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Real wages adjusted for inflation fell in July for a 16th straight month in a sign households continued to feel the pinch from rising prices, separate data showed, boding ill for consumption. Exports remained solid in April-June with net external demand contributing 1.8% points to GDP growth, unchanged from the preliminary reading. But shipments to China slumped 13.4% in July to mark the 8th straight month of falls. Japan's economy has seen a delayed recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic this year, as rising living costs faltering global demand cloud the outlook. Given such uncertainties, Bank of Japan policymakers have stressed their resolve to keep monetary policy ultra-loose until the recent cost-driven inflation turns into price rises driven by domestic demand and higher wage growth.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Takeshi Minami, Yoshifumi Takemoto, Sam Holmes Organizations: Food, REUTERS, Norinchukin Research, Private, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, TOKYO, China, Norinchukin

TOKYO (AP) — Fishermen and residents of Fukushima and five other prefectures along Japan’s northeastern coast filed a lawsuit Friday demanding a halt to the ongoing release of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. Three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant melted after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in 2011 destroyed its cooling systems. “The intentional release to the sea is an intentional harmful act that adds to the (nuclear plant) accident," said another lawyer, Hiroyuki Kawai. He said the ocean is a public resource and it is unethical for a company to discharge wastewater into it. China banned all imports of Japanese seafood in response to the release, while Hong Kong and Macau suspended imports from 10 prefectures including Fukushima.

Persons: Kenjiro Kitamura, Hiroyuki Kawai, Fumio, Kishida Organizations: TOKYO, —, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Nuclear, Authority, TEPCO, International Atomic Energy Agency, Groups Locations: Fukushima, Tokyo, China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Indonesia

☆ US's McCarthy Says China's Position on Fukushima Discharge 'Unfair, 'False'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

Australia, New Zealand Rise in RankingsThe far-flung but friendly nations of Australia and New Zealand are among the top 10 countries in the world, according to a U.S. News analysis, and their welcoming natures may be one of the reasons why.

Locations: Australia, New Zealand, U.S

☆ US's McCarthy says China's position on Fukushima discharge 'unfair, 'false'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy walks through Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, U.S., July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy called China's position on the release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant "unfair" and "false" during a visit to Tokyo on Thursday. Japan started its discharges from the wrecked plant last month, provoking strong criticism from China. In retaliation for the release into the ocean, China has placed a blanket ban on all aquatic imports from Japan. Reporting by Yukiko Toyoda and Sakura Murakami; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Leah Millis, Yukiko Toyoda, Sakura Murakami, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: U.S . Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, . House, Japan, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Tokyo, China, Japan

On Wednesday, China's Li warned against starting a "new Cold War" and warned countries against taking sides in any conflict. Harris, attending the meetings instead of President Joe Biden, reiterated a U.S. commitment to the region. "The United States has an enduring commitment to Southeast Asia and more broadly to the Indo-Pacific," she said. A White House official said earlier the U.S. shared interests with ASEAN in "upholding the rules-based international order, including in the South China Sea, in the face of China's unlawful maritime claims and provocative actions". The Chinese premier and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met briefly on the sidelines of the summit on Wednesday and discussed Japan's release into the sea of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos, Jr, Lee Hsien Loong, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sarun, Pham Minh Chinh, Fumio, Yoon Suk Yeol, Joko, Kamala Harris, Li Qiang, Sergei Lavrov, China's Li, Harris, Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Kanupriya Kapoor, Robert Birsel Organizations: Singapore's, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam's, Japan's, ASEAN, Russian, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, White, U.S, Japanese, Thomson Locations: Philippines, Fumio Kishida, South, JAKARTA, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, South China, Myanmar, Korea, Russia, United States, Southeast Asia, China, Laos

☆ Analysis-China's economic gloom hangs over Japan's long-awaited recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

TOKYO (Reuters) - Policymakers in Tokyo believe China’s deepening economic woes could hit Japan’s fragile recovery, especially if Beijing fails to shore up demand with meaningful stimulus, potentially delaying an exit from ultra-loose monetary policy. China is Japan’s largest trading partner, accounting for 20% of its exports, having replaced the United States in 2020. “Exports to China had already been weak and headwinds to inbound tourism are clearly bad for Japan’s economy,” said Toru Suehiro, chief economist at Daiwa Securities. Firms also promised wage hikes unseen in three decades this year, heightening the case for a retreat from decades of ultra-loose monetary policy. The darkening outlook for Japan’s recovery may push back the timing of a BOJ policy shift.

