The United States, Japan and Australia are planning a joint navy drill in the South China Sea off the western Philippines this week to underscore their commitment to the rule of law in the region after a recent show of Chinese aggression in the disputed waters, Filipino security officials said Sunday. On August 5, Chinese coast guard ships used water cannons against Philippine vessels in the contested waterway where disputes have long been regarded as a potential flashpoint and have become a fault line in the rivalry between the US and China in the region. The drill will include three aircraft and helicopter carriers sailing together in a show of force and undertaking joint drills. Their commanders are set to meet with Filipino counterparts in Manila after the offshore drills, two Philippine security officials told The Associated Press. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not allowed to publicly discuss details of the planned drills. The US plans to deploy an ...
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will make a brief visit to the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant on Sunday to highlight the safety of an impending release of treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, a divisive plan that his government wants to start soon despite protests at home and abroad. His trip comes hours after he returned home Saturday from a summit with U.S. and South Korean leaders at the American presidential retreat of Camp David. Before leaving Washington on Friday, Kishida said it is time to make a decision on the treated water's release date, which has not been set due to the controversy surrounding the plan. Since the government announced the release plan two years ago, it has faced strong opposition from Japanese fishing organizations, which worry about further damage to the reputation of their seafood as they struggle to recover from the accident. Groups in South Korea and China have also raised concerns, turning it into a political and ...
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he will visit the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant on Sunday before setting a release date for its treated radioactive wastewater, as his government continues working to promote understanding over the controversial plan at home and abroad. The government has reached the final stage where we should make a decision," Kishida told reporters in Washington on Friday after wrapping up his summit with US and South Korean leaders at the American presidential retreat of Camp David. Since the government announced the release plan two years ago, it has faced strong opposition from Japanese fishing organisations, which worry about further damage to the reputation of their seafood as they struggle to recover from the accident. Groups in South Korea and China have also raised concerns, turning it into a political and diplomatic issue. The government and the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., say the water must be removed to make room for th
The three nations expressed commitment to expanding cooperation trilaterally and raising shared ambition to a new horizon across domains and across the Indo-Pacific and beyond
President Joe Biden opened a historic summit with Japan and South Korea at Camp David on Friday focused on strengthening security and economic ties at a time of increasing concerns about North Korea's persistent nuclear threats and China's provocations in the Pacific. "Our countries are stronger and the world will be safer as we stand together. And I know this is a belief that all three share, Biden declared at the start of the meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the presidential retreat in Maryland. Addressing his fellow leaders at what he called the first standalone summit of the three nations, the American president said, "I want to thank you both for your political courage that brought you here. Yoon said as the three appeared before reporters that today will be remembered as a historic day, where we established a firm institutional basis and commitments to the trilateral partnership. And Kishida said before the private
The United States, Japan and South Korea are set to sign on to a new security pledge, committing the three countries to consult with each other in the event of a security crisis or threat in the Pacific, according to Biden administration officials. Details about the new duty to consult commitment emerged as President Joe Biden prepared Friday to welcome South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a summit at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland. The move is one of several joint efforts that the leaders are expected to announce at the daylong summit, as the three countries look to tighten security and economic ties amid increasing concerns about North Korea's persistent nuclear threats and Chinese provocations in the Pacific. Kishida, before departing Tokyo on Thursday, told reporters the summit would be a historic occasion to bolster trilateral strategic cooperation with Seoul and Washington. I believe it is extremely meaningful to
US President Joe Biden is using the presidential retreat at 'Camp David' by hosting the first-ever trilateral summit with Japan and South Korea in the face of shared security challenges, CNN reported.President Joe Biden is using the presidential retreat at Camp David to help with a diplomatic mission - hosting the first-ever trilateral summit with Japan and South Korea, two countries that are putting aside a fraught history in the face of shared security challenges.Biden's summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is meant to serve as a show of force as the countries grapple with persistent provocative behaviour from North Korea.It also comes as President Biden has sought to deepen ties with allies in the Indo-Pacific amid concerns about a rising China.On Friday, Biden will host the leaders at the secluded getaway in the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland where they are set to deepen defence, technology and economic cooperation between the .
Expands to West India after opening 10 stores in North
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday invited Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for an active engagement with National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), EXIM Bank of India and other financial institutions citing huge opportunity for investment in the country. During the meeting with JBIC Governor Hayashi Nobumitsu here, both exchanged views on JBIC's recent activities in India contributing towards Japan's investment target of five trillion yen over the next five years. "The Union Finance Minister observed that India has been ranked by the JBIC as one of the most attractive #investment destinations in recent years' survey of Japanese manufacturing companies and encouraged engagement of JBIC with Indian financial institutions such as Exim Bank @IndiaEximBank, NIIF and lending banks to leverage the strength and complementarities of both countries," the finance ministry said in a statement posted on X. Japan has agreed to provide 5 trillion yen in ...
