77 years after battle's end, Okinawa wants US base reduced
Okinawa marked the 77th anniversary Thursday of the end of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II, with the governor calling for a further reduction of the U.S. military presence there as local fears grow that the southern Japanese islands will become embroiled in regional military tension. The Battle of Okinawa killed about 200,000 people, nearly half of them Okinawan residents. Japan's wartime military, in an attempt to delay a U.S. landing on the main islands, essentially sacrificed the local population.
news.yahoo.comChina will 'definitely not hesitate to start a war' over Taiwan split, Beijing warns US
In a meeting between China and the U.S. on Friday, Chinese Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe warned that the country would go to war with Taiwan if the island declared independence. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida gave the event’s keynote speech. In a separate face-to-face meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Wei made it clear that China remained firm in its stance against Taiwanese independence.
news.yahoo.comAt first meeting, U.S., China defense chiefs call for more communication
It was the latest indication that the temperature of the U.S.-China conflict has been dialed down a few notches, even as Beijing and Washington remain strategic rivals with opposing interests across a range of issues.
washingtonpost.comHow Putin’s Spooking Japan Further Away From Pacifism
Bombed-out and poverty-stricken after World War II, Japan disbanded its military and renounced war, devoting its efforts instead to economic development under a pacifist constitution. More than seven decades later, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has spooked Prime Minister Fumio Kishida into pledging a substantial increase in defense spending, which has long been only about half the target set for its Western counterparts.
washingtonpost.comNorth Korea: Medication offered as Covid fight continues
A North Korean army medic hands out medication to counter 'fever' -- a term Pyongyang often uses to refer to Covid -- and related sickness. The medic, Jong Jun Ho says the number of people receiving treatment for 'fever' has gone down in recent times. North Korea says its Covid-19 outbreak has been brought under control, but experts question the official numbers given the isolated country has one of the world's worst healthcare systems and likely no Covid-19 drugs or mass testing ability.
news.yahoo.comAlbanese elected Australia's leader in complex poll result
Australians awoke to a new prime minister in Anthony Albanese, the center-left Labor Party leader whose ascension to the nation’s top job from being raised in social housing by a single mother on a disability pension was said to reflect the country's changed fabric.
Japanese, Vietnamese leaders reject use of force in Ukraine
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discussed the war in Ukraine with Vietnamese leaders on Sunday and said they agreed on the respect for international law and rejection of the use of force. Japan has condemned Russia's invasion and joined Western nations in imposing sanctions against Moscow. Vietnam, like most other Southeast Asian nations, has avoided directly criticizing Russia and has called for restraint, the respect of the U.N. charter and dialogue to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict.
news.yahoo.com7 people from missing tour boat in Japan found
The Japanese Coast Guard said Sunday that rescue helicopters found seven of the 26 people from a tour boat missing in the frigid waters of northern Japan since the day before, but their conditions are unknown. Rescuers found four people near the tip of Shiretoko Peninsula earlier Sunday and then three more people in the same area a few hours later, but the coast guard said it could not confirm whether they were rescued alive. NHK public television said they were unconscious.
news.yahoo.comWhy Japan Will Struggle to Do Without Russian Energy
After reports of alleged war crimes in Ukraine by Russian forces, Japan said it will follow the European Union and Group of Seven countries and ban imports of Russian coal. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the country will secure alternative sources of energy in a speedy manner, although no time frame was given. But shifting away from Russian fuel will be easier said than done for resource-poor Japan.
washingtonpost.comJapan to invest $42B in India to strengthen economic ties
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday said his country will invest $42 billion in India over the next five years in a deal that is expected to boost bilateral trade. Kishida met his counterpart, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi during his maiden visit to India since assuming office. In a televised press statement, Kishida said the investment plan will bring huge benefits for several industries, from the development of urban infrastructure to green energy.
news.yahoo.comIn S. Korea election, future of foreign policy up for debate
Ahead of the March 9 presidential election in South Korea, major candidates are embroiled in a heated debate over how to address a foreign policy challenges that include the U.S.-China rivalry, North Korea's nuclear threats and badly strained ties with Japan.