Tokyo, 12 March, /AJMEDIA
G-7 to take steps to strip Russia of trade benefits as WTO member
WASHINGTON – The United States, Japan and other Group of Seven industrialized nations on Friday agreed to take steps to strip Russia of trade benefits it has enjoyed as a member of the World Trade Organization, ratcheting up pressure on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine.
Ending benefits such as low tariffs and few trade barriers in unison with other nations that make up half of the global economy will be another “crushing blow to the Russian economy,” U.S. President Joe Biden said at the White House as he announced a fresh set of sanctions the G-7 leaders have agreed on.
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Russian war threatening global food supplies: G-7 farm ministers
TOKYO – Farm ministers from the Group of Seven major developed countries on Friday accused Russia of threatening global food supplies by invading Ukraine, a major agricultural producer, and driving more people into starvation.
In a joint statement released after an online meeting, the G-7 ministers also vowed to ensure food supplies to the Ukrainian people and support its agriculture industry while sharing concerns about Moscow’s military attack since Feb. 24, causing further rises in food prices.
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U.S. sanctions Russian firms after N. Korea found testing ICBM system
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday announced sanctions on three Russian companies and two related individuals for allegedly supporting North Korea’s weapons development program, after Pyongyang was found to have recently tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile system.
“The DPRK continues to launch ballistic missiles in blatant violation of international law, posing a grave threat to global security,” Brian Nelson, undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a press release.
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Japan, U.S. to boost deterrence after N. Korea’s missile tests
TOKYO – Japan and the United States agreed in their high-level meeting on Friday to boost deterrence and response capabilities in the face of North Korea’s flurry of missile tests, a government official said Friday.
Senior foreign and defense officials of the two countries discussed other major security challenges including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
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N. Korea resumes work on nuclear test site tunnels: S. Korea
SEOUL – South Korea’s defense ministry on Friday said it has detected activity at North Korea’s nuclear test site to restore tunnels that were dismantled in 2018.
In May 2018, North Korea said it had demolished the Punggye-ri site, which the secretive regime had announced it would close the previous month, apparently to signal its commitment to denuclearization.
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Japan ruling party pushes for nuclear energy use amid Ukraine crisis
TOKYO – Japan’s major ruling party has pushed for reactivating the country’s halted nuclear facilities for energy following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, amid worries about the stable procurement of resources such as crude oil and natural gas.
Some members of the Liberal Democratic Party are stepping up calls to reactivate more reactors, the majority of which halted operations following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, to minimize the economic impact of rising energy prices and risks arising from political instability.
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Japan court awards damages over forced sterilization in 2nd case
TOKYO – A Japanese court ordered the central government Friday to compensate a man over his forced sterilization under a now-defunct eugenics protection law, the second such ruling among similar suits filed nationwide, potentially affecting the outcome of future cases.
Overturning a lower court decision, the Tokyo High Court found the 1948 law unconstitutional and awarded 15 million yen ($128,000) in damages to the 78-year-old plaintiff, who uses the pseudonym Saburo Kita. The Tokyo resident had demanded 30 million yen.
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China orders lockdown of 9 million residents in Changchun amid virus
BEIJING – China said Friday that it has effectively locked down Changchun, which has a population of around nine million, as the number of people newly infected with the novel coronavirus has been increasing in the northeastern city.
The municipal government also said it has begun to carry out PCR tests on all citizens in the city, as the ruling Communist Party has pledged to continue implementing its radical “zero COVID” policy.
