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Japan restarts Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, the world’s largest nuclear plant, to boost energy supply and cut fossil fuel reliance amid public safety concerns.

Japan restarts world's biggest nuclear plant again

Japan restarts Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, the world&rsquo;s largest nuclear plant, to boost energy supply and cut fossil fuel reliance amid public safety concerns.

Japan switched on the world's biggest nuclear power plant again on Monday, its operator said, after an earlier attempt was quickly suspended due to a minor glitch.
A problem with a monitoring alarm in January forced the suspension of its first restart since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in the Niigata region restarted at 2:00 pm (0500 GMT), the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said in a statement.
The facility had been offline since Japan pulled the plug on nuclear power after a colossal earthquake and tsunami sent three reactors at the Fukushima atomic plant into meltdown.
But now Japan is turning to atomic energy to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and meet growing energy needs from artificial intelligence.
Conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who pulled off a thumping election victory on Sunday, has promoted nuclear power to energise the Asian economic giant.
TEPCO initially moved to start one of seven reactors at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant on January 21 but shut it off the following day after a monitoring system alarm sounded.
The alarm had picked up slight changes to the electrical current in one cable even though these were still within a range considered safe, TEPCO officials told a news conference last week.
The firm has changed the alarm's settings as the reactor is safe to operate.
Commercial operations will commence on or after March 18 after another comprehensive inspection, according to TEPCO officials.
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the world's biggest nuclear power plant by potential capacity, although just one reactor of seven was restarted.
Fourteen reactors, mostly in western and southern Japan, have resumed operation since the post-Fukushima shutdown under strict safety rules, with 13 running as of mid January.
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the first TEPCO-run unit to restart since 2011. The company also operates the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant, now being decommissioned.
The vast Kashiwazaki-Kariwa complex has been fitted with a 15-metre-high (50-foot) tsunami wall, elevated emergency power systems and other safety upgrades.
But public opinion in the area around the plant is deeply divided: Around 60 percent of residents oppose the restart, while 37 percent support it, according to a survey conducted by Niigata prefecture in September.
Residents have raised concerns about the risk of a serious accident, citing frequent cover-up scandals, minor accidents and evacuation plans they say are inadequate.
On January 8, seven groups opposing the restart submitted a petition signed by nearly 40,000 people to TEPCO and Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority.
"We will continue to demonstrate our commitment to safety as our priority at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station through our actions and results," TEPCO said in a statement Monday.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a historic two-thirds majority in the lower house, strengthening her mandate to pursue conservative reforms, economic policies, and defence expansion.

Japan PM Takaichi basks in historic election triumph

Japan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a historic two-thirds majority in the lower house, strengthening her mandate to pursue conservative reforms, economic policies, and defence expansion.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi savoured an election landslide Monday, with her ruling party projected to have won a two-thirds majority in the powerful lower house for the first time in its history.
If confirmed by official results, the outcome gives Japan's first female premier a strong mandate to implement her conservative agenda and stamp her mark on the country of 123 million people over the next four years.
The Asia-Pacific region will be watching closely, however, to see if the 64-year-old ups the ante or lowers the temperature with China after enraging Beijing in November with comments about Taiwan.
Financial markets may also be nervous about Japan's public finances and its gargantuan debt pile if Takaichi decides to cut taxes and boost spending in Asia's number-two economy.
"We have consistently stressed the importance of responsible and proactive fiscal policy," Takaichi insisted late Sunday.
"We will prioritise the sustainability of fiscal policy. We will ensure necessary investments. Public and private sectors must invest. We will build a strong and resilient economy," she said.
On Monday, the Nikkei jumped around five percent to hit a new high, with equities "poised to benefit from higher fiscal spending but interest rates that remain accommodative and negative in real terms", according to analyst Kyle Rodda of Capital.com.
With a stronger mandate, Takaichi is also expected to push through her ambitious policy agenda, which includes boosting the defence budget, tougher immigration measures and potentially changing the constitution.
Capitalising on her honeymoon start after becoming Japan's fifth premier in as many years in October, Takaichi called the snap election last month.
The gamble paid off handsomely, with local media reporting that her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won around 316 of the 465 seats contested, citing partial results.
That takes the party past the 310-seat threshold needed for a two-thirds majority.
Together with its junior coalition partner, they're expected to secure 352 seats.
US President Donald Trump congratulated Takaichi after an earlier endorsement.
"I wish you Great Success in passing your Conservative, Peace Through Strength Agenda," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
 - Drummer -
Takaichi has injected new life into the LDP, which has governed Japan almost non-stop for decades but shed support in recent elections because of unhappiness about rising prices and corruption.
A heavy metal drummer in her youth, Takaichi was an admirer of Britain's "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher, and on the ultra-conservative fringe of the LDP when she became party chief.
She has been a hit with voters, especially young ones, with fans lapping up everything from her handbag to her jamming to a K-pop song with South Korea's president.
But she will have to deliver on the economy to remain popular.
"With prices rising like this, what matters most to me is what policies they'll adopt to deal with inflation," voter Chika Sakamoto, 50, told AFP at a voting station in snowy Tokyo on Sunday.
 - Socially conservative -
Despite being her country's first woman premier, Takaichi has shown little appetite for framing her leadership around gender in male-dominated Japanese politics.
She is socially conservative, opposing any revision to a law requiring married couples to share the same surname, a rule that overwhelmingly results in women taking their husband's name.
Before becoming prime minister, Takaichi was seen as a China hawk.
She was a regular visitor to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours convicted war criminals along with 2.5 million war dead and is seen as a symbol of Japan's militarist past.
Barely two weeks in office, Takaichi suggested that Japan could intervene militarily if Beijing sought to take self-ruled Taiwan by force.
China regards the democratic island as part of its territory and has not ruled out force to annex it.
With Takaichi having days earlier pulled out all the stops to welcome Trump, Beijing was furious with her unscripted remarks.
It summoned Tokyo's ambassador, warned its citizens against visiting Japan and conducted joint air drills with Russia. Japan's last two pandas were even returned to China last month.
Margarita Estevez-Abe, associate professor of political science at Syracuse University, said that Takaichi can afford to dial down tensions now.
"Now she doesn't have to worry about any elections until 2028, when the next upper house elections will take place," Estevez-Abe told AFP before the vote.
"So the best scenario for Japan is that Takaichi kind of takes a deep breath and focuses on amending the relationship with China."

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament and announced a snap election on February 8, seeking public support amid rising living costs and economic challenges.

