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Beijing, China (AFP) Beijing said Wednesday it would scrap visa-free transit for South Korean and Japanese citizens, stepping up a diplomatic tit-for-tat after both countries placed travel curbs on visitors from China. South Korea and Japan have in recent weeks imposed fresh travel requirements on all visitors from China, as the world’s most populous country battles a surge in Covid cases. China hit back at what it deems “unacceptable” curbs, ending short-term visas for all […]
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida will sign a “hugely significant” new defense agreement when the pair meet in London on Wednesday, Downing Street said. The two leaders will also discuss Japan’s current presidency of the G7 and “the need to maintain our collective support for Ukraine”, according to a statement from Sunak’s office. The deal, to be signed at the historic Tower of London, […]
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — China on Tuesday said Australia should remember Japan’s war crimes during World War II before cozying up to the regional power. Australia’s center-left government has been trying to repair its relationship with China, which soured considerably under the former conservative government. But it has also recently signed a new security pact with China’s regional rival Japan, seen as an attempt to limit Beijing’s muscle in the Pacific region. China’s ambassador to […]
Tokyo, Japan (AFP) by Kyoko HASEGAWA Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday left on a tour of Europe and North America with security-focused talks on the agenda after his nation’s biggest defence policy overhaul in decades. Japan holds the 2023 presidency of the G7, and Kishida will visit bloc members France, Italy, Britain and Canada starting Monday. Kishida’s final stop is the United States — his first visit to Washington as prime minister — […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — The top-selling tuna at Tokyo’s traditional New Year auction sold for more than $270,000 on Thursday, nearly double last year’s price, breaking a pandemic trend of slumping demand. Michelin-starred sushi restaurant Onodera Group and Japanese wholesaler Yamayuki forked out 36.04 million yen ($273,000) for the 212-kilo bluefin tuna in the auction at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market. The figure was still only a fraction of the 2019 record price but marks a […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – US President Joe Biden will host Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on January 13, the White House announced Tuesday. “President Biden looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan to the White House on Friday, January 13th to further deepen ties between our governments, economies, and our people,” the White House said in a statement. The two leaders will talk about ways to address climate change as well as […]
Hong Kong, China (AFP) Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday asked Japan to remove restrictions on direct flights from the city, which were imposed following the explosion of coronavirus cases in mainland China. The city deployed similar curbs during its own fight against Covid, including rapid bans on airlines for carrying virus-positive passengers and travel restrictions for nations with major outbreaks. Japan became one of the first countries to impose China-specific travel restrictions this week […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) – Heavy snowfall across large parts of Japan has killed 17 people over the last 10 days, with thousands of homes suffering power outages, Japanese officials said Monday. Much of the country’s west coast as well as the northern region of Hokkaido have seen persistent heavy snow in recent days. Some areas have seen almost a meter of snowfall in 24 hours, including the town of Oguni in northeastern Yamagata region, local media […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Prices in Japan rose at their fastest pace since 1981 in November, data showed Friday, fuelled in part by higher energy costs. Core consumer prices, which exclude volatile fresh food costs, climbed 3.7 percent last month, compared to a year earlier, data released by the internal affairs ministry showed. Prices jumped most for processed food items but were also higher for electricity and durable goods like air conditioners. Rises in […]
HONG KONG, China (AFP) – The yen held onto gains Wednesday and equity markets were mixed after plunging the day before in response to the shock Bank of Japan decision to shift away from its ultra-loose monetary policy. The move to allow yields on certain government bonds to move in a wider band was seen as a precursor to a possible interest rate hike next year, finally bringing the central bank in line with others around […]
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea on Tuesday denounced Japan’s new security strategy, calling it a “serious” threat against international peace that “fundamentally changed” the regional security environment and warned of “actual action” in response. Japan outlined plans last week to drastically expand its defense capabilities over the next five years — including counterstrike capability — in response to threats from China and nuclear-armed North Korea. “Japan is creating a serious security crisis… by […]
Tokyo, Japan (AFP) by Kyoko HASEGAWA / Sara HUSSEIN Japan’s government approved a major defence policy overhaul Friday, including a significant spending hike, as it warned China poses the “greatest strategic challenge ever” to the country’s security. In its largest defence shake-up in decades, Japan vowed to up security spending to two percent of GDP by 2027, reshape its military command, and acquire new missiles that can strike far-flung enemy launch sites. “Fundamentally strengthening […]
