Japan

[ad_1] The government on Wednesday started construction work for the transfer of a key U.S. military base within Okinawa Prefecture after overriding the local government's objection and approving a modified landfill plan by proxy — an unprecedented move. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a regular news conference that the commencement marks the start of work, likely to take more than nine years, to reinforce soft ground at the relocation […]

[ad_1] The first 10 days of 2024 saw the attention of sumo fans drawn to events taking place at both the highest and lowest levels of Japan’s national sport.First up were various joint training sessions involving stables in the same ichimon (clan), which pitted top stars such as Kirishima, Daieisho and Kotonowaka against each other.Those practices were followed by the Yokozuna Deliberation Council’s sōken (open training session) on Tuesday at […]

[ad_1] LOS ANGELES – Closer Yuki Matsui said Tuesday the chance to play alongside Japanese compatriot Yu Darvish with the San Diego Padres was a big factor in his decision to join the club. "(Darvish) is a pretty big presence for me," said Matsui, who had 236 saves with a 2.40 ERA in 10 seasons with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Pacific League. "It'll be a big plus […]

[ad_1] Shielding Taiwan’s elections from potential interference by China is such a concern for the self-governing democracy that it’s been willing for years to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of eligible voters to do so.What bars so many from casting ballots is Taiwan’s insistence that all voting be done in person, a rule that’s been in place since the island of 23 million people first began direct elections almost three decades […]

[ad_1] PARIS – Gabriel Attal promised to be bold and act fast to help the middle class weather the rising cost of living, after President Emmanuel Macron, seeking to breathe new life into his second term, on Tuesday made him France's youngest ever prime minister.The appointment of Attal, 34, a popular and media-savvy rising star of French politics, signals a desire by Macron to move beyond divisive reforms and improve […]

[ad_1] Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun on Tuesday addressed Friday's mid-air panel blowout from an Alaska Airlines jet, acknowledging that the planemaker made a mistake and telling staff it would work with regulators to make sure it "can never happen again."The statements were Boeing's first public acknowledgment of error since Friday's incident, which left the 737 Max 9 plane with a gaping hole.Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, the two carriers in […]

[ad_1] Taiwan’s ruling Democratic People’s Party (DPP) aims to make history this weekend by becoming the self-ruled island’s first party to win a third consecutive presidential election — an achievement that would also deal a heavy blow to Beijing’s efforts to bring the island closer to China.Yet expectations that front-runner and current Vice President Lai Ching-te would simply stroll to victory on Saturday have been dashed, as the final weeks […]

[ad_1] Wellington – New All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said Tuesday he was pressing New Zealand Rugby to change its sacrosanct rule banning overseas-based players from Test selection, saying he wanted to pick from the best available.The governing body has refused to budge on the issue, believing selecting players enticed overseas on big-money contracts would weaken the domestic game at Super Rugby and provincial level.As recently as last month, chief […]

[ad_1] Pyeongtaek, South Korea – On Friday, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel announced that the United States is preparing to provide military logistical support, food and other supplies in response to the massive New Year's Day earthquake that devastated the country's Hokuriku region.He noted, “A true friend shows up when times are good but more importantly when times are challenging.”The U.S. pledge for support offers another example of how […]