Tokyo, 28 January, /AJMEDIA/
Japan to join U.S. efforts to curb high-end chip exports to China
WASHINGTON – Japan and the Netherlands agreed Friday to join the United States in limiting exports of high-end semiconductor technology to China, U.S. and Dutch media reported.
The deal was struck after the United States in October unveiled sweeping export controls on certain advanced chips that could be used by China to train artificial intelligence systems and power advanced military and surveillance applications.
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Dentsu officials admit to Tokyo Olympic test event bid rigging
TOKYO – Several officials of Japanese ad giant Dentsu Inc. have admitted to collusion over bid rigging for contracts related to test events for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, a source familiar with the matter said Friday.
The officials admitted to the wrongdoing during voluntary questioning with prosecutors, while maintaining they were not aware of any illegality at first when the bid rigging took place, according to the source.
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Man in Japan also employed “Luffy” username to organize robberies
YAMAGUCHI, Japan – Police suspect that a man in Japan also employed the “Luffy” online username to organize a string of robberies in the country, in addition to the alleged ringleader who is currently detained in the Philippines, sources close to the matter said Saturday.
The possibility surfaced after a man who has been charged over an attempted robbery in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, last November said he had met an individual employing the “Luffy” username in Tokyo and received instructions regarding how to commit the crime, the sources said.
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North Korea slams U.S. plan to send battle tanks to Ukraine
BEIJING – North Korea criticized the United States on Friday for deciding to send Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, saying the plan has only escalated the situation surrounding the war in Ukraine.
Washington is “further crossing the red line” and revealing its confrontational stance against Russia with the move, Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a senior official of the country’s ruling party, said in a statement.
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Foreign entries into Japan surge 12-fold in 2022 on eased COVID steps
TOKYO – The number of foreigners entering Japan surged nearly 12-fold to 4.20 million people in 2022, as COVID-19 border control measures were eased gradually and the number of inbound tourists spiked, the Immigration Services Agency’s data showed Friday.
The figure is up sharply from around 353,000 in 2021 but far below the record 31.19 million in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, according to the data.
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Biden names Zients, ex-COVID response head, as next chief of staff
WASHINGTON – U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday he has chosen his former COVID-19 response leader Jeff Zients to be the next White House chief of staff, with the change coming more than halfway through his term as preparations begin for a re-election campaign in 2024.
Next week, Zients will succeed Ron Klain, a longtime confidant of Biden’s who has held the role since the current administration started. Klain previously worked for Biden in various pivotal positions, including as his chief of staff when he became vice president in the Barack Obama administration in 2009.
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Japanese insurance company encourages staff to work elsewhere
TOKYO – Major Japanese insurance company Sompo Holdings Inc. is attempting to change its traditional working culture by encouraging some employees to work for almost a year at start-ups and nonprofit organizations unrelated to their usual line of work.
The company hopes that their employees’ diverse experiences will enhance its competitiveness in the insurance market as it ventures into new domains such as nursing care and digital realm that require a more varied skill set.
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Pet dog, cat involvement suspected in 2 fires in Japan in 2022
NAGOYA – Japanese fire authorities and a major gas appliances manufacturer suspect two fires that occurred in the country in 2022 were started by pet dogs and cats accidentally lighting gas stoves in the kitchen.
According to gas appliances company Paloma Co., headquartered in Nagoya, the fires both involved push-button stoves, which unlike those with rotary switches can be turned on if pets lean on them.
