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[ad_1] Project Syndicate – For nearly 50 years after the end of World War II, the United States led the effort to liberalize global trade through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.In 1994, the U.S. rallied 123 countries to sign a multilateral treaty establishing the World Trade Organization, which subsumed GATT while expanding its scope to cover services trade and intellectual property.Paradoxically, America’s current industrial policy poses an existential […]

[ad_1] Prime Minister Fumio Kishida faced off against Japan's main opposition party Wednesday over the government’s disaster response one month after the New Year’s Day earthquake on the Noto Peninsula, as well as his handling of the political funds scandal that has engulfed the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.Kenta Izumi, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, called on the government to raise the value of reconstruction grants given to […]

[ad_1] Beijing – New Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi met Tuesday with a compatriot who has been detained in Beijing on suspicion of espionage for the first time since the envoy assumed duties last month, a Japanese government source said.Kanasugi's move followed a meeting in November between his predecessor Hideo Tarumi and the man, a senior Astellas Pharma employee. The latest meeting was believed to show the new ambassador's […]

[ad_1] In a dismal year for China’s export economy, two categories stood out for their rapid growth: cars, and cheap, direct-to-consumer parcels.The two segments grew 29% and 69% respectively last year and represent the fastest expansion among sectors, with an export value of at least $10 billion, according to an analysis of Chinese customs data.The explosive pace, which runs counter to the overall downward trend in Chinese exports, underscores how […]

[ad_1] Nintendo's recent climb to a record high is looking increasingly stretched as investors wait for news on the successor to its aging Switch game console.Shares of the Mario and Zelda creator have soared 47% in the past year, compared with a 28% gain in Topix. Expectations for a new machine that some have already dubbed the "Switch 2” have fueled gains, although there has been no official word yet […]

[ad_1] In mid-January, at a small gathering in a cantonment town in Myanmar, hard line pro-military monk Pauk Kotaw suggested that the country's junta chief Min Aung Hlaing step down and his deputy take over. The crowd cheered in agreement, according to videos of the event posted on social media.Online, pro-military journalists and bloggers have been similarly direct. "He should resign as commander-in-chief," Ko Maung Maung, a pro-military Youtuber said […]

[ad_1] Nagoya – An explosion occurred Wednesday at a thermal power plant in Aichi Prefecture, according to police and other sources. The blast took place at around 3 p.m. at the Taketoyo plant run by Jera, a joint venture between Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings and Chubu Electric Power. Black smoke was coming from the thermal power plant's boiler facility, and the coal conveyor next to it was also on […]

[ad_1] Mitsuko Tottori's appointment as Japan Airlines' next president makes her something of a rarity in Japan — a female head of a well-known company.While Japanese firms have rapidly lifted the number of female board members in recent years, most are outside directors. Change from within is slower in coming.Under pressure from the government, the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) and foreign investors, firms have been scrambling to improve diversity, including […]