Latest news with #YoshimasaHayashi
21 hours ago
- Politics
Ishiba to Join Battle of Okinawa Ceremony 80 Years On
News from Japan Politics Jun 20, 2025 16:26 (JST) Tokyo, June 20 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will attend a memorial ceremony on Monday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday. "It's extremely important to express our renewed pledge to work for Okinawa's development and world peace by engraving the indescribable hardships experienced by its residents in our hearts, the top government spokesman told a press conference. The ceremony, to be hosted by the Okinawa prefectural government, will take place at the Peace Memorial Park in the Mabuni district of Itoman, a city in the southernmost prefecture of Japan. Hayashi said that the rest of the prime minister's schedule during his visit to Okinawa is still being arranged. The Battle of Okinawa was a major clash that happened between Japan and the United States toward the end of World War II. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Chinese navy drill near Japan sparks concern
SINGAPORE — A Chinese naval drill near Japan has sparked concern from Tokyo, which in recent days lodged a protest with Beijing and made the rare decision to publicly disclose Chinese military movements. In the last few weeks China's two aircraft carriers, the Shandong and the Liaoning, have been conducting simultaneous drills in the Pacific, in an unprecedented move. Chinese fighter jets have done hundreds of landings and take-offs from the carriers. A few came close to Japanese surveillance planes, prompting Tokyo to convey its "serious concerns" to Beijing. China has said its activities are consistent with international law and accused Japan of conducting "dangerous moves". On Tuesday, the Japanese defence ministry released a map tracing the Chinese aircraft carriers' daily positions since 25 May. Japan does not usually disclose details of foreign militaries' movements. It shows both carriers coming close to Japanese islands, and at times sailing through Japan's exclusive economic exclusive economic zone is an area beyond a country's territorial waters where that country has exclusive rights to explore and exploit marine resources, but other countries are allowed freedom of navigation through map also shows the Liaoning sailing past the "second island chain", a line of defence outlined in US foreign policy doctrine that connects Japan to Guam. This makes it the first Chinese aircraft carrier to do so , according to Japanese news defense ministry also said they had observed more than 500 landings and take-offs of Chinese fighter jets and helicopters during the 7 June, a Chinese fighter jet took off from Shandong and followed a Japanese surveillance aircraft for about 40 minutes, according to Tokyo. The next day, a Chinese fighter jet flew close to a Japanese plane for twice that duration, and crossed in front of chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said last week that they relayed to Beijing their concern about these "abnormal approaches," which could have caused accidental foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said that their "activities in relevant waters and air space are consistent with international law and international practices", and that the two countries were communicating through existing channels."Let me point out that it is the close-in reconnaissance of Japan's vessels and airplanes on China's normal military activities that has caused maritime and air security risks. China urges Japan to stop those dangerous moves," he its two carriers continue to sail through the Pacific, China's military gave an update on Tuesday on its newest carrier, the Fujian. It said sea trials were on track and the carrier is expected to enter service later this Fujian will be their first carrier that will employ electromagnetic catapults to launch their planes - a technology that currently only American aircraft carriers technology allows a carrier to launch a wider range of aircraft, and launch fighter jets much fighter jets will also be able to take off with their full fuel and weapon loads from the Fujian, noted a Global Times report, and the carrier would enable a "significantly higher" number of sorties compared to its month's drill follows February's much-scrutinised naval exercise in the Tasman Sea that prompted concern from Australia and New and Wellington had complained Beijing had given insufficient notice of the drill, and some commercial planes had to be diverted last defense minister Richard Marles later acknowledged that the naval exercise was in accordance with international law, while at the same time urging China to be more transparent about the reasons for what he called an "extraordinary military build-up".China's latest moves come as the US promises to maintain its presence in the Indo-Pacific while balancing other month US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasised the US's solidarity with the region, saying the US would not be pushed out of Asia nor allow its allies to be intimidated. China in response accused the US of being the "biggest troublemaker" in on Monday the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz left the South China Sea. Multiple outlets have reported it is moving to the Middle East, as the war between Israel and Iran deepens and the US contemplates entering the Suzuki, a professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo, said China's latest naval exercise was Beijing "testing the waters" of the US-Japan military alliance at a moment when the US is shifting its attention to the Middle East."With US assets concentrating in the Middle East, China sees this as an opportunity to escalate... so it's a sort of cunning way for China to raise the level of attention," he he added, was "not an exponential, but step-by-step, gradual escalation" as it "seeks any holes in Japan's coastal and maritime defence... they are testing the patience of Japan." — BBC
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Japan prepares planes for Iran, Israel evacuations
TOKYO: Japan has ordered military planes to be on standby to evacuate its nationals from Iran and Israel, Tokyo's top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi (pic) said on Thursday (June 19). "In view of the increasingly tense situation in the Middle East, we have decided to move Self-Defense Forces aircraft to Djibouti," he told reporters. Around 1,000 Japanese nationals are believed to live in Israel, and around 280 in Iran, defence minister Gen Nakatani said, citing the foreign ministry. The Japanese embassies in Iran and Israel are preparing to use buses to evacuate citizens to neighbouring countries, Hayashi said, as the war entered its seventh day. That could happen as early as Thursday, Hayashi added, declining to elaborate due to security concerns. The C-2 transport planes will "be on standby in order to respond promptly, should transport of Japanese nationals become necessary", Hayashi said. Earlier, Japanese media reports said Tokyo was preparing to evacuate around 90 people, including Japanese nationals and their family members, from Iran by bus. Officials were also preparing a separate operation to evacuate Japanese nationals from Israel to Jordan, Kyodo News reported on Wednesday evening. - AFP
2 days ago
- Politics
Japan Urges Restraint from Both Parties in Iran-Israel Conflict
News from Japan Politics Jun 19, 2025 16:56 (JST) Tokyo, June 19 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government on Thursday reiterated its call on both parties in the Iran-Israel conflict to exercise restraint, despite a Group of Seven statement earlier this week that condemned only Iran. "We are deeply concerned about the exchange of attacks and continue to strongly urge all parties to exercise as much self-restraint as possible," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a press conference. The G-7 statement was issued at the group's two-day summit in Canada through Tuesday. In line with the statement, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, at a press conference in Canada, did not mention his government's call for restraint from both sides. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
CNA
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Japan prepares planes for Iran, Israel evacuations
TOKYO: Japan has ordered military planes to be on standby to evacuate its nationals from Iran and Israel, Tokyo's top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Thursday (Jun 19). "In view of the increasingly tense situation in the Middle East, we have decided to move Self-Defense Forces aircraft to Djibouti," he told reporters. Around 1,000 Japanese nationals are believed to live in Israel, and around 280 in Iran, defence minister Gen Nakatani said, citing the foreign ministry. The Japanese embassies in Iran and Israel are preparing to use buses to evacuate citizens to neighbouring countries, Hayashi said, as the war entered its seventh day. That could happen as early as Thursday, Hayashi added, declining to elaborate due to security concerns. The C-2 transport planes will "be on standby in order to respond promptly, should transport of Japanese nationals become necessary", Hayshi said. Earlier, Japanese media reports said Tokyo was preparing to evacuate around 90 people, including Japanese nationals and their family members, from Iran by bus. Officials were also preparing a separate operation to evacuate Japanese nationals from Israel to Jordan, Kyodo News reported on Wednesday evening.
