JAPAN – The Japanese Defense Ministry announced the deployment of long-range missiles with counterstrike capabilities in 2 of its Ground Self-Defense Force bases on Tuesday. “In response to the increasingly severe security environment surrounding Japan, the Ground Self Defense Force is engaged in the development of stand-off defense capabilities,” the ministry said on the US […]
Tag: Japan
Japan to Send its Self-Defense Forces at Strait of Hormuz in Case of a Ceasefire
JAPAN – Japan said on Sunday that it may send its Self-Defense Forces for minesweeping at the Strait of Hormuz if Iran war ceasefire is realized. “Japan’s minesweeping technology is at the top level in the world. Let’s say (in case of a) ceasefire, and in the event that mines pose an obstacle, we may […]
North Korea Fires 10 Ballistic Missiles Towards East Sea
NORTH KOREA – South Korean military reported that North Korea fired around 10 ballistic missiles towards the East Sea on Saturday from the Sunan area at around 1.20 pm (0420GMT). “Our military maintains a firm readiness posture while closely sharing North Korean ballistic missile information with the U.S. and Japanese sides amid a heightened surveillance […]
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Warns Against Color Revolution in Iran or Regime Change
CHINA – The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday warned against a color revolution in Iran or any form of regime change, adding that such efforts lack public support. “Plotting a ‘color’ revolution or seeking regime change will find no popular support,” Wang Yi Wang told an annual news conference on the sidelines of […]
Volcano Islands in Japan Hit by a Magnitude 6 Earthquake
JAPAN – Volcano Islands in Japan were on Monday struck by a magnitude 6 earthquake, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences. The earthquake occurred at 0355 GMT in the North Pacific Ocean at a shallow depth of 20 kilometers (12 miles), some 283 km (176 mi) from the Northern Mariana Islands. The epicenter […]
Japan Population Crisis 2025 Sees Record Low of Newborns
JAPAN – The number of newborns recorded in 2025 was lowest, deepening the Japan population crisis, according to government data. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said on Thursday that 705,809 babies were born in 2025, marking a 2.1% decline compared with the previous year and the lowest figure since records began in 1899. […]
Chinese Ministry of Commerce Blacklists 20 Japanese Firms
CHINA – The Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday blacklisted 20 Japanese firms over military concerns, a measure that took effect on February 24 (today). The ministry announced that it has placed 20 Japanese entities on its export control list, citing concerns over Japan’s military buildup and the need to safeguard China’s national security and […]
Cargo Ship Collision with Fishing Boat off Japan Kills 2
JAPAN – A cargo ship collision with fishing boat off Japanese waters killed 2 people, according to the Coast Guard on Friday. The Coast Guard said two people were found “unresponsive” following the collision off Mie province in central Japan, according to Kyodo News. At least 13 people were aboard the fishing boat, which split […]
Stabbing Attack in Osaka Japan Kills 1
JAPAN – A stabbing attack in the busy Dotonbori district of Osaka, Japan late Saturday left a teenage boy dead and 2 others injured, according to local reports. Police arrested a 21-year-old man on suspicion of murder and attempted murder hours after the attack. All three victims were 17-year-old boys. Kamada Ryunosuke, a resident of […]
North Korea Test-Fires 2 Ballistic Missiles Towards East Sea
NORTH KOREA – North Korea on Tuesday test-fired 2 ballistic missiles towards East Sea, according to Japanese and South Korean governments. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said through US social media company X that North Korea has launched two ballistic missiles. Following the launches, the government has immediately convened an emergency response team at the […]
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Dissolves Parliament
JAPAN – The Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday Jan. 23 dissolved the lower house of parliament in preparation for the Feb. 8 general elections. Takaichi’s Cabinet approved the dissolution of the 465-seat House of Representatives. A party or coalition needs at least 233 seats in the lower house of Japan’s bicameral parliament to […]
China Marks 12th National Memorial Day for 1937 Nanjing Massacre
CHINA – China on Saturday Dec. 13, marked the 12th National Memorial Day in honor of the victims of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre. Despite cold weather, thousands gathered while dressing in dark attire at the public square of the Memorial Hall in Nanjing, the capital of east China’s Jiangsu province, Xinhua News reported. Sirens sounded […]
Kyodo News Demands Compensation from Perplexity AI, Inc’s Unauthorized Use of Content
JAPAN – The Japanese news agency, Kyodo News on Monday introduced a compensation demand from the American artificial intelligence company Perplexity AI Inc. (PAI) for unauthorized use of its content. In a letter to California-based PAI, Kyodo News President Toshimitsu Sawai asked the US startup to “immediately” stop using its articles published on the website […]
Explosion at Nippon Steel Plant in Japan Triggers Fire
JAPAN – An emergency response was enacted after an explosion at Nippon Steel Plant in Northern Japan on Monday morning triggered fire, according to local reports. The Jiji Press news agency reported that the blaze began when an explosion occurred inside a hot-air stove, a key unit used to produce high-temperature air for the plant’s […]
Takaichi’s Remarks Endangered Peace and Stability Across the Taiwan Straits; China
CHINA – The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Friday said that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi‘s remarks on Taiwan endangered peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. She urged Japan to confront its colonial rule over Taiwan and withdraw recent comments. Mao argued that Japan “imposed colonial rule on the island of Taiwan […]