YOSHIHIDE SUGA

Hundreds of thousands of foreigners have been denied entry to study, work or visit families in Japan, which has kept its doors closed to most overseas visitors during the pandemic.

Tokyo has launched a mass inoculation drive for COVID-19 booster shots at a temporary center operated by the military as Japan tries to speed up delayed third jabs to counter surging infections.

President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have used their first formal meeting to discuss concerns about China’s growing military assertiveness.

Biden President Joe Biden speaks with members of the press about the Texas synagogue hostage incident before volunteering with first lady Jill Biden at hunger relief organization Philabundance, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Philadelphia. — (AP) — President Joe Biden will meet virtually with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan on Friday, as the omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to surge around the world. The White House said Sunday the meeting will take place to highlight the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance. The two are looking to deepen ties in the face of China's growing economic and military clout in the region. In April, Biden met in person with then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who traveled to Washington for talks.

President Joe Biden will meet virtually with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan on Friday.

After slow starts, vaccination campaigns in several countries in the Asia-Pacific region now boast inoculation rates that rank among the world’s best.

Japan's Cabinet has approved a record 56 trillion yen, or $490 billion stimulus package, including cash handouts and aid to ailing businesses, to help the economy out of the doldrums worsened by the coronavirus pandemic.

Japan Politics Fumio Kishida, center, bows after being reelected as Japan's prime minister at the parliament's lower house Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (Eugene Hoshiko)TOKYO — (AP) — Fumio Kishida was reelected as Japan’s prime minister on Wednesday after his governing party scored a major victory in key parliamentary elections. Kishida promises to create a reinforcing cycle of growth and improved economic distribution to raise incomes under his “new capitalism” economic policy. At a government meeting Tuesday, Kishida renewed his pledge to create a positive cycle of growth-distribution by bolstering investment and income. As a former foreign minister, Kishida will continue to prioritize the Japan-U.S. security alliance and promote a vision of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” with other democracies, including Quad dialogue members the U.S., Australia and India.

Fumio Kishida is set to be reelected as Japan's prime minister after clearing the first major test of his leadership in recent elections.

Asian shares are mixed amid cautious trading ahead of a Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting.

Stocks have advanced in Asia, with Tokyo's benchmark up 2.5% after the ruling Liberal Democrats won a stronger than expected majority in an election Sunday.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says Japan should revitalize its economy through “new capitalism" and many in this country are puzzled over exactly what he has in mind.

Japan Election A voter casts a ballot in the lower house elections as representatives of a local election administration commission observes at a polling station Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, in Tokyo. Up for grabs are 465 seats in the lower house, the more powerful of the two-chamber Japanese Diet, or parliament. Kishida dissolved the lower house only 10 days after taking office, calling for this election and declaring that he wanted a mandate from voters for his new government before getting to work. He wants to jointly keep their majority, which would be 233 seats in the 465-member lower house. Kishida, in his final speech Saturday in Tokyo, promised to spur growth and “distribute its fruit” to the people as income.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s coalition kept a comfortable majority in a parliamentary election despite losing some seats.

Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida faces a crucial test in Sunday's national parliamentary elections, which will determine if his government will have enough support to stay in power long enough to repair the pandemic-hit economy, and tackle climate change and China’s rise.

Japan has adopted a new energy policy that promotes nuclear and renewables as sources of clean energy to achieve the country’s pledge of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.

Almost overnight, Japan has become a stunning, and somewhat mysterious, coronavirus success story.

Almost overnight, Japan has become a stunning, and somewhat mysterious, coronavirus success story. Daily new COVID-19 cases have plummeted from a mid-August peak of nearly 6,000 in Tokyo, with caseloads in the densely populated capital now routinely below 100, an 11-month low. Japan, unlike other places in Europe and Asia, has never had anything close to a lockdown, just a series of relatively toothless states of emergency.

Japan Yasukuni Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga leaves the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. Suga who stepped down at the end of September, prayed at the shrine during the shrine's autumn festival. The shrine is viewed by China and the Koreas as a symbol of Japanese wartime aggression. (Kyodo News via AP) (124430+0900)TOKYO — (AP) — Japan’s new prime minister donated ritual offerings Sunday to a Tokyo shrine viewed by Chinese and Koreans as a symbol of Japanese wartime aggression, though he did not make a visit in person. Kishida was visiting the 2011 tsunami-hit areas in northern Japan over the weekend and stayed away from the shrine.

