Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited the Air Self-Defense Force's Fuchu base to mainly inspect the Space Operations Group, which monitors space activities. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/03/japan/defense-minister-koizumi-sdf-space-operations/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sdf #asdf #space
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks about a Taiwan emergency have caused a stir. Here’s a look at why — and what Japan’s role could be in such a crisis. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/03/japan/explainer/explainer-japan-existential-crisis/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #explainer #taiwan #china #chinajapanrelations #taiwanjapanrelations #us #sdf #defense #sanaetakaichi
Collective defense is too big a leap at this time. But collective deterrence is a legitimate strategy to thwart a rising China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/26/japan/the-argument-for-indo-pacific-collective-deterrence/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #defense #sdf #sanaetakaichi #china #russia #northkorea #quad #australia #india #us #southkorea #philippines #seato #shigeruishiba #nato #taiwan #southchinasea #eastchinasea
As Tokyo and Manila discuss the transfer of used Japanese destroyers, the Philippine Navy chief says the service is also seeking five more retired TC-90 aircraft from the MSDF to boost its patrol capabilities. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/26/japan/philippine-navy-chief-interview/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #philippines #philippinesjapanrelations #defense #msdf #sdf #china #southchinasea #southeastasia
Japan’s defense minister, visiting a military base close to Taiwan, said plans to deploy missiles to the post were on track as tensions smolder between Tokyo and Beijing over the East Asian island. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/23/japan/japan-deploying-missiles-to-island-near-taiwan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #yonaguni #ishigaki #miyako #okinawa #taiwan #china #usmilitary #shinjirokoizumi #sanaetakaichi #sdf
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is actively using social media and other means to disseminate information on the military movements of countries around Japan and how the Japanese Self-Defense Forces are responding. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/23/japan/politics/defense-chief-koizumi-one-month/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #shinjirokoizumi #defense #defenseministry #sdf
A massive fire in Oita has destroyed more than 170 structures and left one resident missing. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/19/japan/oita-fire/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #oita #sdf #firefighters
South Korea has informed Japan of its intention not to conduct a planned joint search-and-rescue drill this month, sources in Japan’s government and ruling coalition said Tuesday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/19/japan/politics/japan-south-korea-drill-canceled/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #southkoreajapanrelations #southkorea #defense #sdf
Japan and Indonesia have agreed to boost their defense and security ties, opening up opportunities for trilateral cooperation involving Australia following Jakarta’s plan to upgrade a key pact with Canberra. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/18/japan/politics/indonesia-japan-meeting-defense/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #defense #indonesiajapanrelations #shinjirokoizumi #toshimitsumotegi #indonesia #china #sdf #msdf
China has warned its citizens not to travel to Japan, the first significant retaliatory move by Beijing following comments by Japan's leader that Tokyo could intervene militarily if China uses force against Taiwan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/15/japan/politics/china-japan-takaichi-taiwan-travel/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #china #chinajapanrelations #tourism #taiwan #taiwanjapanrelations #defense #pla #sdf #sanaetakaichi
A project team of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday compiled an urgent proposal for measures to address bear attacks. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/12/japan/ldp-bear-attacks-proposals/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #ldp #bears #sdf
A Japanese nuclear-weapons program would unavoidably serve as proliferation kindling. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/11/japan/japan-should-resist-going-nuclear/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #nuclearweapons #defense #sdf #us #china #russia #northkorea
China’s commissioning of its most advanced aircraft carrier yet raises the costs for Tokyo and delivers a warning to the Japan-U.S. alliance that it can maintain a continuous presence in the Western Pacific. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/11/japan/china-new-aircraft-carrier-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #china #defense #pla #chinajapanrelations #sdf #defenseministry #taiwan #usmilitary
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi broke with years of precedent after she hinted that Japan could provide military support for Taiwan if it were attacked — part of a gradual evolution in Tokyo’s approach to the issue. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/11/japan/politics/takaichi-taiwan-contingency/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #taiwan #china #chinajapanrelations #defense #sdf #taiwanjapanrelations #pla
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has refused to back down after controversial remarks on Japan's potential involvement in a Taiwan contingency, going farther than any of her predecessors. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/10/japan/politics/takaichi-taiwan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #taiwan #china #defense #sdf #chinajapanrelations #taiwanjapanrelations
The government has decided to extend the deployment of Self-Defense Forces personnel in the Middle East for one year to deal with issues such as maritime piracy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/07/japan/sdf-middle-east/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #middleeast #sdf #defense #shinjirokoizumi
Members of the Ground Self-Defense Force were dispatched to Akita Prefecture to assist with bear control as the number of attacks and subsequent fatalities continue to rise in Japan. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/05/japan/gsdf-bear-akita-deployed/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #bears #animals #akita #sdf #gsdf #defenseministry #shinjirokoizumi #kentasuzuki