Tag Archives: Japan

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday France and South Pacific nations would launch a South Pacific coastguard network to counter “predatory” behavior, which an adviser said was aimed at illegal fishing. The United States and allies including France, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, are actively expanding their activity in …

Japan will soon remove senior diplomat Hirohisa Soma from its embassy to South Korea after he was reported to have made an inappropriate comment on President Moon Jae-in, Kyodo news agency reported on Monday, citing a government source.

Two athletes have tested positive for the coronavirus in the Tokyo Olympic Village after a team colleague was also infected, officials said on Sunday, raising fears of a cluster just days before the opening ceremony. The first cases involving athletes in the Village come a day after a member of …

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said on Tuesday that a sufficient number of hospitals combined with a speed-up in the vaccination rollout among the elderly meant the city will be able to hold “safe and secure” Olympics in ten days. But Koike, speaking to Reuters in an interview at the Tokyo …

Growing military tensions around Taiwan, as well as economic and technological rivalry between China and the United States, threaten peace and stability in East Asia as the regional power balance shifts in Beijing’s favour, Japan said in its annual defence white paper. “It is necessary that we pay close attention …

Japan is to place its capital Tokyo under a state of emergency, which will last through the upcoming Olympic games. There are fears coronavirus could surge during the event, and at a meeting with experts on Thursday morning government officials proposed a plan to start the state of emergency from …

Beijing has warned Tokyo against damaging bilateral relations after Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso suggested that his country should work with the US to defend Taiwan in case of a Chinese invasion. “If a major incident happened [in Taiwan], it would not be strange at all if it touches …

Rain hampered Japanese rescuers seeking 20 missing people on Sunday after landslides triggered by torrential rains hit the central city of Atami, killing at least two, Kyodo news agency said. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said about 19 people were rescued and about 130 buildings were affected after floods, landslides and …

Japan’s military sent emergency rescuers to the central city of Atami on Saturday after landslides triggered by heavy rains left at least 20 people missing, public broadcaster NHK said. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has called together an emergency task force to tackle the crisis, NHK added, as it broadcast Twitter …

The Japanese embassy in Manila has announced that Japan and the Philippines will deepen their defense ties by holding their first-ever joint exercises next week, in an apparent attempt to counter Chinese influence in the region. In a statement on Thursday, the Japanese embassy hailed the drills as a “significant …

China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the recent characterization of Taiwan as a “country” by a senior Japanese official was erroneous and a serious violation. Japan’s deputy defense minister on Monday warned of a growing threat posed by Chinese and Russian collaboration and said it was necessary to “wake …

Workers scaled a giant statue of a Buddhist goddess in Japan on Tuesday to place a custom-made mask on her face, an act meant to be a prayer for the end of the coronavirus pandemic. It took four workers three hours to carry the massive mask on ropes up the …

Toyota Motor Corp’s shares reached a record high on Wednesday, earning a rare message of thanks from the company’s president at its annual general meeting (AGM). The share price of Japan’s no.1 carmaker exceeded 10,000 yen ($90.84) on Tuesday for the first time, as investors welcomed Toyota’s strong sales, electric …

Japan will send 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Tuesday, as Vietnam seeks to accelerate its vaccine procurement drive to tackle a more stubborn wave of infections. The shipment of AstraZeneca PLC vaccines produced in Japan is due to arrive in Vietnam on …

Spat about an Olympics map escalates as South Korea kicks off naval drills near disputed islands and leaders call off planned talks. South Korea’s military began annual drills on Tuesday around a set of islands also claimed by Japan, days after planned talks between the two countries leaders were called …

China has accused the G7 of “political manipulation” after it criticised Beijing over a range of issues. In a joint statement at the end of a three-day summit, leaders of the G7 countries urged China to “respect human rights and fundamental freedoms”. Issues highlighted included abuses against the Uyghur Muslim …

China on Sunday pointedly cautioned Group of Seven leaders that the days when “small” groups of countries decided the fate of the world was long gone, hitting back at the richest democracies as they sought to act in concert to counter Beijing’s might. The re-emergence of China as a leading …

The Japanese government will probe the activities of US tech giants, Apple and Google, amid alleged antitrust violations, the newspaper Nikkei has reported. According to the media outlet, citing sources, a government panel will be formed this month to investigate the connection between domestic smartphone manufacturers and US companies. Currently, …

Wealthy nations begin a key summit with Biden in attendance, as some campaign groups condemn vaccine ‘charity’ plan as a drop in the ocean. G7 leaders are meeting for their first in-person talks in nearly two years, with an expected pledge to donate one billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to the …

Japan’s influential trade ministry effectively colluded with Toshiba Corp’s management to influence shareholder’s votes on director nominees at last year’s annual general meeting, an independent probe has found. Discrediting the government’s efforts to improve corporate governance in Japan, the investigators’ report lays out how the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and …