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☆ Japan, Philippines pledge closer security ties amid China tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (3-L) and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (2-R) talk at prime minister?s official residence in Tokyo, Japan, 09 February 2023. KIMIMASA MAYAMA/Pool via REUTERSTOKYO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Japan said it was looking to strengthen joint military exercises with the Philippines as the two U.S. allies on Thursday pledged to forge closer security ties at a time of heightened tensions with China. Japan held joint military exercises with the United States and the Philippines as recently as October. The disaster relief deal with Tokyo is seen as a possible precursor to establishing a visiting forces agreement that would allow Japanese forces to deploy to the Philippines more easily. A Japanese military presence in the Philippines could help Manila counter Chinese influence in the South China Sea, much of which Beijing claims, including the territory that Manila considers its own.

[1/5] Hyper realistic flesh-like objects created by Masataka Shishido, also known as DJ Doooo, are displayed at his home, during a photo opportunity in Kawasaki, south of Tokyo, Japan January 26, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonFeb 6 (Reuters) - A Japanese DJ has found a new calling making freaky flesh-like accessories such as severed finger ink stamps, pendants with blinking eyes and purses with gaping mouths and stubble, inspired by horror movie special effects. "Once people learnt that it's an artwork with some specific function, they started saying that it's cute and interesting." He draws the designs by hand before a Tokyo studio called Amazing Studio JUR takes up to two months to turn the concept into reality. American rapper Lil Yachty posted a video of himself clutching one of his blinking balls on social media in 2021.

☆ Micronesia to sign extension of U.S. security pact 'soon', President says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Micronesia aims to 'soon' sign an extension of its economic and security pact with the United States, its President David Panuelo said on Friday, a deal seen as important in Washington's efforts to counter Chinese influence in the Pacific. Micronesia is one of three Pacific Island states that has so-called compacts of free association with the United States, which allows Washington exclusive access to airspace and territorial waters in exchange for financial assistance. "Our negotiation team actually will be in (Washington) D.C. soon where the two governments will likely be signing an MOU for the extension of the economic provisions for another 20 years," Panuelo told reporters on a visit to Tokyo. Reporting by John Geddie; Editing by Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's BYD dreams big in auto powerhouse Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Jan 31 (Reuters) - China's BYD Co Ltd (002594.SZ) unveiled its first dealership in Japan on Tuesday, taking on one of the biggest challenges in its explosive global rise as it seeks to win over customers deeply loyal to their own auto industry. BYD, an acronym which stands for Build Your Dreams, has ambitious plans to open more than 100 dealerships in Japan by the end of 2025. "If customers trust us and give BYD a try, we'll have a good chance (at succeeding)," BYD Auto Japan Inc President Atsuki Tofukuji told Reuters at a media event to mark the opening of its maiden outlet in Yokohama, Japan's second largest city. About 30 people have contacted the Yokohama dealership to enquire about the new cars, according to Kazuhisa Okamoto, who runs the store. ($1 = 130.39 yen)Reporting by Daniel Leussink; editing by John Geddie and Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Two years on, Myanmar coup takes a 'catastrophic toll'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

REUTERS/StaffJan 31 (Reuters) - Two years after Myanmar's military coup, a young factory worker turned resistance fighter mourns the loss of his leg in battle. The stories of four people reflect a crisis the U.N. special envoy last week warned was taking a "catastrophic toll" on the population. THE TEACHERA middle-school teacher has been living in a Thai border town since fleeing arrest in Myanmar last year. A slight woman with long black hair, she joined the civil disobedience movement (CDM) that sprang up after the coup. Her green and white uniform is safe in Myanmar, she said, neatly stored, in case of her return.

☆ NATO to strengthen partnership with Japan, says Secretary-General Stoltenberg
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Jan 31 (Reuters) - NATO will continue to strengthen its partnership with Japan amid the ongoing Ukraine war, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday during a visit to Japan, where he will meet with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. His trip, which included a stop in South Korea, is aimed at bolstering ties with Western allies in Asia in the face of the war in Ukraine and rising competition with China. Speaking in Seoul on Monday, Stoltenberg urged South Korea to increase its military support to Ukraine, citing other countries that have changed their policy of not providing weapons to countries in conflict following Russia's invasion. Russia calls the invasion, launched on Feb. 24, a "special operation" to ward off threats to its own security. Reporting by Sakura Murakami and John Geddie; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan whaling firm pins hopes on vending machines to revive sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Chris Gallagher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/6] A customer buys whale meat on the opening day of the shop by a Japanese whale-hunting company with vending machines, in Yokohama, Japan, January 24, 2023. REUTERS/Androniki ChristodoulouYOKOHAMA, Jan 24 (Reuters) - A Japanese whaling firm unveiled vending machines offering whale sashimi, whale steak and whale bacon in Yokohama on Tuesday in hopes of reviving sales of a food long in decline and shunned by many supermarkets. At its peak in 1962, annual whale meat consumption was 233,000 tonnes. Conservationists say moves to promote whale meat are desperate attempts to revive interest in a struggling business. Whale meat advocates point to its high protein content and low carbon footprint compared with other meats.

