Takatoshi Ito The assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is as sad as it is shocking. Gun violence is exceedingly rare in Japan and it seems clear already that both the Nara local police and the Security Police (secret service) were ill-prepared to protect him. For Japanese of my generation, the tragedy calls […]
Read MoreFormer Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a nationalist who served in the post longer than anyone else before stepping down in 2020, was shot and killed on Friday at a campaign rally. Security tackled the suspected gunman at the scene of an attack, and he was arrested by police. The shooting shocked many in Japan, […]
Read MoreTokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced plans to boost his country’s diplomatic and security role in the Asia-Pacific to tackle what he described as growing threats in the region amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Kishida said Japan will consider acquiring a preemptive strike capability in response to an increasingly assertive China, North Korea […]
Read MoreTokyo: More than a month has passed since the Japanese government relaxed its guidance on mask usage to reflect subsiding fears of the coronavirus, yet its call for removing masks whenever possible has not caught on widely among the public. There has never been a mask mandate in the country, but more than two years […]
Read MoreKarachi: A Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ship this week docked at Karachi port as part of a visit that includes naval drills at sea to further hone professional skills and enhance interoperability. Upon arrival the ship – Harusame (DD102) – was received by officials of Pakistan Navy, Japanese diplomatic staff and school students. […]
Read MoreStaff Writer Tokyo: A commemorative stamp on the occasion of 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Japan was launched at a ceremony held here at Embassy’s event hall this week. A large number of people including Japanese government officials, academia, think-tanks, media and business personalities, members of diplomatic corps and […]
Read MoreCovert Report Tokyo: The Japanese government is set to levy fines against overseas IT giants that have failed to register their overseas headquarters in Japan. A total of 48 companies, including Twitter, Facebook-owner Meta and Google, were asked to register by the end of March, but it is thought that some have still not complied. […]
Read MoreTokyo: In an attempt to deal with cyberbullying, a bill that introduced tough penalties for online insults was passed at an upper house plenary session in Japan, South China Morning Post reported. The move came after a 22-year-old professional wrestler and cast member on the famous Netflix show “Terrace House”, Hana Kimura, died by suicide […]
Read MoreNewswire Tokyo: Japan this week eased its borders for foreign tourists and began accepting applications, but only for those on guided package tours who are willing to follow mask-wearing and other antivirus measures as the country cautiously tries to balance business and infection worries. Friday is the first day to start procedures needed for the […]
Read MoreNewswire Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week said his government was focusing on reinvigorating ties with Japan in the field of trade and investment. In a meeting with a delegation of Japanese companies, the prime minister said hurdles would be removed in the way of smooth functioning of the investment infrastructure. The prime minister, […]
Read MoreTokyo: Japan has become the latest country to open an online preprint repository, in a bid to boost international exposure to the country’s research. But so far, researchers haven’t rushed to post on Jxiv — fewer than 40 papers have been uploaded since it launched in March — and some researchers say the platform isn’t […]
Read MoreStaff Writer Islamabad: The first-ever Pak-Japan Centre was inaugurated in Pakistan at National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The centre was inaugurated jointly by Lt Gen (Retd) Javed Mahmood Bukhari, Rector NUST, and Mitsuhiro Wada, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan. The facility has been established through […]
Read MoreISLAMABAD – Shazia Sikander, Pakistan-born miniature artist has won this Fukuoka Prize in the category of Arts and Culture for introducing innovation in the traditional art forms using latest digital technology in the world of miniature painting, which follows conventions dating back to the Mughal Empire. This Fukuoka Prize was established in 1990 by Japanese […]
Read MoreNewswire Yokohama: The United Nations World Food Programme has welcomed a US$ 10 million contribution from the Government of Japan to provide life-saving food assistance in Yemen, where people are pushed to the brink due to a prolonged conflict, an economic crisis, and the fallout of the war in Ukraine. The funding will enable WFP […]
Read MoreNewswire Tokyo: Japan and the United States said this week they want to put the first Japanese astronaut on the Moon as the allies deepen cooperation on space projects. No non-American has ever touched down on the lunar surface, and Japan has previously said it hopes to achieve a Moon landing by the end of […]
Read MoreMatthew Loh Tokyo: A man in Japan who received COVID-19 relief payments meant for 463 households in his town last month disappeared after transferring the funds out of his bank account, the local news outlet SoraNews24 reported. The 24-year-old man, who wasn’t named, had 46.3 million yen ($358,857) worth of financial aid for the people […]
