Drone wars put Japan's Kawasaki Motors, Subaru in spotlight
Kawasaki, in collaboration with French startup VoltAero, is developing twin- and single-engine drones that can fly up to 2,700 kilometers at speeds of up to 600 kilometers per hour with a maximum payload of 500 kilograms.
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Japan Times
3 days ago
- Japan Times
Thailand hits Cambodia with F-16s as border clash erupts
Thai F-16 fighter jets struck military sites in neighboring Cambodia as a border dispute between the Southeast Asian nations, stretching back decades, erupted in fresh clashes that killed at least 14 people. Both nations accused each other of starting the worst border violence in about 14 years, which also left dozens injured amid conflict in six locations along their frontier. The eruption Thursday, which included reports of artillery and rocket fire, follows a buildup of tensions since a Cambodian soldier was killed in an exchange of gunfire in May and a chain of political events in Bangkok that has threatened the ruling coalition. Thailand said its fighter jets hit at least three Cambodian army bases near the border in separate airstrikes and reported that rockets fired from Cambodia killed several civilians. An 8-year-old boy was among 14 Thai fatalities, which included one soldier, according to revised health ministry figures released Thursday evening. It added 32 civilians and 14 soldiers were wounded. There was some variance in the figures reported by authorities in Bangkok, and casualties on the Cambodian side remain unclear. Thailand's military operation has been successful but may "take some time,' the army said in a briefing late Thursday. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet asked the United Nations Security Council to convene an urgent meeting, citing "extremely grave aggressions' that it was forced to respond to in self-defense. Army vehicles drive along a road in Buriram province, after Thailand scrambled an F-16 fighter jet to bomb targets in Cambodia following artillery volleys from both sides that killed civilians, in Thailand on Thursday. | REUTERS "The dispute is escalating rapidly and could turn into a serious conflict if left unattended,' said Jayant Menon, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. "Although the conflict is unlikely to spread beyond the two countries, it will disrupt trade and people movement, which will negatively affect the regional economy.' The fighting comes as both countries face trade threats from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war. The baht, which earlier rose to its highest since February 2022, declined 0.3% to 32.25 per dollar. Thai stocks closed 0.6% lower. The neighbors have a long history of border tensions, although relations have remained largely stable since the 2011 conflict, which left dozens dead. The last major flareup centered on the Preah Vihear temple, a longstanding point of contention dating to French colonial rule. Much of the contemporary border disputes between the neighbors stem from different maps based on the text of Franco-Siamese treaties of the early 1900s that laid out boundaries between Thailand and Cambodia, then part of the French Indochina. There are no bilateral talks with Cambodia yet, acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said after a meeting of Thailand's security council, describing the "clashes' as falling short of a full-scale conflict. "This is not a declaration of war,' Phumtham said. Still, Thailand ordered evacuations within 50 kilometers of the border. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the current chair of regional group Asean, said he has spoken with the leaders of both countries and appealed for an immediate ceasefire. "Malaysia stands ready to assist and facilitate this process,' Anwar said in a statement. Both the U.S. and China expressed concern over the violence and sent advisories to their citizens. "The United States urges an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians, and a peaceful resolution of the conflict,' State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott told reporters in Washington on Thursday. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged both sides to "properly address issues through dialogue and consultation.' Cambodia's defense ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata condemned the Thai military's action, saying Thailand's use of heavy weapons and deployment of troops "to encroach on Cambodian territory is a clear violation' of international law. Diplomatic downgrade Since the clash in May, both countries have massed troops along the frontier and limited land crossings that are vital trade routes. The fighting Thursday came just hours after Thailand expelled Cambodia's ambassador and recalled its own envoy from Phnom Penh in response to a landmine explosion that injured five Thai soldiers on Wednesday. People wait in line to get food at a shelter following recent clashes along the disputed border between the two countries, according to authorities people have been killed across three border provinces, in Buriram province, Thailand, on Thursday. | REUTERS In retaliation, Cambodia further downgraded diplomatic ties by withdrawing its diplomats and requesting that Thailand do the same, according to Cambodian state media. Thailand, a long-standing ally of the U.S., has a military edge over its neighbor. Cambodia lacks air assets to counter Thailand's advanced jets, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Eric Zhu and George Ferguson wrote in a note, but the country possesses Chinese-made KS-1C air defense systems. Those have a reported range of as much as 70 km, according to the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. As well, Cambodia doesn't have any combat aircraft in its inventory, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, with its military only flying transport planes and helicopters. Thailand's air force has two squadrons of modern Lockheed Martin Corp. F-16s and a squadron of Saab Gripen C/Ds, according to IISS. Thai politics The dispute has already shaken Thailand's domestic politics. In early July, a court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra pending an investigation into allegations of ethical misconduct in her handling of the border issue. Paetongtarn had attempted to defuse tensions in a telephone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, father of the current premier. But the call was leaked, generating a backlash at home and protests demanding her resignation. She has until July 31 to submit her defense in the court case. After the clash in May, Cambodia called for the International Court of Justice in The Hague to help resolve four disputed land areas. Thailand, however, said it does not recognize the court's jurisdiction in the matter.
