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Trucks carrying aid from the UN World Food Programme (WFP), following a deadly earthquake, are parked at Bab al-Hawa crossing, Syria, February 20, 2023. Syria's mission to the United Nations in New York confirmed the extension. Following the earthquake, the United States and the European Union issued sanctions waivers to pave the way for more aid into Syria. U.S. authorizations facilitating the work of aid groups and the United Nations remain in effect, the spokesperson said. 'READY TO RESUME OPERATIONS'The United Nations had also been using the Bab al-Hawa crossing from Turkey to deliver aid to millions in northwest Syria since 2014 with authorization from the U.N. Security Council.

Persons: Mahmoud Hassano, Salam, Eri Kaneko, Emma Forster, U.N, Farhan Haq, Cross, Suhair Zakkout, Bashar al, Assad, Michelle Nichols, Jonathan Oatis 私 Organizations: UN, Food Programme, REUTERS, UNITED NATIONS, United Nations, Government, European Union, EU, U.S . Treasury, . Security, International Committee Locations: Bab, Syria, WASHINGTON, BEIRUT, U.S, Turkey, Damascus, Al Ra'ee, New York, United States, Norwegian, overcompliance, Moscow, Washington

☆ Panasonic considering providing EV batteries to Subaru -Nikkei
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, July 28 (Reuters) - Panasonic Holdings (6752.T) has started considering providing electric vehicle batteries to Subaru (7270.T), the Nikkei reported on Friday. The two companies are soon expected to announce the plan to ink a basic supply agreement of EV batteries, the report said. The energy unit of Panasonic Holdings and Mazda Motor 7261.T announced in June they also would start talks to set up a battery supply partnership for electric vehicles (EVs). Panasonic, which supplies almost all of its EV batteries to Tesla (TSLA.O), is seeking to increase global market as Chinese and South Korean competitors grow their presence, the Nikkei said. Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Edit by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kaori Kaneko, Tom Hogue Organizations: Panasonic Holdings, Subaru, Nikkei, EV, Mazda, Panasonic, Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ Japan protests to S.Korea over military drill on disputed islands
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, July 7 (Reuters) - Japan lodged a protest with South Korea over military drills it conducted on disputed islands, saying it was "extremely regrettable", the foreign ministry said in a statement issued on Friday. "Takeshima is indisputably an inherent territory of Japan, in light of historical facts and based on international law," the ministry said in the statement. "The drills by the South Korean military are unacceptable and extremely regrettable." "The East Sea territory defence exercise was carried out to conduct our mission to protect our territory, people and property," a South Korean military official said. The South Korean military has conducted the military drill routinely every year, the official added.

Persons: Kaori Kaneko, Hyunsu Yim, Kim Coghill Organizations: South, South Korea, East, Korean, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, South Korea, South Korean, Tokyo, Seoul, Dokdo, Korea

☆ Japan's jobless rate flat at 2.6% in May
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, June 30 (Reuters) - Japan's jobless rate was flat at 2.6% in May from the previous month, government data showed on Friday. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate also matched economists' median forecast of 2.6% in a Reuters poll. The jobs-to-applicants ratio slipped to 1.31 from 1.32 in April, separate labour ministry data showed. For a table on the jobless data, go to the internal affairs ministry's website: http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/roudou/index.html(Note: The jobs-to-applicants ratio and new job offers can be seen in Japanese on the labour ministry's website)Reporting by Kentaro Sugiyama and Kaori Kaneko; Writing by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kentaro Sugiyama, Kaori Kaneko, Kantaro Komiya, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ South Korea to return to Japan's 'white list' for exports on July 21
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, June 27 (Reuters) - Japan will reinstate South Korea to its "white list" for exports with fast-track trade status effective July 21, Japanese trade minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Tuesday, a crucial step for resolving an economic row between the two nations. Japan lifted export curbs on high-tech materials to South Korea in March as the nations mended ties amid North Korea's repeated missile launches and China's stepping up defence activities. South Korea's trade ministry welcomed the move as a "complete recovery of trust between the two countries in export control". The ministry also said it would work closely with Tokyo on bilateral and multilateral export control issues in future. Reporting by Miho Uranaka in TOKYO, Hyunsu Yim in SEOUL, writing by Kaori Kaneko Editing by Chang-Ran KimOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Yasutoshi Nishimura, Miho Uranaka, Hyunsu Yim, Kaori Kaneko, Chang, Ran Kim Organizations: South, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, South Korea, Tokyo, SEOUL