Japan's Prime Minister Dissolves Parliament for Snap Election

Japan PM Takaichi Announces Snap Election

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament and announced a snap election on February 8, seeking public support amid rising living costs and economic challenges.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament on Friday ahead of a snap election on February 8, counting on her cabinet's high poll numbers to steer her otherwise unpopular ruling party to victory.
The country's first woman premier had announced her intentions on Monday, seeking public backing for measures to shield households from rising living costs and increase spending on defence.
The speaker of parliament on Friday read out a letter, officially dissolving the lower house as lawmakers shouted the traditional rallying cry of "banzai".
The ruling coalition of Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) has only a slim majority in the powerful lower chamber.
Takaichi is hoping widespread support for her cabinet will help deliver her a stronger mandate even though the LDP itself is battling low approval ratings and a string of scandals.
"It's not clear if high public support for the Takaichi cabinet will actually lead to support of the LDP," Hidehiro Yamamoto, a politics professor at the University of Tsukuba, told AFP.
"What the public are concerned about is measures to address inflation," he said.
On Friday, closely watched government data showed the country's inflation rate slowed in December, largely thanks to government subsidies for electricity and gas.
The 2.4 percent year-on-year rise in consumer prices, which excludes volatile fresh food, compared to three percent in November -- a notable slowdown, although higher than the central bank's two percent target.
Public discontent over rising prices largely contributed to the downfall of Shigeru Ishiba, whom Takaichi succeeded in October.
While Japan was long haunted by deflation, it has more recently faced a surge in living costs and a chronically weak yen that has made imports more expensive.
Rice has become a symbol: its price more than doubled in mid-2025 compared to a year earlier, before easing in recent months.
The price of the grain rose more than 34 percent in December compared to last year, official data showed Friday.
Vowing to address the issue and shore up the world's fourth-largest economy, Takaichi's cabinet approved a record 122.3-trillion-yen ($770 billion) budget for the fiscal year from April 2026.
But rivals say dissolving the lower house risks delaying its passage through parliament, with Jun Azumi of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) saying it would "sacrifice livelihoods".
 - Tax relief -
If elected, Takaichi has pledged to cut a sales tax on food for a two-year period to "alleviate the burden" on people struggling with inflation.
Opposition parties are also calling for the tax relief.
But Takaichi's "proactive" fiscal spending risks inflating the country's already colossal debt, which is expected to exceed 230 percent of GDP in the fiscal year 2025-26. Takaichi says the policy is "responsible".
The prospect of tax cuts roiled the bond market this week, after it was already rattled by the massive stimulus plan and worried about fiscal slippage financed by debt.
Yields on Japanese government bonds have soared, signalling investor distrust.
The Bank of Japan (BOJ), which is responsible for price stability, left its key interest rate unchanged at 0.75 percent in a policy decision Friday after a two-day meeting.
It has raised its key interest rates several times since early 2024 to rein in inflation.
The BOJ predicted that consumer price inflation will fall below two percent year-on-year during the first half of 2026, noting the government's measures against inflation.
 - Centrist alliance -
The LDP has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades, albeit with frequent leader changes.
The CDP has joined forces with another party, Komeito, hoping their new Centrist Reform Alliance can draw swing voters away from Takaichi.
Analysts say the election could be a close battle depending on the success of the alliance, but the opposition's chances of winning remain slim.
"The key could be the voting behaviour of young and middle-aged groups, as was the case in the upper house election" in July, Mizuho Research &amp; Technologies said in a note.
The Takaichi government enjoys around 90 percent support among those under 30, according to a poll published at the end of December by the conservative Sankei Shimbun newspaper and Fuji Television.

Tetsuya Yamagami, convicted of killing Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday, more than three years after the assassination that shocked the nation.

Japanese Court Sentences Shinzo Abe's Assassin to Life

Shinzo Abe Assassin Tetsuya Yamagami Sentenced

Tetsuya Yamagami, convicted of killing Japan&rsquo;s former prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday, more than three years after the assassination that shocked the nation.

The gunman charged with killing Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe was found guilty and jailed for life Wednesday, more than three years after the broad-daylight assassination shocked the world.
The shooting forced a reckoning in a country with little experience of gun violence, and ignited scrutiny of alleged ties between prominent conservative lawmakers and a secretive sect, the Unification Church.
Judge Shinichi Tanaka handed down the sentence at a court in the city of Nara.
A queue of people waited Wednesday morning to get tickets to enter the courtroom, highlighting intense public interest in the trial.
Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, faced charges including murder and firearms control law violations for using a handmade gun to kill Japan's longest-serving leader during his campaign speech in July 2022.
As the trial opened in October, Yamagami admitted to murder. He contested some of the other charges, media reports said.
Under Japan's legal system, a trial continues even if a defendant admits guilt.
Manabu Kawashima, a logistics worker who was waiting outside court, said he wanted "to know the truth about Yamagami".
"What happened to former prime minister Abe was the incident of the century. And I liked him while he was alive. His death was shocking," the 31-year-old told AFP.
"I'm here because I wanted to know about the man who killed someone I cared about."
Another man outside court held a banner urging the judge to take Yamagami's difficult life circumstances "into the fullest consideration".
Prosecutors sought a life sentence for Yamagami, calling the murder "unprecedented in our post-war history" and citing the "extremely serious consequences" it had on society, according to local media.
The Japanese version of life imprisonment leaves open the possibility of parole, although in reality, experts say many die while incarcerated.
At the trial opening, prosecutors argued that the defendant's motive to kill Abe was rooted in his desire to besmirch the Unification Church.
The months-long trial highlighted how his mother's blind donations to the Church plunged his family into bankruptcy and how he came to believe "influential politicians" were helping the sect thrive.
Abe had spoken at events organised by some of the church groups.
Yamagami "thought if he killed someone as influential as former prime minister Abe, he could draw public attention to the Church and fuel public criticism of it," a prosecutor told a district court in western Japan's Nara region in October.
The Unification Church was established in South Korea in 1954, with its members nicknamed "Moonies" after its founder Sun Myung Moon.
In a plea for leniency, his defence team stressed his upbringing had been mired in "religious abuse" stemming from his mother's extreme faith in the Unification Church.
In despair after the suicide of her husband, and with her other son gravely ill, Yamagami's mother poured all her assets into the Church to "salvage" her family, Yamagami's lawyer said, adding that her donations eventually snowballed to around 100 million yen ($1 million at the time).
Yamagami was forced to give up pursuing higher education. In 2005, he attempted to take his own life before his brother died by suicide.
Investigations after Abe's murder led to cascading revelations about close ties between the Church and many conservative lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, prompting four ministers to resign.
In 2020, Yamagami began hand-crafting a lethal firearm, a process that involved meticulous test-firing sessions in a remote mountainous area.
This points to the highly "premeditated" nature of his attack on Abe, prosecutors say.
The assassination was also a wake-up call for a nation which has some of the world's strictest gun controls.
Gun violence is so rare in Japan that security officials at the scene failed to immediately identify the sound made by the first shot, and came to Abe's rescue too late, a police report after the attack said.

Japan lifted a tsunami advisory following a 6.7 magnitude earthquake in Aomori. No severe damage or injuries reported. Authorities warn of aftershocks and advise preparedness.

Japan Experiences Back-to-Back Earthquakes and Tsunami Advisory Lifted

Japan's Tsunami Advisory Lifted After 6.7 Quake

Japan lifted a tsunami advisory following a 6.7 magnitude earthquake in Aomori. No severe damage or injuries reported. Authorities warn of aftershocks and advise preparedness.