Persons: Marko Djurica, Kazuo Ueda’s, ”, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Ogawa, Takeshi Niinami, Toru Suehiro, Ueda, Toyoaki Nakamura, “, Seisaku Kameda Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Japan’s, Reuters, Japan, Komatsu Ltd, Komatsu, Suntory Holdings, Daiwa Securities, Japan’s Sompo Holdings Locations: TOKYO, Tokyo, Beijing, Japan, United States, China

☆ Japan PM speaks to China's Li about radioactive water release
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during the leaders talk of the ASEAN-Indo Pacific Forum (AIPF) in Jakarta, Indonesia September 6, 2023. Japan started releasing the water from the wrecked plant into the ocean last month, drawing strong criticism from China. "During the chat, I explained Japan's position on the treated water to Premier Li," Kishida said. It was also the first high-level talk between the two countries since the release of the water from the Fukushima plant. The water is treated to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium, a radionuclide difficult to separate from water, and then diluted to internationally accepted levels before being released into the ocean.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Adek Berry, Li Qiang, Kishida, Li, Premier Li, Sakura Murakami, Rocky Swift, Tomasz Janowski, Nick Macfie Organizations: Japan's, ASEAN, Pacific, Rights, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Japan, China, Premier, Tokyo, Beijing

In a sign of growing pessimism over China, the government also said its monthly economic report for August that "concern over China's outlook" was among risks to Japan's recovery. "Exports to China had already been weak and headwinds to inbound tourism are clearly bad for Japan's economy," said Toru Suehiro, chief economist at Daiwa Securities. "All in all, it's hard to justify tightening monetary policy any time soon." Firms also promised wage hikes unseen in three decades this year, heightening the case for a retreat from decades of ultra-loose monetary policy. The darkening outlook for Japan's recovery may push back the timing of a BOJ policy shift.

Persons: Marko Djurica, Kazuo Ueda's, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Ogawa, Takeshi Niinami, Toru Suehiro, Ueda, Toyoaki Nakamura, Seisaku Kameda, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Japan's, Reuters, Japan, Komatsu Ltd, Komatsu, Suntory Holdings, Daiwa Securities, Japan's Sompo Holdings, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, China, TOKYO, Beijing, United States

☆ Myanmar won't be allowed to lead Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2026, in blow to generals
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

An official ASEAN statement issued Tuesday night confirmed the decision to hand the chair to the Philippines in 2026 and affirmed the group's commitment to a five-point plan for restoring peace and stability in Myanmar. The ASEAN leaders' statement on Myanmar stressed the desire to work with the generals to end the country's crisis, especially in the context of the five-point plan which Myanmar accepted in 2021 but has largely failed to implement. "All of us are aware of the magnitude of the world's challenges today, where the main key to facing them is the unity and centrality of ASEAN," Widodo told fellow leaders. "ASEAN leaders must ensure that this ship is able to keep going, able to keep sailing," Widodo said. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said before flying to Jakarta that he plans to offer assurances of the safety of the ongoing release into the sea of treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos, Lee Hsien Loong, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sarun, Pham Minh Chinh, Joko Widodo, Sonexay Siphandone, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Hun Manet, Anwar Ibrahim, Xanana Gusmao, Adi Weda, Aung, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, Retno Marsudi, —, Marsudi, bloc's, Widodo, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Li Qiang, Sergey Lavrov, Fumio Kishida Organizations: Singapore's, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam's, Cambodia's, Malaysia's, East Timor's, ASEAN Summit, Afp, Getty, United, Aung San Suu, ASEAN, Indonesia, Associated Press, European Union, Myanmar Armed Forces, Foreign Ministry, ASEAN Chair, Indonesian, Assistance Association for Political, U.S ., U.S, Russian, Japanese Locations: Laos, East, Jakarta, Myanmar, United States, Aung San, Philippines, Philippine, ASEAN, Naypyidaw, South China, U.S, China

☆ China declined to join IAEA system to monitor Fukushima water - Kyodo
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

An aerial view shows the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which started releasing treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean, in Okuma town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan August 24, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Kyodo/via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Sept 5 (Reuters) - China turned down Japan's proposal that it take part in the International Atomic Energy Agency's system in which countries excluding Japan can analyse the results of sea water monitoring off Fukushima, Kyodo news agency said on Tuesday, citing unnamed diplomatic sources. Japan started releasing treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean late last month despite strong opposition from China. Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka, Rocky Swift; Editing by Andrew CawthorneOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kiyoshi Takenaka, Rocky Swift, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Kyodo, Rights, International Atomic Energy, Thomson Locations: Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, China

