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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Britain had agreed to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), in a move his office said was the biggest trade deal since Brexit. Britain has been looking to build global trade ties following its departure from the EU in 2020 and has looked to pivot toward geographically distant but fast-growing economies. The overall impact of the trade deal is set to be modest. Japan has asked the U.S. to return to the trans-Pacific trade pact after Washington in 2017 formally withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, the predecessor to the CPTPP. Japan's chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said it was "desirable" for the U.S. to rejoin the trade pact and Tokyo would persist in pressing Washington to become a member.

☆ Japan, Australia concerned over Myanmar disbanding Suu Kyi party
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, 77, is serving 33 years in prison for various offences and dozens of her NLD allies are also in jail or have fled. The NLD had repeatedly ruled out running in the election, for which no date has been set, calling it illegitimate. "We are seriously concerned that the exclusion of the NLD from the political process will make it even more difficult to improve the situation," Japan's foreign ministry said in a statement. "Japan strongly urges Myanmar to immediately release NLD officials, including Suu Kyi, and to show a path toward a peaceful resolution of the issue in a manner that includes all parties concerned." It said all stakeholders should be allowed to participate in the political process and warned their exclusion could lead to further violence and instability.

☆ Britain expected to reach broad agreement on joining Pacific trade pact soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Kaori Kaneko | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary Two sources say CPTPP agreement expected shortlyBritain: CPTPP discussions to be held later this weekSeeks to join trade pact as part of post-Brexit pivotAim to conclude talks at "earliest possible opportunity"TOKYO, March 29 (Reuters) - The 11 members of a trans-Pacific trade pact which includes Japan and Australia are expected to soon reach broad agreement with Britain on it joining the partnership, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. An announcement is expected to be made soon, the sources added, declining to be identified because the information has not been made public. Britain said negotiations with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) had been going well. Membership will supplement existing bilateral trade deals Britain has with several of the member countries, with the overall aim of further cutting tariffs on goods and reducing barriers to services and digital trade. "We are making great progress on the UK's accession to CPTPP, and aim to conclude talks at the earliest opportunity," a spokesperson for Britain's business and trade ministry said.

☆ Japanese man detained in China is Astellas Pharma employee
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, March 26 (Reuters) - A Japanese man detained in China is an employee of Astellas Pharma Inc (4503.T), a company spokesperson told Reuters on Sunday. The company did not identify the employee and the spokesperson said it was not clear as to why he had been detained. Kyodo and other Japanese media reported on Saturday that a Japanese man in his 50s was taken into custody in Beijing this month for an alleged violation of Chinese law. But China had not fully explained what prompted authorities in Beijing to detain the man, media said. The Japanese government had asked Chinese authorities to release the man, media reported.

☆ Japan PM Kishida, India's Modi set to strengthen cooperation, Kishida says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/2] Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida talk before their meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, March 20, 2023. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiNEW DELHI, March 20 (Reuters) - Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday he confirmed with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi that they would strengthen cooperation between the two nations. Kishida was speaking to reporters in New Delhi. Reporting by Sakura Murakami, writing by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ South Koreans sceptical as president offers olive branch to Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Ju-Min Park | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

SEOUL, March 16 (Reuters) - As South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol landed in Tokyo on Thursday his plan to patch up relations with Japan faces lingering scepticism at home. Sixty-four percent of the respondents said South Korea did not need to rush to improve ties with Japan if there were no change in Tokyo's attitude, according to the poll. Yoon is the latest of many South Korean conservatives who embrace the argument that Seoul must heal divides with Japan to confront security challenges. Boycotts of Japanese products and vacations have largely faded in South Korea, and a growing number of South Koreans are travelling to Japan as COVID restrictions ease. Three Japanese animated films are among the top five at box office in South Korea.

☆ South Korea's Yoon arrives in Tokyo hours after North's missile launch
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/6] South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee arrive at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) in Tokyo, Japan March 16, 2023. Before Yoon's flight, North Korea fired a long-range ballistic missile, which landed in the sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan, emphasising both the urgency of regional security and the threat posed by North Korea. "There is an increasing need for (South) Korea and Japan to cooperate in this time," Yoon said in a written interview with international media on Wednesday, calling both North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and supply chain disruptions a "polycrisis". South Korea and Japan at the time agreed to exchange real-time intelligence on North Korea's missile launches, which experts say will help both countries better track potential threats. Tokyo worries that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has set a precedent that will encourage China to attack self-ruled Taiwan.

