File photo : Thai PM Srettha Thavisin

PM Srettha will make a 5-day trip to Japan next week

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will pay a five-day visit to Japan on December 14-18 that will include scheduled meetings with the Japanese and Asean leaders as well as leading private…

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File photo : Masatada Ishii

Thailand’s national football team gets a new head coach

Thailand’s national football team will officially introduce its new head coach, Masatada Ishii, 66, next week, after parting ways with Alexandre Polking on Wednesday. The Japanese coach is a former…

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File photo : A sign reads “check door lock” on a gate inside Tochigi prison, Japan’s largest women’s prison,//Photo by Human Rights Watch

Japan women prisoners suffer serious abuse: HRW

Tokyo, Japan – Handcuffs during pregnancy, separation from newborn babies, and insufficient care for elderly inmates are among the abuses suffered by women incarcerated in Japan, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday….

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Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivers his policy speech at extraordinary Diet session in Tokyo on October 23, 2023. Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP

Japan PM announces $113 billion economic stimulus

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Thursday a stimulus package worth $113 billion aimed at easing the pain from inflation. Voters in the world’s third-largest economy have been squeezed…

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Sri Lanka offers free visas to seven nations including Thailand

Colombo – Sri Lanka has approved issuing free tourist visas to visitors from seven countries including Thailand to boost tourism and help revive its crisis-hit economy. Other countries are China,…

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A participant poses for a photograph during the International Transgender Day of Visibility rally in Shibuya district of Tokyo on March 31.//AFP

Japan court says ‘cruel’ gender change sterilisation rule unconstitutional

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s top court said on Wednesday that obliging transgender people to be sterilised in order to change their legal gender was unconstitutional. But the claim from a transgender woman…

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I wish to share personal photos with everybody : Prayut

Former PM Prayut Chan-o-cha posted photos of him and his wife, Naraporn, on his Facebook page on Wednesday. They were taken during their trip to Japan last week. “Sawasdee Krub,…

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Help sought from JETRO to increase capabilities of Thai SMEs

The Thai Commerce Ministry has sought support and cooperation from the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), to increase the ability of Thai small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access the…

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Thai FDA assures public of imported Japanese seafood’s safety

Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has reassured consumers that seafood imported from Japan remains safe for consumption, TFDA deputy secretary general Lertchai Lertvut has said. The confirmation came amid…

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This photo illustration taken in Tokyo on July 10, 2019 shows front pages of Japanese daily newspapers publishing pictures of Japan’s leading boyband star-maker Johnny Kitagawa, who died on July 9, 2019. //AFP

Japan boyband agency admits founder’s sexual abuse

Tokyo, Japan – The president of Japan’s biggest boyband agency admitted on Thursday that its late founder sexually abused young aspiring stars, decades after the allegations against him first emerged. Johnny…

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An H2-A rocket carrying a small lunar surface probe and other objects lifts off from the Tanegashima Space Centre on Tanegashima island, Kagoshima prefecture on September 7.//AFP

Japan launches ‘Moon Sniper’ mission

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s “Moon Sniper” mission blasted off Thursday as the country’s space programme looks to bounce back from a string of recent mishaps, weeks after India’s historic lunar…

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FILE – A man who was later identified as Ryuji Kimura is arrested after what appeared to be a pipe bomb was thrown at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during his visit at a port in Wakayama, western Japan, on April 15, 2023. / AP

Man charged for throwing explosive at Japan PM

A man accused of throwing a pipe bomb at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in April has been charged with attempted murder, a court spokeswoman said Wednesday. Ryuji Kimura, 24,…

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Japan is ASEAN’s new comprehensive strategic partner

Jakarta – ASEAN will accord Japan a comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) at the ASEAN summit on Wednesday, according to a diplomatic source. The ASEAN leaders will make the announcement of…

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Police and security personnel stand outside the entrance of the Japanese embassy in Beijing on Aug 26, 2023. Security has been increased at the embassy since the release of waste water at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan on Aug 24. Photo by Agence France-Presse,

Brick thrown at Japan embassy in China in Fukushima spat

Japan said Tuesday that harassment being faced by Japanese in China after the release of water from the Fukushima nuclear plant was “extremely regrettable”, confirming that a brick was thrown…

