Australia’s purchase of up to 11 Japanese-built Mogami-class frigates marks a milestone in Japan’s defense exports and deepens strategic ties. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/08/06/japan/japans-frigate-sale-to-australia/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #australia #australiajapanrelations #defense#mogami #sdf #msdf #defenseministry
Australia selecting a Japanese warship for its next frigate class could be a watershed moment for Japan’s defense industry as Tokyo aims for greater military cooperation and industrial tie-ups with allies and partners. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/06/japan/australia-japan-ship-deal-defense-industry/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #defense #australiajapanrelations #australia #sdf #defenseministry#mogami #mitsubishiheavyindustries
Australia will purchase 11 Japanese-made frigates in what will be Tokyo’s biggest-ever postwar defense contract, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles announced Tuesday, in a major win for Japan’s defense industry. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/05/japan/japan-australia-mogami-contract/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #australia #australiajapanrelations #defense#mogami #sdf #msdf #defenseministry
The Air Self-Defense Force has taken part in a multinational tabletop space defense exercise in Australia aimed at enhancing cooperation among like-minded countries. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/03/japan/japan-joined-multinational-space-defense-drill/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #space #defense #sdf #asdf
This year’s Exercise Talisman Sabre multinational military drills saw over 80 "firsts" in which participants either tested new systems or performed combined activities for the first time, the exercise’s director said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/03/asia-pacific/talisman-sabre-military-exercise/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #indopacific #us #usmilitary #defense #sdf
An annual Japanese Self-Defense Forces review ceremony will no longer be held in principle due to mounting SDF duties in an increasingly severe security environment, according to the Defense Ministry. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/31/japan/sdf-annual-review-ceremony-discontinue/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sdf #defenseministry
Since March, a small room at a U.S. base in Tokyo has been at the heart of a historic transformation set to reshape how the U.S.-Japan alliance coordinates military operations, responds to emergencies and projects power. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/31/japan/us-military-japan-upgrade/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #usmilitary #us #usjapanrelations #sdf #defense #defenseministry #china #taiwan
Japan is still considering deployment locations for its longer-range standoff missiles, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Tuesday, with the weapons planned to be stationed by the end of next March. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/29/japan/politics/japan-long-range-missiles/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #defense #defenseministry #missiles #gennakatani #sdf #china #northkorea
Japan has unveiled its first guidelines aimed at bolstering its defenses in outer space, a move that comes as China and Russia have been developing “killer satellites” intended to destroy or damage rivals’ space assets. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/29/japan/politics/japan-space-defense-guidelines/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sdf #defenseministry #china #russia #space #defense #gennakatani
A South Korean military aircraft low on fuel was believed to have entered Japan's defense identification zone without prior notice to land at a U.S. base in Okinawa, prompting Tokyo to scramble fighter jets this month. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/26/japan/south-korea-military-plane-japan-adiz/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #southkorea #southkoreajapanrelations #defense #defenseministry #sdf
Self-Defense Forces fighter jets scrambled 157 times for possible airspace incursions in the April-June period, the Defense Ministry said Thursday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/25/japan/fighter-jets-scramble/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sdf #defense #defenseministry #china #russia
Did this week’s U.S.-Japan trade deal also involve spending on defense? Donald Trump seems to think so. Japan, not so much. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/24/japan/politics/japan-us-trade-defense-trump/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #usjapanrelations #trade #tariffs #shigeruishiba #donaldtrump #defense #budgets #sdf #usmilitary
The Defense Ministry has established a new unit dedicated to maritime transportation, with a primary mission of enhancing the rapid movement of personnel and the delivery of supplies using transport vessels. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/22/japan/japan-sdf-maritime-transport-group/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #defense #sdf #maritimetransportgroup #chinajapanrelations #taiwan
The Pentagon's No. 3 official has lauded Japan’s latest defense white paper — but that praise was couched in language suggesting the Trump administration will continue to push Tokyo to hike defense spending even further. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/16/japan/politics/us-china-japan-defense-white-paper/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #chinajapanrelations #china #pla #defense #defenseministry #sdf #defenseministry #usjapanrelations #us #elbridgecolby #donaldtrump #budgets
The government has appointed Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura as the next chief of staff of the Defense Ministry's Joint Staff — a key post that will work closely with the Self-Defense Force’s new Joint Operations Command. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/15/japan/society/japan-sdf-chief-of-staff/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #defense #defenseministry #china #sdf
The international community has entered “a new era of crisis” amid China’s growing military assertiveness and U.S. President Donald Trump’s Indo-Pacific policies, Japan’s new annual defense report says. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/15/japan/politics/japan-defense-white-paper-2025/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #defense #defenseministry #sdf #china #taiwan #pla #us #usmilitary #budgets #donaldtrump #usjapanrelations
The Pentagon is urging Japan to make clear the role it would play in the event of a U.S.-China conflict over Taiwan, a report has said, with the U.S. Defense Department’s No. 3 official appearing to confirm the push. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/13/japan/us-japan-taiwan-contingency/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #taiwanjapanrelations #usjapanrelations #china #pla #taiwan #sdf #defense #donaldtrump #elbridgecolby #defenseministry #indopacific
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted Friday that while Washington is asking Japan to boost its defense spending, it's more about capabilities than money. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/11/japan/politics/japan-rubio-defense-spending/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #usjapanrelations #marcorubio #defense #budgets #us #donaldtrump #shigeruishiba #sdf
Chinese fighter jets twice risked collisions with Air Self-Defense Force surveillance aircraft, Tokyo said, coming within 30 meters of the planes over the East China Sea on Wednesday and Thursday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/10/japan/china-japan-aircraft-encounter/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #chinajapanrelations #china #defense #defenseministry #sdf #asdf #pla #senkakus #disputedislands #eastchinasea
Japan will export used navy destroyers to the Philippines to strengthen its deterrence against China's maritime expansion, the Yomiuri newspaper reported. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/06/japan/japan-gives-philippines-used-destroyers/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sdf #msdf #philippines #china #defense