Japan

Japan votes in test for new PM Kishida, political stability

TOKYO, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Japanese voters went to the polls on Sunday to decide whether to endorse the conservative government of Fumio Kishida or weaken the new prime minister…

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FACTBOX-Five to watch: the big numbers for Japan’s general election

By Kiyoshi Takenaka Japan's new prime minister, Fumio Kishida, will face his first major test on Sunday when Japan holds a general election that could see his ruling Liberal Democratic…

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Japan ruling party set for likely battering in weekend election, but coalition safe

Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and prime minister Fumio Kishida are on the defensive as the weekend's lower house election draws near, with the ruling party likely to take a…

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Japan start-up designs wind turbine that can harness typhoon energy

TOKYO, Oct 29 (Reuters) - As governments and companies globally rush to install as much renewable energy capacity as possible to cut carbon emissions, areas often not suitable for solar…

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Japan’s Mount Aso erupts, alert level raised

A volcano erupted in Japan on Wednesday, blasting ash several miles into the sky and prompting officials to warn against the threat of lava flows and falling rocks, but there…

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N.Korea fires ballistic missile, disrupts Japanese election campaign start

North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile off its east coast on Tuesday, pulling Japan's new prime minister off the campaign trail and overshadowing the opening of a major…

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Japan dissolves parliament, setting stage for general election

Japan dissolved its parliament on Thursday, setting the stage for an election at the end of the month that will pit new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida against unpopular opposition in…

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Japan ruling party manifesto calls for sharp rise in defence spending

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will call for a sharp rise in defence spending in its election manifesto to be unveiled ahead of an Oct. 31 general election, a…

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Tokyo daily coronavirus cases fall to one-year low

Tokyo's government said on Saturday that new daily infections of COVID-19 in the Japanese capital declined to 82, the lowest since Oct. 19 last year. Cases have been on the…

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UPDATE – Magnitude 6.1 quake jolts Tokyo, causing blackouts but no tsunami warning

TOKYO, Oct 7 (Reuters) - A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 jolted Tokyo and surrounding areas late on Thursday, stopping train lines and causing sporadic power cuts, but there…

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New Japan PM Kishida off to rocky start in polling

Japan's new Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, is struggling to find his footing with voters just two days after he took the top job and launched his new government, multiple polls…

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Profiles of Japanese ministers in PM Kishida’s cabinet

Japan's prime minister, Fumio Kishida, voted in by parliament on Monday, unveiled a cabinet line-up featuring stalwarts of the ruling party and allies of former prime minister Shinzo Abe and…

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UPDATED: Fumio Kishida officially elected Japan’s 100th prime minister

TOKYO, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Fumio Kishida was officially elected as Japan's 100th prime minister on Monday after winning a majority of votes in both houses of parliament. The new…

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Ex-foreign minister Kishida becomes Japan’s ruling party leader. What’s next?

Japan's former foreign minister Fumio Kishida won the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race on Wednesday, virtually ensuring he will become the next prime minister. He vowed to lead…

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UPDATED: Soft-spoken Kishida to become Japan’s next PM after party vote

Former foreign minister Fumio Kishida won a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race on Wednesday, a victory that virtually ensures he will succeed Yoshihide Suga as prime minister within…

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Japan PM candidates differ on same-sex, women rights issues

TOKYO, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Candidates to become Japan's next prime minister all said they would have better policies to fight the pandemic and reduce the income gap during television…

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Japan’s COVID minister Kono popular with voters for PM, may get heavyweight backing

Taro Kono, Japan's minister in charge of fighting COVID-19 and a top choice of voters for Japanese prime minister, may also pick up the backing of a popular ruling party…

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Japan PM Suga to back vaccine minister Kono in LDP leadership race – media

TOKYO, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga intends to back the popular minister in charge of Japan's vaccination rollout, Taro Kono, for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's…

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Fall of Japan PM Suga triggered by criticism over pandemic, failure to communicate

When Yoshihide Suga took over as Japan's prime minister last year, hopes were high that skills honed over years as a keen backroom operator, and a common touch from his…

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Japan PM Suga to drop out of party election, setting stage for new prime minister