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Thailand’s exports drop for 7 straight months, 5.5% year-on-year

Thailand’s exports for the first seven months of this year dropped by 5.5% year-on-year to US$163.3 billion. Imports fell by 4.7 % year-on-year to US$171.5 billion. This has resulted in…

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Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ mission looks to match Indian success

Hot on the heels of India’s historic lunar landing, Japan’s space programme is hoping to rebound from a string of setbacks with this weekend’s launch of its own mission: “Moon…

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A South Korean man holds a placard in front of a building housing the Japanese embassy in Seoul on August 24.//AFP

More than 10 arrested trying to enter Japan embassy in Seoul over Fukushima: police

More than 10 people were arrested Thursday for trying to enter the Japanese embassy in Seoul during a protest over the release of Fukushima wastewater, police told AFP. “More than…

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US President Joe Biden (left), Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (center) and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who will hold a summit at Camp David, greet one another during the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima on May 21, 2023

At Camp David, Biden seeks to cement ‘new era’ with Japan, S.Korea

For years, US ambitions in Asia, a top priority as China’s power grows, have faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle — animosity between Washington’s key allies, Japan and South Korea. On…

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This picture taken on January 20, 2023 shows the storage tanks for contaminated water at the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, in Okuma of Fukushima prefecture. (Phiti by Philip Fong / AFP)

Japan to start Fukushima water release as early as late Aug

Japan plans to start releasing treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean as early as late August, Japan’s Asahi Shimbun daily reported on Monday,…

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Thailand to host 5th round of IPEF negotiations in September

Thailand is due to hold the 5th Indo-Pacific Economic Framework’s (IPEF) Negotiation Round, from September 10-16, according to an informed source. Thailand is one of the 14 founding signatories to…

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Japanese netizen whose photo prompts clean-up in Bangkok thanks SRT

A Japanese tourist, who shared photos of a Kiha-183 series train, donated to Thailand by Japan, passing through piles of garbage in the Phaya Thai area, thanked the State Railway…

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Summer sunflower maze opens to the public in Japan

A maze created in a field with about 50,000 sunflowers in northern Japan’s Yamagata Prefecture has opened to the public. Local people use an idle field in Tendo City to…

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Thailand’s tourism deficit with Japan

For the first time since reliable records have been kept, Thailand is experiencing a tourism deficit with Japan, according to statistics for the first 6 months of 2023, revealed the…

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(File Photo) People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test. Pyongyang routinely conducts weapons tests. (AFP)

North Korea fires missiles ahead of key anniversary

Pyongyang conducted twin missile launches late Monday, ahead of Korean War anniversary celebrations that will be attended by Chinese dignitaries in the first foreign delegation visit to the country since…

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File photo : Commuters travel on a train in Tokyo.//AFP

Three hurt in Japan train stabbing attack

Three people were hurt in a knife attack on a train in western Japan on Sunday, with police saying they had arrested a man for allegedly carrying out the stabbings….

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A vehicle is stuck on a street flooded due to a heavy rain in Kurume, Fukuoka prefecture, southern Japan Monday, July 10, 2023. Torrential rain is pounding southwestern Japan, triggering floods and mudslides Monday as weather officials issued emergency heavy rain warning in parts of on the southern most main island of Kyushu. (Kyodo News via AP)

Heavy rains cause flooding and mudslides in southwest Japan

Torrential rain has been pounding southwestern Japan, triggering floods and mudslides and leaving two people dead and at least six others missing Monday. Rains falling on the regions of Kyushu…

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Members of the International Atomic Energy Agency, watch fish tanks on an experience with treated wastewater set up at the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant in Okuma, northeastern Japan, Wednesday, July 5, 2023. Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General was visiting to inspect the power plant Wednesday. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, Pool)

Possibly no transboundary effect of Fukushima water release, says IAEA head Grossi

It could be the case that there is no transboundary effect from the release of the Fukushima water into the ocean, International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said on…

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The Fukushima nuclear accident clean-up has lasted more than a decade but most areas declared off-limits due to radiation have reopened (AFP)

IAEA endorses Japan plan to release treated Fukushima water

Japan’s plan to release treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea meets international standards and will have a “negligible radiological impact”, the UN nuclear watchdog said Tuesday. The assessment, delivered in a final review by the International…

