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Tokyo, Japan (AFP) by Katie Forster Japan has laid out plans to expand its defence capabilities drastically over five years. The new security strategy marks a major shift, as Japan confronts China’s growing military might. – Why are the changes controversial? – Japan’s constitution, drafted by the United States after World War II, does not officially recognise the military, so moves to bolster its capacity are highly sensitive. The constitution limits spending on the […]
Tokyo, Japan (AFP) by Sara HUSSEIN Japan is expected to announce its biggest defence overhaul in decades this week, hiking spending, reshaping its military command and acquiring new missiles to tackle the threat from China. The policies, to be outlined in three defence and security documents as soon as Friday, will reshape the defence landscape in a country whose post-war constitution does not even officially recognise the military. “Fundamentally strengthening our defence capabilities […]
by Kyoko HASEGAWA Agence France-Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — From Super Mario to Final Fantasy, Japan has long been synonymous with gaming, but some experts and parents fear a growing addiction problem is going unaddressed. While nearby nations like China and South Korea have imposed drastic restrictions on youth gaming in recent years — with mixed results — some Japanese families feel they are being left to deal with the issue on their own. Each […]
Washington, United States (AFP) A Japanese startup’s spacecraft was launched to the Moon on Sunday in the country’s first-ever lunar mission and the first of its kind by a private company. The launch was carried out by Elon Musk’s SpaceX at Cape Canaveral in the US state of Florida after two postponements for additional pre-flight checks. The spacecraft, produced by Tokyo-based startup ispace and carrying a UAE-built rover, blasted off aboard a Falcon 9 […]
Tokyo, Japan (AFP) Japan chose the kanji character for war on Monday as the symbol for 2022 after a year marked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the assassination of former leader Shinzo Abe. The public votes in the annual event for the written character they think best represents the past year. Olympic-themed choices dominated 2021. The mood was darker this year, however, according to the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, which organises the vote. […]
London, United Kingdom (AFP) by Jitendra JOSHI with Tomohiro OSAKI and Katie FORSTER in Tokyo Britain, Italy and Japan said Friday they will jointly develop a future fighter jet in a project that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said would guarantee national security and safeguard thousands of jobs. The three nations held out the prospect of cooperation with European and US allies, which are developing their own “sixth-generation” planes, vowing to maintain “interoperability” among all the […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa announced Thursday eight crew members who will join him for a journey around the Moon planned for 2023 on a SpaceX rocket that is still under development. The mission, known as dearMoon, was first announced in 2018. Maezawa initially said he would invite a crew of six-to-eight artists, but later changed the entry requirements to a competition which applicants could apply for online. The eight people […]
by Shaun TANDON Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States and Australia said Tuesday they would welcome Japanese troops into three-way rotations, vowing a united front in the face of China’s rapid military advances. Australia’s defense and foreign ministers said they agreed to step up the pace of military interactions with the United States during talks with their counterparts in Washington, after which they will fly to Tokyo. “It’s really important that […]
by Andrew MCKIRDY Agence France-Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) –Forward Ritsu Doan said Japan’s historic World Cup wins over Germany and Spain counted for nothing after the Blue Samurai were eliminated by Croatia in the last 16 on Monday. Japan missed out on a first-ever place in the quarter-finals after a 3-1 penalty shootout defeat to the Croatians, following a gruelling encounter that finished 1-1 after extra-time. Japan beat both Germany and Spain in the […]
Doha, Qatar (AFP) by Andrew MCKIRDY Japan will “fight like samurai” in Monday’s World Cup last-16 clash with Croatia as they battle to reach the quarter-finals for the first time, defender Yuto Nagatomo said. Japan reached the knockout round after stunning Germany and Spain to top Group E but they are not satisfied with what they have achieved so far in Qatar. Veteran Nagatomo is appearing at his fourth World Cup and urged his team-mates […]
Tokyo, Japan (AFP) Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed ministers on Monday to boost the country’s defence budget by 56 percent over the next five years to $318 billion. The government is overhauling its defence and security strategies in response to regional threats from nuclear-armed North Korea and an increasingly assertive China. Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Kishida told him that “the size of the medium-term defence programme for the next five years, which is […]
by Harumi OZAWA / Atish PATEL Agence France-Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — As the final whistle blew on Japan’s shock victory over Spain, thrilled fans flooded onto Tokyo’s Shibuya Scramble crossing to celebrate a win few had dared to dream of. “Japan, bravo! Japan, bravo!”, they cheered after the 2-1 victory, singing the popular “Vamos Nippon” football chant and waving the country’s flag. Dressed in their team’s blue kit, some with hats against the morning […]