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will pull out of a party leadership race in September, officials said, setting the stage for his replacement after just one year in office. Suga,…

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Japan finds another Moderna vial suspected to contain foreign substance

Japan's Kanagawa prefecture said it has found another vial of Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine suspected of containing a foreign substance and has put the rest of the lot on hold.…

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U.S. climate envoy Kerry visits Japan, China for talks on emissions

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry arrived in Tokyo for talks on Tuesday with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on cooperation on carbon emissions and cutting support for fossil fuels, especially coal, before…

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What we know about Japan’s contaminated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine supplies

Japan's COVID-19 vaccination push has been dealt a blow by widening reports of contamination in supplies of Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine. Here are some key points in the issue so…

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Japan PM Suga’s ratings hit record lows as party leader race looms

Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga hit record lows, polls for two major newspapers showed on Monday, turning up the heat on the unpopular premier less than a…

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FATF urges Japan to boost fight against money-laundering

A global financial crimes watchdog urged Japan on Monday to improve cooperation between different government agencies as part of efforts to combat money-laundering and the financing of terrorism. Responding to…

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Japan’s Moderna vaccine contamination woes widen as 1 mln more shots withdrawn

Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine contamination woes in Japan have widened with another million doses being suspended, after foreign substances were found in more batches and two people died following shots…

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UPDATED: Two die in Japan after shots from suspended Moderna vaccines

Two people died after receiving Moderna Inc COVID-19 vaccine shots that were among lots later suspended following the discovery of contaminants, Japan's health ministry said on Saturday. The men in…

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Contaminant in Moderna vaccines suspected to be metallic particles -NHK

A contaminant found in a batch of Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccines delivered to Japan is believed to be a metallic particle, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported, citing sources at the…

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UPDATED: Moderna withholds 1.63 mln COVID-19 vaccine doses in Japan due to contamination

Japan suspended the use of 1.63 million doses of Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday, more than a week after the domestic distributor received reports of contaminants in some vials.…

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Pandemic fatigue complicates Japan’s COVID fight, risks recovery delay

Japan's state of emergency restrictions are not curbing movement as effectively as in the past, according to mobility data, hurting the government's fight to slow COVID-19 infections and raising the…

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One dead, two missing as torrential rains slam Japan, risk alerts broadened

One woman was dead and two other people were missing on Saturday after torrential rains touched off a landslide and engulfed two houses in Nagasaki prefecture in western Japan. With…

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Photo Story: Cargo ship ‘Crimson Polaris’ breaks in two off Japanese port of Hachinohe

A handout photo made available by Japan's 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters shows Panamanian-flagged cargo ship 'Crimson Polaris' off Hachinohe port in Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan. The Crimson Polaris have…

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Nagasaki marks atomic bomb anniversary

The Japanese city of Nagasaki on Monday commemorated the 76th anniversary of its destruction by a US atomic bomb, with the mayor calling for the global community to build on…

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Japan COVID cases hit 1 million as infections spread beyond Tokyo

Japan reached the milestone of one million coronavirus cases on Friday, domestic media reported, as infections soared in Olympic host Tokyo and other urban areas as the country struggled to…

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Photo Story: Japan marks 76th anniversary of Hiroshima atomic bombing

A man prays for the victims in front of a cenotaph at Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, western Japan, 06 August 2021. On 06 August 2021, Japan marked the 76th…

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Japan expands COVID-19 curbs as surges strain hospitals

Japan decided on Thursday to expand its COVID-19 emergency restrictions to cover more than 70% of the population, as a surge in cases strains the medical system in the Olympics…

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Japan to hospitalise only most serious COVID-19 cases in surge

Japan will hospitalise only COVID-19 patients who are seriously ill and those at risk of becoming so while others isolate at home, officials said, as worries grew about a strained medical system…

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Japanese PM Suga calls on citizens to watch Olympics at home

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday called on the citizens to watch the Olympics at home at a news conference announcing the expansion of coronavirus restrictions in several areas…

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Olympic host Tokyo asks for more hospital beds as COVID-19 infections rise

