Page 34 - Japan

'2+2' dialogue: India asks Japan to remove bottlenecks in tech sharing

India on Tuesday called on Japan to remove regulatory bottlenecks that exist in sharing of critical technologies even as the two sides vowed to work vigorously towards the common goal of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific in the face of China's aggressive military posturing in the region. At the third '2+2' foreign and defence ministerial dialogue, India and Japan also agreed to prepare a new framework for security cooperation in line with the desire to further expand the overall strategic ties. The Indian delegation at the talks was headed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The Japanese team was led by Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defence Minister Kihara Minoru. A joint statement said the ministers appreciated the successful completion of the cooperation in the areas of Unmanned Ground Vehicle/Robotics. It said they also appreciated the progress made for the transfer of Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) and related ...

Local manufacturing will offer 25K cr annual opportunity for vendors: ICRA

Currently, India imports nearly 50 per cent of its component requirement (by value) from suppliers based out of China, Japan, and South Korea, among others

Japanese FM Yoko arrives in India to participate in '2+2' ministerial meet

Japanese Foreign Minister, Kamikawa Yoko arrived in India on Monday, to participate in the India-Japan 2+2 ministerial meeting.Confirming her arrival, the Ministry of External Affairs said that substantive discussions covering various spheres of the "India-Japan multifaceted partnership" lie ahead."Welcome to India! FM @Kamikawa_Yoko of Japan arrives in New Delhi for the Third India-Japan 2+2 Foreign & Defence Ministers' meeting to be held tomorrow. Substantive discussions covering various spheres of India-Japan multifaceted partnership lie ahead," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated.Earlier this week, the Ministry of External Affairs informed that the third round of India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministers' Meeting will be held on August 20.MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent the Indian side and hold meetings with Japanese Defence Minister Minorou Kihara and Foreign Minister

India-Japan defence ties vital to ensure free, open Indo-Pacific, says govt

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa arrived here on Monday to hold the third India-Japan '2+2' dialogue that is expected to review the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and explore ways to expand bilateral strategic ties. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will hold the talks with their Japanese counterparts Kihara Minoru and Kamikawa on Tuesday. "Strengthened India-Japan defence partnership is vital for ensuring a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific in the prevailing global environment," India's defence ministry said. The two sides are expected to delve into further expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in the face of China's increasing military muscle-flexing in the region. The first edition of the dialogue was held in India in 2019 while the second one took place in Japan in 2022. Besides the '2+2' dialogue, Singh and Jaishankar will also hold separate bilateral talks with Defence Minister Minoru and Foreign Minist

Japanese shrine that honors war dead, convicted war criminals, vandalised

Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's war dead, including convicted World War II war criminals, was vandalized again overnight Monday. It is deplorable that an act seeking to denigrate the shrine's dignity has happened again, the shrine said in a statement. In May, a stone pillar at Yasukuni was spraypainted red. A Chinese suspect was arrested in July. Neither the police nor the Shinto shrine would go into details of the latest vandalism, saying an investigation was ongoing. Japanese media reports said graffiti reading toilet in Chinese, written with what appeared to be black markers, was found Monday morning on a stone pillar near the shrine's arch. Asian nations that suffered from Japanese aggression before and during World War II see Yasukuni as a symbol of militarism. Convicted Class A war criminals, including Hideki Tojo, Japan's wartime prime minister, are among the 2.5 million Japanese war dead enshrined at Yasukuni. The shrine itself, a dramatic-looking building w

Netaji's grandnephew appeals to PM to bring Bose's mortal remains back

Chandra Kumar Bose, grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring the mortal remains of the freedom fighter from Renkoji temple in Japan to India. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Bose on Saturday said "On the eve of August 18, the death anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, I once again appeal to you to bring Netaji's remains from Renkoji to India." Netaji's grandnephew said the life of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose has passed into the realm of legend. "His magnetic personality, brilliance of mind, extraordinary courage, selflessness, and unwavering dedication to the cause of India's freedom have made him forever a hero in the hearts and minds of not only men and women in India, but of freedom-loving people everywhere," he said. He said that the circumstances of his (Netaji's) death from an air crash while leaving Taiwan in a Japanese military aircraft in the aftermath of Japan's surrender in August 1945, perhaps with a plan t

