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 The Federal Union of Hansdeltania | Hansdeltanian Federal Forces to adopt new camouflage patterns in 2024 The Hansdeltanian Federal Forces have adopted a new family of camouflage patterns called the Hansdeltanian Federal 2024 4-Color Environmental System, or HansFed 2024CES (pronounced "twenty-twenty-forces") or simply Fed4CES (pronounced "Federal Forces"). In Russian, the name is 4СИЛЫ (4SILY, pronounced in Russian as chesily from chetyre sily), or literally "4 forces." As the name implies, it will be formally adopted by all six branches of the Hansdeltanian Federal Forces starting in 2024 with a projected mandatory wear date of no later than 2029. The origins of Fed4CES stem from a requirement for a camouflage pattern that would be effective in countering current and future peer- and near-peer thermal imaging and night vision systems while maintaining adequate visual concealment. The current M-05 pattern family is effective at the latter but is no longer viable against the former and the digital pattern is intended to be effective in both cases. The joint Combat Technology and Research Group began development of the pattern in the aftermath of the military interventions of 2019 when Hansdeltanian troops reported that their adversaries were giving them a hard time at night. The Department of Defense anticipates eight patterns to be deployed by 2026 and possible additions no later than 2030. Fed4CES will be initially issued to troops in four different patterns in 2024: Universal 4CES for the Army, gray Air 4CES for the Air Force and the Space Force, blue Naval 4CES for the Navy, and Woodland Marine 4CES for Marines. Desert Marine will be issued to Marines stationed in desert garrisons but made optional for purchase for Marines stationed elsewhere. Woodland 4CES and Desert 4CES patterns will be initially made for special operations troops before potential expansion to conventional forces by mission need. The only pattern that will not be issued on a regular basis will be the Snow 4CES pattern, which will be on cold weather gear like parkas and cold weather trousers. A possible ninth 4CES pattern for the Space Force is under consideration. Block 1 Fed4CES uniforms will be made in the current ACU uniform cut while later blocks may be made in new cuts as required. The Air Force has stated that incoming recruits to basic training after 1 January 2024 and Academy and ROTC cadets after 1 May will be issued Air 4CES in place of the current URB-05. The Army, the Navy, and the Marines have yet to identify when incoming recruits, cadets, and midshipmen will receive their respective branches' 4CES uniform but they will be authorized for wear on 1 January 2024. Universal 4CES (Army): https://i.imgur.com/ZQrP4mg.png Desert Marine 4CES: https://i.imgur.com/58k2oxO.png | |
 The Warring Region of Free Levant | ||
 The Republic of Nihonato | The Japan Times The Armed Forces of the Republic of Japan have announced Operation: SABAKU NO HOSHI (in English, DESERT STAR), a peacekeeping and reconstruction operation in the Levantine Region following the conclusion of its bloody 48-month, million-dead civil war in favor of democratic forces. SABAKU NO HOSHI will have three missions: peacekeeping, law enforcement assistance, and reconstruction. Its overall commander will be Japanese Navy Commodore Taro Shinseki. Peacekeeping duties will be undertaken by Task Force SASHIMONO (named for miniature personal flags carried by the ancient samurai into battle), a regiment-sized unit consisting of approximately 1,000 troops and 134 vehicles and aircraft. Task Force SASHIMONO's primary peacekeeping force will consist of approximately 500 soldiers and 100 Komatsu armored cars from the Western Army's 4th Division and 100 mechanized troops operating 14 Type 89 infantry fighting vehicles. SASHIMONO will also have a rapid reaction force of 200 marines from the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade and 200 soldiers and 20 helicopters from the 12th Air Assault Brigade. Their primary duties will include protecting strategic locations from rogue elements where the Coalition cannot afford to have troops and protecting Japanese reconstruction efforts. The Japanese Coast Guard will perform the bulk of the Japanese mission's law enforcement assistance under Task Force MASAYOSHI (literally, "Justice"). The Tsuragu-class helicopter patrol cutter Okinawa and the Katori-class patrol cutter Ishikari, 40 Special Security Team counterterrorism law enforcement operators, and an EC-225 helicopter will form the Japanese contingent for maritime law enforcement while terrestrial law enforcement assistance will fall under the Army's 302nd Military Police Company and the Air Force's Air Police Group. MASAYOSHI, unlike SASHIMONO, will only serve as a reserve force to aid Coalition police in enforcing the law when needed and requested. Reconstruction and relief efforts will be the responsibility of Task Force KAJIYA (literally, "blacksmith"). KAJIYA, commanded