Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here This work, VP-26 Participates in Kanoya Air Show, by PO2 Aubrey Stueven, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright An Air Force unit recently deployed to southern Japan demonstrated an MQ-9 Reaper drone for Japanese government officials over the weekend partly to ease community concerns about the newcomer aircraft Eight Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drones and more than 150 airmen in the newly formed 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron began a yearlong deployment to Kanoya Air Base last month Kanoya is a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force base near the southern tip of Kyushu the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands Koichi Shiota were among about 40 local dignitaries who watched a Reaper fly from the base for about 15 minutes on Saturday a Kyushu Defense Bureau spokesman said Monday Japanese government officials typically speak to the media on condition of anonymity The drone took off from the base and flew over Kanoya city during the demonstration flight The reconnaissance squadron operated the drone at take-off and landing but a mission-control unit in the United States handled the Reaper in-flight The local leaders had asked to see the drones fly before operations begin to allay community concerns said a Kanoya city official who deals with base affairs “It was good that we were able to see the actual aircraft and it actually flying,” Nakanishi told reporters Monday The drones seemed quieter than other aircraft stationed at Kanoya “We will continue to take measures for safety and security of the residents by working with the related organizations including Kyushu Defense Bureau so there will not be any accidents or incidents,” Nakanishi told the reporters Drones are expected to start regular operations sometime this month Video released Wednesday by the Air Force shows one of the unmanned aircraft taxiing lifting off and buzzing overhead during an earlier test flight will make reconnaissance flights in “close coordination” with the Japan Ministry of Defense according to an Air Force statement with the video PACAF describes the Reaper as medium-altitude The Reaper is primarily a surveillance aircraft but can carry an inventory of weapons including Hellfire missiles and Paveway laser-guided bombs The Reapers at Kanoya will be configured for surveillance “and can’t be equipped with weapons,” according to a document from Japan’s Ministry of Defense posted on the Kanoya city website Kanoya is already home to P-3C Orion maritime surveillance planes and UH-60J Black Hawk and SH-60K Seahawk helicopters of the Maritime Self-Defense Force aircraft such as Marine Corps KC-130 tankers and Osprey tiltrotor aircraft visit the base during training can carry 3,000 pounds of ordnance and first saw combat in Afghanistan in 2007 and in Iraq the following year has employed them on numerous missions throughout the Middle East and Africa The Air Force began deploying RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance drones to Misawa Air Base in northern Japan in 2014 and has flown them out of Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo in recent years The Navy deployed its MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance drones to Misawa last year and to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni lands at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay Haley Fourmet Gustavsen/Marine Corps)The U.S Air Force is deploying MQ-9 Reapers in the Indo-Pacific for the first time under a newly reactivated squadron on the edge of the East China Sea The 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Kanoya Air Base in southern Japan formally began operations Sunday under the command of Lt It’s the latest iteration of a unit that was first created as a fighter squadron in New York in 1942 and last served as a training squadron in Florida until 1977 the 319th will provide eyes in the sky over east Asia in support of joint U.S.-Japan intelligence objectives and “to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the service said Its patrols could help collect information about Chinese military activity in the area — including signs it may be preparing to invade Taiwan — and that of North Korea which recently fired a ballistic missile over Japan “This will enhance the joint ability to respond to threats and emerging situations while strengthening the alliance,” the Air Force said “MQ-9s can be used to cooperatively address regional challenges such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and other issues affecting the Indo-Pacific.” Reapers are typically used to conduct airstrikes as well but will not be armed for reconnaissance missions Get ready for another fight over the future of the MQ-9 Reaper“There is no need to buy more aircraft," acting Air Force Secretary John Roth wrote in a letter to a senator recently seen by Defense News.By Valerie InsinnaThe Air Force has struggled to chart a path forward for the MQ-9 fleet outside of U.S where the drones have redefined modern war as a pivotal counterterror asset in the past two decades After multiple attempts to convince Congress to let it cease MQ-9 purchases from drone manufacturer General Atomics the Air Force may get