Tokyo, 9 December, /AJMEDIA/
Japan, Britain, Italy to develop next-generation fighter jet by 2035
TOKYO – Japan, Britain and Italy said Friday they will jointly develop a next-generation fighter jet by 2035 in Tokyo’s first such defense cooperation with countries other than the United States, a key security ally.
The countries’ leaders said in their joint statement that they will “build on our long-standing defense relationship” through the fighter development program, which will “accelerate our advanced military capability and technological advantage,” as well as further strengthen their supply chains and defense industrial base.
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Figure skating: Shoma Uno tops short program at Grand Prix Final
TURIN, Italy – World champion Shoma Uno leads after the men’s short program at figure skating’s Grand Prix Final, scoring 99.99 to headline a Japanese sweep of the segment on Thursday.
Sota Yamamoto finished second on 94.86, while Kao Miura rounded out the top three with 87.07 at the Palavela in Turin.
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Japan billionaire Maezawa says K-pop star, 7 others to join Moon trip
TOKYO – Japanese billionaire entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa said Friday K-pop artist Top and American DJ Steve Aoki will be among the eight crew members who will join him on a private space trip to orbit the Moon in 2023.
Maezawa, who became the first Japanese civilian to travel to the International Space Station last year, revealed on Twitter and on a website the names of people with whom he will journey as part of the “dearMoon” project. They will ride on a spaceship being developed by U.S. firm SpaceX.
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Japan should double foreign aid in 10 years: panel
TOKYO – A government panel on Friday proposed that Japan double the budget for its official development assistance over the next decade as the country prepares to revise its foreign aid charter next year.
In a proposal presented to Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, the panel of experts said the government should “set a clear deadline for achieving” the target, such as increasing the ODA budget to 0.7 percent of gross national income from the current 0.34 percent in the next 10 years, under a revised development cooperation charter.
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Taxes to be raised to cover additional defense spending: Japan PM
TOKYO – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday the government plans to raise taxes and secure 1 trillion yen ($7.3 billion) every year from fiscal 2027 to cover a quarter of the additional funding needed for increased defense spending aimed at coping with an array of security challenges.
Kishida, who aims to boost the nation’s defense spending to a combined 43 trillion yen in the next five years starting in fiscal 2023, said, however, that the government will not raise income taxes given the severe economic situation surrounding households.
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Japan’s Empress Masako turns 59, reflects on half a lifetime as royal
TOKYO – Japan’s Empress Masako, on the occasion of her 59th birthday Friday, reflected on having spent exactly half of her life in the imperial family since marrying Emperor Naruhito in June 1993, saying she felt “deeply moved” by her years as royalty.
“I have gone through many times of joy, as well as times of sorrow. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the emperor and many others who have supported and watched over me every step of the way,” the empress said in a statement released by the Imperial Household Agency.
U.S. basketball star Griner released in prisoner swap with Russia
WASHINGTON – American basketball star Brittney Griner was freed in a prisoner swap with Russia, the U.S. government said Thursday, in exchange for releasing Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as the “merchant of death.”
The development came despite tensions between the United States and Russia over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The two-time Olympic champion and player in the Women’s National Basketball Association had been imprisoned after being convicted of drug possession.
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Japan’s top court nixes Okinawa bid to halt U.S. base landfill work
TOKYO – Japan’s top court on Thursday dismissed an appeal by the Okinawa prefectural government to halt landfill work for the relocation of a key U.S. base within the southern island prefecture.
The Supreme Court’s decision upheld lower court rulings in which Okinawa’s cases against the central government were dismissed.
