[Biography of the Day] from [Britannica]
Kofi Annan
Ghanaian international civil servant Kofi Annan, the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations (from 1997) and corecipient with the United Nations of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, was born this day in 1938.
[On This Day] from [Britannica]
Today: Celebration of the Buddha's birth
On this day practitioners of the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, especially those in Japan, celebrate the birth of the Buddha, who lived in India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE and founded Buddhism.
[TODAY'S TOP STORIES] from [THE IAPAN TIMES]
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Project demise would nix F-22 option for ASDF
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recommended Monday ending production of the F-22 fighter as part of a major review of the Pentagon's spending priorities.
Production of the F-22 stealth jet, which costs $140 million apiece, would be halted at 187. This would dash Japan's hopes of acquiring the Lockheed Martin Corp.-built jet as the country's next-generation mainstay fighter.
The F-22 has been Tokyo's priority due to its high capability to evade radar detection, mobility at supersonic speed and use by the U.S. Air Force, with which the Air Self-Defense Force would engage in joint operations in the event of an attack on Japan.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said Tuesday that Japan is going about its selection process with Gates' remarks in mind, saying the country's defense concept remains unchanged regardless of whether the F-22 can be acquired.
"We will get various kinds of information again and decide appropriately through the process," Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told a separate news conference.
Gates also urged deep cuts to other arms programs, including downsizing a plan to erect a missile defense shield, revamping purchases of new destroyers and canceling Lockheed Martin's Marine One presidential helicopter.
"We must re-balance this department's programs in order to institutionalize and finance our capabilities to fight the wars we are in today and the scenarios we are most likely to face in the years ahead," he said.
Washington has been reluctant to share F-22 information with Tokyo, apparently fearing a possible leak of sensitive U.S. technology, while Japan continues to study six models for successor aircraft to the aging F-4EJ fleet.
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Brother of Nikai quizzed on funds
Prosecutors question the younger brother of Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai and one of the minister's secretaries over allegations that a company linked to Nishimatsu Construction subsidized the rent for an office used by Nikai's political group.
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Kampo value doubled in ministry appraisal
Underscoring the unfairness of a failed deal to sell 79 Japan Post Holding's facilities to leasing company Orix for 10.9 billion, internal affairs minister Kunio Hatoyama says his ministry has appraised their value at about 25 billion, about double Japan Post's estimate.
Kofi Annan
Ghanaian international civil servant Kofi Annan, the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations (from 1997) and corecipient with the United Nations of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, was born this day in 1938.
[On This Day] from [Britannica]
Today: Celebration of the Buddha's birth
On this day practitioners of the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, especially those in Japan, celebrate the birth of the Buddha, who lived in India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE and founded Buddhism.
[TODAY'S TOP STORIES] from [THE IAPAN TIMES]
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Project demise would nix F-22 option for ASDF
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recommended Monday ending production of the F-22 fighter as part of a major review of the Pentagon's spending priorities.
Production of the F-22 stealth jet, which costs $140 million apiece, would be halted at 187. This would dash Japan's hopes of acquiring the Lockheed Martin Corp.-built jet as the country's next-generation mainstay fighter.
The F-22 has been Tokyo's priority due to its high capability to evade radar detection, mobility at supersonic speed and use by the U.S. Air Force, with which the Air Self-Defense Force would engage in joint operations in the event of an attack on Japan.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said Tuesday that Japan is going about its selection process with Gates' remarks in mind, saying the country's defense concept remains unchanged regardless of whether the F-22 can be acquired.
"We will get various kinds of information again and decide appropriately through the process," Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told a separate news conference.
Gates also urged deep cuts to other arms programs, including downsizing a plan to erect a missile defense shield, revamping purchases of new destroyers and canceling Lockheed Martin's Marine One presidential helicopter.
"We must re-balance this department's programs in order to institutionalize and finance our capabilities to fight the wars we are in today and the scenarios we are most likely to face in the years ahead," he said.
Washington has been reluctant to share F-22 information with Tokyo, apparently fearing a possible leak of sensitive U.S. technology, while Japan continues to study six models for successor aircraft to the aging F-4EJ fleet.
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Brother of Nikai quizzed on funds
Prosecutors question the younger brother of Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai and one of the minister's secretaries over allegations that a company linked to Nishimatsu Construction subsidized the rent for an office used by Nikai's political group.
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Kampo value doubled in ministry appraisal
Underscoring the unfairness of a failed deal to sell 79 Japan Post Holding's facilities to leasing company Orix for 10.9 billion, internal affairs minister Kunio Hatoyama says his ministry has appraised their value at about 25 billion, about double Japan Post's estimate.
※コメント投稿者のブログIDはブログ作成者のみに通知されます