Category: Japan

Police Arrest Suspect in Knife Attack on a Train in Western Japan; 3 Were Slashed and Injured

TOKYO—Japanese police said Monday that they have arrested a man on suspicion of slashing three people on a train in western Japan. The 37-year-old suspect was carrying three knives, including two in each hand, when he was arrested on the platform of Rinku Town station in Osaka, western Japan, immediately after the alleged attack Sunday,…


US, Japan Hold First Space Engagement Talks to Boost Cooperation

The United States and Japan hosted their first ever space engagement talks on July 18 to enhance combined space operations and tackle adversaries with “questionable intentions,” the U.S. Space Force stated. The space engagement talks were led by Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, a U.S. Space Force deputy chief of space operations, strategy, plans, programs, and…


North Korea Fires 2 Missiles After US Submarine Arrives in South Korea

TOKYO—North Korea launched two ballistic missiles eastward early on Wednesday, Japan’s and South Korea’s militaries said, just hours after a U.S. ballistic missile submarine arrived in a South Korean port for the first time in four decades. Both of the missiles appeared to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, the Japanese Defense Ministry said….


Rocket Engine Explodes Mid-Test in Japan’s Latest Space Mishap

An engine being designed for Japan’s Epsilon S space rocket exploded during testing, in the latest mishap for the nation’s space program. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has been making efforts to launch advanced rockets, to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. JAXA had previously aborted the inaugural launch of its Mitsubishi-built, next-generation H3 liquid fuel…


Milley Says ‘Powerful’ Japan Could Help US Deter China, North Korea

A top U.S military official on Friday praised Japan’s move to bolster its security, saying that having a “powerful” ally like Japan could help the United States deter threats posed by China and North Korea. Japan sought to increase its defense budget for 2023 to a record 6.8 trillion yen ($50 billion), up 20 percent…


Girl Dies From Abuse After AI System Suggested Protective Custody Was Unnecessary

A 4-year-old Japanese girl died in her mother’s care after the local government decided not to place her in temporary protective custody—a decision influenced in part by an artificial intelligence evaluation program, according to officials in the prefecture of Mie.  Mie police arrested the girl’s 42-year-old mother in June for allegedly inflicting injuries that resulted…


One Killed as Heavy Rain Triggers Landslides in Japan

Torrential rain over southwest Japan triggered landslides that killed at least one person, while three were missing, as authorities urged tens of thousands to leave their homes because of the danger of more landslides and floods. Japan is the latest country to be hit by unusually heavy rain in various parts of the world in…


Japanese Prime Minister Expected to Address East Asia Security Risks at NATO Summit

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will attend the NATO summit in Lithuania on July 11, where he is expected to bring attention to security challenges present in East Asia. Mr. Kishida’s upcoming participation at the NATO summit in Lithuania’s capital of Vilnius marks his second visit, following his historic attendance last year as the first…


Plan to Pour Radioactive Waste From Fukushima Nuclear Plant Into Pacific Ocean Is Safe: IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has concluded that Japan’s plans to release radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean are consistent with international safety standards. In a report published on July 4 (pdf), the IAEA, a United Nations body, said that the findings followed a comprehensive assessment and safety review of…


Rail Pass News

The biggest rail pass news is not good news: This October, the prices for Japan Rail Pass will increase by a hefty 69 percent. At its current price of 29,650 yen (about $205), the base seven-day pass is a no-brainer: It costs about the same as one high-speed round-trip between Tokyo and Osaka or Kyoto,…