# Japan
Latest news and articles about Japan
Total: 30 articles found
US Air Force Probe Finds Safety Failures After Helicopter Windblast Kills Teacher at Kadena
A U.S. Air Force investigation found that an HH-60 demonstration helicopter at Kadena Air Base flew too close to spectators on April 22, 2025, creating a windblast that toppled a Japanese teacher who later died of head injuries. The report cites planning and oversight failures and has provoked public outcry in Japan over transparency and base safety. The incident amplifies long-running tensions in Okinawa over U.S. military presence and raises questions about operational discipline, accountability, and the political costs for both Tokyo and Washington.
Tokyo Signals Action as Markets Bet on U.S.–Japan Co‑ordination to Support the Yen
Japan’s prime minister warned of decisive action after the yen reversed sharply, a move traders linked to a New York Fed inquiry that many read as a precursor to coordinated U.S.–Japan intervention. While coordination could calm markets in the short term, analysts say it would not resolve the deeper fiscal and bond market imbalances that are driving yen weakness.
Japan’s Quiet Rearmament: How a Surge in ‘Security Aid’ Is Remaking Its Regional Role
Japan’s OSA security‑aid programme has expanded rapidly in scale and scope, with the 2026 budget jumping to 18.1 billion yen and recipient lists growing across the Indo‑Pacific. Originally framed as non‑lethal capacity‑building, OSA is being used to normalise overseas defence ties, create defence industrial linkages and potentially open the door to more offensive exports if legal constraints are loosened.
Beijing Says It Is 'Handling' Appointment of Japan's Chongqing Consul — A Quiet Diplomatic Signal
China's foreign ministry said it is "handling" the appointment of Japan's new consul general in Chongqing, responding to suggestions that Beijing has delayed agrément. The terse statement leaves open whether the vacancy is a routine administrative gap or a subtle diplomatic signal amid complex Sino-Japanese relations.
Global Markets Plunge as Greenland Standoff and Japanese Fiscal Shock Trigger Risk Aversion
Global markets sold off after a U.S.–Europe standoff over Greenland and a surprise Japanese fiscal pledge sent investors fleeing risk. U.S. equity futures plunged, precious metals set records, and Japanese long-term yields spiked as bond auctions drew weak demand ahead of a looming election.
Japanese Senator Warns Takaichi’s Nuclear Talk Risks Regional Stability
Senator Kōra Saya has publicly condemned recent remarks by a senior Japanese politician advocating debate over acquiring nuclear weapons, saying they threaten regional stability and violate Japan’s postwar constitutional and non-nuclear commitments. The episode highlights a growing domestic debate over security policy that could have far-reaching implications for the U.S.-Japan alliance, regional arms dynamics, and non-proliferation norms.