Latest news with #Nakagawa
AllAfrica
02-07-2025
- Business
- AllAfrica
Japan's railgun strikes at China's hypersonic shadow
Japan's prototype ship-mounted railgun marks a bold step toward fast, affordable missile defense as it works to fill crucial gaps revealed by China's hypersonic weapons and limited interceptor supplies. This month, The War Zone (TWZ) reported that Japan has fitted the test warship JS Asuka with a prototype electromagnetic railgun, marking a significant step toward deploying this advanced weapon system, as confirmed by recent online photos. In June, observers spotted the railgun – similar to a previous land-based prototype developed by the Japanese Ministry of Defense's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) – in port with its protective shroud removed, revealing internal work underway. Maritime testing is expected before the end of July. Japan's progress contrasts with the US Navy's discontinued efforts in the early 2020s following sustained technical setbacks. The 6,200-ton Asuka accommodates containerized power systems to manage the energy demands of the railgun, which reportedly propels projectiles at Mach 6.5 using five megajoules of charge. ATLA aims to reduce power requirements while improving barrel longevity beyond the current 120-round lifespan. The initiative aligns with future deployment plans aboard 13DDX destroyers and Maya-class vessels to bolster defenses against hypersonic threats. Officials at the DSEI Japan 2025 defense and security equipment international forum cited continued collaboration with US counterparts and noted growing interest from France, Germany, China and Turkey in similar technologies. Japan's railgun ambitions reflect a strategic pivot to cost-effective, rapid-fire capabilities amid intensifying regional competition. Asia Times previously noted that the railgun's cost-effective ability to engage lower-tier threats helps reduce dependency on high-value interceptors, enabling sustained defenses against saturation missile attacks. Underscoring China's growing missile capabilities, Maki Nakagawa notes in a March 2025 article for the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals (JINF) that China has expanded five conventional brigades equipped with DF-17 hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) and CJ-10/100 cruise missiles capable of striking Japan. Nakagawa highlights that the DF-17's unpredictable trajectory and the CJ-100's low-altitude, supersonic profile challenge Japan's ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems. She adds that satellite imagery has confirmed construction at brigade-size facilities since 2018, with the 655th Brigade converted to a DF-17 unit in 2024. She states that the DF-26 intermediate-range missile, now fielded by four nuclear-capable brigades, has replaced older DF-21A units. Japan currently employs a two-tier missile defense system, with Aegis-equipped destroyers providing midcourse interception and Patriot batteries handling terminal defense. However, Kyodo News reported in October 2022 that Japan had only 60% of the necessary interceptor missiles for its Aegis and Patriot systems to counter threats from North Korea and China. To address the shortfall, Stars and Stripes reported in February 2025 that Japan purchased 150 SM-6 missiles worth USD 900 million from the US. Naval News reported in April 2025 that Japan proposed co-producing SM-6 interceptors for Aegis destroyers during talks with the United States, expanding on an earlier agreement to co-produce Patriot PAC-3 missiles. Yet, SM-6 production remains uncertain. Naval News reported in June 2025 that the US Navy's FY2026 missile procurement depended on passing a Republican-led reconciliation budget bill. The report said a funding shortfall in the proposed $817.4 million budget would trigger a contract breach, halting production after only 10 units. It added that disruption would jeopardize foreign orders from Japan, Australia, and South Korea. The bill, which had originated in the House of Representatives, passed the Senate on Tuesday. The report warned that such a scenario would undercut allied deterrence and expose vulnerabilities in integrated air and missile defense architectures. Former US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) director John Hill, cited by TWZ in February 2022, said that while the SM-6 is the only US interceptor theoretically capable of defeating hypersonic missiles, its capability remains 'nascent.' Meanwhile, the successor Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) program faces delays. Defense News reported in March 2025 that the GPI, initially scheduled for deployment by 2032, now faces a three-year delay due to early program down-selection and reduced funding, pushing delivery to at least 2035. Andreas Schmidt, writing in Military Review in 2024, added that most hypersonic threats fly at altitudes between 20 and 60 kilometers above the reach of traditional surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and below the coverage of exo-atmospheric interceptors like the SM-3. He argued that terminal defense systems such as Patriot are better suited for intercepting hypersonics in their terminal phase, where the weapons slow below Mach 5 and become more predictable. However, even Patriot systems face production bottlenecks. Reuters reported in July 2024 that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) could take years to scale up PAC-3 production due to a shortage of missile seekers supplied by Boeing. Although the report said Boeing aimed to