☆ Japan PM Kishida: it's 'now or never' to stop shrinking population
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 23 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime minister Fumio Kishida pledged on Monday to take urgent steps to tackle the country's declining birth rate, saying it was "now or never" for the world's oldest society. "It is now or never when it comes to policies regarding births and child-rearing - it is an issue that simply cannot wait any longer," he added. Kishida said he would submit plans to double the budget on child-related policies by June, and that a new government agency to tackle the issue would be set up in April. Japan saw a record low number of births in 2021, the latest data available, prompting the biggest-ever natural decline in the population. Reporting by Sakura Murakami; Editing by John Geddie and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ It's 'now or never' to stop Japan's shrinking population, PM says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

That most likely precipitated a further population decline in a country where the median age is 49, the highest in the world behind only the tiny city-state of Monaco. Japan is the third-most-expensive country globally to raise a child, according to YuWa Population Research, behind only China and South Korea, countries also seeing shrinking populations in worrying signs for the global economy. Other countries are also coming to grips with ageing and shrinking populations. Last week, China reported that its population dropped in 2022 for the first time in 60 years. Reporting by Sakura Murakami; Editing by John Geddie and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/3] A medical worker helps a patient receiving treatment at the emergency department of a hospital, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China January 17, 2023. Some health experts expect more than one million people will die from the disease in China this year, with British-based health data firm Airfinity forecasting COVID fatalities could hit 36,000 a day next week. Hospitalisations rose by 70% on the previous week to 63,307, according to the WHO, citing data submitted by Beijing. China said last Saturday that nearly 60,000 people with COVID had died in hospital between Dec. 8 and Jan. 12 - a roughly 10-fold increase from previous disclosures. However, that number excludes those who died at home, and some doctors in China have said they are discouraged from putting COVID on death certificates.

China said last Saturday that nearly 60,000 people with COVID died in hospitals between Dec. 8 and Jan. 12 - a roughly ten-fold increase from previous disclosures. However, that number excludes those who die at home, and some doctors in China have said they are discouraged from putting COVID on death certificates. China's chaotic exit from a regime of mass lockdowns, travel restrictions and frequent COVID testing, has also prompted a run on drugs as people fend for themselves against the disease. To meet soaring demand, drugmakers in China are ramping up operations to triple their capacity to make key fever and cough medicines, the state-run China Daily reported on Thursday. Medical facilities are relatively weak in rural areas, thus prevention is difficult and the task is arduous," Xi said, adding that the elderly were a top priority.

After three years of strict and suffocating anti-virus controls, China in early December abruptly abandoned its "zero COVID" policy, letting the virus run freely through its 1.4 billion population. Several experts forecast more than one million people in China will die from the disease this year. TRAVEL RUSHBeijing's main rail station has been packed with passengers leaving the capital in recent days, according to Reuters witnesses. Meanwhile, daily arrivals in the gambling hub of Macau exceeded 55,000 on Saturday, the highest daily arrivals since the pandemic began. China's transport ministry has said it expects more than 2 billion trips in the weeks around the holidays.

That abrupt U-turn unleashed COVID on a 1.4 billion population which has been shielded from the virus since it first erupted in China's Wuhan city in 2019. The outbreak is now overwhelming hospitals and crematoriums as it rips through the population, where many elderly are still not fully vaccinated. "This is a very pertinent suggestion, return to the home town...or put the health of the elderly first," wrote one user. The country did not report COVID fatalities data on Tuesday and Wednesday. But concerns about China's outbreak has prompted more than a dozen countries to demand negative COVID test results from people arriving from China.

[1/5] Passengers push their luggage through the international arrivals hall at Beijing Capital International Airport after China lifted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quarantine requirement for inbound travellers in Beijing, China January 8, 2023. China's management of COVID was technically downgraded to "Category B" on Sunday, although many curbs have been dropped for weeks. Officially, China has reported just 5,272 COVID-related deaths as of Jan.8, one of the lowest rates of death from the infection in the world. State broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday that direct flights from South Korea to China were close to sold out. South Korea like many other countries now requires travellers from China, Macau and Hong Kong to provide negative COVID test results before departure.

The aviation industry, battered by years of pandemic curbs, has also been critical of the decisions to impose testing on travellers from China. China reported five new COVID deaths in the mainland for Thursday, bringing its official virus death toll to 5,264, one of the lowest in the world. Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK) said on Thursday it would more than double flights to mainland China. Except for airplane wastewater testing by Malaysia and Thailand for the virus, the region's 11 nations will treat Chinese travellers like any others. As many as 76% of Chinese travel agencies ranked Southeast Asia as the top destination when outbound travel resumed, according to a survey released in December by trade show ITB China.

China reported one new COVID-19 death in the mainland for Wednesday, compared with five a day earlier, bringing its official death toll to 5,259. Chinese health officials have said only deaths caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure in patients who had the virus are classified as COVID deaths. The methods for counting COVID deaths have varied across countries since the pandemic first erupted in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. British-based health data firm Airfinity has estimated about 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID. TESTING WASTEWhile countries try to get more information on the extent and severity of China's outbreak, several have imposed requirements on travellers from China to be tested for COVID.

