Tokyo, 22 February, /AJMEDIA/
U.S., Japan urge U.N. Security Council to act on North Korea’s ICBM test
NEW YORK – The United States, Japan and other countries on Monday called on the U.N. Security Council to speak with “one voice” against North Korea’s nuclear and missile development programs, following an emergency council meeting convened in the wake of Pyongyang’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch.
“Council silence has not led to restraint in Pyongyang. In fact, it has emboldened” North Korean authorities, said a joint statement delivered by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield on behalf of a total of 11 countries, apparently referring to a stalemate on the 15-member council, with China and Russia, both veto-wielding permanent members, opposing censure of Pyongyang.
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Beloved giant panda Xiang Xiang departs Japan for China
TOKYO – Japanese-born giant panda Xiang Xiang departed Tuesday for China from a zoo in Tokyo as huge crowds gathered to bid farewell to the 5-year-old bear that became hugely popular in the country but had to return to start her search for a mate.
Accompanied by two zoo employees keeping a close eye on her, Xiang Xiang was taken from the Ueno Zoological Gardens by truck Tuesday morning to Narita airport, where she was put on a charter flight bound for China’s Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, according to the Tokyo metropolitan government.
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China urges West to “stop fueling fire” in Ukraine war
BEIJING – Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Tuesday urged Western nations to “stop fueling the fire” in the Ukraine war, and expressed Beijing’s worries about an escalation of the crisis and the possibility that it could spiral out of control.
“We urge certain countries to immediately stop fueling the fire, stop shifting blame to China, and stop touting ‘Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow,'” Qin said in a speech at a security forum in Beijing ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Friday.
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Japan keeps economic view, notes wholesale inflation slowing in Feb.
TOKYO – The government on Tuesday retained its monthly assessment that the Japanese economy is “picking up moderately” despite some weakness while changing its wording on wholesale prices for the first time in about a year to reflect slower price growth.
In the economic report for February, the Cabinet Office maintained its assessments of 11 key components of the economy, ranging from private consumption and corporate spending to production and exports.
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High court upholds ruling in favor of Japan’s ban on dual nationality
TOKYO – A Japanese high court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal by a group of people claiming the country’s ban on its citizens from holding foreign nationality violates the Constitution.
The decision by the Tokyo High Court endorsed a district court ruling in January 2021 that deemed dual citizenship “could cause conflict in the rights and obligations between countries, as well as between the individual and the state.”
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Gov’t to screen Japanese-language schools to ensure quality
TOKYO – The government decided Tuesday on a draft legislation to screen and certify Japanese-language schools to ensure their quality by setting standards including the number of teachers and educational content.
In the legislation, eyed for enforcement in April 2024 after its enactment in the current Diet session, the government also requires instructors at certified schools to obtain a new national qualification on teaching Japanese.
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YouTuber-turned-lawmaker ordered to apologize for not attending Diet
TOKYO – The disciplinary committee of Japan’s upper house agreed Tuesday to order a YouTuber-turned-lawmaker living abroad to offer an apology in parliament for not attending any sessions since he was elected to the Diet last year.
If GaaSyy, whose real name is Yoshikazu Higashitani, does not comply with the demand, the House of Councillors panel will consider a stricter measure, including expelling him as a member of the chamber.
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Baseball: Japan WBC win would boost economy by $444 million: estimate
TOKYO – Japan’s World Baseball Classic team can generate about 59.6 billion yen ($444 million) in economic effects if it wins the tournament, Kansai University professor emeritus Katsuhiro Miyamoto said Tuesday.
Expectations have grown as the WBC will be played for the first time in six years after a COVID-19 postponement and features not only Los Angeles Angels two-way player Shohei Ohtani and San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish but also Japan-based stars such as Munetaka Murakami and Roki Sasaki.
