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By Keiichiro Azuma / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent 2:00 JST, December 1, 2024 ZHUHAI, China — The latest model of a stealth fighter that China recently unveiled at an air show is believed to have the potential to be a strong rival of U.S. forces’ aircraft in the event of a military contingency in Taiwan. A J-35 fighter, which is China’s latest model of stealth fighter jets, was shown for the first time at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, dubbed Airshow China, that was held on Nov. 12-17 in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province. Military experts believe that a variant of the model will be developed so it can be used on an aircraft carrier, and there is concern that the new fighters will raise the Chinese military’s ability to obstruct the approach of U.S. forces if an armed conflict occurs in Taiwan. At the air show, Russia also showed off its latest stealth fighter, demonstrating cooperation between Beijing and Moscow. On Nov. 13, a gray aircraft appeared in the air over Zhuhai amid a steady rainfall, making deep, thunderous sounds. It was the Chinese air force’s J-35A. On Nov. 12, the opening day of the air show, the fighter was shown to the crowd for only about 10 seconds. On Nov. 13, the fighter flew for about two minutes for the invited guests to see, and it demonstrated a rapid, high-altitude ascent, like pulling a string. The J-35 model was developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Ltd., a major state-owned company. It is the fifth-generation stealth fighter following the J-20 model. The shape of J-35’s body is very similar to that of the U.S. forces’ F-35 stealth fighter. It is obvious that China is conscious of the U.S. military. China Central Television emphasized that China “became the world’s second country that possesses two kinds of stealth fighters,” comparing itself to the United States, which has the F-22 and F-35 stealth fighter models. Some military experts think that a naval variant of the J-35 will be developed to use as a carrier-borne aircraft on the Fujian, the Chinese navy’s third aircraft carrier which began test sailing in May. China’s current carrier-borne fighter, the J-15 model, does not have stealth capabilities that make an aircraft difficult to be detected by radar. If realized, the J-35 would become the Chinese navy’s first carrier-borne stealth fighter. China’s military buildup could cause tension over security situations in East Asia. However, it is a policy of President Xi Jinping, who aims to build world-class armed forces ahead of the 100th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army in 2027. According to Japan’s defense white papers and other sources, China’s fourth- and fifth-generation fighters, including the J-16 and J-20, numbered less than 700 in 2013, just after the Xi administration was launched. In 2024, the figure rose to 1,588, while Japan had 329 fighters. The then commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command voiced concern in March this year to the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Armed Services, saying that China’s air force will soon be the world’s largest. As J-35 fighters with stealth capabilities could slip through U.S. forces’ defense networks, the probability that they will be able to fire anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles against U.S. forces is thought to be higher. The greatest concern about the impact of the new fighter is against a U.S. response to a contingency in Taiwan. With the aircraft, China’s ability to implement its anti-access/area denial (A2AD) strategy will strengthen. A2AD refers to a plan to obstruct U.S. forces launched from its military bases in Hawaii and Guam from approaching Taiwan to help it. The A2AD strategy aims to deny U.S. forces from passing beyond the “first island chain” stretching between Japan’s Nansei Islands and the Philippines so that the U.S. military will be unable to conduct operations beyond the “second island chain” to the east of the first chain. During a Chinese military drill in October in the waters surrounding Taiwan, its carrier strike fleet deployed in the western Pacific east of Taiwan. Experts believe that the move simulated a predicted deployment of U.S. forces in the event of a military contingency in Taiwan. However, Moriki Aita of the National Institute for Defense Studies cast doubt on China’s descriptions about the J-35’s capabilities. “China’s insistence that its fighters’ capabilities are on the same level as those of F-22 and F-35 fighters is doubtful,” Aita said. In addition, contemporary air warfare is a battle of the combination of elements such as radars, satellites and air-defense missiles as a whole. Aita speculated that Chinese fighters’ capabilities in this context still have not reached the same level as those of U.S. forces. China’s stance is to make further progress in its military buildup, including developing new weapons. At this year’s air show, large stealth drones and others were exhibited for the first time. Experts believe that China intends to deploy the new weapons not only against Taiwan, but also in the South China Sea, where Beijing has made maritime advancements in a coercive way claiming territorial sovereignty. “Military activities around Japan will also become more active,” a military source said of the Chinese military’s moves. “Japan needs to deter such moves by cooperating with the United States, South Korea, Australia and other nearby countries.”

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Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. 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Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, while Erik and Pete Nordstrom — part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recused themselves from voting. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom Family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump won a return to the White House in part by promising big changes in economic policy — more tax cuts, huge tariffs on imports, mass deportations of immigrants working in the United States illegally. In some ways, his victory marked a repudiation of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship and a protest against inflation. It came despite low unemployment and steady growth under the Biden administration. What lies ahead for the economy under Trump? Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics spoke recently to The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. American consumers feeling less confident in December, Conference Board says American consumers are feeling less confident in December, a business research group says. The Conference Board said Monday that its consumer confidence index fell back in December to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Consumers had been feeling increasingly confident in recent months. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market tumbled more than a dozen points to 81.1. The Conference Board says a reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week Stocks closed higher on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% Monday. 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But AI-infused text generation tools enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice is illegal in the U.S. and becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season, when many people rely on reviews to buy gifts. A tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews says AI-generated reviews have multiplied. Romanian lawmakers narrowly approve new pro-European coalition during period of political turmoil BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers have voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move on Monday could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in the 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, the center-right National Liberal Party, the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government on Monday night. Government regulators close investigation into Ford Focus recalls Government safety regulators are closing an investigation into two previous recalls of the Ford Focus after determining that Ford Motor Co. has satisfied its concerns. Ford recalled around 1.5 million Ford Focus sedans from the 2012-2018 model years in 2018 because they could lose power. The issue was a malfunctioning canister purge valve and software that didn’t adequately detect when it was stuck open. Ford fixed the software in two separate recalls, but after cars continued to stall, the government opened an inquiry last year. Earlier this fall, Ford offered to replace the canister purge valve on all of the vehicles, satisfying regulators' concerns. AI will eavesdrop on world's wildest places to track and help protect endangered wildlife PUERTO JIMÉNEZ, Costa Rica (AP) — A biologist hid 350 audio monitors across Costa Rica’s tropical rainforests to spy on endangered spider monkeys in order to help protect them. But she had to go back to collect the data and feed those sounds into artificial intelligence systems that can recognize monkey calls. Now tech giant Microsoft's philanthropic arm is hoping to supercharge AI-assisted wildlife research with new solar-powered devices that can capture sounds, images and other wilderness data for a year or more without human intervention. Researchers say more AI wildlife surveillance is urgently needed to monitor the health of species at risk of extinction.