I shouldn't do his, but what the hell, I'm gonna.
Going for the bonuses:
2001:
The 9/11 attacks on America stun the world, especially as 174 Japanese citizens are killed in the attacks. In a very rare show of friendship, the entire world just about entirely stands together to find the people who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks. Knowledge of bin Laden in Pakistan and Al-Queda's existence there force the world to respond. JS Kurushio is called up again, and this time it is dispatched to the Indian Ocean south of Pakistan. The carrier's Mitsubishi F-6A, Grumman A-6F and Boeing IDS F/A-18E fighters are first on the scene, though American carriers USS Enterprise and USS Carl Vinson aren't far behind.
For the first time, Japanese ground troops are part of an international effort to help Afghanistan. In terms of humanitarian assistance, the world follows the Japanese - because having successfully been able to help in Rwanda and the Balkans, they know the game better than anybody else. Some 11,000 Afghans apply to leave Afghanistan for Japan in 2001 through 2003 - and all are swiftly accepted, though almost 200 would be expelled for commiting criminal offenses. Japan's combat troops suffer 46 deaths and over 150 injuried in the initial invasions. This year also sees the first female to be awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Japan's highest honor. This woman is Major Akira Hikari, a helicopter pilot of the JASDF, who is awarded the honor for landing her damaged SH-47J helicopter, and personally jumping out to rescue three young girls hit by machine gun fire and mortar fragments during a battle between coalition troops and Taliban guerillas.
The US corners Al-Queda leader Osama bin Laden near Tora Bora, Afghanistan, on December 12, 2001. The US dithers on whether to find a truce or forcibly go in and get him, but the Japanese forget the truce and storm the positions. Ten Japanese soldiers are killed in the process, but they capture bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri alive, to the stunned surprise of the alliance's forces. The Americans demand he be tried in the United States, but Japan, knowing full well a fair trial would be impossible in the United States, offers the Hague as a destination. Britain also doesn't like this idea, figuring that it should be held in a country where none of its civilians died on 9/11.
2002:
The war in Afghanistan settles down, and the country soon regularly takes over the headlines in Japan as the country's humanitarian commitments are used there. But while the focus is on Afghanistan, operations are also continuing in Rwanda, Bangaledesh and East Timor. That year, over 1400 refugees arrive in Japan from Zimbabwe, white Zimbabweans run off their land in Japan. The biggest name among these is the former Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith, who comes to Japan from Zimbabwe because, as he puts it, "I can do more good for my people here than in England or South Africa."
The question of Osama bin Laden is ended when South African President Thabo Mbeki offers to try bin Laden under International laws in South Africa. This suits Britain and the Europeans. US President George W. Bush grudgingly goes along with the idea. The trials, which last seven months and are held at South Africa's Constitutional Courthouse in Johannesburg, find bin Laden guilty. He is sent to the United States' Supermax prison in Colorado, where he remains today.
In the Asia-Pacific area, All Nippon Airways becomes a hero in March when they agree to buy out and keep operation Ansett Australia. They keep the Ansett name, which does wonders for the company's visibility, and many job losses are avoided. Ryoji Makimas, ANA's chairman, is made a honorary companion of the Order of Australia for his efforts at saving Ansett.
The FIFA World Cup begins on May 31, co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. Japan finishes 6th, knocked out in the quarter-finals by France, who are beaten in the semis by Argentina, who eventually win the Cup. Every game held in both nations is a sell-out, even when the games are held at the vast National Stadium in Tokyo's Nakano district.
Shortly after the games begin, the Golden Jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth includes a vast "Party and the Palace", and Kurushio's fighters are part of the airshow. One of the F-6s gets notoriety when pilot Major Daisuke Gamisha does an aileron roll over the Concorde as it flies overhead, to the stunned surprise of the Concorde's pilots. The stunt, while entirely not planned, wows the crowds.
When Argentina defaults on its $800-million World Bank payment in November, Japan again steps in, requesting Argentina return the money when they can in return for Japan covering their gap when they can't pay it. Argentina agrees to this, and repays Japan in full in May 2004, to Tokyo's surprise, which hadn't expected Argentina to be able to recover that quickly.