its wish in the coming year The service hopes to shrink its Reaper fleet from 351 to 276 aircraft by the end of fiscal 2023 It fears the aircraft could become easy targets for Chinese air defenses in a potential war and wants to funnel that money toward higher-priority acquisition programs “The most recent briefing to the committee indicated that the Air Force intends to remove well over half of the existing aircraft from the MQ-9 fleet by fiscal year 2027,” the House Armed Services Committee wrote in July lawmakers appear willing to curtail the MQ-9 program in the defense policy and spending bills now moving through Congress But some still want more information about what the fleet has to offer outside of CENTCOM The Senate Armed Services Committee has asked the Pentagon’s cost assessment office to produce a financial outlook for the MQ-9 program including the price of its current and future missions “Some have suggested that the MQ-9 still has a role in great power competition,” the panel said in its report accompanying the fiscal 2023 defense policy bill “Supporters of continued MQ-9 employment have asserted that the MQ-9 possesses similar survivability as other fourth-generation aircraft and there is no reason that they could not operate in threat environments similar to F-15s or F-16s.” The House Armed Services and Appropriations committees are also looking for more transparency on efforts to modernize the current fleet with upgraded communications and electronic warfare technology has included Reapers in its training exercises in the Indo-Pacific for years The experiments help gauge how well the drones — which are far more vulnerable to bad weather and battlefield threats than manned aircraft — could perform in the region The MQ-9 schoolhouse at Holloman Air Force Base in 2020 rewrote its syllabus with a greater focus on the tactics needed for more challenging missions in the Indo-Pacific “It incorporates maritime interdiction capabilities, it incorporates a lot more major contingency operation capabilities, air interdiction,” 29th Attack Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Brian Davis said at the time “It reinvigorates our strike coordination and reconnaissance capability and it also increases our combat search and rescue capability.” Air Force’s MQ-9 Reapers are now conducting missions from Romania“This is an exciting moment where we can showcase the value of the MQ-9 across the globe, not just in the Middle East."By More recently the MQ-9 has appeared at major exercises from the Navy’s massive Rim of the Pacific event to the biennial Valiant Shield It’s been tasked with maritime surveillance and target tracking in a shift away from its usual training over remote strips of land “The data that we have in a simulator feeds off of real-world engagements like [sinking exercises],” Air National Guard Capt the MQ-9 maritime force integration lead at RIMPAC “They’re trying to build a database of what ships look like … Then they can fit it into a simulator so we can practice it and have more efficient training.” Rachel Cohen is the editor of Air Force Times She joined the publication as its senior reporter in March 2021 Her work has appeared in the Washington Post Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Tokyo The izakaya competition around Ueno Station, and the stretch leading to Ameyoko shopping street in particular, is fierce. However, this four-year-old joint has done a good job at elbowing itself into the spotlight with low prices and a classy look. facebooktwitterpinterestinstagramAbout us Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Kagoshima Prefecture--Deploying eyes to the sky over troubled waters Air Force began launching its MQ-9 Reaper drones from the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Kanoya Air Base here on Nov The unmanned aircraft will be used for surveillance and reconnaissance duties in the East China Sea and other surrounding waters until November next year military personnel will be stationed in Kanoya to provide operational support eight MQ-9 Reapers are deployed at the base measuring 11 meters long and 20 meters wide are equipped with high-performance sensors that can detect the movement of ships at night and in bad weather The aim is to strengthen intelligence-gathering capabilities under the Japan-U.S with China and Russia and other nations in mind the ministry officially notified Kanoya city of the deployment plan and held a briefing for residents The city assembly passed a resolution approving the plan stating that “information gathering is an urgent issue.” Kanoya Mayor Shigeru Nakanishi also accepted the proposal military personnel who are staying at hotels in the city could cause trouble and that the area will effectively become a U.S “The strengthening of surveillance may increase international tensions,” said Tokuji Matsushita the representative of the Kyujo no Kai Osumi group (Article 9 association Osumi) City in Kyushu pitches war past in VR format as peace message drones to be deployed at SDF base for 1st time Italy moving forward on fighter jet project Defense budget request to list items without specifying costs Expert concerned Ukraine using donated drones as weapons Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission This work, Yokota, Creech leadership visit