Japan Yasukuni Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga leaves the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. Suga who stepped down at the end of September, prayed at the shrine during the shrine's autumn festival. The shrine is viewed by China and the Koreas as a symbol of Japanese wartime aggression. (Kyodo News via AP) (124430+0900)TOKYO — (AP) — Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida donated ritual offerings Sunday to a Tokyo shrine viewed by Chinese and Koreans as a symbol of Japanese wartime aggression, though he did not make a visit in person. Kishida was visiting the 2011 tsunami-hit areas in northern Japan over the weekend and stayed away from the shrine.

APTOPIX Japan Politics Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a news conference at the prime minister's official residence Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, in Tokyo. Kishida dissolved the lower house of parliament Thursday, paving the way for elections Oct. 31 that will be Japan's first of the pandemic. The last lower house election was held in 2017 under Abe, a staunch conservative who pulled the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party further to the right while becoming Japan's longest-serving prime minister. Yukio Edano, head of Japan's opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, told NHK public television that he hopes to make the election “a first step toward changing politics." Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the Democratic Party for the People, criticized Kishida for dissolving the lower house so early in his tenure.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida dissolved the lower house of parliament. The move paves the way for elections Oct. 31, which will be Japan's first of the pandemic.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has dissolved the lower house of parliament for Japan’s first elections of the pandemic.

Japan Politics Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida prepares to deliver his first policy speech during an extraordinary Diet session at the lower house of parliament Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, in Tokyo. A former moderate who recently turned hawk on security issues, he said Japan should also increase preparedness for growing regional threats. North Korea’s missile and nuclear development cannot be tolerated, but Japan seeks to normalize diplomatic ties with Pyongyang by resolving the “unfortunate (wartime) past,” and the decades-old issue of Japanese citizens abducted to the North, Kishida said. Kishida repeated that he is ready to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un toward making a breakthrough. Kishida said he hopes to close divisions caused by the pandemic that has worsened gaps between the rich and the poor.

In his first policy speech, new Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has promised to strengthen the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic in case of another resurgence and revive its battered economy while bolstering defenses against threats from China and North Korea.

Japan Politics Fumio Kishida, center, is applauded after being elected as Japan's prime minister at the parliament's lower house Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, in Tokyo. Kishida was formally elected Monday as Japan's new prime minister in a parliamentary vote, replacing Yoshihide Suga. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (Eugene Hoshiko)TOKYO — (AP) — Japan's new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held his first talks since taking office with President Joe Biden and confirmed they will work to strengthen their alliance and cooperate in regional security in the face of growing challenges from China and North Korea. Kishida has also pledged to beef up Japan’s missile and naval defense capabilities. Holding his first talks as prime minister with the U.S. president serves “a first step toward elevating the Japan-U.S. alliance to even higher levels," Kishida said.

Japan's new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has held his first talks since taking office with President Joe Biden and confirmed they will work together to strengthen their alliance in regional security in the face of growing challenges from China and North Korea.

Japan Politics Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrives at the prime minister's official residence after he and his ministers attended the attestation ceremony of his cabinet at the Imperial Palace Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, in Tokyo. Japan's parliament on Monday elected Kishida, a former moderate turned hawk, as prime minister. Kishida was formally elected by parliament earlier Monday to replace Yoshihide Suga, who resigned after only one year in office. Suga's support had plunged over his handling of the pandemic and insistence on holding the Tokyo Olympics as the virus spread. “Our fight against the coronavirus is continuing," Kishida told his first news conference Monday night after taking office.

Fumio Kishida replaces Yoshihide Suga, who resigned after a year in office as his support plunged over his handling of the pandemic and insistence on holding the Tokyo Olympics as the virus spread.

He's expected to largely keep existing government policies in place – with a top priority almost certainly being the pandemic, which is front and center in Japanese politics.

