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LAST UPDATE | 4 Aug 2022
BALLISTIC MISSILES FIRED by China are believed to have landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone for the first time, Tokyo’s defence minister has said.
“Five of the nine ballistic missiles launched by China are believed to have landed within Japan’s EEZ,” Nobuo Kishi told reporters, as China holds massive military drills in the waters around Taiwan.
Japan “lodged a protest with China through diplomatic channels”, Kishi said, calling the matter “a serious problem that affects our national security and the safety of our citizens”.
China is holding its largest-ever military exercises around Taiwan, which it considers its territory and has vowed to one day seize, by force if necessary.
The show of military might was sparked by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the self-ruled island, despite stern warnings from Beijing.
Parts of Japan’s southernmost island region Okinawa are close to Taiwan. Kishi said it was the first time Chinese ballistic missiles had landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The EEZ extends up to 200 nautical miles from Japan’s coastline, beyond the limits of its territorial waters.
The figure of nine missiles fired was an assessment by the Japanese side, Kishi said, adding that the five appeared to have landed southwest of Okinawa’s Hateruma island.
The drills began today and involved a “conventional missile firepower assault” in waters to the east of Taiwan, the Chinese military said.
Japan had yesterday expressed concern to China over the drills, saying they were planned to take place in maritime areas which overlap with its EEZ.
All nine missiles were believed to have fallen within areas designated by China for the military exercises, Kishi said.
The minister declined to comment on China’s intentions regarding the drills, but nonetheless called them “extremely menacing”.
‘Maximum restraint’
A group of 10 south-east Asian countries has called for calm in the Taiwan Strait as it urged against any “provocative action” in the wake of a visit to Taipei by Pelosi.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) foreign ministers meeting in Cambodia’s Phnom Penh said they were concerned the situation could “destabilise the region and eventually could lead to miscalculation, serious confrontation, open conflicts and unpredictable consequences among major powers”.
In their statement, the Asean foreign ministers called for “maximum restraint” and for all sides to “refrain from provocative action”.
“The world is in dire need of wisdom and responsibility of all leaders to uphold multilateralism and partnership, cooperation, peaceful-coexistence and healthy competition for our shared goals of peace, stability, security and inclusive and sustainable development,” they said.
“We should act together and Asean stands ready to play a constructive role in facilitating peaceful dialogue between all parties including through utilising Asean-led mechanisms to deescalate tension, to safeguard peace, security and development in our region.”
- © AFP 2022 with reporting from PA.
Sounds like a pretty decent speech to be honest.
@Tricia G: Took the words straight out of my mouth Tricia.
@Tricia G: he doesn’t write them, it’s put up in front and he reads it that’s all, it’s a spoof, it’s politics
@Slim Browne:
biden doesnt know what day of the week he has,never mind why he came to ireland…
@John O’sullivan: Well at least he’s remembered he was here,hadn’t a clue where he was last when a kid asked him a week ago..progress.
@John O’sullivan: Are there STILL people trying this absolute muck? I feel confident in saying “Sleepy” Joe Biden is likely a lot smarter than you, John.
@John O’sullivan: This is the same Joe Biden who condemned Reagan’s neutral stance in the Falklands War, was the strongest supporter of the UK and Mrs. Thatcher in the US and even introduced a resolution to the floor backing the UK. He will say whatever his minders think will get him a few more votes. He had to be reminded by a kid one week after the visit that he had been in Ireland. The love for him in Ireland is strange given the evidence that is coming out week after week of the corruption he and his family are involved in. And that’s before trying to decipher what the hell he is talking about in his speeches. If the orange one was half as mentally deficient during his term the left would’ve been screaming for him to be removed as unfit for office.The US is screwed.
@Richard Keogh: dat 100% lying DNA strain goes a long, long way in de United Sham (that is) America.
@John O’sullivan: Do you think Trump is any better, not much younger you know and fatter!
@Richard Keogh: You’ve twisted it. He condemned the Galtierri junta for being the aggressor and invading the Falklands. He didn’t call for the US to militarily involve itself, only to issue a resolution to publicly claim that Argentina invading the islands to settle a dispute was wrong. He was proved right, it was a miscalculation by Argentina which toppled Galtierri in the end
@Richard Keogh: By the way, it has been argued that if the US / Reagan had taken a more diplomatically robust stance on the Falklands, Galtierri would have settled sooner for a diplomatic settlement instead it descended into an armed conflict that resulted in a lot young Argentinian conscripts losing their lives and the Galtierri junta being toppled soon after.
@Joe Philips: i would be surprised if the guy could recite the alphabet without a cheat card or teleprompter
@John O’sullivan: If you’re talking about Biden, then you obviously haven’t been paying attention
Comparing President Joe’s speech to the hour of angry whinging lies the orange thing came out with on cnn , I can’t see how anyone with an ounce of integrity could justify voting for trump
A wonderful President- saying it as it is. Without him, the British Government would have trod roughshod over the GFA.
@Paul Whitehead: 100%
Ha ha straight to d point Joe
Can’t wait to see the reacion of the UK media…
Poor man was asked a week later where was his last trip a road was, he hadn’t a clue, totally oblivious to the fact he visited Ireland. There should be an age limit put on roles of such responsibility, the fact an 80yr old can be president is insane
@Bald And Broke: I thought President Michael D Higgins was really popular though?