Kanoya Air Base, by TSgt Jessica Avallone, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Eight Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drones and more than 150 airmen have started a yearlong deployment to southern Japan and will begin surveillance flights within weeks Members of the 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron held an assumption-of-command ceremony Sunday at Kanoya Air Base to kick off their mission The drones will start flying from Kanoya sometime after the end of this month a Kyushu Defense Bureau spokesman said by phone Monday It’s customary in Japan for some government officials to speak to the media without identifying themselves “This strategic location combined with the MQ-9’s capability will allow the Japan-U.S alliance to see and monitor vast areas,” the 319th’s commander local officials and members of the Maritime Self-Defense Force in a video of the ceremony posted online by the Department of Defense The newly activated unit traces its lineage to the 319th Fighter Squadron of World War II It was inactivated in 1977 as the 319th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base The Kanoya deployment will share technology to help the U.S surveillance and reconnaissance priorities throughout the Indo-Pacific,” he said Kanoya Mayor Shigeru Nakanishi signed off on the drone deployment in July despite residents’ concerns about potential accidents or crimes involving U.S The Air Force began deploying RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance drones to Misawa Air Base in northern Japan in 2014 and has flown them out of Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo in recent years Air Force squadron of MQ-9 Reaper drones is moving south to Okinawa from the Japanese island of Kyushu according to a spokesman at this airlift hub in western Tokyo Eight Reapers and more than 150 airmen in the newly formed 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron are finishing a yearlong deployment to Kanoya Air Base a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force base near the southern tip of Kyushu Pacific Air Forces plans to deploy MQ-9s and U.S personnel from Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Kanoya Air Base to Kadena Air Base,” 1st Lt will conduct airborne reconnaissance in coordination with Japan’s Ministry of Defense The Air Force is not releasing the dates when personnel and aircraft will move “We will continue to closely coordinate with the government of Japan on this deployment,” he said A spokesman for Japan’s Ministry of Defense said Friday that officials could answer questions about the move next week Some Japanese government officials may speak to the media only on condition of anonymity concerned about a Chinese military buildup and threats to invade Taiwan has been boosting its defense capabilities on its southern island territories The two countries’ coast guards spar frequently at the Senkakus a string of five uninhabited islands and three rocks 280 miles west of Okinawa that are administered by Japan but claimed by Taiwan and China It’s usually better for military forces to be based closer to their area of operations a retired Marine colonel and senior researcher with the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo From Kyushu the Reapers could operate far south of Japan “There’s a political benefit to operating in Okinawa,” Newsham said Such a move suggests Japan’s government is willing to absorb criticism from anti-American groups on the island “They will accuse Tokyo of increasing the ‘burden’ on Okinawa militarizing the place even more,” he said Pacific Air Forces describes the Reaper as medium-altitude The drone is primarily a surveillance aircraft but can carry an inventory of weapons The drones at Kanoya are configured for surveillance “and can’t be equipped with weapons,” according to a document from Japan’s Ministry of Defense posted on the Kanoya city website can carry 3,000 pounds of ordnance; they first saw combat in Afghanistan in 2007 and then in Iraq the following year The Air Force began deploying RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance drones to Misawa Air Base in northern Japan in 2014 and has flown them out of Yokota in recent years Stars and Stripes reporter Hana Kusumoto contributed to this report A Japanese mayor signed off this week on U.S military plans to fly unarmed drones from a base in southern Japan to keep tabs on Chinese activity in the seas nearby Mayor Shigeru Nakanishi of Kanoya city agreed to a yearlong deployment of MQ-9 Reapers at the nearby base a city official told Stars and Stripes by phone Wednesday City residents had expressed reservations about the drones and Nakanishi labored over his approval “I have decided that it’s inevitable to accept temporary deployment of U.S forces’ unmanned aircraft MQ-9,” he told the city assembly Monday according to a news clip posted by Kagoshima Television that day governments plan to fly eight drones from Kanoya Air Base a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force installation on Kyushu Island according to public broadcaster NHK on Tuesday Nakanishi signed off because “intelligence gathering is necessary for defense of our country under the Japan-U.S alliance as the security environment surrounding Japan is becoming