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A seagull eats a fish thrown away by fishermen after it was damaged with a net and couldn’t be sold, at Tsurishihama fishing port in Shinchimachi, about 55 km away from the disabled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

How Japan plans to release Fukushima water into the ocean

Japan is set to begin pumping out more than a million tonnes of treated water from the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant this summer, a process that will take decades to complete. The water was distilled after…

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A view of South Korean and Japanese national flags hoisted ahead of the arrival of South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee, at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) in Tokyo, Japan March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Japan, South Korea revive currency swaps as icy relations slowly thaw

Japan and South Korea agreed on Thursday to revive a $10-billion currency swap deal, a symbolic but significant step as the countries’ leaders seek to improve long-strained ties amid increasing…

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Wearable robotic “arms” help users explore idea of multi-limbed cyborg society

A dancer stands motionless while a white robotic arm rises from behind her. As she starts to move, another white limb joins in, creating a performance where her biological and…

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Facility for releasing treated water into sea from Fukushima Daiichi unveiled

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has shown to the media a system to release treated and diluted water from the facility into the ocean. Tokyo…

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G7 leaders’ statement: Ukraine has budget support for 2023 and early 2024

Group of Seven (G7) leaders on Friday said they had ensured that Ukraine had the budget support it needs for this year and early 2024 as they renewed their commitment to provide…

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South Korea sea salt demand grows ahead of Japan’s Fukushima contaminated water release

Ahead of Japan’s planned release of contaminated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant in the summer, demand for sea salt in neighbouring South Korea has recently grown and retailers…

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Vegan Izakaya Masaka restaurant in the Shibuya area of Tokyo. (Photo by Richard A. Brooks / AFP)

Beyond sushi: Japan expands veggie options to tempt tourists

Even on a weekday, there’s a queue at Tokyo’s vegan Izakaya Masaka, including many tourists eager to try meat-free versions of Japanese classics like fried chicken and juicy dumplings. While…

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No injuries after planes collide on ground at Tokyo’s Haneda airport

Some flights were delayed at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Saturday (June 10) after two passenger planes collided on the ground near a taxiway, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported, citing Japan’s…

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Labor-saving robots on display at food-tech show in Tokyo

One of the world’s largest exhibitions of technology for the food industry, Fooma Japan 2023, has kicked off in Tokyo. Robots that can pack items on assembly lines are attracting…

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Need more data for ‘accurate conclusion’ – South Korean experts after Fukushima inspection

South Korean experts on Wednesday (May 31) said more analysis was needed for an accurate conclusion after inspecting facilities related to water release from the wrecked Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power…

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Japan’s luxury melons fetch $25,000

A pair of premium melons from Japan’s northern city of Yubari has sold for 3.5 million yen, or about 25,000 dollars, at a festive market auction. The luxury fruit is…

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Indonesia says it’s ready to broker Ukraine-Russia peace efforts

Indonesia is ready to broker peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia, said Indonesian President Joko Widodo during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the sidelines of the…

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Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends a Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment event during the G7 summit, at the Grand Prince Hotel in Hiroshima, Japan, May 20, 2023. / REUTERS

China summons Japanese ambassador over actions at G7

China Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong has summoned the Japanese ambassador to register protests over “hype around China-related issues” at the Group of Seven (G7) summit over the weekend, a ministry statement late…

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This picture taken on January 20, 2023 shows the storage tanks for contaminated water at the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, in Okuma of Fukushima prefecture. (Phiti by Philip Fong / AFP)

South Korean experts to begin inspections at Fukushima nuclear plant

A team of South Korean experts will start a four-day survey on Monday to check the safety of Japan’s plan to release treated and diluted water from the crippled Fukushima…

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(L to R) US President Joe Biden, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol greet each other ahead of a trilateral meeting during the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima on May 21, 2023. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

Biden invites Japan, S. Korea leaders to US for talks

US President Joe Biden on Sunday invited the leaders of Japan and South Korea to formal three-way talks in Washington, a senior US administration official said. The leaders met briefly…

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A collapsed house in the aftermath of an earthquake is seen in Suzu, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, May 5, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Photo: Reuters

Strong earthquake kills one, destroys houses in Japan

A powerful earthquake struck central Japan on Friday, leaving at least one person dead and 21 injured, while collapsing a number of buildings. The 6.5 magnitude quake hit the central Ishikawa region…

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This picture taken on April 13, 2023 and released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 14 shows the test-fire of the new Hwasongpho-18 ICBM at an undisclosed location in North Korea. – AFP PIC

Japan puts military on alert fearing North Korean missile

Japan ordered its military Saturday to prepare to shoot down a North Korean ballistic missile after Pyongyang said this week it was ready to launch its first military spy satellite….

