Japan

Japan on Friday adopted a national security strategy declaring plans to possess preemptive strike capability and cruise missiles within years to give itself ...

The government says its use is constitutional if in response to signs of an imminent enemy attack. Japan’s government has renamed what is known as preemptive strike to “counterstrike capability,” apparently to emphasize that it’s for self-defense. and Italy, as a way to strengthen the country’s defense equipment industry. It named China as “the biggest strategic challenge” — before North Korea and Russia — to Japan’s effort toward ensuring the peace, safety and stability for itself and the international society. intelligence to be able to detect early signs of an enemy missile launch preparation, experts say, in order to effectively abort the attack without risking blame for making a first strike. Japan’s defense buildup has long been considered a sensitive issue at home and in the region, especially for Asian victims of Japanese wartime atrocities. alliance to develop the capability, Johnstone said. But it is extremely difficult to do and Japan needs to advance its cybersecurity and fully rely on the U.S. To quickly respond to possible attacks, Japan will also deploy several standoff missile units at undisclosed locations. Japan says it will keep its pacifist principle of high standards for arms equipment and technology transfer. China fired five ballistic missiles into waters near Japanese southern islands including Okinawa. The South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it’s “desirable” for Japan to implement the security policy to contribute to regional peace and stability.

The number of holidaymakers in Japan making domestic trips during the New Year vacation period is expected to rise by 3 million from a year earlier but ...

to 288,900](/news/2022/11/730a1a5e103d-foreign-tourists-in-japan-in-oct-up-15-fold-from-sept-to-288900.html) [Japan gov't domestic travel discount program to continue next year](/news/2022/11/19ac994b2c43-japan-govt-domestic-travel-discount-program-to-continue-next-year.html) [Japan foreign arrivals in Oct. up 22.5-fold from 2021](/news/2022/11/83a3710b86e4-japan-foreign-arrivals-in-oct-up-225-fold-from-2021.html) [Foreign tourists in Japan in Oct. 3, 2023, compared with the previous fiscal year. Likely affecting the slow recovery are the rapid weakening of the Japanese yen against the U.S. dollar this year and soaring surcharges on international flights on the back of higher oil prices.

Citing China's perceived threat, Japan's cabinet approves new defence and national security strategies and effectively doubles the planned security budget.

Citing regional threats from China and North Korea, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled a major overhaul Friday of the country's defense strategy ...

"Japan's path as a peace-loving nation will remain unchanged," he said. Blinken said the plan will "reshape the ability of our alliance to promote peace and protect the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region." Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S.

TOKYO -- Japan's government has laid the groundwork for a major shift in defense policy that will take years to put in place, creating a test of polit.

It will also increase its cyber warfare capabilities. Earlier this week, Beijing urged Tokyo to view their relationship as a cooperative partnership. Prime ...

The UK has surpassed it and is aiming to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030. "These are also now becoming more outstanding. A national security strategy document approved by the cabinet and quoted by AFP news agency described China as "the greatest strategic challenge ever to securing the peace and stability of Japan".

Japan says missile attacks against it have become "a palpable threat" and its current interceptor-reliant missile defense system is insufficient. North Korea ...

Japan says it will keep its pacifist principle of high standards for arms equipment and technology transfer. While North Korea keeps advancing its nuclear and missile capabilities, the [main threat is still China](https://apnews.com/article/china-japan-ba727bc6b80fe06278ce43ae9a36e703), for which Japan has had to prepare "by using North Korea's threat as a cover," said Tomohisa Takei, a retired admiral in Japan's navy. Kishida said his government will need an extra 4 trillion yen ($30 billion) annually and proposed tax increases to fund a quarter of it. The new spending target follows the NATO standard and will eventually push Japan’s annual budget to about 10 trillion yen ($73 billion), the world’s third biggest after the United States and China. Opponents say strike capability goes beyond self-defense under Japan's pacifist constitution. The biggest change in the National Security Strategy is possession of “counterstrike capability” that Japan calls “indispensable."

Three new security documents prepared by the Kishida administration mark a new era in Japan's post-war security strategy.