increasingly severe,” the city official said The Reapers will be configured for surveillance “and can’t be equipped with weapons,” according to a document from Japan’s Ministry of Defense posted on the Kanoya city website side that it takes time to change the specifications and that the specifications won’t be changed while they are at Kanoya Air Base.” Koichi Shiota of Kagoshima prefecture and explain his decision before the city signs an accord with the national government Forces Japan did not immediately respond to questions about the deployment from Stars and Stripes on Wednesday A Ministry of Defense spokesman said that an agreement with local governments is necessary for the ministry and Self-Defense Forces to operate “We are grateful that he showed understanding for the temporary deployment which is to perform our defense and to strengthen the intelligence gathering ability of Japan and U.S alliance,” the spokesman said Wednesday by phone He said the ministry has no plans to introduce unmanned aircraft that have offensive capabilities “We will prepare for the temporary deployment of the MQ-9 by continuing to listen to the suggestions and feedback from the local governments,” he said Some government spokespeople in Japan customarily speak to the media on condition of anonymity Area residents in February expressed concerns about potential accidents and crimes involving U.S Between 150 and 200 personnel will live at off-base hotels Kanoya Air Base is already home to P-3C Orion maritime surveillance planes and UH-60J Black Hawk and SH-60K Seahawk helicopters of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force can carry 3,000 pounds of ordnance and first saw combat in Afghanistan in 2007 and Iraq the following year Japan — The risk of war with China is spurring the U.S Air Force to create “air mobility teams” charged with dispersing quickly to deliver cargo to far-flung spots across the Indo-Pacific Forces Japan in western Tokyo explained how the teams work during a Monday visit by Maj commander of the Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Air Force is absolutely reorienting toward our pacing challenge of the People’s Republic of China,” Klein told Stars and Stripes before departing Yokota on Tuesday The installation — along with Kadena Air Base Hawaii — serves as an air mobility hub that allows the United States to project power across the Indo-Pacific Air mobility teams can disperse to other facilities —civilian airports for example — to provide some of the same services available at the major hubs “The pacing challenge is going to drive a very rapid pace of conflict if we ever get to that stage,” he said The goal of an air mobility team is to provide cargo and passenger services in concert with aircraft and aircrew as fast and efficiently as possible Four members of Yokota’s 730th Air Mobility Squadron formed a small team to support the deployment of MQ-9 Reaper drones to Kanoya Air Base in southern Japan late last year Eight Reapers and more than 150 airmen in the newly formed 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron began a yearlong deployment to Kanoya in October The facility is a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force base near the southern tip of Kyushu flew from Yokota to Kanoya in a C-130J Super Hercules airlifter in late September Their first task involved working with Japanese sailors to measure taxiways to prepare for the arrival of C-17 Globemaster III aircraft transporting the drones from Creech Air Force Base but the aircraft didn’t return until they delivered the drones The airmen came up with a plan to steer the C-17s away from a sinkhole detected by the Japanese near the runway they have wild hogs out there.” Bazar said adding that landing lights had to be protected from the pigs The team’s work included welcoming an advance party from Pacific Air Forces and receiving government vehicles brought to the base by road and air the air mobility team helped unload 319 tons of cargo and 130 personnel from 11 C-17s 11 C-130Js and five C-12J Huron passenger planes TOKYO – People living near a Japanese military base in Kagoshima prefecture have urged local officials to oppose a plan to send U.S Japan and the United States are considering a temporary deployment of MQ-9 Reaper drones to improve the alliance’s monitoring and surveillance capabilities Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters Jan The Reapers could fly out of Kanoya Air Base but a survey must be done before a decision is made on where to station the drones Forces Japan did not respond this week to telephone and email queries about the possible deployment Local opponents of the drones urged Kanoya city officials on Feb “It is unavoidable that [the deployment] will threaten peace safety and security of the lives [of the residents] so the city should adamantly oppose [the plan],” Tokuji Matsushita Japanese media reports say as many as 100 U.S service members may deploy with the drones raising concerns about off-base accidents and incidents The city’s position could be factored into any decision by the U.S Kanoya is waiting for more information before taking a position The Defense Ministry plans to survey the base in spring head of the city’s policy promotion division “We told them that we have not received any specific