18 days ago
A U.S. service member was arrested on suspicion of murder and robbery after a ******* anese woman's body was discovered in a hotel in Okinawa, local officials said, describing the alleged killing as a "heinous" incident that prompted the ******* anese government to lodge a protest with the United States.
Shinjiro Koizumi, the ******* anese minister of defense, said a U.S. Marine lance corporal was arrested on Sunday after the woman's body was found early on Saturday in Naha, the capital city of the Okinawa prefecture.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the Okinawa Prefectural Police were investigating the incident as a murder.
"The occurrence of such an extremely brutal and heinous incident is a matter of profound regret, and as the Government of ******* an, we have lodged a strong protest with the U.S. side," she said on social media.
NHK, ******* an's public broadcaster, identified the suspect as Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who was stationed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, a base a few miles outside Naha. The broadcaster identified the alleged victim as Yagi Anna, 39, saying she was ******* ounced dead at the scene.
#minister #arrested #body
Shinjiro Koizumi, the ******* anese minister of defense, said a U.S. Marine lance corporal was arrested on Sunday after the woman's body was found early on Saturday in Naha, the capital city of the Okinawa prefecture.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the Okinawa Prefectural Police were investigating the incident as a murder.
"The occurrence of such an extremely brutal and heinous incident is a matter of profound regret, and as the Government of ******* an, we have lodged a strong protest with the U.S. side," she said on social media.
NHK, ******* an's public broadcaster, identified the suspect as Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who was stationed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, a base a few miles outside Naha. The broadcaster identified the alleged victim as Yagi Anna, 39, saying she was ******* ounced dead at the scene.
#minister #arrested #body
2 months ago
NEW DELHI: India and ****** an are set to share a historic cricketing moment when their men's sides meet in a T20 International at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture on September 22, 2026, as part of celebrations leading into the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Suzuki Cup will mark the first senior-level international cricket match between India and ****** an and is being positioned as a significant milestone in the expansion of the sport in ****** an. The fixture will also launch "Sport 75", an initiative aimed at promoting people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between India and ****** an through sport. ****** an and India will formally mark 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2027.
The initiative stems from an agreement reached during a summit between ****** anese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It also takes into account India's ambition to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036.
For ****** an, the occasion represents an opportunity to showcase the sport to a wider domestic audience, while India's participation could provide a major boost to cricket's profile in the country and across East Asia.
BCCI honorary secretary Devajit Saikia described the fixture as a "historic occasion" and said the board was delighted to be part of an event that would take Indian cricket into "new territory".
"This is a significant moment for cricket, as it takes the Indian team to new territory and provides an opportunity to introduce the sport to a wider audience in ****** an and East Asia," Saikia said.
He also underlined the broader significance of the partnership, saying, "India and ****** an share a strong and longstanding relationship and friendship, and we are pleased that cricket will be part of the celebrations marking 75 years of bilateral relations between the two countries."
Saikia added that the BCCI recognised its responsibility to help cricket expand beyond its traditional territories.
"The BCCI believes that the growth of cricket must extend beyond its traditional territories, and as the world's largest cricket board, we recognise our responsibility to contribute to that growth," he said.
Japan Cricket ****** ociation CEO Naoki Miyaji said hosting India, the reigning world champions, represented a landmark occasion for the ****** ociation.
"To be able to invite the reigning World Champions to the home of cricket in ****** an is a landmark moment for our ****** ociation," Miyaji said.
He thanked the BCCI for helping make the fixture possible and said the JCA was looking forward to the response from Indian supporters.
"We greatly look forward to welcoming the passion of Indian cricket fans, and we actively encourage any local ****** anese people curious about cricket to come and cheer on our team in what will be a truly memorable occasion," Miyaji said.
The match in Sano is expected to serve not only as
The Suzuki Cup will mark the first senior-level international cricket match between India and ****** an and is being positioned as a significant milestone in the expansion of the sport in ****** an. The fixture will also launch "Sport 75", an initiative aimed at promoting people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between India and ****** an through sport. ****** an and India will formally mark 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2027.
The initiative stems from an agreement reached during a summit between ****** anese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It also takes into account India's ambition to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036.
For ****** an, the occasion represents an opportunity to showcase the sport to a wider domestic audience, while India's participation could provide a major boost to cricket's profile in the country and across East Asia.
BCCI honorary secretary Devajit Saikia described the fixture as a "historic occasion" and said the board was delighted to be part of an event that would take Indian cricket into "new territory".
"This is a significant moment for cricket, as it takes the Indian team to new territory and provides an opportunity to introduce the sport to a wider audience in ****** an and East Asia," Saikia said.
