The U.S. military will join Japan's search and rescue efforts for seven missing Maritime Self-Defense Force members after two helicopters crashed in the Pacific over the weekend, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara says.
The search continues for seven Maritime Self-Defense Force members who are missing after two helicopters crashed during a late-night anti-submarine drill in the Pacific on Saturday.
The Defense Ministry will seek a record-high budget of over 7 trillion yen ($49 billion) for the next fiscal year, according to a source familiar with the matter, a move in line with Japan's new security strategy to eventually double its annual defense outlays.
The Japanese government wants to exempt information on patented technology items in 25 sectors, such as those for hypersonic and stealth flight, from being disclosed to beef up the country's economic security, officials said on June 12.