increase output by 30% by building new production lines in the US, those lines were not expected to be operational until 2027. Guy McCardle noted in a November 2024 SOFREP article that the limited number of Patriot interceptors per battery and their high cost – $3.7 million per missile with a production lead time of nearly 20 months – constrain their operational use. He emphasized that PAC-3 missiles must be deployed strategically to maximize their effectiveness against saturation attacks. Given the limitations of SM-6 and Patriot systems, Japan's railgun may alleviate concerns over magazine depth and cost. Japan's Aegis warships – including four Kongo-class, two Atago-class, and two Maya-class destroyers – each carries 90 to 96 vertical launch system (VLS) cells. Yet, these may prove insufficient during a saturation attack involving hypersonic, cruise, and ballistic missiles, alongside kamikaze drones. A railgun, integrated onto these platforms or future Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEVs), could significantly enhance magazine capacity. According to a 2021 conference paper by Shreyas Maitreya and others, a 450-millimeter railgun projectile costs around $25,000, compared with missiles priced between $500,000 and $1.5 million. Unlike missiles, they note railgun rounds are inert and pose no risk of accidental detonation, easing transport and storage constraints. Nevertheless, ATLA equipment policy division principal director Kazumi Ito acknowledged in a June 2025 National Defense Magazine article that the railgun project still faces considerable technical challenges. In the same piece, Stew Magnuson notes unresolved issues including barrel wear, energy supply, heat dissipation and development of a high-speed targeting system. Despite these hurdles, Japan's push to operationalize railgun technology reflects a pragmatic response to a regional threat environment shaped by hypersonic proliferation, interceptor shortages and constrained missile defense capacity.
Japan Forward
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
JINF Report: Is China's Senkaku Takeover Ever Closer?
このページを 日本語 で読む The Japan Institute for National Fundamentals (JINF), chaired by Yoshiko Sakurai, analyzed and assessed the Chinese helicopter that violated Japanese airspace on May 3 near the Senkaku Islands (Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture). JINF, a private think tank, urged the Japanese government to take action, warning that China ultimately "aims to land on the Senkakus." Japanese experts also raised concerns that Japan is being drawn into China's cognitive warfare, a strategy to shape public opinion through disinformation. This article summarizes the key points discussed during JINF's briefing session on May 30. At approximately 12:21 PM on May 3, a Chinese helicopter violated Japanese airspace for about 15 minutes, prompting the Japan Air Self-Defense Force to conduct an emergency scramble in response. Just minutes earlier, at 12:18 PM, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel 2303, which was carrying the helicopter, had entered Japanese territorial waters. Around the same time, a Japanese civilian aircraft that departed from New Ishigaki Airport approached the airspace near the Senkakus. Following guidance from the Japanese Coast Guard, the plane turned around at around 12:20 PM, approximately 20 kilometers south of Uotsuri Island. Maki Nakagawa, a researcher at the JINF, outlined the sequence of events surrounding the airspace violation. She suggested that China "may have obtained advance knowledge of the Japanese civilian aircraft's flight plan and used that information to decide when to raise the ladder by deploying the helicopter for an air patrol over the Senkakus." Nakagawa added that it appears preparations were made in advance based on that information. If the Chinese side had indeed accessed Japan's civilian flight patterns in advance, that would be a serious concern in itself. This indicates that the airspace violation was not accidental but rather a carefully coordinated operation. A Chinese helicopter violating Japanese airspace on May 3, 2025. (Photo provided by the 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters, Naha, Okinawa) After the airspace violation, the China Coast Guard, along with the Chinese foreign ministry and defense ministry, released coordinated statements. They claimed that "a Japanese civilian aircraft had violated the airspace over Diaoyu Island (Chinese name for Senkakus)." The three agencies argued, "It is entirely lawful to take necessary enforcement actions, including issuing a warning to drive the aircraft away." Nakagawa noted that China's statements seek to "assert sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands and legitimize [Chinese] actions under international law." In other words, "China is engaging in a cognitive warfare campaign against Japan by trying to frame the situation as if it were Japan that provoked a violation of Chinese airspace." Kiyofumi Iwata, a member of the JINF and former chief of staff of the Ground Self-Defense Force, also warned that Chinese cognitive warfare is beginning to influence Japanese public perception. Some observers have raised the possibility of a simultaneous Chinese invasion of Taiwan and a landing on the Senkakus. Iwata pointed out that Admiral John Aquilino, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, has described China's military exercises around Taiwan since 2024 as a "rehearsal" for a future invasion. Referring to former government officials and experts