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☆ Japanese economic minister steps down over church links
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

He added that he regretted attending so many church gatherings and giving the organisation recognition as a result. INVESTIGATIONThe church, founded in South Korea in the 1950s and famous for its mass weddings, has came under the spotlight following the July 8 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Since the killing, evidence has come to light of deep and longstanding ties between the church and LDP members. The LDP has acknowledged that many individual lawmakers have ties to the church but have said there was no organisational link to the party. Critics say the church built ties with politicians in Japan to attract followers and gain legitimacy while politicians gained access to church members for help with campaigns.

☆ Japan econmin Yamagiwa to step down - NHK
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Japanese Economy Minister Daishiro Yamagiwa plans to step down on growing calls from the opposition to resign due to his insufficient explanations about his ties to the controversial Unification Church, public broadcaster NHK said on Monday. His resignation would be a blow to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as revelations about connections between nearly half of the lawmakers at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the church came under the spotlight following the July assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. read moreRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Mariko Katsumura, Writing by Elaine Lies Editing by Chang-Ran KimOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Why a small midterm race in Arizona could have big consequences for U.S. democracy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Tim Reid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File PhotoOct 19 (Reuters) - The fight to become Arizona’s next attorney general in November’s midterm elections smashed fundraising records this week. Former President Donald Trump has endorsed the Republican attorney general candidate Abe Hamadeh and appeared on stage with him. “I think that American democracy runs through the state of Arizona in 2022,” Mayes said in an interview with Reuters. AG EMPOWERED TO STEP INHamadeh downplayed the role an attorney general has in election certification in a statement to Reuters. “What look like these relatively inconsequential races will have enormous consequences in terms of the 2024 presidential election,” Douglas said.

☆ Japanese prime minister orders investigation of Unification Church
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered an investigation Monday into the Unification Church in an apparent move to calm the public outrage over his governing party’s cozy ties with the controversial group, which were revealed in the wake of Shinzo Abe’s assassination. Former Prime Minister Abe was shot to death during an outdoor campaign speech in July. The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, told police he killed Abe because of his apparent link to a religious group he hated. An LDP survey in September found nearly half of its lawmakers had ties to the church, including Cabinet ministers. Nagaoka, the culture minister, said she will set up a panel of legal and religious experts next week to discuss a rare investigation into a religious group.

☆ Ex-Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to campaign for Trump-backed Kari Lake in Arizona
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is scheduled Tuesday to campaign for Kari Lake, the Republican nominee for governor of Arizona, just days after she announced she was leaving the Democratic Party. Lake's campaign said Gabbard would introduce Lake at a GOP forum in Chandler. But she will now campaign for a Trump-endorsed candidate who has become a prominent election denier in Arizona. All three of the candidates scheduled to take the stage Tuesday have denied the results of the 2020 election. Doug Ducey and former Vice President Mike Pence, who both rebuffed former President Donald Trump's pressure to overturn the 2020 election results, backed Lake and Masters.

☆ Japan’s Fumio Kishida to Probe Church Targeted by Suspect in Abe Assassination
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Peter Landers | Chieko Tsuneoka | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government would invoke its authority to seek information from the church about its activities, a step never taken before against a religious organization in Japan. TOKYO—Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday ordered an investigation of the church founded by the late Rev. Moon Sun-myung, a step that could lead to the church being stripped of its legal status in Japan. The move was the latest fallout from the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July. The suspect in the killing wrote in online posts and a letter that he blamed the former Unification Church for his family’s troubles and said he was targeting Mr. Abe because of the former leader’s connections to church-linked groups.

☆ Japan PM orders probe into Unification Church
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A general view of Tokyo headquarters of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, more commonly known as the Unification Church, in Tokyo, Japan August 29, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonTOKYO, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered an investigation on Monday into the Unification Church, after the assassination of former premier Shinzo Abe in July revealed close ties between it and the ruling party. Support for Kishida's government has tumbled to its lowest level since he took office on growing anger about the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) not fully disclosing its ties to the church. Kishida instructed the culture minister to prepare an investigation into the church under the Religious Corporations Act. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ North Korea fires missile after Harris leaves South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

North Korea test-fired two ballistic missiles on Wednesday, a day before Harris visited South Korea, and one before she left Washington on Sunday. Getty Images AsiaPacSouth Korea’s military says North Korea has fired at least one ballistic missile toward its eastern waters. Thursday’s launch was the third round of missile tests by North Korea this week. North Korea test-fired two ballistic missiles on Wednesday, a day before Harris visited South Korea, and one before she left Washington on Sunday. In this handout image provided by the South Korean Defense Ministry, The U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan (C) and South Korean warships seen during a US-South Korea combined naval exercise on September 29, 2022 in East Sea, South Korea.