By contrast, a clear strategy easily spreads to national institutions and enhances the ability to implement policies, and increases internal and external transparency. On the other hand, it is also true that an ambiguous attitude weakens deterrence against other countries and may increase the risk of conflict. Dualism, especially when intertwined with territorial and historical issues, can lead to a surge of nationalism and patriotism in each country and a loss of self-control. That said, the United States has sometimes referred to China as a “threat” in its important documents. government in October, China was identified as “America’s most consequential geopolitical challenge.” The official said Japan and the United States are in step with each other on important documents. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard in December 2020 repeatedly refers to China as a “threat.” Notably, Japan avoided specifying China as a “threat” even in the updated documents. As a reason for acquiring such a counterstrike capability, government officials stressed that missile strike capabilities in the region have significantly improved in both qualitative and quantitative terms, so Tokyo has been forced to enhance its missile defense capabilities. When considering various aspects such as military, economic, and diplomatic aspects, it is not a good idea to simply use the word ‘threat’ toward China,” the official said. This is a 56.5 percent increase from the 27.47 trillion yen in the current five-year plan, which covers fiscal year 2019 to 2023. The NDS has come in line with the U.S. On December 16, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio’s cabinet approved the nation’s three key security documents, which will mark a major turning point in Japan’s post-war policy of maintaining an exclusively defense-oriented policy if realized.

The changes, while amounting to a doctrinal shift, are contradictory to Japan's maintenance of its 'exclusively defence' posture Read more at ...

“This is no way to win understanding for the new security strategy.” Under the revised security strategy, Japan will own “counterstrike capabilities” that allow it to strike enemy bases if an attack is deemed to be imminent. Japan’s defence industry is also fragile with manufacturers having shied away from production given the erstwhile reluctance to invest, meaning that Japan will have to rely heavily on imports. Yet whether such statements are enough to win the trust of its neighbours is another matter. A second clause adds: “Land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. Observers also say that while these steps are better late than never, they inevitably raise questions: Can Japan continue to claim it is “not a military superpower”?

Washington called Tokyo's revision of key security documents a "bold and historic step," while Beijing urged Japan to refrain from hyping the "China threat.

The country also set in stone a target of doubling its annual defense spending to about 2% of gross domestic product within five years. [approved revisions to three key security documents](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/12/16/national/japan-dramatic-defense-shift/), in a major shift in defense policy under its pacifist Constitution that signaled it is now more ready than ever to shed some of the postwar constraints on its military. The U.S.

In one of his last diary entries, Japanese teacher Yoshio Kudo lamented workdays that started early and could last until nearly midnight.

The shares continued to trade down to the end of the session, and the sell-off even spread to rival bike GLOBAL LEADER: The Taiwanese chipmaker’s sales rose 11.1 percent from the second quarter to US$20.16 billion, while its market share increased to 56.1 percent Apple Inc’s orders for chips used in iPhones benefited Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in the third quarter of this year and increased the chipmaker’s global market share, TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said on Thursday. However, the relocation of the supply chain is a project that will take many years to complete, not to mention that China remains a big market for Apple. PAYMENT POSTPONEMENTS: The bicycle manufacturer said it is grateful to its suppliers for providing flexibility to its brand by adjusting orders and payments Shares of Giant Manufacturing Co (巨大機械), one of the leading bicycle brands in the world, tumbled yesterday amid a sell-off sparked by reports that the company had asked its suppliers for payment postponements. TSMC’s market share rose to 56.1 percent from 53.4 percent in the previous quarter, the Taipei-based market information advisory firm said in a research report. Its sales rose 11.1 percent from the second quarter to US$20.16 billion in the third quarter after Apple released its latest iPhone 14 series in September, TrendForce said. In November 2019, Indian Kapil Sharma would not have known that he would share a bond with Taiwan because of its guavas. Laid off from his job as a bank teller during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sharma returned to his home village of Shahijadpur, near Sonipat City north of New Delhi, where he turned his life around by growing Taiwanese guavas. In addition, the migration of supply chain mainly refers to the relocation of the US firm's assemblers, not the shift of production sites of its components suppliers, Yuanta said. There he saw Taiwanese guava tree saplings, which appealed to him because they consume less water, and a lack “Toward the end, he was telling me that teachers should stop working like this and that he wanted to lead that change in the future,” his widow said. “I feel like my husband and I are working together to follow through on his last words — that he wants to change the working practices of teachers.”

TOKYO: In one of his last diary entries, Japanese teacher Yoshio Kudo lamented workdays that started early and could last until nearly midnight.

"I feel like my husband and I are working together to follow through on his last words: that he wants to change the working practices of teachers." This year, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party established a task force to study the issue. Instead, the law adds eight hours' worth of extra pay to their monthly salaries, a framework that Nishimoto says results in "making teachers work without limits for fixed pay." From reams of paperwork to tasks like lunch distribution, leading daily cleaning sessions with students and monitoring children on their way to and from school, teachers in Japan "have in a way become handymen," school management consultant Masatoshi Senoo said. "Toward the end, he was telling me that teachers should stop working like this and that he wanted to lead that change in the future," his widow said. But she acknowledged that many "continue to work long hours" and "efforts need to be accelerated."

Japan has approved a new national security strategy this week, which includes a pledge to have the potential to "counterstrike" to deter enemy strikes and ...

