Tokyo, 1 May, /AJMEDIA/
Sunken boat exposes flaw in communications system by tour operator
SAPPORO – The mobile phone of the captain of a tour boat that sank off Hokkaido was unreachable during most of its last trip, sources familiar with the case said Saturday, highlighting an apparent failure by the operator of properly managing its communications system.
The finding came as 12 people were still unaccounted for a week after the 19-ton Kazu I went missing in rough waters while sightseeing around the scenic Shiretoko Peninsula.
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U.S., Japan defense chiefs to meet Wed. to discuss Ukraine war, China
WASHINGTON – U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet with his Japanese counterpart Nobuo Kishi on Wednesday in the United States to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine and ways to beef up the bilateral alliance amid China’s growing assertiveness, according to the Pentagon.
The meeting will take place during Kishi’s trip to the United States from Tuesday to May 6, with North Korea’s missile and nuclear ambitions also to be broached, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told a press conference Friday.
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N. Korea’s Kim vows pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons if threatened
BEIJING – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reiterated his intention to “pre-emptively” use the country’s nuclear weapons if the nation is threatened by what it regards as “hostile forces,” state-run media reported Saturday.
While praising top military officials who directed a vast military parade in Pyongyang earlier in the week, Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as expressing his eagerness to continue developing nuclear weapons.
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Japan’s Kitano gets lifetime achievement award at Italy film festival
TOKYO – Japanese film director Takeshi Kitano was honored Friday with a lifetime achievement award at the 24th Far East Film Festival in Italy for his contributions to the industry over more than 30 years.
Kitano, known by his stage name Beat Takeshi in Japan, was recognized with the Golden Mulberry Award for Lifetime Achievement for crafting “stories that were personal and universal, that amused and shocked and captivated audiences everywhere,” a presenter at the award ceremony said.
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No safety flaws found so far in Fukushima water discharge plan: IAEA
TOKYO – The International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday Japan’s preparations for the planned discharge of treated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant are proceeding largely in line with relevant international safety standards.
The IAEA task force, consisting of independent and highly recognized experts with diverse technical backgrounds from various countries, is reviewing the safety of the plan to enhance transparency and gain international understanding amid neighboring China and South Korea expressing concerns.
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Japan, Indonesia confirm cooperation toward free, open Indo-Pacific
JAKARTA – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday confirmed to strengthen cooperation toward realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific amid China’s growing assertiveness in the region and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Widodo said Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations stand ready to build cooperation with their partners, and Kishida, who is on the first stop of his trip to Southeast Asia and Europe, underscored the importance of upholding the rules-based international order.
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Football: Reds into ACL round of 16, Frontale eliminated
TOKYO – Two-time Asian champions Urawa Reds beat China’s Shandong Taishan FC 5-0 to finish top of Asian Champions League Group F and earn a spot in the round of 16 on Saturday, while J-League champions Kawasaki Frontale finished second in Group I and were eliminated.
Manager Ricardo Rodriguez’s Reds opened the scoring at Thailand’s Buriram City Stadium, through Kaito Yasui in the 13th minute with Tetsuya Chinen and Yusuke Matsuo both adding braces.
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Swimming: Leukemia survivor Ikee qualifies for next Asian Games
YOKOHAMA – Rikako Ikee, the 2018 Asian Games’ MPV, qualified on Saturday for this September’s games in Hangzhou, China, with a 53.83-second time in the women’s 100-meter freestyle at Japan’s national championships.
Ikee, who won six gold medals at the 2018 games in Jakarta, was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2019. However, she came back strong enough to compete at last summer’s Tokyo Olympics.