A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan on Friday, the weather office said, days after an even larger tremor shook the region and injured at least 50.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) upgraded Friday's quake to magnitude 6.7 and warned that tsunami waves of up to one metre (three feet) could hit the northern Pacific coastline.
In the end, waves of up to 20 centimetres were recorded on the main northern island of Hokkaido and in the Aomori region, the JMA said, before the tsunami advisory was lifted.
Broadcaster NHK said there was no obvious change at either of the ports where the waves hit.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also said that the quake measured 6.7 and was 130 kilometres (81 miles) off the city of Kuji in Iwate prefecture on the main island of Honshu.
NHK said that the level of shaking was less than the bigger 7.5 tremor late Monday, which knocked items off shelves, tore apart roads, smashed windows and triggered tsunami waves of up to 70 centimetres.
In the wake of that quake, an evacuation order was issued Thursday for residents living near a damaged 70-meter-high steel tower in Aomori, local media said, with authorities citing the risk of collapse.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said Friday there were no immediate signs of abnormalities at the region's nuclear facilities.
Following Monday's tremor, the JMA published a rare special advisory warning that another quake of similar or greater size was possible for another week.
The advisory covered the Sanriku area on the northeastern tip of Japan's main island of Honshu and the northern island of Hokkaido, facing the Pacific.
The region is haunted by the memory of a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea quake in 2011, which triggered a tsunami that killed around 18,500 people.
In August 2024, the JMA issued its first special advisory, for the southern half of Japan's Pacific coast warning of a possible "megaquake" along the Nankai Trough.
The 800-kilometre undersea trench is where the Philippine Sea oceanic tectonic plate is "subducting" -- or slowly slipping -- underneath the continental plate that Japan sits atop.
The government has said a quake in the Nankai Trough and subsequent tsunami could kill as many as 298,000 people and cause up to $2 trillion in damages.
The JMA lifted last year's advisory after a week but it led to panic-buying of staples like rice and prompted holidaymakers to cancel hotel reservations.
Japan sits on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and is one of the world's most seismically active countries.
The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, experiences around 1,500 jolts every year.
The vast majority are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to their location and depth below the Earth's surface.

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan, prompting a tsunami warning days after a stronger 7.5 quake injured dozens. No abnormalities reported at nuclear facilities as the region remains on alert.

6.7-magnitude earthquake strikes northern Japan, triggers tsunami alert

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan, prompting a tsunami warning days after a stronger 7.5 quake injured dozens. No abnormalities reported at nuclear facilities as the region remains on alert.

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake occurred off northern Japan on Friday, the weather office said, days after a 7.5-level tremor in the same region injured at least 50 people.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), upgrading its initial estimated magnitude of 6.5, also warned that tsunami waves of up to one metre (three feet) could hit the northern Pacific coastline.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also said that the quake measured 6.7 and was 130 kilometres (81 miles) off the city of Kuji in Iwate prefecture on the main island of Honshu.
Broadcaster NHK said that the level of shaking was less than the bigger tremor late Monday which knocked items off shelves, tore apart roads, smashed windows and triggered tsunami waves of up to 70 centimetres.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said Friday there were no immediate signs of abnormalities at the region's nuclear facilities.
Following Monday's tremor, the JMA had published a rare special advisory warning that another quake of similar or greater size was possible for another week.
The advisory covered the Sanriku area on the northeastern tip of Japan's main island of Honshu and the northern island of Hokkaido, facing the Pacific.
The region is haunted by the memory of a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea quake in 2011, which triggered a tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing.
In August 2024, the JMA issued its first special advisory, for the southern half of Japan's Pacific coast warning of a possible "megaquake" along the Nankai Trough.
The 800-kilometre (500-mile) undersea trench is where the Philippine Sea oceanic tectonic plate is "subducting" -- or slowly slipping -- underneath the continental plate that Japan sits atop.
The government has said that a quake in the Nankai Trough and subsequent tsunami could kill as many as 298,000 people and cause up to $2 trillion in damages.
The JMA lifted last year's advisory after a week but it led to panic-buying of staples like rice and prompted holidaymakers to cancel hotel reservations.
Japan sits on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and is one of the world's most seismically active countries.
The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, experiences around 1,500 jolts every year.
The vast majority are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to their location and depth below the Earth's surface.

A magnitude 7.5 quake off northern Japan injured at least 30 people, damaged roads, cut power to thousands, and triggered small tsunami waves before warnings were lifted.

Magnitude 7.5 quake hits northern Japan, injures 30 and damages roads

Magnitude 7.5 quake hits northern Japan, injures 30 and triggers tsunami scare

A magnitude 7.5 quake off northern Japan injured at least 30 people, damaged roads, cut power to thousands, and triggered small tsunami waves before warnings were lifted.

A big quake off Japan injured at least 30 people, authorities said Tuesday, damaging roads and knocking out power for thousands in freezing temperatures.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the magnitude 7.5 quake at 11:15 pm on Monday (1415 GMT) -- downgraded from its first reading of 7.6 -- raised the chances of similar or larger tremors in the coming days.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said 30 people were injured in the quake off the coast of the northern Aomori region, which triggered tsunami waves up to 70 centimetres (28 inches).
Daiki Shimohata, 33, a civil servant in Hashikami on Honshu island, told AFP that he and his family rushed outside their home.
"The tremor was something that we've never experienced. It lasted maybe for about 20 seconds," Shimohata said by phone.
"We were holding our children -- a two-year-old girl and a one-year-old boy -- in our arms. The shaking reminded me of the disaster (in 2011)," he said.
One person was seriously hurt in the main northern island of Hokkaido, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Footage showed people in a supermarket clinging to a table with items having fallen off shelves, as well as crevasses in roads and at least one car in a hole.
Elsewhere broken glass from windows was scattered on roads and pavements.
Initially there were reports of several fires but government spokesman Minoru Kihara said Tuesday that was one confirmed blaze at a house.
On the main northern island of Hokkaido, an AFP reporter said the ground shook violently for around 30 seconds as smartphone alarms alerted residents.
In the city of Hachinohe the quake reached upper six on Japan's seven-level Shindo scale of shakiness, the point at which it's impossible to move without crawling.
With temperatures around freezing point, around 2,700 homes were without power but by Tuesday morning electricity had been restored to most areas, according to utility providers.
At first the JMA warned of tsunamis up to three metres (10 feet), which could have caused major damage.
Around 28,000 people were initially advised after the quake to evacuate, emergency services said, and media reports said some makeshift shelters were full.
In the end the biggest waves recorded measured up to 70 centimetres and after several hours the tsunami warnings were lifted.
Shinkansen bullet-train service was suspended in some areas while engineers checked for any damage to the tracks.
No abnormalities were detected at the Higashidori or Onagawa nuclear power plants, operator Tohoku Electric Power said.
The JMA warned people to be cautious of further quakes of a similar intensity for about a week.
"Additionally, there is a possibility of even stronger earthquakes occurring, so please stay alert," it said.
Geologists Kyle Bradley and Judith A. Hubbard said that there was no way to tell whether a strong earthquake will be followed by a similarly strong, or even stronger, one.
"Instead, we must rely on historical statistics, which tell us that very few large earthquakes are soon followed by even larger events," they said in their Earthquake Insights newsletter.
"It does happen, just not very often."
 - 'Megaquake' -
In 2011, a magnitude-9.0 quake triggered a tsunami that left 18,500 people dead or missing and caused a devastating meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.
Japan sits on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and is one of the world's most tectonically active countries.
The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, experiences around 1,500 jolts every year.
The vast majority are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to their location and depth below the Earth's surface.
Quakes are extremely hard to predict, but in January a government panel marginally increased the probability of a major jolt in the Nankai Trough off Japan in the next 30 years to 75-82 percent.
The government then released a new estimate in March saying that such a "megaquake" and subsequent tsunami could cause as many as 298,000 deaths and damages of up to $2 trillion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a two-day visit to Japan, highlighted India-Japan collaboration as key to shaping the Asian century with growth, stability and prosperity.

