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☆ Zelenskiy gets warm welcome at G7 summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands during the G7 leaders' summit in Hiroshima, Japan May 20, 2023. Ukrainian Presidential Press... Read moreHIROSHIMA, May 20 (Reuters) - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy received a warm welcome in Japan on Saturday after arriving to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima for back-to-back bilateral meetings with world leaders. Zelenskiy has so far met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, France's President Emmanuel Macron, and Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak among others. We will be here to the very end," Macron told Zelenskiy. Modi also made clear his support for dialogue and diplomacy to find a way forward, according to a statement on his office's official Twitter account.

☆ France's Macron: Zelenskiy's Japan visit a 'game changer'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

HIROSHIMA, Japan, May 20 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's visit to Japan for the Group of Seven (G7) summit a "game changer," as the two met for talks on the sidelines of the event. "I think this is a unique opportunity to (have) exchanges with a lot of countries from the south and express your situation, express a message and share a view. I do believe it can be a game changer," Macron said. Macron added that France will be with Ukraine "to the very end". Reporting by John Irish; Writing by Sakura Murakami; Editing by David DolanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The Cannes Film Festival
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Melissa Kirsch | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The Cannes Film Festival began this week with Maïwenn’s “Jeanne du Barry,” starring Johnny Depp as Louis XV, and ends on May 27 with a new Pixar film, “Elemental.” In between, there will be many screenings, many awkward standing ovations, many awards bestowed. Wes Anderson also has a new one, “Asteroid City,” about a junior stargazing convention. It features many members of the Andersonian repertory — Jason Schwartzman, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody and others. In “Firebrand,” from the Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz, Alicia Vikander plays Catherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII, who’s played by Jude Law. Hirokazu Kore-eda, whose film “Shoplifters” won the Palme d’Or in 2018, has a new film, “Monster.” It stars Sakura Ando from “Shoplifters,” and the composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died last month, did the score.

RAAs create frameworks to facilitate military cooperation, such as making the entry of foreign personnel and equipment easier for the visiting force. France's Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said last monththat Paris was hoping to agree RAAs with Japan, enabling the two sides to strengthen their military operability and exchanges. Japan and France have already held numerous joint military exercises over the past few years bilaterally and also as part of a wider group. After signing defence cooperation deals with Canberra and London, Japan could next sign one with the Philippines. The agreements are expected to allow for faster deployment of armed forces in joint military exercises and in the event of natural disasters.

"The international community is at a crossroads in history," Prime Minister Kishida told a briefing following his more than hour-long meeting with Biden. Japan, although a longtime buyer of Russian oil, has moved in tandem with G7 sanctions against Moscow following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. That military action has also raised fears among Japanese that China could be emboldened to take action against neighbouring, self-ruled Taiwan unless Russia is stopped. TIGHTEN SANCTIONSThe G7 will aim to tighten sanctions on Russia to prevent it skirting measures already in place, Germany's leader, Olaf Scholz, said on Thursday. Kishida later said he and Biden had agreed to continue "strict sanctions against Russia as well strong support for Ukraine".

☆ Japan's Kore-eda: sexual identity not the focus in film 'Monster'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Alicia Powell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Press conference for the film "Kaibutsu" (Monster) in competition - Cannes, France, May 18, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah MeyssonnierCANNES, May 18 (Reuters) - Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda said he did not want to focus on sexual identity in portraying the relationship between the two schoolboys at the centre of his latest film, "Monster." "The age that these children are at is an age where their sexual identity is maybe not fully... they're not fully aware of it at this stage," Kore-eda told Reuters on Thursday, the day after the movie's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Earlier Thursday, Kore-eda told journalists he did not think the story should be viewed as portraying two boys who have growing feelings for each other, as suggested in some reviews. For "Monster" Kore-eda once again teamed up with Sakura Ando, who starred in his 2018 Palmes d' Or winner "Shoplifters," and who portrays Saori in the new film.

☆ Japan's Kore-eda angles for second Cannes win with 'Monster'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CANNES, May 17 (Reuters) - Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda hopes to repeat his success at the Cannes Film Festival, five years after winning the top prize, with "Monster," which breaks down the misunderstandings between a single mother and a teacher started by two schoolboys. "Monster" sees Kore-eda once again team up with actor Sakura Ando, who starred in his 2018 Palme d'Or winner "Shoplifters." The film is Kore-eda's second in competition since winning the top prize at Cannes, after his Korean-language entry "Broker" lost out last year to "Triangle of Sadness" by Swedish director and this year's Cannes jury president Ruben Ostlund. Kore-eda also brought Oscar winner Ryuichi Sakamoto on board to compose a soundtrack critics praised as particularly moving. Kore-eda and his cast took to the red carpet at Cannes on Wednesday night for the premiere of their film, which critics praised for its clever structure and atmospheric setting.

