Tag - defense

 
 

DEFENSE

Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets fly during ceremonies marking Ukraine's Air Forces Day at an undisclosed location in the country in August.
WORLD
Nov 9, 2024
Pentagon lifts ban on contractors fixing U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine
The contractors will help ensure equipment "can be rapidly repaired when damaged and be provided maintenance as needed," an official said.
A Mogami frigate at the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture
JAPAN
Nov 8, 2024
Australia’s next frigates to come from Japan or Germany
Should Japan win the contract to replace aging Anzac-class warships, it would mark a major breakthrough for the country’s defense industry.
European Union Ambassador to Japan Jean-Eric Paquet says the bloc's unprecedented security and defense partnership recently launched with Japan is a clear reflection of Brussels' moves to “enhance and fortify ties” with its Indo-Pacific partners.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 8, 2024
New EU-Japan partnership to take ties to ‘next level,’ envoy to Tokyo says
It will complement existing initiatives between Tokyo and individual European states and pave the way for broader, collective measures at the EU level in critical areas.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has aligned with Russia to bolster his nuclear weapons capabilities and gain military support, including sending troops to aid Russia. That partnership could provide Pyongyang with valuable combat experience while modernizing its military assets.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 8, 2024
Trump will walk into a new North Korean headache
Traditional methods of containment have not worked effectively and Trump’s past efforts to engage with Kim have failed to curb his nuclear ambitions.
Onlookers watch a broadcast of Republican candidate Donald Trump addressing his election night watch party, in Times Square, New York, on Wednesday. Trump has been elected the 47th president of the United States, pulling off a stunning political comeback in one of the most polarized contests for the White House in U.S. history.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 7, 2024
U.S. allies and partners gird for return of ‘transactional’ Trump
Trump is expected to raise his demands at every turn, a scenario that could very well play out with Japan, especially if Tokyo remains mired in political turmoil.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a news conference at the Presidential Office in Seoul on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 7, 2024
South Korean president says 'not ruling out' direct weapons to Ukraine
South Korea has a long-standing policy of not providing weapons to countries in conflict.
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani visited a South Korean naval ship in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Thursday.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 2024
Japan defense chief visits South Korean naval ship
The visit marks the first time Japan's defense minister has boarded a South Korean military vessel, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry.
The outcome of the U.S. election may mark the beginning of the end of the era of “American exceptionalism” and should concern its allies such as Japan.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 7, 2024
What does Trump's victory mean for Japan?
The outcome of the U.S. presidential race is a reflection of the democratic will of the American people and the countries allies must adapt to this new reality.
Defense equipment such as tanks and ships often require time to build, leading the government to conclude contracts spanning multiple fiscal years.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 2024
Japan's future payment obligations for defense goods balloon
An increase in such obligations may put constraints on spending to procure new equipment and build facilities, resulting in budget rigidity.
A student operates a multirotor drone during the Second National Defense Application of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Challenge in Chiayi, Taiwan, on Oct. 16.
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 6, 2024
Taiwan students design drones for mock battle as China threat looms
Taipei is ramping up investment in unmanned aerial vehicles as it seeks to bolster a more agile defense against a potential Chinese attack.
Seiji Izumisawa, the CEO of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, said at a briefing that while currency fluctuations and inflation make the future unpredictable, strong order intakes are encouraging.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 5, 2024
Mitsubishi Heavy net income falls, but orders still solid
Shares in the company fell 2.5% Tuesday after it reported that net income for the June-September period failed to meet analysts’ average estimate.
A man watches a news broadcast about a North Korean missile test, at the main rail station in Seoul on Thursday.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 2024
North Korea fires off missiles hours before U.S. voters head to polls
Pyongyang launched at least seven short-range missiles that flew about 400 kilometers each before splashing down in waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.
Monday was the third day in a row that a large number of Chinese military aircraft had been reported around Taiwan, with the Defense Ministry in Taipei saying the earlier instances had been part of exercises that saw them head into the West Pacific for long-distance flights.
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 4, 2024
Taiwan sees surge in Chinese military activity ahead of U.S. election
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said that it had detected 44 Chinese military aircraft around the self-ruled island on Nov. 4.
Royal Canadian Navy Commander Vice Adm. Angus Topshee inspects an honor guard with Maritime Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Adm. Akira Saito during a meeting at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 2024
Canada Navy chief sees more chances for multiservice exercises with Japan
Ottawa has been gradually boosting its military engagement with Asian partners since unveiling its Indo-Pacific Strategy in late 2022.
In a group interview at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on Thursday, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya declined to make predictions about the Liberal Democratic Party’s approach to any revisions to the Status of Forces Agreement, but said he believes “some wisdom will probably come about” from planned talks within the party.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 4, 2024
Top diplomat says Foreign Ministry will ‘quietly examine’ revising SOFA pact
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya says finding a "mutually acceptable" solution to issues in the pact governing the U.S. military presence in Japan is key.
While NATO membership is unlikely until the war concludes, some NATO members are open to allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russia, though U.S. President Joe Biden remains hesitant.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 4, 2024
Biden has a crucial decision to make on Ukraine
Biden may not be the U.S. president to make the congratulatory call to Ukraine's leader when peace is declared, but he can help keep him in the fight until it happens.
The Indonesian Navy's KRI Karel Satsuitubun-356 frigate. Jakarta and Moscow have different maritime goals, with Indonesia facing threats of smuggling and piracy while Russia is looking for willing allies.
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 3, 2024
Joint Russia sea drills signal start of Indonesian foreign policy shift
Indonesia has long maintained a neutral foreign policy and refuses to take sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict or U.S.-China rivalry
A U.S. Air Force B-1B bomber (front) flies in formation with South Korean, Japanese and U.S. fighter jets during a joint air drill in South Korean airspace south of Jeju Island on Sunday.
JAPAN
Nov 3, 2024
U.S. bomber joins air drill with South Korea and Japan
The exercise took place three days after Pyongyang launched one of its most powerful and advanced solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, face off in an election Tuesday that will have wide-ranging implications for Japan.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 3, 2024
Status quo or disruption? Breaking down the U.S. election's impact on Japan
Regardless of who wins, Washington is likely to have limited bandwidth to change tack in a significant way with its most important Asian ally.
The United Nations Headquarters in New York City
JAPAN
Nov 2, 2024
U.N. panel adopts nuclear abolition resolution proposed by Japan
The resolution mentioned the selection of Nihon Hidankyo, the winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, and comes amid a tense security environment.

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Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.