explanation so we want to wait to hear the details before we make the decision,” Wakita said Kanoya has been visited in recent years by increasing numbers of U.S military aircraft from Okinawa and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni but the proposed drone deployment is different They will be used to monitor and collect data on China Kanoya Air Base is already home to P-3C Orion maritime surveillance planes and UH-60J Black Hawk and SH-60K Seahawk helicopters from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force The Air Force exercised its Reapers in September 2020 from Point Mugu intercepting ships at sea and coordinating attacks Airmen involved in the exercise wore a patch depicting an MQ-9 Reaper drone flying over China spurring a retort from the state-run Global Times newspaper that described it as an “extremely arrogant provocation.” commander of the 29th Attack Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base told Stars and Stripes for a report on the 2020 exercise “We are just as capable [at sea] without changing our weapons in any way,” he said “I think you are going to see the MQ-9 utilized in other locations.” Kagoshima Prefecture--As the generation that experienced World War II is fast fading into history local authorities here turned to virtual reality to preserve images of local military sites from that era as well as memories of residents who lived through the conflict Kanoya city in southern Japan hosted three bases used by imperial forces during the war It also hosted the headquarters for a kamikaze suicide squad Officials said their aim is to provide postwar generations with tangible evidence of the horrors of war that allows them to reflect on the lasting value of peace in the hope history does not repeat itself City officials decided to act as numbers of wartime survivors are dwindling and many of those individuals are now too frail to hand down accounts of their experiences of those dark times more than seven decades ago “We want people to visit the former sites to learn what they looked like in bygone days,” said a Kanoya city official Whereas Minami-Kyushu in Kagoshima Prefecture is known primarily for its Chiran Peace Museum More than 900 kamikaze pilots flew from the Kanoya base on suicide missions toward the close of the war more than at any other facilities in Japan Three virtual reality movies depict the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Kushira and Kasanohara bases as well as Kanehama beach occupation forces came ashore following Japan’s surrender in August 1945 The video footage was created by using present-day landscapes as well as recollections of survivors and depictions from official documents A QR code is set up at each location to provide smartphone access for on-site viewing In the video of the Kanehama beach landing Navy vessels appear in Kagoshima Bay and come close to shore to allow bulldozers and soldiers to make landfall One centering on the Kushira base portrays a suicide unit departing from the base and a communications officer receiving a message in a dugout by telegraph from a pilot on a suicide mission All the materials were developed based on peace lessons offered by local volunteer guides the city’s historical records and the wartime experiences of residents Some scenes from the VR videos are available on the municipality’s website at (https://www.city.kanoya.lg.jp/furusato-pr/360vr.html) Warplane salvaged from sea in search for human remains No human remains found in salvaged WWII bomber Wartime airfield in Hyogo hands down area’s tragic history Former kamikaze pilot shares his life story with a German audience Radio center that relayed order for Pearl Harbor attack remains Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp The city of Kanoya in Kagoshima Prefecture’s Osumi Peninsula can be reached by public bus from Kagoshima Chuo Station in two hours and from Kagoshima Airport in 1 hour and 30 minutes The hilly area in the east of Kanoya City’s Kirishimagaoka Park is home to “Kanoya Rose Garden” With 35,000 roses planted across 80,000 square meters of land it is one of the largest rose gardens in Japan Visit it and sink in a sea of colors and aromas from the roses allowing them to soothe and relax your mind There is also a restaurant with its popular “Rose Curry” and “Rose Soft-serve Ice Cream” and a gift shop offering rose-related goods and souvenirs The garden holds a “Kanoya Rose Festival” twice a year Best times to visit are late April to early June in spring and mid-November to early December in autumn Sundays and national holidays during the festival periods Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages Japan and the United States have launched a new organization to analyze information collected by their defense equipment unmanned aircraft recently deployed near the East China Sea where China is intensifying its military activities based at the Yokota Air Base in the suburbs of Tokyo and dubbed the U.S.