Page 3 - Japan

Japan PM Takaichi dissolves parliament after only 3 mths, calls early polls

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved the lower house of parliament on Friday, paving the way for an early election on February 8. The move is an attempt to capitalise on her popularity to help the governing party regain ground after major losses in recent years, but it will delay parliamentary approval for a budget that aims at boosting a struggling economy and addressing soaring prices. Takaichi, elected in October as Japan's first female leader, has been in office only three months, but she has seen strong approval ratings of about 70 per cent. Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party could still face some challenges as it reels from a series of scandals about corruption and the party's past ties to the Unification Church. But it's not clear if the new opposition Centrist Reform Alliance can attract moderate voters, while opposition parties are still too splintered to pose a serious threat to the LDP. Takaichi is also seeing rising animosity with China since making remarks

Japan's TEPCO shuts reactor shortly after restart due to safety glitch

A reactor at the world's largest nuclear power plant that restarted for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster is now being shut down again on Thursday due to a glitch that occurred hours after the unit's resumption, its operator said. The No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in north-central Japan was reactivated Wednesday night for the first time in 14 years, as plant workers started removing neutron-absorbing control rods from the core to start stable nuclear fission. But the process had to be suspended hours later due to a malfunction related to control rods, which are essential to safely starting up and shutting down reactors, the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings said. TEPCO, which also manages the wrecked Fukushima plant, said there was no safety issue from the glitch. Kashiwazak-Kariwa plant chief Takeyuki Inagaki told a news conference that he has decided to shut down the reactor to ensure safety. The operation had to stop when an alarm went

Fukushima nuclear plant operator to restart reactor at another plant

The world's largest nuclear power plant is set to restart Wednesday in north-central Japan for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown, as resource-poor Japan accelerates atomic power use to meet soaring electricity needs. The first steps in energy production at the No. 6 reactor of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant are important because the operator is Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, the same utility that runs the ruined Fukushima Daiichi plant. TEPCO's past safety issues at Fukushima have led to public worries about operations at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, which also sits in an isolated, quake-prone region. All seven reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa have been dormant since a year after the Fukushima Daiichi plant on Japan's northeastern coast was hit by a massive quake and tsunami in March 2011 and suffered meltdowns that contaminated the surrounding land with radioactive fallout so severe that some areas are still unlivable. TEPCO is still trying

Japan court set to deliver verdict in fatal shooting of ex-PM Shinzo Abe

Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, will face judgment at the Nara District Court, in the area where Abe was killed at close range with a home-made gun while giving a roadside campaign speech ahead of an upper hous

Japan bond yields hit new highs as investors fret over fiscal policy risks

Investors are on guard for moves in Japan spilling over into global markets amid the prospect of continued volatility in Tokyo trading ahead of the snap poll Takaichi is scheduled for February 8

Chinese tourist arrivals to Japan slump 45% amid Taiwan-related tensions

The slide comes as tensions simmer between Japan and China following Takaichi's November assertion that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could form a legal justification for Japan to deploy troops

Japan PM Takaichi dissolves parliament, calls snap election on Feb 8

The February 8 vote will decide all 465 seats in the lower house of parliament and will mark Takaichi's first nationwide electoral test since she assumed office in October

China's rare-earth product exports fall as tensions with Japan draw focus

Rare earths have emerged as a flash point in trade relations in recent years, with the US and other nations seeking to challenge China's dominance of their mining and processing

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi takes a ride on Delhi Metro

The statement highlighted that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has extended financial support to the Delhi Metro project since Phase 1

India, Japan to convene joint working group on critical minerals soon

Under the India-Japan economic security initiative, both sides will convene a private sector dialogue to enhance public-private cooperation in the field of economic security

Japan, Philippines sign new defence pact as they face China aggression

Japan and the Philippines signed a defense pact on Thursday that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China's growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remark that potential Chinese action against Taiwan could spark Japanese intervention. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East China Sea and South China Sea that have continued to flare and threaten to draw in the United States, a treaty ally of the two Asian nations. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi signed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement with Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro in Manila. During the ceremony, Japan also announced new security and economic ...

