Please leave anything you want to discuss in the comments section.
I have hiked the mountains outside of Yokota Airbase many times in the past and fortunately I have never even seen a bear though the bear warning signs are often posted at the trailheads:
A Russian man was mauled by a bear on a trail near the home of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo over the weekend, according to Japanese officials. The hiker was walking alone near Mount Minokido, 25 miles west of Yokota Air Base, when the animal attacked shortly before noon on Sunday, Okutama town announced in a news release that day. Officials have closed part of a trail and advised hikers to avoid the area, the release said. The bear bit the hiker on his left cheek and clawed his left shoulder, an official from the town’s tourism and industry division told Stars and Stripes by phone Monday. Police and hunters are patrolling the area and set up traps, but they have not captured the bear, the official said.
You can read more at the link.
President Xi is on a diplomatic flurry after first hosting Trump, then Putin, and now he is going to meet with Kim Jong-un:
Chinese President Xi Jinping will likely visit North Korea as early as next week, sources said Wednesday.
“We have obtained intelligence indicating that President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea soon,” a high-ranking government official told Yonhap News Agency.
Another government official also said there is a high possibility of Xi visiting North Korea later this month or early next month, noting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Pyongyang last month and the recent trips by Xi’s security guards and ceremonial staff to the North Korean capital.
You can read more at the link.
The long awaited nuclear submarine project for South Korea is finally moving forward:
The military has initiated the formal process to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, a Navy document showed Wednesday, amid little progress in security talks with the United States over Seoul’s push for the project.
The Navy recently submitted the document to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) outlining the need for the program and specifying requirements, such as desired capabilities, the number of systems needed and projected deployment schedules, according to the document provided to Rep. Kang Dae-sik of the main opposition People Power Party.
The U.S. gave approval for South Korea to build nuclear-powered attack submarines and committed to working with Seoul to advance requirements for the project, including avenues to source fuel, under a joint fact sheet released after a summit of the allies’ leaders.
You can read more at the link, but the ROK is planning to build 4 nuclear submarines that should be complete by the mid-to-late 20230’s.
I will be surprised if the Japanese court believes this defense. If this holds up every rapist will be claiming they were sleepwalking to justify their crimes:
A U.S. Marine accused of sexually assaulting a Japanese woman and injuring another will rely on a defense of insanity due to a sleep disorder when his case comes to trial in June, his attorney said Wednesday. Pfc. Austin Wedington, 28, of California, should not be held responsible for an incident prosecutors allege occurred on March 18, 2025, according to a Feb. 12 filing by attorney Tetsu Amakata in Naha District Court.
Amakata’s pleading was partially read in court by Presiding Judge Tomohiko Shinomiya on Wednesday. The defendant was showing symptoms of parasomnia and was in a state of insanity during every act he is accused of in the indictment, according to Amakata’s filing. Parasomnia is an umbrella term for disruptive sleep disorders that include sleepwalking, sleep terrors, sleep talking and sleep paralysis, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Article 39 of Japan’s penal code states that “actions due to insanity are not subject to punishment.” Wedington pleaded not guilty Nov. 18 to forcible sexual intercourse and guilty to injuring the second woman before a three-judge panel presided over by Judge Kazuhiko Obata.
You can read more at the link.
Here is the latest virtue signaling over the Gwangju Uprising:
The Army said Tuesday it has revoked 33 commendations that were awarded to soldiers in the name of an Army chief for their roles in a bloody crackdown during the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju.
The move is the latest in a series of military efforts to address past wrongdoing by the troops during the brutal crackdown on civilians who rose up against the military junta, led by then Army Gen. Chun Doo-hwan, in the nine-day revolt.
Chun seized power through a coup on Dec. 12, 1979, and ultimately became president in August 1980.
After a review of the commendations related to the Gwangju crackdown operations, the Army found a total of 33 troops had received commendations, Bae Seok-jin, the Army spokesperson, said in a press briefing.
“The Army decided to revoke the 33 commendations at a merit review committee on April 28,” Bae said.
You can read more at the link.
