Japan's foreign minister addresses safety concerns with Chinese counterpart

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa has met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New York, urging China to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals following a recent fatal incident involving a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen. During the hour-long meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Monday, Kamikawa expressed "serious concern" about China's recent military activities, including the first reported intrusion of a Chi

September 25, 2024

Kishida vows continued support for Ukraine in meeting with Zelenskyy

SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reaffirmed his country's unwavering support for Ukraine during talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as the leaders met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Kishida, who is set to step down later this week, pledged that Japan would maintain its backing for Ukraine on Monday, according to Japan's Foreign Ministry. The two leaders agreed to sustain close coordin

September 24, 2024

Former Japan PM Noda wins opposition leadership, eyes election

SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda secured leadership of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) on Monday, pledging to challenge the ruling coalition in an anticipated snap election. Noda, 67, defeated ex-Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano in a runoff vote, garnering 232 points to Edano's 180. The victory positions Noda to lead the CDPJ against the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has dominated Japanese

September 24, 2024

Japan admits destroyer entered Chinese waters, relieves captain

SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - Japan has acknowledged that one of its Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) destroyers unintentionally entered Chinese territorial waters in July, diplomatic sources revealed on Sunday. The incident, which occurred during a monitoring mission of Chinese military exercises, led to the dismissal of the ship's captain. The destroyer Suzutsuki reportedly sailed for about 20 minutes within 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) of China's Zhejiang Province co

September 23, 2024

Heavy rain in quake-hit Japan leaves 6 dead, 10 missing

SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - At least six people have died and 10 remain missing after torrential rains lashed Japan's Noto region in Ishikawa Prefecture, an area still reeling from a powerful New Year's Day earthquake, officials said on Sunday. The deluge triggered flooding in nearly two dozen rivers and caused landslides. In the coastal cities of Wajima and Suzu, located in the Noto Peninsula, rainfall reached about 500 millimeters and 400 millimeters respectively over a 48

September 23, 2024

Nintendo sues developer of 'Palworld' game for patent infringement

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - Japanese gaming giant Nintendo Co. and its subsidiary The Pokemon Company have filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of the popular game "Palworld," alleging patent infringement, Nintendo said on Thursday. The lawsuit, filed in the Tokyo District Court on Wednesday, seeks an injunction and compensation for damages, claiming that "Palworld" infringes upon multiple patent rights held by Nintendo and Pokemon. "Palworl

September 20, 2024

Japanese schoolboy fatally stabbed in China's Shenzhen

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) – A 10-year-old Japanese boy died after being stabbed near a Japanese school in Shenzhen, southern China, Japanese officials said. The child, born to a Japanese father and a Chinese mother, succumbed to abdominal wounds early Thursday morning at a local hospital. Police apprehended a 44-year-old male suspect near the educational facility. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described the incident as an "extremely despicable crime" and s

September 20, 2024

U.S. panel allows Nippon Steel to resubmit U.S. Steel buyout review

SEOUL, September 19 (AJP) - The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has permitted Japan's largest steelmaker Nippon Steel Corp. to withdraw and resubmit its application for review of its proposed $14.1 billion acquisition of United States Steel Corp., Kyodo News reported on Wednesday. This development suggests that the Biden administration will not be able to block the deal, with a decision likely to come after the November U.S. presidential election. Th

September 19, 2024

Chinese carrier sails near Japanese islands, raising tensions

SEOUL, September 19 (AJP) - China's aircraft carrier Liaoning and two accompanying destroyers entered waters near Japan's southern islands on Wednesday, Japan's Defense Ministry reported. This incident marks the Chinese Navy's fourth occurrence this year. The Chinese vessels traversed the contiguous zone, an area extending 24 nautical miles from shore, between Okinawa Prefecture's Yonaguni and Iriomote islands. While not violating Japan's territorial waters,

September 19, 2024

Sharp unveils electric vehicle prototype with living room-like interior

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - Sharp Corp., a Japanese electronics manufacturer, revealed its inaugural electric vehicle (EV) prototype on Tuesday, featuring a spacious interior design reminiscent of a living room. The vehicle, named "LDK+," was developed in collaboration with Sharp's parent company, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., and Kyoto-based EV startup Folofly. It boasts a 65-inch display screen in the rear, capable of transforming the vehicle into a mobile entertai

September 18, 2024