Tokyo, 23 December, /AJMEDIA/
G-7 pledges up to $32 bil. in aid for Ukraine next year
TOKYO – Finance ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized nations on Thursday pledged to offer up to $32 billion next year to help Ukraine deal with Russia’s prolonged aggression.
The ministers, who met online, said the G-7 remained “strongly committed to addressing Ukraine’s urgent short-term financing needs,” according to a statement.
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Japan to extend 60-yr nuclear reactor life, build advanced reactors
TOKYO – Japan decided Thursday to allow nuclear reactors to operate beyond their current limit of 60 years and replace aging facilities with new advanced ones in a major policy change to cut carbon emissions while ensuring energy supplies amid disruptions from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The government also plans to raise about 20 trillion yen ($152 billion) through issuing “green transformation” bonds to boost investment in decarbonization projects, as it estimates that public and private investment of over 150 trillion yen will be necessary over the next 10 years.
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North Korea sold weapons to Russia mercenary group for Ukraine war: U.S.
NEW YORK – North Korea sold weapons in November to a Russian mercenary group involved in the invasion of Ukraine, the United States said Thursday.
Washington has confirmed North Korea delivered “infantry rockets and missiles” to Russia for use by the Wagner Group, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement.
Japan Nov. consumer prices rise 3.7%, highest since 1981
TOKYO – Core consumer prices in Japan gained 3.7 percent in November, rising at the fastest pace since 1981, government data showed Friday.
The nationwide core consumer price index excluding volatile fresh food items rose for the 15th straight month.
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Japan’s former Emperor Akihito turns 89
TOKYO – Japan’s former Emperor Akihito turned 89 on Friday, after having spent most of the year peacefully with his wife, former Empress Michiko, while pursuing his life’s work on goby fish research, the Imperial Household Agency said.
His condition has improved since receiving treatment for a heart failure diagnosis in July. His daily routine includes taking morning and evening walks with his wife at what is now called the Emperor Emeritus’ Residence in the Akasaka Estate.
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Winter bonuses at Japanese firms see sharpest increase in 40 yrs
TOKYO – The average winter bonus at large Japanese companies marked the sharpest increase of 8.92 percent from a year earlier to 894,179 yen ($6,800) since the current calculation method was adopted in 1981, the country’s most powerful business lobby said Thursday.
The Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren, said the average winter bonus was the third highest, reflecting the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, but it did not reach the level of the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
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5 banks to lend 1.4 tril. yen to Japanese fund for Toshiba buyout
TOKYO – Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. and four other Japanese banks will lend a total of around 1.4 trillion yen ($10.6 billion) to a domestic investment fund to help it buy out Toshiba Corp., a source familiar with the matter said Thursday.
A document promising the combined loan will be sent next week to Japan Industrial Partners Inc., which has already secured an investment offer worth about 1 trillion yen from a group of more than 20 Japanese companies, including Orix Corp. The acquisition of the embattled conglomerate is expected to total between 2.2 trillion yen and 2.5 trillion yen.
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Japan average temp in 2022 highest on record, 4th straight year
TOKYO – Japan’s average temperature in 2022 was its highest ever for the fourth consecutive year, preliminary figures released by the country’s weather agency showed Thursday.
Average temperatures nationwide were 0.7 degree higher than those of the 30-year period until 2020. The rising numbers have been attributed to climate change, and are the highest since 1898, the first year for which comparable data are available.
