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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Shigeru Ishiba is set to be appointed Japan's prime minister on Tuesday.</li><li>On Friday, he narrowly won the presidency of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party.</li></ul>Shigeru Ishiba, a former defense and agriculture minister, is set to become Japan's next prime minister.The 67-year-old narrowly won the presidency of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Friday. He will be elected prime minister by the LDP-controlled parliament on Tuesday."Trusting in the people and speaking the truth with courage and sincerity, I will do my utmost to make this nation of Japan a safe and secure country where everyone can once again live with a smile," Ishiba said after the results were announced.Ishiba is a self-professed lone wolf who claims to read three books per day, per <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/japan/shigeru-ishiba-outsider-set-lead-japan-2024-09-27/">Reuters</a>. This was his fifth try at getting the top job.His leadership is likely to transform Japan's military alliance with the US, as well as have wider implications for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/this-new-us-missile-system-keeps-upsetting-china-mrc-typon-2024-9">the region's security.</a>According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/japans-next-leader-shigeru-ishiba-pushes-to-remake-military-alliance-with-u-s-5da81109?mod=hp_lead_pos3">The Wall Street Journal</a>, Ishiba wants to transform what he believes to be an unbalanced military alliance with Washington.The publication noted that Japan hosts around 55,000 US troops on its territory and bears the majority of the operating costs of these bases.According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Japan has the highest number of permanently stationed US service members in the world.Ishiba has previously called for turning US bases in Japan into joint US-Japanese operations. He also wants some Japanese soldiers to be permanently based in the US, per the AP.Ishiba is a vocal defender of Taiwan's democracy and called for an Asian version of NATO earlier this month, a suggestion the US <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rt.com/news/604248-us-asian-nato-japan/">shot down</a>.Speaking to lawmakers before the runoff, he pledged to put the party's "hearts into protecting Japan, local areas, rules, and the people of Japan," per <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/27/japan-shigeru-ishiba-prime-minister-liberal-democratic-party">The Guardian</a>.Some of the biggest military threats he will have to contend with include China's increasing assertiveness as well as China's and North Korea's missile tests.On Wednesday, a Japanese destroyer reportedly crossed the Taiwan Strait as a countermeasure to China under the orders of his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, officials told Japan's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-warship-sailed-taiwan-strait-first-time-decades-officials-china-2024-9">Yomiuri</a> newspaper.That same day, China carried out its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-icbm-launch-into-pacific-was-first-in-44-years-2024-9">first known test</a> of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean in more than four decades.However, Japan's military is beset by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3270174/japan-military-hiring-hit-low-birth-rate-pay-many-reluctant-give-good-life">recruiting challenges</a> and is experiencing manpower shortages. Japan has also struggled to ramp up its domestic weapons <a target="_blank" href="https://www.voanews.com/a/japan-struggles-to-boost-defense-industry-amid-china-s-military-ambitions/7219689.html">production</a>, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2024/05/27/japan/japan-security-constitution-public-opinion/">public opinion</a> favoring the country's pacifist tradition.The US ambassador to Japan <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/USAmbJapan/status/1839555680220406257 ">posted on X</a> that he was looking forward to strengthening the US-Japan alliance.The yen rose more than 1% against the dollar after the results were announced. According to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/dollar-drifts-risk-sensitive-currencies-lifted-by-china-optimism-2024-09-27/">Reuters</a>, the markets had been expecting the victory of hardline nationalist Sanae Takaichi.

Japan's new prime minister could try to shake up the country's military pact with the US

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russia this week launched large-scale naval and air drills with China.</li><li>Military cooperation between the two powers is growing.</li></ul>China and Russia have long railed against what they claim is the malign influence of US power. Now, they're sending a signal to the West that they have the combined military strength to challenge <keyword id="22115694" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-dominance" source="keywords">US dominance</keyword>. On Tuesday, the Russian military launched large-scale naval and air drills in the <keyword id="21182587" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sea-of-Japan" source="keywords">Sea of Japan</keyword> alongside China. Taking place in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Mediterranean, Caspian, and Baltic Seas, the "Ocean-24" exercise is massive in scale. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, it involves more than 400 warships, submarines, and support vessels, more than 120 planes and helicopters, and more than 90,000 troops. "This exercise aims to deepen the <keyword id="20275236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="strategic-cooperation" source="keywords">strategic cooperation</keyword> level between the Chinese and Russian militaries and enhance their ability to jointly deal with security threats," China's Defense Ministry said Monday, reported <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/09/09/china-to-hold-military-drills-with-russia-this-month-a86302">the AFP newswire.</a> It's the second time in only three months that the powers have held joint <keyword id="20252562" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="military-exercises" source="keywords">military exercises</keyword>, with drills held near the southern Chinese port of Guangdong in July. It's a sign of the growing military alignment of the powers, with the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/ChinaPowerCSIS/status/1821607307702108546">China Power Project finding</a> that of the 102 joint exercises held by the militaries since 2003, more than half took place in the last seven years. Graeme Thompson, an analyst with the Eurasia Group, told Business Insider that Russia and China were sending a message. "Russia's naval exercises are intended to signal that Moscow is still a global power that can operate in a range of blue-water theaters around the world," he said. "China's participation is part of a long-running trend of deeper Sino-Russian strategic cooperation and military integration." <h2>An <keyword id="23230129" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anti-US" source="keywords">anti-US</keyword> axis</h2> <div type="image" title="Putin and Xi walking past a row of Chinese soldiers in full dress uniforms holding rifles and standing to attention" height="632" width="1024" msid="113295564" hostid="261"></div>On the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China's leader Xi Jinping and Russia's President Vladimir Putin declared a "no limits" partnership as part of their shared mission to challenge US global dominance. In the three years since, China has provided Russia with crucial diplomatic and economic support as it faced isolation over the Ukraine invasion, and, according to the US, is providing the Kremlin with increasing support for its weapons industry. In defiance of the West, both nations are flexing their power and showcasing their capacity to project military strength. The Pacific, where the US and its allies, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-aircraft-carrier-south-korea-north-korea-russia-putin-kim-2024-6">South Korea and Japan, have a major</a> naval presence, is a potential flash point. The joint exercises are taking place in the Sea of Japan and Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. China and Russia both have territorial disputes with Japan, while China is menacing Taiwan with invasion, a move that could trigger conflict with the US. "There's clearly an intention on the part of Beijing and Moscow to show that they can jointly project power in the Indo-Pacific," Thompson said. China's continuing to strengthen its partnership with Russia despite increasingly stark criticism<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nato-accused-china-supplying-russia-arms-components-ukraine-war-2024-7"> from the West.</a> The July military exercises came after NATO accused China of being a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war in Ukraine. <h2>Great power competition intensifies</h2> <div type="image" title="A large explosion behind two US military armoured vehicles during a military show in Alaska" height="683" width="1024" msid="113295563" hostid="261"></div>Some experts are warning that joint Russian and Chinese military strength poses a serious challenge to the West. It's a potential threat on a scale the US hasn't faced in decades, with its military focused on fighting militant groups in the face of chaos in the Middle East. "A full-scale China-Russia alliance would present the United States with a threat unlike any it has confronted since the end of the Cold War," analyst Chels Michta wrote in an <a target="_blank" href="https://cepa.org/author/chels-michta/">article for the Center for European Policy Analysis last November.</a> The Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ida.org/-/media/feature/publications/A/Am/Americas%20Strategic%20Posture/Strategic-Posture-Commission-Report.pdf"> States last October </a>urged the Pentagon to urgently revise its strategy so it could potentially fight both powers at the same time. Some analysts, though, are pointing to tensions between Russia and China that could weaken the alliance. Russia has become a junior partner to Xi's China, and it is increasingly reliant on it to keep its war machine and economy running. And China is likely using the war in Ukraine for its own purposes, to weaken and distract the West as it plans a possible attack on Taiwan, analysts at the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/russia-and-china-true-nature-their-cooperation">Royal United Services Institute in the UK wrote in July.</a> But for now, the alliance is growing closer, and Thompson said that the US would be watching the latest military exercises between Russia and China closely. "This is yet another signal that the geopolitical environment continues to deteriorate amid ongoing great power competition," he said. Correction: September 12, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misspelled the surname of an analyst with the Eurasia Group. It's Thompson, not Thomson.

Russia and China's anti-US alliance is growing even more threatening

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new Japanese government report may be readying its public for the possibility of war.</li><li>It expands on the threats it faces from Russia, China and North Korea.</li></ul>Japan's newest strategic review names China, North Korea and Russia as threats to Japanese security.That's hardly a revelation. But it is a change from previous years when the Japanese government was more circumspect about publicly identifying potential enemies. In fact, the theme of the 2024 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mod.go.jp/en/publ/w_paper/index.html">"Defense of Japan"</a> report may be to prepare the Japanese public for more defense spending and the possibility of war."The biggest change is in the description of the regional security environment," Nicholas Szechenyi, a Japan expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider. "Instead of vague references to 'changes to the status quo by force,' the white paper now refers more explicitly to Chinese coercion and the North Korea threat. Clearer explanations of the threats to Japan's national security will prove critical as the government seeks public support for an ambitious defense spending plan."The review is part of a reconsideration of Japan's needs in the face of growing threats from its well-armed neighbors, especially China. Japan reserves its military only for self-defense and has avoided entering any armed conflict since its defeat in World War II.The 2024 paper —of which only a summary has been released — includes more details about the Chinese threat to Japan, including joint Chinese-Russian exercises. China has "conducted joint bomber flights and naval navigations with Russia in the vicinity of Japan," the paper said. "These repeated joint activities are clearly intended for demonstration of force against Japan and are a grave concern from the perspective of the national security of Japan."The Ministry of Defense also challenged the legality of Chinese operations in the South China Sea, which China claims as its own territorial waters despite an international court judgment to the contrary. "China has intensified its activities in the South China Sea based on assertions, which are conflicting with existing orders of the seas, and promoting the establishment of military bases," the official paper said. "Such actions to further promote unilateral change of the status quo by force and turning it into a fait accompli are serious concerns to Japan."The paper also highlighted North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, including ICBMs, nuclear-armed cruise missiles, and hypersonic weapons. "North Korea is focusing on qualitatively improving its nuclear and missile capabilities, such as diversifying its equipment systems and acquiring intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) means that complement its nuclear and missile operational capabilities," the paper said.The 2024 paper reiterated the Japanese government's commitment to the 2022 Defense Buildup Plan, a five-year effort that includes development of stand-off anti-ship missiles to repel a Chinese amphibious assault on the disputed islands and mainland Japan. The 43 trillion yen (US$287 billion) plan also calls for development of hypersonic missiles, as well as drones such as robotic amphibious landing vehicles.Besides external threats and new equipment, the paper highlighted a critical need for the Japan Self-Defense Forces: more people. While militaries in many developed nations are struggling to recruit personnel, this is particularly acute in Japan, where <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/18/asia/japan-elderly-population-workforce-intl-hnk/index.html">sharply declining birth rates</a> and barriers to immigration have resulted in a population where almost 30%is over age 65. Nor is military service seen as attractive in an economy with an unemployment rate of just 2.5%.While the paper promised the JSDF would improve pay and working conditions, experts are not convinced this will solve the problem."There are other things that the MOD needs to do, such as expanding the reserve force component which can be done by adjusting the recruitment regime and also better integrating them with the active component," Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi, an adjunct senior fellow at the Honolulu-based Pacific Forum think tank, told Business Insider. "The problem is that such changes will require adjustments in laws and also various arrangements with the civilian sector."Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

