Tag: Japan

Japan, US to conduct joint military drills near Senkaku Islands to counter China
22Mar By Mike TrudellNo Comments
World

Japan, US to conduct joint military drills near Senkaku Islands to counter China

The United States and Japan have decided to conduct large-scale joint drills to protect the Senkaku Islands and counter China’s aggressiveness in the East China Sea.According to media reports, Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces would join the US Marines and Air Force in an exercise to defend the Japanese-administered Senkakus, which are claimed by China as Diaoyu.Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi stressed the need for joint drills during a TV program aired on Friday in local media. “We need to improve our capability through joint drills and demonstrate our presence,” he said.In February, China adopted a law allowing its coast guard to fire at foreign ships. Since then, Chinese coast guard ships have repeatedly sailed into Japanese waters near the islets.The drills come after...
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Japan slams Beijing over electoral changes in Hong Kong
15Mar By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Japan slams Beijing over electoral changes in Hong Kong

Japan has expressed its concerns regarding China’s decision to change the electoral system in Hong Kong, saying that the resolution passed by China's National People's Congress to change the electoral system in Hong Kong is a major setback to the city's autonomy and that it "cannot overlook" the resolution."The decision this time will further undermine the confidence in the 'one country, two systems' framework, as provided for in the Hong Kong Basic Law and the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration," Japan's foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.The ministry said that Japan's concerns were growing due to the recent arrest and prosecution of a number of opposition politicians and activists.It also called on Beijing to hold elections in Hong Kong that were open to candidates "represen...
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Japan PM expresses concern over China’s assertiveness in East and South China Sea in G7 talks
21Feb By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

Japan PM expresses concern over China’s assertiveness in East and South China Sea in G7 talks

Japan’s Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga expressed concerns about China’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China seas in G7 talks.He said Japan will say what needs to be said, and demand action from Beijing.The leaders held a teleconference on Friday just after 11 pm Japan time. It was the first G7 meeting that included Suga, US President Joe Biden and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.Regarding the coronavirus pandemic, Suga said he has had an unwavering resolve to protect the lives and livelihoods of the people since assuming his post in September.He said much has been learned from last year, and that he has implemented what he believes to be the best measures.He called on the G7 to speed up the distribution of vaccines and oppose a protectionist approac...
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Taiwan concerned about China’s actions near Diaoyutai islands: Report
20Feb By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

Taiwan concerned about China’s actions near Diaoyutai islands: Report

Taiwan has grown anxious due to constant Chinese aggression and destabilising actions near the Diaoyutai islands, the most recent being sailing of four Chinese guard ships near the disputed Islands.Situated in East China’s Sea, the uninhabited islands also known as Senkakus in Japan — are claimed by Taipei, Beijing and Tokyo.On Monday and Tuesday, four Chinese guard ships sailed near the Islands, one of which was equipped with a cannon. Two of the ships sailed away on Tuesday morning, including an armed vessel, while the others attempted to approach a Japanese fishing boat, the Japan Coast Guard said.It was the first armed incursion since China’s enactment on February 1 of a new Coast Guard Law, which authorizes its coast guard to inspect and use weapons on foreign vessels in waters claime...
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India, Japan sign Memorandum of Cooperation to help promote movement of skilled workers
19Jan By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

India, Japan sign Memorandum of Cooperation to help promote movement of skilled workers

With an aim to promote the movement of skilled workers from India to Japan, a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on “Basic Framework for Partnership” was signed by New Delhi and Tokyo on Monday.The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the MoC covers 14 categories of specified skills under which skilled workers from India who meet the skills requirement and Japanese language tests would be eligible for employment in Japan on a contractual basis.“Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Foreign Secretary and Suzuki Satoshi, Ambassador of Japan to India, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between the Government of India and Government of Japan on a Basic Framework for Partnership for Proper Operation of the System Pertaining to ‘Specified Skilled Worker (SSW)’ on 18 January 2021 in New Delhi...
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India approves signing of memorandum of cooperation with Japan
6Jan By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

India approves signing of memorandum of cooperation with Japan

Setting an institutional mechanism for coordination between India and Japan, the Indian Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation with Japan, on a basic framework for the partnership for proper operation of the system pertaining to “Specified Skilled Worker.”According to an official statement, the present Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) will set an institutional mechanism for partnership and cooperation between India and Japan on sending and accepting skilled Indian workers, who have qualified the required skill and Japanese language test, to work in fourteen specified sectors in Japan. These Indian workers would be granted a new status of residence of “Specified Skilled Worker” by Japan.“The MOC would enhance p...
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Under Xi Jinping, China will not be able to join Trans-Pacific Partnership FTA: Japan PM
4Jan By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, China

Under Xi Jinping, China will not be able to join Trans-Pacific Partnership FTA: Japan PM

As long as China has its current regime, Beijing will not be able to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade agreement, Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said on Sunday.Speaking to a commercial broadcaster’s radio programme, Yoshihide said that he believes countries where businesses are run by the state will find it difficult to join the TPP because its regulations are set at levels that are too high for such a business structure to follow.He was responding to Xi Jinping’s recent remarks that China “is positive about joining the pact”.On November 20, China’s President Xi Jinping had said that China is open to joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, in a likely move to bolster the country’s presence in Asia while the US focuses on its presidential transition.China...
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Fierce competition starts between US, China for energy corridors in central asia
21Aug By Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, China, World

Fierce competition starts between US, China for energy corridors in central asia

Amid already heightened tensions between the United States and China, the Trump administration has now called "for a new alliance of democracies" to counter China's aggressive policies, and, in a retaliatory move, Beijing has begun adding more potential new trade and energy corridors linking Central Asia with South Asia and the Middle East.To counter China's aggressive expansionist policies in the South China Sea, the US has decided to have a quadrilateral alliance with Japan, Australia and India.Maleeha Lodhi, who has served as Pakistan's ambassador to Britain, the US and the United Nations said, “Fundamental realignments are taking place across the world at a challenging, transformative time in international affairs when global power is shifting to the East. Our region is no exception an...
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China’s use of economic sanctions now fail to serve its geopolitical goals
20Jul By Michael SmithNo Comments
USA

China’s use of economic sanctions now fail to serve its geopolitical goals

China's practice of imposing economic sanctions on countries to achieve its own geopolitical goals is nothing new and the regular phenomenon of China bullying others has, in fact, helped other countries to keep several options at bay, said the author of "China's Crony Capitalism", Minxin Pei.Recently, the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued an official warning against travel to Australia because of "a significant increase in racist acts and violence against Chinese and Asians in Australia". Two months ago, after Australia had demanded an investigation into the coronavirus outbreak, Beijing imposed an 80 per cent "anti-dumping" tariff on Australian barley, costing Australian 500 million Australian dollars a year.Minxin said Australia is only the latest victim of Chinese bullying....
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Asia’s factory pain worsens as China’s recovery fails to lift demand
1Jun By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, China

Asia’s factory pain worsens as China’s recovery fails to lift demand

Asia’s factory pain deepened in May as the slump in global trade caused by the coronavirus pandemic worsened, with export powerhouses Japan and South Korea suffering the sharpest declines in business activity in more than a decade, surveys showed.A series of manufacturing surveys released on Monday suggest any rebound in businesses will be some time off, even though China’s factory activity unexpectedly returned to growth in May.The new coronavirus pandemic - which has killed more than 370,000 people around the world - has wreaked havoc with supply chains and quashed demand as government-imposed lockdowns forced businesses to close and citizens to stay home.China’s Caixin/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) hit 50.7 last month, marking the highest reading since January as...
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