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.

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.

☆ 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.

☆ Want to buy a cheap house in rural Japan? This millennial farmer offers his advice
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Life on a farm is "very, very busy," says Lee Xian Jie, who harvests his own rice and tea. said Lee Xian Jie, who restored three buildings in Ryujin-mura, a village in Japan's Wakayama prefecture. On the same property is a 100-year-old building, which Lee Xian Jie converted into a guesthouse. Lee Xian JieAnother $37,000 was spent to turn the main house into a living space for himself and a functional cafe. While it will only open in June, Lee Xian Jie said he's already been getting some bookings.

☆ Japan PM Kishida meets lawmakers, business leaders to finish South Korea visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida talks to South Korean business leaders during their meeting in Seoul, South Korea, May 8, 2023. Yonhap via REUTERSSEOUL, May 8 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with South Korean lawmakers and business leaders in Seoul on Monday to discuss potential bilateral cooperation as he wrapped up the first visit by a Japanese leader in 12 years. "I would like to strengthen the relationship I have with (South Korean) President Yoon and join forces with him to forge a new era," Kishida told reporters in Seoul after meeting with South Korean lawmakers at his hotel. Kishida told South Koreans on Sunday his "heart hurts" when he thinks of suffering during Japanese colonial rule of South Korea. He arrived in South Korea on Sunday following South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's trip to Tokyo in March where they sought to close a chapter on the historical disputes that have dominated Japan-South Korea relations for decades.

☆ Japan PM Kishida visits Seoul to forge closer ties amid N.Korea threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

South Korean officials are hopeful that Kishida will make some kind of gesture in return and offer some political support, although few observers expect any further formal apology for historical wrongs. But the historical differences between South Korea and Japan also threaten to cast a shadow over the blossoming ties between its two leaders. The majority of South Koreans believe Japan hasn't apologised sufficiently for atrocities during Japan's 1910-1945 occupation of Korea, Lee said. "They think that Prime Minister Kishida should show sincerity during his visit to South Korea, such as mentioning historical issues and expressing apologies," she added. Still, South Korea is an "important neighbour that we must cooperate with on various global issues," Japan's foreign ministry has said.

☆ Japan prepares to shoot down North Korea satellite if it falls on Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The Japanese flag flies in a park in Osaka, Japan, October 30, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas WhiteTOKYO, April 22 (Reuters) - Japan's Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada on Saturday ordered the country's military to prepare to shoot down a North Korean spy satellite should it fall within Japan's territory. Preparations included making arrangements to deploy troops to the southern prefecture of Okinawa to "minimise damage should a ballistic missile fall." North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said preparations for the planned launch of the country's first spy satellite should proceed to counter perceived threats from the United States and South Korea, state media reported on Wednesday. Reporting by Sakura Murakami; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"The message is the same across the G7: that we want to work with China in those areas where China is prepared to work with us," a senior U.S. State Department official told reporters on a call. "We are certainly going to stand up against any coercion, any market manipulation, any efforts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait," the official added. Beijing views Taiwan as Chinese territory and has not renounced the use of force to take the democratically governed island. China is increasingly trying to replace international rules with "its own rules", German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Monday on the sidelines of the G7 meeting. China's top diplomat Wang Yi "hopes and believes" Germany will support China's "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

KARUIZAWA, Japan, April 16 (Reuters) - Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations will likely discuss their "common and concerted" approach to China when they meet from Sunday, reflecting shared concern about Beijing's actions, a senior U.S. State Department official said. China is front and centre as ministers from the G7 group of rich countries meet for three days in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa. Beijing views Taiwan as Chinese territory and has not renounced the use of force to take the democratically governed island. There would likely be a discussion on how the members could continue to take a "common and concerted approach," to China, the official said. "To put China on the agenda is not just important for Japan, but also the United States," he said.

☆ Security of Europe, Indo-Pacific in focus as G7 foreign ministers gather
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, April 14 (Reuters) - Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations will focus on the security of both Europe and the Indo-Pacific as they gather in Japan from Sunday against a worrying backdrop of the war in Ukraine and China's growing assertiveness. "The security of Europe and that of the Indo-Pacific cannot be discussed separately - they are intertwined with each other," a Japanese foreign ministry official said of the upcoming meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity. Kishida visited Ukraine in March, at the same time the China's President Xi Jinping was meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. "The G7 has been an important partner in holding Russia accountable for its aggression in Ukraine," U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Monday. "I have no doubt that the G7 will continue to play an important role in that, including at the upcoming foreign ministers' meeting."