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A man, believed to be a suspect who threw a pipe-like object near Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during his outdoor speech, is held by police officers at Saikazaki fishing port in Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture, south-western Japan April 15, 2023, in this photo released by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS

Japan PM Kishida evacuated unhurt after explosion at speech- media

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unhurt after a suspect threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb at an outdoor speech in western Japan on Saturday, domestic media…

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North Korea fires missile, Japan retracts take-cover warning

North Korea fired a ballistic missile of intermediate range or longer on Thursday, South Korea and Japan said, prompting an alert for residents in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido to…

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Cambodia deports 19 scam suspects to Japan

Cambodia deported 19 Japanese nationals suspected of involvement in organised phone and online scams to Japan on Tuesday (April 11), Cambodian police said. The Japanese nationals, all male, were detained…

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Japanese vending machine sells bear meat from local hunters

In an attempt to promote itself, one remote Japanese town has come up with a novel idea – selling wild bear meat provided by local hunters in a vending machine….

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[FILE] From L-R: Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, US President Joe Biden, and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity at the Izumi Garden Gallery in Tokyo on May 23, 2022. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

Japan launches new version of Indo-Pacific strategy

Japan has proposed a new Free and Open Indo-Pacific or FOIP strategy, with more cooperation and funding for the Indo-Pacific region, according to a highly placed and informed source. The…

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Photo from Reuters

South Korea moves to ‘normalise’ military pact with Japan

South Korea will fully implement a key military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, a defence ministry official told AFP on Saturday, as the two countries move to thaw long-frozen relations and renew…

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Japan aims to become ASEAN’s 6th comprehensive strategic partner

Japan plans to apply for ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) status, according to highly placed sources, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Japan and ASEAN Relations this year. Japan earlier…

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Japanese people rally to protest against plan for radioactive water discharge

The Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power are facing angry backlash among the public for their radioactive wastewater discharge plan, as people in Tokyo rallied on Saturday for a large-scale protest. On March 11, 2011, an earthquake off Japan’s…

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Rice into low-carbon plastic: bringing hope to a struggling Fukushima town

Jinichi Abe grins as he watches diggers working earth near his rice fields, knowing they are returning still more fields to productivity after Fukushima nuclear reactors exploded and sprayed the…

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South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement Day against Japanese colonial rule, in Seoul on March 1, 2023. JUNG YEON-JE / POOL / AFP

South Korea and Japan mend fences

After decades of bickering and bitterness, finally, the South Korean government has shown magnanimity by reaching out to Japan. In his historic speech on 1st March, Independence Movement Day, President…

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TOKYO, JAPAN – JANUARY 31: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hold a joint media briefing on January 31, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. Takashi Aoyama/Pool via REUTERS

NATO, Japan pledge to strengthen ties in face of ‘historic’ security threat

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and Japanese premier Fumio Kishida pledged on Tuesday to strengthen ties, saying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its growing military cooperation with China had created the…

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NATO to strengthen partnership with Japan, says Secretary-General Stoltenberg

NATO will continue to strengthen its partnership with Japan amid the ongoing Ukraine war, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday during a visit to Japan, where he will meet with Prime…

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Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is seen on the monitor of a TV camera while he delivers his policy speech during the first day of an ordinary session at the lower house of parliament in Tokyo, Japan January 23, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

It’s ‘now or never’ to stop Japan’s shrinking population, PM says

Japanese Prime minister Fumio Kishida pledged on Monday to take urgent steps to tackle the country’s declining birth rate, saying it was “now or never” for one of the world’s…

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Japan estimates Fukushima water release to start in ‘spring or summer’