☆ Japan to allocate $140 mln more to help fisheries after China's import ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Japanese imports of seafood are seen in a supermarket in Hong Kong, China July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday the government would allocate an additional 20.7 billion yen ($141.41 million) to support the fisheries industry after China's total import ban of Japanese aquatic products. The ban followed the start of Japan's release of treated radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant last month. The government had previously set up two funds worth 80 billion yen to help develop new markets and keep excess fish frozen until they can be sold when demand recovers, among other measures. With the additional funding, from budget reserves, support would total 100.7 billion yen, Kishida said.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Kaori Kaneko, Chang, Ran Kim Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, China

Each of the parents has forked out 14,000 yen ($96) to attend this event, hosted by the matchmaking agency Association of Parents of Marriage Proposal Information. It’s not that Japan, a notoriously work-obsessed nation where time is at a premium, hasn’t tried out the more direct approach to speed-dating, where the youngsters do it for themselves. Japan remains a highly patriarchal society in which married women are often expected to take the caregiver role, despite government efforts to get husbands more involved. But however great the yearning for grandchildren, Miyagoshi says she always emphasizes to parents that their children should come first. No matter how much parents want grandchildren, the children must be willing to have children,” she said.

Persons: Tokyo CNN —, “, It’s, hasn’t, ”, Noriko Miyagoshi, Junko Fukutome, Fumio Kishida, James Raymo, ” Raymo, Shigeki Matsuda, Philip Fong, Matsuda, it’s, ” Matsuda, Raymo, Miyagoshi, Tomohiro Ohsumi, don’t, Richard A, Brooks, hadn’t Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Sakai Chamber, Commerce, of Parents, Association of Parents, CNN, East Asian Studies, Princeton University, Chukyo University, National Institute of Population, Social Security, Young, Organisation for Economic Co, Getty Locations: Osaka, Japan, Aichi, Roppongi, Tokyo, AFP, France, Germany, Yonomori, Fukushima, Hie

☆ South Koreans worry about Fukushima water; more disapprove of Yoon - poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

South Korean people chant slogans during a protest against Japan’s discharge of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, in Seoul, South Korea, August 26, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Sept 1 (Reuters) - A majority of South Koreans are worried about Japan's discharge of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea despite efforts by their government to allay fears, a poll published on Friday showed. The South Korean government, however, has said it sees no scientific problem with the water release, though stressing it does not approve of it, and banning the import of seafood from waters off Fukushima, north of Tokyo. Despite such efforts, South Korean environmental groups and many members of the public are alarmed and Yoon's disapproval rating has risen to the highest in months, a Gallup Korea poll of 1,002 people showed. The Fukushima nuclear plant was wrecked by a tsunami triggered by an offshore earthquake in 2011.

Persons: Kim Hong, Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon, 1,321.1500, Hyunsu Yim, Jack Kim, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, South, Gallup, Gallup Korea, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, South, Japan, China, Fukushima, Tokyo, South Korean, Gallup Korea

☆ Fukushima: Japan PM pledges to help fishing industry after China seafood ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Fish and shrimp are seen at a seafood market in Shanghai, China August 25, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday he would compile measures to help the fishing industry hit by China's ban on Japanese seafood, after visiting Tokyo's biggest fish market. "I will put together measures given the variety of opinions I heard from the fishing industry today," Kishida said to reporters following a visit to Toyosu fish market on Thursday, adding that requests included support to help fishing companies develop new sales avenues and holding discussions with China. Japan started releasing treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean last Thursday, prompting China, Japan's biggest trade partner, to impose a blanket ban on Japanese aquatic products. Fisheries Minister Tetsuro Nomura said last Friday the government would take steps to diversify Japan's fish exports for China-dependent products such as scallops.

Persons: Aly, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Tetsuro Nomura, Sakura Murakami, Kantaro, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Japan's, Nikkei, Fisheries, Trade Organization, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Lincoln

☆ Japan makes record defence spending request amid tension with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The plan, announced last year, seeks to double defence spending to 2% of gross domestic product by 2027 as it faces an increasingly assertive China and an unpredictable North Korea. The defence ministry plans to set aside more than 900 billion yen for ammunition and weapons, including new ship-based air-defence missiles, according to the budget request. Some 600 billion yen will be used to strengthen logistics capabilities to deploy weapons and resources to southwest island chains during an emergency. Japan will also put 75 billion yen towards jointly developing interceptor missiles with the United States to counter hypersonic warheads, and 64 billion yen for building next-generation fighter jets with Britain and Italy. The record defence spending by the staunch U.S. ally comes after decades of pacifist policies.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Joe Biden, Yoon Suk, Camp David, Evelyn Hockstein, Fumio, Sakura Murakami, Robert Birsel, Gerry Doyle Organizations: U.S, South, REUTERS, Rights, Ministry of Finance, Thomson Locations: Camp, Thurmont , Maryland, U.S, China, North Korea, Japan, United States, Britain, Italy, Taiwan, Ukraine, Asia

