Boeing says Japan could produce F-18 under license (Reuters)

By Mariko Katsumura and Kiyoshi Takenaka Mariko Katsumura And Kiyoshi Takenaka – Mon Sep 26, 8:13 am ET

TOKYO (Reuters) – U.S. planemaker Boeing (BA.N) said local defense contractors might build F/A 18 Super Hornets under license if Japan chose to buy the next-generation fighter jet.

The comment came after the U.S. aerospace giant, along with Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) and a consortium of European countries, submitted bids to produce Japan's next mainstay combat aircraft in a deal that could be worth up to $8 billion.

Japan, which is facing a resurgent China and its growing military as well as threats from North Korea, plans to decide this year how it will replace its current fleet of aging F-4 Phantom fighters with about 40 new combat airplanes.

Phillip Mills, Director of Boeing's Japan FX Capture Team, said Japanese makers could supply about three quarters of Super Hornet components if Japan opted for the fighter jet.

There has been great interest in how much of next-generation fighter jet-related jobs will be outsourced to the Japanese industry, which has been battered by gradual but consistent shrinkage of the defense budget.

"If you came to the Boeing production line, everything you saw Boeing doing in St Louis would be available or is available for Japan industry to do," Mills told Reuters in an interview.

"It's clear that we are going to be somewhere in the 75 percent area," Mills added, referring the percentage of F-18 component production that the company could outsource to Japanese makers.

Japanese fighter jet and aeroplane components makers include top defense contractor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T), Kawasaki Heavy Industries (7012.T) and IHI (7013.T).

Boeing's F/A 18 Super Hornet is set to compete against Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the Eurofighter Typhoon made by a consortium of European countries for the contract.

Mills said the high rate of planned outsourcing to Japanese companies, competitive pricing and ability to deliver on time give Boeing a competitive edge against the competition.

"The lower risk and affordability and licensed production we are offering is, I think, as good as they are going to get . so all and all we are feeling pretty good about it," he said.

"We've offered an extremely fair and competitive price for not only initial aircraft but also for licensed production aircraft." said Mills.

He declined to specify the offer price.

Kazuya Sakamoto, professor at Japan's Osaka University, said the Lockheed Martin F-35's stealth, or radar-evading, capability gives it an advantage over the competition, although its cost overruns and schedule slips have cast doubts over its prospects.

Fighter jets' stealth capability has drawn heavy attention in Japan since China, which has a long-running territorial dispute with Japan, in January confirmed it had held its first test flight of the J-20 stealth fighter jet.

Mills said Boeing's multi-role Super Hornet comes with a stealth capability, but the rival F-35 is "stealthier."

Lockheed Martin, the world's biggest defense contractor, which also submitted its proposal to Japan earlier on Monday said the F-35 stealth jets would deliver "unmatched cost-effective capability for Japan's defense, now and well into the future."

"We are committed to an enduring F-35 partnership with Japanese industry to deliver F-35's transformational 5th generation capability for Japan's long-term national security," John Balderston, Director of the Japan F-35 Campaign, said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a consortium of European companies that makes the Eurofighter Tyhpoon said that fighter jet could be manufactured, maintained or integrated in Japan under license and that the aircraft's crucial data and software source code could also be handed out to Japan.

Some media reports have said U.S. makers have a better chance of winning the deal since Japan may shy away from picking European fighter jets out of fear that doing so could further ruffle its U.S. ties, already hurt by disputes over the relocation of the U.S. Marines' airbase in southern Japan.

Meanwhile, the head of U.S. military forces in Asia and the Pacific predicted that Japan's choice of a new multibillion-dollar fighter fleet would reflect plans to stay "very complementary" with U.S. air forces.

(Additional reporting by Tim Kelly in Tokyo, and Jim Wolf in Washington D.C.; Editing by Matt Driskill, Lincoln Feast and Hans-Juergen Peters)

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Basketball: NBA players could have positive impact on game in Japan

The NBA's ongoing woes could trigger the entire cancellation of the 2011-12 season. And if that happens, nobody would be surprised.

Millionaire players and billionaire owners have had months to work out their differences, and the promise of compromise and a new collective bargaining agreement appear about as likely as spotting a rainbow and Miss Universe every day for three straight weeks.

This, believe it or not, leaves a golden opportunity for an increased importance and relevance for the bj-league here and abroad. The league, despite its reputation for financial limitations, could open its arms for NBA players and give them a chance to play here. Aggressive marketing and sponsorship deals could be worked out if the league office can work quickly and efficiently with power brokers.

Already, around the globe there's been an exodus of NBA players, or those with expired contracts. Hoopshype.com has kept a close eye on the situation, noting that 54 have finalized deals with overseas teams, as of Tuesday. This list features teams in more than 15 countries, including China, but not Japan.

