UN nuclear agency chief: Fukushima transparency important
(AP Photo/Hiro Komae) (Hiro Komae)TOKYO — (AP) — The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency stressed the importance of transparency on Friday after visiting the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, where he observed preparations for the release of treated radioactive wastewater that has prompted concerns inside and outside Japan. Rafael Grossi, the director general of IAEA, which is assisting Japan's plan to start releasing the wastewater into the sea next year, said his agency will help maintain transparency throughout the process. On Thursday he visited the Fukushima Daiichi plant, where he observed its ongoing decommissioning and preparations for the wastewater discharge. Last year, the reconstruction agency had to remove a video which portrayed tritium as a cute cartoon character swimming in a glass of water. A massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 destroyed the Fukushima plant’s cooling systems, causing three reactor cores to melt and release large amounts of radiation.
wftv.comUN nuclear agency chief: Fukushima transparency important
The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency has stressed the importance of transparency after visiting the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, where he observed preparations for the release of treated radioactive wastewater that has prompted concerns inside and outside Japan
washingtonpost.comUN nuclear agency chief: Fukushima transparency important
The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency has stressed the importance of transparency after visiting the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, where he observed preparations for the release of treated radioactive wastewater that has prompted concerns inside and outside Japan.
The AP Interview: US trade rep. sees opportunity in recovery
The AP Interview Tai U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai gestures during an interview with The Associated Press in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 20, 2022. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai arrived in Thailand for meetings with Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group trade ministers, the same day President Joe Biden started an Asia visit in South Korea. Even before the announcement, expected Monday, Japan welcomed the initiative, expressing its support Friday and saying it was considering joining. Before she was appointed USTR, Tai was chief trade counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee, where she handled negotiations over a revamped North American trade deal. “So the engagement that we will bring by nature, inherently will be different from China’s engagement in the region.
wftv.comThe AP Interview: US trade rep. sees opportunity in recovery
The top U.S. trade negotiator says with world economies all suffering from more than two years of the coronavirus pandemic and global supply problems exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States has an “incredible opportunity” to engage with other nations and forge new partnerships and agreements.
Japan welcomes new US Indo-Pacific economic initiative
Japan welcomes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a new U.S. economic initiative for the Indo-Pacific region that President Biden is expected to roll out during his Tokyo visit next week. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) (Hiro Komae)TOKYO — (AP) — Japan welcomes a new U.S. economic initiative for the Indo-Pacific that President Joe Biden is expected to roll out during a visit to Tokyo next week because it demonstrates American commitment to a regional economic order that is not just about market access, an official said Friday. Biden is proposing the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, or IPEF, as an alternative to the Trans-Pacific Partnership which the United States dropped out of in 2017 under former President Donald Trump. While details of the new initiative are still to be discussed in Tokyo, Japan has already expressed its support and says it is considering joining. “We are hoping this IPEF will lead to ... a more proactive engagement of the United States in the Indo-Pacific economic order."
wftv.comJapan welcomes new US Indo-Pacific economic initiative
Japan is welcoming a new U.S. economic initiative for the Indo-Pacific that President Joe Biden is expected to roll out during a visit to Tokyo next week because it demonstrates American commitment to a regional economic order that is not just about market access.
As Biden visits Asia, China launches South China Sea drills
China Military Exercises FILE - President Joe Biden waves as he boards Air Force One for a trip to South Korea and Japan, on May 19, 2022, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. China is holding military exercises in the disputed South China Sea coinciding with U.S. President Joe Biden’s visits to South Korea and Japan that are largely focused on countering the perceived threat from China. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, File) (Gemunu Amarasinghe)BEIJING — (AP) — China is holding military exercises in the disputed South China Sea coinciding with U.S. President Joe Biden's visits to South Korea and Japan that are largely focused on countering the perceived threat from Beijing. China claims the South China Sea virtually in its entirety and the crucial waterway has become a potential flashpoint for conflict in Asia. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan also exercise overlapping claims in the South China Sea.
wftv.comNaomi Osaka gets rematch as she returns to French Open
Italy Tennis Open Naomi Osaka, of Japan, listens to her coach Wim Fissette during a training session on the occasion of the Italian Open tennis tournament, in Rome, Friday, May 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (Gregorio Borgia)PARIS — (AP) — Naomi Osaka’s return to the French Open will be a tough test against the player who beat her at the Australian Open, Amanda Anisimova. They were paired in the bracket during Thursday’s draw at Roland Garros for the clay-court major tennis tournament. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz all were placed on the same half of the men’s bracket. 1, could meet 13-time champion Nadal in the quarterfinals.
wftv.comWhat Is the ‘Quad’ and Should China Fear It?