India and Japan: Collaborating for the Asian Century's Prosperity

India-Japan Partnership for Asian Prosperity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a two-day visit to Japan, highlighted India-Japan collaboration as key to shaping the Asian century with growth, stability and prosperity.

India and Japan will together shape the Asian century for stability, growth and prosperity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday as he began a two-day crucial visit to the east Asian nation.
In an address at a business forum, Modi said Japan's excellence and India's scale can create a perfect partnership and mutual growth.
The prime minister landed in Tokyo this morning on a two-day visit that comes amid a strain in New Delhi's relations with Washington over President Donald Trump's policies on trade and tariffs.
Showcasing India as an attractive investment destination, Modi said the country has political and economic stability as well as transparency and predictability in policy decisions.
In India, capital does not just grow, it multiplies, he said.
"Today, India is the fastest-growing major economy in the world and very soon, it is going to become the third largest global economy," he said at the India-Japan Economic Forum.
Modi said India has taken bold and ambitious initiatives in a range of key areas, including artificial intelligence, semiconductor, quantum computing, biotech and space.
Technology of Japan and talent of India can together lead the technology revolution of this century, he said.
Modi also said that India is the "springboard" for Japanese business to the Global South.
India and Japan can replicate successful auto sector partnership in areas of robotics, semiconductors, ship-building, and nuclear energy, he noted.
In India's development journey, Japan has always been an important partner, Modi said.
From Metro to manufacturing, from semiconductors to start-ups, India-Japan partnership in every sector became a symbol of mutual trust, he said.
India and Japan can make a significant contribution to the development of the Global South, especially in Africa, he added.&nbsp;

A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific, from Japan and Alaska to Hawaii, Mexico, and New Zealand.

Tsunami hits Russia's islands, Japan after 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia

A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Russia&rsquo;s Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific, from Japan and Alaska to Hawaii, Mexico, and New Zealand.

One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck Russia's Far East early Wednesday, sending tsunami waves into Japan, Hawaii and the US West Coast. No substantial damage has been reported so far, but authorities warned people away from shorelines and said the risk could last more than a day.
Ports on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia near the 8.8 magnitude quake's epicentre flooded as residents fled inland, and frothy, white waves washed up to the shore in northern Japan. Cars jammed streets and highways in Hawaii's capital, with standstill traffic even in areas away from the shoreline.
People went to evacuation centres in affected areas of Japan, with memories fresh of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused reactor meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. No abnormalities in operations at Japan's nuclear plants were reported Wednesday.
Russian authorities said several people were injured, without giving a figure. In Japan, at least one person was injured.
A tsunami height of 3-4 metres was recorded in Kamchatka, 60 centimetres on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, and up to 1.4 feet (under 30 centimetres) above tide levels were observed in Alaska's Aleutian Islands.
Hours after the quake, Hawaii downgraded its tsunami warning to an advisory, while Japan's Meteorological Agency also lowered its alert to an advisory in the Pacific coast south of Fukushima. The alert still in place farther north.
Maj Gen Stephen Logan, the Adjutant General of the State of Hawaii Department of Defence, said an advisory means there is the potential for strong currents and dangerous waves, as well as flooding on beaches or in harbours.
Hawaii and Oregon warn residents of potential damage The impact of the tsunami could last for hours or perhaps more than a day, said Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Centre in Alaska &ldquo;A tsunami is not just one wave,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It's a series of powerful waves over a long period of time. Tsunamis cross the ocean at hundreds of miles an hour -- as fast as a jet airplane -- in deep water. But when they get close to the shore, they slow down and start to pile up. And that's where that inundation problem becomes a little bit more possible there.&rdquo; &ldquo;In this case, because of the Earth basically sending out these huge ripples of water across the ocean, they're going to be moving back and forth for quite a while,&rdquo; which is why some communities may feel effects longer, he said.
Hawaii Gov Josh Green said data from Midway Atoll, which is between Japan and Hawaii, measured waves from peak to trough of 1.8 metres. He said waves hitting Hawaii could be bigger or smaller and it was too early to tell how large they would be. A tsunami of that size would be akin to a 3-foot wave riding on top of surf, he said.
&ldquo;This is a longitudinal wave with great force driving through the shoreline and into land,&rdquo; he said at a news conference.
Green said Black Hawk helicopters have been activated and high-water vehicles were ready to go in case authorities need to rescue people. &ldquo;But please do not put yourself in harm's way,&rdquo; he said.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management said on Facebook that small tsunami waves were expected along the coast starting around 11:40 pm local time, with wave heights between 1 to 2 feet. It urged people to stay away from beaches, harbours and marinas and to remain in a safe location away from the coast until the advisory is lifted.
&ldquo;This is not a major tsunami, but dangerous currents and strong waves may pose a risk to those near the water,&rdquo; the department said.
Much of the West Coast, spanning California, Washington state, and the Canadian province of British Columbia, was also under a tsunami advisory.
A tsunami of less than 30 centimeters was forecast to hit parts of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The province's emergency preparedness agency said waves were expected to reach remote Langara Island around 10:05 pm Tuesday and Tofino around 11:30 pm. The agency said &ldquo;multiple waves over time&rdquo; were expected.
Russian regions report limited damage The quake at 8:25 am Japan time had a preliminary magnitude of 8.0, Japanese and US seismologists said. The US Geological Survey later updated its strength to 8.8 magnitude and a depth of 20.7 kilometres.
The quake was centred about 119 kilometres east-southeast from the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of 1,80,000, on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Multiple aftershocks as strong as 6.9 magnitude followed.
Severokurilsk Mayor Alexander Ovsyannikov said the port in the city was flooded by tsunami waves, washing fishing boats into the sea. He said that no major damage was recorded.
Power supplies have been shut and the authorities were checking the power network after the flooding.
Among the world's strongest recorded quakes The earthquake appeared to be the strongest anywhere in the world since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake off northeastern Japan in March 2011 that caused a massive tsunami that set off meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. Only a few stronger earthquakes have ever been measured around the world.
The tsunami alert disrupted transportation in Japan, with ferries, trains and airports in the affected area suspending or delaying some operations.
A tsunami of 60 centimetres was recorded at Hamanaka town in Hokkaido and Kuji port in Iwate, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Several areas reported smaller waves including 20 centimetres in Tokyo Bay five hours after the quake.
In Japan's northern coastal town of Matsushima, dozens of residents took refuge at an evacuation centre, where water bottles were distributed and an air conditioner was running. One person told NHK she came to the facility without hesitation based on the lesson from the 2011 tsunami.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi warned evacuees that they may not be able to return home by the end of the day, as the tsunami waves could remain high.
Japanese nuclear power plants reported no abnormalities. The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi plant damaged by the 2011 tsunami said about 4,000 workers are taking shelter on higher ground at the plant complex while monitoring remotely to ensure safety.
Philippine authorities advised people to stay away from the beach and coastal areas. &ldquo;It may not be the largest of waves, but these can continue for hours and expose people swimming in the waters to danger,&rdquo; Teresito Bacolcol of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology told The Associated Press.
Mexico's navy warned that tsunami waves will start reaching the northern coast in Ensenada, near California, at around 02:22 am Wednesday local time, and waves could progress along the Pacific coast to Chiapas state, around 07:15 am local time.
New Zealand authorities warned of &ldquo;strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges&rdquo; along all coastlines of the South Pacific island nation. The emergency management agency said people should move out of the water, off beaches and away from harbours, marinas, rivers and estuaries.
People were urged to stay away from coastlines until any wave surges passed late Wednesday in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia and Solomon Islands.
Some tiny and low-lying Pacific island chains are among the world's most imperiled by tsunamis and rising seas due to climate change.
Earlier in July, five powerful quakes &mdash; the largest with a magnitude of 7.4 &mdash; struck in the sea near Kamchatka. The largest quake was at a depth of 20 kilometres and was 144 kilometers east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba’s ruling coalition fails to secure a majority in the upper house, marking the first time since 1955 that the LDP lacks control in both houses.

