Category: Japan

Police Arrest Suspect in Spray Attack in Japanese Department Store Restroom

TOKYO—Police in the western Japanese city of Osaka said Thursday they have arrested a woman on suspicion of spraying an unknown liquid on several women inside a department store, causing pain to their faces and eyes. Police arrested a 33-year-old woman early Thursday in the alleged assaults inside a restroom at a department store the…


Japan’s Prime Minister Announces ‘Last Chance’ to Reverse Declining Birthrate

Japan’s leader unveiled a plan on June 13 to reverse the country’s falling birthrate, warning that Japan has entered its “last chance” period to address the crisis and avoid facing a “shrinking” society. “Now is the last chance to reverse the downtrend in childbirth by the 2030s,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at a…


Japanese Teen Soldier Arrested After Shooting Leaves at Least 1 Dead

A teenage Japanese soldier allegedly opened fire with a rifle at an army training base on Wednesday, resulting in the death of at least one soldier and injuries to two others, according to local reports. Police arrested the suspected shooter, an 18-year-old Japan Self-Defense Force (SDF) recruit, on suspicion of attempted murder. The shooting happened…


No Injuries After Planes Collide on Ground at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport: NHK

TOKYO—Some flights were delayed at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Saturday after two planes appeared to have collided on the ground near a taxiway, public broadcaster NHK reported, citing Japan’s transport ministry. No injuries occurred, NHK and one of the airlines said, but the incident led to the closure of one of four runways at the…


Japan to Allow More Skilled Foreign Workers to Reside Amid Labor Shortage

Japan’s cabinet approved Friday a plan to increase the number of industries that can offer a long-term work visa for skilled foreign workers in a move to tackle the country’s acute labor shortage. During a meeting, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasized the need for Japan to promote the smooth acceptance of foreign workers in order…


NATO Looking to Asia to Build a Defensive Alliance to Deter Communist China: Experts

If Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is just a wake-up call for NATO, the growing menace from another militant—the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—towards Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region has prompted NATO’s decision to set up a liaison office in Asia in response to any potential conflict or war in this area, experts suggest. NATO, or North…


Brawl Erupts as Japan Parliament Passes Controversial Immigration Reform Bill

Scuffles broke out in Japan’s parliament on Friday after a contentious bill to revise the country’s immigration law was approved, which will enable authorities to deport foreign nationals seeking refugee status in Japan. Taro Yamamoto, a left-wing political leader and former Japanese actor, attempted to block the passage of the bill by using physical force…


Chinese Ships Enter Japanese Waters, Prompts Tokyo to Protest

Chinese vessels entered Japan’s waters in the East China Sea at two separate locations on Thursday, prompting Tokyo to lodge protests against Beijing. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, the top Japanese government spokesperson, said Japan conveyed “strong concern” and lodged a protest against China through diplomatic channels after a Chinese military ship intruded into Japan’s waters. According to the…


US, Japan, Philippines Hold 1st Ever Trilateral Sea Exercise to Strengthen Defense Ties

The coast guards of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines conducted their first ever trilateral exercises in the South China Sea to strengthen defense cooperation amid China’s growing assertiveness. Around 400 coast guard personnel from the three nations participated in the week-long Kaagapay maritime exercise, which began on June 1 in the Philippine waters…


Japan at the G-7 Gets Its Way on China

Commentary A few weeks ago, a column in this space described Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s hopes for the G-7 meetings in Hiroshima. He wanted those powerful economies—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, his own Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States—to counter Beijing’s unfair and often bullying trade practices. He seems to have got what…