-Japan Bilateral Intelligence Analysis Cell was set up in November following a bilateral agreement at a Japan-U.S defense ministerial meeting in September to jointly analyze information acquired by Japanese and U.S military's MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance drones which went into operation at the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Kanoya air base in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima in November on a temporary basis The MQ-9 deployment reflects Washington's efforts to beef up its surveillance and intelligence-gathering activities near Japan's southwestern Nansei island chain which includes the Japan-controlled Senkaku islets Over a one-year period through next November eight MQ-9s in total are expected to be stationed at the Kanoya base according to the municipal government of Kanoya The analysis team consists of about 30 Japanese and U.S The Japanese personnel hail from the ground maritime and air self-defense forces as well as the ministry's Defense Intelligence Headquarters At the team's launching ceremony at the Yokota base on Nov Ricky Rupp said the new organization "ensures strategic readiness by enhancing mutual threat understanding" between Japan and the United States the two nations will "offer the greatest stabilizing force in the Western Pacific," he added vice chief of the Japanese ministry's Joint Staff said the team's establishment "further strengthens the constant monitoring of unusual actions" and "helps deter provocative actions" in the region Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and his U.S counterpart Lloyd Austin agreed at the September meeting on "the importance of strengthening intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities" to boost the alliance's deterrence and response capabilities Japan mulls broaching revision of defense guidelines with U.S. Japanese to be crew of U.S.-led Moon-orbiting space station Japan, U.S. eye "2-plus-2" security talks in January To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Japan (AP) - One of Mitsubishi's legendary Zero fighter planes took to the skies over Japan on Wednesday for the first time since World War II The restored plane made a brief flight to and from a naval base in southern Japan Air Force pilot Skip Holm flew the aircraft Zero fighters were considered one of the most capable fighter planes in World War II Their long range allowed them to play a prominent role in the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor Only a few are still in operating condition This particular plane was found decaying in Papua New Guinea in the 1970s It was owned by an American until Japanese businessman Masahiro Ishizuka purchased it and brought it to Japan last September "I wanted for the people of Japan and especially young people to know about this Zero airplane as well as those who are old who remember the past," Ishizuka said "Each of them should have different thoughts and perspectives on this but I just want people to know how Japan has developed its technology." Japanese see the aircraft both as a symbol of their country's technological advance and a reminder of the harrowing history of the war Kamikaze pilots took off from the same airfield as Wednesday's flight Kanoya Naval Air Base on the island of Kyushu the plane made an appearance in the Hollywood movie "Pearl Harbor" and at various events in the United States Kagoshima Prefecture--Where warplanes once took off from the two roads here today are home to about 1,000 cherry blossom trees that were enjoyed by visitors in early April The roads now are famed as a cherry blossom viewing spot but the area used to be a runway at a former Imperial Japanese Navy base he used to come to the side of the runway and wave goodbye to naval aircraft as they departed An Imperial Japanese Navy base was built in Kushira during World War II where pilots and maintenance workers were trained the base and other bases nearby such as Kanoya and Chiran became a staging point for suicide attack units military started landing on Okinawa’s main island Kamikaze departed from many locations in Kyushu 363 people from the Kushira base died in such desperate missions military was expected to land in an invasion of the Japanese mainland the Imperial Japanese Army dug trenches everywhere in town Japanese soldiers sometimes came to Shimonaiji’s home to use his family's bath Shimonaiji continually wished for the war to end They established a group there called Kansai-Kushira-kai to serve as an anchor for their hometown the group donated cherry blossom nursery trees to the town hoping to make a row of cherry blossom trees along the roads diverted from the base’s runway A war memorial for the war dead had been built in the area around the former base A project had also been launched to make the area a “peace park,” telling the sad tale of the war and ensuring lasting peace But after about 50 years since the first planting of the nursery trees 16 landed on Osumi Peninsula in southern Kyushu destroying about 300 of the cherry blossom trees locals have been planting nursery cherry blossom trees “By maintaining the row of cherry blossom trees the history and stories of the war will also be kept alive,” said Shunichi Sueyoshi who has been involved in a project to maintain the area Shimonaiji has refrained from visiting his hometown because of the COVID-19 pandemic He hopes to visit the area again sometime in the future when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience A new 100 MWp solar power plant supplied with Kyocera solar modules has begun operation in Japan’s Kagoshima Prefecture Operated by the