Ishiba's coalition loses majority in Japan's upper house election

Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba&rsquo;s ruling coalition fails to secure a majority in the upper house, marking the first time since 1955 that the LDP lacks control in both houses.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition failed Monday to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a crucial parliamentary election, NHK public television said.
Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats on top of the 75 seats they already have to retain their majority. With just one more seat to be decided, the coalition had 47 seats.
The loss is another blow to Ishiba's coalition, making it a minority in both houses following its October defeat in the lower house election, and worsening Japan's political instability. It was the first time the LDP has lost a majority in both houses of parliament since the party's foundation in 1955.
Despite the loss, Ishiba expressed determination to stay on and not create a political vacuum to tackle challenges such as US tariff threats, but he could face calls from within his party to step down or find another coalition partner.
&ldquo;I will fulfil my responsibility as head of the No 1 party and work for the country,&rdquo; he said.
Ishiba hoped for a simple majority but came up short Ishiba had set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which means his LDP and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats. Exit poll results released seconds after the ballots closed Sunday night mostly showed a major setback for Ishiba's coalition.
The LDP alone won 39 seats, better than most exit poll projections of 32, and still the No 1 party in the parliament, known as the Diet. But Ishiba said the coalition's poor showing was because his government's measures to combat price increases had yet to reach many people.
&ldquo;It's a tough situation. I take it humbly and sincerely,&rdquo; Ishiba told a live interview with NHK.
The poor performance in the election will not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file a no-confidence motion against a leader, but it will certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's political stability.
Ishiba could face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner.
Economic worries frustrate voters Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign.
Sunday's vote comes after Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election, stung by past corruption scandals, and his unpopular government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through parliament. It has been unable to quickly deliver effective measures to mitigate rising prices, including Japan's traditional staple of rice, and dwindling wages.
Trade talks with Washington US President Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations and the lack of sales of US autos and American-grown rice to Japandespite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba.
Ishiba resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect of a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition.
Populism gains traction Frustrated voters were rapidly turning to emerging populist parties. The eight main opposition groups, however, were too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative.
The emerging populist party Sanseito stands out with the toughest anti-foreigner stance, with its &ldquo;Japanese First&rdquo; platform that proposes a new agency to handle policies related to foreigners. The party's populist platform also includes anti-vaccine, anti-globalism and favours traditional gender roles.
Conservative opposition groups, especially the DPP and Sanseito, gained significant ground at the Liberal Democrats' expense, while the centrist top opposition CDPJ was sluggish. The DPP quadrupled to 17 seats from four, according to interim results reported by Japanese media. Sanseito surged to 14 from just one.
DPP leader Yuichiro Tamaki said his party made saw a big gain because voters chose it "as a new alternative.&rdquo; None of the opposition parties said that they were open to cooperating with the governing coalition. CDPJ leader Yoshihiko Noda told NHK that his priority is to form an alliance among the opposition. &ldquo;Public opinion clearly said no' to the Ishiba government,&rdquo; Noda said.
The spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media triggered protests by human rights activists and alarmed foreign residents.
A choice between stability or change The LDP has almost continuously dominated Japan's postwar politics, contributing to its political stability and social conformity. But voters are divided between stability and change, with some voicing concern about escalating xenophobia.
Yuko Tsuji, a 43-year-old consultant who came to a polling station inside a downtown Tokyo gymnasium with her husband, said they both support LDP for stability and unity. They voted &ldquo;for candidates who won't fuel division." &ldquo;If the ruling party doesn't govern properly, the conservative base will drift toward extremes. So I voted with the hope that the ruling party would tighten things up,&rdquo; she said.
Self-employed Daiichi Nasu, 57, who came to vote with his dog, said he hopes for a change toward a more inclusive and diverse society, with more open immigration and gender policies such as allowing married couples to keep separate surnames.
&ldquo;That's why I voted for the CDPJ,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I want to see progress on those fronts.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Marine Lance Corporal Jamel Clayton's seven-year sentence by a Japanese court for assault in Okinawa sparks safety and jurisdictional review concerns amidst substantial US military presence.

Sentence of an US Marine in Okinawa Raises Concerns

A Japanese court hands a seven-year sentence to US Marine Jamel Clayton in Okinawa for assault, escalating safety worries in a region with a large American military presence.

US Marine Jamel Clayton receives a seven-year sentence for sexual assaulting a woman in Okinawa, intensifying safety concerns and prompting calls for jurisdictional review amid US military presence.