Severe typhoon Ampil edges closer to Japan; disrupts flights, trains

The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to be careful of high waves, landslides, flooding of low-lying areas and rising or overflowing rivers in eastern Japan

Japan PM vows to push rules-based order as defence chief visits Yasukuni

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed to step up his country's effort to defend a rules-based international order in a peace pledge made Thursday on the 79th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II. We will never again repeat the tragedy of war and will stick to the country's postwar pacifist resolve, he said at a solemn ceremony at the Budokan hall. In the world where tragic battles have persisted, Japan will continue its effort to maintain and strengthen the rules-based, free and open international order and endeavor to resolve difficult global issues, Kishida said. Kishida noted the more than 3 million Japanese killed, the destruction and the lives lost from bloody ground battles on Japan's southern island of Okinawa, fire-bombings across Japan, and the atomic attacks on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. He did not mention or apologize for Japanese aggression across Asia or millions of lives lost there. The omission follows a precedent set by then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in

Japan's economy grew last qtr on healthy consumer spending, investments

Japan's economy grew at an annual rate of 3.1% in the April-June period, rebounding from the contraction in the previous quarter, government data showed Thursday. The world's fourth largest economy grew 0.8% in the fiscal first quarter, according to the Cabinet Office. Seasonally adjusted gross domestic product, or GDP, measures the value of a nation's products and services. The annual rate shows how much the economy would have grown or contracted, if the quarterly rate had continued for a year. Domestic demand grew a robust 3.5% from the previous quarter on the back of healthy household consumption and private sector investments, as well as government investments. Exports grew a booming 5.9%. Japan's GDP shrank 0.6% in January-March on quarter, after eking out 0.1% growth in October-December last year. Economic growth went back and forth between such periods of contraction and weak expansion for the past year. Today's GDP data signal that the virtuous cycle between income and ...

Japanese worried after first-ever megaquake advisory. What does it mean?

Japan, one of the most earthquake-prone nations on earth, issued its first-ever megaquake advisory last week after a powerful quake struck off the southeastern coast of the southern main island of Kyushu. The magnitude 7.1 quake caused no deaths or severe damage but the advisory has led to widespread confusion and a lingering sense of worry in a country well accustomed to regular quakes about when the next big one will hit. The Associated Press explains what the advisory means, what people are being told to do, and what could happen if a massive quake hits Japan. What is a megaquake advisory? The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the advisory after concluding that the magnitude 7.1 quake that struck on August 8 on the western edge of the Nankai Trough increased the likelihood of another big one. There is a 70-80 per cent chance of a magnitude 8 or 9 quake associated with the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years, and the probability is now higher than normal after the latest .

Japan PM Fumio Kishida to step down in Sept as scandals grow

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in a surprise move Wednesday, announced he will not run in the upcoming party leadership vote in September, paving the way for Japan to have a new prime minister. Kishida was elected president of his governing Liberal Democratic Party in 2021 and his three-year term expires in September. His drop out of the race means a new leader who wins the party vote will succeed him as prime minister because the LDP controls both houses of parliament. Kishida, stung by his party's corruption scandals, has suffered dwindling support ratings that have dipped below 20%. He announced he will not run in the September vote, allowing for a fresh leader in an effort to show that his party is changing for the better. Kishida will support a new leader, he said. Local election losses earlier in the year eroded his clout, and LDP lawmakers have voiced the need for a fresh face ahead of the next general election. Since the corruption scandal broke, Kishida has remov