Kyocera-backed Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills LLC joint venture the plant is one of the largest PV facilities on the island of Kyushu Venture partner Tokyo Century arranged financing for the project with 17 regional banks The Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills Solar Power Plant one of the largest power plant on the Japanese island of Kyushu Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills’ backers also include GF Corporation and Kyudenko Corporation which established a consortium to oversee the plant’s design Also on board is financial services group Tokyo Century which worked with the Bank of Fukuoka in arranging a syndicated loan with 17 regional banks for the project which will manage operations of the facility worked on the construction of the site with the cooperation of Kagoshima Prefecture the town of Osaki and other members of the community Planning of the project began in January 2014 after the local community expressed interest in repurposing land designated for a golf course more than 30 years ago that was subsequently abandoned “We believe that this installation will contribute greatly to the local community through the creation of jobs and increased tax revenues in both Kanoya and Osaki,” Kyocera said in a statement executive officer and general manager of Kyocera’s Corporate Smart Energy Group Kyudenko and Tokyo Century started this project with a commitment to contribute to the community in cooperation with local governments by assisting with a long-term land redevelopment vision.” More articles from Edgar Meza Please be mindful of our community standards and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" This website uses cookies to anonymously count visitor numbers. View our privacy policy. × The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this Close Eight United States Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drones are moving almost 700 kilometers south to U.S previously deployed to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima Tokyo is concerned about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) assertiveness in the region operated by the 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron will provide a window into CCP activities in the contested East China Sea forces are working together to relocate the drones and more than 150 Airmen “As the security environment becomes increasingly severe we will further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S including intelligence-gathering capabilities,” Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said in mid-October 2023 “With the activities of countries surrounding Japan becoming more active and the need for information gathering in the sea and airspace around Japan’s southwest region increasing Air Force MQ-9 to Kadena Air Base will … provide easier access to the region” and allow more time for surveillance The Nansei island chain stretches southwest from Japan’s main islands toward self-governed Taiwan and includes Okinawa and the disputed Senkaku Islands which are controlled by Japan but claimed by the CCP CCP coast guard and naval ships have shadowed Japanese fishing vessels in the area about 11 meters long with a wingspan of 20 meters The eight Reapers deployed to Kanoya Air Base on the southernmost of Japan’s main islands The aircraft conducted missions to deter and assess the CCP’s increasing maritime activities near Japan The Diplomat magazine reported in October 2023 The announcement of the squadron’s move to Kadena Air Base came after Kihara met with U.S Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington The leaders reaffirmed the importance of MQ-9 drones in joint ISR efforts The first Reaper arrived later that month at Kadena base in the region and known as the “Keystone of the Pacific.” long-endurance Reapers will monitor potential flashpoints and provide intelligence to U.S including an intelligence analysis cell comprised of Japanese and U.S Air Force spokesman told Stars and Stripes “Our Airmen are excited to serve in this challenging priority theater,” Lt the 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron commander Deploying to Kadena will provide a more “real-time operating picture.” the FORUM staff will only use it to communicate with you We will not share your email address or publish it Only your name and website will appear on your comment Indo-Pacific Defense FORUM is a professional military magazine published quarterly by the commander of the U.S Indo-Pacific Command to provide an international forum for military personnel of the Indo-Pacific area The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent the policies or points of view of this command or any other agency of the U.S All articles are written by FORUM staff unless otherwise noted The secretary of defense has determined that the publication of this magazine is necessary for conducting public business as required by the Department of Defense If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version Japanese version Today's print edition Home Delivery Tokyo and Washington are exploring the possibility of deploying U.S military drones to a Maritime Self-Defense Force base in Kyushu — the first time American drones would be sent to an SDF base Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said Friday that the government was considering the temporary deployment of U.S Air Force MQ-9 unmanned surveillance aircraft to the MSDF's Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima Prefecture.