Japan
Typhoon Lupit makes landfall in Japan
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.
2 Americans get jail terms for helping Ghosn flee Japan
On Monday, the Tokyo District Court sentenced Michael Taylor, a 60-year-old former Green Beret, to two years in prison, and his 28-year-old son Peter to one year and eight months, reports Xinhua news agency. In Japan, the maximum penalty for helping a defendant escape is three years in prison. Presiding Judge Hideo Nirei said that there was no prospect of holding Ghosn's trial because of his escape.
Japan ends one-China policy, new map no longer shows Taiwan as part of China
The 2021 white paper by Japan's Defence Ministry, published this week, has removed Taiwan from a map of China. The white paper in its earlier editions had always shown Taiwan and China together, alluding to Taiwan as a territory of China. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed the changes to the white paper.
Japan places capital Tokyo under 4th Covid state of emergency
The government announced on Thursday that the emergency will be effective from July 12 to August 22, which may cause the Summer Olympic Games to be held without spectators at venues in the capital. Japan has so far reported 811,712 coronavirus cases, with 14,897 deaths. At least 37,214,200 vaccine doses against Covid-19 have been administered in the country till date.
Over 2 yrs imprisonment sought for Americans who helped Ghosn flee Japan
According to the reports, a Tokyo court heard from the prosecutors they are seeking sentences of two years and 10 months for the former special forces veteran Michael Taylor, and two years and six months for his son Peter. One of the prosecutors on Friday described the Taylors' crime as "unprecedented" and "bold", according to the media reports.
Swedish PM Stefan Lofven ousted in no-confidence vote
On Monday, the 349-seat Parliament approved the no-confidence motion with 181 affirmative votes, more than the required 175 votes, reports Xinhua news agency. Meanwhile, 109 voted against, and 51 abstained. Lofven thus became the first sitting Prime Minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Sweden's history.
No-confidence motion against Suga's Cabinet voted down
The motion was filed after the ruling coalition turned down the opposition camp's request that the conclusion of the current parliamentary session should be pushed back by three months to allow time for more debate on matters related to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Tokyo Olympics, reports Xinhua news agency.
Number of newborn babies in Japan drops to record low
Babies born in 2020 dropped from a year earlier by 24,407 to 840,832, falling below the 900,000-mark for the first time ever, Xinhua news agency quoted the report as saying on Friday. Japan's top government spokesperson Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said the nation's growing demographic crisis could shake the very foundations of the country.
China, SE Asia 'hotspot' for new coronaviruses: Study
The study, published in the journal Nature Food, showed that this is because of the global land-use changes including forest fragmentation, agricultural expansion and concentrated livestock production. Most of the current hot spots are clustered in China, where a growing demand for meat products has driven the expansion of large-scale, industrial livestock farming.
Japan to extend quarantine period for travellers from India
The move, which will come into effect on Friday, comes as Japan is grappling with a fourth wave of the Covid pandemic amid mounting concerns over the highly-transmissible variant first detected in India, Xinhua news agency reported. There is a strong feeling of unease among the Japanese people regarding coronavirus variants
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