A Japanese court has found a US Marine guilty of sexually assaulting a woman on Okinawa and sentenced him to seven years in prison, in a case that has triggered anger and safety concerns on Japan's southern island, which has a heavy American troop presence.
The Naha District Court said Lance Cpl Jamel Clayton, 22, of Ohio, was sentenced in the case on Tuesday.
Clayton was found guilty of attacking the woman in her 20s in the Yomitan village on the main Okinawa island in May 2024, chocking her from behind, sexually assaulting her and causing her injuries.
In sentencing, Judge Kazuhiko Obata said the victim's testimony, provided remotely and anonymously, was highly credible even though the defendant denied his charges brought by the prosecutors, who demanded 10 years in prison, according to Kyodo News.
&ldquo;This behaviour does not reflect the values of the Marine Corps nor does it exemplify the standards the overwhelming majority of our Marines uphold daily,&rdquo; Capt Kazuma Engelkemier, spokesperson for 3rd Marine Division, said in a statement confirming Clayton's conviction emailed on Wednesday.
Engelkemier said the US side monitored the trial proceedings without interfering in the Japanese judicial process. &ldquo;We cooperated fully with the investigation process,&rdquo; he said.
The Marine has been in Japanese custody since his indictment that followed the allegation, he added.
The case was one of a string of sexual assault cases last year in which the arrests of the suspects were initially withheld by local authorities on grounds of protecting the victims' privacy, triggering anger and criticisms of coverups.
Okinawa, where one of the fiercest battles of World War II was fought 80 years ago and under US occupation until 1972, remains home to the majority of about 50,000 US troops stationed in Japan under a bilateral security pact. The island, which accounts for only 0.6 per cent of Japanese land, hosts 70 per cent of US military facilities.
Frustration runs high on Okinawa because of its continued burden with the heavy US presence that includes noise, pollution, aircraft accidents and crime related to American troops.
Defence Minister Gen Nakatani, who attended Monday's 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa, raised concerns about recent sexual assault cases involving US service members when he met with Lt Gen Roger Turner, the commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, requesting discipline and preventive measures.
There has been growing calls for a revision to the Status of Forces Agreement that gives the United States the right to investigate most accidents and crimes that occur on Japanese soil.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's cabinet on Tuesday adopted a statement showing that the Japanese prosecutors dropped criminal cases against more than 300 US service members in the last decade between 2014 and 2024, including a sexual assault case in Okinawa in 2020.

India and Japan emphasize a united global stance against terrorism post-Pahalgam attack, boosting defense cooperation.

India, Japan Enhance Defense Ties After Attack

India and Japan call for global unity against terrorism post-Pahalgam attack, focusing on defense collaboration and regional security.

India and Japan emphasize a united global stance against terrorism

India and Japan call for global unity against terrorism post-Pahalgam attack, focusing on enhancing defense ties.

India and Japan on Monday pitched for united global efforts to confront terrorism in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh condemning Pakistan's policy of "cross-border" terrorist activities targeting India.
The Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 figured prominently in talks between Singh and his visiting counterpart, Gen. Nakatani, that largely focused on boosting India-Japan defense ties in new areas, including tank engines and aero engines.
"Singh condemned Pakistan's state policy of cross-border terrorism against India, perpetrated through state and non-state actors," the defense ministry said in a readout.
"He stated that such attacks destabilize regional peace and security. Rajnath Singh called for a unified stand against terrorism and the state-sponsored actions that perpetuate it," it said.
The Japanese defense minister expressed his condolences on the death of 26 civilians in the terror attack and offered "full support" to India, the ministry said.
The two ministers agreed to "add new dimensions" to the "robust" maritime cooperation between India and Japan, it said.
Nakatani's visit to India came amid its heightened tensions with Pakistan.
"I would like to thank the government of Japan for their strong expression of solidarity with India in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack," Singh said in his opening remarks at the delegation-level talks that followed a one-on-one meeting.
Minister Nakatani condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and expressed solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism.
"India shares a special, strategic, and global partnership with Japan. During the bilateral meeting we discussed defense cooperation and regional security," Singh said in a social media post.
The defense ministry said Singh and Nakatani reviewed the defense and security pillars of the India-Japan special strategic and global partnership.
"They reaffirmed their commitment towards strengthening the bilateral relations and contributing towards regional peace," it said.
The ministers welcomed the growing diversity and frequency of defense exercises and exchanges between the two countries and concurred to enhance the "scope and complexity" of these engagements, the readout noted.
In the meeting, Singh outlined the capability of the Indian defense industry, particularly its potential to collaborate with the Japanese side on new areas including tank engines and aero engines.
Singh highlighted the capabilities in the areas of maintenance, repair, and overhaul operations.
"Both sides agreed to enhance industry cooperation, including exploring collaboration in niche domains such as automation and artificial intelligence," according to the ministry.
The two ministers also decided to take forward the cooperation in emerging areas like cyber and space.
"The dialogue ended with a strong commitment by both sides to enhance the bilateral defense cooperation," the defense ministry said.
It was the second meeting between the two defense ministers within six months after their maiden interaction in November on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus at Lao PDR.
At that meeting, Singh and Gen. Nakatani deliberated on a reciprocal provision of supply and services agreement for greater interoperability between their militaries.
The reciprocal supply and services pact, if sealed, would provide for the militaries of the two countries to use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, besides facilitating the scaling up of overall defense cooperation.

India imposes up to $986 per tonne anti-dumping duty on Trichloroisocyanuric Acid imports from China and Japan, to protect local industries for up to five years.

India Imposes Duty on Acid Imports from China, Japan

India enforces a duty up to $986/tonne on Trichloroisocyanuric Acid imports from China and Japan to safeguard its domestic industry for five years, under WTO norms.

India imposes anti-dumping duty on Trichloroisocyanuric Acid imports

India imposes up to $986/tonne duty on Trichloroisocyanuric Acid from China, Japan to protect local industry. Valid for five years.

India has imposed anti-dumping duty of up to USD 986 per tonne for five years on a chemical, used for water treatment, imported from China and Japan to protect the domestic industry from cheap inbound shipments, according to a finance ministry notification.
The decision follows recommendations from the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), an investigation arm of the commerce ministry, to impose the duty on &lsquo;Trichloro isocyanuric acid&rsquo;.
In its recommendations, the directorate has stated that the domestic industry has suffered material injury due to the dumped imports in India from China and Japan.
&ldquo;The anti-dumping duty imposed&hellip;shall be levied for a period of five years (unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier),&rdquo; the notification said.
Both the countries are key trading partners of India.
While DGTR conducts the alleged dumping probe and recommends the duty, the finance ministry takes the final decision to impose the same within three months of the recommendation.
Countries initiate anti-dumping probes to check if their domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in below-cost imports. As a countermeasure, they impose duties within the multilateral regime of the WTO (World Trade Organisation).
Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field to the domestic industry. It is not a measure to restrict imports or cause an unjustified increase in the cost of products.

Japan strengthens its defense with Hypersonic Glide Vehicles amid rising tensions. Major milestones achieved by 2023, targeting completion by 2025.

Japan's Hypersonic Weapons Development

Japan stuns world, creates advanced weapon system

Japan strengthens its defense with Hypersonic Glide Vehicles amid rising tensions. Major milestones achieved by 2023, targeting completion by 2025.

