Category: Japan

Hypocrisy must not be a word used in North Korea, because Japan would not be conducting a nuclear review or expanding its military if it wasn’t for the constant threats from North Korea and China:

North Korea’s state media on Thursday denounced Japan’s reported review of its decades-long three non-nuclear principles. 

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper issued the criticism as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has reportedly sought to shift the principles that mandate no possessing, producing or introducing nuclear weapons. 

Takaichi is reportedly seeking to review the no-introduction principle, particularly regarding U.S. nuclear-armed assets.

The Rodong Sinmun accused Japan of trying to rearm itself, saying this was “not aimed at seeking national or regional peace and security but, rather, constitutes a vicious challenge to peace.”

The newspaper also accused Japan of trying to justify its drive to become a military powerhouse and of drumming up public opinions in favor of its increased defense spending, a constitutional revision and overseas military expansion.

“This reminds us of Japan’s past history of brainwashing its people to jump into a war of aggression to establish the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere,” the newspaper said, citing Japan’s World War II-era imperial ambitions.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but irony must not be a word used in North Korea either when they are complaining about so called Japanese brainwashing.

Here is the U.S. and Japanese response to the recent military provocations against Japan by the Chinese:

U.S. strategic bombers joined a fleet of Japanese fighter jets in a joint military exercise meant to demonstrate their military cooperation around Japan’s airspace, defense officials said Thursday, as tensions with China escalate.

The exercise showcasing joint Japanese-U.S. air power came a day after Chinese and Russian bombers flew together around western Japan, prompting Tokyo to scramble fighter jets, though there was no airspace violation. It also follows China’s military aircraft locking radar on Japanese jets Saturday, another incident that has caused Tokyo-Beijing relations to further deteriorate.

Japan’s Air Self Defense-Force and the U.S. military conducted the joint exercise Wednesday as “the security environment surrounding our country is becoming even severer,” the Japanese Joint Staff said.

Associated Press

You can read more at the link.

Chu-SAM would be a great capability for the Philippines to acquire to develop a layer of missile defense around their country:

Japan’s Defense Ministry has denied a report that it is considering selling surface-to-air missiles to the Philippines, even as it acknowledged that Tokyo may soon loosen long-standing restrictions on arms exports. 

Kyodo News, citing anonymous sources, reported Monday that Japan and the Philippines had held informal talks on exporting Japan’s Type 03 medium-range missile. 

The system — also known as Chu-SAM — is capable of intercepting aircraft and cruise missiles. It is deployed to Ishigaki Island at the far end of the Nansei chain, where it is positioned to counter China’s growing military activity near Taiwan and in the East China Sea.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

The American tourist was a former Marine Captain visiting Okinawa who was out past curfew which the military police had no jurisdiction over. The civilian could have defused the situation by showing his ID as requested, but when he refused the MP should not have body slammed him. I wonder if an assault charge could be filed with the Japanese police?:

Two Okinawa government officials urged caution amid a review of street patrols by U.S. military police in nightlife districts following a viral video of a U.S. civilian’s violent arrest. Two videos totaling four minutes show what appears to be a U.S. military police officer body slamming a man in civilian clothes onto the sidewalk along Gate 2 Street in Okinawa city outside Kadena Air Base early on Nov. 23. A patrol consisting only of U.S. military police stopped the civilian outside a bar in Okinawa city, according to U.S. Forces Japan spokesman Air Force Col. John Severns by email Wednesday. The civilian was not connected with the U.S. military, he said.

USFJ commander Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost ordered unilateral patrols by the U.S. military paused while an investigation of the incident takes place, Severns said. In neighboring Chatan town, Mayor Masashi Toguchi told reporters Thursday that “mistaken detentions like this should never happen, and we strongly urge a careful response,” a town spokesman said by phone Friday.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but what is even more concerning is that this MP was saying they can detain Japanese civilians if they wanted to. Clearly some retraining needs to happen. You would think simple things like who you can and cannot detain or body slam would have been clearly understood before sending these MPs out on patrol.

It looks like PM Takaichi plans to bring Japan’s corporate tendency to work extremely long hours to the government:

“I’ll abandon work-life balance.”

That was Japan’s new far-right Prime Minister’s victory speech vow.

Sanae Takaichi was talking about how she’d lead her own party. Not reform the nation’s notoriously long work weeks.

But the comments still let loose a pretty big backlash.

Sounds like overkill, right? Well, when you look at what followed in her first few weeks in office, probably not.

Weeks later, Takaichi summoned her team for a meeting. With a casual 3 a.m. calltime. She also urged her labor minister to relax the rules on overtime work.

So this is about more than just talking points. And there’s another reason it’s hitting a nerve.

Behind Japan’s legendary work ethic lurks a dark secret.

For decades, the country has been plagued by people driven to an early death by the stress of their never-ending jobs.

New York Post

You can read more at the link, but she held the cabinet meeting at 3:00 AM in preparation for a 9:00 AM address to Parliament.