China has accused Japan of "dangerous" close-in reconnaissance and "provocative harassment" during more than 40 days of "far-sea combat training" by a Chinese Navy aircraft carrier flotilla. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/06/23/japan/china-japan-carrier-harassment/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #chinajapanrelations #china #pla #defense #indopacific #sdf #defenseministry #aircraftcarriers #taiwan #sanaetakaichi #msdf

As Tokyo considers transferring retired military equipment to the Philippines and Indonesia, it is not simply offloading aging hardware — it is planting the seeds of multidecade security partnerships. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/06/10/japan/japan-defense-exports-strategy-analysis/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #southeastasia #defense #defenseministry #sdf #msdf #china #philippines #indonesia

Japan and South Korea's navies have held their first joint training in nearly nine years, in a move Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi hailed as signaling "a new chapter" in bilateral defense cooperation. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/06/08/japan/japan-south-korea-navy-drills/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #southkorea #southkoreajapanrelations #msdf #sdf #defense #shinjirokoizumi

Australia will keep modifications to its new fleet of Japanese-designed frigates to a minimum, the head of its Defence Force has said, unlocking unprecedented cross-border logistics and repair capabilities. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/06/02/japan/australia-defense-force-japan-mogami/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #australia #australiajapanrelations #defense #defenseministry #sdf #msdf

New Zealand aims to decide before the end of next year whether to acquire Japan's upgraded Mogami-class warships to replace its aging frigates, Defense Minister Chris Penk told The Japan Times on Friday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/05/29/japan/new-zealand-japan-mogami-frigates/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sdf #msdf #defense #defenseministry #newzealand #newzealandjapanrelations

Amid the war in Iran, the U.S. has informed Japan that there would be delays in the delivery of the U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles to the Japanese side, according to a Financial Times report. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/05/24/japan/tomahawk-missile-delivery-delay/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #tomahawk #msdf #us #defense #usjapanrelations #petehegseth #shinjirokoizumi #missiles

Japan's Mogami warship is set for a showdown with the simpler and less expensive Type 31 frigate from the U.K. as the two nations compete to supply vessels to the Royal New Zealand Navy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/05/12/japan/politics/japan-mogami-new-zealand/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #newzealandjapanrelations #defense #msdf #mogami

Tokyo's lodging of a protest with Beijing over the installation of structures in the East China Sea marks the latest in a series of incidents between the two Asian rivals. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/05/06/japan/politics/china-japan-security-tensions/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #chinajapanrelations #defense #eastchinasea #senkakus #disputedislands #sanaetakaichi #msdf

Japan plans to strengthen its defense system in the Pacific Ocean as part of the revision of three security-related documents slated to be made by year-end, sources have said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/04/05/japan/japan-pacific-ocean-defense-system/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #msdf #sdf #defense #china #shinjirokoizumi

The MSDF's Aegis destroyer Chokai has become Japan's first vessel capable of firing U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles, a development that could put targets deep inside China and North Korea within striking distance. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03/27/japan/japan-chokai-msdf-tomahawk-missiles/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sdf #msdf #missiles #defense #defenseministry