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

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