Tokyo, 2 September, /AJMEDIA/
Yen slumps to fresh 24-yr low in 140 zone per U.S. dollar
NEW YORK – The Japanese yen weakened to a fresh 24-year low in the 140 zone per U.S. dollar in New York on Thursday, weighed down by growing speculation that the interest rate gap between the United States and Japan will widen.
The Japanese currency continued to slide further against the dollar after hitting its weakest level since September 1998 in the 139 zone in Tokyo.
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New submersion method in consideration for Fukushima debris cleanup
TOKYO – The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which suffered core meltdowns in 2011, is considering a new submersion method for removing radioactive fuel debris that would wholly encase a reactor building in a water-filled, tank-like structure, a source close to the company said Thursday.
Conceptual breakthroughs with the method, whose advantages include using water’s ability to interrupt radiation and thereby provide a safer working environment, have made it a promising candidate for the cleanup of the defunct nuclear plant, according to the source close to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.
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Japan, Taiwan to begin talks on evacuation plans amid China’s threats
TOKYO – Japanese lawmakers and Taiwan’s government have agreed to begin talks on how to evacuate Japan’s citizens in the event of a possible Chinese invasion of the island, a politician said Thursday.
The agreement was reached when a delegation of Japanese lawmakers made a trip to Taiwan in August, weeks after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the third-highest-ranking official of the nation, visited the self-ruled island.
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JAXA aims to launch new flagship H3 rocket in FY 2022 after delays
TOKYO – Japan’s space agency said Thursday it aims to launch a new flagship H3 rocket within fiscal 2022, after its first flight was postponed twice due to the discovery of defects.
The problems, such as with the rocket’s engine, have been solved through steps including a change in its design, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said, allowing for the launch of the first H3 rocket, which was originally scheduled to take off in fiscal 2020.
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Tokyo Olympic sponsor accused of bribery allegedly paid ex-PM Mori
TOKYO – Clothing retailer Aoki Holdings Inc., which is embroiled in a Tokyo Olympic Games sponsorship bribery case, allegedly gave money to the former president of the games organizing committee Yoshiro Mori, a source close to the matter said Thursday.
Tokyo prosecutors are investigating the purpose and the timing of the suspected payment to Mori, a former prime minister of Japan, who stepped down as head of the committee months before the Summer Games after it was revealed he made sexist remarks, the source said.
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Japanese, South Koreans see each other more favorably, poll shows
TOKYO – Japanese and South Koreans both see each other’s country more favorably than last year, but ill feelings linger after years of soured political relations between the Asian neighbors over wartime issues, a survey showed Thursday.
Japanese who have unfavorable feelings about South Korea stood at 40.3 percent, down 8.5 percentage points, while South Koreans who hold a negative impression of Japan came to 52.8 percent, down 10.4 points, according to the poll conducted by nonprofit think tank Genron NPO and the Seoul-based East Asia Institute.
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Taiwan to enhance cooperation with U.S. state despite China pressure
TAIPEI – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met with the governor of Arizona on Thursday, agreeing to boost cooperation in the semiconductor and other high-tech industries in defiance of pressure from China, which opposes official contact between the island and the United States.
“This will help build more secure and more resilient supply chains,” Tsai told a delegation led by Gov. Doug Ducey, underscoring that Taiwan needs such cooperation in the face of authoritarian expansionism and post-pandemic economic challenges.
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Wife of Malaysia’s ex-premier Najib sentenced to 10 years for graft
KUALA LUMPUR – A Malaysian court on Thursday sentenced the wife of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to 10 years in prison and fined 970 million ringgit ($216 million) for seeking and receiving bribes in connection with a government supply contract.
Rosmah Mansor, 70, who is vilified in Malaysia for her lavish shopping sprees and opulent lifestyle, was convicted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on counts of soliciting 187.5 million ringgit ($42 million) in 2016 and accepting 6.5 million ringgit from a contractor for helping it to secure a contract to install hybrid solar systems in rural schools.
