Tokyo, 6 November, /AJMEDIA/
N. Korea fires 4 short-range ballistic missiles off its west coast
SEOUL – North Korea fired four short-range ballistic missiles off its west coast on Saturday, the South Korean military said, following a series of missile launches in recent days in protest against an extended U.S.-South Korea joint air exercise.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the launches toward the Yellow Sea from Tongrim County in North Pyongan Province between around 11:32 a.m. and 11:59 a.m.
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Japan asks U.S. to loosen rules around EV tax credits
TOKYO – The Japanese government said Saturday it has asked Washington to loosen new rules around electric vehicle tax credits in the United States, on the grounds that they are putting Japanese automakers at a disadvantage.
The revised rules governing the tax credits for purchasing environmentally friendly vehicles, such as EVs, now require final assembly to take place in North America, limiting the range of Japanese EVs qualified for the purchase support.
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Football: Marinos beat Vissel, hold off Frontale to win J-League title
KOBE – Yokohama F Marinos sealed the J-League first-division championship on a hectic final day of the season Saturday, beating Vissel Kobe 3-1 as title rivals and two-time defending holders Kawasaki Frontale overcame FC Tokyo 3-2 despite being reduced to 10 men.
Starting the day two points ahead of prefectural rivals Frontale in the standings and with a double-digit lead in goal difference, Marinos were all but guaranteed their fifth title if they could muster a draw on the road at Noevir Stadium.
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Estonian foreign minister calls for more U.S. troops in Europe
KYIV – Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu has called for an increased U.S. military presence in Europe, stressing that a Ukrainian defeat in the war with Russia would result in “an existential threat to our statehood” and the European security architecture.
There were 300,000 U.S. troops on the continent in the closing period of the Cold War when Mikhail Gorbachev was the last leader of the Soviet Union, but now, “despite the war going on, with additional U.S. units sent,” the U.S. military presence is three times smaller, Reinsalu said in a recent online interview.
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Nissan planned to join M’bishi group in 2019 to escape Renault’s sway
TOKYO – Nissan Motor Co. agreed with Mitsubishi Motors Corp. in September 2019 to join forces under a new company controlled by major trading company Mitsubishi Corp. to escape the influence of its top shareholder Renault SA, sources familiar with the negotiations said Saturday.
The plan would have seen Mitsubishi acquire up to 22 percent of Renault’s 43 percent stake in Nissan, but things came to an abrupt halt following the resignation of Nissan’s president at the time over the receipt of overpaid executive bonuses, according to the sources including a former Nissan executive involved in the negotiations.
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Children troubled by parents’ religion want “exit” system: survey
TOKYO – A recent survey of the children of followers of religious groups has found strong support for establishing a mechanism for them to “escape” both their parents and the groups if they are troubled by the group’s activities.
Social Research Action Chiki Lab. said 73.0 percent of respondents to its survey of so-called “second-generation” members of religious organizations — children who have also been enrolled in their parents’ religious organizations — replied in the affirmative when asked if such a system should be introduced.
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Over 80% of Japanese adults find tobacco smoke unpleasant: survey
TOKYO – Around 83 percent of people aged 18 and older in Japan find tobacco smoke unpleasant, a recent government survey found, highlighting widespread negative sentiment among the public toward secondhand smoke.
Although the government in April 2020 imposed a general ban on smoking in indoor spaces used by multiple people, nearly half of respondents answered they want stricter measures to stop secondhand smoking, according to the Cabinet Office survey released Friday.
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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.