Japan's SMBC gets RBI's in-principle nod for wholly owned arm in India

The in-principle approval allowed the bank to set up the wholly owned subsidiary through the conversion of its existing branches in the country

US hosts meet of G-7 ministers on rare earths amid China-Japan tensions

The discussions are expected to also include officials from Australia, South Korea, India, Mexico and the European Union, and focus on critical raw materials and the security of global supply chains

China, Japan see fresh diplomatic, economic tensions as bumpy week ends

A week in which longtime tensions between neighbours China and Japan ratcheted up economically end politically drew to a close with no sign of improvements Friday as the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo rebuffed his host nation and the Japanese reported delayed shipments to suppliers in China because of the spat. The two developments capped a week where China made clear its displeasure with Japan by instituting new export controls, condemning what it called Tokyo's renewed militarism and cosying up to another regional neighbour, South Korea, during its leader's visit to Beijing. On Friday, the Chinese Communist Party's flagship newspaper, People's Daily, kept the jabs coming. New militarism will lead Japan back into the abyss, it said in an editorial. History serves as a stark warning, yet the Japanese right wing is repeating its old tricks. It was the latest in several days of pointed Chinese criticism toward Japan after its prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, suggested in November that sh

China widens attack on Japan's nuclear ambitions as relations worsen

In what appears to be a concerted effort, China's foreign and defense ministries issued statements on Thursday condemning alleged re-militarism efforts by Tokyo

China announces another new trade measure against Japan as tensions rise

China escalated its trade tensions with Japan on Wednesday by launching an investigation into imported dichlorosilane, a chemical gas used in making semiconductors, a day after it imposed curbs on the export of so-called dual-use goods that could be used by Japan's military. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement that it had launched the investigation following an application from the domestic industry showing the price of dichlorosilane imported from Japan had decreased 31% between 2022 and 2024. The dumping of imported products from Japan has damaged the production and operation of our domestic industry, the ministry said. The measure comes a day after Beijing banned exports to Japan of dual-use goods that can have military applications. Beijing has been showing mounting displeasure with Tokyo after new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested late last year that her nation's military could intervene if China were to take action against Taiwan an island democr

Japan's nuclear official loses phone with classified data in China

The incident is the latest in a series of missteps that threatens to sour public trust in nuclear oversight at a time when Japan is pushing to restart its fleet of idled reactors

Earthquake of magnitude 6.2 hits Japan, no risk of tsunami: Officials

A strong earthquake hit western Japan on Tuesday but there was no danger of a tsunami, officials said. The quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, occurred in Shimane prefecture in northwestern Japan, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The prefectural capital of Matsue and nearby cities, including some in the neighboring Tottori prefecture, were among the most strongly shaken. The epicenter was located at a depth of about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) inland, the agency said, adding there was no risk of a tsunami. No injuries or damage were reported from the quake. The Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were found at the Shimame nuclear power plant and a related facility in the region. Japan is on the so-called Pacific ring of fire, which is one of the world's most earthquake-prone areas.

ONGC partners with Japan's Mitsui to enter ethane shipping business

The explorer aims to capitalise on emerging opportunities in energy logistics, strengthen integration, and establish an operational presence in specialised shipping

South Korean Prez visits China amid Beijing's rising tensions with Japan

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is set to begin his visit to China on Sunday as Beijing looks to deepen ties with the country after heightened tensions between China and Japan over Taiwan, a self-ruled island it claims as its sovereign territory. Lee's four-day trip is his first visit to China since taking office in June. It comes at a time of heightened tensions between China and Japan, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November said that her country's military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan. During his stay, Lee will meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, their second meeting in just two months. Lee signals commitment to China's ties ------------------------------------------ Ahead of his trip, Lee gave an interview to China's state broadcaster CCTV at Seoul's Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office also known as the Blue House. Lee was quoted as saying that it was his first interview held in the presidential palace and th