Daisuke Sato

Daisuke Sato is defense reporter, covering the Asia-Pacific defense industrial base, defense markets and all related issues. He has covered the US and Japan bilateral exercises for several years.

Japan confirms 2025 fielding of new ASM-3A missile

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) will begin fielding the ASM-3A supersonic air-to-ship missile on its F-2 fighter aircraft starting in fiscal year 2025, according to official sources and recent disclosures at DSEI Japan 2025. Developed by Mitsubishi...

Japan unveils laser cannon at DSEI

The Japan Ministry of Defense publicly displayed a vehicle-mounted high-power laser system at DSEI Japan 2025, offering a rare look at one of the country’s emerging directed-energy capabilities. The demonstrator, officially titled the Vehicle-Mounted High-Power Laser System, is...

Japan debuts mobile firepower for island defense

Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani visited the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Fuji Garrison in Shizuoka Prefecture to inspect newly introduced equipment intended for remote island defense, including a new missile launcher and vehicle-mounted 120mm mortars—technologies revealed...

Japan may form first-ever UFO research office

Japanese lawmakers have called on the Ministry of Defense to establish a dedicated department to investigate unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), including UFOs and unidentified drones. On May 16, members of the "Parliamentary League for UAP Clarification from...

US deploys F-35B squadron to Japan

The U.S. Marine Corps has deployed Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, a unit operating the F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter, to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. The deployment, which began on May 10, 2025, is part...

F-35 dropped: South Korea turns to unmanned naval power

South Korea's Navy has accepted a new pivot away from its previously planned light aircraft carrier program, opting instead to pursue a multi-role unmanned command ship capable of deploying a wide array of military drones. The decision reflects...

China pushes J-10 as F-16 alternative

The J-10 fighter jet, China’s latest fourth-generation multirole aircraft, is rapidly emerging as a competitor to the U.S.-built F-16. Unlike the Cold War-era F-16, which for decades symbolized American geopolitical influence across dozens of air forces from Iraq...

Nigeria may buy Chinese air defense systems

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is taking a major step toward enhancing its aerial security by exploring advanced Chinese air defense systems. A delegation led by Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, Chief of the Air Staff, recently concluded...