Japan
WWII POWs remembered in Yokohama on 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender
On the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, the names of more than 1,000 troops who died as prisoners of war were read aloud Tuesday during a memorial ceremony at the Commonwealth War Cemetery.
Japan pays enough for US military bases, Nikkei poll says
Japanese citizens do not want to pay more for hosting U.S. military personnel and are now more likely to predict a downturn in bilateral relations, according to a Nikkei poll released Monday.
Mattis: US will defend contested Senkaku Islands on Japan’s behalf
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis chastised China on Saturday for “shredding the trust” of its neighbors, while reaffirming that the United States would defend Japan-administered islands claimed by China if they were ever attacked.
Former USS George Washington commander to take helm of Naval Forces Japan
A former commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington will be returning to Yokosuka as commander of Naval Forces Japan and Navy Region Japan, the Defense Department announced Wednesday in Washington.
Japan considers missiles to deter N. Korea, strengthen US alliance
Japan’s ruling party is considering for the first time a missile counterstrike capability that could complement U.S. efforts to deter North Korea, despite opposition concerns over the proposal’s legality under Japan’s pacifist constitution.
Mattis’ message to Japan, South Korea: We still have your back
If the Pentagon named bilateral talks the way it did military operations, Jim Mattis’ first trip abroad as defense secretary might have been deemed Operation Allied Reassurance.
US election campaign casts light on Pacific where allies already pay US big sums for their defense
The defense policy debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton often glosses over differences between Europe and the Pacific, where Japan and South Korea already pay substantial sums to the U.S. to offset the cost of defending them.