Japan rejects South Korean protest over reopened national territory museum
The Japanese government rejected on Tuesday a protest by South Korea against the reopening of the National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty in Tokyo. "Foreign people unhappy about it should come to see it. There's nothing fabricated," said Seiichi Eto, minister in charge of territorial ...
Russia releases Japanese fishing boat seized in waters off disputed islands
Russia has released a Japanese fishing boat seized last week in waters off islands claimed by Japan after confirming that a fine had been paid. The boat returned to Nemuro in Hokkaido on Monday evening from Kunashiri, one of the disputed islands called the Northern ...
Russian authorities on Wednesday seized a Japanese fishing boat with six crew members aboard in waters off Russian-held, Japanese-claimed islands, the Hokkaido government said the same day. A fishery cooperative based in Nemuro told the Hokkaido government that the boat was operating within 200 nautical ...
China's navy commissions biggest and 'most powerful' surface warship
China's navy commissioned its biggest and most advanced surface warship yet, the Nanchang guided-missile destroyer, on Sunday morning in the port city of Qingdao, state media reported. Observers say the commissioning of China's first 10,000-ton-class Type 055 destroyer, which is expected to accompany aircraft carriers ...
China's patrols around Japan-held Senkakus planned years earlier, ex-coast guard chief says
Yu Zhirong was an officer on the first vessel. He says the order came directly from the central government based on a plan devised in 2006.
Japan's year that could have been
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe guided Japan's diplomacy in 2019 with a steady hand.
Gorbachev agreed to address islands dispute in 1988 with Nakasone: declassified records
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev acknowledged the need to resolve the dispute with Japan over the sovereignty of a group of islands off Hokkaido in a 1988 meeting, diplomatic records declassified Wednesday show. Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone elicited the response from Gorbachev when he ...
Route to 'new era' of Japan-China ties unclear, despite leaders' claims of momentum
Prime Minister Abe told Chinese Premier Li in Chengdu, China, that he wants to make the recent improvement in ties sustainable and promote “constant” high-level exchanges and dialogue.
Russia releases five Japanese fishing boats seized off Hokkaido
Russia on Tuesday released five Japanese fishing boats seized in waters near Russian-held, Japan-claimed islands in mid-December. The release came after the crews of the boats paid a fine of some 6.4 million rubles (¥11 million) ordered by a Russian court Monday for violating regulations ...
Putin says Japan's security alliance with U.S. remains a stumbling block for postwar peace treaty
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Japan's security alliance with the United States continues to pose a threat, suggesting it remains a stumbling block to the signing of a postwar peace treaty between Tokyo and Moscow. Putin said at an annual year-end news conference ...
Looking back on Japan's security in 2019
2019 had its share of good, bad and ugly moments, but overall it was a net positive for Japanese security.
On first China visit by Japan defense chief in 10 years, ministers agree to boost mutual trust
Defense Minister Taro Kono and his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Wei Fengzhe, agreed to work to boost mutual trust and strengthen communication amid growing Japanese concerns over Beijing's increasing military assertiveness. Kono made clear that there are still various issues between Japan and China, including the ...