who spoke to the media about China's recent airspace violation, Iwata said, "Even at this stage, there are still those who claim Japan provoked China's breach of sovereignty." To this, he added, "They have completely fallen into China's cognitive warfare trap, and it's a truly regrettable situation." "As far as I can recall, Chinese coast guard helicopters have been approaching for some time. But they had never [violated our airspace]," said Kazuhisa Shimada, former Vice Minister of Defense and ex-secretary to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. "The fact that they did so this time suggests they may now believe Japan's response will not be strong enough to deter them. And that is deeply concerning." Shimada's comments reveal Japan had been caught off guard. Ten days after the airspace violation, on May 13, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya held a press conference and stated that he had protested to China. He repeatedly called the recent incursion into Japan's territorial waters and the violation of its airspace "extremely regrettable." However, he did not announce any new measures in response to China's unprecedented actions. As Shimada pointed out, such a lack of concrete action could very well embolden China to act even more aggressively. There is a view that China is gradually increasing pressure through a "salami slicing tactic," steadily making incremental moves like slicing a salami. "If you ask which side the salami is on, it's Japan," warned Retired Vice Admiral Masanori Yoshida. "But the salami has already been sliced, and the next thing to be cut is our hand." The implication is that the salami is gone, and China's next objective is to set foot on the Senkakus. Iwata concurred, saying, "The salami slicing is over, and we must recognize that the only phase left is a landing." He emphasized the need for the government to secure effective control of the Senkakus and to strengthen the Air Self-Defense Force's response capabilities. Iwata proposed conducting joint Japan-US training exercises on Kuba Island (private property) and Taisho Island (state property). These islands are located approximately 27 kilometers and 110 kilometers, respectively, from Uotsuri Island in the Senkakus. Iwata also recommended establishing an Air Self-Defense Force base at Shimoji Island Airport in Miyakojima City, Okinawa Prefecture. The former chief of staff further stressed the importance of clearly demonstrating Japan's "will and ability" to defend its sovereignty over the Senkakus to China. He expressed serious concern about the response from the Ishiba administration, questioning, "Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, as head of state, has yet to make his intentions clear. Is this acceptable?" Author: Takao Harakawa このページを 日本語 で読む
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Microsoft Reports Mixed Progress Toward Ambitious 2030 Carbon Negative Goal
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In 2020, Microsoft set an ambitious climate goal to be carbon negative by 2030. Halfway into the decade, the company's latest sustainability report released Thursday shows the software giant has a long way to go to meet that goal but may be starting to bend its emissions curve downward. The report shows the company's total 2024 greenhouse gas output of 15,543,000 metric tons is still about 23 percent higher than its 2020 baseline of comparison. But Microsoft's total annual emissions in 2024 are slightly lower for the first time since the artificial intelligence boom brought a surge in data centers, computing power and energy consumption. The 2024 emissions are roughly 1.4 million metric tons lower than in 2023, and the lowest annual emissions the company has reported since 2021. Microsoft's climate goal to be carbon negative by 2030 means not only eliminating its total emissions but also supporting projects that draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. "We're focused on the long-term goal of meeting our 2030 commitments," a Microsoft spokesperson told Newsweek via email. "The annual reporting process is an important check-in each year to see how we're doing, and it informs our decision-making as we keep working to meet those goals over the next five years." The Microsoft logo in San Francisco, California, May 13, 2025. The Microsoft logo in San Francisco, California, May 13, 2025. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty In a foreword to the report, Microsoft Corporation Vice Chair and President Brad Smith and Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa wrote that "our journey towards being carbon negative is a marathon, not a sprint." They noted that while emissions have been going in the wrong direction since Microsoft made its climate commitments in 2020, the increase has been "modest" compared to the company's revenue growth and far higher energy consumption over that period. Smith and Nakagawa wrote that the company remains "focused on sustained progress towards our 2030 goals." Cloud computing and the explosion of generative AI and large language models have greatly increased energy consumption by the tech sector. If the regional power grid that supplies a data center or tech campus burns fossil fuels to generate electricity, that drives up the company's emissions due to energy use, known as Scope 2 emissions. "We must also bring more carbon-free electricity onto the grids where we operate," Smith and Nakagawa wrote. According to the report, Microsoft used power purchase agreements to contract 19 gigawatts