As the White House tries to demonstrate that the war in Ukraine hasn’t distracted America from pressing priorities in Asia, the Biden administration is once again looking to “the Quad.” The informal grouping brings together the US, Japan, India and Australia in an alliance of democracies with shared economic and security interests that span the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The point is to maintain a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” but the unstated priority is countering China’s growing power, which
washingtonpost.comMan in Japan gambles COVID town funds mistakenly sent to him
Japan COVID Funds Gambled Media gather outside a police station following a report that police arrested a man who has allegedly gambled away 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 relief aid mistakenly deposited into his bank account in Yamaguchi prefecture, western Japan, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Police said they arrested Sho Taguchi, a 24-year-old jobless resident, in the town of Abu town in western Japan, on suspicion of computer fraud, on Wednesday. Sho Taguchi, a 24-year-old jobless resident in the town of Abu in western Japan, was arrested on Wednesday, Yamaguchi prefectural police said. The funds were COVID-19 subsidies that were deposited into his bank account in April. Taguchi's arrest was based on his alleged transfer of 4 million yen ($31,300) of the town money paid into an account believed to be an online gambling site.
wftv.comLive updates | Japan to double Ukraine aid to $600 million
The new pledge, combined with the $300 million Japan promised last month, brings Tokyo’s total contribution to $600 million. Roman Starovoit said the Ukrainian shelling early Thursday hit a driver who drove his truck to a distillery in the village of Tetkino. Russian authorities have repeatedly reported damage and casualties from the Ukrainian shelling of areas on the border. ___KYIV, Ukraine — A regional governor in Ukraine says four civilians have been killed by the latest Russian shelling. Serhiy Haidai said they died Wednesday when Russian troops bombarded the town of Sievierodonetsk.
wftv.comJapan records trade deficit as imports surge on energy costs
Japan Trade Cars for export park at a port in Yokohama, near Tokyo on July 6, 2020. Japan recorded a trade deficit in April as imports ballooned 28% as energy prices soared following the war in Ukraine, according to Ministry of Finance data released Thursday, May 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) (Koji Sasahara)TOKYO — (AP) — Japan recorded a trade deficit in April as imports ballooned 28% after energy prices soared following the war in Ukraine. Japan’s trade deficit totaled 839 billion yen ($7 billion) in April, for the ninth straight monthly deficit. Japan had annual trade deficits in the years 2011 through 2015, as costs of energy imports rose, and exports gradually declined.
wftv.comClimber from Japan dies after crevasse fall in Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — (AP) — A climber from Japan is presumed dead following a fall into a crevasse on Mount Hunter in Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve, officials said. Mountaineering rangers with the park were notified of the fall, at the base of Mount Hunter’s North Buttress, late Tuesday, the statement said. A ranger rappelled into the crevasse as far as possible and found that the ice bridge collapse had filled the crevasse with a large volume of snow and ice, the statement said. “The climber is presumed dead based on the volume of ice, the distance of the fall and the duration of the burial. Meanwhile, the park said it had recovered on Tuesday the body of Austrian solo climber Matthias Rimml following his death earlier this month on Denali, North America's tallest peak.
wftv.comUS: N. Korea may conduct missile test as Biden visits Asia
WASHINGTON — (AP) — U.S. intelligence shows that it's a “genuine possibility” that North Korea will conduct another ballistic missile test or nuclear test around President Joe Biden's visit to South Korea and Japan that begins later this week, according to the White House. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Wednesday said that the U.S. is preparing for North Korea to conduct a “long range missile test, or a nuclear test or frankly both” in the days leading up to, during, or after Biden’s trip to the region. The president is set to arrive in South Korea on Friday before heading to Japan on Sunday. Kim Tae-hyo, Yoon’s deputy national security adviser, told reporters Wednesday that North Korea probably won’t conduct a nuclear test this week but that its preparations for another ICBM test appeared imminent. The report did not make a direct reference to a major weapons test.
wftv.comUS: N. Korea may conduct missile test as Biden visits Asia
A senior Biden administration official says U.S. intelligence shows that it’s a “genuine possibility” that North Korea will conduct another ballistic missile test or nuclear test around President Joe Biden’s visit to South Korea and Japan that begins later this week.