The Japanese government gave an estimation for when the water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant will be released into the sea, saying at a cabinet meeting held on…

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US vows to defend space with Japan, deploy mobile Marines as China worries grow

The United States said Wednesday that attacks in space would invoke its defense treaty with Japan and announced the deployment of a more agile Marine unit in its ally as alarm grows over China. Weeks…

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Passengers arriving from China pass by a COVID-19 testing center at the Incheon International Airport In Incheon, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. Chinese embassies stopped issuing new visas for South Koreans and Japanese on Tuesday in apparent retaliation for COVID-19 measures recently imposed by those countries on travelers from China. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Japan, S. Korea protest China visa stoppage amid COVID spat

Japan and South Korea defended public health restrictions on travelers from China on Wednesday, a day after China stopped issuing new visas in both countries in apparent retaliation. Chinese embassies…

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(L-R) former Empress Michiko, former Emperor Akihito, Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko wave to well-wishers for the New Year’s greetings at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on January 2, 2023. (Photo by YOSHIKAZU TSUNO / POOL / AFP)

Japan emperor makes first public new year’s appearance since 2020

Japanese Emperor Naruhito on Monday made his first public New Year’s greetings since 2020, resuming an annual tradition with caution as the nation and the royal family gradually return to…

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Japan’s Emperor Naruhito waves as Empress Masako, former Japanese emperor Akihito and former empress Michiko all appear before well-wishers during the traditional New Year’s greeting ceremony by Japan’s royal family at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on January 2, 2023. — Philip Fong / Pool / AFP

Japan emperor makes first public new year’s appearance since 2020

Japanese Emperor Naruhito on Monday made his first public New Year’s greetings since 2020, resuming an annual tradition with caution as the nation and the royal family gradually return to…

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Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends a press conference in Tokyo on December 16, 2022. (Photo by David Mareuil / POOL / AFP)

Japan is no longer the same

It must be clear today that the Japan with which Southeast Asia has been familiar throughout the post-war years is no longer the same. The past 70 years of a…

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A Karen migrant living in Thailand holds her one-month-old baby in Mae Sam Laep town on the Thai side of the Salween river in Mae Hong Son province on April 2, 2021, across from where Myanmar refugees earlier attempted to cross the Thai border after air strikes in Karen state following the February military coup. (Photo by Lillian Suwanrumpha / AFP)

Japan pledges US$2.1m to help migrant children fleeing violence along the Thailand-Myanmar border

The Government of Japan pledges US$2.1m to help migrant children with digital education and food security, to assist their recovery and further safeguard them against sexual abuse, trafficking in persons…

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FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Group E – Germany v Japan – Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar – November 23, 2022 Japan’s Takuma Asano scores their second goal REUTERS/Lee Smith

Germany-Japan World Cup match a big draw for viewers in Japan, less so in Germany

The Germany-Japan World Cup match on Wednesday prompted record access numbers for Japanese online streaming platform Abema, while viewership in Germany more than halved from the national team’s opening match…

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North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un oversees a missile launch at an undisclosed location in North Korea, in this undated photo released on October 10, 2022 by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS

N.Korea says missile tests simulate striking South with nuclear weapons

North Korea‘s recent flurry of missile tests were designed to simulate showering the South with tactical nuclear weapons as a warning after large-scale navy drills by South Korean and U.S. forces, state…

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SOUTH KOREA’S F-15K FIGHTER JETS AND U.S. F-15 FIGHTER JETS PARTICIPATING IN BOMBING DRILLS / FIGHTER JETS DROPPING BOMBS / EXPLOSION OVER TARGET / Reuters

US, S.Korea conduct ‘precision bombing drill’ after N.Korea missile launched

South Korean and US fighter jets carried out precision bombing drills Tuesday, Seoul’s military said, in response to North Korea firing an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile over Japan. “With the participation of four…

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North Korea fired a mid-range ballistic missile which flew over Japan Photograph: Richard A Brooks/AFP/Getty Images

North Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan

North Korea fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday, prompting Tokyo to activate the country’s missile alert system and order people to take shelter. The last time North Korea fired a missile over…

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Photo from marinegyaan.com

US, Australia and Japan vow to work together against China

(AFP) – The defense ministers of the United States, Australia and Japan agreed Saturday to boost military cooperation in the face of China’s growing ambitions. “We are deeply concerned by…