Japan Politics Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leader Fumio Kishida arrives at the party's headquarters in Tokyo Monday, Oct. 4, 2021. A former foreign minister, Kishida used to be known as a dovish moderate but turned hawkish apparently to win over influential conservatives in the party. He is firmly entrenched in the conservative establishment and his victory in the party election was a choice for continuity and stability over change. Most of the posts went to powerful factions that voted for Kishida in the party election. Kishida is to create a new Cabinet post aimed at tackling economic dimensions of Japan's national security, appointing 46-year-old Takayuki Kobayashi, who is relatively new to parliament.

Newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says he will dissolve the lower house next week in preparation for Oct. 31 elections as he seeks a fresh mandate to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, the sagging economy and security threats from China and North Korea.

Japan lifted its COVID-19 state of emergency in all of the regions on Oct.1. Nearly 59% of Japanese people have been fully vaccinated. Nearly 30 million people are fully vaccinated in the country of 220 million. ___PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s rural areas need better access to COVID-19 testing, the head of the state’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention said. Georgia’s vaccination rate has improved somewhat, with state data showing 47% of all residents are now fully vaccinated.

"I feel it's a new start," said one man as he headed into the office in Tokyo for the first time in more than a year.

Tokyo’s train stations were packed with commuters Friday morning as Japan fully came out of a coronavirus state of emergency for the first time in more than six months.

The two women in the Japanese governing party’s four-way leadership race was a step forward for gender equality.

Fumio Kishida on Wednesday effectively became effectively become Japan's new prime minister after winning the leadership election at Japan's ruling party.

Japan's next prime minister says he believes raising incomes is the only way to get the world's third-largest economy growing again.

Kishida is the nation's former Foreign Minister and won the Liberal Democratic Party's run-off election by a landslide in the second round.

Kishida is the nation's former Foreign Minister and won the Liberal Democratic Party's run-off election by a landslide in the second round.

Ex-Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will have to tackle COVID-19, a battered economy, a declining population and birthrate, and an increasingly assertive China.

Japan Politics Japanese former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida speaks after being announced the winner of the Liberal Democrat Party leadership election in Tokyo Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Kishida replaces outgoing party leader Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is stepping down after serving only one year since taking office last September. As new leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Kishida is certain to be elected the next prime minister on Monday in parliament, where his party and its coalition partner control both houses. His influence in government and party affairs has largely muzzled diverse views and shifted the party to the right. Kishida lost to Suga in the 2020 party leadership race, which was a done deal determined by party heavyweights even before the vote.

Japan Politics Japan's former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida speaks after being announced the winner of the Liberal Democrat Party leadership election in Tokyo Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Kishida has won the governing party leadership election and is set to be become the next prime minister. Kishida replaces outgoing party leader Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is stepping down after serving only one year since taking office last September. As new leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Kishida is certain to be elected the next prime minister on Monday in parliament, where his party and coalition partner control the house. His influence in government and party affairs has largely muzzled diverse views and shifted the party to the right.

(Carl Court/Pool Photo via AP) (Carl Court)TOKYO — (AP) — Japan’s former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has won the governing party leadership election and is set to become the next prime minister. Kishida replaces outgoing party leader Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is stepping down after serving only one year since taking office last September. As new leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Kishida is certain to be elected the next prime minister on Monday in parliament, where his party and coalition partner control the house. The vote there is expected next Monday and the new prime minister would form a new Cabinet later that day. The party vote could also end an era of unusual political stability and return Japan to “revolving door” leadership.

Japanese prosecutors are demanding two years in prison for former Nissan executive Greg Kelly.

Former Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has won the governing party's leadership election and is set to become the country's next prime minister.

Australia's government is ramping up pressure on states to end pandemic lockdowns by outlining plans to end financial aid.

Suga announced the coronavirus state of emergency will end Thursday so the economy can be reactivated as infections slow. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced virus restrictions will be eased gradually. Russia’s state coronavirus task force reported the increase from the previous record of 828 on Friday. Daily coronavirus infections in Russia have fallen from more than 20,000 in late August to about 18,000 in mid-September. Since last Thursday, the state coronavirus task force has been reporting more than 21,000 new cases a day.

The move aims to reactivate the economy as infections start to slow.

The move aims to reactivate the economy as infections start to slow.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced Tuesday that virus restrictions will be eased gradually.

(AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato) (Kiichiro Sato)TOKYO — (AP) — Japan’s government says the coronavirus state of emergency will end Thursday so the economy can be reactivated as infections slow. With the lifting, Japan will be entirely free of emergency requirements for the first time in more than six months. Despite public weariness and frustration over the measures, Japan has managed to avoid the more restrictive lockdowns imposed elsewhere while recording about 1.69 million cases and 17,500 deaths from COVID-19. TOKYO (AP) — Japan is set to lift all coronavirus emergency measures when they expire later this week as the infections slow and the nation tries to reactivate its economy. Despite public weariness and frustration over the measures, Japan has managed to avoid the more restrictive lockdowns imposed elsewhere while recording about 1.69 million cases of infection and 17,500 deaths from COVID-19.

Hong Kong Financial Markets A woman wearing a face mask walks past a bank's electronic board showing the Hong Kong share index in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. Asian shares mostly fell Tuesday as concerns about China chipped away at investor optimism following a mixed finish on Wall Street. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) (Kin Cheung)TOKYO — (AP) — Asian shares mostly fell Tuesday as concerns about China chipped away at investor optimism following a mixed finish on Wall Street. That could have global repercussions, including on supplies needed for manufacturing throughout Asia, coming right ahead of the year-end shopping season. In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude added $1.11 to $76.56 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Asian shares have fallen sharply after a broad slide on Wall Street as investors reacted to a surge in U.S. government bond yields.

Global shares are mostly lower as concerns about China chip away at investor optimism.

Asian shares are mostly lower as concerns about China chip away at investor optimism after a mixed finish on Wall Street.

The stakes are high as Japanese governing party members vote Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021 for the four candidates seeking to replace Yoshihide Suga as prime minister. Because of the party's control of parliament, its leader will become prime minister. Takaichi, with the crucial backing of Suga's predecessor, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose conservative vision and revisionist stance she supports, has risen fast, while Noda’s chances are fading. Many general voters are watching the party vote, and governing party lawmakers in turn are paying close attention to public opinion in their quest to be re-elected in the upcoming parliamentary election. “Once the infections slow, virus fears will fade quickly and even the Olympics will be remembered favorably."

Japan’s governing party chooses a new leader on Wednesday to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

Hong Kong Financial Markets A woman wearing a face mask walks past a bank's electronic board showing the Hong Kong share index in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. Asian shares mostly fell Tuesday as concerns about China chipped away at investor optimism following a mixed finish on Wall Street. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) (Kin Cheung)TOKYO — (AP) — Asian shares mostly fell Tuesday as concerns about China chipped away at investor optimism following a mixed finish on Wall Street. That could have global repercussions, including on supplies needed for manufacturing throughout Asia, coming right ahead of the year-end shopping season. In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude added 25 cents to $75.70 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

(AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato) (Kiichiro Sato)TOKYO — (AP) — Japan is set to lift all coronavirus emergency measures when they expire later this week as the infections slow and the nation tries to reactivate its economy. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is expected to announce a lifting of the emergency and subsequent plans later Tuesday. If all measures are lifted, Japan will be entirely free of any emergency requirement for the first time since April. Despite public weariness and frustration over the measures, Japan has managed to avoid the more restrictive lockdowns imposed elsewhere while recording about 1.69 million cases of infection and 17,500 deaths from COVID-19. Suga decided to step down from party leadership and the premiership after facing criticism over his government's virus measures and his insistence on holding the Olympics during a pandemic despite public opposition.

Japan’s government says the coronavirus state of emergency will end Thursday to help rejuvenate the economy as infections slow.

Asian share are mostly higher, but skepticism about the regional economic outlook tempered the rally amid worries about further waves of COVID-19 outbreaks.

Two women are among candidates for Japan’s governing party leadership for the first time in 13 years in what seems like a big step in the country's male-dominated politics.

Biden Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the Quad summit with President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Evan Vucci)In today’s world, few conflicts stay local. All will come into full view Saturday when leaders from those regions address the U.N. General Assembly. India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spent part of the week meeting with U.S. officials to strengthen ties in the Indo-Pacific, is expected to push back against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's scathing — albeit predictable — rhetoric that landed hours earlier. Ethiopia will also address the largest gathering of world leaders on Saturday and face the pressure of global concern for its Tigray region.

Leaders made no direct mention of China as they opened the group's first ever in-person meeting.