☆ Japan protests Russia's declaring Sept 3 as day of victory over 'militaristic' Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, June 26 (Reuters) - Japan has lodged a protest against Russia over the country's decision to declare Sept. 3 a day of victory over "militaristic Japan" - a move it said would fan mutual antagonism, the top government spokesperson said on Monday. "The passage of this law could not only stir anti-Japanese sentiment among the Russian people, but may also lead to anti-Russian sentiment among the Japanese people," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a press conference on Monday, calling Moscow's move "extremely regrettable". Russia last week renamed the commemoration day of Sept. 3 - the day after Japan's surrender in World War Two - as the Day of Victory over Militaristic Japan, according to Japanese media reports. Reporting by Kaori Kaneko and Mariko Katsumura Editing by Chang-Ran KimOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Hirokazu Matsuno, Moscow's, Kaori Kaneko, Mariko Katsumura, Chang, Ran Kim Organizations: Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Russia

Tokyo, Japan CNN —When Kaneko Miyuki reported her sexual assault as a seven-year-old in Japan, she remembers the police laughing at her. Kaneko is among countless Japanese women who say their experiences of sexual assault and abuse were ignored because they “didn’t fit the criteria” of a victim. The previous age of consent, at 13, had been among the lowest in the developed world. It marks a major victory for sexual assault survivors and activists, some of whom have spent decades lobbying for these changes. “Survivors of sexual assault like myself cannot even work, or go about your life – you become mentally ill, and you can’t take care of yourself,” she said.

Persons: Japan CNN —, Kaneko Miyuki, “, ”, Kaneko, didn’t, Yuu, Nakayama Junko, “ It’s, It’s, it’s, –, Alessandro Di Ciommo, ” Nakayama, Nakayama, Tadokoro Organizations: Japan CNN, Spring, General, NHK, voyeurism, Reuters, CNN, Authorities Locations: Tokyo, Japan, United Kingdom, Finland, Norway, Nagoya, Fukuoka, “

☆ Japan's service activity expands at record pace in May
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, June 5 (Reuters) - Japan's service sector activity expanded at a record pace in May, a private-sector survey showed on Monday, thanks to a recovery in overseas demand and a surge of foreign tourists as pandemic restrictions were eased further. "The upward trend looks set to continue in the near and medium term," as outstanding business expanded at a record rate and business optimism held near an all-time high. The subindex measuring outstanding business rose at the fastest pace on record as disruptions caused by the pandemic continued to wane. Business expectations for the coming year remained robust, though the pace of increase slowed slightly from April, the survey showed. The composite PMI, which combines the manufacturing and services activity figures, expanded at the fastest pace since October 2013.

Persons: Usamah Bhatti, Kaori Kaneko, Kim Coghill Organizations: Jibun Bank Japan Services, P Global Market Intelligence, Service, PMI, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan

☆ Japan April real wages extend falls as consumer inflation weighs
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, June 6 (Reuters) - Japan's real wages fell for the 13th straight month in April, government data showed on Tuesday, indicating wage recovery remained slow amid persistent gains in consumer inflation. Inflation-adjusted real wages, a barometer of households' purchasing power, dropped 3.0% in April from a year earlier, a faster decline than a revised 2.3% fall in March. The consumer price index the ministry uses to calculate real wages, which includes fresh food prices but excludes owners' equivalent rent, rose 4.1% in April from a 3.8% increase in March. The growth in the inflation index weighed on real wages. Total cash earnings, or nominal wages, rose 1.0% year-on-year in April, slightly slower than a revised 1.3% gain in March.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda, Kaori Kaneko, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ Japan, South Korea to speed up talks over pending military issues
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, June 4 (Reuters) - Japan and South Korea agreed on Sunday to quickly resolve disputes over past military encounters that stand in the way of closer security cooperation, Japan's defence minister said at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore. Yasukazu Hamada held talks with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jong-sup, as part of Asia's top security conference. "We discussed pending issues" and agreed "to accelerate talks, including steps to prevent a recurrence" of a 2018 radar incident, Hamada told reporters after the meeting. "We will continue to keep close communication with South Korea," he said. Hamada said he and Lee agreed on the importance of promoting defence cooperation among Japan, South Korea and the United States.