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People leave flowers and pay their respects to former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe outside the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on September 27, 2022, ahead of his state funeral later in the day. Thousands of Japanese and foreign dignitaries have gathered in Tokyo on September 27 to honour Abe, at a rare state funeral that has sparked controversy and protest. Nicolas Datiche/Pool via REUTERS

Japan prepares to bid farewell to slain Abe with controversial state funeral

Japan will honour on Tuesday its assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a polarising figure who dominated modern-day politics as its longest-serving leader, with a rare state funeral that has become…

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Vice President Kamala Harris boards Air Force 2 for travel to Japan and South Korea from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Sunday Sept. 25, 2022. (Leah Millis/Pool via AP)

Ceremony and controversy await Harris during visit to Asia

Attending funerals on behalf of the United States is normally a straightforward assignment for a vice president, but Kamala Harris will confront controversy at nearly every turn as she visits…

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S.Korea, Japan hold first bilateral talks since 2019, seek stronger ties

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held their first one-on-one talks on Wednesday and agreed on the need to improve relations dogged by historical disputes….

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Thais win two prizes at World Cosplay Summit 2022 in Japan

Two Thais won a third prize and a special prize yesterday (Saturday) at the World Cosplay Summit 2022 in Nagoya, Japan. Representing Thailand in the international costume contest, the two…

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Candidates’ posters for the Upper House election are displayed outside a polling station in Tokyo, Japan July 10, 2022. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Japan ruling party set for strong election showing after Abe killing

TOKYO/NARA, July 10 (Reuters) – Japanese voters went to the polls on Sunday for a parliamentary election that may give the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) a surge of support…

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Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe confirmed dead

Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe has been confirmed dead after he was shot at a campaign event on Friday, public broadcaster NHK and Jiji news agency reported. “According to…

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Plaintiffs speak to journalists after a court ruling in Osaka, western Japan Monday, June 20, 2022. / AP

Japan court says ban on same-sex marriage constitutional

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese court ruled Monday that the country’s ban on same-sex marriage does not violate the constitution, and rejected demands for compensation by three couples who said…

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Japan’s first tuna auction of the year 2022 takes place Thursday

The first tuna auction of 2022 takes place at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market, as the special observation deck reopened on Thursday, following a recent decline in coronavirus infections. It had…

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China’s destroyer flotilla conducts naval drill in South China Sea

China’s destroyer flotilla has conducted a live-fire multi-subject combat drill in the South China Sea, reported by Chinese state media CCTV. The report said the drill was to verify the…

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Thai PM advises Asia to strive for sustainability at Nikkei Forum in Tokyo

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha strongly advised Asia to be a strong advocate for sustainability, to be a more inclusive society and to be more resilient, noting that growth will be…

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What’s the 4-nation Quad, where did it come from?

Leaders of the U.S., Japan, Australia, and India gathered in Tokyo on Tuesday for a summit of the “Quad.” What is the group, where did it come from and why…

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Japan hosts Quad summit seeking unity on countering China

The leaders of Japan, India, Australia and the United States meet in Tokyo on Tuesday seeking common ground on countering China’s growing regional economic and military clout. The summit of the so-called Quad grouping takes place with…

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U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a joint news conference with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida after their bilateral meeting at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Japan, May 23, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

In Tokyo, Biden says would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan

TOKYO, May 23 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan, in a series of critical comments about China…

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Japan to accept small-scale tours from 4 countries

Japan will trial small group tours with travelers from the US, Australia, Thailand, and Singapore from this month, the government said, as it experiments with easing strict Covid border rules….

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Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida inspects the honour guard at Government House in Bangkok on May 2, 2022, on his official visit to Thailand. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

Japan’s reaffirms middle-of-the-road approach to diplomacy

During his three-nation visit to ASEAN member countries over the past five days, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida demonstrated his country’s middle-of-the-road approach to diplomacy when it comes to special…

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Thailand and Japan sign deal to transfer defence equipment and technology

Thailand and Japan signed a deal on the transfer of defence hardware and technology, as well as two other agreements, on financial cooperation and a Japanese grant for Thailand’s post-COVID…

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Rainbow pride parade return to Japan first time in three years

Members of the LGBTQ community and their supporters have paraded in central Tokyo for the first time in three years and called for a society free of discrimination and prejudice….