Taro Kono is seen as a political maverick with liberal views on social policy. He is popular with the public, but his own party's power brokers may hesitate to make him the leader next week.

President Joe Biden has met with other leaders of an Indo-Pacific alliance known as “the Quad” as he wraps up a week of diplomacy with both allies and adversaries.

President Joe Biden plans to use his first address before the U.N. General Assembly to reassure the international community of American leadership on the global stage.

President Joe Biden has used his first address before the U.N. General Assembly to summon allies to quickly address the festering issues of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and human rights abuses.

Official election campaigning kicked off Friday for the new head of Japan’s governing party LDP, whose winner is almost assured to become next Japanese prime minister. (Kimimasa Mayama/Pool Photo via AP) (Kimimasa Mayama)TOKYO — (AP) — The race is on for the next Japanese prime minister. Four candidates are competing in the Sept. 29 vote to replace outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who will quit when his term ends at the end of this month after serving only one year. Kono, considered a maverick in Japan’s conservative political culture, says he also seeks to reform his own party. The former internal affairs minister said she wants ample government spending to create a “beautiful and strong Japan that grows."

Asian shares were mixed on Friday after a hodge-podge of economic data led Wall Street to close mostly lower. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (Lee Jin-man)World shares were mostly higher on Friday as investors assessed a hodge-podge of economic data. U.S. futures edged higher, while the yield on the 10-year Treasury note was steady at 1.33%. U.S. shares edged higher in the early going on Thursday after a surprisingly good retail sales report for August. The Shanghai Composite index rose 0.2% to 3,613.97, while the S&P/ASX 200 in Sydney declined 0.8% to 7,403.70.

South Korea Financial Markets A man walks near an advertisement showing bank's interest rates in downtown Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. Asian shares were mixed on Friday after a hodge-podge of economic data led Wall Street to close mostly lower. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (Lee Jin-man)Asian shares were mixed on Friday after a hodge-podge of economic data led Wall Street to close mostly lower. Benchmarks rose in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul but fell in Shanghai and Sydney. Markets have been choppy as investors shift money between various sectors while parsing data for clues about where the economy is headed and how the Federal Reserve will react.

Stocks closed lower on Wall Street Friday, marking a feeble ending to an up-and-down week of trading.

Official election campaigning kicked off Friday for the new head of Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party, whose winner is almost assured to become next Japanese prime minister. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/Pool Photo via AP) (Yoshikazu Tsuno)TOKYO — (AP) — The race is on for the next Japanese prime minister. Official election campaigning kicked off Friday for the new head of Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party, a role that typically signals the next national leader. Four candidates are competing in the Sept. 29 vote to replace outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who will quit when his term ends at the end of this month after serving only one year. Sanae Takaichi, who shares Abe's right-wing and revisionist political views, is seeking to be the nation's first female prime minister.

Official election campaigning kicked off Friday for the new head of Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party, whose winner is almost assured to become next Japanese prime minister. (AP Photo/File) (Hiro Komae)TOKYO — (AP) — Official election campaigning started Friday for the next head of Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party. Two men and, unusually for Japan, two women are competing in the Sept. 29 vote to replace outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. He is backed by other popular reformists and is seen as a rival to supporters of former arch-conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. ___HOW THE ELECTION WORKSThe campaign is only for Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers in the parliament and grassroots members, not the general public.

Official election campaigning started Friday for the next head of Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party.

Official campaigning has begun for the new head of Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party, who typically becomes the national leader.

Asian shares are mixed after a hodge-podge of economic data led Wall Street to close mostly lower.

President Joe Biden has announced that the United States is forming a new Indo-Pacific security alliance with Britain and Australia that will allow for greater sharing of defense capabilities — including helping equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

North Korea launched ballistic missiles off its east coast on Wednesday, prompting condemnation from Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

The move comes two days after Pyongyang said it had tested a newly-developed long-range cruise missile and ratchets up tensions with Washington amid stalled talks on North's nuclear program.

An F-16 screeched across the sky before landing on a highway cut through pineapple fields in southwestern Taiwan to refuel quickly and take off again.