One NBA head coach, reached by The Japan Times who spoke on the condition of anonymity during the lockout because he's prohibited from commenting publicly, said the upcoming bj-league season is a solid option for his players.

"Playing there would be a great idea as long as he has an NBA out (clause) in the contract," the coach said, pointing out that an NBA contract would be the player's first priority once a new labor deal is completed. "It would be good for the league and good for the players because they could practice and play. (It's) a great way to stay in shape by playing in games."

And what about Jeremy Tyler?

The Golden State Warriors forward endured longtime NBA bench boss Bob Hill's grueling workouts last season, beginning with training camp in suburban Dallas before the Tokyo Apache season began. Now, Tyler is able to work out on his own, participate in various pickup games or tournaments, but the daily grind of being on a team is not something he's dealing with right now.

For a 20-year-old rookie, it's best to play and get in as many games as possible. And that's why every team in the bj-league should reach out to Tyler and offer him a spot on its roster for now. He's the bj-league's biggest success story, the first player in league history to be drafted, and would be welcomed with open arms at any bj-league arena.

The league could even pull Tyler's name and team assignment out of a hat. Broadcast the event on BJTV and YouTube. Have a pretty girl conduct the draw and, voila, that's his assignment. The league office could pay 1/20th of Tyler's salary, and each of the 19 teams could pitch in and pay the rest. It could be that simple.

For as many games as Tyler would be back in Japan, it would be a boon for the sport, and a thrill for the rest of the league's players to compete against him — again or for the first time. Knowing that he'll return to the Golden State Warriors after this lockout insanity, Tyler would generate a positive buzz for a league and a sport that needs it here in Japan.

On a related note, Hoop Scoop contacted former Tokyo Apache coach Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, now on a well-deserved break after coaching the Los Angeles Sparks during the WNBA season, and asked him the following: What are the odds that Kobe, his son and the Lakers superstar, would be playing in Italy this season?

After all, the elder Bryant knows all about the fans' admiration and support of basketball in Italy. He was a star there during Kobe's formative years.

Joe Bryant responded by saying, "Good question. We all hope that we will have an NBA season. But Italy is a second home for the Bryant family."

It seems to me if Kobe has asked for his father's advice the previous sentence would service as a reminder that a homecoming can be a special thing.

And who says Kobe can only have one hometown team?

He'll always be known for his extraordinary career with the Lakers. But a short stint in Italy with Virtus Bologna may be a happy chapter — one game, one month, one season — in his illustrious career.

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Japan exports disappoint, could weaken further

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan's exports rose in the year to August at less than half the pace expected as a global economic slowdown, a strong currency and Europe's sovereign debt crisis put Japan's own recovery increasingly in doubt.

The data is likely to provide little comfort as Japan's newly formed government tries to kick-start spending on reconstruction from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami to prevent a strong yen and waning global demand from snuffing out a rebound after the disaster.

Weak exports are also an ominous sign as the Federal Reserve could inch toward easing U.S. monetary policy, which could potentially push the yen even higher versus the dollar and worsen trade conditions for Japanese exporters.

The Fed is expected to decide at a policy meeting ending on Wednesday to stock up on longer-term Treasury notes to boost a fading economic recovery.

"The impact of a slowing in the global economy is starting to become visible in Japan's export figures," said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute.

"In the coming months exports may go back to posting year-on-year declines, meaning the economy will have no sufficient support factor unless the government quickly implements reconstruction spending."

AUTOS UP, ELECTRONICS SLUMP

Exports rose 2.8 percent in August from a year earlier, much less than a median forecast for an 8.0 percent annual increase, Ministry of Finance data showed on Wednesday.

The gain was led by shipments of cars, which rose 5.3 percent, up for the first time since the March disaster, as automakers restored damaged supply chains.

But the yen's rise and slack global demand for electronics put a drag on overall export growth, ministry officials said. Japan's exports of electronic parts fell 16.4 percent, extending annual declines since the beginning of this year.

Shipments to China rose an annual 2.4 percent while those to the United States rose 3.5 percent.

Compared to the previous month, exports rose 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, up for a fourth straight month, but the pace of growth slowed from July's 0.7 percent.

Imports rose 19.2 percent in the year to August, exceeding a 14.0 percent gain expected by economists, bringing the nation's trade balance to a deficit of 775.3 billion yen ($10.1 billion), the biggest on record for the month of August.

The hefty increase in imports, the biggest since June 2010, reflected persistently high crude oil prices and strong demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) to make up for losses in nuclear power, after the March disaster triggered the world's worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.

Both import value and volume of LNG surged to a record high in August.

