Japan

[ad_1] Namerikawa, Toyama Pref. – On Jan. 1, I wasn’t in Ishikawa Prefecture. I was about 80 kilometers away, as the crow flies, in the eastern half of Toyama Prefecture, which seems largely to have escaped the death, damage and destruction that the area west of the prefectural capital and beyond saw as a result of the 7.6 magnitude quake that struck the Noto Peninsula that day.Writing now from my […]

[ad_1] China said its navy and air force conducted patrols in the South China Sea, an event that comes as the U.S. and the Philippines hold maritime drills in the same region, reflecting the rising tensions in the contested waterway. The "routine” operations on Wednesday and Thursday aim to "resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty, security, and maritime rights and interests,” the People’s Liberation Army said in a post on social media. […]

[ad_1] Over 72 hours after a powerful earthquake hit the Sea of Japan coast on New Year's Day, killing at least 84 people in Ishikawa Prefecture and injuring hundreds, authorities are intensifying their efforts to rescue those trapped under collapsed buildings.Amid the threat of aftershocks and unfavorable weather conditions — with heavy rains and low temperatures aggravating an already dire situation — the window for rescue efforts is closing quickly. […]

[ad_1] Project Syndicate regularly features predictions by leading thinkers on a topic of global concern. After another year marked by great-power rivalries, rising security risks, a string of coups, land grabs, outright war and shifting strategic alignments, the role of hegemonic, middling and rising powers has become more fluid than at any time since the end of the Cold War. Looking ahead, we asked contributors whether they agree or disagree […]

[ad_1] Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma was named to Japan's Asian Cup squad despite an ankle injury, as coach Hajime Moriyasu looks to erase the "frustration" of their 2019 final defeat.Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi said late last year that Mitoma would be out for up to six weeks after hurting his ankle in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Dec. 21.But Moriyasu still included him in his 26-man squad, […]

[ad_1] NANAO, ISHIKAWA PREF. – Minako Nakashima is one of the many people to have been displaced by the earthquake that struck the Sea of Japan coast on New Year’s Day. Thankfully, she's not alone — her shiba dog is keeping her company.But the 49-year-old Nanao resident was forced to spend the first night in her lopsided house — which only had one room intact — because her four-legged companion […]

[ad_1] Paris – Miraculous air disaster survivals are extremely rare. Tuesday's collision at Tokyo's Haneda Airport killed five people aboard a Japanese coast guard plane, but all 379 passengers and crew aboard a Japan Airlines passenger plane survived the wall of flames that engulfed their their jet.Here are three other heroic air evacuations:On Aug. 2, 2005, an Air France Airbus A340 arriving from Paris overshot the runway and landed in […]

[ad_1] Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged Thursday to establish rules to enhance the transparency of factions within his ruling Liberal Democratic Party following a political fundraising scandal involving its largest policy group.Kishida said at a news conference that he is eager to strengthen the governance of the LDP by setting up a "political reform headquarters" led by him next week in an attempt to restore the public's trust in politics.His […]

[ad_1] Japan has accepted a U.S. offer to assist in response to the powerful quake that rocked the central region on New Year's Day, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said Thursday, noting that logistical support from the military as well as food and other supplies are being readied."When Japan is in a time of need, we're here to support them, both civilian with resources, military with logistics," the ambassador […]