He’s out of his mind, this fella.
@Ordinary Bloke: Regarding this topic of Brexit and Ireland what did Biden specifically say that sounds like he’s out of his mind? Seems like a very reasoned and cogent position on policy to me.
I love you President Joe Biden. You are a legend.
Good job he didn’t go to Coppers
@Joe Philips: Personally I’m not a fan of Trump as a human being or his brand of politics myself, but being an Irish citizen I certainly don’t have the same rabid obsession with American politics and Imported American political ideas that people like yourself seem to Joe, as I think much of the time they have no relevance to Ireland or Irish society whatsoever. However I do understand the importance of the role of an American president in what is a very volatile time globally.
On that note I think that Joe Biden seems to be suffering from the onset of senile dementia which given the aforementioned global volatility could perhaps be very dangerous. So please can you explain to me what president Biden is doing both globally or domestically that would elevate him to a level of greatness above all other presidents before him going back to Lincoln? And if you could do so without mentioning Donald Trump, telling lies which we know you have a tendency toward and all while staying on point, that would be great. Thanks
@Zim Zimma: I’d be happy to… once you properly explain this: “On that note I think that Joe Biden seems to be suffering from the onset of senile dementia”. This better be good. Zero points for vague nonsense.
@Joe Philips: A week after his visit to Ireland, his ‘coming home’ trip he completely forgot he was here. Also at the same event, he could remember how many and where his grandkids live. Sound like dementia to me.
@Ian Hoey: *couldn’t
@Joe Philips: A week after his ‘coming home’ visit to Ireland, he forgot he was even here. Also at the same event, he couldn’t remember how many grandkids he had and where they live. Sounds like dementia to me.
@Ian Hoey: 3 attempts at a 3-line post, Ian? Looks like dementia to me.
The best President America has had since Lincoln. From an Irish POV, He’s the best they’ve ever had. Come at me, Trumpets!
@Joe Philips: Great fishing sir.
@GT McMahon: Nope. Factual info.
@Joe Philips: Have you suffered a serious head trauma recently by any chance?
@Joe Philips: I didn’t vote for him, but I agree with him here.
Sleepy Joe, you have some neck!
You came to Ireland on a very expensive jolly.
Newsflash! Ireland has no nearer country in culture or similarities than the UK. We aren’t that different from them, whether you like it or not. Biden is a cabbage.
@Paulco: Then it’s pretty impressive for a ‘cabbage’ to have had such an impact on UK policy wrt Brexit and the the Windsor Agreement. Whether you like it or not.
Legend!
So his great-great grandfather was a supervisor on famine relief works. This section of Irish history has been erased from popular culture. I wonder why?
@Jack Creegan: how many greats are you going back? Maybe you can go back further to find a great ancestor he had that was a Viking that pillaged an Irish monastery round tower ?
Ya gotta wonder what the Irish reaction would be if Mr Biden (or Mr Trump) said he was here to make sure the “Paddy’s or the Mick’s behave themselves!
To The Journal, before taking this comment down, remember that you ran with this, not me, I am just looking at this from outside the Irish perspective.
I despise ageism which is so often the only “ism” that is fine by certain types who would burn you at the stake for any other “ism”. Sadly though I really do think it’s ridiculous that a man of 80 is feasible to continue in a role as demanding as that (regardless of whether you think they really make any decisions). It’s a pity as I think people tend to overlook the fact he is quite possibly the best friend Ireland has ever had in the White House.
@Niallus: The irony of this comment. Are you completely unaware you’re peddling that exact same “ism” that you’re complaining about? You’ve said nothing about any of his policies or given any example of any bad decisions he’s made… just “Sadly though I really do think it’s ridiculous that a man of 80 is feasible to continue…”
I feel like I’m taking crazy pills here.
@Joe Philips: Because of his inability to communicate in cohernt sentences? The mans public addresses keep descending into complete incohernt nonsense and I’m not talking about his political positions (which hopefully you can tell me about) simply his ability to use the English language. Time will tell if he is diagnosed with dementia, I think he will be, but it’s all beside the point, just a way for you to deflect from my questions on your usual hyperbolic nonsense statements in your usual dishonest way.
So now your turn. See if you can be honest for a short period and stick to the point. What has he done domestically or internationally that has made him Americas greatest president since Lincoln in your opinion, without mentioning Donald trump and sticking to the point…….and go
@Zim Zimma: More people working in the US than at any time under any US President. Most jobs created, more people with health coverage than ever before, executive orders protecting reproductive rights, environmental and climate change policies, infrastructure investment, the “inflation reduction act “ that gives tax credits to US companies to manufacture in the US instead of abroad (the one the EU doesn’t like). Stock market DOW higher than under any previous President. Much stronger US dollar in decades. I am not a registered Democrat but so far he’s been doing really well.
@Diaspora’d: he also just raised the debt ceiling again, when he should have taxed the wealthy instead
Raising the debt ceiling means he can spend even more while putting the country into further debt!
@bernard berry: The US debt ceiling is legislated by Congress, the President can’t unilaterally raise the debt ceiling without it being approved by Congress. With a divided house and senate there’s always a compromise.
@Diaspora’d: okay, but I think you escaped the actual point!
Biden = A rotten planter.
Oh Christ….grandad’s at it again.
have your say