The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). The ability to counterattackThe most significant change brought on by Japan's "ability to counterattack is crucial. A look at how [Japan](/topic/japan)'s defensive stance will change due to the country's new security and military policy.

In one of his last diary entries, Japanese teacher Yoshio Kudo lamented workdays that started early and could last until nearly midnight.

This year, Japan's ruling party established a task force to study the issue. "I feel like my husband and I are working together to follow through on his last words -- that he wants to change the working practices of teachers".© 2022 AFP "So many teachers regret that they lived their lives without stopping to enjoy the growth of their own children," she said. Instead, the law adds eight hours' worth of extra pay to their monthly salaries, a framework that Nishimoto says results in "making teachers work without limits for fixed pay". But she acknowledged that many "continue to work long hours" and "efforts need to be accelerated". Kudo's taxing schedule was far from an exception in Japan, where teachers work some of the longest hours in the world, saddled with tasks from cleaning and supervising school commutes to after-school clubs.

Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian announced the designation at a ceremony held Saturday in Adventure World, an amusement park in Shirahama of Japan's ...

Adventure World has announced that Eimei will return to Chengdu research base of giant panda breeding in February next year along with his twin daughters Ouhin and Touhin. There will be only four giant pandas in the park. Eimei, or Yong Ming in Chinese, is a 30-year-old male panda and the oldest giant panda living in Japan.

The modern ear, tuned to the aesthetics of a different timbre, may find that one era's beauty is another's cacophony.

What sounds, rhythms and melodies would they have produced? Experts disagree; some say one, some say the other, some say neither, they arose together. The earliest known musical artifacts date to around 50,000 B.C., the dawn of our species.

Japanese companies are set to raise winter bonus payments by 9.7%, the largest gain since 1975, a survey by Nikkei newspaper reported Sunday.

They also urge caution against strong gusts of wind, high waves, and avalanches. Bad weather could disrupt public transportation and cause blackouts. Drivers ...

Forecasters say up to one meter of snow is expected in Niigata Prefecture and 70 centimeters of snow in the Hokuriku and Tohoku regions over the 24 hours through Monday morning. Japan's Meteorological Agency says that cold air is flowing into Japan, bringing heavy snow mainly in Hokkaido and on the areas facing the Sea of Japan on the main island of Honshu. Heavy snow and snow storms are forecast for the northern parts of Japan through Monday.

In 1868 a group of female samurai took part in the fierce Battle of Aizu for the very soul of Japan.

In it, he romanticized the samurai and dedicated a chapter to the meaning of Bushido, the samurai moral code for women, emphasizing the values of chastity, self-denial, and domesticity. The stereotype of Japan as a submissive, beautiful, and enthralling woman still exists and is invariably tied to questions of power, representation, and empire. With swords and halberds in hand, the women met their enemies, who were armed with guns. In 1899 Nitobe Inazō, a renowned writer and diplomat who later became Under-Secretary-General of the League of Nations published Bushido: The Soul of Japan. She and other women were initially barred from joining a battle battalion lest the attackers see their participation as a sign of weakness. She taught other women how to make ammunition and oversaw the men who operated the cannons. Facing the advancing enemy army in the fall of 1868, the Aizu women had four options: flee to the countryside, retreat to Tsuruga Castle, commit suicide, or fight. Takeko threatened suicide in protest, when a newly arrived commander conceded and allowed the women to form their own unit. Unsurprisingly, then, the vast majority of samurai-class women never took part in battle. The Meiji Restoration ended Japan’s seclusion policy and opened the country up to foreign powers, hastening change in almost all areas of life. Empress Jingū, said to have ruled between 201 and 269 CE, is one of the country’s earliest female warriors. After sustaining heavy losses, the Aizu population was ordered to barricade themselves in nearby Tsuruga Castle.

Data doctoring and governance issues have been rife in Japan, though this marks a rare case in academia and research. PHOTO: REUTERS.

In 2021, the Land Ministry admitted to routinely [jacking up data on construction orders.](https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japans-data-integrity-comes-into-question-again-over-rigged-land-ministry-statistics) Science minister Keiko Nagaoka, meanwhile, urged Jaxa to improve its research management and ethical compliance. “I believe that the qualities of a person in charge of conducting research and the qualities of an astronaut are different,” Mr Sasaki said, when asked if the data fraud would derail Dr Furukawa’s scheduled departure for space. The Mainichi Shimbun said in an editorial that given Japan’s space ambitions, it was a grievous problem that amounted to a betrayal of public trust. The Asahi Shimbun said in an editorial that the sloppiness of the experiment was not only surprising but also disturbing. TOKYO – A renowned Japanese astronaut has been implicated in research fraud at the nation’s space agency, in a case that has been criticised as a “betrayal of public trust”.