Politics
4 Central Europe countries seek Japan's support for infrastructure plan
The foreign ministers of four Central European countries requested Friday that Japan cooperate in promoting infrastructure development in the area between the Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. In a meeting in Warsaw, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told his counterparts from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia,… Read
Bill to amend law on Constitution revision referendum likely to pass Diet
A bill to amend the national referendum law on revision of the Constitution is likely to pass parliament by the end of the current session through mid-June, as the pro-revision ruling party agreed Thursday to accept the opposition force's request to tweak it. The debate over the bill, which will… Read
Japan, S Korea at odds over wartime history, radioactive water
The foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea held their first talks in more than a year amid soured bilateral ties, but failed to narrow gaps over issues involving wartime history and Tokyo's decision to release treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. Meeting with… Read
Japan backs ADB with $15 mil for universal health coverage in Asia
Japan will contribute $15 million to a fund aimed at promoting universal health coverage in the Asia-Pacific region to prevent the resurgence of the coronavirus and other pandemics, Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Wednesday. Addressing the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) annual meeting, Aso underscored the need to support health… Read
Japan, S Korea meet with Blinken despite rifts
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday met jointly with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts to discuss North Korea, bringing together the allies despite renewed rifts. Joined by aides, Blinken sat in the center of a U-shaped table with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and South Korean Foreign… Read
G7 foreign ministers meet face-to-face after pandemic pause
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven wealthy industrialized nations gathered Tuesday in London for their first face-to-face meeting in more than two years, with the issue of whether to challenge or coax a surging China high on the agenda. Host nation Britain is keen to show that the rich… Read
Britain, Japan agree to strengthen trade and security partnership
Britain and Japan agreed to deepen their trade and security cooperation, the British foreign office said in a statement after a meeting between Dominic Raab and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi in London on Monday. Foreign minister Raab thanked Motegi for Japan's support for Britain's bid to join the Comprehensive… Read
G7 to consider mechanism to counter Russian 'propaganda'
The Group of Seven richest countries will look at a proposal to build a rapid response mechanism to counter Russian "propaganda" and disinformation, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Reuters. Speaking ahead of a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in London, the first such in-person meeting for two years, Raab said… Read
Suga says plenty of nurses available to work Olympics since 'many are taking time off now'
The controversial 2021 Olympics seems to be happening this summer in Japan, despite the majority of Japanese people thinking they should be cancelled or postponed again due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to carry out the Olympics as safely as possible, several measures have already been taken, such as not allowing spectators from outside… Read
U.S., Japan and South Korea eye foreign ministers' meeting in May: report
The United States, Japan and South Korea are arranging a meeting of their foreign ministers during the G7 meeting in the United Kingdom next week, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Thursday, citing multiple government sources. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and South Korean Foreign… Read