The Indian Air Force (IAF) will host a mega multilateral military exercise next year that was originally planned for October. The exercise, 'Tarang Shakti', is likely to be held in the middle of 2024 as a number of participating air forces conveyed to the IAF that they will not be able to join the wargame if it is held this year, sources in the defence and military establishment said on Wednesday. The exercise is expected to witness participation of around 12 air forces and the focus of the wargame will be to improve military cooperation and enhance interoperability, they said. It will be the biggest air exercise being organised in India. It is learnt that air forces of France, the UK, Australia, the US and Japan would participate in the exercise. Six countries will participate in the Tarang Shakti with their aerial assets like fighter jets, military transport aircraft and mid-air refuellers while six other nations were invited as observers, the sources said. In the last few mont
Japan's economic growth jumped at an annual pace of 6% in the April-June period, marking the third straight quarter of growth as exports and inbound tourism recovered. Real gross domestic product, which measures the sum value of a nation's products and services, grew 1.5% in the fiscal first quarter for the world's third largest economy, the Cabinet Office said Tuesday. The annualized pace shows what the growth would have been if what was marked during the quarter had continued for a year. The rate outpaced what analysts had forecast at 3.1% growth. The latest quarter showed the strongest growth since October-December 2020, when Japan's GDP grew 1.9% on-quarter, and 7.9% annualized rate. Exports grew 3.2% in the three months through June, according to the government. Auto exports have grown lately, after a period in which they had stalled on the shortage of computer chips and other parts. Production was crimped because of social restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also
An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 struck the Hokkaido region in Japan on Friday at 5.44 am (local time), according to GFZ, a German Research Centre for Geosciences. According to GFZ, a German Research Centre for Geosciences, the earthquake occurred at 5.44 am, local time, in the Hokkaido region of Japan. The depth of the earthquake is recorded to be 46 Kilometers. So far, no casualties have been reported. More details awaited.Similarly, on Thursday, an earthquake of magnitude 5.2 jolted eastern Turkey, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. The earthquake occurred at 10 kilometres South South West (SSW) of Turkey's Malatya at 17:48 (UTC) on Thursday, according to EMSC. The depth of the earthquake was registered at a depth of 10.9 kilometres. Taking to its Twitter handle, EMSC stated, "#Earthquake 10 km SW of #Malatya (#Turkey) 19 min ago (local time 20:48:00). Updated map - Colored dots represent local shaking & damage level reported by eyewitnesses.
Honda reported Wednesday that its April-June profit more than doubled on healthy sales of its motorcycles and cars, as the Japanese company also received a perk from favorable exchange rates. Honda Motor Co. said its fiscal first quarter profit totaled 363 billion yen ($2.5 billion), up from 149 billion yen. Quarterly sales jumped 21% to 4.6 trillion yen ($32 billion). Honda's financial service division also reported growing sales. Honda, which makes the Fit subcompact, Honda e electric car and Gold Wing motorcycle, said its profitability improved, especially in North America, where production recovered. Automakers around the world were slammed by supply shortages because of production delays related to social restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But such restrictions have eased, allowing production to pick up again. Auto sales were about the same in Japan in the latest quarter as in the previous year, while dropping significantly in China because of intense competition f
Dozens of flights and ferry services were grounded in South Korea on Wednesday ahead of a tropical storm that has dumped rain on Japan's southwestern islands for more than a week. Khanun's heavy rains and winds were expected to arrive in South Korea's southern and eastern regions Wednesday afternoon, South Korea's weather agency said. It is expected to reach the southern resort island of Jeju hours later and then make landfall near the mainland port of Tongyeong early Thursday. The agency says Khanun could have a punishing impact as it will likely slice through the centre of the country over several hours, with the storm's eye brushing the capital city of Seoul, while packing winds blowing at 90 to 154 kph (56 to 97 mph). The storm was expected to weaken by the time it blows into North Korea early Friday. The Korean Meteorological Administration measured Khanun at typhoon strength with maximum winds of 126 kph (78 mph) as of 9 am Wednesday, as it passed through waters 360 kilometr
Japan's slow response to improve its cyber network could impede greater intelligence sharing between the Pentagon and Japan's Defence Ministry, the Washington Post said
Overall, SoftBank reported a third consecutive quarterly loss, hit by declines in valuations for major investments such Alibaba Group, Deutsche Telekom, and T-Mobile US
Malaysia fought off a late surge from Japan to secure a 3-1 win and advance to the semifinal of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Monday. Najmi Jazlan (13th minute, penalty corner), Ashran Hamsani (37th) and Shello Silverius (59th) struck for Malaysia. After a flurry of missed chances, Japan finally managed to strike through Niwa Takuma (59th). The win took Malaysia to nine points after three wins and one loss and sealed their last-four berth after Pakistan defeated China 2-1 in another match. The top four teams out of six after the round-robin league qualify for the semifinals. Coming off from a 0-5 thrashing at the hands of India, Malaysia took the lead in the first quarter through when Jazlan's drag-flick. Jazlan's shot struck the shin of the first rusher before hitting the net and the goal was awarded after a referral. Japan, who had held Pakistan to a 3-3 draw, came close to scoring the equaliser on a few occasions but failed to give the finishing touches
Foreign buying of Japanese equities has exceeded that of Chinese peers for the first time since 2017, according to a Goldman Sachs Group Inc. report
India faces Japan in its second Asian Champions Trophy Hockey match today at 8.30 pm IST. The match will be played at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai, Tamil Nadu
In the Asian Champions Trophy, the India vs Pakistan match will take place on August 9 at 8:30 PM IST.