Japan eyes skill development collaborations with Pakistan

Islamabad: Pakistan has a huge workforce concentrated in the IT sector and Japan is planning more collaboration with Pakistan regarding the training of skilled human resources and employment of Pakistani skilled workers in different sectors, said Deputy Director-General at Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Iwamoto Keiichi. He […]

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Sou Fujimoto Architects Reveals Design of Hida Furukawa Station in Japan

Dima Stouhi Sou Fujimoto Architects has unveiled its design for the Hida Furukawa Station Eastern Development, a regional community-based center that aims to enrich the life, leisure, and culture of the residents of Hida City, in Gifu Prefecture. The Center will include a university research base, student accommodation, an all-weather playing field, and commercial facilities, […]

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Japan to lift COVID entry ban for 106 countries including US

Tokyo: Japan plans to ease COVID 19-related border restrictions by lifting its entry ban for foreignnationals from 106 countries including the United States, Britain and France, the government said. Tokyo has been gradually relaxing pandemic-induced curbs but the loosened border regime does not mean a full reopening to tourists. The foreign ministry said in an […]

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Analysis: Japanese PM Kishida decided weeks ago to keep Russian gas

Yoshifumi Takemoto, Yuka Obayashi and Ritsuko Shimizu Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s announcement this week that he would not abandon a massive Russian gas project was decided weeks ago when he told top officials in private he wouldn’t risk Japan’s energy security, three sources said. Kishida assured his trade and economy minister, Koichi Hagiuda, […]

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Can Japan become a multicultural country?

Jakob Ranglin Grissler Tokyo: Japan’s national borders have acquired an infamous reputation for being seemingly impenetrable. During the first months of the pandemic, the rule of who belongs and should be granted access to Japanese territory became painfully clear for many long-term foreign residents as they were not allowed to reenter the country after traveling […]

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Japan-funded Project for Installation of Weather Surveillance Radar at Karachi inaugurated

Newswire Islamabad: An inauguration ceremony for “the Project for Installation of Weather Surveillance Radar at Karachi”, funded by Japan, was held this week with Mr. ISOMURA Toshikazu, Consul General, Japan Consulate office Karachi, Mr. FURUTA Shigeki, Chief Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Pakistan Office, H.E Mr. Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Federal Minister for Aviation and […]

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Embassy of Japan, IPRI hold webinar on ‘Afghanistan and South Asia’

Newswire Islamabad: The Embassy of Japan and Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) jointly organized a webinar titled “Afghanistan and South Asia” this week to deliberate upon the various perspectives concerning existing situation in Afghanistan as well as to exchange views and knowledge on other subjects of regional and international interest. AOKI Kenta, Research Fellow, Middle […]

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Madam Naoko WADA hosts “Celebration of Spring” at the Ambassador’s Residence

Newswire Islamabad: Madam Naoko WADA, spouse of Ambassador of Japan celebrated the changing of seasons with ladies of diplomatic missions on the occasion of “Hina Matsuri(dolls festival)” and “Hanami(cherry blossom viewing)” at the Ambassador’s residence. “Hina Matsuri” is celebrated on the 3rd of March. Japanese families with young girls celebrate this festival by displaying dolls, […]

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Japan provides grant assistance to three NGO development projects in Pakistan

Newswire Islamabad: The Government of Japan has decided to provide grant assistance up to US$189,204 (equivalent to around PKR 33 million) to three NGO development projects in Pakistan. The recipients that will implement the projects are True Worth Foundation, Rehman Foundation, and Dir Area Development Organization (DADO). The grant contracts were signed between H.E. WADA […]

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What you need to know about Japan’s upcoming eased border restrictions

Kanako Takahara Tokyo: Japan is set to ease border restrictions from March, allowing foreign nationals who are not tourists, including students and business travelers, to finally come to the nation. Another significant change for travelers, including Japanese and foreign residents, is the shortening of the quarantine period for people who are entering the country — […]

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Japan announces a US$ 3.45 million grant project to support effective border control, migration management in Pakistan

Newswire Islamabad: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad this week held a signing ceremony of Exchange of Notes for a USD 3.45 million grant projectaimed at strengthening the operational capacities of border management authorities to contribute towards comprehensive migration management in Pakistan. The event – held at the […]

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Japan extending grant-in-aid for infrastructure uplift: Ambassador Mitsuhiro Wada