Persons: Yasukazu Hamada, Lee Jong, Hamada, Lee, Kaori Kaneko, Tim Kelly, Hyonhee Shin, Hyun Young Yi, Gerry Doyle, William Mallard Organizations: South Korean, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Seoul, Korean, North Korea, U.S, United States

[1/2] Ukrainian artillery fires towards the frontline during heavy fighting amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Bakhmut, Ukraine, April 13, 2023. Following Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's visit to Japan during the Hiroshima G7 leaders summit last month, Kishida agreed to donate jeeps and trucks. Japan is one of dozens of friends and allies that Washington is asking to help arm Ukraine as it wrestles with stretched military supply chains. Reuters contacted 22 explosives makers listed on the Japan Explosives Industry Association's website. The only one that said it made industrial TNT was Chugoku Kayaku, an Hiroshima-based firm that supplies Japan's military.

Persons: Kai Pfaffenbach, Lloyd Austin, Washington, Fumio Kishida, Volodymyr Zelenskiy's, Kishida, Tsuneo Watanabe, Austin, Akihisa Nagashima, Tim Kelly, Nobuhiro Kubo, Yukiko Toyoda, Kaori Kaneko, Idrees Ali, David Crawshaw Organizations: REUTERS, TNT, Russian, Reuters, Panasonic, Defense, U.S, Japan's Ministry of Trade, Industry, Technology, Logistics Agency, U.S . State Department, Ukraine, TNT Washington, Japan Explosives Industry, Liberal Democratic Party, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Bakhmut, TOKYO, United States, Japan, Washington, U.S, Tokyo, China, Taiwan, East Asia, Kyiv, Hiroshima, Sasakawa, South Korea, Chugoku, Japan's, Russia, Seoul

☆ Japan slammed by torrential rain as tropical storm nears
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, June 2 (Reuters) - Parts of Japan were slammed by torrential rain on Friday as Tropical Storm Mawar neared, with authorities advising more than a million people to evacuate, many flights and other transport cancelled and power outages in thousands of homes. Mawar, which wreaked havoc on Guam earlier this week, has weakened to a tropical storm from its earlier super typhoon status. Shinkansen bullet train service was halted from Tokyo to Osaka, western Japan, as well as some other parts of the nation, NHK public broadcaster reported. Similar weather patterns have caused flooding and landslides in the past, most notably in the summer of 2018, when more than 200 people were killed in western Japan. Though heavy summer rains are not uncommon in Japan, June is unusually early for a typhoon-type storm to near the islands.

Persons: Mawar, Hirokazu Matsuno, Elaine Lies, Mayu Sakoda, Kaori Kaneko, Shri Navaratnam, Lincoln, Frances Kerry Organizations: Disaster Management Agency, Transport Ministry, NHK, Toyota, JMA, Japan Meteorological Agency, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Okinawa, Guam, Honshu, Wakayama prefecture, Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi prefecture, Shizuoka prefecture, Shikoku

☆ Japan's jobless rate falls to 2.6% in April
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, May 30 (Reuters) - Japan's jobless rate fell to 2.6% in April from 2.8% in the previous month, government data showed on Tuesday. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was below economists' median forecast of 2.7% in a Reuters poll. The jobs-to-applicants ratio stood at 1.32, unchanged from March, labour ministry data showed. For a table on the jobless data, go to the internal affairs ministry's website: http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/roudou/index.html(Note: The jobs-to-applicants ratio and new job offers can be seen in Japanese on the labour ministry's website)Reporting by Kentaro Sugiyama; Writing by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ North Korea says it will launch its first military spy satellite in June
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, May 30 (Reuters) - North Korea will launch its first military reconnaissance satellite in June for monitoring U.S. military activities, state media KCNA reported on Tuesday. Nuclear-armed North Korea has said it has completed development of its first military spy satellite, and leader Kim Jong Un has approved final preparations for the launch. The statement did not specify the exact launch date, but North Korea has notified Japan of the planned launch between May 31 and June 11, prompting Tokyo to put its ballistic missile defences on alert. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Monday any North Korean launch that uses ballistic missile technology, including those used to put a satellite in orbit, would violate multiple United Nations resolutions. Analysts say the satellite will improve North Korea's surveillance capability, enabling it to strike targets more accurately in the event of war.

