Ishiga-Ryōkan

[yasha]

Ishiga-Ryōkan has served northern Ardia with objective, unbiased reports on local and world events for over a 150 years. Found in the Ishiga-Ryōkan district of Eizomutsu, this newspaper of the same name was among the first to appear in Northern Ardia, and is still among the most respected.

-Excerpt taken from the Ishiga-Ryōkan website. (http://ishi-ryou.com/en/)

Spoiler: show

Code: [Select]

[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/201533878043672588/401507550433902592/newshit.png[/img][/center]
[hr]
[center][size=18pt]placeholder[/size][/center]

[center][img]yourlinkhere[/img]

[size=8pt]placeholder.[/size][/center]

placeholder

[yasha]

Yoshiko Kira Found Not Guilty

Headshot taken of Ms. Kira shortly before first arriving in court.

Earlier this morning, the most infamous Himeyan court case in recent history was resolved. Ms. Yoshiko Kira was tried on 12 charges of murder, being treated as a suspect in cases dating as far back as 2010. Ms. Kira's attorney has stated "It is truly unfortunate that the real suspects in these cases have not been brought to justice, but my client and I believe that eventually their time will come. Regardless, it was my duty to ensure Ms. Kira wasn't convicted for heinous crimes she did not commit."

However, many of the victim's families refuse to accept this verdict. Mio Akazaka, the widow of Junji Akazaka, who went missing in 2013 and was later found dead near the Himeyan-Cojotan border had shared her opinion with Ishiga-Ryōkan. "It's just so frustrating. This woman will be walking free with the blood of twelve innocent people on her hands, maybe even more."

Ms. Kira has declined to comment.

Provincial Frustrations Growing Over Indecision of Lakhzovia

Syukō Governor Satoshi Otomo

Himeyama's provincial leaders are becoming increasingly weary of the Federal Government's lack of a decisive stance of the growing tension in Lakhzovia, situated by the Peniche Bay on Cotf Aranye. While provincial leaders have adopted various stances in regards to the Utman independence movement. Governor of Syukō Province Satoshi Otomo has voiced his concerns to Ishiga-Ryōkan, stating "Premier Musashi seems adamant on doing nothing about the situation in Lakhzovia. The other Governors and I have adopted a clearly-defined stance on the matter, whether it's in favor of Lakhzovia or the Utmans, but any attempts to communicate with the Premier about it have been brushed off. It reflects poorly on the entire Himeyan government."

Premier Musashi responded with the following. "Lack of action is by no means a show of apathy. The immediate show of action with minimal calculation of some nations is not how I intend to handle the situation, as Premier I am obliged to make a responsible decision that produces the best possible outcome not only for Himeyama, but for the stability of Mundus as a whole. What we're looking at is a very delicate political situation on the Peniche Bay, and there is no absolute way of handling it that will work in everyone's interest. So for now, the Federal government will bide its time until it sees the opportunity to act, and I urge our Governors to bear this in mind instead of immediately taking sides."

[yasha]

Yokazura Wins Ura-Rokkō

Yokazura appearing before journalists just after the race in Ura-Rokkō on Monday.

While it hardly comes as a surprise that Chiyoko Motorsport Division would claim a first place finish for themselves eventually, it is perhaps a bit surprising who pulled it off. Ryo Yokazura, the second driver for Chiyoko Motorsport Division spent the first few races of the season off on the sidelines with many DNFs. On Monday however, the young female racer from Aofumiya surprised much of the Formula Mundus community following a close victory over Rytol-EMAC's veteran driver Sam Halliday, with Magpie's Enric Tomās and Quintus Varusi of Tifosi less than ten seconds behind.

Yokazura stated to local press "It's a bit strange being on the top of the podium, I came into Ura-Rokkō with high expectations for myself, I do GT races here after all; but there's a tremendous feeling of accomplishment coming out on top with all these strong drivers. Sam, Quintus and Enric all made this quite a challenge, but I hope they'll see me as a strong racer too!"

Chiyoko's main driver Takeshi Nakanishi could not be reached for comment, but was later spotted at a local nightclub with Magpie Racing's Enric Tomās.

Musashi Brightlance Breaks Sales Expectations, Four Times.



Musashi Automata's Newest Supercar

Musashi Automata's Brightlance, which was unveiled this spring at the Leonidas Business Expo, has now beat its projected sales four times over according to a MA spokesperson. The company believes this is largely in part due to massive international interest in the car, as well as Musashi Automata's active attempts to sell it in foreign markets. The company also believes that the high amount of customization options for the car contributed to orders as well.
 