☆ Kamala Harris visits DMZ amid tension over North Korean missile launch
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

She also reaffirmed the “goal of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” and condemned North Korea’s “provocative nuclear rhetoric” and ballistic missile launches, according to a White House readout. The DMZ has long been a destination for US presidents and vice presidents on official visits to South Korea, where they have been photographed peering through binoculars into North Korean-controlled territory. Harris’ visit comes a day after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from the Sunan area of Pyongyang, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). This is North Korea’s 20th missile launch this year, according to CNN’s count, and follows another launch on September 25 – shortly before Harris arrived in the region. The US and South Korea have also been conducting joint naval exercises featuring the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier since Monday.

☆ U.S. VP Harris to meet with Japanese chip firms -official
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterU.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the media during her visit to Zojoji Temple on the day of the state funeral for slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in Tokyo, Japan September 27, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis/PoolTOKYO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Vice President Kamala Harris will meet on Wednesday in Japan with heads of semiconductor-related businesses as the Biden administration works to boost U.S. chips manufacturing, according to a senior administration official. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterU.S. President Joe Biden has prioritised building high-tech chips in an effort to preserve high-paying American jobs and counter the rising market dominance of China, who he views as Washington's key strategic competitor. Those shortages have worsened U.S. consumer price inflation, which topped 8% on an annual basis in August. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Kamala Harris to visit DMZ after North Korea tests missile
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO — Vice President Kamala Harris will visit the Demilitarized Zone separating the Koreas on Thursday in a bid to show Washington’s commitment to the South’s security, according to U.S. and South Korean officials. The visit, announced Tuesday, comes days after North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea and amid fears of a possible nuclear test as the Biden administration’s attempts at outreach to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have failed. “Your visit to the DMZ and Seoul will be very symbolic demonstrations of your strong commitments to security and peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Han said. Harris is in the region to lead a U.S. presidential delegation to the funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday. The DMZ is often described as the world’s last Cold War frontier and has existed since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a armistice rather than a peace treaty.

TOKYO — Even as world leaders gathered in Tokyo for the funeral of assassinated former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday, there were protests against the lavish proceedings. But the state funeral for Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, who was shot and killed while campaigning in Nara on July 8, takes place in a country deeply divided over the former leader’s legacy. In that sense, I would like to once again offer my sincere condolences to former Prime Minister Abe, who was killed by a bullet,” its leader Kenta Izumi said Tuesday. The decision on whether to hold a state funeral is usually subject to parliamentary deliberation, which was not the case for Abe's service. Around 800 people protested the state funeral at a major train station on Monday evening, according to broadcaster NTV.

☆ Shinzo Abe State Funeral Brings World Leaders to Japan
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Alastair Gale | Miho Inada | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A temporary altar was set up for the public to pay respects outside the Nippon Budokan, site of Shinzo Abe’s funeral. TOKYO—World leaders gathered Tuesday for the state funeral of Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe , who was killed by an assassin’s bullet in July. Vice President Kamala Harris leads the U.S. delegation, which includes three former ambassadors to Japan and the current ambassador, Rahm Emanuel .

☆ Shinzo Abe State Funeral Draws World Leaders, Protesters
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Alastair Gale | Miho Inada | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO—World leaders and successors of Shinzo Abe paid tribute to Japan’s longest-serving prime minister at a state funeral, while thousands of people protested the event nearby. The send off for Mr. Abe, who was killed by an assassin’s bullet in July, reflected the divisions that also marked his term in office. Vice President Kamala Harris remembered Mr. Abe as a champion of the U.S.-Japan alliance, and his allies mourned the loss of a leader they said devoted his life to improving Japan.

A portrait of Shinzo Abe hangs above the stage during the state funeral for Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe on September 27, 2022 at the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. Several current and former heads of state visited Japan for the state funeral of Abe, who was assassinated in July while campaigning on a street. read moreIn one part of downtown Tokyo, protesters waved signs and chanted "No state funeral" to the tune of a guitar. DIVISIVE FIGUREJapan's longest-serving prime minister was a divisive figure who was dogged by scandals. read moreThe state funeral for Abe, who received a private funeral days after his assassination, was the first for an ex-premier since one in 1967 for former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida.

☆ U.S. VP Harris condemns 'disturbing' Chinese actions
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"China is undermining key elements of the international rules-based order," said Harris, who is on a four-day trip to Asia. And we have witnessed disturbing behaviour in the East China Sea and in the South China Sea, and most recently, provocations across the Taiwan Strait." Harris said U.S. forces would operate in the region "undaunted and unafraid" even as the United States expects "continued aggressive" actions by China. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris listens during a roundtable discussion at the NAACP National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S., July 18, 2022. Aides said Harris would work on a unified approach in a region where leaders have warily watched rising tension between the United States and China.

