Free Republic

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Following U.S. warnings to North Korea of a “massive military response,” South Korea fired missiles into the sea to simulate an attack on the North’s main nuclear test site on Monday, a day after North Korea detonated its largest-ever nuclear test explosion. South Korea’s Defense Ministry also said Monday that North Korea appeared to be planning a future missile launch, possibly of an ICBM, to show off its claimed ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons, though it was unclear when this might happen. The heated words from the United States and the...

TOKYO — Japanese Emperor Akihito's oldest grandchild, Princess Mako, says she is getting married to her university classmate who won her heart with bright smiles and sincerity. Mako and her fiancé Kei Komuro told a joint news conference Sunday their relationship started when Mako sat behind him at a campus meeting five years ago at Tokyo's International Christian University, where they graduated from. Palace officials say their wedding is expected next year. Mako says she fell in love with his "smiles like the sun," sincerity and a big heart. Mako's 83-year-old grandfather, Emperor Akihito, is expected to abdicate in late...

Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso sparked outrage Tuesday after suggesting that the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, who persecuted millions and sought the extermination of the Jewish people, had the “right motives.” The comment was made in an address to lawmakers of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party to provide an example that politicians are remembered for the results they achieve regardless of their motivations. “Hitler, who killed millions of people, is evil even if his motive was right,” Aso said, as quoted by the Japanese Kyodo news agency. The remarks sparked outrage, and the main opposition Democratic Party questioned his...

THE United States has carried out a second test of a bomb, described as the most dangerous nuclear weapon ever produced, as tensions with North Korea escalate. US authorities confirmed the test was successful and the B61-12 gravity bomb is expected to go into production within three years. The B61-12 gravity bombs were 'inert' but they were dropped from F-15E fighter jets at Tonopah Test Range in Nevada on August 8, the National Nuclear Security Administration said. The tests were intended to check the bomb’s “non-nuclear functions and the aircraft’s capability to deliver the weapon.” Despite the weapons' nuclear capability...

Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarō Asō spoke during a Liberal-Democratic party convention in a way which seemingly praised Adolf Hitler’s policies. “I am not doubting a politician’s motives,” Asō said. “I don’t question your motives (to be a politician). But the results are important. Hitler, who killed millions of people, was no good, even if his motives were right.”Asō’s statement ignited the fury of Jewish organizations around the world. The Simon Wiesenthal Center in the US harshly condemned Asō, saying his words “are dangerous.” The center’s Rabbi Abraham Cooper said, “This is just the latest of a troubling list of...

The anti-whaling organisation Sea Shepherd will not contest the Southern Ocean against Japanese whalers this season, Captain Paul Watson has announced, accusing “hostile governments” in the US, Australia and New Zealand of acting “in league with Japan” against the protest vessel. Sea Shepherd has been obstructing Japanese whaling vessels in the Southern Ocean each year since 2005, but Watson said the cost of sending vessels south, Japan’s increased use of military technology to track them, and new anti-terrorism laws passed specifically to thwart Sea Shepherd’s activities made physically tracking the ships impossible.

An H-6K with targeting pods, photographed by Japanese Air Self Defence Force. (Photo: Japan Ministry of Defence) Though it has not received media attention equal to its fighter counterparts, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) bomber fleet is steadily being modernized, and plans call for a next generation stealthy, multi-role bomber. The Xian Aircraft Corporation (XAC) H-6K bomber proved its capabilities during the Aviadarts 2017 competition held earlier this month in China, edging out the Russian Tu-22M3/M3M Backfire in the bomber category. Chinese analysts credit the win to newer navigation systems and targeting radar, as well as rigorous aircrew...

Emergency being broadcast on NHK

TOKYO -- Japan could be on the verge of exporting its first piece of finished defense equipment. The government is considering sales of the Air Self-Defense Force's latest transport aircraft, the C-2, to the United Arab Emirates, The Nikkei learned on Saturday. Government ministries are already providing specifications and other related information about the vehicle to the UAE. Now the two countries have to conclude a treaty regarding the transfer of defense equipment and technology -- an essential step before the C-2 can be sent to the UAE. The C-2, developed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, has a cruising range of...

Russian Tupolev-95MS bombers flew over neutral waters accompanied by Sukhoi-35S fighter jets and an A-50 early warning and control aircraft, its defence ministry has said. It gave no details about the overall number of aircraft that had taken part in what it called a pre-arranged flight - or why the mission took place. The flight, which also included planes with advanced intelligence gathering capabilities, was announced on the same day as Moscow complained about the US-South Korean war games. Russia, which shares a border with North Korea, has repeatedly voiced concerns about rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula following Pyongyang's...

