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☆ Japan PM Kishida to visit South Korea for summit with Yoon - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, April 29 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to visit South Korea in coming weeks and meet with President Yoon Suk Yeol, officials said, reciprocating a Tokyo visit by the South Korean leader last month. Japan's Kyodo news agency said on Saturday the two will meet around May 7 or 8, citing multiple unnamed Japanese and South Korean diplomatic sources. Asked about reports of the bilateral summit, Kishida said in remarks broadcast by public network NHK that nothing concrete had been decided. The two sides agreed to revive shuttle diplomacy when Yoon met with Kishida in Tokyo in March, the first Japan visit by a South Korean president in 12 years. The last visit by a Japanese prime minister to South Korea was made by Shinzo Abe in 2018, according to NHK.

☆ Harry Belafonte, calypso star and civil rights champion, dies at 96
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Alex Johnson | Diana Dasrath | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Singer Harry Belafonte speaks during a press junket at The Bing Decision Maker Series with the Sing Your Song Cast and Filmmakers on January 22, 2011 in Park City, Utah. American singer Harry Belafonte performing in a recording studio, circa 1957. By the early 1960s, Belafonte had become a force in the civil rights movement. A crowd of over 10,000 civil rights marchers gathers in the Manhattan Garment Center as Harry Belafonte sings at spiritual at a civil rights rally. A capacity audience of civil rights advocates turned out to watch a glittering array of theater personalities perform.

☆ A Supreme Court justice resigned 54 years ago over conduct that may 'pale in comparison' to Clarence Thomas' — but Thomas is almost certain to get off scot-free thanks in part to the 'Trump effect'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas resigned in 1969 over accusations of financial misconduct. But unlike Fortas, Thomas is unlikely to experience severe consequences in the post-Trump era. Like Fortas, Thomas has been accused of financial misconduct. Democratic lawmakers have called for an investigation into Thomas, and the Senate Judiciary Committee has said it will hold a hearing on Supreme Court ethics. "He will forever be remembered as the second Abe Fortas," Kalir said.

The incident exposes vulnerabilities in Japan's security system and a failure to institute changes following the killing of former prime minister Shinzo Abe during an election campaign last year, four experts interviewed by Reuters said. Fukuda said for such big, international events, authorities are able to provide solid security by mobilising a huge police presence. The government has instructed authorities to strengthen security measures and to ensure safety precautions at gatherings of VIPs, he added. read moreIn Saturday's attack, the suspect was about 10 metres from Kishida, according to media reports. He said it showed that a review of security plans by the National Police Agency could only go so far.

☆ Support for Japan PM Kishida jumps, but policies still a hard sell, survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, April 17 (Reuters) - Support for the government of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida jumped in a survey taken at the weekend, but voters remained dubious about its proposals, including new childcare plans aimed at reversing the declining birthrate. A survey conducted by ANN television on Saturday and Sunday found 45.3% of respondents supported Kishida's government, up 10.2 points from the previous month. But roughly 80% did not think the government's childcare plans would do much to solve the low birthrate problem and some 60% disagreed with funding those plans by increasing the burden on taxpayers. Though Kishida struggled with sliding support late in 2022, more recent polls have showed a slight uptick in his ratings. A survey by the Mainichi daily also conducted at the weekend found support for Kishida at 36%, up from 33% in March.

April 17 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever. The Asian calendar on Monday is light, with only Indonesian trade and Indian wholesale price inflation potentially moving markets. Indonesia's central bank begins a two-day meeting, and will announce its policy decision on Tuesday. chartInvestors will also have the first opportunity to react to two developments over the weekend - a policy steer from China's central bank chief, and Saturday's apparent attack on Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Yi also said the central bank will seek to get real interest rates slightly below the potential growth rate.

☆ Japanese PM unhurt after blast during campaign event
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated from the port in Wakayama after a blast was heard, but he was unharmed in the incident, local media reported on April 15. TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed Saturday after someone threw an explosive device at a campaign event in a western port city, officials said. Police wrestled a suspect to the ground as screaming bystanders scrambled to get away and smoke filled the air. In Abe's assassination, the former prime minister was shot with a homemade gun during a campaign speech. Abe's alleged assassin told investigators that he killed Abe, one of Japan's most influential and divisive politicians, because of the former prime minister's apparent links to a religious group that he hated.

☆ Japan PM Kishida evacuated unhurt after explosion at speech- media
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERSTOKYO, April 15 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unhurt after a suspect threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb at an outdoor speech in western Japan on Saturday, domestic media reported. A loud explosion was heard, but the premier took cover and was unharmed while police subdued a man at the scene, public broadcaster NHK said. Kishida had just started to deliver the speech after touring the harbour when Saturday's incident occurred, NHK said. Kishida was to continue his Saturday afternoon campaign schedule after the incident, the LDP confirmed via its Twitter account. The man appeared to be in his 20s or 30s, media said.