Japan's latest strategy review names the growing threats it faces 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Japan says a Chinese surveillance plane violated its airspace on Monday.</li><li>It's the first recorded incursion by China into Japan's airspace.</li></ul>Japan on Monday said that a Chinese military plane violated its territorial airspace for the first time.The Japanese government<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15403036"> said a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance</a> plane had flown over the Danjo islands, west of the island of Kyushu, for around two minutes.At a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinese-militarys-airspace-violation-is-utterly-unacceptable-japan-says-2024-08-27/"> </a>described the intrusion as "utterly unacceptable" and said it was"not only a serious violation of Japan's sovereignty but also threatens our security.""In recent years, China's military activities in the vicinity of our country have tended to expand and become more and more active," he said.Japan scrambled its jets in response to the intrusion, the <a target="_blank" href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/japan-scrambles-jets-chinese-aircraft-141556130.html">AFP news wire reported</a><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/japan-scrambles-jets-chinese-aircraft-141556130.html">, </a>though no clashes with Chinese planes were reported.The Japanese foreign ministry said it had summoned China's top diplomat in Tokyo to protest the incident.In recent years, China has become an increasingly assertive military presence in East Asia, and tensions are ratcheting up between Beijing and the US' regional allies, including Japan.Japan scrambled jets in response to Chinese military activity near its airspace 392 times last year,<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://news.usni.org/2024/01/23/japan-scrambled-fighters-555-times-in-the-last-3-months-of-2023-defense-ministry-says"> according to the US Naval Institute,</a> but Monday's incursion is believed to be unprecedented.Among the issues behind the increase in tensions is the dispute over the Senkaku Islands (referred to as Diaoyu Islands in China), which Japan administers but China claims sovereignty over.The Chinese Coast Guard has entered Japanese waters near the islands several times, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinese-armed-vessels-patrol-waters-around-disputed-islands-angering-japan-2024-06-07/">including an incident in June,</a> and Japan has increased its military presence in the region.China has also clashed with the Philippines over disputed territory in the South China Sea, India over disputed Himalayan territory, and claims to own the entire independently governed island of Taiwan.Analysts believe that seizing control of Taiwan is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xi-biden-china-going-take-over-taiwan-war-report-apec-2023-12">among Chinese leader Xi Jinping's core goals,</a> but such a move could spark open conflict with the US and its allies, which have offered ambiguous pledges over whether they'd help defend the islands from attack.

Japan says China's increasingly aggressive air force breached its airspace for the first time ever