In Guangdong Province, on China’s southern coast, a woman posted a photo of a boxed-up Japanese-brand air-conditioner that she planned to return in protest. In southwest China, the owner of a Japanese pub posted a video of himself ripping down anime posters and smashing bottles, saying he planned to reopen the business as a Chinese bistro. In many social media posts like these, the phrase “nuclear-contaminated wastewater” has appeared — the same wording used by the Chinese government and state media to refer to Japan’s release into the ocean of treated radioactive water from the ruined Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Even before Japan started pumping out the first tranche of more than a million tons of wastewater last week, China had mounted a coordinated campaign to spread misinformation about the safety of the release, stirring up anger and fear among millions of Chinese.

Locations: Guangdong Province, China, Japan

☆ Row with China over Fukushima release could shave 0.2% off Japan GDP, Daiwa says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - A row with China over Tokyo's decision to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant could shave 0.2% off Japan's real gross domestic product (GDP), estimates by Daiwa Institute of Research showed on Thursday. Japan started releasing treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean last Thursday, prompting China, Japan's biggest trade partner, to impose a blanket ban on Japanese seafood products. A view of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after it started releasing treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean, seen from the nearby Ukedo fishing port in Namie town, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, Aug. 25, 2023. REUTERS/Tom Bateman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsIf the row escalates and leads to a 20% drop in goods exports to China, Japan's GDP could shrink by around 6.1 trillion yen, or 1.1%, according to the estimates. ($1 = 145.8900 yen)Reporting by Leika Kihara Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tom Bateman, Leika, Peter Graff Organizations: Daiwa Institute of Research, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Fukushima, Fukushima Prefecture

☆ South Korea opposition leader starts hunger strike over government policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Lee Jae-myung, leader of South Korea's Democratic Party, speaks at campaign rally while campaigning for the presidential election in Seoul, South Korea March 8, 2022. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, listed an assortment of reasons for his protest at a news conference, without saying how long his hunger strike would last. South Korea has said it neither supports nor agrees with Japan's action, unlike China, which opposed the plan. Yoon's approval ratings slipped slightly to 34% according to a Gallup poll released on Friday, with foreign policy and the Fukushima water issue cited as factors behind his high disapproval ratings. Opposition leader Lee has had his own problems since becoming the head of his party a year ago, just months after he lost the presidential election.

Persons: Lee Jae, myung, Kim Hong, Lee, Yoon Suk Yeol, Hyunsu Yim, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: South Korea's Democratic Party, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic Party of Korea, Gallup, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Japan, China, North Korea

☆ Japan has no plans to boost funds to ease reputation damage from Fukushima water release
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A view of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after it started releasing treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean, seen from the nearby Ukedo fishing port in Namie town, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, Aug. 25, 2023. REUTERS/Tom Bateman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Japan's industry minister said on Wednesday the government had no plan to substantially boost funds aimed at helping the fishing industry hit by reputation damage from the release of treated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant. The government currently has two such funds worth 80 billion yen ($547 million). ($1 = 146.1700 yen)Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tom Bateman, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Tom Hogue Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Fukushima, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan

☆ In Japan, a third of today's 18-year-olds may not have children - study
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research (IPSS) estimated in a report that 33.4% of women born in 2005 would be childless. The number of children in Japan has been falling for more than four decades as the appetite for marriage and parenting has waned and financial worries have grown, surveys show. That trend could itself be causing a vicious cycle of fewer children begetting fewer children, said Takuya Hoshino, senior economist at Dai-ichi Life Research Institute. As people have fewer children, they are able to spend more on each child than families have in the past. That drives up the average cost of raising a child for the broader population, putting some people off from having children, he said.

