United Nations, United States | AFP | Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday declared the time for dialogue with North Korea to be over and rallied behind a US warning that “all options” are on the table. Addressing the UN General Assembly, Abe said “there is not much time left” …
Read More »US has ‘many’ military options in Korea crisis: Mattis
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States has “many” military options against North Korea, including some that don’t put Seoul at risk, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Monday. His comments come after President Donald Trump’s administration ramped up pressure on North Korea on Sunday, warning Pyongyang will be “destroyed” …
Read More »‘Take cover’ – but where? Japanese helpless over N.Korea threat
Take cover in a sturdy building or get underground. Tokyo, Japan | AFP | That’s the emergency advice given to the Japanese people in the event of a North Korean missile strike. But there are two big problems: most Japanese homes are made of wood and lack a basement. In the …
Read More »Trump plans to visit China, Japan, S. Korea in November
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he intends to visit China, Japan and South Korea later this year, a blockbuster maiden presidential visit to Asia. Trump said aboard Air Force One that a US delegation would likely make the trip in November, adding that …
Read More »VW aims to sell 1.5 mln electric cars in China by 2025
Tokyo, Japan | AFP | German carmaker Volkswagen is aiming to sell 1.5 million electric cars in China by 2025, its boss was quoted as saying Thursday, seeking to capitalise as Beijing mulls a clampdown on polluting vehicles. Speaking on the sidelines of the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Chief Executive …
Read More »India’s first bullet train project fast-tracks Japanese ties
Ahmedabad, India | AFP | India’s first bullet train project, a $19-billion initiative linking Ahmedabad to Mumbai, was launched Thursday as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe hailed fast-growing ties between Asia’s two biggest democracies. The project is seen as emblematic of warming relations between New Delhi …
Read More »THIS WEEK: New textile firm to open in Rwanda’s Burera District
Kigali, Rwanda | THIS WEEK | The entry of Burera Garment Factory in Rwanda is expected to tighten competition in the country’s textile industry. The firm that plans to start its operations in Burera District soon, is a joint venture by Burera District and Noguchi Holdings, a Japanese venture capital firm as …
Read More »Nissan unveils new electric car in bid to drive off competition
Chiba, Japan | AFP | Japanese giant Nissan Wednesday unveiled a new electric car with an extended range and semi-autonomous driving functions, as it seeks to battle off competitors in a sector it once pioneered. The second-generation Nissan Leaf has a potential range of 400 kilometres (250 miles) between charges, …
Read More »US shoots down missile in test off Hawaii coast
Washington, United States | AFP | The US military shot down a medium-range ballistic missile target off the coast of Hawaii early Wednesday, in a successful test of a missile interception system Japan is seeking to bolster its defense against North Korea. The test was performed by the US Missile Defense …
Read More »N.Korea defends ‘tough counter-measures’ as missile alarms Japan
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea defended its right to take “tough counter-measures” in response to what it called US aggression, after firing a ballistic missile over Japan which sparked fear and fury in Tokyo Tuesday. The test launch by the nuclear-armed nation was seen as a major escalation …
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