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Japanese Red Army founder Shigenobu freed after 20 years in prison
Fusako Shigenobu, the 76-year-old female founder of the once-feared Japanese Red Army, walked free from prison Saturday after completing a 20-year sentence for a 1974 embassy siege. Shigenobu was one of the world's most notorious women during the 1970s and 1980s, when her radical leftist group carried out armed attacks… Read
Tokyo reports 2,549 new coronavirus cases; nationwide tally 25,759
The Tokyo metropolitan government on Saturday reported 2,549 new coronavirus cases, down 81 from Friday and down 915 from last Saturday. The number of infected people hospitalized with severe symptoms in Tokyo is three, down one from Friday, health officials said. The nationwide figure is 81, down nine from Friday. Nationwide,… Read
Japan's net external assets top ¥400 tril in 2021 amid weaker yen
Japan's net balance of external assets surpassed 400 trillion yen for the first time in 2021 as the weakness of the yen against major currencies inflated their value, making the country the world's biggest creditor for the 31st consecutive year, the Finance Ministry said Friday. The net balance of external… Read
Country music stars distance themselves from NRA after school massacre
Country music has long been closely linked to America's pro-gun lobby, but several stars have distanced themselves from the National Rife Association following the mass shooting at a Texas school. At least five country musicians, including "God Bless the USA" performer Lee Greenwood, pulled out of the NRA's annual convention… Read
Kishida says foreign tourists should follow Japan face mask rules
Japan will ask foreign tourists to wear face masks and follow other precautions against COVID-19 when they visit the country, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday. Kishida's statement came a day after he said Japan will open its borders to foreign tourists for the first time in about two years,… Read
Gov't warns of risks to stable food supply amid Ukraine crisis
The Japanese government warned Friday the country faces risks in securing food supply due to the spread of the coronavirus and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, calling for the diversification of import partners and the lifting of the food self-sufficiency rate. The annual white paper on food and agriculture noted that… Read
Japan to review fiscal health goal with calls for more public spending
The Japanese government is set to re-examine its goal of achieving fiscal consolidation in fiscal 2025 due to growing calls within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to boost public spending to prop up the economic recovery, which is now threatened by rising raw material prices, senior LDP members said. Such… Read
Russia squeezes Ukrainian strongholds in east
Russia-backed separatists claimed they captured a railway hub in eastern Ukraine as Moscow's forces pushed to gain more ground Friday by pounding another Ukrainian-held area where authorities say 1,500 people have died since the war's start. With Russia's offensive in Ukraine's industrial Donbas region showing incremental progress, Ukrainian officials characterized… Read
Japan's landmark capsules coming down to sit in museums
Nakagin Capsule Tower, a building tucked away in a corner of downtown Tokyo that is made up of boxes stacked on top of each other, is an avant-garde honeycomb of science-fiction-era housing long admired as a masterpiece. It’s now being demolished in a careful process that includes preserving some of… Read
Collision course: Djokovic, Nadal roll into last 16 at French Open
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal closed in Friday on a blockbuster clash at the French Open as both reached the last 16, while Carlos Alcaraz prepared to face the only man to beat him on clay this year. Reigning champion Djokovic and 13-time winner Nadal are on course to meet… Read