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Japan Airlines has offered free domestic flights to international tourists visiting Japan.</li><li>The initiative aims to promote travel to lesser-known destinations.</li></ul>Japan Airlines is giving <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-airlines-free-domestic-flights-us-international-how-to-book-2024-9">free domestic flights</a> to international tourists, making travel to smaller cities and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tips-for-going-to-japan-avoid-mistakes-travel-advice-2024-7">hidden gems</a> far easier.But travel experts say the initiative is likely to backfire, as it could exacerbate the country's overtourism problem.The initiative was announced in September and is available to people traveling to Japan from the <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-american-wishes-she-knew-before-visiting-japan-mistakes-2024-9">US</a>, Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, China, and Taiwan.In order to obtain the free tickets, passengers must book round-trip international flights with Japan Airlines and domestic flights within the same purchase.A spokesperson for Japan Airlines said no end date has been set for the initiative.<h2 id="e067d43f-7a22-42e9-a0bf-597ba6c4f4a3">It could intensify over-tourism</h2>Sara Aiko, founder of the travel agency <a target="_blank" href="http://www.curatedkyoto.com/">Curated Kyoto, </a>told BI that the initiative was likely created to distribute tourism to lesser-known areas to alleviate overtourism in the capital.But in practice, Aiko said, "people will continue to flock to popular destinations like Tokyo, regardless of free tickets, because they are major attractions."<div type="image" title="A woman with a backpack walks through the streets of Tokyo." height="4749" width="6888" msid="114154442" hostid="261" sizebytes="1396134"></div>Earlier this year, the Japanese government estimated that it would surpass <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="c-link" href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/04/17/japan/society/record-high-inbound-travelers/">its target of getting 32 million international tourists by 2025</a> after 8.6 million people visited in the first quarter of 2024.Ben Julius is the founder of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.touristjapan.com/about/">Tourist Japan</a>, a travel agency that offers tour packages across Japan to travelers from around the globe.Speaking to BI, Julius said around 90% of his clients visit the same popular locations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Mount Fuji, and Osaka."The majority of visitors are first-time visitors," he said. "And when people visit Japan for the first time, they won't miss the must-see cities."However, overtourism in these areas is majorly disrupting the lives of locals, who have to deal with rising hotel prices and misbehaving tourists."Hotel prices have skyrocketed due to tourism, making it difficult for many locals to stay at places they used to enjoy," Aiko said.Meanwhile, in April, authorities in Yamanashi erected an eight-foot-tall barrier to prevent tourists from taking photos at a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-town-building-barrier-stop-tourists-taking-mount-fuji-photos-2024-4">convenience store with views of Mount Fuji</a>.<div type="image" title="A view of Mount Fuji behind a convenience store." height="2828" width="4242" msid="114154441" hostid="261" sizebytes="260872"></div>The move came after complaints about the behavior of international tourists, including littering and bad parking.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg2j7dery1o">BBC News</a> reported in August that the barrier had been removed in preparation for a typhoon, but authorities said it would be re-erected if tourists returned in large numbers.Duncan Greenfield-Turk, CEO of the travel agency <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://globaltravelmoments.com/">Global Travel Moments</a>, told BI that Japan has been a top-booked destination for his clients for the past three years.He said he has noticed the "immersive pressure" on the country's public transport system, hotels, and attractions, "particularly in smaller towns not equipped for mass tourism."International visitor spending is expected to reach 6.3 trillion Japanese yen, or around $42 billion, by the end of 2024, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://wttc.org/news-article/japans-travel-and-tourism-sector-to-surpass-previous-records-in-2024">research</a> by the World Travel and Tourism Council.Employment within the travel and tourism industry is also expected to climb. The organization estimates more than 6 million new jobs will be created this year, which they said is a 10% increase from 2023.One reason tourists are spending more money is the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-weak-currency-yen-boosts-foreign-tourism-luxury-purchases-travel-2024-4">weak yen</a>. Since the start of 2022, the yen has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/graphics/JAPAN-YEN/EXPLAINER/xmvjnxjmbvr/">lost more than 20% against the dollar,</a> and it reached a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/dollar-defensive-amid-lower-yields-yen-hovers-near-38-year-trough-2024-07-03/">38-year low</a> of 161.96 to the dollar in July.Greenfield-Turk said Japan Airlines' initiative has the potential to stretch the economic benefits of mass tourism to less-visited areas.However, without proper direction, he said it "could simply encourage more travel to already strained regions, intensifying the overtourism problem.""If tourists continue to gravitate toward popular destinations rather than exploring new ones, the initiative could backfire," he said.There's also the possibility that tourists will opt out of the new initiative.Amy Thomasson, a Japan travel advisor for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.travelmation.net/">Travelmation</a>, told BI that it "doesn't make sense for most travelers" because of the additional costs that could be accumulated.The airline said travelers from the US, Canada, Mexico, and China who plan to stay in their first destination for more than 24 hours will be charged a $100 layover fee.Instead, Thomasson suggests that tourists utilize Japan's high-speed trains.Business Insider's Monica Humphries previously wrote about her experience traveling between Tokyo and Kyoto on the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/riding-japans-bullet-trains-between-tokyo-kyoto-2023-7">Hikari Shinkansen</a>, a high-speed bullet train, and noted that it was clean, comfortable, and quick.

