Japan's Ishiba elected prime minister, calls snap election

SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - Shigeru Ishiba, the newly elected leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was confirmed as prime minister by parliament on Tuesday, immediately announcing a general election for Oct. 27 amid economic challenges and security concerns. The 67-year-old Ishiba, known for his expertise in defense matters, secured a majority in both houses of parliament, paving the way for the formation of his cabinet. The snap election call, however, has dra

October 2, 2024

Japan's incoming PM Ishiba eyes Oct. 27 election

SEOUL, September 30 (AJP) - Japan's incoming Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is planning to call a general election on Oct. 27, according to senior officials from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Ishiba, who secured the LDP leadership on Friday, is set to be formally appointed as prime minister on Tuesday in an extraordinary Diet session. The former defense minister is reportedly assembling his cabinet and party leadership team, with several key appointments already in c

September 30, 2024

Giant pandas return to China after 13-year stay in Japan

SEOUL, September 30 (AJP) - Two giant pandas have been returned to China after spending 13 years at Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens, zoo officials said on Sunday. The pandas, Ri Ri and Shin Shin, both 19 years old, were transported to a reserve in China's southwestern Sichuan Province for medical treatment. The pandas, who arrived in Tokyo in 2011, had been receiving medication for age-related high blood pressure, according to the Tokyo metropolitan government. Their departu

September 30, 2024

Former defense chief Ishiba wins Japan's ruling party leadership

SEOUL, September 27 (AJP) - Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba clinched victory in Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election on Friday. He secured 215 votes against Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi's 194 in a tight runoff. The win positions Ishiba to become Japan's next prime minister, potentially signaling shifts in the country's economic and security policies. The closely watched race featured a diverse field of candidates, includ

September 27, 2024

Japan's ruling party to select new leader amid political turmoil

SEOUL, September 27 (AJP) - Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is set to elect a new leader on Friday to succeed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, as the party grapples with a funding scandal that has eroded public trust. The unusually crowded race features nine candidates vying for the top position. Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, and Shinjiro Koizumi, son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, have emerged as frontrunners

September 27, 2024

Japanese court acquits man in 1966 quadruple murder retrial

SEOUL, September 27 (AJP) - A Japanese court has acquitted an 88-year-old former boxer in a retrial of a 1966 quadruple murder case, overturning his death sentence after nearly five decades on death row. The Shizuoka District Court ruled on Thursday that investigators had fabricated evidence against Iwao Hakamata, who was convicted of killing a miso company executive, his wife and their two children in Shizuoka Prefecture. Presiding Judge Koshi Kunii said, "He cannot be iden

September 27, 2024

Japan's naval vessel traverses Taiwan Strait for first time

SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - A Japanese naval destroyer sailed through the Taiwan Strait for the first time, a move likely to raise tensions with Beijing, news reports said. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel Sazanami made the transit alongside ships from Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday. The narrow waterway separates China from Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory. The passage comes amid escalating regional tensions, with China intensifying its milita

September 26, 2024

Arbitration panel backs Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel

SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - An arbitration panel has ruled in favor of Japan's Nippon Steel Corp.'s proposed acquisition of United States Steel Corp., despite opposition from the steelworkers' union, the U.S. company said on Wednesday. The non-binding decision was made by a Board of Arbitration, whose members were chosen by U.S. Steel and the United Steelworkers union. The union had previously called for scrutiny of the deal, citing financial concerns. "With the

September 26, 2024

Japan settles first forced sterilization case for 15 million yen

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - A Japanese woman in her 60s has reached a 15 million yen ($104,000) settlement with the government at the Sendai High Court, in the first resolution of a forced sterilization lawsuit under a now-defunct eugenics law. The settlement, made on Tuesday, came more than six years after the plaintiff initially filed her suit and follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling on July 3 that declared the plaintiffs eligible for compensation and deemed the eugenics law un

September 25, 2024