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Around seven MQ-9 drones would be deployed to the base personnel expected to operate and maintain the aircraft In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division the 1st Asian University Cycling Championship was staged in Chang Nyeong 71 participants from 4 national teams and 4 university teams from China Philippines and Korea competed at this inaugural event 4 University teams included Peking University in China Mon-Altius University in Mongolia and Changwon University in Korea The competition started on 24th July with Criterium and Individual Time Trial events It was Kyeong Ho Min from Korea National team who first passed the finish line in 33’43’’86 Kuroeda Saya from Kanoya University and Batmunkh Maralerdene from Mon-Altius University were runner-up and third respectively The gold medal in Criterium Team went to Japan National team with 1:41’24”84 Kanoya University team (Japan) and Korea National team were second and third respectively Altanzul Altansukh from Mon-Altius University won the gold medal clocking 09’16’’41 while Kyeong Ho Min got the silver medal trailing only 1 second Batmunkh Maralerdene from Mon-Altius University settled for the bronze The 1st place of team in Time Trial was Mon-Altius University with 29’17”41 Kanoya University (Japan) and Korea National team won 2nd and 3rd place respectively On 25July the Opening Ceremony of this event took place the President of Korea University Cycling Federation 71 participants and 500 local amateur riders celebrated the grand opening of this event together Kyeong Ho Min won the gold medal with 2:40’21’’10 while Erdenesuren Munkhtulga and Altanzul Altansukh from Mon-Altius University won the silver and the bronze medal respectively Mon-Altius University team got the best result in the Road Race with 8:02’53’’15 followed by Japan National team and Kanoya Univerity © International University Sports Federation Almost 70 years after it was flown by the Imperial Japanese Navy a Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter plane is being prepared to once again take to the skies of Japan to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and seeing service from 1940 to 1945 was brought back to Japan last September from the United States where it had been stored.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Currently displayed at the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima Prefecture it has been reassembled and its engine tested on July 7 with help from U.S Japanese version Japan has witnessed record-breaking weather in the last ten days with destructive and sometimes deadly consequences Some places have been lashed with more than three times the average rainfall for the entire month NHK World meteorologist Mori Sayaka explains why the rain has been so extreme this year located in the southwest of Japan and sandwiched between warm ocean fronts And its mountainous terrain makes it the most disaster-prone area Around 60% of the landslides that occur in the country are in Kyushu but the downpours in early July broke records They also cost the lives of at least 66 people The Japan Meteorological Agency issued an emergency warning – the highest possible level of alert – for much of the island It was the first time the warning had been issued for Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures since the alert system was introduced in 2013 the city of Kanoya in Kagoshima Prefecture received more than a meter of rain That's three times the average for all of July Even more astonishing is that most of it fell within just half a day Kanoya and the city of Minamata in Kumamoto Prefecture saw 415 millimeters in just 12 hours All of these far exceeded previous records breached levees and caused deadly flooding humid maritime air and dry continental air collide creating a seasonal rain front in and around Japan The front usually moves northward as the season progresses a Pacific high-pressure system normally responsible for pushing the front along has not done so this month That left it stalled in the same area for more than a week Officials at the Japan Meteorological Agency say they cannot recall the last time this occurred a plume of unusually strong water vapor called a "wet tongue" surged into Kyushu and strengthened the stalled rain front And much narrower bands of rain called "trainings" developed over Kyushu A training is a series of thunderclouds that forms over the same area for an extended period of time but inside the training the clouds are continuously forming and that means extended periods of rain in one location The wet period typically lasts through mid-July in Kyushu We often see dangerous amounts of rain near the end of the rainy season so caution will still be needed for the next few weeks A very strong magnitude 6.2 earthquake occurred in the Philippine Sea near the coast of  Japan late in the evening of Wednesday The quake had a very shallow depth of 26 km (16 mi) and was felt widely in the area The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would.