by Major Joji Yoshida of the Japanese Air Force, will have some 500 troops under it. Personnel from all three main branches will provide manpower and basic security while the 9th Combat Engineer Battalion conducts mine clearing operations inland. At sea, the Navy's minesweepers JS Hirado and JS Nagashima will assist minesweeping activities in the Bennion. The 707th Special Operations Squadron will provide tactical air controllers to serve as temporary air traffic controllers to guide in aircraft carrying relief supplies while the Flight Check Squadron will ensure that aerial navigational aids are usable. Air rescue technicians from the Air Rescue Wing plus a number of medical professionals from all branches of the Japanese military will assist in caring for casualties of the war. JS Chita, an Izu-class amphibious assault ship, will provide helicopters for logistics and serve as Commodore Shinseki's floating headquarters. Deployment begins August 1, with most of the peacekeeping force arriving by air. The maritime component of Operation: SABAKU NO HOSHI will arrive within the coming weeks. | |
 The Holy Republic of Grand-Abaco | ||
| The Republic of Nihonato | The Japan Times Operation: SABAKU NO HOSHI began 2 minutes, 12 seconds ahead of schedule when the first C-17 Dojin heavy transport jets carrying troops and equipment took off from Yokota Air Force Base, Tokyo early this morning. An Air Force spokesman stated that these jets were carrying paratroopers from the 1st Narashino Airborne Brigade and the equipment necessary for the first week of peacekeeping and reconstruction operations. A few hours later, two C-3 Sojobo superheavy transport jets took off from Yokota; the Air Force says that these planes would deliver materials from which Task Force KAJIYA can construct a base of operations by the second week of SABAKU NO HOSHI. It is expected that all of Peacekeeper Task Force SASHIMONO will arrive by the 8th, with the goal of providing enough security for Reconstruction Task Force KAJIYA to begin rebuilding on the 6th—a symbolic date from which the city of Hiroshima was once wiped from the face of the earth before being rebuilt into a thriving city. | |
| The Warring Region of Free Levant | The Afula Chronicle Today, on August 15, a day that will live in the hearts and minds of everyone throughout Levant, the final lands of the Levantine region reunified with the Levantine Coalition, reforming Levant into a single nation. While many feared General Dayan, of the Levantine Restoration Front, was going to fall back into the old ways of the LRF, conducting terror attacks, as well as refusing to give up power, General Dayan, since early July, has stated his mission to rejoin Levant, with the Coalition in charge, was steadfast and the end goal of his time as ruler of Jabal. President Katsav of the Coalition, now Levant, had publicly stated his apprehension to believe the LRF and Dayan as days soon turned into weeks. This all came to a change when on the 1st of August, General Dayan motioned to President Katsav and Prime Minister Rafai, that the reunification process would happen two weeks from the notice, with a treaty of unification to be signed in Petra. In the meantime, General Dayan disbanded the Levantine Restoration Front’s military arm as well as putting all military vehicles into storage, all excluding the LRS Petra, which was decommissioned and established as a National Historic Site. Flying into Petra’s airport on the 14th, parts of which still remain in ruins, President Katsav was driven to General Dayan’s personal residence, his manor, which was converted into the home for the head of state. Staying overnight, President Katsav was able to see first hand the devastation experienced in Petra, and the skyline of tower cranes and scaffolding of the rebuilding city. Finally, at noon-sharp, on the 15th, General Dayan signed for the termination of his power, as ruler and general of the army, and for the areas controlled by the Levantine Restoration Front, to be ruled by Afula-Zarqa, President Katsav, and Prime Minister Rafai. In another bold move, General Dayan has allowed himself to be placed under arrest, due to the terror attacks the LRF conducted during the middle stages of the war. While vehemently denying his knowledge of them until after the fact, and his continued but private disdain for such methods, he has admitted to publicly supporting them, in order to save face, and that he was in charge of the nation, and has stated that he will take responsibility for his nation’s actions, including the misdeeds and atrocities. Another major suspect for the orchestration of the terror attacks was Lieutenant General Amir, who has disappeared since the fall of Shemesh, with Dayan and all personnel interviewed having not had contact with him in over a month. An arrest warrant has been issued with Afula-Zarqa sharing all information known about Amir with the Japanese and Grand Abacoan forces in Levant. Now, as the flag of the LRF is brought down, and