"Until now, the ministry has taken the defence companies for granted," said Masahisa Sato, an influential ruling party lawmaker and former deputy defence minister. Three of them, Mitsubishi Heavy, Mitsubishi Electric and IHI Corp (7013.T), which makes jet engines, bridges and heavy machinery, confirmed they had also taken part in other lower-level discussions. Reuters asked 10 of Japan's military suppliers, including Toshiba, Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin and Subaru, for interviews with their defence unit managers. Despite diplomatic tensions, China is Japan's top trade partner and a major manufacturing base for many Japanese companies. Even so, Japanese companies often refer to their military products as "special equipment," the government official said.

☆ North Korea launches missile ahead of South Korea-Japan summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing a ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, March 16, 2023. North Korea has conducted multiple missile launches this week amid ongoing joint South Korea-U.S. military drills that Pyongyang condemns as hostile actions. In a statement on Thursday, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North had launched at least one unknown type of ballistic missile off its east coast. Japan's government also confirmed the launch, and Japan's coast guard estimated it would land roughly an hour after it was fired, suggesting it was a long-range weapon such as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). As part of the efforts, the two U.S. allies have agreed to share real-time tracking of North Korean missile launches, and have vowed to further deepen military cooperation.

☆ Japan, Britain, Italy defence ministers to meet in Tokyo this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, March 14 (Reuters) - Britain and Italy's defence chiefs will visit Japan this week to hold meetings with their local counterpart, Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada, Japan said on Tuesday. Hamada will host a trilateral meeting with British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto on Thursday, Japan's defence ministry said. He will also hold bilateral meetings with them. The three nations will discuss the jet fighter project, which marks Japan's first major industrial defence collaboration beyond the United States since World War Two. Reporting by Kaori Kaneko Editing by Chang-Ran KimOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan authorities seek criminal charges against Dentsu, others over Olympics contracts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Japan's Fair Trade Commission said on Tuesday it filed criminal complaints against Dentsu (4324.T) and five other firms as well as seven individuals over alleged bid-rigging on contracts for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The complaint marks the latest development in months of investigations into alleged corruption in the planning and sponsorship of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Games, held in 2021 after a pandemic-driven postponement. Tokyo prosecutors are planning to the bring the charges on Tuesday, Kyodo News agency said. Dentsu, Cerespo and Fuji Creative have already been barred from bidding for contracts at the industry, foreign and education ministries for nine months. Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama, Kantaro Komiya, Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Edwina GibbsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Rapidus to build chip factory in Chitose, northern Japan -media
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Japan's state-backed chip venture Rapidus plans to build its first factory in Chitose city on Japan's northernmost major island of Hokkaido and is likely to make an announcement as early as next week, TV Tokyo reported on Tuesday. Chitose, a city of approximately 100,000 people in southwestern Hokkaido, already hosts manufacturing facilities of silicon wafer maker SUMCO Corp (3436.T), among others. A Rapidus spokesperson said nothing has been decided yet on the location. Rapidus told Reuters earlier this month that it would need about 7 trillion yen ($52 billion) of mostly taxpayer money to begin mass-producing advanced logic chips in around 2027.read more($1 = 134.8100 yen)Reporting by Kaneko Kaori, Mayu Sakoda and Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Alex Richardson and Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan says economy in modest recovery, caution over global slowdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Japan kept its assessment of the economy unchanged in February as consumer spending remained on a recovery trend despite soft exports and factory output due to the global economic slowdown. The government also retained its caution over the impact of global monetary tightening, price hikes and supply constraint in its monthly report. The new economic assessment comes after data last week showed Japan's economy averted recession but rebounded much less than expected in the fourth quarter last year as business investment slumped. "The economy is picking up moderately, although some weakness is seen recently," the Cabinet Office said in its monthly economic assessment, which was unchanged from January. The Cabinet Office said recovery in Japan's factory output was "stalling" in the latest report.