Japan is giving free flights to international tourists, but it may backfire

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Japan is investigating one of its naval destroyers after it sailed into Chinese waters near Taiwan.</li><li>Japanese media reported that the incident occurred on July 4 as China conducted live-fire drills.</li></ul>Japan's defense ministry is investigating officers of a naval destroyer that entered Chinese territorial waters for about 20 minutes on July 4, according to local reports.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/07/28ac44dc7400-japan-destroyer-sailed-into-china-territorial-waters-despite-warnings.html">Kyodo News reported on Thursday</a> that the Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Suzutsuki was monitoring Chinese live-fire drills on the coast of China's Zhejiang province when it pushed into Chinese territory.Zhejiang's maritime authority <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.msa.gov.cn/page/article.do?articleId=9E448C69-A56B-43EB-98DD-C251EF856FB6&amp;channelId=8E10EA74-EB9E-4C96-90F8-F891968ADD80">issued a notice on July 3</a> saying it would conduct live-fire drills from 6 a.m. on July 4 to 10 p.m. the next day, designating a no-sail zone on the coast.Per Kyodo News, the Suzutsuki approached the no-sail zone on July 4 and was told by Chinese vessels to turn back, but accelerated and continued deeper into Chinese territory.The vessel was about 12 nautical miles from Zhejiang's coast, the outlet reported, citing two anonymous officials.Zhejiang is one of mainland China's closest provinces to Taiwan.The Suzutsuki departed Chinese waters about 20 minutes later, and Kyodo News sources said they suspected the accident may have been caused by a "procedural error."However, Japanese authorities have yet to publicly explain exactly what caused the maritime incident. Kyodo News reported that the captain of the Suzutsuki is being questioned by Japan's defense ministry.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part2.htm">International law</a> allows ships from one state to pass through another's territory as long as the vessel does not threaten the latter's security."At the very least, there is no legal problem," a Japanese government official told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.sankei.com/article/20240711-2HO757X2WZO5XOHNZXLCWBUOXE/">local outlet Sankei Shimbun.</a>However, Kyodo News cited Chinese diplomatic officials saying that Beijing believes the Suzutsuki broke Chinese laws by failing to request entry.According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-navy-destroyer-enters-china-waters-near-taiwan-sparking-beijing-concerns-2024-07-11/">Reuters</a>, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that his office had lodged a complaint with Japan's government over the Suzutsuki's "illegal and improper actions."The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/equipment/ships/dd/akizuki/">Suzutsuki</a> is an Akizuki-class destroyer, which is about 500 feet long and can take a crew of about 200.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.sankei.com/article/20240711-UWCJKFVKGRLG7KXY6DR6N6YWQI/">Sankei Shimbun</a> reported that the destroyer was scheduled for several public viewings in Akita, Hachinohe, and Aomori throughout July, but these showings have since been canceled.The risk of war between both nations because of this maritime incident is low, despite coming as Sino-Japanese relations remain tense, Ian Ja Chong, an assistant professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, told Business Insider."But it doesn't seem that the PRC is really playing things up that much," said Chong, referring to China's full official name.Japan's investigation into the ship's captain may soothe China's indignance, he added."It gives Beijing an off-ramp. The issue is whether they want to take it," he said.Tokyo has also often noted China's incursions into its own waters, Chong said.China has repeatedly sent armed coast guard vessels to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/29/asia/chinese-ships-japan-senkaku-islands-intl-hnk-ml/index.html">patrol waters around the Senkaku islands</a>, which are under Japanese control. Beijing claims the islands are China's, and calls them the Diaoyu islands.Chinese naval ships have also entered Japanese waters before, including in February 2023, when a survey vessel encroached into <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/02/219ec09fe4a0-chinese-navy-vessel-enters-japan-waters-near-kagoshima-pref-islands.html#google_vignette">Japan's territorial waters near Kagoshima prefecture.</a>Press centers for the Japanese defense ministry and China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent by Business Insider.July 12, 2023: This story was updated to reflect commentary from Ian Ja Chong, a professor at the National University of Singapore/

Japan is scrambling to explain why its naval destroyer pushed into Chinese waters where Beijing was conducting live-fire drills near Taiwan

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Several passengers fell ill on two separate flights from Guam to Tokyo.</li><li>Local news reported they were all students and teachers from the same high school.</li></ul>Dozens of passengers fell ill with symptoms of food poisoning on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-new-international-routes-2025-list-fifth-freedom-2024-10">United Airlines</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-airlines-free-flights-initiative-could-backfire-experts-2024-10">Japan Airlines</a> flights last Thursday.Both flights were traveling from Guam, an island in the western Pacific Ocean, to Tokyo Narita Airport.The Japanese national broadcaster <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20241108/k10014632341000.html">NHK</a> reported the illness affected 27 students and teachers from the same high school traveling across both flights. It added that their symptoms included vomiting and fevers.In a statement shared with Business Insider, United said that "several customers showed signs of possible food poisoning."It added that it activated its "in-flight medical service" before landing and worked with Tokyo health authorities on arrival.Japan Airlines told BI that 16 passengers traveling together fell ill on Flight 942. The airline added that their illnesses weren't caused by its inflight meals.Six of them had stomach pains and other symptoms before boarding, while nine felt ill after takeoff and another one after landing, it added.In a similar incident earlier this year, United Airlines had to briefly ground a jet for deep cleaning.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-briefly-grounds-plane-after-30-passengers-fall-ill-2024-6">A group of passengers fell ill</a> with symptoms such as vomiting, although as they were all returning from the same cruise, it appeared similarly not to have been caused by inflight meals.Airlines have strict and thorough cleaning processes to avoid incidents of mass illness.Perhaps the most infamous one took place on a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flight-vomit-air-canada-diarrhea-delta-japan-air-lines-sickness-2023-9">Japan Airlines flight in 1975</a>, when 197 people fell ill after some of the meals were believed to be contaminated by Staphylococcus bacteria, which caused food poisoning.

Dozens of passengers on 2 different flights to Japan fell ill with symptoms like vomiting and stomach pain

