Japan

TOKYO (AP) — World leaders scrambled Tuesday to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin — and to signal possible sanctions — after he ordered his forces into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine.

While Russia’s troop movements were still not clear, leaders in Asia and elsewhere voiced strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, along with worries about how a European war could hurt global and local economies and endanger foreign nationals trapped in Ukraine.

Tokyo, Feb 14 (AP) The Bank of Japan made an offer for unlimited government bond purchases Monday, moving to curb a surge in long-term interest rates in the world's third-largest economy.

Japan's central bank set the interest rate for purchasing 10-year government bonds at 0.25 per cent.

The market rate had risen close to that level recently on speculation the BOJ might begin reeling back its ultra-loose monetary policy in line with other central banks like the US Federal Reserve.

Tokyo, Feb 15 (AP) Tokyo police on Monday stepped up the hunt for members of the Japanese Red Army wanted for their alleged role in attacks in the 1970s and 1980s, releasing a video with images of the aging militants that warned the case was not over yet.

The video follows on the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Asama Sanso hostage crisis at a mountain lodge in central Japan, where two police officers were killed in a shootout.

Japanese Red Army members are still on the run and they may live somewhere near you," the video warns, adding the case is not over yet.

TOKYO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The diffusion index of confidence, a business sentiment indicator for the Japanese economy, logged the steepest plunge in over a decade in January amid concerns fueled by COVID-19 infection resurgence, Japanese government statistics showed Tuesday.

The figure, which measures the current business confidence compared to three months ago among "economy watchers," workers with jobs sensitive to economic trends like taxi drivers and restaurant staff, decreased 19.6 points from December to 37.9, according to the Cabinet Office.

TOKYO, February 7. /TASS/: Washington backs Tokyo on the issue of the "Northern territories" (how Japan refers to the southern part of the Kuril Islands) and recognizes Japanese sovereignty over them, US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said on Monday on the occasion of Japan's Northern Territories Day.

TOKYO, Feb 7 (NNN-NHK) – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), plans to visit the disaster-hit Fukushima plant next week, to evaluate the safety of Japan’s contentious plan to discharge radioactive water from the plant into the Pacific Ocean, the government said today.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares mostly fell Monday, though Shanghai’s benchmark jumped after markets reopened from the Lunar New Year holidays.

Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney and Hong Kong declined despite an unexpectedly positive U.S. jobs report on Friday.

Investors were watching for moves by central banks in India, Indonesia and Thailand, which are all set to decide on monetary policy within the week.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s prime minister on Monday pledged to double the number of COVID-19 booster shots being delivered on a daily basis across the country, as his government faces criticism for a delayed rollout of vaccines.

Speaking before lawmakers, Fumio Kishida said authorities would aim to deliver around 1 million boosters a day by the end of February. The premier said the added doses are “key” to fighting the ongoing omicron surge of infections.

TOKYO, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and new U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel held a brief meeting on Friday, local media reported.

In the meeting, the pair affirmed the importance of the alliance between their two countries, among other matters.

Kishida was quoted as saying that Emanuel, who arrived in Japan on Jan. 23 to fill William Hagerty's post who stepped down in July 2019, is trusted by U.S. President Joe Biden and his appointment reflects the solidarity between both countries.

TOKYO (AP) — More than a year ago Sebastian Bressa finished his paperwork to become a language teacher in Tokyo and made plans to quit his job in Sydney. His life has been in limbo ever since.

Japan has kept its door closed to most foreigners during the pandemic, and the 26-year-old Australian is one of hundreds of thousands denied entry to study, work or see their families.