Tokyo, 11 February, /AJMEDIA/
Mother nabbed over suspected murder-suicide attempt involving 3 girls
NAGOYA – A 27-year-old woman was arrested Friday in connection with the deaths of her three daughters at their home in central Japan the previous day in what might have been a murder-suicide attempt, police said.
Himeka Takakuwa was arrested on a charge of attempted murder of her daughter Sakura, a baby under 12 months old, at the home in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, on Thursday.
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Japan approves Pfizer oral COVID-19 pill
TOKYO – Japan’s health ministry on Thursday granted fast-track approval for the use of an oral COVID-19 pill developed by Pfizer Inc., increasing the treatment options for people with mild symptoms.
Paxlovid, a combination of two antiviral drugs, nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, is set to become the second oral drug for mild coronavirus infections available in Japan, which has been seeing surging cases driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
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U.S. to host APEC summit next year to deepen economic ties in Asia
WASHINGTON – The United States said Thursday it will host the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit in 2023, as it seeks to deepen economic ties in the region facing China’s growing assertiveness.
The move underscores the commitment by the administration of President Joe Biden to “advance fair and open trade and investment, bolster American competitiveness, and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.
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Tokyo, 12 prefs. to remain under COVID quasi-emergency until March 6
TOKYO – Japan on Thursday extended by three weeks until March 6 a COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency covering Tokyo and 12 prefectures as the nation scrambles to rein in infections caused by the highly contagious Omicron variant.
The government also decided to add Kochi in western Japan, effective Saturday until March 6, to the quasi-emergency list, meaning that the measure will be in effect in 36 of the nation’s 47 prefectures, amid growing worries about an additional strain on the health care system.
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Olympics: Russian team figure skater fails doping test, reports say
BEIJING – Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva reportedly failed a pre-competition doping test ahead of the Beijing Olympics, Russian media reported Wednesday, possibly meaning Japan will be elevated to team silver.
The Russian Olympic Committee team dominated the event, beating the United States by nine points for gold, but its 15-year-old women’s singles entrant Valieva may now face sanction, according to the RBC and Kommersant newspapers.
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Uniqlo holds Studio Ghibli exhibition in Bangkok in 1st collaboration
BANGKOK – Uniqlo Thailand said Thursday it is holding a Studio Ghibli exhibition in the capital Bangkok and selling a commemorative T-shirt collection and tote bags, in the first collaboration with Japan’s renowned animation studio.
The exhibition at the CentralWorld shopping mall features Totoro and the Cat Bus from the classic anime movie “My Neighbor Totoro,” as well as calligraphy by studio producer Toshio Suzuki. The fast-moving feline character is large enough for visitors to get inside.
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Japan, U.S., S. Korea agree to counter Pyongyang’s security threats
TOKYO – Japan, the United States, and South Korea have agreed to continue cooperation in addressing global security challenges and threats imposed by North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, the Japanese Defense Ministry said Thursday.
During the trilateral security talks over the phone, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and his U.S. and South Korean counterparts Lloyd Austin and Suh Wook emphasized that recent ballistic missile launches by Pyongyang are destabilizing to regional security and a clear violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.
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Combined profit of Japan companies tops pre-COVID pandemic level
TOKYO – The combined net profit of listed Japanese companies in the April-December period topped the level in the same period of 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, as a recovery in consumer spending and the easing of a global chip crunch bolstered growth, data from a securities house showed Thursday.
The combined net profit of firms listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s First Section in the three quarters through December totaled 28 trillion yen ($242 billion), up around 30 percent from the same period in 2019, with sales also recovering.