of new renewable energy in 2024 in 16 countries. Microsoft also sought other carbon-free energy sources, including an agreement last September with Constellation Energy that aims to restart an idle reactor at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station in Pennsylvania. A Microsoft spokesperson said the company is "on track to achieve our 2025 target of procuring enough renewable energy to cover 100 percent of our energy consumption." Greenhouse gases that arise from the suppliers and the company's value chain, known as Scope 3 emissions, account for the bulk of Microsoft's CO2 output. According to the report, the company's Scope 3 emissions have grown 26 percent since 2020. Microsoft requires its large-scale suppliers to commit to a transition to 100 percent carbon-free electricity for the goods and services they deliver. The report detailed innovative solutions to reduce emissions from the construction and operation of data centers. Last week, Microsoft announced an agreement with a Massachusetts company called Sublime Systems, which has developed a low-carbon method for cement production. Traditional cement-making methods produce massive amounts of CO2, and the industry is a major global source of emissions. Microsoft's purchase agreement for more than 622,000 tons of low-carbon cement will help the new company ramp up its output. "Microsoft is stepping up as the first customer for our future megaton-scale plant, enabling us to more rapidly build and scale Sublime Cement as a global, enduring solution for clean construction." Sublime Systems CEO and Co-founder Leah Ellis said in a statement.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Moscow event teaches resistance to rising authoritarianism through unity in community
Political Strategist Scot Nakagawa keynoted "United in Community," a Moscow event intended to build community around preserving democracy. One suggestion included building coalitions across ideological differences, and creating unlikely alliances around shared democratic values. (Tracy Simmons/FāVS News) This story was first published by FāVS News on May 17, 2025. Moscow residents gathered Saturday to unite against Christian nationalism, the third such community-building event in seven months. Titled, 'United in Community,' the sold-out event's aim was to bring people together to discuss democracy and the community's future. 'After the first two gatherings, organizers received emails and comments asking 'what can we do?'' said Joann Muneta, chair of the Latah County Human Rights Task Force. Saturday's event aimed to answer that question. 'So I want us to kind of dig in and try to see if we can understand this phenomenon (Christian nationalism), and particularly in the American context, and most importantly, equip you with some strategies to resist it while building the inclusive democracy,' said Political Strategist Scot Nakagawa, who keynoted the event. Nakagawa, who lives in Oregon, co-founded the 22nd Century Initiative, a national strategy center working to resist authoritarianism. He emphasized that Moscow's efforts have significance beyond the city's limits. 'I think that it does have really broad national implications, and what you do here will be resonant throughout the country,' he said. Moscow is home to Christ Church, whose members own about 20% of downtown Moscow's buildings and operate various businesses locally, ranging from construction to restaurants. The church, led by Pastor Doug Wilson, is widely recognized as a significant force within the Christian nationalist movement in the United States. Nakagawa noted that Christ Church and its affiliated congregations represent only 5% of Moscow's population, yet wield disproportionate influence. '… There is this kind of message about minority rule that I think is really resonant with most people in the United States,' he said, adding that many local businesses have been displaced as the church bought buildings and made them unavailable to other enterprises. While Moscow's situation may seem unique, Nakagawa argued it reflects broader trends occurring worldwide. He framed the rise of Christian nationalism as part of a global phenomenon affecting multiple religions, not just an isolated American issue. He cited what scholars call the 'multiple modernities crisis' — the collision between ancient faith traditions and the dislocating forces of globalization, digital information systems and rapid cultural change. These forces, he said, are causing people to feel culturally displaced while driving economic insecurity and inequality worldwide. 'Digital technology has shattered traditional gatekeepers of religious knowledge. Anyone now with a smartphone can claim prophetic authority,' Nakagawa explained, noting how this democratization of religious interpretation has also unleashed authoritarian voices. He described theocratic movements as offering 'promises of restored order' and 'easy answers and divine protection' to people whose traditional communities feel under assault from rapid economic change. Nakagawa outlined several strategies for how to fight theocracy in Moscow. He advocated for building coalitions across ideological differences, and creating unlikely alliances around shared democratic values. He also stressed the importance of local electoral engagement. 