LDP to study feasibility of defense use of space development
January 22, 2006The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has decided to study the feasibility of relaxing Japan's restrictions on the use of the fruit of space development for defense purposes, party sources said Sunday. The LDP is expected to seek enabling defense-purpose use as long as it is not aimed at invading other countries and explore ways to enable the Defense Agency to develop and operate spy satellites that produce high-resolution images, they said.
New bridge opened between northern Thailand, Myanmar
January 22, 2006A second bridge over the Mae Sai River between the Thai border town of Mae Sai and Myanmar's Tachilek was officially opened Sunday, in line with Thailand's quest to expand trade with its immediate neighbor and with nearby southern China. Thailand spent some 50 million baht ($1.25 million) to construct the two-lane, 90-meter-long bridge. It was completed in March 2004, while associated facilities were completed last November.
ASEAN visit delayed as Myanmar busy moving capital
January 22, 2006Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win said Sunday he has proposed a new date for his Malaysian counterpart Syed Hamid Albar to visit Myanmar as representative of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to assess the military-ruled country's progress in restoring democracy. But Nyan Win, in his remarks to reporters in Thailand, declined to reveal the date that he proposed to Syed Hamid in a telephone conversation or whether it was accepted.
Yasukuni visit to go on even if U.S. asks to stop, Koizumi told Bush
January 22, 2006Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told U.S. President George W. Bush last November he would not stop visiting the war-related Yasukuni Shrine even at the request of the United States, sources familiar with Japan-U.S. relations said Saturday. ''I will never stop, even if asked by the United States not to,'' Koizumi was quoted as telling Bush during a meeting in Kyoto on Nov. 16. Bush is Koizumi's closest ally on the international stage.
Voting begins in Okinawa city picked to host U.S. air station
January 22, 2006Voting began in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, on Sunday to choose a mayor among three candidates who all oppose government plans to relocate a U.S. military airport to the city. The three candidates, all running as independents, are Yoshikazu Shimabukuro, 59, former chairman of the city assembly, Munehiro Gakiya, 59, who was also head of the city assembly, and former city assembly member Yoshitami Oshiro, 65.
Major quake in northeastern Japan could kill 2,700: gov't study
January 22, 2006A major earthquake hitting northeastern Japan could result in the deaths of 2,700 people and the destruction of 9,400 houses and buildings, according to a government study Kyodo News obtained Saturday. The results are based on the worst-case scenario of a study conducted by the Central Disaster Prevention Council that looked into possible damage of eight types of large-scale quakes focused in the Pacific from offshore Hokkaido to the Tohoku region.