Persons: Eita Sato, Aoi Hoshi, Issei Kato, Fumio Kishida, Anna Tanaka, Miho Iwasawa, Iwasawa, Takuya Hoshino, IPSS, Satoshi Sugiyama, Chang, Ran Kim, Robert Birsel Organizations: Junior High School, REUTERS, Rights, National Institute of Population, Social Security Research, Kyodo, Reuters, Dai, Research, Thomson Locations: Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, one's

☆ Toyota to halt operations at all Japan assembly plants due to system failure
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Employees of Toyota Motor Corp. work on the assembly line of Mirai fuel cell vehicle (FCV) at the company's Motomachi plant in Toyota, Aichi prefecture, Japan May 17, 2018. Toyota was looking into the cause of the problem, a spokesperson said, adding it was "likely not due to a cyberattack". Toyota suspended operations at 12 of its plants from Tuesday morning, with two remaining online. Production in Japan was up 29% in the first half of the year, the first such increase in two years. Toyota's operations ground to a halt last year when one of its suppliers was hit by a cyberattack.

Persons: Issei Kato, Satoshi Sugiyama, Miyoung Kim, Kevin Krolicki, David Dolan, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Toyota Motor Corp, REUTERS, Rights, Toyota, Daihatsu, Hino, Pacific, Thomson Locations: Toyota, Aichi prefecture, Japan, China, Tokyo

The mayor of Fukushima, Hiroshi Kohata, said on Saturday the city’s town hall alone had received about 200 such harassment calls in two days. Security officers in front of the Japanese embassy in Beijing, China, on August 26, 2023. In an echo of the Japanese embassy’s statement, it urged Tokyo to protect the safety of Chinese residents in Japan. Many countries, including China, release treated radioactive water from their own nuclear plants, sometimes at higher concentrations than in Fukushima. Other prefectures are considering similar programs, with the Osaka governor proposing Fukushima seafood be served at all government cafeterias.

Persons: China’s, Hiroshi Kohata, It’s, ”, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Yoon Suk Yeol, Han Duck, Yoon, Han, Yuriko Koike, Rahm Emanuel, Matsuda, Xi Jinping, Fumio Kishida Organizations: Tokyo CNN, NHK, CNN, Security, Kyodo, Chinese Foreign Ministry, University of Tokyo’s Institute, Advanced Studies, South, Osaka, US, East China, Reuters Locations: Fukushima, Japan, China, Tokyo, Fukushima prefecture, Beijing, “, Qingdao, China’s Shandong, Suzhou, China’s Jiangsu, Asia, East

☆ Toyota to restart Japan production on Wednesday after system failure
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummaryCompanies Toyota suspends production at all 14 domestic assembly plantsSystem failure preventing Toyota from ordering partsCause under investigation, not likely to be a cyberattackPlants make up third of Toyota world output -Reuters calculationStock closes down 0.2%TOKYO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor (7203.T) will restart operations at its assembly plants in Japan on Wednesday, after a production system malfunction brought domestic output to a halt at the world's biggest-selling automaker. The plants together account for about a third of the automaker's global production, Reuters calculations showed. Toyota's domestic production had been on the rebound after a series of output cuts it blamed on semiconductor shortages. Its Japan output averaged about 13,500 vehicles daily in the first half of the year, Reuters calculations showed. Toyota is a pioneer of just-in-time inventory management, which keeps down costs but means supply chain snarls put production at risk.

Persons: Seiji Sugiura, Satoshi Sugiyama, Miyoung Kim, Kevin Krolicki, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan, Christopher Cushing, Mark Potter Organizations: Toyota, Daihatsu, Hino, Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Analysts, Tokai Tokyo Research Institute, Toyota Industries, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, , Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, China

☆ Japan says may take China to WTO over Fukushima-driven seafood import ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that Japan would take "necessary action (on China's aquatic product ban) under various routes including the WTO framework". Filing a WTO complaint might become an option if protesting to China through diplomatic routes is ineffective, Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi said separately. Japan's National Police Agency has received 225 reports of harassment calls to date, Jiji News reported, and the government said it was seeking help from telecommunications companies to block the calls. NTT and other phone companies including KDDI (9433.T) and SoftBank Corp (9434.T) are discussing measures following the government's request. "It is extremely regrettable and concerning about the large number of harassment calls that have likely come from China," Trade Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said during a news conference.

Persons: Tom Bateman, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Sanae Takaichi, Yasutoshi Nishimura, Nishimura, Kantaro Komiya, Mariko Katsumura, Sakura Murakami, Chang, Ran Kim, Simon Cameron, Moore, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, World Trade Organization, Economic, Japan's National Police Agency, Jiji News, NTT Communications, Nippon Telegraph, Telephone, NTT, SoftBank Corp, Thomson Locations: Fukushima, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, China, WTO

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Persons: Dow Jones Locations: asia, fukushima

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