Japanese Island News

Chinese warplanes and navy ships were still in the waters around Taiwan, the island's defense ministry said on Tuesday after the end of three days of war games, as Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen criticized Beijing for its "irresponsible" behavior.China began the exercises on Saturday after Tsai returned to Taipei following a meeting in Los Angeles with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.China, which warned the U.S. not to allow Tsai to visit or meet McCarthy, has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratically governed island under Beijing's control.

China's threat of force is undiminished, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Thursday, even though Beijing's largest ever military drills around the island seemed to be scaling down.Furious about a visit to Chinese-claimed Taiwan last week by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China launched ballistic missiles and deployed multiple aircraft and warships in recent days to simulate sea and air attacks.China said on Wednesday it would keep up patrols but had "completed various tasks" around Taiwan, signaling a possible end to the war games even while keeping up pressure.

A Japanese destroyer and a Chinese fishing boat collided in the East China Sea on Monday night and no one was injured, Japan’s defense minister said, but China said a fisherman was hurt and suggested the Japanese vessel was to blame.The collision occurred about 650 km (400 miles) west of the Japanese island of Yakushima, Defence Minister Taro Kono said on Twitter on Tuesday.The crash opened a hole of more than a meter in length above the waterline of the destroyer, the Shimakaze, Kono said.“No personnel were injured and no one from the Chinese fishing boat was missing.

The Japanese-built containership Kamala caught fire around 400km off the coast of the Japanese island of Kuchinoshima in the East China Sea. The accident happened during a voyage from Gresik, Indonesia to Ulsan, South Korea with 796 containers on board, including hazardous cargo. The fire started in several of deck containers and duty officer sent a distress signal to Japanese Coast Guard immediately. The vessel  (24,724 dwt, built 1999) was headed to the Korean port of Ulsan, having departed Gresik in Indonesia, when it sent a distress signal yesterday (Saturday) morning around 12:45am. The Japan’s 10th Regional Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter at the scene of the accident to see the Kamala’s condition and noticed that about 30 deck containers in the fore part are on fire.

Japan may join the United States in air patrols in the South China Sea in response to China’s growing intent to make good on land claims, according a report in Reuters. Japan's military is considering joining the United States in maritime air patrols in the South China Sea in response to China's increasingly assertive pursuit of territorial claims. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in Washington to discuss his plans for Japan to take on a wider security role beyond the direct defense of its home islands. The talks resulted in the two countries unveiling new guidelines for defense. Japan could join US patrols in the South China Sea…

Evergreen Line's 1140-TEU Uni-Adroit set sail across the 100-mile-wide Taiwan Straits for China's northern Xingang port on December 15, 2009 opening a new era of direct ocean shipping following a ceremony at Kaohsiung harbor overseen by Taiwan's President Ma Yin-Jiu. The direct link ends a nearly 60-year suspension of such services between Taiwan and the China mainland. The new direct service was accelerated with the election and inauguration of President Ma earlier this year. The two nations signed an agreement in November to ensure the opening of trade as beneficial to both economies.

USS Wahoo (SS 238) is launched at Mare Island Navy Yard, Calif., just eight months after her keel was laid. Adm. Gary Roughead, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, declared that the sunken submarine recently discovered by divers in the Western Pacific is the World War II submarine USS Wahoo (SS 238). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet declared Oct. 31 that the sunken submarine recently discovered by divers in the Western Pacific is, indeed, the World War II submarine USS Wahoo (SS 238). "After reviewing the records and information, we are certain USS Wahoo has been located," said Adm. Gary Roughead, the U.S. Pacific Fleet commander.

Foss Maritime Company has delivered 36 pre-fabricated modules that were part of a multi-year sealift of specialized structure and components needed to construct an oil production facility at a remote project site in the Russian Far East. This remote oil production site is located near Chayvo Bay on the Northeast tip of Sakhalin Island. Located north of the Japanese Island of Hokkaido, Sakhalin Island is separated from Russian mainland by the Tartar Strait. The project was safely completed ahead of schedule despite complex logistical requirements and many environmental challenges such as ice, harsh storms and sea conditions. The delivery marks the completion of a project that began in 2003. The delivery of 36 modules include some up to 1800 tons, and measure at 280 x 45 x 85 ft.

A Japanese freighter and a Philippine container ship collided off Tokyo Bay on Thursday, causing the container ship to sink and forcing the evacuation of its crew, the Japan Coast Guard said. Visibility of less than 200 metres in thick fog appeared to be the cause of the crash, local media reported, quoting the coast guard. No casualties were reported, but the 25 Filipinos aboard the 6,182-ton Eastern Challenger were forced to abandon ship by lifeboat as their vessel went down. The 498-ton Japanese ship was able to harbour at the port, and its five crewmembers were safe. The Eastern Challenger was carrying steel and used cars from the Philippines, and the Tsugaru Maru was transporting animal feed to the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

The commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Adm. Walter F. Doran, USN, will be the principal speaker for a ceremony here Jan. 11 honoring a Navy destroyerman as the U.S. Grumman Corporation's (NYSE: NOC) Ship Systems sector. with the name Chung-Hoon to honor Rear Adm. Gordon P. dead and his ship, USS Sigsbee (DD 502), severely crippled. ceremony. sponsor's cousin and daughter, respectively. The U.S. before and during the ceremony. The Rev. Robert L. invocation. participate in the festivities as well. In addition to Adm. Rear Adm. William W. Theater Surface Combatants; Perry White, stepson of Rear Adm. Chung-Hoon; Capt. Philip N. conversion and repair, Pascagoula; and Dr. Philip A. Systems sector. commemorates a triumph of the human spirit. in the face of catastrophic damage to his own ship.