The Brightlance was not a project done by Musashi alone, the company had enlisted the help of Himeyama's most famous performance part designers and manufacturers in order to make the Brightlance an incredibly powerful machine. Parts from companies like Sheonite Performance, Deltaknight and Chiyoko Motorsports Division can be found in many Brightlance models, especially the GXI-85, which houses the twin turbo 4.7 litre V8 LFI-150 engine and has seen considerable success in Himeyama and Alba Karinya markets. Musashi Automata has stated that they hope they can continue to exceed expectations with the Brighlance.

[yasha]

Suiseikawa to Reconsider Liquor Laws

Exponentially growing incidents caused by drunken young tourists may cause Suiseikawa province to change its drinking age.

A bill is currently moving through the Suiseikawa provincial government that may cause the province to be the only one in Himeyama where you cannot purchase alcohol at 15. This bill was proposed about a week after an incident occurred where a heavily intoxicated Nueva Ardian teenager was killed after attempting to start a fight with locals. The leader who proposed the bill has stated "When we allow tourists into Suiseikawa, we have a reasonable expectation that when they drink, they're still expected to use the best of their judgement and behave themselves, but it's unfortunate that in recent years, people have considered themselves to exempt from using common sense. We may lose a small bit of tourism from this bill passing, but the conduct of some of the youth that enter this province as tourists is appalling."

The bill is expected to be voted on this Friday.

[yasha]

"We Have Made a Commitment" Premier says in Address to HDS Personnel

HNDS marines during indoor firing exercises at Ise-Kokoda base, Aofumiya.

With Himeyan troops having only returned from Uppsala in late September, another humanitarian situation has arisen in Eastern Ardia. Located on the Krimeon Sea, the nation of Stål has reached out to the international community in request of humanitarian support following a fragile truce between internal factions during their civil war. The Syndicated Confederacy, along with a few other nations have proposed to assisting the government of Stål in aid operations.

"We hope that more nations will realize the importance of rising up to support those in dire situations such as the people of Stål and Uppsala." Premier Shiina Musashi stated during a visit to Ise-Kokoda base. "There are few fates as awful as suffering at the hands of apathy and indifference of your fellow man. We have made a commitment, the people, the soldiers of Himeyama have made a commitment to ensure that help finds its way to whoever needs it. I'd like to personally commend the people of Sutherland, Nya Åland, the Ecclesiastical State, Artyomov, Mountjoy and Achkaerin for also stepping up to the challenge."

The Premier has also stated that Tatsuichi Airbase and Ise-Kokoda base will be stocked with food, fuel, shelters and medical supplies to ensure that there are always supplies ready to be sent into Stål at a moment's notice. The Himeyan government is currently awaiting a response from Stål before allowing operations to begin.

Nagatsuichi FOURWHEEL Festival Returns

Himeyan sports cars such as the R series had been a staple of the FOURWHEEL Festival during the 2000s.

With the last FOURWHEEL Festival taking place during the fall of 2011, the city of Nagatsuichi, Tsuyariko and automotive magazine Yokoni!! jointly announced their plans to end FOURWHEEL's six year hiatus. The small city become part of a tradition for petrolheads across the country in 1998, where various expo halls had been rented out to become car shows and drivers had the opportunity to test the limits of their machines as they raced through the sectioned-off roads of downtown Nagatsuichi.

The city's mayor Miyu Tatsumi had been interviewed briefly by Myōga Media, and had this to say about the hiatus. "I realize there are many, many questions as to why FOURWHEEL hasn't returned in several years, but those questions will be addressed as the beginning of the festival approaches. We are looking to start around mid-November, and we want it to be bigger and better than ever for 2017."

The announcement can be found and read in full at (https://yokoni.ma.hime).

[yasha]

Travel Warning Issued for the West Moreland Region of Vaguzia

Himeyans are advised to avoid travel to West Moreland if possible.

After a protest turned violent with multiple fatalities in West Moreland, Vaguzia; the Himeyan government has urged Himeyans to stay clear of the region for non-urgent matters. Protests by the West Moreland Revolution Army have been a constant issue in the region, however, with the latest riot causing six people to be shot and killed by Vaguzian police, the Himeyan government has escalated the previous travel advisory on West Moreland into a Level 3 Travel Warning, which states that all Himeyan citizens should stay away from the region for their own safety, and that they should make their stay as short as possible if they have urgent business in the region, citing that protests and their escalation into violence could happen anywhere at any given moment. So far no Himeyans have been injured or arrested in West Moreland.

Great War Fighter Ready to Fly Again

The Himeyan Aerospace Museum has restored a Yokura SY-39 fighter to flying condition.

