Tokyo, 23 May, /AJMEDIA/
Kishida, Biden to boost alliance amid war in Ukraine, assertive China
TOKYO – Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden are set to meet Monday in Tokyo, where they are expected to underscore a robust Japan-U.S. alliance in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, China’s growing assertiveness and North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
In their first in-person, sit-down meeting, the two leaders are likely to agree to pressure Moscow to stop its aggression in Ukraine and join hands in realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific, a vision widely seen as a counter to China’s increasing clout in the region.
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APEC trade meet ends without joint statement, remains apart on Russia
BANGKOK – A meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region ended Sunday without issuing a joint statement due to differences over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Japan’s trade minister Koichi Hagiuda said the outcome of the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meeting in Bangkok, which focused on how to promote economic growth in a post-COVID-19 world, should be reflected in a chairman’s statement.
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Japan’s foreign minister hints readiness to aid North Korea over COVID
NIIGATA, Japan – Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi suggested Sunday that the government may need to consider assisting North Korea as it apparently struggles with the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“We have no diplomatic relations with that country, but it does not mean that we should leave it alone,” Hayashi said during a lecture in the city of Niigata.
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Japan PM Kishida Cabinet’s approval rises to record 61.5%: Kyodo poll
TOKYO – The approval rating for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet rose to 61.5 percent, the highest since he took office in October last year, reflecting public satisfaction with the government starting to ease COVID-19 restrictions, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.
In the two-day telephone survey that ran from Saturday with over 1,000 respondents across the country, the rating was up from 58.7 percent about a month ago. The latest disapproval rating stood at 21.8 percent, down from 23.1 percent.
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Biden says his message to North Korean leader Kim is “Hello…period”
TOKYO – U.S. President Joe Biden said Sunday he does not have much to convey to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un other than “Hello…period,” as the secretive country seems to be readying a missile or nuclear test during Biden’s ongoing Asia tour.
Speaking in South Korea before heading to Japan, Biden asserted that the United States is prepared for “anything North Korea does” and is “not concerned” about a potential nuclear test, which, if conducted, will be the first since 2017 by Pyongyang.
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Tokyo Skytree marks 10 years with mix of anime, kabuki and crafts
TOKYO – Cityscape-defining Tokyo Skytree, Japan’s tallest structure, on Sunday marked the 10th anniversary of its opening to the general public and becoming a symbol of the country’s pre-pandemic tourism boom.
Commemorative events celebrating the opening of the 634-meter structure’s Tembo Deck and Tembo Galleria observation areas include an ongoing “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” anime collaboration and a performance by Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo livestreamed on a screen from the tower’s topmost point on the day.