the flag of the Coalition is hoisted up, the final portions of Levant now have come back together, as one nation, in rebuilding. While Operation Guiding Light and the Japanese led Operation Desert Star are underway, concern throughout Levant has sprung up about the very crucial topic of the energy situation within Levant. While avoiding much of the damage sustained across the nation, fears have arisen about photos of the Dialta Nuclear Power Plant, outside of Amman, where damage is shown on storage facilities, as well as in one of the reactor control buildings. While nothing has come of the damage so far, it has been large enough to cause considerable worry within the surrounding areas. While operators had kept the plants functional until the final months of the war, all four reactors had been put on warm-shutdown, even as fighting drew closer. Against better judgment, none of the reactors had been put onto cold shut-down and continued to be ready to resume service. Since the fall of Shemesh, increased radiation has been seen from the areas surrounding the plant, leading to large fears of an imminent meltdown and or discharge of potentially radioactive waste into the environment and surrounding population. With no governing body yet assisting the managing and repairs of the plants, Afula has pressed both Grand Abaco and Japan to assist in the damage assessment as well as the containment of any incidents that are to take place, as Levantine personnel are not equipped nor have been trained to respond to such incidents. Similar fears have come from the Eilat-Aqaba Nuclear Plant, although damage has been relegated to non-critical infrastructure, and no abnormal signs of radiation have been detected outside the facility. While it is hoped that the increase in radiation is just an abnormality, one can’t help but think of the grimmer expectations, and the possibility of a nuclear meltdown. | |
| Saintrilu | Saintri State News Saintri National elections have started and following a fallback into isolation by President Aukatsang, the President’s approval rating has plummeted to 21%. President Aukatsang’s inactivity both internationally and domestically has led to the rise of not only the rise of Hansdeltanian influence on the world but instability back home as Right-Wing groups take advantage of the largely inactive administration. Continuous updates will come from SSN as the elections unfold. | |
| The Republic of Nihonato | In response to a potential nuclear crisis in the Levant, the Japanese government has stood up Task Force FUKUSHIMA, named for the prefecture heavily affected by nuclear accidents after the 2011 earthquake. It will consist of both military and civilian personnel, with the 15th CBRN Defense Company of the 15th Brigade and the 6th CBRN Defense Company in the 6th Division in the former. Civilian staff will primarily come from the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, but will also include the Reconstruction Agency and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Task Force FUKUSHIMA's wide breadth of experience in the nuclear industry, in addition to lessons learned from previous cases like the 2011 Fukushima I incident and the 1990s Tokaimura incidents, will be invaluable in reducing the impact of the Levantine nuclear crisis, if not outright prevent it. Providing FUKUSHIMA's security will be a company of 150 ROJA soldiers from the 6th Division in the event that anti-Coalition forces attempt to seize the Dialta plant for whatever reason. | |
| The Republic of Nihonato | Al Qastal, Amman Governorate There was much work to do, Master Sergeant Tadashi Fukuyo noted from his seat in his Type 02 light armored vehicle, puffing away on his second Cabin cigarette of the day. His motorized platoon of two other such LAVs and a Type 93 armed high-mobility vehicle rumbled through the highway, paving the way for a larger convoy of a dozen logistics trucks a few hundred meters behind them. Other than the sound of their engines rumbling and the Hinomaru flags attached to the back of their vehicles flapping about, the ride was quiet—eerily so. The former capital of Shemesh the Father King lay ruined, perhaps either destroyed by Coalition forces on the eve of their victory or by forces loyal to the Father King out of spite. Fukuyo's commander broke the silence over the radio. "Kuwa 2-7, this is Kuwa 2-6 Actual, over." "Kuwa 2-6 Actual, Kuwa 2-7, over," Fukuyo replied. "Update from Sashimono. Local civilians have spotted something unusual in the vicinity of the Cave of the Seven Sleepers, about 19 klicks. Sashimono doesn't know what exactly. They're still trying to figure out the details, over." "Anything remotely close to what exactly? Over." "'Sword' is what they're saying, over." "Locals found a cache of arms?" Fukuyo thought about it and wondered what they had found. Did they perhaps find more of Shemesh's superweapons, to be used in the event that his grip on the area loosened far too much? "We might be able to take care of some of that, over." "Kuwa 2-7, wait one, out. "Kuwa 2-7, Kuwa 2-6 Actual. Not weapons. Nothing at this time; they'll keep us posted when they get more information. In the meantime, I'll head out and check it after the trucks arrive and begin unloading. 