INDY DAY 1: Sato, Honda strong on opening day of practice
IndyCar Indy 500 Auto Racing Takuma Sato, of Japan, leaves the pits during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in Indianapolis. VeeKay was the fastest driver without a tow at 221.552 mph. When Daly returned to his motorhome Tuesday, he discovered the hot tub had been tampered with and deemed it “no longer usable. At least for a long time.”"I would like to announce that my hot tub has been bamboozled," Daly posted on Twitter. He did not reveal what had happened to his hot tub.
wftv.comUkraine star Karol in Japan, says her country will rebuild
Japan Ukraine Tina Karol, Ukrainian singer and actress, poses prior to a press conference with Hiroshi Mikitani, CEO of Rakuten, Inc. and Sergiy Korsunsky, Ambassador of Ukraine to Japan, not in picture, at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, Monday, May 16, 2022, in Tokyo. “My weapon is language and music,” Karol said in Tokyo as she concluded a weeklong visit to rally support for Ukraine. Karol came to Japan at the invitation of Rakuten Group founder and CEO Hiroshi Mikitani, who first met her during his 2019 business trip to Ukraine. Japan has provided humanitarian and financial support for Ukraine and has so far accepted about 800 evacuees from that country — a rare move for Japan given its extremely strict immigration policy. “We will win and we will rebuild our country," Karol said.
wftv.comUkraine star Karol in Japan, says her country will rebuild
Singer Tina Karol said Monday from Japan that she and her fellow Ukrainians will not give up defending their land and culture from Russian invasion and are determined to win the war and rebuild an even more beautiful country. “My weapon is language and music,” Karol said in Tokyo as she concluded a weeklong visit to rally support for Ukraine. Karol came to Japan at the invitation of Rakuten Group founder and CEO Hiroshi Mikitani, who first met her during his 2019 business trip to Ukraine.
news.yahoo.comJapan's tatami mats, a home-grown tradition
Grass-and-straw tatami mats – once a privilege reserved for the elite – have been a key feature of Japanese architecture since the Middle Ages, crafted by gifted artisans. But now, with cheap knockoffs and changing lifestyles, the industry is at a crossroads.
cbsnews.comMunoz shoots 60 at Byron Nelson, record 2nd this season
Byron Nelson Golf Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, reacts after putting on the 18th hole during the first round of the AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, on Thursday, May 12, 2022. Munoz was at 2-under par a one-stroke penalty because of a wayward tee shot at the eighth hole. The 29-year-old Colombian, who lives in the Dallas area, then went 6-under in the next four holes. In the middle of the fairway after his tee shot at the 18th hole, another par 5, Munoz missed the green to the right. TPC Craig Ranch, the second-year home of the Nelson, is about 30 miles north of downtown Dallas and 30 miles east of the University of North Texas, where Munoz went to school.
wftv.comKorean War vet, 91, has been on a 70-year search for Japanese woman he says was his first love
A 91-year-old Korean War Navy veteran is hoping to find his first love, who he met during his time as a second class petty officer in Japan in 1953. Duane Mann, 91, wrote a Facebook post on May 1 hoping to find someone who recognizes the woman in a photo he took in 1953, whose name he says is Peggy Yamaguchi. In the post, Mann explains that while he was stationed in Japan from 1953 to 1954 at age 23, he met Yamaguchi at an Air Force NCO Club, where he worked as a slot machine repairman in his spare time and Yamaguchi worked as the “hat check girl.”
news.yahoo.comEarthquake shakes area between Taiwan, Japan; no tsunami
TAIPEI, Taiwan — (AP) — A strong earthquake shook seas between eastern Taiwan and southwestern Japan on Monday, but authorities said there was no danger of a tsunami. Japanese authorities said a magnitude 6.6 quake struck off the southern and westernmost island of Yonaguni, which is about 110 kilometers (66 miles) east of Taiwan. The Japan Meteorological Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami. The meteorological agency said the 3:23 p.m. (0623GMT) quake struck 20 kilometers (12 miles) below the sea surface. The agency said there may be small swelling of the water but there was no danger of a tsunami.
