Japan

TOKYO (AP) — Amid growing criticism of his handling of the pandemic, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday he won’t run for the leadership of the governing party later this month, paving the way for a new Japanese leader after just a year in office.

TOKYO, Sept 2 (NNN-NHK) – Moderna Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd said, they are working with the Japanese government to recall three batches of COVID-19 vaccine, after an investigation confirmed stainless steel contaminants in some vials, local media reported today.

The health ministry said yesterday, foreign substances found in some vials of Moderna Inc.’s vaccine, distributed in Japan were confirmed to be stainless steel, which seemed probably mixed during the manufacturing process.

TOKYO, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Japan's former foreign minister Fumio Kishida, who is challenging Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga as ruling party chief, said on Thursday an economic stimulus package worth "tens of trillions of yen" was needed to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Kishida also said Japan must maintain ultra-low interest rates to support the pandemic-hit economy, offering the clearest sign to date that expansionary fiscal and monetary policies would remain in place if he replaced Suga.

TOKYO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set to replace an unpopular long-term ally as he seeks to shore up support ahead of a party leadership election he must win before the general election planned for October, media said on Tuesday.

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai told Suga he would step down at a meeting on Monday, the reports said.

"I've been in the Secretary General post for more than five years, I want you to do the reshuffle without hesitation," Nikai told Suga, according to the public broadcaster NHK.

TOKYO (AP) — U.S. climate envoy John Kerry met in Tokyo on Tuesday with Japan’s top diplomat to push efforts to fight climate change ahead of a United Nations conference in November.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi highlighted what he said was the importance of getting other major carbon emitters, especially China, to cooperate.

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were mostly higher Tuesday, despite continuing concerns about rising COVID-19 cases in Asia and parts of the U.S. and Europe.

France’s CAC 40 edged up nearly 0.1% in early trading to 6,693.02, while Germany’s DAX was up 0.5% at 15,970.67. But Britain’s FTSE 100 slipped 0.1% to 7,141.30. U.S. shares were set to drift higher with Dow futures up 0.2% at 35,417.00. S&P 500 futures rose 0.2% to 4,535.50.

TOKYO, Aug 30 (Reuters) - The Japanese government is considering holding a general election on Oct. 17, Kyodo news said on Monday citing government sources, even as public support for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga hits record lows in two new opinion polls.

Suga has failed to capitalise on delivering the Olympics for the country, currently being hit hard by a fresh wave of coronavirus infections. The government has declared a fourth state of emergency in most of the country amid a sluggish vaccination rollout.

TOKYO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Japan must launch a new economic stimulus package worth "several tens of trillion yen" as soon as possible, Fumio Kishida, who is running to be prime minister in a forthcoming election, was quoted as saying by the Nikkei newspaper on Sunday.

Kishida, a former foreign minister, said on Thursday he would challenge Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga for the leadership of the ruling party, as the premier struggles with crumbling approval rates ahead of the election. 

TOKYO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Okinawa prefectural government said it suspended inoculation at a mass COVID-19 vaccination site Sunday after another lot of Moderna Inc. vaccine was discovered with contaminants.

The decision came after previous contaminated Moderna shots were halted from use.

Before black and pink substances were found in a vial and three syringes during pre-inoculation inspections, over 1,500 people were waiting to receive shots at the vaccination site in Naha Saturday afternoon.

Tokyo, Aug 29 (AP-PTI) Taro Kono, the Japanese minister in charge of the vaccine rollout, promised Sunday a timely administering of booster shots for the coronavirus, as the nation aims to fully vaccinate its population by October or November.

He said Pfizer and Moderna booster shots will arrive early next year, in time for medical workers and the elderly, who were prioritised and mostly got their second shots by July.

Japan is aiming for 80% vaccination levels, Kono said on a nationally broadcast Fuji TV show.