2-6 Actual out." Cave of the Seven Sleepers, Amman Governorate Local police and a squad of Japanese coast guard Special Security Team operators had already secured the Cave by the time Fukuyo and the rest of his platoon arrived. Their lieutenant stood by his LAV, his Type 89F carbine noticeably unslung and in his hands. "Lieutenant Arakawa," Fukuyo greeted him. "This the place?" Arakawa nodded. "Yes. Task Force MASAYOSHI and local police secured the place but MASAYOSHI's ROE doesn't allow them to go into areas that haven't been previously secured and the local cops aren't too keen on going in. Something smells really bad inside, they say." "Gas masks, then?" "Gas masks." Fukuyo turned around to the rest of his platoon. "Alright, grab your gas masks and make sure your lights are working. We'll be working in the dark with possibly noxious fumes." In groups of two, the platoon cautiously shuffled in, weapons at the ready. Despite a blazing sun outside, temperatures dropped from 37 degrees centigrade to a more comfortable 28 inside the caverns. Sunlight peeked through cracks in the cave roof, providing additional not-so-negligible lighting. "'Really bad?'" one soldier asked. "It's absolutely horrible in here! Like grilled kusaya and shίt!" "Shouldn't smell at all if you had a good seal, Nakata," Arakawa replied. "Just rubber, plastic, and whatever else the Type 18 is made of." "Yeah, well, not my fault that—ow! Fυck!" A thud echoed through the cave. "...Nakata? You okay?" Fukuyo asked, slinging his Type 20 over his shoulder to pull his soldier back up onto his feet. "Yeah, I think I'm okay, Sergeant. Just tripped over this rock." Nakata pointed his Type 89 at the mass, bathing it in a bright LED glow. "Wait, what the fυck!" "What?!" "That ain't a rock! It's a damn corpse!" Arakawa rushed over to Nakata, disturbed and perturbed with his soldier's report. "A corpse?" He pointed his rifle at the mass at Nakata's feet. Sure enough, it was a corpse. Even more disturbing, however, was its relative intactness. Yes, it was still decomposing, but it had yet to be a skeleton. And it was missing a head. "LT, I think you should look at this," another soldier called out, pointing her rifle down the cave. "More." The platoon pointed their weapons down the cave, finding masses upon masses of corpses in varying states of decomposition. "I think I'm going to be sick," Nakata muttered as he readjusted his gas mask. Lieutenant Arakawa paid no attention to Nakata as he cautiously went down the corridor. "...they're missing heads! They've been beheaded!" Arakawa shouted while kneeling down next to the corpse in the best condition. He put the stock of his rifle over his shoulder, aiming the light at what was left of the body. The uniform it wore appeared to have Coalition markings on them, and its arms were bound behind its back. Slowly, Arakawa began drawing conclusions. The "sword" that the locals had mentioned wasn't a weapon—the cave was where Shemesh's prisoners were put to the sword. "...Sashimono, Kuwa 2-6 Actual. That cave with the swords? It's an execution chamber, and judging by how fresh the corpses here look, they were still cutting prisoners' heads off during the last days of Shemesh's rule, over." "Kuwa 2-6 Actual, Sashimono. Confirm it's an execution site, over?" "Affirm, Sashimono. Over." A pregnant silence filled the radio frequency before Sashimono responded. "Roger, Kuwa 2-6 Actual. We'll tell the Coalition. Let the MASAYOSHI guys and local police handle this. Out." | |
| Saintrilu | Saintri State News Election Increase in Right Wing Extremism | |
| The Federal Union of Hansdeltania | President Roman Pavlenko has announced the Federal Union's intentions to participate in the reconstruction of the Levant under Operation: AZURE SHIELD. In a speech earlier today, he stated that the Hansdeltanian Federal Forces will be sending medical staff and civil engineers to aid in rebuilding the war-torn nation. In addition to medical personnel and engineers, they will also stand up a peacekeeping (or rather peace enforcement) force of 1,800 military personnel, including 300 special operations advisors for foreign internal defense and counterinsurgency. There will also be a separate deployment of a carrier strike group of the heavy cruiser Moskva and five frigates and destroyers centered around the HFS Fanion to provide maritime security and, in the case of the Fanion, hook up to shore power connections and assist in electrical power generation along the Levantine coast. Additionally, the federal government has also created a separate task force to assist with the Dialta plant crisis, consisting of scientists, technicians, and engineers from the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency. They will receive protection from the Department of Energy's Federal Protection Forces rather than conventional military forces. | |