Economists say Japan's economy is likely to resume growing in the third quarter after three consecutive quarters of contraction, boosted by a rapid recovery in supply chains, but the outlook is increasingly murky as a strong yen and Europe's sovereign debt crisis erode exports.

The yen has gained about 5 percent against the dollar since July, threatening to derail the export-reliant economy's recovery from the March disaster.

A senior Japanese official kept up customary warnings to markets on Wednesday against pushing the yen up too far, saying that Japan remained ready to take firm action in the foreign exchange market if necessary.

The yen climbed to a one-month high of 76.11 yen to the dollar on Wednesday, heading toward a record peak hit last month of 75.941 yen, although the dollar staged a sudden spike and managed to steady near the previous day's close. By early afternoon it was around 76.35 yen.

Europe's woes, weak economic growth in other advanced countries and moderating growth in emerging markets top the agenda for a Group of 20 finance ministers' meeting this week.

($1 = 76.450 Japanese Yen)

(Writing by Stanley White and Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Michael Watson)

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TEPCO knew waters could reach 15 meters

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Tokyo Electric Power Co. predicted in 2008 that a tsunami could reach a height of more than 15 meters at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, according to government sources.

The discovery of this prediction, made by the government's nuclear accident investigation and verification committee, contradicts TEPCO's assertions that the size of the March 11 tsunami was "unpredictable."

In the 2008 assessment, TEPCO predicted that a more than 10-meter-high tsunami could hit the nuclear plant. The March 11 tsunami at the plant was 14 to 15 meters high.

However, TEPCO did not incorporate its 2008 assessment in its countermeasures against tsunami, and only reported its findings to the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency on March 7 this year--four days before the March 11 disaster.

According to TEPCO, the assessment was made after the government's Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion released updated data on the probabilities of earthquakes in July 2002.

TEPCO made its 2008 assessment based on the premise that an earthquake of the same magnitude as the Meiji Sanriku Earthquake in 1896, which is believed to have been magnitude-8.3, would occur off Fukushima Prefecture. It calculated the height of tsunami that might hit the Fukushima No. 1 and No. 2 nuclear power plants in such an event.

The utility found that tsunami 8.4 meters to 10.2 meters high could strike near the Fukushima No. 1 plant's water-intake facility.

It also predicted that the water would move inland and could reach a height of 15.7 meters above sea level at the Nos. 1 to 4 reactors, and 13.7 meters at the Nos. 5 and 6 reactors.

After the assessment, in December 2008, TEPCO used study results from the National Institute of Industrial Science and Technology to calculate the damage tsunami might cause if an earthquake of the same magnitude as the 869 Jogan Earthquake occurred off Fukushima or Miyagi prefectures.

The Jogan Earthquake is believed to have been magnitude 8.4.

TEPCO's calculation indicated that tsunami 8.7 meters to 9.2 meters high could hit the No. 1 plant's water-intake facility, but TEPCO said the tsunami would not move inland.

It submitted this assessment to the nuclear safety agency in September 2009.

TEPCO had taken measures against tsunami on the premise of a tsunami 5.7 meters high at the No. 1 plant, but did not reinforce its defenses based on the two newer assessments.

Junichi Matsumoto, acting head of TEPCO's headquarters regarding nuclear plant locations, said at a press conference Wednesday, "[These figures] were the result of an extreme simulation that imagined the recurrence of the Meiji Sanriku Earthquake off Fukushima Prefecture.

"We judged that releasing the data was unnecessary and we didn't need to reflect the results in our facilities or management."

===

Report reached vice president

Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s 2008 assessment that a tsunami more than 10 meters high could strike the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant was reported to an executive vice president and other senior executives at the company, according to sources.

TEPCO officials who made the assessment reported the results to Sakae Muto, who was then an operating officer and deputy head of the company's headquarters regarding nuclear plant locations. Muto is now an adviser for TEPCO.

The findings were then reported to Ichiro Takekuro, at the time an executive vice president in charge of nuclear power plants. He is now a fellow in TEPCO.

However, TEPCO did not take any specific measures based on the report.

At a press conference Thursday, TEPCO officials said Muto received a report about the simulation results in June 2008, and approved a plan for TEPCO to ask the Japan Society of Civil Engineers to review its guidelines for calculating possible tsunami.

The simulation result was also reported to Takekuro by June 2010, but TEPCO's board of directors did not discuss the issue. Thus the company did not take such measures as relocating emergency diesel generators to higher places.

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said its officials instructed TEPCO to quickly implement measures, such as improving its facilities, when TEPCO reported the results of the 2008 assessment to the agency on March 7 this year.

However, TEPCO insists it did not receive instructions to improve its facilities or take other such actions.

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