Would-be Japanese kamikaze pilot reflects on war and peace 80 years after WWII
A former Japanese army pilot who helped train the infamous kamikaze — flyers who deliberately crashed into their targets — is still telling his story 80 years after the end of World War II, in part to honor friends who died during the conflict.
Trans-Pacific Partnership withdrawal muddles Asia-Pacific security picture
President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from an economic agreement favored by many in Asia has left Japan and others worried that American-led security in the region will decline as a result.
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.