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☆ Weak yen forces Japan to shrink historic military spending plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Since the plan was unveiled in December, the yen has lost 10% of its value against the dollar, forcing Tokyo to reduce its ambitious defense procurement plan, which was then-calculated to cost $320 billion, the sources said. Details of how Japan is paring back military procurement due to currency fluctuations have not been previously reported. China, which has not ruled out using military force to bring Taiwan under its control, has expressed concern about Japan's military spending plans, accusing it of displaying a "Cold War mentality." Chinooks and seaplanesWith the cuts in its spending power, Japan decided to prioritize spending on advanced U.S.-made frontline weapons such as missiles that could halt advancing Chinese forces, the eight people said. About half that increase was due to the weak yen, said one of the government sources, who was directly involved in those discussions.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Kiyoshi Ota, Christopher Johnstone, Johnstone, Biden, Kishida, spender, Nancy Pelosi's, Yoji Koda Organizations: Japan's, Defense Force, Getty, Reuters, Bank of Japan, Center for Strategic, International Studies, National Security, East, Japan's Ministry of Defense, Embassy, Pentagon, Russian, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Boeing Co, Kawasaki, ShinMaywa Industries, Industry, Maritime Self Defense Force Locations: Tokyo, AFP, Japan, Taiwan, Washington, Beijing, East Asia, U.S, East China, Ukraine, China

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday he is preparing to take bold economic measures, including an income tax cut for households hit by inflation and tax breaks for companies to promote investment, in what's seen as a move to lift his dwindling public support. “I'm determined to take unprecedentedly bold measures,” Kishida said, pledging an intensive effort to achieve stronger supply capability in about three years. “The results clearly show that many voters are dissatisfied by the government's delayed economic measures to tackle rising prices," said Jun Azumi, a senior CDPJ lawmaker. “Now is the time for me to focus on that, and I'm not thinking about anything else,” Kishida said, denying that his tax cut proposal was related to elections. The tax cuts would be part of a new economic stimulus package he plans to announce by the end of the month.

Persons: —, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, “ I'm, ” Kishida, “, ”, Azumi Organizations: TOKYO, Liberal Democratic Party, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan Locations: what's, Nagasaki, Sunday's, Kochi, Tokushima, Ukraine, Israel, China

☆ Japan's military is thinking about how to drop long-range cruise missiles from its biggest panes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( David Cenciotti | The Aviationist | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Japan is considering using its Kawasaki C-2 tactical transport aircraft to drop stand-off missiles. A Kawasaki C-2 flies around the Hawaiian Islands in September 2022. The Rapid Dragon allows the deployment of long-range cruise missiles using standard airdrop procedures from a cargo aircraft. After successful extraction, the AGM-158B JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range) missiles extend their wings and turn on the engine. The Kawasaki C-2 is a long range twin-engine transport aircraft designed to replace the old C-1.

Persons: Makensie Cooper, JASDF Organizations: Kawasaki, Service, Japan's Defense, Japan Times, US, US Air Force, Japan's Defense Ministry, US Air Force Special Operations Command Locations: Japan, Wall, Silicon, United States

☆ Japan tells US it wants closer cooperation to deal with North Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada shake hands at the end of a joint press conference after their meeting at the Japanese Defense ministry in Tokyo, Japan, 01 June 2023. After Japan, Secretary of Defense Austin will travel to Singapore, India and... Read moreTOKYO, June 1 (Reuters) - Japan's Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada on Thursday told U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin he wanted to deepen security cooperation with Washington and South Korea after North Korea's failed rocket launch. "We need to strengthen ties between Japan and the U.S. and also between Japan, the U.S. and ROK (Republic of Korea), as it possible that North Korea launches again," Hamada told Austin at a meeting in TokyoAustin was in Japan on a stopover on his way to Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue Asian security summit. The failed North Korean launch of what it said was a military satellite on Thursday prompted emergency alerts in parts of Japan and South Korea, with residents warned to take cover. Austin told Hamada he wanted to bolster cooperation between their alliance, South Korea and Australia, as they also face challenges posed by China and Russia.

Persons: Defense Lloyd Austin, Yasukazu Hamada, Defense Austin, Read, Lloyd Austin, Hamada, Austin, Tim Kelly, Mariko Katsumura, Tom Hogue, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Defense, Japanese Defense, Japan's Defense, Thursday, U.S . Defense, ROK, Korea, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Singapore, India, TOKYO, Washington, South Korea, North, U.S, Republic of Korea, Tokyo Austin, France, Australia, China, Russia

☆ North Korea says it will launch its first-ever military spy satellite to monitor U.S. drills
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 09: People watch a television show North Korea's 75th anniversary of the founding of the armed forces day military parade released by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Seoul, South Korea. Chung Sung-jun | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesNorth Korea announced its plans to launch its first-ever military spy satellite – giving a lift for some South Korean and Japanese defense stocks. North Korean military official Ri Pyong Chol said in a Monday statement that Pyongyang plans to launch a satellite with the aim to track "dangerous" actions by the U.S., pointing to its recent joint military drills taking with South Korea. North Korea claimed the event "fully proves how the enemy is making preparations for the military act of aggression on the DPRK," referring to its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Defense stocks riseShares of South Korean defense companies Firstec and Victek rose 3.8% and 3.3% respectively Tuesday afternoon, returning from a market holiday Monday.