☆ Leiji Matsumoto, creator of 'Space Battleship Yamato', dies aged 85
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Leiji Matsumoto, the Japanese manga and anime author known internationally as a creator of the 1970s TV series "Space Battleship Yamato", has died aged 85, his office said on Monday. Matsumoto gained global fame as director of the series, which was titled "Star Blazers" in the United States. Other well-known works include the manga series "Galaxy Express 999", which was also turned into a popular anime series. Matsumoto, who started drawing at the age of six, died of heart failure on Feb. 13 in Tokyo, Japanese media reported. Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Bradley PerrettOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's balloons give Japan and Taiwan a reason to share intelligence, says lawmaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Feb 16 (Reuters) - The flight of suspected Chinese surveillance balloons has shown that Japan and Taiwan need to share "critical" intelligence about possible aerial threats, a senior defence policymaker for Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party said. Japan said on Tuesday it suspected Chinese spy balloons had flown over Japan at least three times, most recently in 2021. The change will add unmanned aircraft to those," Minoru Kihara, one of the lawmakers, told reporters after the briefing. Japan on Wednesday said it had warned China that violations of its airspace by surveillance balloons were unacceptable. China said the balloon was a civilian weather-monitoring aircraft and it accused the United States of sending its balloons into Chinese airspace.

Kazuo Ueda, a 71-year-old university professor who has kept a low profile despite strong credentials as a monetary policy expert, ticked some important boxes. While he was not even on the list of dark horse candidates floated by the media, Ueda was well known in global central bank circles. The bank's preferred choices were incumbent deputy governor Amamiya, as well as former deputies Hiroshi Nakaso and Hirohide Yamaguchi, given their deep knowledge on monetary policy. Matsuno said he hoped the BOJ works closely with the government and guides monetary policy flexibly, when asked whether Ueda's appointment could lead to a retreat from Abenomics. While he warned of the rising cost of the BOJ's yield control policy, Ueda has called for the need to keep monetary policy loose to ensure Japan stably achieves the bank's 2% inflation target.

☆ Rapidus considering building chip factory in Hokkaido, northern Japan-TV Tokyo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Japan's state-backed chip venture Rapidus is considering building a chip factory in Hokkaido, northern Japan, TV Tokyo reported on Wednesday. Rapidus will likely make a formal decision on new factory site by as early as end-February, according to the report. A spokesperson of the chip venture confirmed that Hokkaido governor will visit its headquarters in Tokyo on Thursday to discuss plant building. Japan has said it will invest an initial 70 billion yen ($525 million) in Rapidus, a venture led by tech firms including Sony Group Corp (6758.T) and NEC CorpRapidus told Reuters earlier this month that it would need about 7 trillion yen ($54 billion) of mostly taxpayer money to begin mass producing advanced logic chips in around 2027. ($1 = 133.2700 yen)Reporting by Kantaro Komiya and Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ At BOJ's helm, MIT-educated Ueda to put theory into practice
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

At MIT, he studied economics under Stanley Fischer, whose students include former U.S. Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke and former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi. He is a good listener and a consensus-builder, rather than a leader with a strong view on the direction of monetary policy, they say. "His style is to discuss monetary policy based on facts and evidence," said Tetsuya Inoue, who was Ueda's staff secretary when he was a central bank board member. In a column published in July, Ueda warned against raising rates prematurely in response to cost-push inflation - a sign he would be in no rush to tighten monetary policy. Upon approval by parliament, Ueda will assume the top BOJ post on April 9 and chair his first policy-setting meeting on April 27-28.

☆ Heavy snow, deep cold halts transport across Japan, at least one dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A train is stranded at Nishioji station in Kyoto, Japan in this photo provided by Kyodo on January 25, 2023. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERSTOKYO, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Heavy snow blanketed wide swathes of Japan on Wednesday, snarling traffic, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations and disrupting train travel, leaving at least one person dead. An unusually cold weather front and extreme low pressure systems set snow falling and strong winds blowing across Japan from Tuesday. Snow was particularly heavy on the side of the nation facing the Sea of Japan, with the city of Maniwa in western Japan hit with a record 93 cm (36 inches) in the 24 hours to 8:00 a.m. (2300 GMT) on Wednesday. Strong winds connected to the storm may have caused the sinking of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship between western Japan and South Korea's Jeju island early on Wednesday.