2001:
The 9/11 attacks on America stun the world, especially as 174 Japanese citizens are killed in the attacks. In a very rare show of friendship, the entire world just about entirely stands together to find the people who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks. Knowledge of bin Laden in Pakistan and Al-Queda's existence there force the world to respond. JS Kurushio is called up again, and this time it is dispatched to the Indian Ocean south of Pakistan. The carrier's Mitsubishi F-6A, Grumman A-6F and Boeing IDS F/A-18E fighters are first on the scene, though American carriers USS Enterprise and USS Carl Vinson aren't far behind.
For the first time, Japanese ground troops are part of an international effort to help Afghanistan. In terms of humanitarian assistance, the world follows the Japanese - because having successfully been able to help in Rwanda and the Balkans, they know the game better than anybody else. Some 11,000 Afghans apply to leave Afghanistan for Japan in 2001 through 2003 - and all are swiftly accepted, though almost 200 would be expelled for commiting criminal offenses. Japan's combat troops suffer 46 deaths and over 150 injuried in the initial invasions. This year also sees the first female to be awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Japan's highest honor. This woman is Major Akira Hikari, a helicopter pilot of the JASDF, who is awarded the honor for landing her damaged SH-47J helicopter, and personally jumping out to rescue three young girls hit by machine gun fire and mortar fragments during a battle between coalition troops and Taliban guerillas.
The US corners Al-Queda leader Osama bin Laden near Tora Bora, Afghanistan, on December 12, 2001. The US dithers on whether to find a truce or forcibly go in and get him, but the Japanese forget the truce and storm the positions. Ten Japanese soldiers are killed in the process, but they capture bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri alive, to the stunned surprise of the alliance's forces. The Americans demand he be tried in the United States, but Japan, knowing full well a fair trial would be impossible in the United States, offers the Hague as a destination. Britain also doesn't like this idea, figuring that it should be held in a country where none of its civilians died on 9/11.
2002:
The war in Afghanistan settles down, and the country soon regularly takes over the headlines in Japan as the country's humanitarian commitments are used there. But while the focus is on Afghanistan, operations are also continuing in Rwanda, Bangaledesh and East Timor. That year, over 1400 refugees arrive in Japan from Zimbabwe, white Zimbabweans run off their land in Japan. The biggest name among these is the former Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith, who comes to Japan from Zimbabwe because, as he puts it, "I can do more good for my people here than in England or South Africa."
The question of Osama bin Laden is ended when South African President Thabo Mbeki offers to try bin Laden under International laws in South Africa. This suits Britain and the Europeans. US President George W. Bush grudgingly goes along with the idea. The trials, which last seven months and are held at South Africa's Constitutional Courthouse in Johannesburg, find bin Laden guilty. He is sent to the United States' Supermax prison in Colorado, where he remains today.
In the Asia-Pacific area, All Nippon Airways becomes a hero in March when they agree to buy out and keep operation Ansett Australia. They keep the Ansett name, which does wonders for the company's visibility, and many job losses are avoided. Ryoji Makimas, ANA's chairman, is made a honorary companion of the Order of Australia for his efforts at saving Ansett.
The FIFA World Cup begins on May 31, co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. Japan finishes 6th, knocked out in the quarter-finals by France, who are beaten in the semis by Argentina, who eventually win the Cup. Every game held in both nations is a sell-out, even when the games are held at the vast National Stadium in Tokyo's Nakano district.
Shortly after the games begin, the Golden Jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth includes a vast "Party and the Palace", and Kurushio's fighters are part of the airshow. One of the F-6s gets notoriety when pilot Major Daisuke Gamisha does an aileron roll over the Concorde as it flies overhead, to the stunned surprise of the Concorde's pilots. The stunt, while entirely not planned, wows the crowds.
When Argentina defaults on its $800-million World Bank payment in November, Japan again steps in, requesting Argentina return the money when they can in return for Japan covering their gap when they can't pay it. Argentina agrees to this, and repays Japan in full in May 2004, to Tokyo's surprise, which hadn't expected Argentina to be able to recover that quickly.