☆ North Korea launches rocket likely connected to military spy satellite, South Korea says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

North Korea launched a purported rocket Wednesday, a day after the country announced a plan to put its first military spy satellite into orbit, South Korea's military said. It wasn't immediately clear whether a North Korean spy satellite would significantly bolster its defenses. Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has conducted more than 100 missile tests, many of them involving nuclear-capable weapons targeting the U.S. mainland, South Korea and Japan. North Korea says its testing activities are self-defense measures meant to respond to expanded military drills between Washington and Seoul that it views as invasion rehearsals. U.S. and South Korean officials say their drills are defensive and they've bolstered them to cope with growing nuclear threats by North Korea.

Persons: Kim Jong Un, Kim Ju, Kim Il, Ri, Lee Choon Geun, Kim Organizations: North, Korean Central News Agency, Chiefs, Staff, North Korean, South Korea's Science, Technology Policy, U.S Locations: Pyongyang, North Korea, South Korea's, Seoul, Korea, United States, Korean, South Korea, Washington, Japan

☆ Japan prepares to evacuate citizens from Sudan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, April 19 (Reuters) - Japan's defense ministry has begun preparations to evacuate its citizens from Sudan amid deadly fighting, a top government spokesperson said on Wednesday. Japan's foreign minister asked the defense minister to use the Self-Defense Forces' plane for the evacuation, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno. "The government will continue to do its utmost to ensure the safety of Japanese residents in Japan, including the safety and evacuation of Japanese nationals, in close cooperation with the G7 and other major countries," Matsuno said. About 60 Japanese nationals were in Sudan as of Wednesday, Matsuno told reporters, adding the government was able to contact all of them and none of them were injured. Heavy gunfire shattered a 24-hour truce in Sudan on Tuesday.

☆ North Korea fires short-range ballistic missile, South Korea says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, March 19 (Reuters) - North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile towards the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula on Sunday, according to South Korea and Japan, the latest in a barrage of weapons tests from the nuclear-armed state. Seoul has condemned the recent ballistic missile launches by the North as a "clear violation" of a U.N. Security Council resolution. "North Korea's behaviour threatens international peace and security, and is unacceptable," Japan's state minister of defense, Toshiro Ino, told a news conference, adding Japan had protested strongly via North Korea's embassy in Beijing. But the recent missile launches highlight the destabilising impact of Pyongyang's unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, it said in a statement. South Korean and American forces kicked off the 11-day drills, dubbed "Freedom Shield 23", a week ago on a scale not seen since 2017.

☆ North Korea fired 2 missiles, artillery after making threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The weapons firings follow an intercontinental ballistic missile launch Saturday and North Korea's threats to take an unprecedented strong response to the drills. It said South Korea has boosted its surveillance posture and maintains a readiness in close coordination with the United States. KCNA said the North Korean artillery rounds simulated strikes on targets up to 395 kilometers (245 miles) away. She could be referring to the U.S. flyover of B-1B long-range, supersonic bombers on Sunday for separate training with South Korea and Japan. North Korea is extremely sensitive to the deployment of B-1B bombers, which can carry a huge payload of conventional weapons.

☆ North Korea fires ballistic missiles, warns of turning Pacific into 'firing range'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, Feb 20 (Reuters) - North Korea fired two ballistic missiles off its east coast, South Korea's military said on Monday, as the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un warned the isolated and nuclear-armed state could turn the Pacific into a "firing range". The launches come just two days after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the sea off Japan's west coast, prompting joint air exercises by the United States and South Korea on Sunday. "North Korea's series of actions, including its repeated ballistic missile launches, threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community," the ministry said. "Japan lodged a strong protest and forcefully condemned North Korea." "The frequency of using the Pacific as our firing range depends upon the U.S. forces' action character."

☆ Japan says 3 balloons that floated into its airspace years ago are 'strongly presumed' to have been Chinese spy balloons
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( David Cenciotti | The Aviationist | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Three balloon-shaped flying objects were spotted in Japanese airspace in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Japan's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that they were "strongly presumed" to have been Chinese reconnaissance balloons. "If a balloon enters Japan's airspace without permission, it constitutes an infringement of Japan's airspace. Three additional unidentified objects, later appearing to have been much smaller commercial or research balloons, were also spotted and shot down. The Chinese balloon carried "multiple antennas" capable of collecting signals intelligence, a senior State Department official said, and the balloon maker has proven ties to the Chinese military, according to a CNBC report by Abigail Williams.