| The Holy Republic of Grand-Abaco | ||
 The Eporuean Union of The North Sea Federation | Aid for Levant As the Levantine Civil War came to an end, and Levant reopened to the world once more, nations flooded the small southeastern Eporue nation with military and financial assistance. The North Sea Federation similarly looked to provide both military and economic aid to the recovering nation, but before any mission could get underway, the Parliamentary Ombudsman stated the deal needed to be reviewed before any aid could be sent. In the aid package, 1,500 personnel, 300 vehicles, weapons, and munitions would all be sent to Levant, to aid in peace keeping operations, along with up to 5.5 billion Kr in aid for food and housing projects for the civilians of the nation. But as days turned to weeks, debating in the Parliamentary Ombudsman continued, until it was reached that no military personnel, or equipment will be sent to the nation, yet, given the large influx of foreign personnel and equipment, leading to an over encumbered military and foreign presence within the nation. Despite the finding, the 5.5 billion Kr aid package was approved and sent to Afula-Zarqa. While nothing will help right the wrongs committed under the previous government of the nation, the only thing that can be done now is to rebuild, and restore the quality of life to its residents. ---- The North Sea Grand Prix Series Over the past several years, the regions within The North Sea Federation have been quietly in talks about a new form of a racing championship. Having been years since a last official Formula series, TNSF hoped to bring back the excitement and enjoyment from the original series and implement one across the nation. Bringing back several of the teams, as well as tracks, into a new host of races that will take place throughout the year. While hoping to slate the races in late summer, through to winter, environmental challenges proved to be too much, but that did not stop the planning of this series. Seeing 10 teams, including Aston Martin, McLaren, Ferrari, as well as new competitors, like Volvo and SAAB, on 20 tracks across the 10 regions of The North Sea, the series is set to begin sometime in the late winter or early spring of 2024, with races every weekend or every other weekend. Racetracks like Silverstone, Brands Hatch, and Circuit of KymiRing will be reused, granted with upgraded facilities, to support the events. With much excitement growing within the nation, TNSF hopes to market the events internationally, supporting the further regrowth of the series. But until 2024, we shall see what is in store for the unknown racers of the NSGPS and the exciting stories that will be made. Accompanying the racing series will be a streaming series of the races, to get to further know and understand the people and the drama behind the wheels. | |
 The Peoples Republic of Torturia | Hello folks, im relatively new and was wondering how to get on the regional map. If you know who I should telegram, please telegram me immediately thank you | |
| The Peoples Republic of Torturia | Please read my dispatch about the buried history of Torturia for info about my rp | |
| The Federal Union of Hansdeltania | The first contingent of 300 Hansdeltanian peacekeepers have arrived in the Levant on the heavy cruiser Moskva while the Fanion readies its two 700-megawatt nuclear reactors to supply power ashore. Ordinarily, some 125 megawatts from the nuclear reactors normally go to the ship's electrical systems and an additional 260 to power the propulsion systems at sea, but the Fanion will be able to use its reactors for the sole purpose of generating electricity. The 1,200-megawatt capability can easily supply electricity to more than 750,000 typical Hansdeltanian homes; this means that Levantine powerplants, especially the endangered Eilat-Aqaba nuclear powerplant, will have significantly less strain imposed on them. | |
| The Republic of Nihonato | Asahi Shimbun (English edition) Historically, removing landmines in war-torn regions has been a daunting task. Engineers had to trudge across mine-ridden swaths of land with nothing more than a metal stick to prod the ground for mines, or a metal detector if they were lucky. Such business was always risky as they risked injury or death if they accidentally triggered a mine. The modern way to remove minefields is to either use a mine-clearing line charge—a long explosive cable that can clear a path up to 8 meters wide by 100 meters long carried by hand or farther by a rocket—or to use a spinning flail attached to a tank to strike a mine and detonate it a safe distance away. However, such devices are not always practical. In the former case, MCLCs like the Type 92 Minefield Breaching Rocket System are only efficient when the mines are placed close together, and in the latter case, the flail can reduce the carrier tank's combat effectiveness. This is