Author: MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press

TOKYO — Japan cautioned against China’s rapid acceleration of military activity stretching from its southwestern coasts to the Pacific, describing the moves in a new defense report Tuesday as the biggest strategic challenge. China’s growing military cooperation with Russia also poses serious security concerns to Japan, along with increasing tension around Taiwan and threats coming […]

TOKYO — Japan has demanded China stop flying its fighter jets abnormally close to Japanese intelligence-gathering aircraft, which it said was happening repeatedly and could cause a collision. Japan’s Defense Ministry said a Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber flew as close to 30 meters (98 feet) to a YS-11EB electronic-intelligence aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force […]

HIROSHIMA, Japan — The Japanese army on Wednesday began deploying its fleet of V-22 Ospreys on a newly-opened, permanent base in southwestern Japan, the country’s latest move to beef up its defense amid growing tension in the region. The first of the fleet of 17 Ospreys safely arrived at its new home base of Camp […]

TOKYO — Japan’s Emperor Naruhito said Wednesday that he will honor thousands of Japanese prisoners of World War II who were held under harsh conditions in Mongolia when he visits the country next week. Naruhito, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, has been visiting some of the places where the bloodiest battles […]

TOKYO — Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba faces a tough test in an upper house election later this month as his minority government struggles after its major defeat in last year’s snap election. Ishiba has survived so far, though he had to make some concessions to the opposition — an unusual step for the Liberal […]

TOKYO — A man convicted of murder for killing and dismembering nine people in his apartment near Tokyo was executed Friday, Japan’s Justice Ministry said. Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the “Twitter killer,” was sentenced to death in 2020 for the killings in 2017 of the nine victims, most of whom had posted suicidal thoughts on […]

TOKYO — A Japanese court said Wednesday it has found a U.S. Marine guilty of sexually assaulting a woman on Okinawa, sentencing him to prison terms, in a case that has triggered anger and safety concerns on Japan’s southern island, which has a heavy American troop presence. The Naha District Court said Lance Cpl. Jamel […]

TOKYO — Japan’s army announced Tuesday that it conducted a missile test for the first time on Japanese territory. The test-firing of the Type-88 surface-to-ship short range missile was conducted Tuesday at the Shizunai Anti-Air Firing Range on Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido. The exercise by the Ground Self-Defense Force’s 1st Artillery Brigade was […]

Japan’s coast guard has held a joint exercise with counterparts from the United States and the Philippines, as the three Pacific nations beef up defense cooperation in the face of China’s expanding maritime activities TOKYO — Japan’s coast guard on Friday held a joint exercise with counterparts from the United States and the Philippines, as […]

TOKYO — Okinawa marked the 80th anniversary of the end of one of the harshest battles of World War II fought on the southern island. With global tensions escalating, its governor said on Monday it is the Okinawan “mission” to keep telling the tragic history and its impact today. The Battle of Okinawa killed a […]