As regional tensions with China and North Korea intensify, Japan is making significant strides in advancing its hypersonic weapons capabilities. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) recently announced the successful flight tests of its Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) aimed at bolstering island defense.
In a statement released in Japanese, the MOD highlighted that these stand-off missiles, essential for neutralizing threats from afar, met all performance expectations. The timeline set by Japan's defense officials targets the completion of HGV research by 2025, while mass production already commenced in 2023.
A Landmark in Hypersonic Advancement In a pivotal development last July, Japan&rsquo;s Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency (ATLA) unveiled footage of a triumphant test launch of their Hypersonic Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP). This event marked a considerable milestone in Japan&rsquo;s hypersonic arsenal expansion, involving the &ldquo;Block 1&rdquo; variant, with future plans extending its reach by 2030.
Reaching Distances of 900 km With a maximum range of 900 km, the HVGP is set to join Japan&rsquo;s Ground Self-Defense Forces (JGSDF) in 2026. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries spearheads its production and has been accelerating its efforts. Offering historical context, Japan unveiled two core hypersonic weapons back in March 2020: the Hypersonic Cruise Missile (HCM) and the HVGP. The HCM boasts a scramjet engine, empowering it to achieve tremendous speeds.
While visually similar to conventional cruise missiles, HVGP's superior speed and range set it apart. Its solid-fuel rocket engine ensures high velocity as it homes in on targets. Strategically, these hypersonic weapons play an indispensable role in Japan's defensive capabilities, albeit at significant financial expense.
Distinguishing HGV from HCM Japan&rsquo;s advancements in missile technology are evident in its development of the HGV and HCM:
1. HGV: Deployed via ballistic missiles, they reach speeds up to Mach 20 and possess the ability to glide and dodge interceptive measures. They can maneuver unpredictably if aided by sufficient energy reserves upon nearing their targets. &nbsp; &nbsp; 2. HCM: Driven by ramjet or scramjet engines, these missiles maintain speeds above Mach 6 and require booster systems for initial acceleration, enabling steep, rapid assaults on designated targets.
Heightened Geopolitical Strains with China and Russia Japan's geopolitical interactions with China and Russia are marked by longstanding territorial disputes, particularly over islands, leading to frequent standstills. Japan's strategic alliance with the United States, which perceives China and Russia as primary adversaries, adds complexity to these relationships.
As the U.S. Navy&rsquo;s Seventh Fleet remains stationed in Japan, the threat of these nations targeting Japan during possible hostilities underscores the significance of hypersonic weapons as a vital deterrent.

Japan's chief government spokesperson said it is not only a serious violation of the country's sovereignty but also a threat to security and is totally unacceptable.

Japan Scrambles Fighter Jets As Chinese Military Plane Violates Airspace

Japan's chief government spokesperson said it is not only a serious violation of the country's sovereignty but also a threat to security and is totally unacceptable.

Japan was forced to scramble fighter jets, after a Chinese military aircraft violated the country's airspace.
Beijing's Y-9 surveillance aircraft hovered over the Danjo islands in Nagasaki prefecture for about two minutes on August 26.
The Japanese Defence Ministry said the Chinese plane was warned, but no weapons were deployed.
Tokyo summoned Beijing's acting ambassador to lodge a &ldquo;firm protest.&rdquo; The government spokesperson called it a totally unacceptable violation of Japan's sovereignty, and a threat to its security. Beijing has not issued an official statement in the matter yet.
The incident marked the first incursion by China into Japan's airspace. But the two nations have been involved in a long-standing dispute over islands in the East China Sea, causing confrontations between the Japanese coastguard and Chinese fishing boats.

Japan saw as many as 977 cases this year by June 2. It stands in sharp contrast to the 941 cases recorded all of last year.

Japan sees surge in cases of flesh-eating bacteria that kills in 48 hours

Japan saw as many as 977 cases this year by June 2. It stands in sharp contrast to the 941 cases recorded all of last year.

Japan is witnessing a surge in the cases of a rare flesh-eating bacterial infection. The condition, known as streptococcal toxic shock syndrome or STSS, is said to be capable of killing a person in 48 hours. The number of cases have risen significantly following the relaxation in COVID-19 restrictions in the country.
According to Bloomberg, Japan saw as many as 977 cases this year by 2nd of June. It stands in sharp contrast to the 941 cases recorded all of last year.
Amid the growing threat in Japan, authorities in Hong Kong have issued a travel advisory. Hong Kong has urged its people travelling to Japan to maintain high standards of personal hygiene and make sure to watch out for any fresh wound.
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is a rare, but serious bacterial infection which can develop very quickly into a life-threatening emergency. According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the US, the bacteria can cause STSS when they spread into deep tissues and the bloodstream.
According to CDC, the first symptoms of STSS often include fever and chills, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting. After the first symptoms start, it usually only takes about 24 to 48 hours for low blood pressure to develop. Once this happens, STSS quickly gets much more serious.
As per CDC, "A patient with kidney failure may not make urine. Those with liver failure may bleed or bruise a lot or their skin and their eyes may turn yellow. STSS often results in complications from organs shutting down and the body going into shock. Complications can include needing surgery to remove infected tissue or limbs to control the infection."
Even with treatment, STSS can be deadly. It is said that out of 10 people with STSS, as many as 3 people will die from the infection.
STSS is mostly seen in people aged 65 or older. People with an open wound are at increased risk for STSS. This can include people who recently had surgery or a viral infection that causes open sores. Varicella, like what causes chickenpox and shingles, is a virus that causes open sores. However, experts don't know how the bacteria got into the body for nearly half of people who get STSS.
There is no single test used to diagnose STSS. Instead, healthcare providers may collect blood or other samples to test for group A strep infection. They can also order tests to see how well different organs are working.

One of the eight crewmembers was recovered from the waters, but his or her condition was unknown.

2 Japanese navy helicopters with 8 crewmembers believed crashed

One of the eight crewmembers was recovered from the waters, but his or her condition was unknown.

Two Japanese navy helicopters carrying eight crewmembers were believed to have crashed in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo during a night-time training exercise, and rescuers were searching for the missing, Japan's defense minister said.
The two SH-60K choppers belonging to the Maritime Self Defense Force and carrying four crew each, lost contact late Saturday near Torishima island in the Pacific about 600 kilometers (370 miles) south of Tokyo, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters.
One of the eight crewmembers was recovered from the waters, but his or her condition was unknown. Officials were still searching for the other seven.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known, Kihara said, adding that officials are prioritizing the rescue operation.
The MSDF deployed eight warships and five aircraft for the search and rescue of the missing crew. They recovered fragments believed to be from one of the SH-60Ks, Kihara said.
&ldquo;We believe the helicopters have crashed,&rdquo; he said.
The helicopters, twin-engine, multi-mission aircraft designed by Sikorsky and known as Seahawk, were on night-time anti-submarine training in the waters, Kihara said. One lost contact at 10:38 p.m. (1338 GMT) after sending an emergency signal. The other aircraft lost contact about 25 minutes later. One belonged to an air base in Nagasaki, and the other at a base in Tokushima prefecture.
The SH-60K aircraft is usually deployed on destroyers for anti-submarine missions.
Saturday's training only involved the Japanese navy and was not part of a multinational exercise, defense officials said. They said no foreign aircraft or warships were spotted in the area.
Japan, under its 2022 security strategy, has been accelerating its military buildup and fortifying deterrence in the southwestern Japanese islands in the Pacific and East China Sea to counter threats from China's increasingly assertive military activities. Japan in recent years has extensively conducted its own naval exercises as well as joint drills with its ally the United States and other partners.
Saturday's apparent crash comes a year after a Ground Self-Defense Force UH-60 Blackhawk crashed off the southwestern Japanese island of Miyako, leaving all 10 crewmembers dead. In January 2022, a Air Self-Defense F-15 fighter jet crashed off the northcentral coast of Japan, killing two crew.
Japan's NHK public television said no weather advisories were issued in the area at the time of Saturday's crash.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/video-50-ukrainian-drones-shot-down-as-attacks-spark-fires-at-russian-power-stations-1713614134920">Video: 50 Ukrainian drones shot down as attacks spark fires at Russian power stations</a>

This move reflects the bank's confidence in the economy, signaled by meeting its inflation target of 2% and robust wage hikes by Japanese companies. 