'Run candidates for school boards, state legislatures and courts and particularly for small offices,' he said, noting that people in those positions 'can drive transparency and public participation in a way that could restore or build trust in those institutions by making them accountable.' After the keynote, attendees heard from local organizations who are committed to supporting an inclusive region. They were also given a list of these organizations; about 30 groups were listed. The Rev. Mary Jane Miles from the Nez Perce Tribe, and a Presbyterian pastor, addressed the gathering about overcoming division through understanding rather than contempt. Miles, who recently stepped down from the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee after turning 85, shared her perspective on battling hatred with a different approach. 'Contempt is no match for love,' she said. Miles emphasized that practicing kindness can become transformative. 'It's hard to be nice if I hate you, but once you get into the practice of being nice, it grows on you,' she told the audience. She also highlighted gratitude as a powerful tool for change. 'Gratitude is a contempt killer. The key to being nicer and happier is gratitude,' she said. Miles connected this message to the broader American promise, saying, 'We are always promised life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I love that pursuit of happiness, and that's what we are doing here. We want to go back to the pursuit of happiness and have a happy life together with each other.' After hearing from Miles and other supporters, attendees dispersed into breakout sessions, including 'addressing theocracy,' 'supporting public schools,' and 'finding common ground.' FāVS was not permitted to attend these sessions, so that guests could have privacy. Dale Gentry, who helped organize the event, said the hope was that through these breakouts, the community could come up with next steps. United in Community was organized by the Latah County Human Rights Task Force and the United Church of Moscow. Saturday's event was a follow up to the United Against Hate Summit in September 2024 and a presentation on Religious Extremism in December 2024. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Neighbor island businesses worry of shipping rate hike, tariffs
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The state Public Utility Commission has been holding public hearings on Young Brothers' request for a 27% rate increase for interisland cargo. 'Young Brothers is here because it is facing financial distress, its current rates were first approved on an emergency basis in August 2020, almost five years ago,' Kris Nakagawa, vice president of external and legal affairs for Young Brothers, told the PUC during the Oahu hearing. Pickleball players battle on the court at Honolulu Open Those emergency rates were a 46% increase due to the pandemic. 'While these current rates carried YB through the pandemic, operating costs for YB, like most other companies, have continued to rise in the past four years. Intrastate or interisland cargo volumes never recovered to pre-pandemic levels and are currently declining further. Without immediate rate relief, YB will not be able to maintain its loans, cover its operating costs, or make the necessary capital investments to ensure safe and reliable service,' he continued. Young Brothers broke down the cost if the 27% increase were approved. 'Currently, the cost to ship a personal medium size car from Honolulu to Maui one way is approximately $334,' Nakagawa said. 'If the commission were to approve YB rate increase, the cost to ship that same vehicle would be approximately $434.'So far, public hearings have been held on Oahu and Hawaii island, with more Oahu businesses backing the shipping company for its reliable service. 'We absolutely support Young Brothers and believe its important for them to be in a financial stable position so they can have that consistency, quality, cadence that they've continued to have that's important for our companies as they move products across the state,' Meli James, co-founder of Mana Up told the PUC. But some think the rate hike shouldn't be passed onto the consumer and a double digit increase is too much. 'When they increase at this level its going to be a disruptive event for most families,' said one phone testifier. 'They're not going to realize the cost of their foods and goods coming into the island will increase at high levels they might not be able to afford.' Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Written testimony from the Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association said it exports flowers and plants across the islands and has only one option to ship a high volume of palletized cargo. They wrote that they strongly oppose the rate hike during a time when businesses have not fully recovered from COVID, and the global situation with tariffs will ripple down to a few industries that can actually survive. 'It's very scary for a lot of businesses because we depend on a lot of imports from China, and we all know the prices are going to go up,' said Tina Yamaki, Retail Merchants of Hawaii president. 3 cases of rare brain disease reported in Oregon And the tariffs could be a double whammy for small businesses, especially on neighbor islands. 'A lot of them are they don't know how they're going to keep their doors open,' Yamaki added. The next PUC public hearing will be on Kauai, on April 14, at 5:30 p.m., at the Lihue State Office Building Conference Room 209. Maui's will be on April 30, at 6:15 p.m. at Puu Kukui Elementary School Cafeteria in Wailuku. And Lanai's will be on May 1, at 5:30 p.m. at the Lanai Senior Center. Molokai's is still to be determined. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