☆ Biden and Kishida discuss Japan ‘stepping up’ security
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Inside the Oval Office, the U.S. president praised Japan for its "historic" increase in defense spending and pledged close cooperation on economic and security matters. Japan's defense spending has historically remained below 1% of GDP. "Japan is stepping up and doing so in lockstep with the United States," White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. Kishida also discussed with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron his hopes to improve security cooperation between Japan and their respective nations. Kishida met with Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday before his meeting with Biden to discuss U.S.-Japan space cooperation and other issues.

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend the Japan-U.S.-Australia-India Fellowship Founding Celebration event, in Tokyo, Japan, May 24, 2022. Kishida is in Washington as the last stop in a tour of countries of the G7 industrial powers. U.S. and Japanese foreign and defense ministers met on Wednesday and announced stepped-up security cooperation and the U.S. officials Tokyo's praised military buildup plans. He called the Japanese defense reforms "really, really significant." Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina; Editing by Don Durfee and Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

REUTERS/Joshua RobertsWASHINGTON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - The United States and Japan on Wednesday announced stepped-up security cooperation in the face of shared worries about China, and Washington strongly endorsed a major military buildup Tokyo announced last month. At the briefing, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced plans to introduce a Marine Littoral Regiment in Japan, which would bring significant capabilities, including anti-ship missiles. A senior administration official told Reuters that Biden and Kishida are expected to discuss security issues and the global economy and that their talks are likely to include control of semiconductor exports to China after Washington announced strict curbs last year. The large U.S. presence has fueled local resentment, with Okinawa's government asking other parts of Japan to host some of the force. In total, there are about 54,000 U.S. troops in Japan.

☆ UK, Japan, and Italy are joining forces to build a new next-generation fighter jet that can fight with artificial intelligence
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Britain, Japan, and Italy are working to build a next-generation fighter jet together. The fighter jet will have cutting-edge weapons and advanced capabilities, such as the ability to work with uncrewed aircraft. Britain's defense ministry said in a release that it hopes to develop the fighter jet with various advanced capabilities such as cutting-edge weapons, innovative data systems, and advanced sensors. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the aircraft's development, and partnership with Japan and Italy, highlights that "the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are indivisible." In a joint statement with Japan's defense ministry on Thursday, the US Department of Defense said it supports Tokyo's security cooperation with London and Rome.

☆ UPDATE Foreign holdings of Treasuries drop to lowest since May 2021 -data
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Offshore holdings dropped to $7.296 trillion, from $7.509 trillion in August. Foreign holdings in May last year were at $7.144 trillion. Japan's stash of Treasuries dropped to $1.120 trillion in September, from $1.199 trillion the previous month. Japan spent up to a record 2.8 trillion yen ($19.7 billion) intervening in the foreign exchange market in September to prop up the yen. In June, China's holdings slid to $967.8 billion, the lowest since May 2010 when it had $843.7 billion.

☆ North Korean missile launch raises alarm in Washington
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-04 | by ( Christina Wilkie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

This latest North Korean missile test — the 23rd year to date — was different because it marked the first time in five years that a North Korean missile had been fired directly over Japan. The missile was fired late Monday, flying over Japan early on Tuesday morning before landing in the Pacific Ocean. WASHINGTON — The Biden administration responded on multiple levels Tuesday to North Korea's latest long-range ballistic missile launch, reaching out to allies in the region on diplomatic and military fronts, and at the leader level by U.S. President Joe Biden . In airspace over the Yellow Sea off the Korean peninsula, the U.S. and South Korea conducted joint aerial flight and precision targeting exercises on Tuesday in response to the missile launch. While the exercises Tuesday were held specifically in response to the latest missile launch, they also served to strengthen trilateral coordination in the face of a threat that keeps growing, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

☆ North Korea fires ballistic missile into sea ahead of visit by U.S. VP Kamala Harris
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Visitors to a Seoul railway station watch news about North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch on Sunday, Sept. 25. A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier arrived this week for drills with South Korea, and Kamala Harris is due to visit. Jung Yeon-je | AFP | Getty ImagesNorth Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast on Sunday, ahead of planned military drills by South Korean and U.S. forces involving an aircraft carrier and a visit to the region by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Forces Korea Commander Paul LaCamera discussed the situation and reaffirmed their readiness to respond to any threat or provocation from North Korea, it added. North Korea rejects U.N. resolutions as an infringement of its sovereign right to self defense and space exploration, and has criticized previous joint drills by the United States and South Korea as proof of their hostile policies.

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