☆ I got addicted to an app that helped me turn my most ambitious goals into daily routines
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Shubham Agarwal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Once I complete the task, I mark it on a calendar in the app and a colorful streak grows. Each time I logged a successful session on Everyday and the habit's streak grew, it felt like a microwin. Streaks reward repetition, Lindemans explained, but the reason they're so motivating is not the sense of accomplishment they imbue. After all, I was being motivated by the app instead of by my desire to meet my goals. The apps helped me focus on the action itself instead of on setting up my own structure for carrying them out.

☆ Kuroda less dovish as he departs BOJ after decade of massive stimulus
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Haruhiko Kuroda, governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ), at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, May 27, 2021. Haruhiko Kuroda, governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ), at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, May 27, 2021. Kuroda was not the first BOJ chief to attempt to influence public perceptions with monetary easing. When allusions to Peter Pan and spacecraft failed, the BOJ shifted to a defensive, long-term approach in 2016 with the introduction of yield curve control (YCC). "The BOJ's failure to change public expectations raises a lot of questions about the effectiveness of unconventional monetary policy."

☆ Kuroda departs BOJ after inflation fails to fly like 'Peter Pan'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The 78-year-old gives his press conference at 0630GMT, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) said. Kuroda was not the first BOJ chief to attempt to influence public perceptions with monetary easing. In 2015, he alluded to the Peter Pan fairy tale in explaining that to fire up inflation, the BOJ needed to have the public believe in its monetary magic with massive stimulus. When allusions to Peter Pan and spacecraft failed, the BOJ shifted to a defensive, long-term approach in 2016 with the introduction of yield curve control (YCC). "The BOJ's failure to change public expectations raises a lot of questions about the effectiveness of unconventional monetary policy."

☆ When Every Win Means Water, Water Everywhere
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Andrew Keh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

When Every Win Means Water EverywherePicture yourself at work. Teleport this scene into a sports locker room, though, and suddenly the dousing is perfectly in bounds. But like many coaches, he eventually accepted his fate, removing his shoes before entering the locker room. The athletes were unwinding in the locker room when Coach Mark Few and his assistants charged in and began sousing them with ice-cold water. Isaiah Wong, the team’s star shooting guard, said they would only consider spraying water now if they won the championship.

The precedent set at the "shunto" spring wage talks also influences wages at smaller firms that employ seven out of 10 Japanese workers. The shunto wages eventually peaked in 1974 with a record 33% rise in pay. Wary of increasing fixed costs, many Japanese firms have long opted to pay one-off bonuses in good times rather than raise base pay. Economists projected a 2.85% wage increase in a January poll, with base pay increases accounting for 1.08% and 1.78% from an increase in additional salary, based on seniority. Asked whether they would carry out base pay increase, 41.6% said they intended to.

☆ Rice into low-carbon plastic: bringing hope to a struggling Fukushima town
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Last November, Tokyo-based firm Biomass Resin opened a factory in Namie to turn locally-grown rice into pellets. "Even now, we can't sell it as Fukushima rice. The same wave slammed into the nuclear plant, setting off meltdowns and explosions. "Namie was hit by four disasters - the quake, the tsunami, the reactor accident and then rumours about radiation danger," said Takemitsu Imazu, president of Biomass Resin Fukushima. The plastic isn't biodegradable, Imazu said, but using rice cuts the petroleum products involved - and growing more rice in Namie reduces overall atmospheric CO2.

With the approval, government nominee Kazuo Ueda will officially succeed incumbent BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda whose second, five-year term ends on April 8. But the BOJ's current policy is a necessary, appropriate means to achieve 2% inflation," Ueda told parliament last month, signalling that he was in no rush to hike rates. "I'll succeed the policy in the context of seeking to hit the BOJ's 2% inflation stably and sustainably," Ueda replied. Hiroshi Shiratori, a professor at Japan's Hosei University, see the appointment of Ueda as a sign Kishida wants the BOJ to phase out the legacy policy of Abenomics. "Ueda is saying the BOJ will maintain low rates for now.

The precedent set at the "shunto" spring wage talks also influences wages at smaller firms that employ seven out of 10 Japanese workers and supply big manufacturers. The focus on job security, rather than higher pay, is blamed for keeping Japan's wage growth stagnant. WHAT WILL BE THE OUTCOME OF THE WAGE TALKS? Analysts expect big firms to offer wage hikes of around 3% in wage talks, which would be the fastest pace of increase since 1997 when Japan was on the cusp of deflation. Kishida has approached Japan's union umbrella Rengo in prodding firms to hike base pay.

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.