wftv.comChina trade weakens after cities shut down to fight virus
China's export growth tumbled in April after Shanghai and other industrial cities were shut down to fight virus outbreaks. Reflecting weak Chinese demand, imports crept up 0.7% to $222.5 billion, in line with the previous month’s growth below 1%. Exports to the United States rose 9.5% to $46 billion despite lingering tariff hikes in a fight over Beijing’s technology ambitions. China’s global trade surplus widened by 19.4% to $51.1 billion while the politically volatile surplus with the United States contracted by 65% to $9.8 billion. Beijing has criticized trade and financial sanctions imposed on Moscow by the United States, Europe and Japan.
wftv.comLive updates | Japan joins G-7 effort to quit Russian oil
TOKYO — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says Japan will slowly phase out Russian oil imports in unity with the Group of Seven’s effort against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Leaders from the G-7 countries met online Sunday and announced their commitment to ban or phase out Russian oil imports in their latest effort to pressure Moscow into ending its aggression on Ukraine. “It’s an extremely difficult decision for a country that mostly relies on energy imports, including oil,” Kishida told reporters Monday. About 4% of Japanese oil imports come from Russia. The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross have been coordinating the evacuations.
wftv.comChina's 6-10 Han among international WNBA players to watch
International Players Basketball FILE - China's Han Xu (15) shoots over Serbia's Tina Krajisnik during a women's basketball quarterfinal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Aug. 4, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. Han feels more ready to play in the WNBA and is one of 21 international players on opening day rosters from countries all over the globe, including Australia, Belgium, Canada and Japan. “During the past few years, she gained a lot of confidence and now is trying not to be in her head when she plays basketball,” Han said via interpreter. First-year Liberty coach Sandy Brondello has seen Han play many times overseas with China and is happy to have her back in New York. She returned to the U.S. earlier than usual this offseason after all the WNBA players left Russia because of the country's invasion of Ukraine.
wftv.comSouth Korea, Japan to take on Brazil; Iran slow off the mark
While Japan and South Korea will start fine-tuning for the World Cup with high-profile warm-ups against Brazil next month, there are concerns in Iran that Asia’s top-ranked team has been slow off the mark with its preparations. Iran is in Group B with England and the United States at the World Cup, which kicks off Nov. 21 in Qatar.
news.yahoo.comWhy the Yen Has Weakened and What Japan Is Doing About It
The Bank of Japan stands out among major central banks with its commitment to maintain rock-bottom interest rates to boost a moribund economy, even as surging inflation worldwide spurs the U.S. Federal Reserve to roll back stimulus and raise rates. As a result, the yen has weakened dramatically, hitting a 20-year low against the dollar in April. While BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda has said he’s not bothered by a weaker yen, Japan’s government bonds haven’t been immune from the global rout spurred
washingtonpost.comNew Zealand welcomes back tourists as pandemic rules eased
New Zealand Tourists Families embrace after a flight from Los Angeles arrived at Auckland International Airport as New Zealand's border opened for visa-waiver countries Monday, May 2, 2022. New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years as it dropped most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. (Jed Bradley/New Zealand Herald via AP) (Jed Bradley)WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years Monday after dropping most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. But international tourism stopped altogether in early 2020 after New Zealand imposed some of the world's toughest border restrictions. New Zealand reopened to tourists from Australia three weeks ago and on Monday to about 60 visa-waiver countries, including much of Europe.
wftv.comNew Zealand welcomes back tourists as pandemic rules eased
New Zealand Tourists Families embrace after a flight from Los Angeles arrived at Auckland International Airport as New Zealand's border opened for visa-waiver countries Monday, May 2, 2022. New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years as it dropped most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. (Jed Bradley/New Zealand Herald via AP) (Jed Bradley)WELLINGTON, New Zealand — (AP) — New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years Monday after dropping most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. But international tourism stopped altogether in early 2020 after New Zealand imposed some of the world's toughest border restrictions. New Zealand reopened to tourists from Australia three weeks ago and on Monday to about 60 visa-waiver countries, including much of Europe.