Read MoreElaine Lies Tokyo: The Japanese island chain of Okinawa marked the 50th anniversary of the end of U.S. occupation and its return to Japan this week with calls for more economic growth and fewer U.S. bases despite growing worries over its proximity to an increasingly assertive China. Okinawa, a string of tropical islands off far […]
Read MoreNewswire Tokyo: Japan will take time to phase out Russian oil imports after agreeing on a ban with other Group of Seven (G7) nations to counter Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said this week. The G7 nations committed to the move “in a timely and orderly fashion” at an online meeting on […]
Read MoreNewswire Tokyo: Japanese electronics manufacturer TDK will spend roughly 50 billion yen ($383 million) to construct a domestic factory that makes parts for electric vehicles, Nikkei has learned, in a move that follows a growing trend of locating capacity at home due to supply chain pressures and the weak yen. The new facility will make […]
Read MoreIslamabad: Just in time for the summer travel season, Japan aims to reopen to international tourists in June. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made the announcement yesterday while visiting London. “We will further relax controls, so that in June it will be possible to enter the country as smoothly as other G7 nations,” said Kishida. […]
Read MoreTokyo: Boris Johnson has promised to work with other countries to take on “autocratic, coercive powers”, after signing a defensive partnership with Japan. The prime minister met Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Downing Street, where the two nations also announced joint exercises and increased working together for disaster relief. The agreement is the first of […]
Read MoreIslamabad: 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 […]
Read MoreTokyo: Japanese supercentenarian and the world’s oldest person Kane Tanaka has passed away at the age of 119. Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare confirmed Kane’s death in a statement. Officials said Tanaka passed away after being in relatively good health until recently. The actual cause of her death was unknown, while some family […]
Read MoreDavid McElhinney Tokyo: When Japan implemented a blanket ban on inbound tourists in April 2020, Andrew William braced for a tough few months. As revenues from his Kyoto tour company An Design plummeted, William shifted to virtual experiences to keep his business afloat. “An Design relies heavily on inbound tourism. Pre-pandemic I was typically leading […]
Read MoreNewswire Tokyo: Japanese finance minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Tuesday the damage to the economy from a weakening yen at present is greater than the benefits accruing to it, making the most explicit warning against the currency’s recent slump versus the dollar. The yen’s fall has worsened imported inflationary pressures in Japan amid a spike […]
Read MoreDima 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, […]
Read MoreTokyo: 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 […]
Read MoreYoshifumi 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, […]
Read MoreNewswire Islamabad: To celebrate the 62nd Birthday of His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito, the Ambassador of Japan H.E. Mr. WADA Mitsuhiro and his wife hosted a reception at a local hotel in Islamabad on March 29. The reception was attended by the Ministers such as (the chief guest) Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for National […]
Read MoreLahore: Ambassador of Japan Wada Mitsuhiro, accompanied by other officials from the Japanese embassy, visited the University of Engineering & Technology (UET) Lahore this week. Wada Mitsuhiro presented 98 books to the UET Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mansoor Sarwar which have been placed in a special corner of the university’s main library. The Ambassador also took […]
Read MoreJakob 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 […]
Read MoreNewswire 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 […]
Read MoreNewswire 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 […]
Read MoreNewswire 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, […]
Read MoreNewswire 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 […]
Read MoreKanako 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 — […]
Read MoreNewswire 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 […]
Read MoreNewswire Tokyo: The Japanese government welcomes the International Atomic Energy Agency’s review on the safety of releasing contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said this week. A group of experts from the organisation is in Japan to evaluate the safety as well as the radiation […]
Read MoreStaff 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 […]
Read MoreNewswire Tokyo: Princess Yoko, the younger daughter of the late Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, a cousin of former Emperor Akihito, complained of a sore throat this week and tested positive for the virus, the Imperial Household Agency said. She was admitted to a hospital inside the Imperial Palace. Her sister, Princess Akiko, 40, will also […]
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