Tokyo, 15 September, /AJMEDIA/
Japan, U.S. eye joint research to counter hypersonic weapons
WASHINGTON – Japan and the United States agreed on joint technological research to counter hypersonic weapons, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Wednesday, as the two countries work to closely align their security strategies in the face of China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
The agreement was reached during talks between Hamada and his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon, their first in-person meeting since Hamada replaced Nobuo Kishi as defense minister in early August.
———-
Japan to extend financial support for Ukraine evacuees by 6 months
TOKYO – Japan’s immigration agency said Wednesday it will extend by six months a program providing financial assistance to evacuees who fled to the country from Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in February.
As the current six-month support period is due to expire from late September, the Immigration Services Agency has decided to extend the program for evacuees living in Japan without guarantors for an additional 180 days.
———-
40% of evacuees from Afghanistan have left Japan over poor support
TOKYO – Around 40 percent of the 169 people who fled to Japan from Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in August last year have left their new home due to what they say was pressure and a lack of support from the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
Although Japan has granted refugee status to 98 people, 58 returned to Afghanistan despite the risk of persecution by the Taliban, while seven left for the United States and Britain, according to the evacuees.
———-
Japan logs 2.82 tril. yen trade deficit in August
TOKYO – Japan posted a goods trade deficit of 2.82 trillion yen ($19.7 billion) in August, the Finance Ministry said Thursday, marking the 13th straight month of red ink.
Imports gained 49.9 percent from a year ago while exports increased 22.1 percent, the ministry’s preliminary data showed.
———-
Ukraine war in focus for world leaders set to address U.N. next week
NEW YORK – World leaders will engage in diplomatic events next week at the United Nations headquarters in New York as part of the General Assembly, with a focus on each country’s position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The leaders and high-level officials from some 140 countries plan to deliver speeches during the annual general debate session, which will begin Tuesday in a completely in-person format for the first time since 2019, following the adoption of virtual or hybrid formats due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
———-
End of COVID pandemic “in sight”: WHO chief
GENEVA – The end of the novel coronavirus pandemic is potentially drawing near and people should therefore step up efforts to prevent any further spread, the chief of the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
“We are not there yet. But the end is in sight,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference, noting that the tally of COVID-19 deaths last week fell to a level seen in March 2020.
———-
Baseball: Ishikawa pitches PL-leading Hawks past Lions
FUKUOKA – Shuta Ishikawa allowed a run while pitching into the seventh inning, and the SoftBank Hawks rode a big first inning to beat the Seibu Lions 6-1 on Wednesday and increase their Pacific League lead to two games.
Ishikawa (6-9) worked a 1-2-3 first inning at PayPay Dome, and his teammates scored five first-inning runs off rookie Chihiro Sumida (1-10). Alfredo Despaigne’s one-out bases-loaded double brought in the game’s first two runs, and three straight RBI singles followed.
———-
Soccer: League leaders F Marinos hold off Sanga to go 5 points clear
KYOTO – Goals from defender Eduardo and striker Elber on either side of halftime and some strong defending sent Yokohama F Marinos five points clear at the top of the J-League first division after Wednesday’s 2-1 away win against Kyoto Sanga.
With both teams attacking furiously in the opening minutes, Eduardo headed in a corner in the 25th minute as Marinos exploited a pair of defensive lapses from the hosts at Sanga Stadium.