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The UN Security Council met on Monday to press North Korea on nuclear non-proliferation.</li><li>Pyongyang had days earlier launched a new ICBM, which recorded North Korea's longest launch trajectory.</li></ul>Pyongyang went loud and proud on Monday about its plans for nuclear weapons as the United Nations grilled its representative over a recent missile launch."We will accelerate and will not let up on the build-up of our nuclear force that can counter any threat presented by hostile nuclear weapons states," said Kim Song, the North Korean ambassador to the UN, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbH_GEkkaw4">at a Security Council meeting.</a>"There will ever never be any change in this line," he added, referring to North Korea as a "responsible nuclear weapon state."Kim's statement comes as Japan reported that North Korea fired at least <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-fires-missile-south-korea-military-says-2024-11-04/">seven short-range ballistic missiles</a> from its east coast that ultimately fell into Japan-administrated waters.Launched on the eve of the US election, the missiles were characterized by Pyongyang as a response to recent joint military drills between the US, South Korea, and Japan involving their long-range bombers.Those joint drills were a signal to North Korea after its Thursday launch of what it said was a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile dubbed the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-new-icbm-missile-test-how-effective-2024-11">Hwasong-19</a>, which also landed in the Sea of Japan.Its trajectory was recorded as Pyongyang's longest-ever ballistic missile test, reaching an altitude of about 4,780 miles, though <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-responsible-for-new-north-korea-icbm-weapon-experts-say-2023-8">previous tests</a> have extended further in latitudinal distance.The US, Japan, and South Korea have condemned the launch.In his comments to the UN, Kim said the Hwasong-19 had "no slightest negative impact on the security of the neighboring countries."The UN Security Council had met on Monday to discuss the Hwasong-19 launch and to press North Korea on nuclear non-proliferation, but Kim instead blasted the meeting as "unlawful.""Today, the nuclear threat of the United States against the DPRK has already reached a critical point in terms of its scale and dangerous level," he said.<h2 id="0a21b4c2-3483-489e-b89e-c50366c67c1b">The US says North Korea 'emboldened' by Russia and China</h2>The US, in turn, accused Russia and China of protecting North Korea."Shielded from closer scrutiny of its sanctions-violating activities by Moscow and Beijing, Pyongyang, unsurprisingly, has been emboldened to continue advancing its unlawful ballistic missile and nuclear WMD programs," said Robert Wood, the deputy US ambassador to the UN.North Korean ties with Russia have more recently come under the spotlight as Moscow <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zelenskyy-ukraine-north-korean-troops-preemptively-long-range-strike-restrictions-2024-11">receives manpower</a> and arms from Pyongyang to fuel its war in Ukraine. South Korea said earlier this year that in return, North Korea has been acquiring food, raw materials, and tech expertise from Russia.Ukraine, the US, and the UK have estimated that as many as 10,000 North Korean troops may be embedded with Russian forces, and that at least <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-korean-troops-ukraine-russia-kursk-8000-front-lines-2024-11">8,000 may soon be deployed to the front lines.</a>NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the manpower injection has given Russia a crucial way to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-cant-sustain-ukraine-attack-without-north-korea-nato-chief-2024-10">sustain its attack on Ukraine</a>, where Moscow has been estimated to be losing about 1,000 soldiers a day.Meanwhile, the Kremlin appears to be struggling to recruit new Russian men for the war, with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-sign-up-bonuses-reaching-on-par-with-us-military-2024-7">soaring sign-up bonuses</a> in some cities indicating that the supply of applicants is running low.

North Korea told the UN point blank that it's speeding up nuclear weapons development