especially problematic in overseas deployments like in the Levant, where ROJA engineers have estimated that they have used up more than 75 percent of their in-theater stock of Type 92 MBRS rockets. While combat is no longer a major concern, the lack of tanks to mount Type 92 flails on (and a lack of Type 92 flails in general) makes flail-based demining operations more of a problem. Since the start of the AFROJ's peacekeeping mission in August, 5 soldiers have been killed clearing mines and 12 injured. However, one unit of ROJA peacekeepers is trying to change that. The 2nd Infantry Company of the 40th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division has been in the Levant since the latter half of August. They have been assigned to protect Japanese and Levantine mine clearers in the Irbid District, but the small numbers of mine clearers in the area means that they sometimes have to go look for mines themselves. In September, they created a new method to find mines more efficiently: drones with thermal imaging. Company commander Captain Hayato Tsuchiya says that some of his soldiers came up with the idea after one of them suffered a minor burn defusing a landmine in the evening hours. They took out a thermal imager later that night and found that the metal landmines remained warmer than the surrounding terrain. At first, the 2nd Company used their rifles' thermal optics to locate mines, but then they came up with the idea of using a quadcopter drone fitted with a thermal imaging camera to survey a larger area. On their first night using the new system, soldiers of the 2nd Company cleared more mines than they did in the previous week combined. Since then, they've found and cleared more than 1,000 mines, including 600 antipersonnel mines. Other Japanese demining units have slowly adopted the process, and where quadcopter-mounted thermal cameras are unavailable, thermal imaging cameras mounted on OH-1 scout helicopters and UH-60 utility helicopters are used instead. The current procedure is for an aerial thermal imaging controller to scan the ground for hot targets and direct mine clearers to objects of interest. "However, we should not expect this to replace the standard mine clearance methods," Captain Tsuchiya said. "The airborne thermal imaging method should only be used when area mine clearing with explosives or mine rollers is not practical." | |
| The Republic of Nihonato | Asahi Shimbun (English edition) Japan is made up of many islands. Up to now, it was thought there were 6,852, based on a 1987 Japan Coast Guard report. However, when the Geospatial Information Authority (GSIA) of Japan recounted them recently for the first time in 36 years, the figure came to more than double that with 14,125. Using data from the Digital Japan Basic Maps, which are the basis for 1:25,000 scale topographic maps, a count was conducted of naturally formed islands with a coastline of 100 meters or more in length. Artificial islands created through land reclamation or other means were excluded. The sharp rise in the number of islands was mainly due to advances in surveying technology, including aerial photography, making it possible to get a clearer picture of complex coastlines, and identify islands that had not been counted as they were thought to be connected to land or cases where two separate islands were thought to be one. However, the GSIA this week stressed that the new figure reflected advances in surveying technology and the detail of the maps used for the count – it did not change the overall area of land in Japan’s possession. By prefecture, Nagasaki has the most islands with 1,479, including Iki, Tsushima, and the Gotō Islands. Hokkaidō comes a close second with 1,473 islands, followed by Kagoshima with 1,256. Tokyo’s administrative powers extend to both the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, so it ranks eighth with 635 islands. | |
| The Republic of Nihonato | The Japan Times A powerful earthquake measuring a 7 on the Japanese scale—the strongest on the scale—has rocked central Japan on New Year's Day, prompting a tsunami warning for a broad swath of the country's western coast. Officials are urging evacuations of coastal areas in the Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama and Yamagata prefectures, with over 1.2 meter waves reaching the Noto Peninsula's Wajima Port in Ishikawa—where a rare major tsunami warning is in effect—around 16:21, NHK reports. Warnings of 3-meter tsunamis have been issued across the northwest coast all the way from Hokkaido to Nagasaki. Those warnings were punctuated by several aftershocks following the initial quake, which registered an estimated magnitude of 7.4, struck the Noto Peninsula, with waves as high as 5 meters predicted to hit the area. The Noto area experienced 7 earthquakes, while 11 had been registered across all of Japan as of 17:00. Waves of 80 centimeters reached Toyama Prefecture around 16:35 and waves of 40 meters also reached Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, at 