Tokyo, 16 March, /AJMEDIA
Biden to travel to Europe for NATO summit on Ukraine on March 24
WASHINGTON – U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Europe for an extraordinary NATO summit on March 24 to discuss how to respond to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the White House said Tuesday.
During the gathering in Brussels, members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will affirm their “ironclad commitment” to the alliance as Russia’s attack, launched almost three weeks ago, raises fears of a wider conflict that could devastate Europe.
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Japan logs 668 bil. yen goods trade deficit in Feb.
TOKYO – Japan posted a goods trade deficit of 668.3 billion yen ($5.6 billion) in February, logging red ink for the seventh consecutive month, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.
Exports rose 19.1 percent from a year earlier and imports advanced 34.0 percent, the ministry said in a preliminary report.
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Japan to ban exports of nearly 300 items to Russia, Belarus
TOKYO – Japan designated Tuesday nearly 300 items and technologies as subject to an export ban on Russia and Belarus from later this week to prevent them from boosting their military capabilities, as part of Tokyo’s sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The embargo on exports of 266 products, such as semiconductors, communication equipment and cutting-edge materials, and 26 technologies, including design programs for chip-making machines, will take effect on Friday, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
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Japan to grant entry to war-fleeing Ukrainians without guarantor
TOKYO – The Japanese government is arranging to grant entry to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion even if they have no relative or acquaintance in Japan who can act as a guarantor, government officials said Tuesday.
The government plans to weigh each case on its needs and issue a short-term stay visa on a case-by-case basis as an exception. It will also allow the visa to be changed to one that makes employment possible, if the stay gets prolonged.
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Ukraine, Russia resume talks as Moscow forces expand, crisis deepens
Ukraine and Russia resumed their fourth round of cease-fire talks on Tuesday, a Ukrainian official said, as Moscow’s forces expanded further into the Eastern European country’s territory and conflict raged in several regions.
The two sides had paused discussions after meeting online Monday. Cease-fire talks between Kyiv and Moscow have so far failed to yield significant results as the war entered its 20th day.
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Russia imposes sanctions on Biden, Blinken in retaliatory steps
WASHINGTON – Russia said Tuesday it has imposed sanctions on U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in retaliation for punitive measures against Moscow’s top officials over the invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement came as the Biden administration continues to step up pressure on Russia for its aggression against a neighboring country, unveiling additional sanctions Tuesday on Russian individuals and fresh measures targeting Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, whose regime has supported Russia’s military campaign.
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Japan may allow 10,000 people per day to enter country from April
TOKYO – Japan is considering raising the daily cap on overseas arrivals to 10,000 from the current 7,000 starting in April, further easing its COVID-19 border controls, government sources said Tuesday.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said the government will relax the border control measures, criticized as being too strict, in stages, taking into account the infection situation at home and abroad and border control steps implemented by other nations.
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IMF says Russia war “major blow” to world, but impact on Asia limited
WASHINGTON – Russia’s war with Ukraine is “a major blow” to the global economy, with the impact to be felt through slower growth and higher inflation in food and energy prices, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday.
In Asia and the Pacific, specifically, spillovers from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are “likely limited given the lack of close economic ties, but slower growth in Europe and the global economy will take a heavy toll on major exporters,” the IMF said.
