Tokyo, 1 February, /AJMEDIA/
Military-ruled Myanmar marks 1 year since coup, remains in chaos
YANGON/BANGKOK – Myanmar on Tuesday marked a year since the military ousted the democratically elected government, with the Southeast Asian country left in chaos as harsh crackdowns have galvanized groups calling for a “revolution” to end the military rule.
Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s de facto leader until the Feb. 1, 2021, coup, remains under house arrest and already faces six years in prison after being put on trial on more than 10 charges, including leaking state secrets. If convicted of all charges, she could be sentenced to over 150 years in prison.
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Japan OKs world heritage push for Sado mine despite S. Korean protest
TOKYO – Japan decided Tuesday to recommend gold and silver mines on Sado Island for the 2023 UNESCO World Heritage list, defying South Korean protests against the nomination of the site linked to wartime labor.
The attempt to register the mine, one of the world’s largest producers of gold in the 17th century, may face hurdles as issues dating back to World War II continue to fray ties between the two countries.
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U.S. hints at upping pressure on N. Korea amid missile tests
WASHINGTON – The United States signaled Monday a shift toward applying more pressure on North Korea amid the recent barrage of ballistic missile tests, saying it is moving forward with “different steps” to hold Pyongyang “accountable.”
The move came as North Korea on Sunday fired what appears to have been the longest-range ballistic missile it has launched since 2017, marking the seventh round of missile tests by the country since the start of 2022.
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Search continues for missing fighter jet crew in Sea of Japan
TOKYO – Search operations continued Tuesday after an Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighter jet with a crew of two disappeared from radar the previous evening over the Sea of Japan.
The ASDF, the Maritime Self-Defense Force and the coast guard have mobilized search planes, helicopters and vessels off Komatsu Air Base in the central Japan prefecture of Ishikawa.
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U.S. sanctions Myanmar officials to mark 1 year since military coup
WASHINGTON – The United States on Monday announced more sanctions on Myanmar officials and entities with ties to the military regime, marking the one-year anniversary of the Feb. 1 coup that has led to unrest and violence in the Southeast Asian country.
The sanctions, taken in coordination with Britain and Canada, are intended to “demonstrate the international community’s strong support for the people of Burma and to further promote accountability for the coup and the violence perpetrated by the regime,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, referring to the country by its former name.
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Toray illegally gained global safety certificates for resin products
TOKYO – Japanese chemical giant Toray Industries Inc. said Monday it falsified samples of some of its resin products to illegally acquire global safety certifications, with the conduct dating back at least 10 years.
The samples of resins used in products such as vehicles and home appliances were submitted to conform to specific flame resistance standards set by U.S. safety group Underwriters Laboratories Inc. but they were testing samples and not the ones actually used in its commercially sold products, Toray said in a press release.
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Tokyo’s population dips 1st time in 26 years amid pandemic
TOKYO – Tokyo’s estimated population dropped to 13,988,129 as of New Year’s Day, down 48,592 from a year earlier, the first decrease in 26 years amid the coronavirus pandemic, the metropolitan government said Monday.
The population in central Tokyo’s 23 wards fell 49,891 from a year earlier, with only Chuo, Taito, and Sumida wards observing gains, while that of cities excluding those in rural areas increased 2,089, according to the local government.
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Petition for online overseas voting signed by 26,000 sent to Japan
TOKYO – An online petition with about 26,000 signatures was sent to Japan’s foreign minister on Monday, demanding that Japanese nationals living overseas be allowed to vote in national elections via the internet.
Italy-based Asuka Tagami, who launched the petition with two other Japanese nationals in November, told Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi through a video teleconferencing app that the current mail-in voting system is becoming more inconvenient due to postal delays amid the coronavirus pandemic.