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Japan Today
Atomic Brussels? Support for nuclear power gains ground in EU
The Cattenom nuclear power plant in France, which has long championed atomic power in the EU By Adrien DE CALAN Long a taboo, Brussels opened the door to EU funding for nuclear power this month in a sign of the growing support atomic energy is enjoying within the bloc. The European Commission listed "nuclear fission energy" among the sectors eligible to receive EU money in its 2028-2034 budget proposal unveiled last week -- reversing a previous ban. The commission declined to say if that meant Brussels was prepared to fund the building of new nuclear reactors, with a spokeswoman stressing that the proposal was "still to be discussed" with member states. Nuclear's eligibility remained only potential, she said, and fission was listed alongside other related fields such as decommissioning nuclear facilities, management of radioactive waste and nuclear research. But the change in tack -- given atomic energy was explicitly excluded from funding under the current European Union budget -- marked a victory for the pro-nuclear camp, which has been steadily gathering steam. Europe has long been divided on nuclear. While France has championed it, Germany has led the opposition since former chancellor Angela Merkel accelerated a phase-out in 2011, after the meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. The two economic powerhouses even captain rival informal clubs of countries that vie for influence in Brussels. Paris leads the "European Nuclear Alliance" while Berlin is top dog in the "Friends of Renewables" group. Informal breakfast talks of the two groups are normally held ahead of meetings of EU energy ministers, with representatives of some countries shuttling between the two gatherings. 'Unavoidable' topic France's club has been gaining members, with Belgium and Italy announcing this year they would join, and Greece also expressing interest. This came after Rome opened the door to a return to atomic power, and Belgium officially abandoned a two-decades-old pledge to phase it out. Other members of the club include Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden. Germany's grouping includes Austria, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Denmark, and the Baltic states, among others. "The enlargement of the alliance makes the subject somewhat unavoidable," Neil Makaroff, a climate transition expert at Strategic Perspectives, a think tank, said of the pro-atomic faction. After years of EU ostracism, these countries want to "make nuclear power politically neutral", he added. Opposition is weaker than a couple of years ago, with more and more governments emphasising the need for a complementary energy mix to speed-up the electrification of the continent. France is even hoping for a more lenient approach from Germany under new leader Friedrich Merz. In May, the chancellor co-signed an opinion piece with French President Emmanuel Macron backing "technological neutrality" and the "non-discriminatory treatment of all low-carbon energies within the European Union". French Energy Minister Marc Ferracci later said the Germans were ready to end "the religious war over nuclear power". Yet, opinions on the matter within Germany's ruling coalition differ and whether Berlin -- a net contributor to the bloc's budget -- would go so far as to greenlight EU funding for nuclear remains to be seen, said Makaroff. Tensions might bubble up again in the coming months, as countries discuss European rules on renewable energy -- a package France would rather be called "decarbonised" energy and include nuclear power. Paris claimed a first victory this month when the commission included the concept of "technological neutrality" dear to the French in its 2040 climate target proposal. Still, even in the most nuclear-heavy scenarios, wind and solar power are projected to dominate the European energy mix in the coming decades. In 2024 renewables accounted for 47 percent of electricity production in Europe, compared with 23 percent for nuclear energy, according to EU data agency Eurostat. "In the short term, most of the work on electrification will be done through renewables," said Makaroff. © 2025 AFP
Japan Today
4 days ago
- Japan Today
Games giant Ubisoft bets on reorganisation to dispel blues
Ubisoft is behind the popular 'Assassin's Creed' series of video games Struggling French video games giant Ubisoft shed light on a far-reaching reorganisation of its business this week, as it reported disappointing sales in April-June. The internal rejig into a slew of autonomous units aims for "a more agile and focused organisation while ensuring necessary long-term stability and creative vision", chief executive Yves Guillemot said in a statement. Ubisoft reported 311 million euros ($364 million) of sales in the first quarter of its 2025-26 financial year, a fall of 3.9 percent compared with the same period last year, largely driven by technical problems with shooter game "Rainbow Six Siege". Acknowledging "mixed results", Guillemot nevertheless hailed the release of "Assassin's Creed Shadows". The latest instalment in the money-spinning franchise "delivered on its expectations, with now more than five million unique players since launch," he said in a statement. Sales were slightly less impacted, losing 2.9 percent, when measured using Ubisoft's own preferred indicator of "net bookings", which excludes some deferred revenues. The company forecast net bookings of around 450 million euros in its second financial quarter, boosted by new partnerships and revenue from TV series. For the full financial year, it confirmed objectives including stable year-on-year net bookings and "approximately break-even" operating profit. Ubisoft made a net loss of 159 million euros in 2024-25 and is in the midst of a cost-cutting plan that has seen it shut several studios outside France and slash over 2,000 jobs. Its woes reflect broader, global headwinds for the video games industry over the past two years. Guillemot -- a member of the founding family that has run Ubisoft for decades -- also said the company had made "meaningful progress" on the plan to split its activities among several "creative houses", each responsible for a different slate of games. Ubisoft has not gone into detail about the functioning of the new units or how its remaining franchises will be divided among them, promising further information about the reorganisation by October. In an email to staff last week seen by AFP, Guillemot had said the units would be "autonomous" and "completely responsible for their business objectives". Pressured to change by a string of disappointing releases and a slumping stock price, Ubisoft created the first such subsidiary earlier this year in a billion-euro deal with heavyweight Chinese investor Tencent. The 3,000-strong unit will control Ubisoft's biggest franchises in "Assassin's Creed", "Rainbow Six" and "Far Cry". Ubisoft said last week that the subsidiary will be run by the CEO's son Charlie Guillemot alongside Christophe Derennes, a veteran chief of the company's major development studio in Montreal. "Christophe, Charlie and their teams will benefit from advice and expertise from Tencent," one of China's largest gaming and internet firms, Yves Guillemot said in his email to staff. Looking ahead, Ubisoft plans to release in March a remake of "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time", one of its most popular titles from two decades ago. Strategy series "Anno" will get a new episode set in ancient Rome while the company is also cooking up mobile versions of "Rainbow Six" and fellow shooter "The Division". It warned in May however that several unannounced major titles were being delayed. Such news has contributed to a 28-percent slump in Ubisoft's stock price since January. Ubisoft's image has also been harmed by a high-profile case in which three former executives were sentenced this month for enabling a culture of sexual and psychological harassment. © 2025 AFP
