Pentagon head discusses defense guidelines in JapanApril 8, 2015 - 09:13 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The first revision of the U.S.-Japan Defense Guidelines in 17 years will "transform" the bilateral alliance, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday, April 8, according to the Associated Press. The guidelines, expected to be formally approved in about three weeks, "will help us respond flexibly to the full scope to the challenges we face, both in the Asia-Pacific and around the globe," he said at a news conference after meeting his Japanese counterpart in Tokyo. Carter, who travels to South Korea later this week, is on his first trip to Asia since becoming defense secretary in February. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said that he and Carter also agreed that relocating a U.S. Marines base in Okinawa to another part of the island is the "only solution" to closing the existing base, which lies in a heavily populated area. Many in Okinawa, and their current governor, oppose the construction of the replacement base in a less populated area, arguing that the facility should be moved off Okinawa entirely. The defense guidelines are expected to lay out the framework for Japan to play a bigger role in regional security, as the government loosens constitutional restrictions on the use of its military. Photo: AP Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |