COMMENT | CHRIS PATTEN | I first visited Japan as a young member of the UK Parliament in the early 1980s. Yukio Satoh, an ambitious and forward-thinking diplomat who would later serve as Japan’s ambassador to the United Nations, had recently been posted to the country’s London embassy. Recognizing that the …
Read More »Japan PM Ishiba vows to continue leading government following election defeat
TOKYO | Xinhua | Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday said he will continue as prime minister to lead the government and tackle growing economic and security challenges after his ruling bloc suffered a crushing defeat in the general election the day before. Ishiba, head of the Liberal Democratic …
Read More »Reflecting on Fuku’s diplomatic legacy in Uganda
COMMENT | CRISPIN KAHERU | When you think of Ambassador Fukuzawa, it is hard not to think of a unique blend of humility and humor. He is the master of defusing tense situations with a well-timed, pokerfaced joke. If you have had the privilege of meeting out-going Japanese Ambassador to Uganda, …
Read More »55 confirmed dead in strong Japan quakes amid aftershocks, rising damage reports
TOKYO, JAPAN | Xinhua | The death toll has risen to 55 in the central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa as of Tuesday evening, after a series of powerful earthquakes hit the area in central Japan and the vicinity, with aftershocks and more damage reports coming in. In a separate tragedy …
Read More »Massive earthquake jolts central Japan, causing casualties, disruptions
TOKYO | Xinhua | A powerful earthquake Monday rocked central Japan with tsunami warnings still in effect, causing at least one dead and multiple injuries, house collapse, power outages and transport chaos during the New Year holiday. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), among a series of quakes, …
Read More »Japan OKs FY 2024 budget, defense spending reaches new high
TOKYO | Xinhua | The Japanese government on Friday adopted a draft budget of 112.07 trillion yen (about 787 billion U.S. dollars) for fiscal year 2024, with defense spending hitting an all-time high for the 10th straight year. The figure approved by the cabinet for the fiscal period from April …
Read More »German coach Flick’s job is in danger after disastrous 4-1 defeat against Japan
Berlin, Germany | Xinhua | The facial expression of the German national coach Hansi Flick this Saturday evening might have told the story of hard times ahead for the 58-year-old. Having poor results recently, this time losing a friendly against Japan 4-1, is increasing the crisis of the struggling 2014 world …
Read More »Japan eyes vital African mineral alliances for its EV future
Tokyo has embarked on a charm offensive to secure a future supply of essential electric vehicle (EV) minerals. SPECIAL FEATURE | BIRD AGENCY | Japan is staking its claim in an African EV mineral bonanza as it seeks to fortify its supply chain and guard against China’s ambitions on the …
Read More »Japan’s decision to release nuclear-contaminated wastewater disappoints experts
Wellington, New Zealand | Xinhua | Japan’s decision to go forward with the release of the treated radioactively contaminated water is “not surprising, but certainly disappointing,” a marine expert has said. Despite public concerns and raging opposition from both home and abroad, the Japanese government announced Tuesday it has decided …
Read More »Japanese consortium to launch $14 bln Toshiba buyout on Aug. 8
Tokyo, Japan | (Xinhua | Japan Industrial Partners Inc., a Tokyo-based investment fund, announced Monday it will launch a 2 trillion yen (about 14 billion U.S. dollars) tender offer for Toshiba Corp. on Tuesday, a move that would end the company’s 74-year history as a public company. The tender offer …
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