After 17 years, Bank of Japan increases interest rate; Negative rate regime ends

This move reflects the bank's confidence in the economy, signaled by meeting its inflation target of 2% and robust wage hikes by Japanese companies.&nbsp;

Japan's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate Tuesday for the first time in 17 years, ending a longstanding policy of negative rates meant to boost the economy.
The short-term rate was raised to a range of 0 to 0.1% from minus 0.1% at a policy meeting that confirmed expectations of a shift away from ultra-lax monetary policy.
It's the first rate hike since February 2007.
The bank had set an inflation target of 2% as an indicator that Japan had finally escaped deflationary tendencies. But it had remained cautious about &ldquo;normalizing&rdquo; monetary policy, or ending negative borrowing rates, even after data showed inflation at about that rate in recent months.
Another factor supporting the shift: Japanese companies have announced relatively robust wage hikes for this year's round of negotiations with trade unions.
Bank of Japan Chief Kazuo Ueda had repeatedly said the bank's would review its negative rate and other easing measures if the 2% inflation target was met and was accompanied by wage increases.
The Japanese central bank's policy is quite different from those of the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. Both have been moving to lower interest rates after rapidly raising them to clamp down on inflation.
The Bank of Japan has kept borrowing costs extremely low for many years to encourage Japanese consumers and businesses to spend and invest to help sustain stronger economic growth.
Japan recently became the world's fourth biggest economy, slipping behind Germany, in terms of its nominal gross domestic product, or GDP. The U.S. economy is the largest, followed by China, which overtook Japan over a decade ago.
BOJ officials say they want to make sure inflation is based on domestic factors that can sustain higher wages, not external ones. Analysts expect the Bank of Japan to continue to move slowly on further raising interest rates.
The ultra-lax monetary policy also included huge injections of money into the economy through purchases of Japanese government bonds and other assets. The bank said the BOJ would continue with those, and adjust quickly depending on economic trends. Also Watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/markets/tata-sons-sells-over-2-crore-tcs-shares-in-block-deals-tech-major-s-stock-trades-lower-1710824525818">Tata Sons sells over 2 crore TCS shares in block deals; tech major's stock trades lower</a>

Five court decisions have now said Japan’s policy against same-sex marriage is either unconstitutional or nearly so. However, lower court rulings don't change existing laws.

Japan court terms ban on same-sex marriage a rights violation

Five court decisions have now said Japan&rsquo;s policy against same-sex marriage is either unconstitutional or nearly so. However, lower court rulings don't change existing laws.

A Japanese court ruled Thursday that not allowing same-sex couples to marry and enjoy the same benefits as straight couples violates their fundamental right to have a family.
But the ruling is only a partial victory for Japan&rsquo;s LGBTQ+ community calling for equal marriage rights, as it doesn't change or overturn the current civil union law that describes marriage as between a man and a woman.
Five court decisions have now said Japan&rsquo;s current policy is either unconstitutional or nearly so. However, the rulings at the low-level courts don't affect the existing laws.
Government offices don't grant marriage status to same-sex couples.&nbsp;
Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven nations that still excludes same-sex couples from the right to legally marry and receive spousal benefits.
Support for legalizing marriage equality has grown among the Japanese public, but the governing Liberal Democratic Party, known for its conservative family values and reluctance to promote gender equality and sexual diversity, remains the main opposition to the campaign.
The ruling by the Tokyo District Court involved the last of six primary-level court cases brought by more than a dozen same-sex couples beginning in 2019, saying the government's refusal to recognize their marriage equality is unconstitutional.
&ldquo;The result alone is a powerful message" to the parliament to legalize marriage equality, said lawyer Makiko Terahara.
In the Tokyo ruling, the court said the right to marry and have a family and enjoy benefits from marriage are guaranteed for everyone and that lack of the legal right to same-sex couples is &ldquo;deprivation&rdquo; of their basic right the current situation is in &ldquo;unconstitutional state.&rdquo;
The court said the situation is not quite unconstitutional as same-sex marriage has not yet gained broad social acceptance in Japan and thus the current situation is not unconstitutional.
The Tokyo ruling also acknowledged the right for anyone to live based on their sexuality and sexual identity, and the traditional family values and marriage are changing, and equality of same-sex marriage is increasingly accepted in international and corporate communities.
The court said the government&rsquo;s lack of effort to legal marriage equality is not unconstitutional, but expressed hope for the parliament to enact a law for same-sex marriage.
Marriage equality is now recognized in 36 countries, not only in the West but also in Asia, including Taiwan, Thailand and Nepal, according to the Marriage for All Japan, a civil group supporting the lawsuits.
While Japan&rsquo;s conservative government is seen stonewalling diversity, recent surveys show a majority of Japanese back legalizing same-sex marriage.
Support among the business community has rapidly increased.
Critics said it was watered down, the government enacted an LGBTQ+ awareness promotion law in June.
The Supreme Court separately ruled that Japan&rsquo;s law requiring compulsory sterilization surgery for transgender people to officially change their gender is unconstitutional.

The launch of the rocket by a private space start-up was delayed multiple times before this attempt. 

Japan's first private sector rocket explodes after launch | Watch

The launch of the rocket by a private space start-up was delayed multiple times before this attempt.&nbsp;

A rocket touted as Japan&rsquo;s first from the private sector to go into orbit exploded shortly after takeoff Wednesday.
Video showed the rocket, called Kairos, blasting off from Wakayama Prefecture, central Japan, a mountainous area filled with trees, but exploding mid-air within seconds.
A huge plume of smoke engulfed the area, and what appeared to be flames could also be seen in some spots. The video then showed spurts of water shooting toward that spot in an effort to put out the blaze.
Tokyo-based start-up Space One, behind the rocket launch, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The launch was already delayed several times, with the last postponement coming Saturday, after a ship was spotted in a risk area, according to Japanese media reports.
If it had succeeded, Space One would have been the first private company to put a rocket into orbit.
Tokyo-based Space One was set up in 2018, with investments from major Japanese companies, including Canon Electronics, IHI, Shimizu and major banks.
There was no immediate reports of injuries or other damage.
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Japan&rsquo;s main space exploration effort is led by the government&rsquo;s NASDA, which stands for The National Space Development Agency of Japan, this nation&rsquo;s equivalent of NASA of the U.S.

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