☆ Thirteen crew rescued after ship sinks off Japan, search on for 9 missing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The vessel, the 6,651-tonne Hong Kong-registered "Jintian", issued a distress call late on Tuesday, the Japan Coast Guard said. A Coast Guard spokesperson said winds were strong at the time the distress signal was received at around 11:15 p.m. on Tuesday. The Coast Guard "is also seeking cooperation from the Self-Defense Forces, South Korean Coast Guard, and vessels sailing near the waters," Matsuno said at a regular news conference. He said the five crew members who were rescued were all Chinese but had no further information on their condition. A Japan Coast Guard spokesperson told Reuters the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Korea Coast Guard rescued another eight members of the crew.

☆ Heavy snow causes havoc in Japan as cold snap sweeps through Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Heavy snow blanketed wide swathes of Japan on Wednesday, snarling traffic, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations, disrupting train travel and leaving at least one person dead. An unusually cold weather front and extreme low pressure systems set snow falling and strong winds blowing across Japan from Tuesday after causing havoc in other Asia countries earlier this week. Some 3,000 people were stranded at two train stations in the western city of Kyoto after snow and high winds forced service to be suspended on Tuesday. Strong winds connected to the storm may have caused the sinking of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship between western Japan and South Korea's Jeju island early on Wednesday. Reporting by Kaori Kaneko, Sugiyama Satoshi and Elaine Lies in Tokyo and Hyonhee Shin in Seoul, writing by Elaine Lies and Miyoung Kim Editing by Chang-Ran Kim, Kim Coghill and Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan cuts economic view as exports to Asia weaken
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Japan cut its view on the overall economy for the first time in 11 months in January, as China's COVID-19 infections and a slowdown in global demand for tech and semiconductors hurt exports, especially to Asia. The economic downgrade followed the Bank of Japan's move last week when it slashed its economic growth projections for the next two fiscal years amid worries that slowing global demand will weigh on Japan's export-reliant economy. The January report said both exports and imports are "weakening recently" compared with its previous view of "almost flat" last month. "China's coronavirus rebound could affect Japan's exports and production and such a possibility has become clearer than last month," said an official at the Cabinet Office. The government also remained cautious over downside risks from the global economic slowdown amid monetary tightening, inflation and financial market fluctuations.

☆ Japan prosecutors indict Yamagami for murder of ex-Prime Minister Abe -Yomiuri
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Japanese prosecutors on Friday indicted the man suspected of killing former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Yomiuri newspaper reported. Nara District Public Prosecutors Office indicted Tetsuya Yamagami, 42, on murder charges as well as for violating gun laws after concluding a roughly six-month psychiatric evaluation, the newspaper reported. The Unification Church was founded in South Korea in 1954 and famous for its mass weddings, relying on its Japan followers as a key source of income. The approval rate for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government had fallen to record laws amid revelations about connections between the church and many LDP lawmakers. In November, Japan launched a probe into the church that could threaten its legal status following the assassination of Abe.

The holiday, known before the pandemic as the world's largest annual migration of people, comes amid an escalating diplomatic spat over COVID curbs that saw Beijing introduce transit curbs for South Korean and Japanese nationals on Wednesday. The virus is spreading unchecked in China after Beijing abruptly began dismantling its previously tight curbs in early December following historic protests. Among them, South Korea and Japan have also limited flights and require tests on arrival, with passengers showing up as positive being sent to quarantine. COUNTING DEATHSSome of the governments that announced curbs on travellers from China cited concerns over Beijing's data transparency. Annual spending by Chinese tourists abroad reached $250 billion before the pandemic, with South Korea and Japan among the top shopping destinations.

☆ Japan lodges protest to China over visa suspension
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Japan lodged a protest to China over the suspension of visas for Japanese citizens and asked that it overturn the action, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Wednesday. "It is regrettable that China unilaterally has taken visa suspension action for reasons other than steps for the coronavirus," Matsuno told a regular press conference. China's move came after Japan toughened COVID-19 border control rules for travellers coming directly from China, including a requirement for a negative PCR test result less than 72 hours before departure. Asked about Japan's border controls going forward, Matsuno said the government would respond appropriately based on China's coronavirus situation and its information disclosure. Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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