wftv.comAngels' Ohtani expects to play Monday, day after early exit
Angels White Sox Baseball Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, right, celebrates with Shohei Ohtani, of Japan, after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, May 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (Nam Y. Huh)CHICAGO — (AP) — Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani said he expects to play Monday, a day after making an early exit because of tightness in his right groin. The two-way AL MVP was the Angels' designated hitter when he was pulled for a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of Sunday's 6-5 win over the Chicago White Sox. Ohtani said he expects to be in the lineup for the series finale against the White Sox. Angels manager Joe Maddon said Ohtani might have tweaked his groin running to first in the seventh inning on a grounder back to pitcher Jose Ruiz that the White Sox turned into a double play.
wftv.comJapanese, Vietnamese leaders reject use of force in Ukraine
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discussed the war in Ukraine with Vietnamese leaders on Sunday and said they agreed on the respect for international law and rejection of the use of force. Japan has condemned Russia's invasion and joined Western nations in imposing sanctions against Moscow. Vietnam, like most other Southeast Asian nations, has avoided directly criticizing Russia and has called for restraint, the respect of the U.N. charter and dialogue to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict.
news.yahoo.comWard, Ohtani homer to back 3-hitter, Angels top ChiSox 5-1
Angels White Sox Baseball Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani, of Japan, hits a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Friday, April 29, 2022. Los Angeles pitchers retired 18 straight White Sox batters on a night when scheduled Angels starter Noah Syndergaard was scratched because of an undisclosed illness. Raisel Iglesias got the final two outs and his sixth save as the White Sox loaded the bases. Ohtani’s shot to left-center with two outs made it 2-0The White Sox cut it to 2-1 in the bottom half. UP NEXT:Angels LHP José Suarez (0-1, 5.54) is scheduled to face White Sox RHP Vince Velasquez (0-2, 6.75) on Saturday afternoon.
wftv.comOperator of sunken Japanese tour boat had previous accidents
The head of the company that operated a tourist boat that sank off northern Japan with 26 people aboard said Wednesday he approved the trip despite a broken communication device and forecasts of rough weather, as officials investigated previous accidents involving the company. The sightseeing boat Kazu 1 with two crew was taking 24 passengers, including two children, on a scenic tour of Shiretoko National Park on the northeastern side of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island, when it sent a distress call Saturday afternoon saying it was sinking. The area, near Kashuni Waterfall, is a difficult place to maneuver because of its rocky coastline and strong tide.
news.yahoo.comJapanese household that accidentally received $360,000 COVID subsidy says it ‘can’t be returned’
A town in western Japan revealed on Friday that a household who mistakenly received 46.3 million yen (around $361,450) in COVID-19 subsidies said they now cannot return the money. The town of Abu in Yamaguchi Prefecture planned to distribute the COVID subsidy funds amongst 463 low-income households exempt from residential taxes. Each household who applied was to receive 100,000 yen (around $781).
news.yahoo.comTour boat with 26 missing in Japan after distress call
TOKYO — (AP) — Japan's coast guard says a tour boat with 26 people aboard has been missing for more than seven hours after issuing a distress call and taking in water. The coast guard said Saturday no survivors have been found so far. It says the 19-ton Kazu 1 made an emergency call in early afternoon, saying the ship’s bow had flooded and was beginning to sink and tilt when it was traveling off the western coast of Shiretoko Peninsula in the northern island of Hokkaido. The tour boat has since lost contact. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
wftv.comJapan says disputed islands 'illegally occupied by Russia'
Japan describes four islands whose ownership it disputes with Moscow as “illegally occupied by Russia” in the latest version of a diplomatic report released Friday, using stronger language to describe the territorial flap than other recent versions and underscoring the chilled relations between the two sides amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Japan, which is struggling to improve ties with Moscow to regain control of the Kurils, which Tokyo calls the Northern Territories, had previously described the dispute in a softer tone. “The Northern Territories are a group of islands Japan has sovereignty over and an integral part of Japan’s territory, but currently they are illegally occupied by Russia,” the ministry said in the report.
news.yahoo.comU.S. Supreme Court ruling allows Puerto Rico's exclusion from welfare benefits
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a bid to extend a federal program offering benefits to low-income elderly, blind and disabled people to residents of Puerto Rico, finding that Congress had the authority to prevent those living in the American territory from receiving the assistance.
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