Tokyo, 21 September, /AJMEDIA/
U.N. chief warns of “global dysfunction” amid Russia’s war on Ukraine
NEW YORK – U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday warned that “colossal global dysfunction” is impeding efforts toward solving food insecurity and climate change issues, as world leaders gathered to address the United Nations amid tensions over Russia’s war on Ukraine.
“Our world is in peril — and paralyzed,” Guterres said, adding that geopolitical divides are undermining the work of the U.N. Security Council and “all forms of international cooperation.”
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BOJ likely to keep policy despite weaker yen as peers raise rates
TOKYO – The Bank of Japan is widely expected to maintain ultralow rates at the end of its regular two-day meeting from Wednesday, bolstering the case that it will remain a laggard among major central banks in shifting to monetary tightening, even at the expense of a weaker yen.
After the yen slumped to a 24-year low against the U.S. dollar and Japanese authorities warned of direct currency intervention to avoid a further slide, financial markets were on alert for any hints of a change in the BOJ’s messaging on yen weakness and inflation, which has stayed above its 2 percent target.
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Japan, Britain vow to sign defense cooperation pact at early date
NEW YORK – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his British counterpart Liz Truss on Tuesday agreed to sign a bilateral defense cooperation pact at an early date and to step up talks on a proposal to jointly develop a fighter jet, according to Japan’s government.
During their first meeting since Truss took office earlier this month, the leaders also shared “serious concern” about attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force in the East and South China seas, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said, as China’s maritime activities increase there.
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Apple to raise app prices in Japan, eurozone, other markets
NEW YORK – Apple Inc. will raise prices for apps sold on its products in some countries including Japan as well as the eurozone next month, according to a notice by the IT giant, amid the U.S. dollar’s solid rally against other major currencies.
The notice dated Monday said that along with apps for sale on iPhones and its other products, Apple will also hike prices for purchases made in each app from Oct. 5.
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Liking opposition on Facebook can land you in jail: Myanmar junta
YANGON – Myanmar’s ruling military said Tuesday that sharing social media posts by a pro-democracy shadow government, or even liking them on Facebook, can construe endorsement and be punished with a jail term of up to 10 years.
Spokesman Zaw Min Tun told a news conference that the parallel government, called the National Unity Government, and its related organizations, including the People’s Defense Force, are terrorist groups and therefore those who support them via social media are supporting terror acts “directly or indirectly.”
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Japan begins giving Omicron booster shots to stem 7th COVID wave
TOKYO – Japan on Tuesday began its rollout of vaccines against the Omicron coronavirus variant as part of efforts to stem the ongoing seventh wave of COVID-19 infections in the country.
Those aged 60 and older and medical workers yet to receive their fourth shots will be given priority, with eligibility to be expanded from around mid-October to those aged 12 and above and vaccinated at least twice. The government also plans to start workplace vaccinations in late October.
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Xi to make Taiwan reunification long-term goal at party congress
BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping is planning to describe at the upcoming once-in-five-years congress of the ruling Communist Party the reunification of self-ruled democratic Taiwan with the mainland as a long-term goal, according to party and government sources.
A plan has been studied for Xi to state at the congress next month that the reunification would be indispensable to realizing Beijing’s goal of attaining “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” which the leader aims to bring about by the mid-21th century, according to the sources.
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Tennis: Naomi Osaka advances as injured Saville retires in Tokyo
TOKYO – Host country favorite Naomi Osaka advanced to the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open on Tuesday as her Australian opponent Daria Saville had to retire early in the first set with a knee injury.
Saville fell to the court in pain after hitting a forehand in her first service game at Tokyo’s Ariake tennis park. It happened after defending champion but unseeded Osaka, ranked 48th in the world, held her serve in the opening game.