He also underlined the broader significance of the partnership, saying, "India and ****** an share a strong and longstanding relationship and friendship, and we are pleased that cricket will be part of the celebrations marking 75 years of bilateral relations between the two countries."
Saikia added that the BCCI recognised its responsibility to help cricket expand beyond its traditional territories.
"The BCCI believes that the growth of cricket must extend beyond its traditional territories, and as the world's largest cricket board, we recognise our responsibility to contribute to that growth," he said.
Japan Cricket ****** ociation CEO Naoki Miyaji said hosting India, the reigning world champions, represented a landmark occasion for the ****** ociation.
"To be able to invite the reigning World Champions to the home of cricket in ****** an is a landmark moment for our ****** ociation," Miyaji said.
He thanked the BCCI for helping make the fixture possible and said the JCA was looking forward to the response from Indian supporters.
"We greatly look forward to welcoming the passion of Indian cricket fans, and we actively encourage any local ****** anese people curious about cricket to come and cheer on our team in what will be a truly memorable occasion," Miyaji said.
The match in Sano is expected to serve not only as
2 months ago
MOSCOW, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Russia delivered a strong protest to ****** an's ambassador to Moscow on Tuesday over what it called anti-Russian remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in a dispute over a group of Russian-controlled islands off northeast ****** an.
Moscow's summoning of envoy Akira Muto is the latest development in a simmering row between the two countries after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited one of the disputed islands last week.
The four islands, which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and ****** an refers to as the Northern Territories, were seized by the Soviet Union in the days following ****** an's surrender in World War Two.
Russia controls and administers them, but Tokyo still claims them. Takaichi said last week that Putin's visit "hurts the feelings of the ****** anese people and is absolutely unacceptable".
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin delivered Moscow's protest to the ****** anese envoy, telling him Moscow objected to "anti-Russian" statements by both Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
#minister #takaichi #Japan #japanese
Moscow's summoning of envoy Akira Muto is the latest development in a simmering row between the two countries after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited one of the disputed islands last week.
The four islands, which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and ****** an refers to as the Northern Territories, were seized by the Soviet Union in the days following ****** an's surrender in World War Two.
Russia controls and administers them, but Tokyo still claims them. Takaichi said last week that Putin's visit "hurts the feelings of the ****** anese people and is absolutely unacceptable".
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin delivered Moscow's protest to the ****** anese envoy, telling him Moscow objected to "anti-Russian" statements by both Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
#minister #takaichi #Japan #japanese
3 months ago
By Leika Kihara, Makiko Yamazaki and Tamiyuki Kihara
TOKYO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - A joint U.S.-Japanese effort to fight off speculative bets against a battered yen last week followed months of preparation by the two nations and a rare and public alignment of interests in Washington and Tokyo over exchange rates.
While unilateral efforts by **** anese authorities to stop sharp yen selling in the past have failed to provide a firm floor for the currency, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's verbal support for a stronger yen has given bureaucrats in Tokyo a new tool in their fight this year.
For **** an, a weak yen has fanned import prices, creating cost-of-living headaches for successive governments, including current Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's.
For the U.S., a weak yen blunts the trade advantage from President Donald Trump's flagship tariffs while a related sell-off in **** anese government bonds could spill over to U.S. Treasury yields.
#weak
TOKYO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - A joint U.S.-Japanese effort to fight off speculative bets against a battered yen last week followed months of preparation by the two nations and a rare and public alignment of interests in Washington and Tokyo over exchange rates.
While unilateral efforts by **** anese authorities to stop sharp yen selling in the past have failed to provide a firm floor for the currency, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's verbal support for a stronger yen has given bureaucrats in Tokyo a new tool in their fight this year.
For **** an, a weak yen has fanned import prices, creating cost-of-living headaches for successive governments, including current Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's.
For the U.S., a weak yen blunts the trade advantage from President Donald Trump's flagship tariffs while a related sell-off in **** anese government bonds could spill over to U.S. Treasury yields.
#weak
4 months ago
By Satoshi Sugiyama and Hina Suzuki
TOKYO, July 7 (Reuters) - A shortage of critical minerals is starting to affect the broader ****** anese economy, adding a sense of urgency for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government to find alternatives to exports that China has cut off, according to recent corporate filings.
China dominates the global market for rare earths - which are crucial in making items from electric cars to weapons - and it is using those supplies as a diplomatic cudgel.
Since Takaichi enraged Beijing with comments about defending Taiwan in November, Beijing has choked off shipments of certain key minerals to ****** an.
Recent surges in the Nikkei stock index to successive records and buoyant corporate sentiment in the Bank of ****** an's Tankan survey point to an economy on an upswing. But an unprecedented increase in corporate ****** an's notices about critical minerals is flashing a warning signal for the quarters ahead.