☆ China to close airspace north of Taiwan April 16-18, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 12 (Reuters) - China is planning to close the airspace north of Taiwan from April 16 to 18, four sources with knowledge of the matter said, a move that could disrupt flights around the region. China and Taiwan's foreign ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It comes as China rounds off several days of military training around self-ruled Taiwan, a response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's recent meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California which infuriated Beijing. One senior official with direct knowledge of the matter said the flight ban would affect 60%-70% of flights going between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as flights between Taiwan and South Korea, Japan and North America. Reporting by Yimou Lee in Taipei and Sakura Murakami and Tim Kelly in Tokyo; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan, China meet to discuss maritime concerns as Beijing simulates attack on Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, April 10 (Reuters) - Senior Japanese and Chinese government officials met on Monday to discuss maritime concerns in disputed waters in the East China Sea as Beijing conducted wargames around Taiwan. Prior to the start of the talks, a top Japanese government spokesperson said Japan has been following China's military drills around Taiwan consistently and "with great interest". Beijing considers Taiwan as a part of China and regards meetings between senior U.S. and Taiwanese officials as interference in its internal affairs. He also asked Japan to pull its ships back from the seas around islands in the East China Sea claimed by both countries. China and Japan last month established a military communications hotline to help them defuse any air and sea incidents in the contested waters.

☆ Japan changes aid rules; to fund defence projects of friendly nations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, April 5 (Reuters) - Japan on Wednesday said it plans to offer friendly nations financial assistance to help them bolster their defences, marking Tokyo's first unambiguous departure from rules that forbid using international aid for military purposes. Japan's Overseas Security Assistance (OSA) will be operated separately from the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) programme that for decades has funded roads, dams and other civilian infrastructure projects, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a regular news conference. The Philippines and Bangladesh are likely to be included as the first recipients of the aid, a government source involved in talks said to Reuters. In principle, only developing countries will be eligible to receive the aid given it will be provided as grants, according to the foreign ministry. Reporting by Tim Kelly, Yukiko Toyoda, Sakura Murakami, and Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Tom Hogue, Christian Schmollinger and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

TOKYO/BEIJING, April 2 (Reuters) - Japan's foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said he called on Beijing for the early release of a detained Japanese national during a meeting with Chinese diplomat Qin Gang held on Sunday. The visit comes a week after a spokesperson of Astellas Pharma Inc (4503.T) said its employee was detained in China for unknown reasons. Although Japan and China have their differences, both agreed to restart trilateral talks with South Korea, Hayashi said, calling the agreement "an important achievement" from his meeting with Qin. "We agreed to continue communicating closely on various levels, including the foreign ministerial and leadership levels," Hayashi added. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit last November, marking the first leadership-level talks in almost three years.

☆ Japan foreign minister Hayashi to visit Beijing on Saturday
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - Japan Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday he will visit Beijing for two days from Saturday to discuss a range of issues, including the detention of an Astellas Pharma Inc (4503.T) employee. Hayashi told reporters he will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang during the visit for "an honest and frank discussion to create a constructive and stable relationship". Hayashi's visit to China follows leadership-level talks held on the sidelines of an international summit last November, the first between the two countries in almost three years. At the time, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he conveyed his concerns over China's increasing maritime military presence but also said the two leaders agreed to reopen diplomatic channels of communications including a visit by Japan's foreign minister to China in the near future. Reporting by Sakura Murakami and Rocky Swift; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S., Japan strike trade deal on electric vehicle battery minerals
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The United States and Japan announced a trade deal March 27, 2023 on electric vehicle battery minerals that is key to strengthening their battery supply chains and granting Japanese automakers wider access to the new $7,500 U.S. EV tax credit. See here a Nissan Motor Co. Sakura electric vehicle on display. The United States and Japan on Tuesday announced a trade deal on electric vehicle battery minerals that is key to strengthening their battery supply chains and granting Japanese automakers wider access to the new $7,500 U.S. EV tax credit. Minerals-focused trade deals are one way that the Biden administration hopes to open up access for trusted allies to the $7,500 per vehicle EV tax credits in last year's climate-focused Inflation Reduction Act. The U.S. Treasury is expected to define sourcing requirements for the EV tax subsidies by the end of this week, providing eagerly awaited guidance to the auto, battery and clean energy sectors.

☆ 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.

Kishida said there were four "pillars" to Japan's new Indo-Pacific plan: maintaining peace, dealing with new global issues in cooperation with Indo-Pacific countries, achieving global connectivity through various platforms, and ensuring the safety of the open seas and skies. Japan pledged $75 billion to the region by 2030 via private investment and yen loans and by ramping up aid through official governmental assistance and grants. "We plan to expand the cooperation of the free and open Indo-Pacific framework," Kishida told the Indian Council of World Affairs. China has ramped up its military presence in the Indo-Pacific and rapidly modernised its navy while promoting its Belt and Road Initiative. "Giving voice to the priorities of the Global South is an important pillar of our G20 presidency," Modi said after his talks with Kishida.

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