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People evacuate at a shelter in Soma, Fukushima prefecture on the morning of March 17, 2022 following a powerful 7.3-magnitude quake on March 16. – Authorities lifted a tsunami advisory and electricity was restored after a powerful 7.4-magnitude quake jolted northeastern Japan on Wednesday night in waters near the site of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. At least one person died in the coastal city of Soma and dozens more were injured in the quake, local news agency Kyodo reported, as authorities said emergency departments in affected areas received numerous calls to respond to emergencies. (Photo by JIJI PRESS / AFP) / Japan OUT

Thousands of households without power in northeast Japan after earthquake kills four

TOKYO (Reuters) – Thousands of Japanese households remained without power on Thursday as companies worked to assess damage the morning after a powerful quake hit the northeast coast of Japan, leaving at least four…

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Dr. Suriya Chindawongse, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations

At UN, Thailand votes to condemn Russia’s aggression in Ukraine

During the 11th Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Thailand has joined 140 countries voting in favour of the resolution to condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, while…

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Dozens in pacifist Japan volunteer to fight for Ukraine

TOKYO (Reuters) Keiichi Kurogi was one of dozens of men in Japan who offered to join an “international legion” to fight Russian invaders after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for volunteers. Kurogi, a…

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Japan eases strict border controls criticised by business, educators

Japan will ease border controls imposed to counter the pandemic, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday, softening measures that have been among the strictest imposed by wealthy nations and…

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In this photo taken during Dec. 27 – Dec. 31, 2021 and provided on Jan. 1, 2022 by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

North Korea fires 2 suspected missiles in 4th launch this year

SEOUL (AP) — North Korea on Monday fired two suspected ballistic missiles into the sea in its fourth weapons launch this month, South Korea’s military said, with the apparent goal…

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The Japan Meteorological Agency lifted all remaining tsunami advisories at 2 P.M. on Sunday local time. (Photo by AP/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan lifts all tsunami warnings

All tsunami warnings issued in Japan, following Saturday’s massive volcanic eruption in Tonga, have been lifted. The final alert which had been in effect for Iwate Prefecture was downgraded to…

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Japan issues Tsunami alerts volcanic eruption in Tonga

Tsunami alerts are in effect over wide areas along the Pacific coast of Japan, after a massive volcanic eruption in Tonga on Saturday. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami…

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Tonga volcano eruption triggers tsunami warnings in Japan, Pacific islands

An underwater volcano off Tonga erupted on Saturday, triggering tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in Japan and causing large waves in several South Pacific islands, where footage on social media…

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In this photo provided by Tokyo Zoological Park Society, visitors use smartphones to take pictures of Japanese-born twin pandas and their mother at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022./ AP

Twin panda cubs debut at Tokyo zoo, woo devoted fans

TOKYO (AP) — Twin panda cubs made their first public appearance Wednesday before devoted fans in Tokyo, but they will be on display only briefly for now — over three…

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ASEAN-Japan ties – The next chapter

Japan has launched multi-pronged initiatives aimed at promoting ASEAN-Japan relations, taking it from a development to a co-creation partner, according to Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Koichi Hagiuda….

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FILE – This combination of photos shows Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in London on June 15, 2021 and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. / AP

Australia, Japan to sign ‘historic’ defense, security pact

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia and Japan will sign a treaty on Thursday to increase defense and security cooperation in a move that has been hailed as “historic” but which might…

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The operator of a wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant said it has applied for safety authorities’ approval to construct an undersea tunnel and other facility needed for a planned release of treated radioactive water from the plant to sea.(Kyodo News via AP, File)

TEPCO to release treated radioactive water into the sea around mid-April 2023

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced on Tuesday that it has filed a plan for handling the water with Japan’s nuclear regulators. The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power…

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Firefighters work outside an office building where a fire broke out in Osaka on December 17, 2021. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

24 dead in Japan fire at mental health clinic

Osaka (AFP) – At least 24 people were killed after a blaze gutted a mental health clinic in a commercial building in the Japanese city of Osaka on Friday, local media said,…

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