☆ Japan March core machinery orders fall for 2nd straight month
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Summary March core orders -3.9% m/m vs f'cast +0.7%Core orders -3.5% yr/yr vs f'cast +1.4%April-June core orders seen to rise 4.6%TOKYO, May 22 (Reuters) - Japan core machinery orders fell in March for a second straight month, indicating firms' cautious about capital spending amid worries about the global economic slowdown. But tame reading in the machinery orders may cast doubts about the pace of the economic recovery. Compared with a year earlier, core orders, which exclude volatile numbers from shipping and electric utilities, fell 3.5% in March, according to the data. Manufacturers surveyed by the Cabinet Office are expecting core orders to rise 4.6% in April-June, after a 2.6% growth in the previous quarter. The government kept its view on machinery orders, saying they are "stalling".

WASHINGTON/PARIS, May 17 (Reuters) - The longest shadows at the Group of Seven (G7) leaders' summit this week will be cast by two countries that weren't even invited to the Hiroshima gathering: China and Russia. The G7 countries -- the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Italy -- are all closely tied economically to China, the world's second-largest economy and a key global manufacturing base and market. "Everything is part of the great power competition that is taking place between the United States and Russia, and the United States and China." A woman walks past a “G7 Hiroshima” flower installation near the Peace Memorial Museum, ahead of the G7 summit, in Hiroshima, Japan, May 17, 2023. The United States is at the forefront in pushing for stronger investment controls, yet Germany is more cautious, given its heavy reliance on trade with Beijing.

The G7 countries -- the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Italy -- are all closely tied economically to China, the world's second-largest economy and a key global manufacturing base and market. "Everything is part of the great power competition that is taking place between the United States and Russia, and the United States and China." A woman walks past a “G7 Hiroshima” flower installation near the Peace Memorial Museum, ahead of the G7 summit, in Hiroshima, Japan, May 17, 2023. The G7 is looking to draw closer to members of the "Global South" to counter China's role on the global stage. The United States is at the forefront in pushing for stronger investment controls, yet Germany is more cautious, given its heavy reliance on trade with Beijing.

☆ At Hiroshima G7, bomb survivors grapple with a disarmament dream deferred
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/6] U.S. President Barack Obama (L) hugs atomic bomb survivor Shigeaki Mori as he visits Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan May 27, 2016. Kishida, who represents Hiroshima, said he chose it for the summit to focus attention on nuclear weapons. "I want to see the leaders commit to getting rid of nuclear weapons," Mori, 86, said in an interview. Senior German government sources did not list nuclear disarmament as a high priority, saying at the G7 it was "important mainly for Japan". "We recognise that the current international landscape is very challenging given Russia's threat to use nuclear weapons," one Japanese government official said.

TOKYO, May 15 (Reuters) - A meeting of the government's top economic council on Monday focused on whether recent rises in inflation and wage growth suggest Japan is approaching a sustained exit from deflation. The fresh round of discussions between the government and central bank are looking at the role each should play in achieving sustained wage hikes, which would help reduce the risk of the country returning to deflation. Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda spoke about the bank's resolve to patiently maintain ultra-loose monetary policy, according to presentation material released after the meeting. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government and BOJ need to coordinate closely given rising uncertainty over the economic outlook. "We're aiming to pull Japan out of deflation and achieve sustained, private demand-driven economic growth" by creating public perceptions that growth and inflation will keep rising, he said.

☆ Japan, South Korea to link radar systems to track N.Korea missiles -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, May 9 (Reuters) - Japanese and South Korean defence authorities are set to agree early next month to link their radars via a U.S. system to share real-time information on North Korea's ballistic missiles, a person with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday. With North Korea launching ballistic missiles at an unprecedented pace in the past year, the three countries in November agreed to speed up information-sharing. Japan and South Korea are independently linked to the United States' radar systems but not to each others'. Ties between the United States' Asian allies have warmed in recent months in the face of the North Korean threat. Resuming their "shuttle diplomacy", Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on Sunday, where they confirmed progress in defence cooperation.