☆ Temu: The online shopping upstart that's become the most downloaded app in the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —A new online shopping platform linked to one of China’s top retailers has quickly become the most downloaded app in the United States, surpassing Amazon and Walmart. Temu, a Boston-based online retailer that shares the same owner as Chinese social commerce giant Pinduoduo, made its Super Bowl debut on Sunday. Climbing the chartsTemu, pronounced “tee-moo,” was launched last year by PDD, its US-listed parent company formerly known as Pinduoduo. “Temu soared to the top of both US app store charts in November, where the app still holds the top position now,” he told CNN, referring to iOS and Android mobile app stores. “Temu aims to continue to experiment in marketing and offerings, which is possible thanks to its resource-rich parent company,” she wrote in a report.

☆ Bank of Japan’s new governor starts on back foot
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Pete Sweeney | Thomson Reuters | Asia Economics Editor Pete Sweeney Joined Reuters Breakingviews In Hong Kong In September Previously He Served As Reuters' Chief Correspondent For China Economy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, Feb 14 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Academic Kazuo Ueda faces a rocky time as the new governor of the Bank of Japan (8301.T). He is stepping down just as his signature yield curve control (YCC) policy is becoming increasingly unsustainable as domestic inflation rises. The Nikkei news service reported that officials had approached Deputy Governor Masayoshi Amamiya and were rebuffed. It seems likely Ueda will have to modify or abandon YCC given how much damage it is doing to the bond market and the BOJ’s balance sheet. Follow @petesweeneypro on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSJapan's government on Feb. 14 named academic Kazuo Ueda as its pick to become the next governor of the country’s central bank.

☆ Japan’s next central bank chief may rue promotion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Pete Sweeney | Thomson Reuters | Asia Economics Editor Pete Sweeney Joined Reuters Breakingviews In Hong Kong In September Previously He Served As Reuters' Chief Correspondent For China Economy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

In fact, it has spent an average of 1.3 trillion yen per trading day since the band widened: nearly 50 trillion yen in total, per Refinitiv data, and still counting. The central bank already owns over half of Japan’s sovereign bonds and is sure to suffer large losses when their prices fall, which they eventually must. The central bank chief must also work to put the country’s vast stack of inert money back to work. Kuroda effectively put the central bank at the service of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s “Abenomics” stimulus programme. Fumio Kishida, the current leader, is having popularity problems and will want the central bank to support his aggressive agenda, which includes hiking defence spending, promoting innovative startups and redistributing wealth.

[1/4] A Japanese flag flutters atop the Bank of Japan building under construction in Tokyo, Japan, September 21, 2017. "This is a problem that is not going to change easily," said Momoko Nojo, a prominent campaigner for gender equality in Japan. The BOJ ranked 142nd of 185 central banks on gender equality, according to a report last year by the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum. About 11% of central banks surveyed had a female governor, a record high, while 37% had female deputy governors. That target is far below the European Central Bank, where women hold 30% of management roles.

☆ Factbox: Kazuo Ueda: Who is the new Bank of Japan governor and what can we expect from him?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

TOKYO, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Japan's government is likely to appoint Kazuo Ueda, an academic and a former member of the Bank of Japan's policy board, as the next central bank governor, two government officials told Reuters on Friday. The 71-year-old is widely seen as an expert on monetary policy, but is seen as a surprise appointment by analysts. The following are some key questions and answers about the next central bank governor in the world's third-largest economy and the challenges he faces. He is an external director at JGC Holdings Corp (1963.T), an engineering company and at the state-owned Development Bank of Japan. In a 2016 article, Ueda wrote that the BOJ's ultra-easy policy seemed to be "reaching its limits".

☆ Shinzo Abe Book Criticizes Trump as Weak on North Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Peter Landers | Chieko Tsuneoka | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

President Donald Trump and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe waving before playing a round of golf in Japan in 2019. TOKYO—In a posthumously published book, former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe said he pushed then-President Donald Trump to take a stronger stand on North Korea but found Mr. Trump weak and overly eager for a deal. Mr. Abe said in the Japanese-language book, published this week, that he grew worried North Korea would learn of Mr. Trump’s dovish tendencies. “We absolutely couldn’t let the outside world catch wind of it,” he said.

Click to unmute A global city needs a global soundtrack, and in New York, you can find nearly anything you want. Over the past several months, we followed several New York musical scenes that reflect the city’s creative soul, thriving in community centers, local bars and public parks. The sight of a new generation encouraged Mr. Joseph, who sees the band as preserving traditional culture in the modern city. It becomes part of you.” New York itself is as much a player as any musician, transforming traditional tunes into something new. The people who embraced Mateo and his mother when they moved from Boston to New York in 2016 now consoled her.

☆ How companies are trying to help victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Companies around the world are racing to provide help to the victims of the devastating earthquake straddling Turkey and Syria, by donating food, medicines, services and cash. Hamdi Ulukaya has donated $1 million to an earthquake relief fund set up by Turkish Philanthropy Funds, the US-based donor organization has said. please donate to @tphilanthropy earthquake relief and recovery efforts. The aid organization is working to help people in Turkey and Syria affected by the quake. Aid agencies are particularly worried about victims in northwestern Syria, where more than 4 million people were already relying on humanitarian assistance.

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