An iconic plane from the Mhorish Campaign of the 1940s has taken flight once more. The Yokura SY-39 was a fighter plane designed and produced in the short-lived Himekuno Republic during the late 1930s, this interceptor, along with the larger and faster Kurogata SK-41 were among the most advanced combat planes on Mundus during their service life. The Himeyan Aerospace Museum in Eizomutsu has recently announced that after years of careful repairs and restoration, they have finally brought one back into operational order. Serial D-R291 was serving with the 13th Sentai and was believed to be shot down by Ardian fighters over Myōga during a nighttime patrol in 1942. This aircraft will be on display during the Memorial Day ceremony on Nurashima on November 11th.

[yasha]

Himeyama "Shaking With Anticipation" for MFA

The Himeyan national team played against Kerajaan Agung during a friendly on Sunday at Aofumiya.

After making it to the quarterfinals in the Rugby World Cup earlier this year, Himeyama's seen a renewed interest in international sports that has cumulated into it bidding-- and winning the hosting rights to this year's MFA World Cup; all after ten years of standing away from the international sports spotlight. There has been no word on when the first game of the tournament will kick off from the MFA, but the final participants are expected to be announced Tuesday night after the second leg of qualifiers wraps up.

Sunday night saw the first major game taking place in Himeyama in years as the Kerajaan Agung national team came to Aofumiya to play a friendly against Himeyama; the stadium was packed to the brim as new and old football fans came to see their national team play. The game ultimately resulted in a 1-1 tie as Himeyama and Kerajaan Agung spent the first half in a dead heat as the KA team refused to allow the Himeyans a shot at the goal.

5 minutes into the second half, the KA team managed to pull ahead with a goal; but the Himeyans were able to quickly tie it up with Hiroyuki Ito clearing the ball from the goal line, where strikers Hayato Nakajima and Eric Haseda were able to score.

[yasha]

Victory for the Comets!

An ecstatic Himeyan celebrates their first win in years.

Sunday night at Kyokko Mirror Arena, Himeyama's national football team, nicknamed the Comets made a triumphant return to the international football scene, coming out on top of their biggest rival, Ahkabnil with a score of 5-1, launching the Comets to the top of the group. The Himeyan squad is a largely inexperienced one composed mainly of recruits from local clubs, having played for the first time against an international opponent in years when they tied Kerajaan Agung 2 weeks ago; despite this, their victory against the historically much stronger Ahkabnilian team is a statement to the international footballing community. "The Comets are not to be underestimated."

On the field, striker Eric Haseda made the highlights with a hat trick in the second half, synergizing almost perfectly with left winger Hayato Nakajima, who himself scored a goal and 2 assists over the course of the game.

Elsewhere on the first game day of the tournament, the Borland national team, a controversial addition to this year's cup, has defeated Vaguzia with an overwhelming 5-0 at Isemura Club.

Meanwhile group B is looking very unpredictable, with the newcomer Weremark team having defeated Rokkenjima, ranked 7th with a score of 3-1.

[yasha]

Meeting With Vaguzia Pending

A shot of Eizomutsu, where Premier Executive Administrator Musashi is expected to meet with Vaguzian Prime Minister Xavier Jesus.

Earlier today, Chair of Foreign Affairs Arashi Yao confirmed that the Himeyan government's first diplomatic meeting of 2018 would be with the Kingdom of Vaguzia, one of the closest nations to Himeyama geographically. Premier Musashi has stated that she is "... Looking to pick up the slack in the coming months with regards to maintaining foreign relations, our successful MFA bid has done much to renew foreign parties' interests in working with Himeyama, and now is a good time to capitalize on them."

The exact date of His Excellency Prime Minister Jesus's arrival is not yet known, Ishiga-Ryōkan will periodically provide updates.

Comets Blast Through Group Matches

Fullback Zenichi Sakai was praised for his performance during the Himeyama-Mountjoy match played on the second of January.

So far undefeated, the Comets of Himeyama have automatically won group H and qualified for the final tournament following a second close win over Ahkabnil at Isemura. For those who have been longtime football fans, finally coming out on top of their fellow "Sons of Tinhil" team Ahkabnil is an exciting change from the decades before, but Ahkabnil is not finished yet, for they still have a chance to qualify in 2nd place of Group H if they can manage to overtake Mountjoy, whom they are tied with.

Going forward into the final 16, the comets are likely to face off against Saheristan, who has surprised group A by leading far ahead of Vafleon and is dead set on keeping their #2 spot, behind Lodja.

[yasha]

NQF Threatens War with Tsuyariko and Suiseikawa

NQF special forces stationed on the border with the Independent Republic of Tsuyariko have been conducting training exercises simulating an aggressive invasion of the now independent Himeyan provinces.

The governments of Suiseikawa and Tsuyariko today have been warned by Speaker Junko, head of state for the Neo Quywe Federation, that "continued non-compliance will lead only to war." This lengthy ultimatum comes after both states have spoken of their intentions to ensure their continued independence from the NQF.