☆ Japan's Hamamatsu Photonics says Denmark denies approval for NKT Photonics acquisition
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, May 8 (Reuters) - Japan's Hamamatsu Photonics KK (6965.T) said on Monday that Danish authorities had rejected a European subsidiary's application to acquire Copenhagen-based fibre laser manufacturer NKT Photonics A/S from NKT A/S (NKT.CO). Hamamatsu Photonics had announced plans for the takeover last June for about 205 million euros ($226 million) to expand application of its laser diode business based on compound semiconductor manufacturing technology. NKT Photonics' lasers could be used for inspection of cutting-edge semiconductor devices, among other applications, it had said. "We are currently considering further actions in relation to the decision," Hamamatsu Photonics said in a statement on Monday. The Danish Business Authority said the denial was in accordance with the Danish Investment Screening Act.

☆ Japan's SMFG is first global bank to sell AT1 bonds since C.Suisse wipeout
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Junko Fujita | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AT1 bonds - the riskiest tranche of a bank's bonds also known as "contingent convertibles" or "CoCo" bonds - can be converted into equity or written off if a bank's capital level falls below a certain threshold. SMFG sold the bonds in two tranches, in 89 billion yen ($662.50 million) five-year notes, and 51 billion yen 10-year bonds. The 89 billion yen issuance carries a coupon rate of 1.879% for the initial five years and two-month period, a regulatory filing showed. "In Japan, where spreads over corporate bonds are thin, the terms for these AT1 bonds were reasonably good, provided that the banking sector is credible," said Pictet's Otsuki. Japanese banks' AT1 bonds had been configured in a way the value is secured even if the government is involved in restructuring, and SMFG's new issues are seen to have the same features, she said.

☆ SMFG becomes first big Japan bank to sell AT1 bonds since Credit Suisse's debt wipeout
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Junko Fujita | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SMFG priced the bonds in two tranches, in 89 billion yen ($662.50 million) five-year notes, and 51 billion yen 10-year bonds, whose terms market players said were attractive. "In Japan, where spreads over corporate bonds are thin, the terms for these AT1 bonds were reasonably good, provided that the banking sector is credible," said Nana Otsuki, senior fellow at Pictet Japan. Swiss regulator FINMA determined that Credit Suisse's AT1 bonds would be wiped out, a decision that rocked global credit markets. AT1 bonds - known as "contingent convertibles" or "CoCo" bonds - can be converted into equity or written off if a bank's capital level falls below a certain threshold. The 51 billion yen one would yield 2.180% for the first 10 years and two months.

☆ Japan says evacuation warning for North Korea missile was not a mistake
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, April 13 (Reuters) - The Japanese government said the emergency evacuation warning it issued and later retracted against residents of the northern island of Hokkaido after a North Korean missile launch on Thursday morning was appropriate and not an error. "We did not correct the information issued by the J-Alert" emergency broadcasting system, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a news conference. He said the North Korean missile disappeared from Japan's radar immediately after detection, and a further analysis found that there was no possibility of its landing in Japan's territory, leading to the lifting of the evacuation warning. "The J-Alert warning was issued to inform citizens of the danger of a falling missile to prioritise citizens' safety," Matsuno said. Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim and Kaori KanekoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Factbox: The Japanese chipmaking equipment manufacturers navigating export curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here are some of Japan's leading manufacturers of tools used to make semiconductors. In October-December, its chip equipment sales in China fell 22.3% from a year earlier to 102.7 billion yen, accounting for 22.4% of its total chip equipment sales in the quarter. SCREEN HOLDINGS CO LTD (7735.T)Screen is the world's largest manufacturer of equipment used to clean silicon wafers. The company expects shipments to China to make up 20% of chipmaking equipment sales of 375 billion yen for the year to March. About 40% of sales from its lithography machines business, which combines semiconductor lithography and flat panel display lithography equipment, is generated in China.

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