker breaks down the strategic implications, immediate diplomatic fallout, and regional security stakes, blending expert analysis with a down-to-earth, no-nonsense delivery.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Japan Deploys Missiles Near Taiwan: Tensions with China Escalate

(00:35 – 08:24)

• Background & Diplomatic Context

  • Recent tensions have mounted following a pointed statement by Japan’s new Prime Minister, Mitsunae Takeichi:

    “A Chinese blockade of Taiwan would threaten Japan’s survival.”
    (~00:50)

  • This explicit linkage between Japan’s security and Taiwan’s fate is the "clearest public link" made by Tokyo—a historic shift away from careful ambiguity.

• Details of the Missile Deployment

  • Japan announced plans to station a surface-to-air missile unit on Yonaguni, a small island just 68 miles from Taiwan.
    • Mike Baker:

      “That’s close enough that on a clear day you could actually see Taiwan’s mountains from the shoreline. It’s kind of like seeing Russia from Alaska.”
      (01:41)

  • The official rationale: strengthen defenses in Japan’s vulnerable southwest, providing early detection and interception of hostile aircraft or drones.

• China’s Dramatic Response

  • Immediate and forceful condemnation from Beijing, labeling the move “extremely dangerous” and accusing Japan of “stirring up confrontation.”
  • State media ramped up rhetoric with militaristic visuals, including rocket launchers and warships, accompanied by ominous voiceovers:
    • Mike Baker (quoting Chinese media):

      “If war breaks out today, this is my response.”
      (03:35)

  • Additional measures from Beijing:
    • Travel warnings for Chinese citizens visiting Japan.
    • Moves to slow/block Japanese entertainment imports.
    • Claims that Japan is joining a “containment ring” with the US and Taiwan.

• Reaction from Taiwan

  • A senior Taiwanese official (paraphrased by Baker):

    “Japan has every right to defend its territory and that stronger defenses in the region help maintain stability. That’s diplomatic language for ‘good, please do more of this.’”
    (04:31)

• Regional Security Implications

  • Japan is moving away from a traditionally cautious stance, now taking concrete steps:
    • The deployment marks a "turning point": the strategic gap between Japan and Taiwan is shrinking.

      • “The distance between Japan and Taiwan isn’t just geographical anymore, it’s strategic.”
        (07:24)

    • Anticipation of China’s further military pressure: more patrols, air incursions, and drone flights.
    • Possible broader deployment by Japan to other nearby islands.
    • Quiet expansion of US-Japan intelligence sharing, especially for early-warning systems.

• Broader Stakes

  • If conflict erupts over Taiwan, Japan might be involved immediately—given the proximity of its territory, citizens, and now military assets to a potential war zone.
  • China senses “the regional map may be shifting under its feet.”
    (08:00)

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2. Russian Surveillance Device Discovered off Welsh Coast

(10:19 – 16:30)

• Discovery Details

  • Volunteer divers from “Neptune’s Army of Rubbish Cleaners” (NARC) stumbled on a suspicious metal cylinder off the Welsh coast during a routine cleanup.
    • Mike Baker:

      “Is there an acronym? There sure is. It’s NARC.”
      (10:40)

  • The device, initially mistaken for industrial scrap, was found to have purposeful wiring and design.

• Identification as a Russian Sonobuoy

  • Defense analysts identified the four-foot, 30-pound object as a Russian hydroacoustic sonobuoy, likely deployed recently given its condition.

    • “Its wiring wasn’t random…the interior layout wasn’t the usual jumble of marine debris. It was engineered.”
      (11:30)

  • Similar Russian devices have been found off the UK, Ireland, Lithuania, and even in Russia’s own regions—suggesting an ongoing pattern.

• Strategic Context

  • Comes amid increased Russian naval activity near British waters.
    • Reference to the Russian vessel “Yantar” operating just outside British territorial waters.

      “And while Moscow says Yantar is merely a research vessel, nothing to see here. Western governments have long pointed to its advanced undersea capabilities…”
      (13:36)

  • The Russian Embassy insisted there’s “no interest” in British underwater communications—Baker dryly notes the irony as more Russian devices continue to appear.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Yonaguni Missile Deployment:

  • “It’s kind of like seeing Russia from Alaska.”
    • Mike Baker, 01:41
  • “Japan’s decision does represent something of a turning point. The distance between Japan and Taiwan isn’t just geographical anymore—it’s strategic.”
    • Mike Baker, 07:24
  • “Beijing is reacting like a country that understands that the regional map may be shifting under its feet.”
    • Mike Baker, 08:00

• On the Russian Sonobuoy Incident:

  • “Instead of the usual plastic bottles and lost tackle…volunteers spotted a metal cylinder wedged deep into a rocky gully.”
    • Mike Baker, 11:08
  • “Independent defense experts say they’re confident that the object is a Russian hydroacoustic sonobuoy—the same type typically deployed by Russia’s Tu142M long range maritime patrol aircraft. Say that two times fast.”
    • Mike Baker, 12:08
  • “Of course [the Russians are] not [interested]. No interest whatsoever. Even as Russian surveillance hardware continues appearing along European coastlines…But the Russians have no interest in…all that communications information. None whatsoever.”
    • Mike Baker, 15:16 (sarcastic tone)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |--------------------------------------------|-----------------| | Intro to headlines | 00:35 | | Japan’s missile deployment & China’s rage | 00:35 – 08:24 | | Start of Russian device segment | 10:19 | | Discovery of the sonobuoy | 10:19 – 13:00 | | Strategic context & implications | 13:01 – 15:45 | | End of briefing & signoff | 16:30 |

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Tone and Style

Baker maintains a brisk, analytical, and slightly wry delivery—mixing authoritative intelligence insights with occasional dry humor. He avoids sensationalism while making clear the stakes for US and allied interests, emphasizing actionable knowledge for listeners wanting to stay informed on global security threats.

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Conclusion

In this episode, Mike Baker dissects two flashpoints in global security: Japan’s bold military moves near Taiwan—the most direct challenge yet to China’s ambitions—and the discovery of a Russian surveillance device on the UK’s doorstep, a not-so-subtle reminder of the persistent contest beneath and above the waves. Both stories underscore a new era of strategic friction—one listeners should follow closely.

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Transcript

[Mike Baker]

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Foreign.

[Mike Baker]

24Th November welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, Japan is putting missiles within sight of Taiwan and China. Here's a surprise is furious. We'll tell you what Tokyo is planning and why Beijing is escalating its response. Later in the show, scuba divers off the Welsh coast stumble upon what appears to be a Russian tracking device. We'll tell you what they found. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. This morning, the diplomatic dust up between China and Japan just got dustier. For weeks now on this show, we've been tracking the growing tension between Beijing and Tokyo ever since Japan's new prime minister, Mitsunae Takeichi made the remark that a Chinese blockade of Taiwan would threaten Japan's survival. That single line from a brand new prime minister set off alarm bells in Beijing and marked the clearest public link that's been made between Japan's security and the fate of Taiwan. Now the rhetoric has turned into something much bigger. Tokyo has announced that it plans to deploy a surface to air missile unit on Yonaguni, the tiny Japanese island that sits just 68 miles from Taiwan's coast. That's close enough that on a clear day you could actually see Taiwan's mountains from the shoreline. It's kind of like seeing Russia from Alaska. Now, Japan says this is a protective measure. The islands in its southwest are vulnerable. And Tokyo argues that adding a modern air defense system gives them the ability to detect and intercept hostile aircraft or drones long before they reach Japan. On paper, well, that sounds like prudent self defense. But Beijing erupted the moment the news dropped. Chinese officials called the plan extremely dangerous, accused Japan of stirring up confrontation, and warned that neighboring countries should be on high alert. Then Beijing's messaging machine turned on. Chinese state media blasted Japan for escalating tensions. The Foreign Ministry accused Tokyo of intentionally provoking a confrontation. And the military joined in with a wave of tightly edited videos. Rocket force launchers rolling into position, missile bays opening, warships cutting through the South China Sea, all accompanied by ominous voiceovers like quote if war breaks out today, this is my response. Well, that's very dramatic. And China didn't stop there. It issued new travel warnings for citizens going to Japan. Regulators moved to slow or block Japanese entertainment imports. And Chinese commentary framed Japan as joining a containment ring with the US And Taiwan. In other words, Beijing treated this not as a routine defense upgrade by a neighboring country, but as a strategic assault on its long term ambitions in the Taiwan Strait. For Taiwan, though, the move is welcome. A senior Taiwanese official said simply that Japan has every right to defend its territory and that stronger defenses in the region help maintain stability. That's diplomatic language for good. Please do more of this. And that gets to the heart of why this deployment matters. Japan has been shifting away from its traditionally cautious defense posture for years. Tokyo tried to avoid saying anything too explicit about Taiwan's security. They'd talk about peace and stability across the strait, but they avoided drawing a bright line between Taiwan's fate and Japan's own. Prime Minister Takahichi changed that calculus with her comments earlier this month. And now this missile deployment turns that idea into something physical. A real permanent military installation placed almost within eyesight of Taiwan. From China's perspective, this is exactly the kind of regional tightening that they feared. Japan is drawing closer to the US on joint deterrence, strengthening ties with Taiwan, and building out the infrastructure that would allow it to respond quickly in a crisis. And once a missile unit is on Yonaguni, China knows it won't be taken off. This becomes part of the new normal in the region. So what happens next? Well, China will almost certainly respond with more military presence around Japan's islands, more air incursions into Japan's air defense zones, more naval patrols in the waters between Taiwan and Okinawa, and more drone flights probing Japanese radar coverage. Japan, in turn, may decide that if a missile unit makes sense on Yonaguni, well, then additional batteries on nearby islands like Ishigaki or Miyako makes sense as well. And you can expect the US to quietly expand intelligence sharing as these systems come online, especially early warning data that helps track Chinese missile launches or aircraft movements. And all of this raises the stakes of any confrontation over Taiwan. If China were to move against the island, Japan would be pulled in almost immediately, not because it wants war, but because its territory, its citizens, and now its military assets sit directly in the potential conflict zone. Japan's decision does represent something of a turning point. The distance between Japan and Taiwan isn't just geographical anymore, it's. It's strategic. And Beijing is reacting like a country that understands that the regional map may be shifting under its feet. Coming up next, an underwater cleanup crew in Wales surfaces with something far more serious than litter, a suspected Russian tracking device. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here with a message from my friends over at Tritails Beef. All right, here's the deal. Trytails Premium Beef, a terrific fifth generation Texas ranching family is running their biggest Black Friday event of the year. You got to check out dry tails. Seriously, they're all about raising cattle the right way and delivering delicious beef right to your door. I love their steaks and roast. Seriously, the quality is amazing. So here's the deal. With every qualifying purchase, you'll be getting a gift added to your order. No gimmicks, no run around. 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[Mike Baker]

Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. What began as an ordinary litter cleanup dive off the Welsh coast turned into a national security discovery for the United Kingdom when volunteer divers recovered what defense experts suspect is Russian surveillance hardware. Divers from an organization named Neptune's army of Rubbish Cleaners. And you ask yourself, is there an acronym? There sure is. It's narc. Narc. Where they barely settled into the routine when the dive took an unexpected turn. Instead of the usual plastic Bottles and lost tackle that they pull from the seabed. Volunteers spotted a metal cylinder wedged deep into a rocky gully. The kind of find that doesn't blend in with the usual debris. At first, the dive team tried to explain it away. Maybe it was part of an old navigational marker, maybe some long lost industrial scrap. But the longer they studied it, the more the internals pointed towards something far more deliberate. Its wiring wasn't random. And the interior layout wasn't the usual jumble of marine debris. It was engineered. And as they compared it with examples they'd seen in defense literature, the device began to resemble a sonobuoyer. That's a combination of the words sonar and buoy, an underwater acoustic sensor that navies use to track submarine movements. Given Russia's recent behavior around British waters, that possibility didn't feel far fetched. Following protocol, the organization contacted port authorities and a former Royal Navy colleague before elevating the find to HM Coast Guard. The battered 4 foot, 30 pound device was carefully extracted from the gully. And once photos reach defense analysts, the consensus formed quickly. Independent defense experts say they're confident that the object is a Russian hydroacoustic sonobuoy, the same type typically deployed by Russia's Tu142M long range maritime patrol aircraft say that two times fast, the device's fitted orange outer sleeve, generally marked with a serial number, was missing, mirroring the condition of several other Russian devices that have been recovered across Europe. That context matters because the pattern is becoming increasingly difficult to dismiss. Nearly identical Russian sonobuoys have washed offshore in the UK and Ireland, Lithuania and in Russia's own Novosibirsky region in recent years. The defense experts note the lack of marine growth on the Welsh find, and that's a sign that it was deployed recently, rather than some Cold War relic that Moscow could casually explain away. The discovery also arrived in the midst, of course, of concerns about Russian activity beneath the waves. As we reported last week, UK Defense Secretary John Healy confirmed that the Russian signals intelligence vessel, the Yantar had been operating just beyond British territorial waters. And while Moscow says Yantar is merely a research vessel, nothing to see here. Western governments have long pointed to its advanced undersea capabilities, viewing it as an intelligence platform designed to map and probe critical undersea communications cables. The Russian Embassy insisted, predictably that Moscow is, quote, not interested in British underwater communications. Of course they're not. No interest whatsoever. Even as Russian surveillance hardware continues appearing along European coastlines and Russian vessels like Yantar operate at the very edge of UK waters, But the Russians have no interest in in all that communications information. None whatsoever. And that, my Friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Monday 24th November. 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