Tag Archives: Japan

“Not A Candidate” DeSantis Visits Japanese PM In Tokyo

The Washington Post reports: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida here on Monday and praised Japan’s efforts to bolster its defense spending, in the first leg of the likely GOP presidential contender’s trip this week to four of the biggest U.S. allies. The tour is officially billed as an “international trade mission” with Enterprise Florida, …

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North Korean Missile Spurs Evacuation Order In Japan

CNN reports: A North Korean missile sparked fear on the Japanese northern island of Hokkaido Thursday after the government’s emergency alert system warned residents to take cover. Millions of people received a J-alert, or evacuation order, shortly before 8 a.m., urging them to seek shelter as the missile could land on or near the island. But soon after, fear turned …

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Oscar-Winning Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto Dies At 71

NPR reports: Ryuichi Sakamoto, a trailblazing composer and producer who was one of the first musicians to incorporate electronic production into popular songcraft, has died at the age of 71. Sakamoto died on March 28 after a multi-year battle with cancer, according to a statement published on his website Sunday. “We would like to share one of Sakamoto’s favorite quotes,” …

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Japan Sees Bill To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

The Japan Times reports: Japan’s leading opposition party submitted to parliament on Monday a bill to legally recognize same-sex marriage in an effort to spur debate on the issue. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan’s bill proposes amending wording in the country’s Civil Code that has been written on the premise that marriage is a union between partners of different …

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Japanese PM Fires Aide After Anti-LGBTQ Rant

Reuters reports: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday fired an aide who said he wouldn’t want to live next to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender couples and warned that people would flee Japan if same-sex marriage was permitted. In remarks reported by local media, Masayoshi Arai, an economy and trade official who joined Kishida’s staff as a secretary in …

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Ex-Russian President: Japanese PM Should Kill Himself

The Washington Post reports: Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former president and a senior security official in President Vladimir Putin’s administration, said Saturday that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida should perform a ritualistic suicide by disembowelment to repent for what Medvedev called servitude to the United States. Medvedev’s remarks were in response to a joint statement Friday by President Biden and Kishida, …

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US May Restrict Visitors From China Due To COVID

CNBC reports: The U.S. government is considering imposing new Covid rules for travelers from China, officials said, citing concerns over virus-related data released by the Chinese government. The U.S. officials’ comments come after Japan’s recent measures which require a negative Covid test for travelers arriving from mainland China from Dec. 30. Travelers from China without a valid vaccination certificate will …

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Japanese Court Upholds Marriage Ban, But Opens Door

The BBC reports: A Tokyo court has upheld a ban on same-sex marriage in Japan, but also said that the ban was a violation of human rights. The compensation case was brought by four couples who claimed the law was discriminatory. Japan is currently the only G7 nation that does not recognise same-sex marriage. Campaigners have welcomed the ruling as …

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North Korea: Missile Tests Are Practice For Attacking US

The Associated Press reports: North Korea’s military said Monday its recent barrage of missile tests were practices to “mercilessly” strike key South Korean and U.S. targets such as air bases and operation command systems with a variety of missiles that likely included nuclear-capable weapons. North Korea fired dozens of missiles and flew warplanes toward the sea last week — triggering …

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North Korea Fires Nuclear-Capable Missile Over Japan

The Associated Press reports: North Korea on Tuesday conducted its longest-ever weapons test, a nuclear-capable ballistic missile that flew over Japan and could reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam and beyond, forcing the Japanese government to issue evacuation alerts and halt trains. The South Korean and U.S. militaries responded by launching fighter jets which fired weapons at a target …

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Japanese City Battles Monkey Attacks On Babies

The Associated Press reports: People in a southwestern Japanese city have come under attack from monkeys that are trying to snatch babies, biting and clawing at flesh, and sneaking into nursery schools. The attacks — on 58 people since July 8 — are getting so bad Yamaguchi city hall hired a special unit to hunt the animals with tranquilizer guns. …

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Moonie Church Likely Motive In Abe’s Assassination

Reuters reports: The mother of the man arrested for the killing of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe is a member of the Unification Church, the head of its Japanese arm said on Monday. Tetsuya Yamagami, an unemployed 41-year-old, has been identified by police as the suspect who approached Abe and opened fire during a campaign speech on Friday. Yamagami …

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Biden Orders Flags Lowered To Honor Shinzo Abe

The Hill reports: President Biden ordered flags at the White House and other federal buildings and military installations to be flown at half-staff through Sunday as a mark of respect for former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe after he was assassinated at a campaign event. “The longest serving Prime Minister in Japan’s history, Abe Shinzo was a proud servant of …

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Assassin Murders Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe

Reuters reports: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving leader, died on Friday hours after he was shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election, shocking a country in which political violence is rare and guns are tightly controlled. A man opened fire on Abe, 67, from behind with an apparently homemade gun as he spoke at a drab traffic island …

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Japanese Court Rules Same-Sex Marriage Ban Is Legal

Reuters reports: A Japanese court ruled on Monday that a ban on same-sex marriage was not unconstitutional, dealing a setback to LGBTQ rights activists in the only Group of Seven nation that does not allow people of the same gender to marry. The ruling dashes activists’ hopes of raising pressure on the central government to address the issue after a …

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Tokyo To Begin Recognizing Same-Sex Partnerships

The Associated Press reports: Japan’s capital has announced it will start recognizing same-sex partnerships to ease the burdens faced by residents in their daily lives, but the unions will not be considered legal marriages. Support for sexual diversity has grown slowly in Japan, but legal protections are still lacking. The Tokyo metropolitan government unveiled a draft plan on Tuesday to …

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Japanese QAnon Nutbags Raid Children’s Vax Clinic

Vice News reports: A leader of a Japanese QAnon group that believes COVID-19 was made up has been arrested for allegedly trespassing into a clinic offering vaccinations for children in Tokyo. Hiroyuki Kuraoka, a 43-year-old anti-vax activist and former actor, was detained on Wednesday after he entered the facility earlier this month and protested the COVID-19 vaccinations it provided. Kuraoka …

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Japan Bans Foreign Visitors Due To Omicron Variant

Kyodo News reports: Japan on Tuesday banned new entries by foreigners globally for at least one month in an attempt to stave off the new Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the measure, reversing a three-week relaxation of travel restrictions, is needed to “avoid the worst-case scenario.” Additionally, 14 countries and regions, including Britain and …

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Team USA Wins Medals Race As Tokyo Olympics Close

The Washington Post reports: The Tokyo Olympics concluded Sunday, with the last medals awarded and the stage ceded to the Closing Ceremonies. After the coronavirus pandemic forced a year-long delay, and created an unprecedented environment of empty venues and ever-present restrictions, the Games were held in their entirety without many significant disruptions once they finally got underway. Team USA finished …

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Belarusian Olympian Asks For Protection After Being Taken To Airport Against Her Will, Plans To Seek Asylum

Reuters reports: A Belarusian sprinter said she was taken to the airport against her wishes on Sunday to board a flight back home after she complained about national coaches at the Tokyo Olympics. Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who was due to compete in the women’s 200 metres on Monday, told Reuters she did not plan to return to her home country. She …

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