Japan

TOKYO (AP) — Defense and foreign ministers from the United States and Japan met Tuesday to discuss their shared worry over China’s growing territorial ambitions in the East and South China seas as the Biden administration tries to reassure key regional allies.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares mostly rose on Tuesday, cheered by a rally to all-time highs on Wall Street.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.6% to 29,953.97. South Korea’s Kospi added 0.3% to 3,054.77. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 jumped 1.1% to 6,846.20. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.5% to 28,971.04, while the Shanghai Composite inched down nearly 0.1% to 3,417.02.

TOKYO (AP) — Concerns about China’s growing influence in the region is expected to be a main focus when two ministers of President Joe Biden’s administration visits Japan for their first in-person talks with their Japanese counterparts.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are on their way to Tokyo to meet their counterparts and other top officials as they try to reaffirm America’s commitment to the region and their alliance following Donald Trump’s temperamental approach.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is likely to meet U.S. President Joe Biden on April 9, the first foreign leader to meet the president in the White House, Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper reported on Sunday.

The two are expected to agree to strengthen the bilateral alliance and their commitment to the freedom of passage in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Yomiuri reported without citing sources.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan will not take part in China’s offer — accepted by the International Olympic Committee — to provide vaccines for “participants” in the postponed Tokyo Games and next year’s Beijing Winter Games.

Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa said Friday that Japan had not been consulted by the IOC about the Chinese vaccines, and that Japanese athletes would not take them. She said the vaccines have not been approved for use in Japan.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will reaffirm its strong relationship with the United States and discuss the “difficult” regional security situation in the “two-plus-two” meeting of foreign and defence chiefs next week, the government’s top spokesman said on Thursday.

The allies will aim to strengthen their deterrence and response capabilities in dealing with the region’s security, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a regular news conference, ahead of the bilateral meeting on March 16.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan is marking the 10th anniversary Thursday of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that hit the northeastern region, where many survivors’ lives are still on hold.

People, some carrying bouquets, walked to the coast or graves to pray for relatives and friends washed away by the tsunami. Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga are scheduled to observe a moment of silence at a memorial service later Thursday.

TOKYO (Reuters) - When a huge earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11, 2011, devastating towns and triggering nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima, a stunned world watched the chaotic struggle to contain the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

An onslaught of waves sparked by the 9.0-magnitude quake crashed into the northeastern coast, killing nearly 20,000 people and crippling the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. More than 160,000 residents fled as radiation spewed into the air.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed Tuesday, cheered by the imminent passage of the U.S. stimulus package, although that optimism was tempered by worries about inflation and the coronavirus pandemic.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 added 0.2% to 28,800.81 in morning trading. South Korea’s Kospi slipped 1.2% to 2,960.17. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.3% to 6,760.10. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.3% to 28,918.99, while the Shanghai Composite slipped 0.6% to 3,402.61.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed Monday, as some indexes were lifted by hopes for a gradual global recovery after the U.S. economic relief package passed the Senate over the weekend.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was up 0.2% in early trading at 28,926.03. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 jumped nearly 1.0% to 6,776.00, while South Korea’s Kospi shed 0.2% to 3,020.40. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.2% to 3,020.40, while the Shanghai Composite fell 0.5% to 3,483.92.

Although shares mostly rose at first, some benchmarks slipped when players sold to lock in profits.