Pac-3 Interceptor Drill Held For First Time Near Nuclear Power Plant

PAC-3 interceptor drill held for first time near nuclear power plant

Japan's Air Self-Defense Force has carried out a drill to deploy ground-based PAC-3 interceptor missiles near a nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture.

The exercise was conducted on Monday along the coast in the town of Ohi, where Kansai Electric Power Company's Ohi nuclear power plant is located. It was the first time a drill involving the PAC-3 system was carried out in a municipality hosting a nuclear power plant.

Japan To Start Wide Distribution Of First Domestic Covid Pill Next Monday

Japan to start wide distribution of first domestic COVID pill next Monday

Japan plans to start the wide distribution of a domestically developed oral COVID-19 drug, Xocova, from next Monday, earlier than initially planned.

The Japanese government approved emergency authorization of Xocova on Tuesday. The first Japanese COVID-19 drug is made by pharmaceutical firm Shionogi. Xocova can be used to treat even mild symptoms.

Ozawa Leads Orchestra For First Time In 3 Years

Ozawa leads orchestra for first time in 3 years

The Japanese orchestra conductor Ozawa Seiji has lately been out of the spotlight. But now, he has delighted music fans by leading an orchestra for the first time in three years.

The Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival kicks off in central Japan this Friday with concerts to mark its 30th anniversary.

2021 Nissan Armada First Drive | What's New, Photos, Specs

2021 Nissan Armada First Drive | What's new, photos, specs

The 2021 Nissan Armada is the first product in the United States to wear the Nissan brand's new badge. It's a modern and sleek-looking logo, and it's well-suited to the properly sorted and genuinely impressive new vehicles Nissan recently launched. The new Altima surprised us in a good way; the redesigned Rogue and Sentra took huge leaps forward, and even the Versa is an impressive little sedan now.

However, the refreshed Armada is only that: a mildly updated version of the same Armada. Since it's the company's flagship SUV, it gets the honor of wearing the new logo first, even if it doesn't best exemplify the sea change happening at Nissan. Although the second-generation Armada debuted four years ago, its bones date back to 2011 when the internationally sold Nissan Patrol and its Infiniti QX56 (later QX80) offshoot debuted. The Patrol would be the basis for this Armada generation, but unfortunately, the updates for 2021 don't add any of the Patrol's extra off-roading equipment that have been missing since the beginning. That includes the locking front and rear differentials, disconnecting sway bar and Hydraulic Body Motion Control suspension that links all four corners of the car hydraulically for better on-road control and less harshness off-road. The only off-road upgrade to speak of for 2021 is a two-degree better approach angle thanks to a reshaped front bumper.

2021 Lexus Ls 500 F Sport First Drive | What's New, Specs, Photos

2021 Lexus LS 500 F Sport First Drive | What's new, specs, photos

There was one glaring problem with the Lexus LS 500 prior to this year's refresh: the Remote Touch infotainment system. To put it simply, it was a nightmare to use and a potential deal breaker. As it does in other Lexus products, Remote Touch featured a large display controlled by a laptop-like touchpad that was difficult and distracting to use. Lexus has surely tired of hearing the complaints from reviewers and customers alike, and for 2021, there's a touchscreen. Hurrah!

That's clearly the biggest update for the 2021 Lexus LS 500, but the four-door flagship is treated to a number of other improvements for its mid-cycle freshening as well. Considering the totally new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is bearing down in the Lexus' rearview mirror, it's smart timing. Lexus allowed us to live with both the 2020 and 2021 LS 500s for a couple days to ensure we'd notice every last difference between them.

Japan Panel Approves First Genome-edited Food

Japan panel approves first genome-edited food

An expert panel at Japan's health ministry has given a go-ahead to sales of the country's first genome-edited food.

The panel on Friday approved an application for the sale of a tomato whose genome has been edited to make it produce more of an amino acid called GABA. The substance is said to help lower blood pressure.

2021 Toyota C-hr Is The First Gr Sport Model Offered In Australia

2021 Toyota C-HR Is The First GR Sport Model Offered In Australia

Toyota has popped its GR Sport cherry in Australia by launching the new C-HR sports-flavored small crossover. Similar to Hyundai’s new ‘N Line’ as well as a swath of German proposals in all categories such as Audi‘s ‘S Line’, GR Sport focuses on sporty aesthetics and chassis improvements without touching the powertrain.

Omaze Is Giving Away The First 2021 Honda Civic Type R Le

Omaze is giving away the first 2021 Honda Civic Type R LE

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. See official rules on Omaze. 

Enter to win this giveaway or any other Omaze experience between now and November 26, 2020, and receive 300 bonus entries. Winning this sweepstakes will be the best Black Friday deal you'll ever find.

Mazda Ranks First In Reliability, Unseating Toyota And Lexus

Mazda ranks first in reliability, unseating Toyota and Lexus

For time immemorial, or at least the past six years, Toyota and Lexus have sat at the top of Consumer Reports' annual survey of vehicle reliability. It was almost as much a given as blue skies and taxes. Not any more. Mazda has dethroned them both, ascending to the No. 1 spot for the first time.

According to the report, Mazda nabbed the top spot with powertrains and that used durable (and more fun) six-speed automatic transmissions instead of CVTs, which tend to be more fragile. Mazda also didn't rely on overly fancy infotainment systems, instead bucking industry trends with cockpits that discourage screen use during driving and encourage buttons and dials that can be handled without taking your eyes off the road. The most reliable Mazda was the MX-5 with a score of 98 out of 100, followed by the CX-30, CX-3, and CX-5, all scoring 85 or better.

Honda Wants To Be The First To Mass Produce Level 3 Self-driving Cars

Honda Wants To Be The First To Mass Produce Level 3 Self-Driving Cars

Autonomous or self-driving cars appear to be something we can look forward to in the future, but in case you didn’t know, there are actually different levels to autonomy. For the most part, a lot of self-driving cars being developed today and are on the streets, like those made by Tesla, are considered a level 2.

These cars can drive by themselves, but will still require a human behind the wheel. They can steer, brake, and accelerate on their own as well. However, level 3 is where it gets interesting and is a goal that companies are working towards, and it is also something that Honda hopes they’ll be the first to achieve in terms of mass production.

The Honda Legend Will Be The World's First Level 3 Autonomous Car

The Honda Legend will be the world's first level 3 autonomous car

TOKYO — Honda said on Wednesday it will be the world's first automaker to mass produce sensor-packed Level 3 autonomous cars that will allow drivers to let their vehicles navigate congested expressway traffic.

"Honda is planning to launch sales of a Honda Legend (luxury sedan) equipped with the newly approved automated driving equipment" before the end of March 2021, Honda said in a press release. The Honda Legend is mechanically similar to the Acura RLX sold in the United States.