Pictures have surfaced from China's internet supposedly showing a new derivative of the People's Liberation Air Force's Xian H-6 bomber. This incarnation of the H-6, dubbed the H-6N, is designed to carry one weapon in particular—the DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile. The base H-6 is itself a derivative of the Tu-16 Badger, a Soviet designed aircraft from the dawn of jet age that took its first flight 65 years ago. China started building the Tu-16 under license as the H-6 in 1959. Since then the country has evolved the H-6 design somewhat radically, using new building materials and techniques, advanced avionics...

ATLANTA - Former United States President Jimmy Carter released a statement Thursday after the recent comments made back and forth between United States officials and North Korea. Here is the statement: ======================================================= "The harsh rhetoric from Washington and Pyongyang during recent months has exacerbated an already confrontational relationship between our countries, and has probably eliminated any chance of good faith peace talks between the United States and North Korea. In addition to restraining the warlike rhetoric, our leaders need to encourage talks between North Korea and other countries, especially China and Russia. The recent UN Security Council unanimous vote for...

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that she opposed any use of force to resolve the conflict with North Korea, after President Donald Trump said the US military was “locked and loaded”. “I don’t envision a military solution to this conflict, but rather consistent work as we’ve observed at the United Nations Security Council,” Merkel told reporters. “Germany will very intensively take part in the options for resolution that are not military, but I consider a verbal escalation to be the wrong response,” she said when asked about Trump’s latest tweets on North Korea. Merkel called for “very close cooperation”...

Japan just sent a strong message to the rest of the world. That despite the liberal media’s attempts to sow chaos all is well and good, and they support President Trump and America. And are ready to take action to prove it. 14 SHARES SHARE THIS STORY Japan just sent a strong message to the rest of the world. That despite the liberal media’s attempts to sow chaos all is well and good, and they support President Trump and America. And are ready to take action to prove it. Advertisement Allies are important as President Trump knows and if you...

In the event of a North Korean nuclear attack on Guam, Japan’s new defense minister said Thursday that his country’s military could shoot down the missiles before they reach the U.S. territory. In such a scenario, Japan has the right to activate its Aegis destroyer missile defense system, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said during a session of the National Diet, Japan’s parliament. Any attack against Guam would be considered an existential threat to Japan, the defense minister said, also citing a mutual defense agreement with the United States.....

North Korea's military is "examining the operational plan" to strike areas around the US territory of Guam with medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic missiles, state-run news agency KCNA said early Wednesday local time. Specifically, the statement mentioned a potential strike on Andersen Air Force Base designed "to send a serious warning signal to the US." The base is one of two on the Pacific island, which are the closest bases on US soil to North Korea, and represent the westernmost tip of the country's military might. The North Korea comments were published after US President Donald Trump warned Pyongyang that if it...

Dear Hush-Kit, I am generally a happy man, but there is one thing in life that leaves me confused and angry: I can’t get my head around all the different Chinese Flankers (I refuse to put that word in inverted commas). Please please could you explain the differences without drowning me in details? Yours hopefully, Jeffrey Bainbridge, Luton OK Jeffrey, no problem. I will do my best. Where I fail, better informed readers will gently correct me in the comments section. So first of all we have the Shenyang J-11 The J-11 was just a Russian Su-27SK provided as a...

China’s first home-grown aircraft carrier, the Type 001A, is likely to join the navy of the People’s Liberation Army by late next year, earlier than scheduled, analysts said. The earlier-than-expected start to the carrier’s service marks a key acceleration of China’s effort to build up a blue-water navy to secure the country’s key maritime trade routes and to challenge the US’s dominant position in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. China has one aircraft carrier in operation now - the Liaoning, which went into commission in 2012. The 300-metre ship was refurbished...

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States could shortly broaden talks on a push for stronger United Nations sanctions on North Korea to include all 15 Security Council members, signaling a likely deal with China on new measures, diplomats said on Thursday. Since North Korea's July 4 launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the United States has been negotiating with Pyongyang ally China on a draft resolution to impose new sanctions on North Korea, which fired a second ICBM last Friday. "We have been working very hard for some time and we certainly hope that this is going to...

WASHINGTON/DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and rival Mazda Motor Corp are expected to announce plans on Friday to build a $1.6 billion U.S assembly plant as part of a new joint venture, a person briefed on the matter said. The plant will be capable of producing 300,000 vehicles a year, with production divided between the two automakers, and employ about 4,000 people when it opens in 2021, the person said on Thursday. A new auto plant would be a major boost to U.S. President Donald Trump, who campaigned on promises to boost manufacturing and expand employment for American...