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 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

China has denied that its warplanes risked collisions with Japanese surveillance aircraft over the East China Sea last week, calling “close-in reconnaissance and harassment” by Tokyo “the root cause” of the incidents. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/13/japan/japan-china-military-close-encounter/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #chinajapanrelations #china #pla #eastchinasea #senkakus #disputedislands

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

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

The U.S. Army aims to play a pivotal role in deterring China by establishing a firm presence in the Indo-Pacific, according to the service's Asia Pacific deputy commander. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/28/asia-pacific/us-army-pacific-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #usmilitary #us #china #pla #taiwan #sdf #usjapanrelations #defense #indopacific

The Maritime Self-Defense Force's P-1 aircraft, the first domestic patrol aircraft, is underused mainly due to engine corrosion and problems with electronic devices, a probe has found. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/28/japan/japan-patrol-aircraft-underused/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #defense #defenseministry #sdf #china #msdf #pla