Tokyo, 9 February, /AJMEDIA/
U.S. Steel to stay American regardless of Nippon Steel plans: Ishiba
TOKYO – Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday that United States Steel Corp. will remain an American company regardless of how Japan’s Nippon Steel Corp. proceeds, after his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.
Ishiba’s remarks followed Trump’s surprising and confusing statement on Friday that Nippon Steel will no longer seek full ownership but will instead “invest heavily” in the struggling U.S. producer. The specifics of the plan, however, are unclear.
———-
North Korea raps U.S., Japan, South Korea for inflaming regional tensions
TOKYO – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lambasted the United States, Japan and South Korea for escalating tensions in the region, saying the allies’ military cooperation has destabilized the security environment, state-run media reported Sunday.
Kim also pledged to accelerate the development of North Korean nuclear forces to counter threats from the three countries in a speech on Saturday commemorating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the army, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
———-
Japan PM gives Trump golden samurai helmet as gift
WASHINGTON – Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba presented U.S. President Donald Trump with a golden samurai helmet crafted by a company from his home prefecture in western Japan during his visit to Washington for their first summit on Friday, a Japanese government source said.
The idea stemmed from the popularity of the award-winning U.S. television series Shogun, a Japan-set historical drama about a warlord, the source said. Trump is widely known to like the color gold.
———-
Ice hockey: Japan women into 4th straight Olympics after Poland rout
TOMAKOMAI, Japan – Japan secured its fourth straight Olympic berth in women’s ice hockey Saturday, overwhelming Poland 6-0 to book a place at next year’s Milan-Cortina Winter Games.
Having opened the final qualifying round with a 7-1 win over France on Thursday, seventh-ranked Japan netted all six goals in a blistering opening period against 20th-ranked Poland at nepia Ice Arena in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, to clinch first place in the four-team round-robin with a game to spare.
———-
Sakai knives a cut above for foreign visitors to Japan
OSAKA – The global popularity of blades forged in the western Japan city of Sakai is on the rise, with foreign tourists helping to boost sales of the city’s native brand that is widely regarded as one of the country’s top three traditional knives.
The Sakai Traditional Crafts Museum saw annual sales of its blades surpass 100 million yen ($660,000) for the first time in fiscal 2023 and expects another record this fiscal year, with foreign tourists from the United States, France and others making up half of the sales.
———-
South Korean wins Swiss ballet contest, Japanese finishes 3rd
LAUSANNE, Switzerland – Sixteen-year-old South Korean Park Youn Jae won the top prize at an international ballet competition for young dancers in Switzerland on Saturday, while 18-year-old Shinnosuke Yasuumi of Japan placed third.
Eric Poor, a 15-year-old dancer from the United States, came second in the prestigious annual mixed-gender event, the Prix de Lausanne, which featured more than 80 participants, its organizer said. This year marked its 53rd edition.
———-
Basketball: Hachimura nets season-high 24 as Lakers win 5th straight
LOS ANGELES – Rui Hachimura scored a season-high 24 points with nine rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers 124-117 on Saturday without LeBron James or recent acquisition Luka Doncic.
Austin Reaves led the game with 45 points at Crypto.com Arena as the Lakers extended their winning streak to five and improved to 31-19 for the season.
