Tokyo, 11 February, /AJMEDIA/
U.S. military downs unknown object over Alaska
WASHINGTON – The U.S. military on Friday shot down an unknown high-altitude object off the coast of Alaska on the order of President Joe Biden, the White House said, citing a threat to the safety of civilian flights.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the object, first detected Thursday night, was much smaller than a Chinese surveillance balloon that recently flew over the United States and was taken down by the military off the coast of North Carolina on Saturday.
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Ex-BOJ policymaker Ueda eyed as next governor in surprise pick
TOKYO – Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to tap former Bank of Japan Policy Board member Kazuo Ueda as the central bank’s next governor to succeed incumbent Haruhiko Kuroda, a source familiar with the matter said Friday, in a surprise to jittery financial markets.
Former Financial Services Agency chief Ryozo Himino and BOJ Executive Director Shinichi Uchida are being eyed as new deputy governors, according to the source, amid growing speculation that the Japanese central bank will shift away from its easy monetary policy as global peers have already done.
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Market shocked over Ueda as next BOJ head, finance expertise cheered
TOKYO – Japanese markets expressed surprise Friday following reports that former Bank of Japan Policy Board member Kazuo Ueda is expected to be tapped as the central bank’s next governor, with analysts welcoming his background and expertise in finance.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also plans to present former Financial Services Agency chief Ryozo Himino and BOJ Executive Director Shinichi Uchida as new deputy governors to parliament next Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the matter.
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Japan to ease COVID-19 guidelines for mask-wearing on March 13
TOKYO – The Japanese government decided Friday to drastically ease COVID-19 guidelines on mask-wearing on March 13, including those for public transportation and schools, as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida seeks to relax public health measures for economic and social activities.
Under the new guidelines, passengers will only be recommended to wear face masks on trains and buses during rush hour or other occasions when public transport is especially congested, while students will not be requested to use them during school activities.
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Japan to send SDF aircraft to Turkey for quake relief
TOKYO – The Japanese government decided Friday to dispatch two members of the Self-Defense Forces along with an unspecified number of SDF aircraft to Turkey to help in relief operations following the powerful earthquake earlier this week.
The SDF personnel will be tasked with gathering information following Monday’s quake and deepening coordination with related organizations on site, the Defense Ministry said, while the aircraft will mainly engage in delivering medical supplies.
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South Korea to resume short-term visa issuance to Chinese citizens
SEOUL – South Korea said Friday it will resume issuing short-term visas for travelers from China as COVID-19 infections in the neighboring country have subsided, with the restrictions lifted from Saturday, earlier than the original end date of late February.
China welcomed the lifting of the measure introduced on Jan. 2, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning saying at a press conference Friday that Beijing will “actively consider” removing restrictions on its short-term visa issuance to South Korean citizens that were imposed as a retaliatory step.
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Tour operator fined over 2019 deaths of Japanese teens in Australia
SYDNEY – An Australian court has fined a locally based Japanese tour operator over the deaths of two Japanese teenagers who drowned on a popular tourist island in the country’s east in 2019.
The 16-year-old boys from Kanagawa University High School died while on a guided group tour at Lake McKenzie, a picturesque freshwater perched lake, on the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, as part of an overseas exchange program organized by the school.
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China opposes U.S. resolution condemning use of suspected spy balloon
BEIJING – China expressed Friday its firm opposition to a U.S. House of Representatives resolution condemning Beijing’s use of a suspected spy balloon over the United States, reiterating its claim that the airship was used for civilian purposes.
The resolution unanimously adopted Thursday called the balloon’s entry into U.S. airspace a “brazen violation” of its sovereignty. At a press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the move by Congress was “a purely political manipulation and hype.”