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US considered invading Japanese-occupied Taiwan in World War II.</li><li>Top US commanders decided it would be a high-casualty nightmare.</li></ul>The US once planned an invasion and seizure of Taiwan that would have been as big as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-it-took-to-pull-of-d-day-invasion-2019-5">D-Day</a>.Operation Causeway would send hundreds of thousands of troops, supported by thousands of ships and aircraft, to storm the beaches of the Japanese-occupied territory in 1945."Almost certainly, the invasion would have been a horrific spectacle and nightmarish ordeal," said Ian Easton, an analyst who authored a new <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-maritime-reports/42/">study</a> on the invasion for the China Maritime Studies Institute. "Far worse than any battle that was actually fought in the Pacific. The campaign would have been protracted and might have taken six months or even a year."The CMSI study makes clear that a US invasion of Taiwan in 1945 — or a Chinese invasion today — would be difficult and risky.Like many years ago, today's Taiwan would likely wield Japanese fortifications and tactics to defeat a large Chinese amphibious assault — illustrating the risks and dangers of any attempt to seize the island that Beijing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xi-claim-us-trying-trick-china-invaded-taiwan-divide-allies-experts-2024-6">views</a> as a breakaway province.<div type="image" title="Battleship USS Tennessee bombards Okinawa while tracked landing vehicles carry troops to the invasion beaches." height="1290" width="1632" msid="114911578" hostid="261" sizebytes="94232"></div><h2 id="07f9280d-ef96-4980-878b-f2f80d092ff7">'A long, drawn-out fight'</h2>The genesis of the planned American invasion — eventually codenamed Operation Causeway — began in the late 1920s as the US Navy and Army crafted a strategy for a potential war with Japan. War Plan Orange envisaged an advance across the Pacific that would culminate with an assault on Taiwan — then called Formosa — which the Japanese Empire <a target="_blank" href="https://pacificaffairs.ubc.ca/book-reviews/imperial-gateway-colonial-taiwan-and-japans-expansion-in-south-china-and-southeast-asia-1895-1945-by-seiji-shirane/">annexed</a> from China in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. The plan called for 90,000 Army and Marine personnel to capture Taiwan, which would turn the island into a staging point for an invasion of Japan. By the 1930s, Taiwan was discarded in favor of seizing Okinawa, a smaller objective closer to the four largest Japanese islands.In 1944, with Japan crumbling and an invasion of the Japanese mainland appearing likely, American planners again eyed Taiwan as an amphibious staging point and a base for B-29 Superfortress strategic bombers. Navy Chief Adm. Ernest King favored the Taiwan option, while Gen. Douglas MacArthur lobbied for an invasion of the Philippines. For a time, "General MacArthur's return to the Philippines was viewed as a secondary and supporting campaign," the CMSI study said.Initial plans called for a 12-division assault in early 1945. But with the European theater receiving priority for American forces, this was scaled down to six divisions (about the size of the initial assault force in the Normandy invasion). The objective would be to occupy southern Taiwan and the mainland Chinese port of Xiamen across the Taiwan Strait.But this meant subduing a heavily defended island of 14,000 square miles studded with cities, mountains, and forests. The more they studied the challenges, the more worried some senior officers became. Just finding sufficient forces would be a nightmare. "In total, it was believed that a force of 776,913 would be needed for Causeway, including all six divisions of the US Marine Corps, 20 B-29 bomber groups, 41 miscellaneous bomber squadrons, 40 fighter squadrons, and large numbers of naval engineers and logistics support units," explained the CMSI report.The biggest flaw in Operation Causeway was an underestimation of Japanese defenses. Intelligence assessments expected a garrison of 90,000 to 170,000 troops. In fact, the Japanese had 275,000 troops, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nippon.com/en/features/c03305/">conscripted Taiwanese natives</a>. They were backed by 20 squadrons of kamikaze aircraft and 600 suicide boats.The Japanese had anticipated the landings would be in southern Taiwan. They planted 10,000 sea mines, including 5,200 in the Taiwan Strait alone. Mindful of overwhelming American firepower, they built elaborate systems of trenches, bunkers, and tunnels above the beaches and across the island."Imperial Japanese and Formosan troops would have conducted a long, drawn-out fight in the cities and mountains," said Easton. "A guerilla warfare campaign was planned for after the conventional fighting came to an end. Taiwan's defenders were determined to fight to the bitter end, and the defensive geography, stockpiles, and underground bunkers they had were extraordinary."How would a US invasion of Taiwan fare? Other Pacific War battles offer grim clues. When American troops landed in the Philippines in October 1944, they slogged through jungles and mountains in a campaign that still hadn't ended when Japan surrendered in August 1945. In the April 1945 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wwii-battle-of-okinawa-may-have-prevented-invasion-of-japan-2020-6">invasion</a> of the island of Okinawa, US forces suffered 50,000 casualties in two months, as they confronted dense fortifications in hilly terrain, as well as 2,000 kamikaze aircraft attacks that sunk or damaged hundreds of Navy ships.In the end, the Taiwan idea was abandoned. "From the military view, it was absolutely the right decision," Easton said. "Professional war planners detested the idea of having to fight on Taiwan, and with good reason."<div type="image" title="US troops suffered 50,000 casualties in two months of hard fighting in the Okinawa invasion." height="1333" width="2000" msid="114911577" hostid="261" sizebytes="346978"></div><h2 id="33797d97-f032-4e79-af9f-e1d15b1b8089">Lessons for China</h2>Even eight decades after the Japanese occupation ended, Taiwan's military is still influenced by Japanese doctrine, such as the importance of hardening airbases, and how to confront an amphibious invader armed with massive air and naval firepower.Taiwanese forces still use Japanese-built facilities, including some bunker complexes. Some Taiwanese officers advocate renovating old beach defenses, and preparing for protracted guerilla war as the Japanese did.China would face these challenges and more in trying to seize Taiwan today."Taiwanese military officers pay close attention to history, and especially the history of island warfare, urban warfare, and amphibious warfare," said Easton. "They have all the defensive benefits that the Imperial Japanese enjoyed and more, thanks to modern weaponry and strong American support."Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

A US invasion of Taiwan in WWII would have been a disaster. A Chinese operation faces similar dangers.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his pleas for the use of long-range weapons in Russia.</li><li>Zelenskyy said Ukraine could strike North Korean troops there "'preemptively" with such permission.</li></ul>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the West to lift restrictions on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-deep-strikes-inside-russia-meant-to-weaken-war-machines-2024-10">long-range</a> weapons so Ukraine can strike North Korean troops in Russian "preemptively."In a post on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/12308">Telegram</a> on Friday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine could see "every site" where Russia was gathering North Korean troops on its territory."We could strike preemptively, if we had the ability to do so, with a long-range strike," he wrote. "It depends on our partners.""But instead of the long-range strike that is so necessary, America is watching, Britain is watching, Germany is watching," he continued. "Everyone is just waiting for the North Korean military to start striking at Ukrainians."Zelenskyy has long been pleading with Western allies to permit the use of deep-strike weapons on Russian territory.While the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-us-uk-disagree-on-ukrainian-deep-strikes-inside-russia-2024-8">UK and France have reportedly pushed to allow such strikes</a>, the US and Germany have remained reluctant, fearing provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin.Around 8,000 North Korean troops are in the Russian frontline region of Kursk and are expected to enter the war within days, US offcials said at a press conference on Thursday."We've not yet seen these troops deploy into combat against Ukraine's forces, but we expect that these North Korean soldiers will join the fight against Ukraine in the coming days," US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the conference, adding that the US believed Russian forces had trained the North's soldiers on artillery, drone, and basic infantry operations.Austin added that North Korean troops would become "legitimate military targets" if they were to "engage in combat or combat support operations against Ukraine."It comes as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-new-icbm-missile-test-how-effective-2024-11">North Korea announced that it had tested what it called the "world's most powerful strategic missile."</a>The new intercontinential ballistic missile (ICBM), identified by North Korea's KCNA state media agency as the "Hwasongpho-19," launched on Thurdsay and flew more than 1,000 km (around 620 miles) in around 86 minutes before landing in the Sea of Japan.Experts told Business Insider that the size of the missile — which has been estimated to be around 92 feet long — would likely affect its mobility in a conflict.Responding to the news of the test on X, Zelenskyy said that the "world merely watches" as North Korea's threat grows."Thousands of North Korean soldiers are already near Ukraine's borders, preparing to fight. And the world is still watching," he wrote.

