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BEIJING, China (AFP) — A flotilla of Chinese naval vessels held a “live combat drill” in the East China Sea, state media reported early Tuesday, the latest show of force by Beijing’s burgeoning navy in disputed waters that have riled neighbors. The state-run Xinhua news agency said the vessels, led by China’s sole aircraft carrier the Liaoning, “took part in anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare training” with a simulated “opposing force”. Xinhua said the drill, which […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A 117-year-old Japanese woman, thought to be the world’s oldest person, has died, a local official told AFP Sunday. Nabi Tajima, who was born August 4, 1900, died around 8:00 pm (1100 GMT) Saturday at a hospital on her native Kikai Island in Kagoshima region, according to Susumu Yoshiyuki, a health and welfare official. Tajima, who became the oldest woman in Japan in September 2015, could have been the oldest person […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday cautiously welcomed North Korea’s pledge to halt nuclear tests and intercontinental missile launches but its defense minister warned Tokyo will continue to put maximum pressure on Pyongyang. “We welcome it as a forward-looking move… but an important thing is whether the move will lead to the complete abandonment of missile and nuclear developments in a verifiable and irreversible manner,” Abe told reporters. “We want to […]
by Natsuko Fukue Agence France Presse TAKASAKI, Japan (AFP) — Hollywood actor Richard Gere, French film star Alain Delon and Russia’s figure skating sensation Alina Zagitova have one thing in common: They adore Japan’s Akita dogs. And they’re not alone. In recent years, foreign ownership of one of Japan’s most famous indigenous breeds has skyrocketed, outstripping domestic demand for the fluffy, perky-eared pooches. Earlier this year, the trend hit the headlines when Zagitova proclaimed her […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A volcano erupted in southern Japan on Thursday, spewing steam and ash hundreds of meters into the air, as authorities warned locals not to approach the mountain. “It was confirmed that rocks fell because of the eruption” near Mount Io, part of the Mount Kirishima group of volcanoes, said Makoto Saito, an official of the meteorological agency. “There is a possibility that (the volcano) will become more active,” he told reporters, […]
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Asian markets enjoyed another day of gains Thursday as energy firms tracked a surge in oil prices, while fears over Syria and a possible China-US trade war eased. Fresh hopes that Donald Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un will hold a historic summit within months also provided some much-needed optimism. Both main crude futures rallied almost three percent Wednesday on the back of data showing a drop in […]
by Jerome Cartillier and Andrew Beatty in Washington Agence France Presse PALM BEACH, United States (AFP) — Facing US pressure, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday that Tokyo was ready to begin talks about “trade deals” with the United States, but was careful not to commit to a bilateral deal. After rising demands for fairer trade from his US host President Donald Trump, Abe said “we have agreed to start talks for free, fair […]
PALM BEACH, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he would work to help Tokyo bring home from North Korea Japanese citizens who were abducted in the 1970s and 1980s to help Pyongyang train its spies. Trump, who was addressing reporters with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his side, said: “We will work very hard on that issue and we will work hard to try and bring those folks back — […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan’s politically sensitive trade surplus with the US edged down in March, government data showed Wednesday, as the two countries’ leaders held talks over the thorny issue of bilateral trade. Japan logged a surplus in March of 623.1 billion yen ($5.9 billion) with the US, down 0.2 percent, as imports of American-made cars and aircraft climbed, according to the finance ministry data. The fresh data comes as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo […]
by Jerome Cartilier with Andrew Beatty in Washington Agence France Presse PALM BEACH, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump confirmed direct contacts between the United States and North Korea and gave his blessing to talks aimed at formally ending the Korean war in a series of diplomatic revelations Tuesday. Setting the stage for a major breakthrough at a series of upcoming summits, Trump said “a great chance to solve a world problem” was […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A Japanese firm is poised to carry out what it hailed as the world’s first experiment to test for cancer using urine samples, which would greatly facilitate screening for the deadly disease. Engineering and IT conglomerate Hitachi developed the basic technology to detect breast or colon cancer from urine samples two years ago. It will now begin testing the method using some 250 urine samples, to see if samples at room […]
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Asian markets mostly rose on Tuesday following news that China’s economy grew more than expected in the first three months of the year, but trade and geopolitical tensions continue to dog sentiment. Investors in Hong Kong and China reversed initial losses to swing back to positive territory after data showed the world’s number two economy expanded in January-March at the same rate as the previous three months. The 6.8 percent […]
