Tokyo, 19 May, /AJMEDIA/
Japan to join U.S.-led economic framework during Biden visit
TOKYO – Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to announce during President Joe Biden’s visit to Japan that Tokyo will join a U.S.-led Indo-Pacific economic initiative in a bid to counter a more assertive China, Japanese government officials said Wednesday.
Japan’s potential participation in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, however, will not change Tokyo’s stance of seeking Washington’s return to a Pacific free trade pact that China, along with Taiwan, is now planning to accede to, Japan’s top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said.
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North Korea missile, nuclear test possible during Biden Asia trip: U.S.
WASHINGTON – North Korea could carry out a missile or nuclear test, or both, around the time of President Joe Biden’s nearly weeklong trip to South Korea and Japan starting Thursday, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said.
The United States is prepared for “all contingencies,” Sullivan told a press conference Wednesday, while underscoring the importance of Biden’s first trip to the region as president in a move intended to assert “bold and confident American leadership” in the Indo-Pacific in the midst of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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U.S. security adviser, China’s top diplomat discuss Russia, Taiwan
WASHINGTON – U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine and Taiwan issues on Wednesday, with Yang, according to Chinese media, criticizing the United States for not following through on its own policy regarding the self-ruled democratic island.
The phone call followed their March 14 meeting in Rome, the White House said in a press release. China has been closely watched by the administration of President Joe Biden as to whether it will support Russia’s war effort despite international condemnation over the invasion.
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Japan urges China to play “responsible role” for peace
TOKYO – Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday he hopes Beijing will play a “responsible role” in ensuring peace and security as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues.
China, which has close ties with Russia, has refrained from condemning Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine that started more than two months ago. Western nations are ramping up pressure and sanctions on Russia to end the military aggression.
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Finland, Sweden submit NATO membership applications
BRUSSELS/STOCKHOLM – Finland and Sweden on Wednesday formally submitted applications to join the NATO trans-Atlantic military alliance, marking a radical change in the Nordic countries’ security policy in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the historic move at a ceremony in Brussels. “You are our closest partners, and your membership in NATO would increase our shared security.”
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U.S. embassy in Kyiv reopens after 3-month closure amid Russia war
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv reopened Wednesday after a three-month closure due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the State Department.
Since the flag was lowered over the embassy in mid-February, the Ukrainian people, with U.S. security assistance, have “defended their homeland in the face of Russia’s unconscionable invasion,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. “As a result, the Stars and Stripes are flying over the embassy once again.”
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Man arrested for spending mistakenly sent 46 mil. yen in COVID funds
YAMAGUCHI, Japan – A man in western Japan, who received 46.3 million yen ($359,000) in COVID-19 relief money from his town by mistake before gambling it all away, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of computer fraud, police said.
Sho Taguchi, a 24-year-old resident of Abu in Yamaguchi Prefecture, is accused of spending the money despite knowing it was mistakenly transferred to him, and had earlier refused to return it to officials. According to a person familiar with the case, Taguchi spent all the money in several overseas internet casinos.
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Toyota group hit by water supply disruption in central Japan
NAGOYA – About 130 production bases at Toyota Motor Corp., its affiliates and other businesses in central Japan on Wednesday faced a severe industrial water supply disruption caused by a massive leak, with some operations at the carmaker, its supplier and others suspended.
The leak was first detected Sunday at a facility in Aichi Prefecture that stores water taken from a nearby river and used by plants in the area, according to the operator.