16:36. It also reached Niigata's Sado Island at 16:10. The tsunami is expected to hit the Yamagata and Hyogo prefectures. The major tsunami warning issued for the Noto Peninsula area is the highest alert out of 3 warnings and is equal to one issued after the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Nuclear plant operator Tepco is checking whether there is any impact of the earthquake on its facilities in the region, according to a post by the company on its official account on Chirper. As of 16:30, no irregularities have been reported at the nuclear power plant in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, according to NHK. Damage assessments are not available at the moment. This is a breaking story. Updates to come. | |
| The Republic of Nihonato | The Japan Times While the New Year's Day Earthquake tsunami warnings are no longer in effect, 4-meter waves have damaged at least 100 hectares of land in Suzu and Noto in Ishikawa Prefecture, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism. However, while no people have died from the tsunamis, the death toll from the quakes is believed to be much higher. Officials estimate that at least 70 people have died in the earthquake. In some areas, water, cell phone service, and power still remain inaccessible. In a government meeting today, President Kazuki Araya urged rescuers to work hard, stating that most casualties in a disaster come from the first 72 hours. He also increased the deployment of Self-Defense Force personnel from 1,000 to more than 4,000 and is considering recalling a number of Japanese troops from the Levant to aid in relief efforts. Rain is expected over the weekend, which will hamper rescue and recover efforts. Hansdeltanian troops in Japan have contributed aid, flying rescue, relief, and damage assessment missions. Hansdeltanian President Roman Pavlenko announced that he would be Battlegroup 707 would be tasked in providing power with their aircraft carrier's and battlecruiser's nuclear reactors while sailors help clear rubble and debris. However, relief efforts will be hampered by the loss of a Japan Coast Guard aircraft in a crash when a landing Japan Airlines jet crashed into the Coast Guard airplane. Of the 6 Coast Guardsmen on board the Dash 8 airplane, only the aircraft commander survived. The JAL aircraft, an Airbus A350-900, was totally destroyed with the wings and fuselage separating; miraculously, all 367 passengers and 12 crew survived, though 14 were injured. Officials state that the timely evacuation was due in part to no passengers trying to bring their carryon luggage with them as they evacuated. Flights landing at Haneda International Airport have been diverted to the nearby Narita International Airport as well as Chubu Centrair and Kansai Airports farther away. One runway at Haneda remains closed and All Nippon and Japan Airlines have cancelled more than 200 domestic flights. | |
| The Republic of Nihonato | The Japan Times Shinji Aoba was handed the death penalty on Thursday for setting a Kyoto Animation studio on fire in 2019 and killing 36 people, in one of Japan’s deadliest mass murders. On Thursday morning, 409 people lined up for a chance to secure one of the 23 seats available to listen to the court's ruling. Some members of the bereaved families were present as well. The focus of the trial was on whether he was mentally competent enough to be held criminally liable; presiding judge Keisuke Masuda said Aoba was not mentally incompetent nor in a diminished state at the time of the crime, judging that he is criminally liable for what he did. The ruling said that Aoba headed to Kyoto from his home in Saitama and set the studio on fire to stop "Number 2," a figure from his delusions, from following him. "But the impact of the delusions on the crime is not large," Masuda said. "The liability of taking the lives of 36 people is extremely grave, so there is no reason for the death penalty to be avoided." Prosecutors had said he was competent enough and had argued that the death penalty was the only option given the gravity of Aoba’s crime. The defense team, meanwhile, had argued that he should be acquitted or receive a reduced sentence due to his diminished mental capability. Two psychiatrists who testified in court were also divided over his mental state. On July 18, 2019, Aoba bought 40 liters of gasoline, after which he entered the Kyoto Animation studio, splashed gasoline on six workers while shouting "Go to hell!" and set the building on fire with a lighter. The fire engulfed the building, killing 36 people and leaving another 32 injured. A survivor who had testified in court said she escaped from a window after she was splashed with gasoline. She sustained burns over 94% of her body and had to undergo surgery 49 times. "I feel despair whenever I look in the mirror. It's grueling to live with this body," she said. In a December session, he apologized to the victims and their families and said that he should atone for what he did