Tokyo, 9 July, /AJMEDIA/
Crew failure to keep lookout behind midair SDF chopper collision: ministry
TOKYO – Japan’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday crew failing to keep a lookout was among the causes for two Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopters colliding in April over the Pacific in an incident that claimed the lives of all eight personnel aboard.
The two SH-60K choppers may have mistaken the distance between them and taken no maneuvers to avoid contact until they collided during a night drill to detect submarines, according to the investigation results released by the ministry.
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MUFG Bank probed on employee’s alleged involvement in insider trading
TOKYO – Japan’s securities watchdog has conducted a probe at the headquarters of MUFG Bank, one of the country’s megabanks, over an employee’s alleged involvement in insider trading, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday.
The employee allegedly gave to a family member information about a client’s prospective tender offer before the bid became public.
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Japan, Philippines sign defense pact amid growing China concern
MANILA – Japan and the Philippines on Monday signed a bilateral defense agreement to facilitate joint exercises for closer security cooperation, amid China’s growing assertiveness in regional waters.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement in Manila. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnessed the signing following his meeting with Kamikawa and Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara.
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NATO to set up new command in Germany to improve support for Ukraine
WASHINGTON – NATO members will announce a set of “robust” measures in support of Ukraine at their annual summit this week, including the establishment of a new military command in Germany, a senior U.S. official said Monday.
The plan is aimed at leveraging NATO’s institutional strengths to coordinate training and help Ukraine develop its future force, Michael Carpenter, senior director for Europe at the National Security Council, said at a press briefing on the eve of the three-day gathering in Washington.
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Japan’s ruling LDP reeling in shock following key Tokyo elections
TOKYO – Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party was reeling in shock on Monday following its defeat in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly by-elections the previous day, despite the victory of the party-backed incumbent in the capital’s gubernatorial race.
Many LDP lawmakers are worried about the repercussions of the local polls on a possible national election as a high-profile political funds scandal has eroded public trust in the party.
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Charges dropped against Kishida, other LDP members in slush fund case
TOKYO – Prosecutors decided Monday not to indict Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and seven other senior Liberal Democratic Party members over a political funds scandal that has dogged Japan’s ruling party since last year, citing a lack of evidence, sources close to the matter said.
The lawmakers from three LDP factions, which had been accused of violating the political funds control law by failing to report fundraising revenue, also include Toshimitsu Motegi, the party’s secretary general, and Toshihiro Nikai, who previously held the post.
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Israel to attend Hiroshima peace ceremony amid call for cease-fire
HIROSHIMA – The western Japanese city of Hiroshima on Monday announced that Israel has expressed its intention to attend the Aug. 6 annual peace ceremony commemorating the atomic bomb attack on the city, bringing the number of countries slated to take part to a record high of 115.
The invitation to Israel, widely regarded as a nuclear-armed state, included a call for an immediate cease-fire to the conflict in the Palestinian territory, which has drawn increasing international opposition.
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10 Japan, U.S. firms join forces to develop chip tech for AI
TOKYO – Leading Japanese chip material maker Resonac Holdings Corp. said Monday it will form a consortium with nine other Japanese and U.S. firms to collaborate over the development of technologies deemed key in manufacturing state-of-the art semiconductors used for generative artificial intelligence.
The consortium, called US-JOINT, will be based in Silicon Valley, setting its main focus on developing so-called back-end technologies of packaging semiconductors. Its facility is expected to become fully operational next year.
