Japan

[ad_1] Beneath the waters off Japan’s northeastern coast where two tectonic plates converge, scientists aboard a research vessel are investigating the causes of one of the most powerful earthquakes in recorded history by drilling to a total depth of 7,877.5 meters below sea level.Operated by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), the deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu — one of only two such ships in the world dedicated […]

[ad_1] YOKOHAMA – A Canadian Coast Guard vessel has for the first time made a port call in Japan in a move experts say will set the stage for greater cooperation not only with Tokyo but also other regional partners as Ottawa ramps up efforts to tackle illegal fishing in the Pacific.The 83-meter-long icebreaker CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier arrived at the port of Yokohama on Monday after conducting a series […]

[ad_1] Miyazaki – Miyazaki Airport, located near sites where unexploded ordnance leftover from World War II has been discovered in the past, canceled all flights on Wednesday after a minor explosion created a hole near a taxiway. The transport ministry's office at Miyazaki Airport confirmed that the explosion was caused by unexploded ordnance, which was later removed by the Self-Defense Forces. There were no reports of injuries from the incident. […]

[ad_1] Newly appointed Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Wednesday described the "Asian NATO" concept proposed by his boss, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, as one worth exploring in the mid- to long-term. The idea of an Asian version of NATO is “certainly one idea for the future,” the 67-year-old Iwaya said, but “one that should be carefully considered over the medium to long term.” "I think it is quite difficult to […]

[ad_1] Hong Kong – Yokohama F. Marinos bounced back from an opening day humiliation to hand Ulsan HD of South Korea a 4-0 thumping in Japan on Wednesday to put their Asian Champions League Elite campaign back on track.Yokohama, runner-up in last season's campaign, had been handed a 7-3 thrashing by Gwangju FC in its first game of the current competition but made amends with goals from Kota Watanabe, Takuma […]

[ad_1] Newly minted Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday agreed to keep “shuttle diplomacy” between the two neighbors alive, with the two pledging to continue work to maintain ties, a day after Ishiba took office. In his first phone call with the South Korean leader, Ishiba stressed the importance of the two countries’ maintaining close communications, including via shuttle diplomacy — a crucial mechanism […]

[ad_1] Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda said he told new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in a meeting on Wednesday that the central bank was supporting Japan's economy and will move cautiously in deciding whether to raise interest rates further.The meeting, Ueda's first with the new prime minister since he was officially appointed by parliament on Tuesday, came after Ishiba urged the BOJ to maintain loose monetary policy, as the […]

[ad_1] One of the major features of new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Cabinet becomes quickly apparent at just a glance.With four former defense ministers in key posts — most notably, the defense and foreign affairs portfolios — it leans heavily on members of the Liberal Democratic Party’s bōeizoku, or “defense tribe.”Ishiba has named Gen Nakatani — who served in the post under late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — as […]

[ad_1] Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's near-term focus is on addressing the plight of households struggling with high prices as he seeks to woo voters ahead of a general election later this month.Ishiba, who was named Japan's new leader Tuesday, also aims to calm financial markets by signaling his willingness to spend flexibly, after concerns that he may adopt an austere fiscal policy caused a stock market plunge referred to as […]