Tokyo, 7 January, /AJMEDIA/
Japan, U.S. begin security talks with China in sight
TOKYO – Japanese and U.S. foreign and defense ministers started a virtual ministerial security meeting Friday, aiming to further strengthen the bilateral alliance in dealing with China’s increasing military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
In the “two-plus-two” meeting, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, and their U.S. counterparts Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, are also expected to discuss how to deepen cooperation in new security areas such as space and cybersecurity.
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N. Korea will not participate in Beijing Winter Olympics
BEIJING – North Korea has decided not to participate in the Beijing 2022 Olympics and Paralympics in response to the United States’ attempts to prevent “the successful opening of the Winter Games,” state-run media reported Friday.
The decision was conveyed to China in a letter from North Korea’s national Olympic committee and sports ministry, the news agency said. The nation also did not send a team to last summer’s Tokyo Games amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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U.S. marks 1-year anniversary of deadly Capitol attack
WASHINGTON – The United States on Thursday marked one year from the deadly attack on the Capitol by a mob seeking to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, with the nation still struggling to revive its standing as a beacon of democracy.
President Joe Biden called for unity and further efforts to defend democracy, while slamming his Republican predecessor Donald Trump for becoming the first U.S. leader to respond to an election loss by attempting to thwart the peaceful transfer of power. Biden placed responsibility on Trump for inciting his supporters toward an “armed insurrection.”
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Japan to impose COVID quasi-emergency on 3 areas hosting U.S. bases
TOKYO – Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to place three Japanese prefectures under a quasi-state of emergency on Friday after surges in COVID-19 cases that local governors say are attributable to the spread of the Omicron strain at U.S. military bases.
The quasi-emergency declarations for Okinawa, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima are expected to be effective from Sunday to Jan. 31, allowing local governments to bolster anti-coronavirus measures and request dining establishments to shorten their business hours as health experts warn of a sixth wave in Japan of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Japan household spending down 1.3% on year in November
TOKYO – Japan’s household spending fell a real 1.3 percent in November from a year earlier, decreasing for the fourth straight month, the government said Friday.
Average spending by households with two or more people was 277,029 yen ($2,400), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.
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U.S. trade deficit with Japan expands 17.7% in November
WASHINGTON – The U.S. goods trade deficit with Japan expanded 17.7 percent in November from the previous month to $4.16 billion, the Commerce Department said Thursday.
The deficit with China grew 2.9 percent to $32.32 billion, while that with Mexico rose 6.5 percent to $10.53 billion.
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COVID rules see tennis star Djokovic denied entry to Australia
SYDNEY – Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has been denied entry to Australia after failing to provide appropriate evidence he qualifies for a coronavirus vaccination exemption required as part of the country’s entry rules, the Australian Border Force said Thursday.
The men’s world No. 1 will remain in immigration detention overnight, after filing an appeal with the Federal Circuit Court against the cancellation of his visa just hours after landing in Melbourne ahead of the upcoming Australian Open, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
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Tokyo sees 1st heavy snowfall in 4 years, over 50 people injured
TOKYO – Heavy snowfall hit Tokyo and surrounding areas Thursday, grounding flights and delaying trains, while more than 50 people were taken to hospitals in the capital after slipping and falling due to snow on the streets, authorities said.
Central Tokyo observed 10 centimeters of snow accumulation in the evening, a level unseen over the past four years. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a warning of heavy snowfall in the 23 wards of the capital, also the first since January 2018.