Top contenders for Japan's leadership after PM Kishida announces exit

Here's a look at some of the potential contenders to replace Kishida

Maruti Suzuki commences export of Made in India SUV Fronx to Japan

Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday said it has commenced export of its sports utility vehicle Fronx to Japan. The first consignment of over 1,600 vehicles left for Japan from Gujarat's Pipavav port, the country's largest carmaker said in a statement. Fronx will be the first SUV from Maruti Suzuki stable to be launched in Japan, it added. The company rolls out the model exclusively from its Gujarat plant. Fronx is the second model from Maruti Suzuki to be exported to Japan, after Baleno in 2016. Suzuki Motor Corporation, which owns around 58 per cent stake in Maruti Suzuki, plans to introduce Fronx in the Japanese market later this year. "Japan is one of the most quality-conscious and advanced automobile markets in the world. Our export to Japan is a testament to Maruti Suzuki's capability to manufacture world-class vehicles that exemplify cutting-edge technology, exceptional performance, internationally recognised safety, and quality standards," Maruti Suzuki India MD & CEO Hisashi .

Myanmar releases Japanese exec arrested for selling rice above set prices

A Japanese business executive who was detained in Myanmar for more than a month has been released after being convicted of violating rice pricing rules, officials said Tuesday. Hiroshi Kasamatsu, a director of the Myanmar supermarket Aeon Orange, was in custody in Myanmar since his June 30 arrest for selling rice at prices above the official regulations. Japan's Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday that the Japanese national was convicted of violating law related to daily necessities and service. He was sentenced to one year in prison and fined 500,000 kyat (about USD 150). Kasamatsu was freed Monday afternoon, said Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson for the Myanmar's ruling military council. The Japanese Foreign Ministry said it was unclear if Kasamatsu would stay in Myanmar or return to Japan. He was released from custody and is in good health, it said, but declined to give further details. Rice is vital in Myanmar, a country struggling to stabilize its economy as civil war disrup

Japanese shares lift Asian stocks on steady yen ahead of US data barrage

Japan's Nikkei rose more than 2 per cent in early trading after Monday, a welcome relief after last week's volatility that began with a massive sell-off spurred by rising yen and fears of US recession

Storm dumps intense rainfall on north Japan, sending some people to shelter

A slow-moving storm has been dumping intense rains on northern Japan, causing rivers to swell, sending some residents to shelters and disrupting traffic during a Japanese Buddhist holiday week. The storm was once Typhoon Maria but has weakened, with winds now blowing up to 90 kph. It made landfall near Ofunato City in Iwate prefecture Monday morning and was expected to cut across the Tohoku region as it moved northwest at 15 kph, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said no damage or injuries were reported so far, but authorities have cautioned about the risks of flooding and mudslides and advised 170,000 residents in Iwate and neighbouring Aomori and Miyagi prefectures to go to shelters. Up to 46 centimetres of rain has fallen over the past two days in the Iwate city of Kuji, and up to 25 centimetres more rain is forecast through Tuesday morning. Footage on NHK public television showed pedestrians walking by a swollen river as muddy

Kai Group to invest Rs 17 cr to expand manufacturing facility in Rajasthan

Kai Group, a Japan-based personal care product and kitchen equipment maker, said it will invest 300 million yen (around Rs 17.17 crore) to expand production capacity of its manufacturing facility at Neemrana in Rajasthan. This latest investment is to increase the production capacity of women's razors by over 5 million units per year, according to a statement issued by the group's local subsidiary Kai India. "The group is planning an additional investment, allocated around 300 million yen, reflecting KAI group's commitment to bolstering its manufacturing infrastructure," it said. The expected timeline for the completion of this expansion is five months, and the company expects the enhanced production capacity will be operational by the end of December 2024. This expansion aligns with Kai India's 'make in India' initiative, strengthening local manufacturing and meet the increasing demand from both local and international markets. Kai India Managing Director Rajesh U Pandya said: "Ou

Japanese PM cancels Central Asia visit due to mega earthquake advisory

Japan Met department said a higher-than-usual probability of a megaquake is predicted around the Nankai Trough

Bank of Japan's policy path filled with risks after global market turmoil

In some ways, investor complacency after such a long period of steady BOJ policy made the likelihood of jumpy markets inevitable when it came time for Japanese authorities to exit

Japan issues its first 'megaquake' warning after powerful tremors in Kyushu

A megaquake in what's known as the Nankai trough could surpass the damage from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the northern coast of the main island of Honshu