Japan

Ri Byong-dok, a researcher at the Institute of Japan, made the remarks in a piece posted on the website of the North's Foreign Ministry, after Suga made the video message on Friday, stressing the Pyongyang's recent ballistic missile launches threatened peace in Japan, the region and the world, reports Yonhap News Agency.

A readout of their meeting on Thursday issued by India's Ministry of External Affairs said: "They reaffirmed their commitment towards a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. They agreed to enhance bilateral security and defence cooperation, including in the area of defence equipment and technologies."

His candidature as the leader for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the ruling party, has been backed by none other than Japanese Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. In a report on the Japanese political scene, Nikkei Asia quoted Koizumi as saying: "It's clear who can be the leader to breathe new life into the party and to change both the LDP and Japan".

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Kono vowed that he would focus on curbing Covid-19 while "moving Japan forward", saying that "we have to overcome this crisis". However, in contrast to his previous position against the use of nuclear energy, he said at the press conference that it is "realistic" to reactivate reactors that have been confirmed safe to achieve Japan's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Prefectures of Miyagi and Okayama will be altered from state of emergency to quasi-state of emergency, reports Xinhua news agency.Meanwhile, measures are decided to be dissolved in six of 12 prefectures under quasi-state of emergency currently.

Saying that it would be impossible to run in the LDP's election while doing his work, Suga told reporters that he wanted to focus on the Covid-19 measures during his remaining time, adding that he would explain his decision probably next week at a press conference, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the ministry, the two men aged 30 and 38 died within days of receiving the second injection on August 22 and 15, respectively, and no foreign matter was found in either of the vials of vaccine used on the two men, the Xinhua news agency reported. It remains unknown whether there is a causal relationship between the vaccination and their deaths.

The Ministry said foreign substances have been confirmed since August 16 at eight vaccination sites in the prefectures of Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Gifu and Aichi, reports Xinhua news agency. Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., in charge of sales and distribution of the vaccine in the country, said it has yet to see any reports of safety concerns and had reported them to the Ministry on Wednesday.

The unexpected announcement by the leader of the Social Democratic Party was made on Sunday during his annual summer speech, reports xinhua news agency. "I have been party chairman for 10 years, and Prime Minister for seven," he was quoted by local media as saying,"But everything has an end, and I want to give my successor the very best conditions," Lofven added.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Lupit, the ninth typhoon of the year, is expected to reach the Sea of Japan after making landfall near Kure in Hiroshima prefecture, reports Xinhua news agency. It will also bring downpours and strong winds to western, eastern and northern Japan areas through Tuesday. People are recommended to be vigilant against possible mudslides and floods.