Tokyo, 26 May, /AJMEDIA/
N. Korea media silent on suspected Wed. firing of missiles
BEIJING – North Korean state-run media made no mention on Thursday morning of the previous day’s suspected firing of ballistic missiles, with speculation growing that the country may carry out a nuclear test in the near future.
The South Korean government said North Korea fired three missiles, including one capable of intercontinental range, off its east coast on Wednesday, a day after U.S. President Joe Biden ended his first trip to Asia since taking office.
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Japan, U.S. fighters fly together amid China, Russia, N. Korea threats
TOKYO – Japanese and U.S. fighter jets conducted a joint flight over the Sea of Japan on Wednesday, apparently to showcase their unity in response to recent provocative acts by China, Russia and North Korea, a government source said.
The move came a day after China and Russia flew six strategic bombers over waters near Japan. Earlier Wednesday, North Korea launched three ballistic missiles off its east coast, one of which is believed to have been of intercontinental range, according to the South Korean government.
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Japan mulls resuming foreign tourist entry in June
TOKYO – The Japanese government is making final arrangements to resume accepting foreign tourists in June, further relaxing its border controls imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.
Since March, Japan has been easing its COVID-19 border controls, planning to double the cap on overseas arrivals to 20,000 per day starting on June 1. The country will accept foreign tourists within the quota, the sources said.
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Japan starts 4th COVID vaccine shots for seniors, at-risk groups
TOKYO – Japan began offering fourth coronavirus vaccine shots Wednesday to older people, and those with underlying medical conditions.
People eligible for fourth inoculations are those aged 60 and older as well as individuals between 18 and 59 with chronic health conditions, such as respiratory illnesses or heart conditions, or at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms if infected with the coronavirus, according to the health ministry.
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China conducts “combat-readiness patrol” near Taiwan to counter U.S.
BEIJING – China’s military said Wednesday it has recently carried out a “combined combat-readiness patrol” in the waters and airspace around Taiwan as a warning against U.S. support for “Taiwan independence” forces.
A spokesman for the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army said in a statement that the Chinese military has the “determination and ability” to thwart any plot by external forces in pursuit of Taiwan independence.
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S. Korea to keep import ban on Japan seafood due to Fukushima concern
SEOUL – South Korea will maintain an import ban on Japanese seafood from areas affected by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis, a minister said Wednesday, denying any plan to lift it in a bid to secure Tokyo’s support to join a regional free trade accord.
“We’ve taken a resolute stance on the issue. We aren’t considering allowing imports of Japan’s Fukushima seafood as a tactic to get backing for our bid to join” the Trans-Pacific Partnership accord, Oceans Minister Cho Seung Hwan said during a meeting with reporters, according to Yonhap News Agency.
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Top court rules expats inability to vote on justices unconstitutional
TOKYO – Japan’s top court on Wednesday ruled the inability of Japanese citizens abroad to cast ballots to decide whether to dismiss appointed Supreme Court justices is unconstitutional.
The successful appeal brought by five people including Tsukasa Hirano, a Japanese man living in Brazil, and film director Kazuhiro Soda, argued the exclusion violates citizens’ “inalienable right to choose their public officials and to dismiss them” as defined in Article 15 of the Constitution.
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ASEAN citizens view China as paramount future partner: Japan poll
TOKYO – Nearly half of people surveyed in Southeast Asia picked China as the region’s most important partner in the future, surpassing Japan for the first time, according to the results of a Japanese government opinion poll released Wednesday.
The survey showed 48 percent of respondents from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations chose China, unchanged from the last survey in fiscal 2019. China was followed by 43 percent for Japan, down 8 percentage points, and 41 percent for the United States, up 4 points.