Meanwhile, World Health Organization officials met Chinese scientists on Tuesday amid concerns over the accuracy of China's data on the spread and evolution of its outbreak. China reported five new COVID-19 deaths for Jan. 3, compared with three a day earlier, bringing the official death toll to 5,258, very low by global standards. British-based health data firm Airfinity has said about 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID. Bookings for international flights from China have risen by 145% year-on-year in recent days, the government-run China Daily newspaper reported, citing data from travel booking platform Trip.com. But there are signs that an increase in travel from China could further spread the virus abroad.

[1/2] Participants look around Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force's vessel at a recruiting event in Yokosuka, Japan December 10, 2022. The five-year plan unveiled on Friday will double Japan's defence spending and add new capabilities, including long-range missiles and an expanded cyber warfare unit. "It is just a paper plan and that should be corrected," said Yoji Koda, a retired navy admiral, who commanded the Japanese fleet in 2007-2008. Koda said the plan would limit Japan's ability to fight in situations such as land invasions and sea battles, giving its foes an advantage. Japan's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Now, as the virus sweeps through a country of 1.4 billion people who lack natural immunity having been shielded for so long, there is growing concern about possible deaths, virus mutations and the impact, again, on the economy. Beijing reported five COVID-related deaths on Tuesday, following two on Monday which were the first fatalities reported in weeks. Authorities have also been racing to build so-called fever clinics, facilities where medical staff check patients' symptoms and administer medicines. In the past week, major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Wenzhou announced they had added hundreds of fever clinics, according to government WeChat accounts and media reports. A survey by World Economics showed on Monday China's business confidence fell in December to its lowest since January 2013.

Reuters could not immediately establish if the deaths were due to COVID. The NHC also reported 1,995 symptomatic infections for Dec. 18, compared with 2,097 a day earlier. A hashtag on the two reported COVID deaths quickly became the top trending topic on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform on Monday morning. But it is not just the elderly that are wary of vaccines in China. While China's medical community in general doesn't doubt the safety of China's vaccines, some say questions remain over their efficacy compared to foreign-made mRNA counterparts.

[1/4] People wait in line at a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test centre in Xinyang, China, this still image obtained from social media video released December 15, 2022. China reported 2,157 new symptomatic COVID-19 infections for Dec. 15 compared with 2,000 a day. There is particular concern about China's hinterland in the run up to China's Lunar New Year holiday starting on Jan. 22. The COVID scare in China also led people in Hong Kong, Macau and in some neighbourhoods in Australia to go in search for fever medicines and test kits for family and friends on the mainland. JP Morgan on Friday revised down its expectations for China's 2022 growth to 2.8%, which is well below China's official target of 5.5% and would mark one of China's worst performances in almost half a century.

[1/2] People line up next to a medical worker in a protective suit, at a fever clinic of a hospital amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Beijing, China December 15, 2022. The pivot away from President Xi Jinping's signature "zero-COVID" policy followed unprecedented widespread protests against it. But, WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan said COVID-19 infections were exploding in China well before the government's decision to phase out its stringent regime. There are increasing signs of chaos during China's exit from the zero-COVID policy - with long queues outside fever clinics, runs on medicines, and panic buying across the country. China Meheco Group Co Ltd (600056.SS) said on Wednesday it signed a deal to import the U.S. drugmaker's treatment.

[1/4] Women wearing face masks and face shields talk on a street, as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks continue in Shanghai, China, December 12, 2022. Reuters witnessed similar queues outside clinics in the central city of Wuhan, where COVID-19 first emerged three years ago. But the figures reflect the dropping of testing requirements, say analysts, while Chinese health expects have warned of an imminent surge. Yet China is pushing ahead with efforts to free up nationwide travel, even if foreign trips may still be a while off. The number of domestic flights available across China exceeded 7,400, nearly double from a week ago, flight tracker app VariFlight showed.

In the central city of Wuhan, where the pandemic erupted in late 2019, there were more signs of life with some areas busy with commuters on Friday. "They've relaxed the measures but still, there’s nobody about," said a taxi driver surnamed Wang, who didn't want to give his full name. But there are signs the reassuring new message has still to convince many of the country's 1.4 billion people. China's current tally of 5,235 COVID-related deaths is a tiny fraction of its population of 1.4 billion, and extremely low by global standards. Some experts have warned that toll could rise above 1.5 million if the exit is too hasty.

"I know COVID is not so 'horrifying' now, but it is still contagious and will hurt," said one post on the Weibo platform. But, while announcing the implementation of the new measures late on Wednesday, some cities urged residents to remain vigilant. It urged residents to wear masks, maintain social distancing, seek medical attention for fever and other COVID symptoms and, especially for the elderly, to get vaccinated. "It (China) may have to pay for its procrastination on embracing a 'living with Covid' approach," Nomura analysts said in a note on Thursday. Infection rates in China are only around 0.13%, "far from the level needed for herd immunity", Nomura said.

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