Once dominant fascist powers, Japan and Germany are now saving democracy

US President Donald Trump never fails to miss an opportunity to punish his allies. This week, it was Germany after Trump announced he'd be pulling 5000 troops from the country after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the US had been humiliated by Iran. But away from the front-page news, Germany and Japan – another former enemy of the US – have been on the rise. Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher on the stunning turnabout from the two countries that have threatened world peace the most in the past – and how all this will affect us.

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Once dominant fascist powers, Japan and Germany are now saving democracy is an episode from Please Explain by The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

This episode is 19:21 long.

This episode was published on May 6, 2026.

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