Japan

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares rose Monday as investor sentiment received a big boost from the rally last week on Wall Street, despite worries about the more contagious coronavirus delta variant not only in the region but across the world.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 1.9% to 27,520.54 in afternoon trading. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.7% to 3,111.46. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.3% to 7,483.70. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng surged 1.7% to 25,264.00, while the Shanghai Composite added 1.4% to 3,476.23.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s space agency plans to bring soil samples back from the Mars region ahead of the U.S. and Chinese missions now operating on Mars, in hopes of finding clues to the planet’s origin and traces of possible life.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, plans to launch an explorer in 2024 to land on the Martian moon Phobos to collect 10 grams (0.35 ounce) of soil and bring it back to Earth in 2029.

TOKYO (AP) — Nearly three years later, former Nissan executive Greg Kelly is still wondering why the questions that led to his arrest and trial in Japan weren’t simply taken up in the automaker’s corporate boardroom.

TOKYO, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The support rate of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's cabinet decreased by 4.1 points from a month ago to a record low of 31.8 percent, and 65.1 percent of people show their unwillingness for Suga to remain in his post, local media reported Monday.

The disapproval rating increased by 0.8 points to 50.6 percent, the highest level on record since the launch of the Suga cabinet last September.

TOKYO, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Japan will never wage war again, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pledged on Sunday, as he commemorated the end of World War Two while members of his cabinet visited a shrine seen by critics as a symbol of the country's past militarism.

Nearly eight decades since the end of the war, the conflict remains a source of tension between Japan and its neighbours, particularly China and North and South Korea, with the Yasukuni shrine in central Tokyo a focal point for the strain.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan marked the 76th anniversary of its World War II surrender on Sunday with a somber ceremony in which Prime Minister Yosihide Suga pledged for the tragedy of war to never be repeated but avoided apologizing for his country’s aggression.

Suga said Japan never forgets that the peace the country enjoys today is built on the sacrifices of those who died in the war.

“We will commit to our pledge to never repeat the tragedy of the war,” he said in his first speech at the event since becoming prime minister.

TOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo Olympics have ended, but it’s still vacation season in Japan, and many people are ignoring government pleas to avoid travel and stay away from bars and restaurants even as the coronavirus spikes at record levels.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is pinning his hopes on vaccinations, which started slow but now are making good progress. How this race between shots and disease finishes may determine Suga’s political future, not to mention the health of tens of thousands.

TOKYO, Aug 12 (Reuters) - A Panamanian-registered ship ran aground in a northern Japan harbour, then split in two and was leaking oil, but there were no injuries among the 21 crew and the oil leak was being controlled with no signs it had reached shore, the Japan Coast Guard said.

The 39,910-tonne vessel, the "Crimson Polaris," was carrying wood chips when it ran aground on Wednesday morning in Hachinohe harbour. It managed to free itself, but due to poor weather was unable to move far and ended up anchoring about 4 km (2.4 miles)out from the port.

TOKYO (AP) — When the Tokyo Olympics began during a worsening pandemic in Japan, the majority of the host nation was in opposition, with Emperor Naruhito dropping the word “celebrating” from his opening declaration of welcome.

But once the Games got underway and local media switched to covering Japanese athletes’ “medal rush,” many Japanese were won over. They watched TV to cheer on Japanese athletes in an Olympics that ended Sunday with a record 58 medals for the home nation, including 27 gold.

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were mixed Tuesday as optimism about a gradual economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic was tempered by worries over the variants spreading rapidly in some nations.

France’s CAC 40 was little changed in early trading, inching up to 6,813.29, while Germany’s DAX gained nearly 0.1% to 15,758.31. Britain’s FTSE 100 lost 0.1% to 7,126.62.

U.S. shares were set to drift lower with Dow futures falling less than 0.1% to 34,986.00. S&P 500 futures were also down less than 0.1% at 4,424.50.