Page 12 - Japan

Continental power grid spanning Japan to India inches closer to reality

Plans for a web of sub-sea cables that would create a continental power grid spanning Japan to India are rapidly becoming cheaper and more feasible

US vows full range of military defence of allies against North Korea

The United States will make full use of its military capabilities, including nuclear, conventional and missile defense," to defend its allies Japan and South Korea, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Tuesday as she warned North Korea against escalating its provocations. Sherman said North Korea's repeated firings of ballistic missiles and artillery in recent weeks were provocative military actions. North Korea has described them as practice runs for the use of tactical nuclear weapons. This is deeply irresponsible, dangerous, and destabilizing, Sherman said in talks in Tokyo with South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyundong. The two officials met ahead of a three-way meeting with their Japanese counterpart on Wednesday. It would be the second in-person meeting of the three officials since conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol took office in May, signaling an improvement in difficult ties between Japan and South Korea. A year ago, Japanese and Sout

S Korea, US, Japan hold talks amid speculation on N Korea nuke test

Senior diplomats of South Korea, the US and Japan held high-level talks on Wednesday on regional and global security issues amid concerns over the possibility of a North Korean nuclear test

Japan rolls out Covid vaccination for children aged 6 months to 4 years

Japan began Covid-19 vaccination for children aged between six months and four years at a hospital in Tokyo

US vows full military defence of allies against North Korea: Wendy Sherman

The United States will make full use of its military capabilities, including nuclear, conventional and missile defence," to defend its allies Japan and South Korea, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Tuesday as she warned North Korea against escalating its provocations. Sherman said North Korea's repeated firings of ballistic missiles and artillery in recent weeks were provocative military actions. North Korea has described them as practice runs for the use of tactical nuclear weapons. This is deeply irresponsible, dangerous, and destabilizing, Sherman said in talks in Tokyo with South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyungdong. The two officials met ahead of a three-way meeting with their Japanese counterpart on Wednesday. It will be second in-person meeting of the three officials since conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol took office in May, signalling an improvement in difficult ties between Japan and South Korea. A year ago, Japanese and South ...

Ex-Health Minister Shigeyuki Goto appointed as Japan's new economy chief

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida appointed former health minister Shigeyuki Goto as economic revitalization minister to replace Daishiro Yamagiwa

Japan govt retains economic view for 4th straight month as demand rises

The Japanese economy is recovering moderately, the government said in a report, retaining the view for the fourth successive month, owing to demand bouncing back

Japan's economy minister resigns over ties to Unification Church

Japan's economy minister submitted his resignation Monday over ties to the Unification Church after facing mounting criticism in a widening controversy involving dozens of governing party lawmakers. Daishiro Yamagiwa's resignation is a further blow to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government, which has been rocked by his party's close ties to the controversial South Korean-based church following the assassination of former leader Shinzo Abe in July. Kishida on Tuesday said he appointed former Health Minister Shigeyuki Goto to take Yamagiwa's place as the economy minister. Kishida said Goto is a veteran politician who is highly capable of giving explanation and has passion" for economic and social reforms. Kishida said he expected him to play a central role in coordinating and achieving key policy goals, including a major economic package that Kishida plans to announce later this week. Goto's appointment is to be official after a palace ceremony later Tuesday. The Kishida governmen

Japan minister resigns after row over ties with Unification Church

Public criticism of the minister had grown as new information surfaced about his ties with the group

Dollar shakes off suspected Japan intervention; stocks brace for earnings

US shares were mixed on Monday as European markets were lifted by hopes that US interest rates could rise more slowly

Dollar shakes off suspected Japan intervention; stocks brace for earnings

The dollar weathered another suspected blast of Japanese intervention to rise against the yen on Monday, while European markets got a lift

Dollar weathers suspected Japanese yen intervention, China data mixed

The US dollar weathered another suspected blast of Japanese intervention to push higher on the yen on Monday, while most share markets rallied on just the hint of an eventual slowdown in rate hikes

Japan holds 'Tourism Expo 2022' to revive tourism amid Covid-19 pandemic

After a four-year hiatus, the "Tourism Expo Japan 2022" was held in Tokyo with the motive of reviving tourism in the country.

Japan, Australia upgrade security pact against China rising assertiveness

Japan and Australia on Saturday signed a new bilateral security agreement to reflect the deteriorating security outlook for their region driven by China's increasing assertiveness. The upgrade of the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, a pact first signed in 2007 when China's rise was less concerning, was the major outcome of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's meeting with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in the west coast city of Perth. It builds on a reciprocal access agreement that Kishida inked in January with then-Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that removes obstacles to holding joint military exercises in either country. That is the first such agreement Japan has struck with any country other than the United States. Japan announced on Saturday that its Self-Defense Forces will train and take part in exercises with the Australian military in northern Australia for the first time under the agreement. In the context of that agreement, Albanese tol

Japan's core consumer prices hit 8-year high, rise 3% YoY in Sep

Core consumer prices in Japan rose 3 per cent in September to a fresh eight-year high from a year earlier, the government said in a report

Japan's PM Kishida heads to Australia to step up military, energy ties

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is travelling to Australia for talks with his counterpart Anthony Albanese, said on Friday he wants to bolster military and energy cooperation between the two countries amid their shared concerns about China. Kishida said he hoped to update their 2007 bilateral security pact to factor in the progress they've made and further promote their partnership. Australia's liquefied natural gas and coal exports are key to a stable energy supply for resource-scarce Japan, and Kishida said he hoped to discuss the future of Japanese resources and energy stability with Albanese. For Japan, Australia is an important country that we share universal values with, such as freedom and democracy, as well as strategic benefits, and it is an important country also from the resource and energy point of view, Kishida said before boarding his flight to Perth. Australia is our special strategic partner," Kishida added, noting that Australia is a key member of the Qu

Earthquake of 5.1-magnitude jolts Japan; no tsunami warning issued

An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale struck off Japan's Fukushima prefecture on Friday, the national weather agency said, although no tsunami warning was issued.

Japan's trade deficit balloons for 14th month on energy costs, cheap yen

Japan marked a trade deficit for the 14th month in a row, government data showed on Thursday, with exports and imports ballooning to record highs, as the declining value of the yen added to the soaring costs of imported energy, food and other goods. Imports totalled 10.9 trillion yen (USD 72.7 billion) in September, according to the Finance Ministry, up nearly 46 per cent from the same month a year ago on the back of rising oil and gas costs. Imports have grown for 20 months straight on-year. But import costs were lower than the previous month's, indicating some commodity prices have begun to stabilise. Exports totalled 8.8 trillion yen (USD 58.7 billion), with the strongest growth in autos and steel. It was the 20th straight month of year on year monthly gains. The Japanese yen has weakened drastically as the Bank of Japan maintains its negative interest rate policy, to keep economic activity going, while the US Federal Reserve tightens monetary policy to combat growing inflation

Sinking in polls, Japanese leader renews unorthodox inflation bet

Japanese leader Fumio Kishida has seen his approval rating plummet of late along with the yen. But he's sticking with his world-defying bet on loose monetary policy even as voter dissatisfaction grows

U-17 Women's WC: China out after loss to Spain; Japan beat France 2-0

Spain, Japan, Colombia and Tanzania made it to the knockout rounds of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup making it to the next stage after getting past strong rivals in their last group stage matches