Biden President Joe Biden salutes before boarding Air Force One for a trip to visit the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, Monday, Sept. 13, 2021, in Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON — (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to host the leaders of Australia, India and Japan for a four-way meeting later this month to strategize about COVID-19, climate change and other issues. Spokesperson Jen Psaki announced Monday that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will travel to Washington to meet with Biden at the White House on Sept. 24. Biden had hosted a virtual meeting of the group, referred to as the “Quad,” in March. Psaki said the meeting shows the administration's commitment to the Indo-Pacific region as the U.S. aims to counter a rising China.

The White House says President Joe Biden will host the leaders of Australia, India and Japan for an in-person meeting later this month.

___TOKYO — Japan has extended a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and 18 other areas until the end of September as health care systems remain under severe strain. United is citing “dire” statistics around the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States in explaining its new policy. Some other Georgia hospitals have already cancelled elective procedures due to the surge in pandemic cases. Henry McMaster ended a 14-month COVID-19 state of emergency in June when the state was seeing about 150 new cases a day. Now, South Carolina is seeing about 5,400 new coronavirus cases a day, similar to the pandemic’s peak in January.

Virus Outbreak Japan Daily Life People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk on a street in Tokyo Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. The current state of emergency, which was to end on Sunday, was issued first in Okinawa in May and gradually expanded. Despite the prolonged emergency, the largely voluntary measures have become less effective as the exhausted public increasingly ignores them. The current emergency, which was to end on Sunday, was issued in Okinawa in May and gradually expanded. Despite the prolonged emergency, the largely request-based measures have become less effective as the exhausted public ignores them.

Virus Outbreak Japan Daily Life People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk on a street in Tokyo Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. The current emergency, which was to end on Sunday, was issued in Okinawa in May and gradually expanded. Despite the prolonged emergency, the largely request-based measures have become less effective as the exhausted public ignores them. His government has faced steep criticism over virus measures seen as too late and too small to be effective and for holding the Olympics despite public opposition during a pandemic. “We need to stabilize the medical systems and make sure the infections are steadily decreasing and relieve extra burden on the healthcare systems,” Nishimura said.

Japan has extended a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and 18 other areas until the end of September as health care systems remain under severe strain, although new infections have slowed slightly.

Shares have fallen in Asia after further losses on Wall Street following a Federal Reserve report showing U.S. economic activity slowed this summer.

On Friday, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga effectively paved the way for a new leader after announcing he will not be running in the upcoming leadership election.

“The Tokyo Games were a model of efficiency and friendliness,” Olympic historian David Wallechinsky said in an email to The Associated Press. “It’s difficult to define the difference.”Tokyo was also haunted by a vote-buying scandal during the bid process that forced the resignation 2 1/2 years ago of Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda. He was also an International Olympic Committee member. Next up are the Beijing Winter Olympics, opening in five month. The Winter Olympics after Beijing are in Milan-Cortina in Italy in 2026.

“The Tokyo Games were a model of efficiency and friendliness,” Olympic historian David Wallechinsky said in an email to The Associated Press. “It’s difficult to define the difference.”Tokyo was also haunted by a vote-buying scandal during the bid process that forced the resignation 2 1/2 years ago of Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda. He was also an International Olympic Committee member. Next up are the Beijing Winter Olympics, opening in five month. The Winter Olympics after Beijing are in Milan-Cortina in Italy in 2026.

The Tokyo Paralympics have closed to end a saga that began eight years ago when the Japanese capital was named the host city by the International Olympic Committee.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's exit raises the specter of a return to a "revolving door" succession of Japanese leaders.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga says he won’t run in a governing party leadership vote this month, paving the way for a new Japanese leader.

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is in Tokyo meeting Japan's foreign minister to discuss efforts to involve China and developing nations to fight climate change.

The operator of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant says it plans to build an undersea tunnel so that massive amounts of treated but still radioactive water can be released into the ocean about 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) away from the plant to avoid interference with local fishing.

Japan has expanded its coronavirus state of emergency for a second week in a row, adding eight more prefectures as a surge in infections fueled by the delta variant strains the country’s health care system.

Japan, Australia and New Zealand all got through the first year of the coronavirus pandemic in relatively good shape — but now are taking diverging paths in dealing with new outbreaks of the fast-spreading delta variant.

Japan’s exports in July jumped 37% from a year ago, highlighting an overseas recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.