☆ Sri Lanka looks to revive free trade deal with Singapore
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterSri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe looks on during an interview with Reuters at Presidential Secretariat, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka August 18, 2022. REUTERS/ Dinuka LiyanawatteCOLOMBO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka will step up efforts to revive a stalled free trade pact with Singapore, President Ranil Wickremesinghe told the city state's premier on Tuesday, his office said in a statement. The free trade pact signed in January 2018 was suspended because of objections from Sri Lankan opposition parties and professional bodies. Sri Lanka proposed more than a dozen amendments in May 2021 but talks have largely stalled. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Uditha Jayasinghe; Writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Mourners offer flowers at the altar outside Nippon Budokan Hall which will host a state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Japan September 27, 2022. REUTERS/Issei KatoTOKYO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Two months after he was assassinated, Shinzo Abe is still stirring controversy, evidence of how the polarising former premier's legacy is shaping Japanese politics on everything from defence to monetary policy. Japan's longest-serving prime minister was a divisive figure who was dogged by scandals. That's a reflection of how Abe transformed both the LDP and Japan's policy landscape, experts say. That could mean more of the ultra-loose policy and fiscal stimulus set in motion under "Abenomics".

☆ Morning Bid: A BoE Bitter Pill?
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A commuter emerges from the London Underground near to the Bank of England, in London, Britain, September 26, 2022. The cost of money is moving so fast that mortgagees can't keep up and have pulled products to reprice them. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe Bank of England said it wouldn't hesitate to raise rates. What that means, exactly, will be tested from 1100 GMT when chief economist Huw Pill appears at a panel event. Asia on Tuesday took profits on the U.S. dollar's surge and bid up stock futures a little bit, but signs of stress abound.

☆ U.S. VP Harris set to visit Korean DMZ after Kim's missile test
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris holds a bilateral meeting with South Korea's Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (not pictured) in Tokyo, Japan September 27, 2022. Harris' visit was publicly confirmed by South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo during a meeting with the U.S. vice president in Tokyo and was later confirmed by a U.S. official. Harris would tour the DMZ, meet with service members, receive an operational briefing from U.S. commanders, reflect on the shared sacrifice of American and South Korean soldiers and reaffirm the "ironclad" commitment to South Korean security, the official added. "Your visit to the DMZ and Seoul will be very symbolic demonstrations of your strong commitments to security and peace on the Korean Peninsula," Han said. North Korea says it maintains its sovereign right to self defence, and has accused both the United States and South Korea of a hostile posture to the country.

☆ U.S. VP Harris, Japan PM Kishida to discuss Taiwan security issue -US administration official
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterU.S. Vice President Kamala Harris disembarks a plane at Yokota Air Base near Tokyo, Japan September 26, 2022.REUTERS/Leah Millis/PoolABOARD AIR FORCE TWO, Sept 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will discuss a partnership on Taiwan security issues, a senior U.S. administration official said on Monday aboard Air Force Two. The official also told reporters that Washington welcomes Japan's increased military strength and security role. Harris is set to attend former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's funeral on Tuesday after holding talks with Kishida on Monday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan prepares to bid farewell to slain Abe with controversial state funeral
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Mourners offer flowers at the altar outside Nippon Budokan Hall which will host a state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Japan September 27, 2022. REUTERS/Issei KatoTOKYO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Japan will honour on Tuesday its assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a polarising figure who dominated modern-day politics as its longest-serving leader, with a rare state funeral that has become nearly as divisive as he was. "It has a completely different meaning to a funeral for ordinary people. The sole Group of Seven leader set to join, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, cancelled in order to tackle a natural disaster at home. read moreThe state funeral for Abe, who received a private funeral days after his assassination, is the first since one in 1967 for former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida.

☆ Shinzo Abe Assassination Stirs Surprise Backlash Against the Former Leader
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Peter Landers | Miho Inada | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The reputation of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was killed earlier this year, has taken a hit. TOKYO—Few in Japan anticipated the events of July 8, when a man with a homemade gun walked up behind former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a rally and shot him to death. The political reverberations in the months since have been almost as surprising.

Hundreds of thousands of Canadians were without power Saturday after former hurricane Fiona slammed into the country’s Atlantic provinces, causing what officials called a shocking and devastating amount of damage. More than 471,000 customers across Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island New Brunswick and Newfoundland were without power Saturday, according to utilities. “PEI (Prince Edward Island) has experienced storm damage like they’ve never seen. Fifteen deaths in Puerto Rico and two deaths in the Dominican Republic have been tied to the storm, officials there said. In Prince Edward Island, King, the premier, said Saturday that the damage is most likely the worst the province has ever seen.

☆ Britain's foreign minister to begin Asia trip on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterBritain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly speaks during a high level meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the situation amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidLONDON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - British foreign minister James Cleverly will begin a three-day trip to Japan, the Republic of Korea and Singapore on Monday, the foreign ministry said on Sunday, as part of Britain's diplomatic tilt towards the region. Cleverly will attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the trip. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Alistair Smout Editing by Frances KerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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