Tokyo, 5 November, /AJMEDIA/
G-7 foreign ministers vow to keep imposing “economic costs” on Russia
MUNSTER, Germany – Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven industrialized nations on Friday pledged to continue to “impose economic costs” on Russia, more than eight months into its invasion of Ukraine, while committing to continuous support for the Eastern European nation.
In a joint statement issued before wrapping up a two-day meeting in the western German city of Munster, the G-7 top diplomats also called for a peaceful resolution to the Taiwan issue amid tensions over the self-ruled democratic island that China regards as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.
———-
UNICEF needs access to Russia-controlled part of Ukraine: chief
TOKYO – The head of the U.N. Children’s Fund expressed frustration Friday that the aid organization does not have access to areas in eastern Ukraine where Russia has claimed control amid the ongoing war.
“We know children are in need, but we can’t get to them very easily, and that is disturbing,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in an interview in Tokyo.
———-
Gymnastics: Japan’s Daiki Hashimoto wins gold at worlds
LIVERPOOL, England – Double Olympic champion Daiki Hashimoto of Japan won the individual all-around title at the world gymnastics championships in Liverpool on Friday.
Hashimoto, who won two gold medals at last year’s Tokyo Games, became the second Japanese gymnast ever to take gold in the event both at worlds and in the Olympics.
———-
Japan, U.S. diplomats agree to monitor China upon Xi’s 3rd term
MUNSTER, Germany – The foreign ministers of Japan and the United States on Friday agreed to “pay close attention” to China after President Xi Jinping started last month a rare third term as chief of the ruling Communist Party with new leadership, according to a Japanese official.
Meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven foreign ministerial gathering in Germany, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also reaffirmed close bilateral cooperation toward the denuclearization of North Korea as concerns grow over a barrage of missile tests by Pyongyang.
———-
Japan, South Korea look to hold summit in mid-Nov.: source
TOKYO – Japan and South Korea are considering holding a summit in mid-November, a Japanese government source said Friday, as the two countries continue to try and improve their relations hurt by wartime issues.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol may meet on the sidelines of an international gathering, such as the Group of 20 summit to be held in Indonesia later this month, according to the source.
———-
Trump aides eye around Nov. 14 to announce presidential run: media
WASHINGTON – Top aides to former President Donald Trump have discussed the third week of November as an ideal launch point for his 2024 presidential campaign if Republicans fare well in the congressional midterm elections next week, CNN reported Friday.
Trump, who has campaigned for Republican candidates running in Tuesday’s elections, has indicated his eagerness to throw his hat into the ring for the next presidential election.
———-
China’s Xi expresses opposition to nuke use over Ukraine
BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday in a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that the international community should “jointly oppose the use of nuclear weapons” or the threat of their use over the Ukrainian crisis, China’s official Xinhua News Agency said.
Xi made the rare remarks against the use of nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian war in an apparent bid to show sympathy toward European nations, amid mounting fears about their potential deployment by Russia.
———-
SMBC Nikko president to resign over trading scandal
TOKYO – SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. President Yuichiro Kondo on Friday expressed his intention to resign once he finishes leading the brokerage’s revamp efforts following a market manipulation scandal that caused former executives to be indicted.
“I would like to step down to take responsibility once the company gets back on track,” Kondo told a press conference without giving any time frame. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart for having betrayed everyone’s trust.”