Zelenskyy proposes preemptive strikes on North Korean troops in Russia: 'It depends on our partners'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>North Korea said it tested a new long-range intercontinental ballistic missile this week.</li><li>State media called the "Hwasongpho-19" the "world's most powerful strategic missile."</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-north-korea-would-go-to-war-for-russia-2024-10">North Korea</a> said it tested the "world's most powerful strategic missile" earlier this week, but experts say its size may limit its effectiveness in a conflict.The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launched on Thursday and flew more than 1,000 km (around 620 miles) in around 86 minutes before landing in the Sea of Japan, the country's KCNA state news agency reported on Friday. It said it achieved a maximum altitude of close to 7,700 km (around 4,780 miles). Japan's defense ministry has supported these figures.KCNA said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-military-officials-helping-russia-ukraine-win-for-kim-2024-10">North Korean leader Kim Jong Un</a> oversaw the launch of the missile, which it identified as the "Hwasongpho-19."Video footage from North Korean state media reshared by NK News on X appears to show the missile's launch. Perhaps the most striking feature of the new missile is its size. It has been estimated to be <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-missile-launch-united-states-4173ce128b8336b2cb315a3bf62c6980">at least 92 feet long</a> — more than 30 feet longer than the US's LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM.Photos released by KCNA show the missile being carried by a huge transporter erector launcher (TEL).<div type="image" title="Kim Jong Un next to the Hwasongpho-19 TEL." height="1310" width="1996" msid="114880473" hostid="261" sizebytes="111468"></div>Virginie Grzelczyk, a specialist on North Korea and the Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at Aston University, told Business Insider that solid-fuel missiles like the Hwasongpho-19 offer a "potentially greater payload capacity, including the possibility of carrying nuclear warheads.""However, the Hwasong-19, being notably large, may face operational challenges regarding mobility in a conflict," Grzelczyk said.Edward Howell, a Korea Foundation fellow at Chatham House's Asia-Pacific Program, told BI that "as missiles get bigger and bigger, questions of effectiveness will always be raised.""The Hwasong-19 missile may be able to support a heavy warhead, but as the size of a missile increases, its mobility decreases," he said.Prior to this latest test, North Korea had last launched an ICBM test in December 2023, according to the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/cns-north-korea-missile-test-database/">North Korea Missile Test Database</a>.Japan's defense ministry said at the time that that launch lasted for around 73 minutes, traveling around 620 miles and reaching an altitude of around 3,730 miles.Howell said the latest test's reportedly longer flight time would suggest North Korea was "improving the sophistication of its delivery systems."But the North likely still faces issues readying such weapons for atmospheric reentry.Lee Sangmin, an expert at South Korea's Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-missile-launch-united-states-4173ce128b8336b2cb315a3bf62c6980">the Associated press</a> that "acquiring reentry technology is currently the most important goal in North Korea's missile development, specifically for ICBMs.""But they just keep increasing the ranges instead. This possibly suggests they still lack confidence in their reentry technology," Sangmin added.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to news of the Hwasongpho-19 test on X, saying the "world merely watches" as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-korean-troops-ukraine-russia-kursk-8000-front-lines-2024-11">North Korea's threat grows</a>."Through Moscow's assistance, North Korea has advanced its artillery and missile capabilities," Zelenskyy wrote. "Now, they are learning the tactics of modern warfare. Thousands of North Korean soldiers are already near Ukraine's borders, preparing to fight. And the world is still watching."It comes as the US and South Korea held joint drone strike drills for the first time, South Korea's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20241101010600315?section=national/defense">Yonhap news agency reported on Friday</a>.A military source told the outlet that the two countries decided to make the drills public as a warning to North Korea following the ICBM test launch.

You Searched For "Japan" and got 11 results

Japan's new prime minister could try to shake up the country's military pact with the US

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Japan's latest strategy review names the growing threats it faces

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Japan says China's increasingly aggressive air force breached its airspace for the first time ever

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Japan is giving free flights to international tourists, but it may backfire

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Japan is scrambling to explain why its naval destroyer pushed into Chinese waters where Beijing was conducting live-fire drills near Taiwan

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Dozens of passengers on 2 different flights to Japan fell ill with symptoms like vomiting and stomach pain

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North Korea told the UN point blank that it's speeding up nuclear weapons development

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A US invasion of Taiwan in WWII would have been a disaster. A Chinese operation faces similar dangers.

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Zelenskyy proposes preemptive strikes on North Korean troops in Russia: 'It depends on our partners'

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North Korea is hoping bigger is better with its new intercontinental ballistic missile. Experts are skeptical.

Rebecca Rommen

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