When the former states of Ahkabnil and Cojotan earlier this year rallied together in the face of rapid economic collapse, the provinces of Myouga and Shuko in Himeyama were quick to join with their own civil order quickly disintegrating. Mere months after the Neo Quywe Federation formed, they already had their sights set on the remaining provinces of Himeyama, who had voted against joining the NQF and opted for independence instead.

All three states have begun rapid militarization and the government of Tsuyariko has warned citizens living on the Tsuyariko-NQF border to be prepared to evacuate at any moment, and advises everyone else to stay clear entirely.

[yasha]

NQF Border Shootout with Suiseikawa Defense Force Leaves 20 Dead

NQF troops push towards the border checkpoint near Otono, a town that straddles the border between independent Suiseikawa province and NQF-controlled Myouga province.

Tensions in the Himeyan Divide have reached a new high this morning as NQF and SDF troops clashed in a seemingly unprovoked firefight. The Suiseikawa government was quick to confirm that the shootout had taken place as many Suiseikawa troops had pointed out that NQF forces had reportedly opened fire at random at approximately 6:21 E.A.S. Regional politicians were quick to call off hostilities and all gunfire had ceased by 7:00 E.A.S, though as the numbers show, the damage had already been done.

The SDF reported 14 of their own men had been killed in the firefight, with 38 more being wounded in a statement made at noon. They also placed estimated NQF casualties at 6 killed and 9 wounded, as the NQF has yet to release any official figures. Brilliant Speaker Junko is expected to make a press statement later today however.

Meanwhile, the Suiseikawa government is looking into the possibility that the NQF deliberately opened fire. Ishiga-Ryōkan will provide updates as the aftermath of this event unfolds.

[yasha]

Premier Musashi to Consider Derusmian Jets

A New Derusmian MULRO-1 jet fighter.

In an unexpected announcement Friday morning, Premier Shiina Musashi of the Armed Himeyan Republic stated her intent to purchase some, or all of New Derusmia's MULRO-1 jet fighters currently for sale. Citing increased aggressive rhetoric from the neighboring Neo Quywe Federation, the Premier has pointed out the lack of serviceable jet aircraft available to the fledgling Himeyan Republican Air Force. As the aforementioned HRAF's inventory mostly consists of mothballed old aircraft with one dozen current-gen fighters also in service with the NQF, the Premier has stated the necessity of having a large and capable air force to ward off potential NQF attacks and dissuade further Quywe aggression.

As air combat veterans and ground crews of the former Himeyan Aerial Defense Service have experience with similar two-seater aircraft, consensus within the Himeyan military seems to be acquiring these jets as soon as possible.

[yasha]

Multiple HRAF Expansion Projects Underway

An S-5 Nekomata of the former Himeyan Aerial Defense Service (2010)

With analysts no longer confident in receiving sufficient aircraft from New Derusmia, the Himeyan Republican Air Force is currently looking inwards.

Recently, Premier Musashi commissioned the East Moreland Aircraft Company for both AWACS birds and a testing group of F-3 'Dragonheart' fighter craft. The F-3, designated as SE-94 is expected to arrive mid-2020, along with a pair of Dragonhearts to be tested with Himeyan-produced RADAR and sensors, designated SE-94b. However, to patch holes that are immediately apparent in the Armed Republic's air capabilities, the HRAF has begun restoring old S-5 Nekomata fighters in service from 1974 to 2017. Designated as the SY-74 by the HRAF.

The S-5 airframe as it currently stands is quickly growing more obsolete, and spare parts are increasingly rare. Official figures haven't been released but is estimated to be at 160-200 airframes mothballed by the HRAF.

The Armed Himeyan Republic has put multiple proposals forth to remedy this, primarily through the modernization and domestic production of Nekomata fighters. Many of these fighters are currently being stored in Aofumiya and surrounding areas, and while few are reportedly airworthy; Himeyan officials estimate that 30% can be restored to flying condition in quick order.

[yasha]

Update: HRAF Expansion

Morelandish F-3 multirole jet.

The procurement and delivery of a test batch of EMAC F-3 Dragonhearts (pictured) has been successful, over the coming weeks Himeyan Air Force officials will begin trials involving the Morelandish-built jets as well as the domestically produced S-5-kai.

The delivery of EMAC planes comes during a time of relative stability among the AHR-NQF border; with the occurrence of small arms exchanges reaching a record low in late March before slightly climbing in the following weeks and beyond. Grand Air Marshal Sotaro Oe notes however, that the Himeyama split is "inherently unstable" and that "ensuring an effective response against Quywe incursions is paramount at all levels of Himeyama's armed forces."

When questioned about other foreign designs possibly being implemented, Oe has stated that "First consideration will be given to like-minded nations when dealing in arms..." and that "Other candidates are being evaluated in case more trials are needed."