Tokyo, 23 October, /AJMEDIA/
Xi Jinping to launch new China leadership filled with allies
BEIJING – China will launch Sunday a new leadership under Xi Jinping expected to be filled with his loyalists, with the 69-year-old breaking the norm on retirement age and staying on as the Communist Party general secretary for a third five-year term.
The announcement on the composition of the Communist Party’s highest-decision making body, the Politburo Standing Committee, and the wider Politburo comes a day after the party further cemented Xi’s power through an amendment to its supreme rule at the end of its twice-a-decade congress in Beijing.
———-
Japan intervenes again to support yen against U.S. dollar: sources
TOKYO – Japan intervened in the currency market again Friday during New York trading to stem the yen’s slide against the U.S. dollar, following its first such attempt last month to support the Japanese currency in 24 years, sources close to the matter said Saturday.
The country’s currency surged by nearly 6 yen to 146.20 within hours Friday in New York, with the rapid swing fueling speculation that Japanese authorities conducted a yen-buying, dollar-selling market intervention for the second time.
———-
Japan, Australia to jointly tackle contingencies amid China’s rise
PERTH, Australia – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese pledged Saturday to join hands to tackle contingencies that may affect the sovereignty of their countries, amid China’s growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region.
In a joint declaration on security cooperation, signed by the two nations for the first time in 15 years, Japan and Australia also agreed to deepen trilateral security relations with the United States, while promising to boost their practical defense engagement.
———-
Japan emperor, empress visit Okinawa for 1st time since enthronement
NAHA, Japan – Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Saturday paid tribute to the war dead at local memorial sites in Okinawa, marking their first visit to the island prefecture since his enthronement in 2019.
At the National War Dead Peace Mausoleum in the city of Itoman, where the remains of some 180,000 war dead are kept, the imperial couple offered flowers and met with around 20 people, including surviving family members, observing the scene.
———-
Taiwan urges China to abandon old thinking of aggression
TAIPEI – Taiwan urged China on Saturday to settle the cross-strait issue peacefully, saying it needs to “abandon the old mentality of aggression and confrontation,” as the mainland’s ruling Communist Party expressed resolute opposition to independence of the island in its supreme rule.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, in a statement, said it is the responsibility of both sides to stabilize the situation in the Taiwan Strait and urged Beijing to resolve cross-strait differences in a peaceful, reciprocal and pragmatic manner.
———-
Football: Former Japan international striker Masato Kudo dies at 32
MIYAZAKI, Japan – Former Japan international striker Masato Kudo, who also had stints with the Vancouver Whitecaps in Canada and Brisbane Roar in Australia, died Friday, his J-League third-division team Tegevajaro Miyazaki said. He was 32.
Kudo had been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the ventricles deep within the brain. He felt unwell on Oct. 2 and was hospitalized a day later.