TOKYO, July 7 (Reuters) - A shortage of critical minerals is starting to affect the broader ****** anese economy, adding a sense of urgency for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government to find alternatives to exports that China has cut off, according to recent corporate filings.
China dominates the global market for rare earths - which are crucial in making items from electric cars to weapons - and it is using those supplies as a diplomatic cudgel.
Since Takaichi enraged Beijing with comments about defending Taiwan in November, Beijing has choked off shipments of certain key minerals to ****** an.
Recent surges in the Nikkei stock index to successive records and buoyant corporate sentiment in the Bank of ****** an's Tankan survey point to an economy on an upswing. But an unprecedented increase in corporate ****** an's notices about critical minerals is flashing a warning signal for the quarters ahead.
4 months ago
By Tim Kelly, Maki Shiraki and Yoshifumi Takemoto
TOKYO, June 25 (Reuters) - U.S. defence firm Anduril Industries is in talks to acquire Nissan Motor's Oppama **** embly plant near Tokyo as the maker of autonomous weapons looks to build military drones in **** an, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
While they say no decision has been made, any deal could transform one of **** an's first large-scale postwar car factories, long a symbol of its industrial revival, into an arms-making hub.
The talks over Oppama, which Reuters is reporting for the first time, come as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government seeks to expand defence manufacturing amid growing concern that a Taiwan Strait crisis could draw in **** an and run down weapons stocks.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory, has not ruled out using force to bring it under control.
TOKYO, June 25 (Reuters) - U.S. defence firm Anduril Industries is in talks to acquire Nissan Motor's Oppama **** embly plant near Tokyo as the maker of autonomous weapons looks to build military drones in **** an, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
While they say no decision has been made, any deal could transform one of **** an's first large-scale postwar car factories, long a symbol of its industrial revival, into an arms-making hub.
The talks over Oppama, which Reuters is reporting for the first time, come as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government seeks to expand defence manufacturing amid growing concern that a Taiwan Strait crisis could draw in **** an and run down weapons stocks.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory, has not ruled out using force to bring it under control.
8 months ago
Japan's economy limps back to scant growth in Q4, raises test for Takaichi
By Makiko Yamazaki and Chang-Ran Kim
TOKYO, Feb 16 (Reuters) - ***** an's economy limped back to meagre growth in the fourth quarter, significantly missing market expectations in a key test for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government as cost-of-living pressures drag on confidence and domestic demand.
Fresh off a sweeping election victory, Takaichi's administration is preparing to ramp up investment through targeted public spending in sectors seen as vital to economic security.
Monday's data bring sharp focus
By Makiko Yamazaki and Chang-Ran Kim
TOKYO, Feb 16 (Reuters) - ***** an's economy limped back to meagre growth in the fourth quarter, significantly missing market expectations in a key test for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government as cost-of-living pressures drag on confidence and domestic demand.
Fresh off a sweeping election victory, Takaichi's administration is preparing to ramp up investment through targeted public spending in sectors seen as vital to economic security.
Monday's data bring sharp focus
8 months ago
11 months ago
TOKYO (AP) — **** an's Cabinet approved a 21.3 trillion yen ($135.4 billion) stimulus package Friday to help spur the economy through expansionary government spending and to relieve the impact of higher prices.
After taking office last month, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi promised to boost government spending despite concerns that such moves will delay progress on trimming **** an’s national debt, which is about triple the size of its economy.
Takaichi told reporters that the package aims to quickly deliver on her promises.
“Through wise spending, we will change worries into hope and achiev
After taking office last month, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi promised to boost government spending despite concerns that such moves will delay progress on trimming **** an’s national debt, which is about triple the size of its economy.
Takaichi told reporters that the package aims to quickly deliver on her promises.
“Through wise spending, we will change worries into hope and achiev
11 months ago
TOKYO (AP) — ****** an's Cabinet approved a 21.3 trillion yen ($135.4 billion) stimulus package Friday to help spur the economy through expansionary government spending and to relieve the impact of higher prices.
After taking office last month, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi promised to boost government spending despite concerns that such moves will delay progress on trimming ****** an’s national debt, which is about triple the size of its economy.
The spending package far exceeds those of the pre-COVID-19 pandemic years and is also meant partly to blunt the impact of higher U.S. tariffs on *
After taking office last month, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi promised to boost government spending despite concerns that such moves will delay progress on trimming ****** an’s national debt, which is about triple the size of its economy.
The spending package far exceeds those of the pre-COVID-19 pandemic years and is also meant partly to blunt the impact of higher U.S. tariffs on *