Staff Writer Islamabad: Mitsuhiro Wada, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, said this week that Tokyo was now providing grant-in-aid for the improvement of water and sewerage system in Multan, Punjab, as well as cultural grant assistance for conservation of Taxila Museum. The ambassador disclosed it during a meeting with Omar Ayub Khan, Federal Minister for […]

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Japan not planning to evacuate embassy staff from Ukraine

Tokyo: The Japanese Embassy in Ukraine is operating as normal and is not planning to evacuate its staff despite recommendations from the Japanese government. According to Ukrinform, Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine Kuninori Matsuda told this to Suspilne (Ukraine’s Public Broadcasting Company). Commenting on the Japanese government’s recommendation that Japanese citizens leave Ukraine and postpone their […]

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Record 300 day-care centers in Japan shut due to pandemic

Newswire Tokyo: A record 327 day-care centers temporarily shut down in Japan this week as the coronavirus resurgence grips the country, the health ministry said, causing a headache for working parents. The number of such facilities suspending services as of last Thursday, excluding privately operated or locally licensed ones, increased fourfold in a week along […]

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Japan to allow in some foreign students, making exception to ban

Newswire Tokyo: Japan plans to allow 87 government-sponsored foreign students into the country, making an exception to the country’s current entry ban on nonresident foreigners amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the top spokesman said this week. Entry of the students will possibly be allowed from later this month and they will be required to quarantine for […]

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Japan looks to expand COVID quasi-emergency to Tokyo, 10 other prefs.

Newswire Tokyo: Japan is considering placing 11 prefectures, including Tokyo and its vicinity, under a COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency to curb rapidly spreading coronavirus cases, government sources said Monday. Any declaration of a quasi-emergency hinges on requests made by these prefectures, but the Japanese government is preparing to make a decision as the highly transmissible […]

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The Exhibition ‘NINGYO: Art and Beauty of Japanese Dolls’ inaugurated at the National Art Gallery

Newswire Islamabad: To kick start the 70th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Pakistan, the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan and the Japan Foundation in cooperation with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) are presenting a superb collection of Japanese dolls in an exhibition titled “NINGYO: Art and […]

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Japan’s Princess Kako turns 27, duties still curbed due to pandemic

Princess Kako, the niece of Japanese Emperor Naruhito, turned 27 this week, following another year of restrictions to official duties due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. The younger daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko has expressed concern for those affected by the pandemic after receiving briefings from experts, as well as […]

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Japan launches COVID-19 vaccine certificate app

Newswire Tokyo: The Japanese government this week launched a smartphone app that allows people to display proof of vaccination that can be used for multiple purposes, including immigration procedures. The app, called the COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate Application and available for both iPhone and Android smartphones, displays information such as the number of doses a user […]

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Japan’s Yusaku Maezawa returns to Earth after 12-day space flight

Newswire Tokyo: Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has returned to Earth after a 12-day journey into space, ending a practice run for his planned trip around the moon with founder Elon Musk’s SpaceX in 2023. The 46-year-old fashion tycoon and his assistant, Yozo Hirano, parachuted onto Kazakhstan’s steppe at 03:13 GMT on Monday, along with Russian […]

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Japan committed to provide support to Pakistan: WADA Mitsuhiro

Newswire Islamabad: Newly appointed Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan WADA Mitsuhiro this week said his government is committed to provide support to Pakistan for its socio-economic development and the effect of utilizing Japan’s strengths toward the development of Pakistan and the region will continue. “It is my pleasure to contribute to the development of Japan-Pakistan […]

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Japan PM seeks to boost workers’ wages, defence capability

Tetsushi Kajimoto and Kiyoshi Takenaka Newswire Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed this week to ensure worker wage hikes to protect the economy from rising global inflation, while strengthening the country’s defences as it deals with an assertive China and unpredictable North Korea. Kishida made the remarks on the opening day of parliament’s extra […]

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Japan-sponsored vocational training centre completed in Mirpurkhas

Newswire Karachi: The Government of Japan extended a grant of $89,283 to Advocacy, Research, Training and Services (ARTS) Foundation for “The Project for Constructing ARTS Vocational Training Centre in Mirpurkhas” under the scheme of Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP). Through this grant, they constructed a vocational training centre in the rural area […]

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