Olympic host city Tokyo has asked hospitals to prepare more beds for COVID-19 patients as the Japanese capital grapples with a rise in infections, broadcaster TBS said on Tuesday. Daily infections in…

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Suzuki and Daihatsu join Toyota electric vehicle venture

Suzuki Motor Corp and Daihatsu are joining a commercial electric vehicle coalition led by Toyota Motor Corp, the carmakers announced on Wednesday, helping the Japanese alliance expand its focus from…

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Britain to permanently deploy two warships in Asian waters

Britain said on Tuesday it would permanently deploy two warships in Asian waters after its Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier and escort ships sail to Japan in September through seas where China…

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Nintendo says has no plans for further Switch model

Japan's Nintendo has "no plans" to launch a new model of its Switch gaming device beyond the screen upgrade announced this month, the company said on Monday in an unusual…

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Toyota buys US mapping and road data firm to bulk up driverless tech

Toyota Motor Corp said it acquired U.S.-based Carmera, a provider of maps and data for driverless vehicles, marking the Japanese car maker's latest investment in autonomous technology. The purchase, through…

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IOC chief, Tokyo governor to meet as COVID cases rise

TOKYO (Reuters) - International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike were set to meet on Thursday, the metropolitan government said, as COVID-19 cases hit a six-month…

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Japan warns of crisis over Taiwan, growing risks from U.S.-China rivalry

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government approved Japan's annual defense white paper in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday (July 13), which pointed to China as their main national security concern. Growing military…

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Heavy rain hits southern Japan, over 120,000 ordered to evacuate – NHK

TOKYO, July 10 (Reuters) - Japan issued evacuation requests to more than 120,000 residents in some southern prefectures due to heavy rain on Saturday, NHK reported, just days after deadly…

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Japan PM Suga declares state of COVID-19 emergency in Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga formally declared on Thursday a state of emergency in Tokyo, putting restrictions aimed at curbing coronavirus infections in place through August 22. Japan has not…

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Rescuers resume search for 24 missing in Japan landslides

Rescuers in Japan waded through mud, rock and splintered wood in search of 24 people still missing on Tuesday after heavy rain triggered massive landslides in the seaside city of Atami three days ago,…

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Eighty missing after Japan landslide, search races time, weather

Rescuers in Japan searched desperately on Monday for survivors among 80 people believed to be still missing two days after landslides tore through the seaside city of Atami, destroying houses…

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Japan rescue work continues after deadly landslides, 20 missing

TOKYO, July 4 (Reuters) - Rain hampered Japanese rescuers seeking 20 missing people on Sunday after landslides triggered by torrential rains hit the central city of Atami, killing two women,…

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Torrential rains in Japan unleash fatal landslides

At least two people were feared dead on Saturday after landslides triggered by heavy rains hit the central Japanese city of Atami, where about 20 people were still missing, public…

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Photo Story: Robot waiter with a cause in Japan

An OriHime-D robot passes through tables at the cafe ‘Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN ver.beta’ in Tokyo, Japan. OriHime-D is a robot operated remotely by disabled people to serve customers at…

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Japan Olympic Committee chief says strict border controls needed to prevent COVID-19 spread

TOKYO (Reuters) - There is no way there will be zero coronavirus cases among athletes arriving for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, so border controls need to be stict to…

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Japan top court backs ban on separate married surnames

Japan's top court on Wednesday ruled a law requiring married couples to have the same family name is constitutional, rejecting plaintiffs who sought the right to keep separate surnames, local…

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Mazda to temporarily halt production at Japanese plant in July due to chip shortage

Mazda Motor Corp said on Wednesday that it will suspend production at a factory in Japan for a total of ten days in July due to a chip shortage. The…

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Japan exports jump most in 41 years, machine orders rise

Japan's exports rose at the fastest pace since 1980 in May and a key gauge of capital spending grew, helping the world's third largest economy offset sluggish domestic demand as…

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Toyota aims to make its factories carbon neutral by 2035

Toyota Motor Corp will aim to make all its global factories carbon neutral by 2035, a senior executive said on Friday, pulling forward the goal by 15 years from 2050.…

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