through the death penalty. He also said in September that he did not think so many people would die. Prosecutors also revealed during the 22-session trial that, a month before the 2019 incident, Aoba had plotted a mass stabbing spree at the Omiya Station in Saitama Prefecture, but that he decided against it at the last minute. Before the ruling was handed down, Judge Masuda asked Aoba, who was in a wheelchair and wearing a blue tracksuit, if he had anything to say, to which he replied, "No, I don't." Kyoto Animation President Hideaki Hatta said in a statement afterward that although he thought the ruling was appropriate, his feelings of frustration remain strong. Nevertheless, Hatta said he hopes to continue making anime at Kyoto Animation so that the works of the victims will be passed on into the future. | |
| The Republic of Nihonato | The Japan Times In a daring act of protest against Japan's whaling practices, activists from the Hansdeltania-based "Sea Shepherds" environmentalist group have reportedly rammed a Japanese whaling research vessel within Japan's exclusive economic zone in the Pacific Ocean. The incident occurred amidst escalating tensions between environmental activists and the Japanese government over commercial whaling. According to initial reports, the attack took place in the early afternoon of 2 April as the research vessel MV Yūshin Maru II was engaged in what government authorities describe as "scientific research." Eyewitnesses claim that the MV Rachel Carson, belonging to the Sea Shepherds, approached the Japanese vessel at high speed and flying a black flag with a skull on it before ramming into its rear hull. The impact caused significant damage to both vessels, with the research vessel sustaining a large breach in its hull. The Institute of Cetacean Research, the organization that owns the Yūshin Maru, reports 4 crew members were injured from the attack, and the impact on the vessel's research activities remain unclear. While the ICR states that the MV Rachel Carson deliberately rammed their vessel, Sea Shepherds has asserted that their vessel was attempting to cut the cable pulling up two whale carcasses and not ram the Yūshin Maru II. Japanese officials have condemned the attack as a reckless and unlawful act of ecoterrorism. President Kazuki Araya has accused Sea Shepherds of piracy and has vowed to take decisive action against those responsible for the attack, stating that Japan will not tolerate acts of violence or sabotage aimed at undermining its legitimate research activities. He ordered an increased number of Japan Coast Guard patrols within the Japanese EEZ for possible counter-piracy operations. The incident is not the first to occur since the resumption of Japanese commercial whaling in 2016, but it is the first one ever that resulted in physical damage to a vessel. Notable previous incidents include a Greenpeace motorboat pulling up to and throwing stun grenades at the Yūshin Maru I in 2018 and another motorboat from Greenpeace throwing bottles of brilliant green dye at the Nisshin Maru, the ICR's only factory ship, in 2022. Other instances that did not involve physical contact were a Greenpeace motorboat playing music from loudspeakers and flashing strobe lights at Yūshin Maru III in 2016 and another Sea Shepherds motorboat launching fireworks in 2018 at Yūshin Maru II, both incidents at night in an attempt to disturb sleeping crew members. Environmental groups have applauded Sea Shepherds, viewing them as a bold and necessary step to protect marine life from exploitation. However, others, including the Japanese Green Party, have voiced concerns about the escalation of tactics and the potential for violence to further polarize the issue. As investigations into the incident continue, tensions are expected to remain high between Japan and environmental activists. The attack serves as a stark reminder of the deep divisions and impassioned beliefs surrounding the issue of whaling and the broader debate over human interaction with the natural world. | |
| The Federal Union of Hansdeltania | OsTrans to experiment with unlimited-speed highway sections From 1 May and through to 30 April 2025, motorists traveling on the OS-1 freeway will not be constrained by speed limits on certain sections of the freeway. This is in part due to the Osean State Department of Transportation studying if roadways would be more efficient without speed limits. Other Osean Numbered Highways, including the section of OS-1 connecting Landers to Oured, and Federal Highways and Interstate Highways running through Osea will retain the current speed limits. Under this experimental system, only motorcycles and automobiles (to include pickup trucks, vans, and SUVs) under 8,000 pounds will have no speed limits on sections of the freeway that are more than 10 miles from an inhabited area of more than 50,000 people. All other vehicles will continue to follow posted Osean state speed limits on OS-1. |
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