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North Korea has test-fired at least one unidentified projectile from a missile base just five days after its first rocket and missile launch since 2017. The projectile was launched from a medium-range ballistic missile base as South Korean, American and Japanese officials meet in Seoul to discuss North Korea amid fears that tensions could escalate again. South Korea's military said the projectile was fired from Sino-ri in an eastwards direction at 4.30pm local time on Thursday.

North Korea reportedly launched multiple unidentified short-range "projectiles" off its eastern coast Saturday. Word of the firings was reported by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, which cited South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The South initially reported that the Communist North fired short-range missiles but later retracted that statement.

Basically leading with short dispatches saying the North Koreans did this at around 0906 am local Saturday (8:06 pm eastern USA) in Korea/Japan, about 90 minutes ago, into the Sea of Japan, traveling 70 to 200 kilometers from a launch site near Wonsan on DPRK east coast. (Report in Japanese—because fast breaking) Conservative Sankei Shimbun news, Tokyo

US gives its ties with Taiwan a $334 million upgrade TAIPEI (NYTIMES) - On June 12, in a leafy, middle-class neighbourhood in Taiwan's capital, Taipei, the unofficial, Cold War-era relationship between this island and the United States is getting a major upgrade. That is when the American Institute in Taiwan, the United States' embassy here in all but name, will hold a ceremony to formally unveil a US$250 million (S$334 million) office complex that resembles a university research centre, just with guarded gates and blast walls. Built into a lush hillside, it will be a visible boost to US ties...

"To be suspicious is not a fault. To be suspicious all the time without coming to a conclusion is the defect." -- Lu Xun Donald Trump and his campaign generals have lodged serious allegations and complaints about the 2016 Republican Party rules governing the election of delegates to the National Convention via primaries, caucuses, county/local and state conventions or a combination of these. Words such as "rigged", "fixed", "corrupt" and "broken" have been thrown at the party on state levels in the aftermath of delegates allegedly being 'poached' from the Trump Camp by the Cruz Camp, with the conspiratorial assistance...

For the second time in two weeks, Japanese TV viewers have received very fair, unfiltered and actually rather complementary TV coverage and background reports on Sarah Palin and a possible run for the presidency; in the same vein, Obama has been subjected to unprecedented scrutiny and negative reporting. One such report which aired yesterday here in Tokyo referred to the November Midterms Election as essentially a National Vote of No Confidence Against the Obama Administration. 「オバマ大統領に対しての不信任決議」

CHRISTMAS IN JAPAN can be a little lonely and isolated for the Westerner here. What with the distance from “home” and cultural differences. Little things, here and there. Missing some of the usual things from back home, especially for people like one particular 'American in Tokyo'. This year 2009 is again no different. However, in many respects I must say there is nevertheless one little thing that is so refreshing about being stuck in Japan during Christmas—after a few years—and for the occasions one cannot make it back "home". It is almost like the clock has been refreshingly and...

It's amusing to watch the Washington political establishment feign shock, now that President Barack Obama's reform administration has used a clay foot to vigorously kick one inspector general and boot another out the door. One inspector general foolishly investigated a friend of the president. Another inspector general audited those juicy bonuses given to AIG executives as part of $700 billion federal bailout of the financial industry

Christmas in Japan can be a little lonely and isolated for the Westerner. What with the distance and cultural differences. Missing the usual things from back home, especially for one 'American in Tokyo'. This year 2007 is no different. However, in many respects there is nevertheless one little thing that is so refreshing about being stuck in Japan during Christmas—after a few years--for the occasions one cannot make it back "home". It is almost like the clock has been turned back years to a simple and brighter time in our own country. An era years before the phenomenon of "political...

(Adds North Korean media report) SEOUL, Jan 4 (Reuters) - North Korea said on Friday it would boost its war deterrent, a day after the United States said it was sending its nuclear envoy back to Asia to discuss an atomic disarmament deal on which Pyongyang has missed a deadline.North Korea failed to fully account for its nuclear weapons programme or answer U.S. suspicions that it has secretly tried to enrich uranium for weapons. It was supposed to have made the declaration by the end of 2007. "(We) will further strengthen our war deterrent capabilities in response to U.S....

LONDON - The failure of North Korea to meet the "deadline" for "fessing up" to everything in its nuclear inventory should have come as no shock to anyone. The only surprise is that US diplomats and (Bush Administration) spokespeople persisted in saying North Korean disablement of its nuclear program was "on track" and all that was needed to complete this "phase" of the deal was for the North to produce that list. Now the all-patient US State Department is saying all is fine, "They should not sacrifice completeness and accuracy for speed," said nuclear envoy Christopher Hill as he prepared...

TOKYO, Dec 27 (Reuters) - North Korea may slow the pace of disablement of its nuclear facilities, blaming a delay in the delivery of energy aid promised under a disarmament deal, Kyodo news agency reported, quoting a Pyongyang official. "There is a delay in the implementation of economic compensation obligations to be undertaken by the other countries in the six-party talks," Hyun Hak Bong, deputy director of the North Korean Foreign Ministry's American affairs bureau, was quoted as saying late on Wednesday. "We have no choice but to take measures to adjust" he added, referring to the pace of disablement...

FORT HUACHUCA - Some soldiers being trained at this Southern Arizona Army post will go directly to a combat zone as part of special small human intelligence teams, unmanned aerial vehicle platoons or larger units. Maj. Gen. James Marks, who commands the Intelligence Center and the fort, said it is critical for the Army to have trained intelligence soldiers who can be rapidly deployed to begin work in some of the world's hot spots, especially in Iraq, where there is a massive exchange of soldiers. "Right now we are in the middle of relief in place or transfer of authority....

December 2, 2003The Honorable Mr. Ryozo Kato Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryEmbassy of Japan2520 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20008 Dear Mr. Ambassador: It was very shocking and saddening to learn of the untimely deaths of two Japan Foreign Ministry personnel stationed to Iraq in order to assist in reconstruction. It must be a great loss for the Foreign Ministry not to mention for the bereaved families and for all of Japan to have Third Secretary Masamori Inoue and Counselor Katsuhiko Oku brutally stolen away by an act of unforgivable and unfathomable violence. It is still inconceivable--if not an outrage--that...