Japan

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Olympic minister said Tuesday the contract to hold the Tokyo Games only specifies the event has to be held during 2020.

Seiko Hashimoto’s response to a question in the upper house of parliament implies the Olympics could be held later in the year and would not have to start on July 24 as planned. The Paralympics open on Aug. 25.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government on Wednesday opened part of the last town that had been off-limits due to radiation since the Fukushima nuclear disaster nine years ago, in a symbolic move to show the region’s recovery ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

The entire population of 7,000 was forced to evacuate Futaba after three reactors melted down due to damage at the town’s nuclear plant caused by a magnitude 9. 0 quake and tsunami March 11, 2011.

TOKYO (AP) — In these days of infection and fear, a recent propaganda photo sums up the image North Korea wants to show the world, as well as its people: Soldiers with black surgical masks surround leader Kim Jong Un, ensconced in a leather overcoat and without a mask as he oversees a defiant military drill.

As a new and frightening virus closes in around it, North Korea presents itself as a fortress, tightening its borders as cadres of health officials stage a monumental disinfection and monitoring program.

TOKYO (AP) — Shares in most Asian markets tracked overnight gains on Wall Street, but Tokyo’s benchmark fell back Tuesday as gnawing concerns over the virus outbreak chilled buying sentiment.

Traders were awaiting talks between central bankers and other financial leaders of the Group of Seven industrial nations on how to tackle the slowdown brought on by the outbreak that began in China and has spread to dozens of countries, killing 3,100 people and sickening 90,000.

TOKYO, Mar 1 (NNN-NHK) – Thirteen crew members, including seven Chinese nationals, on board a Belize-flagged cargo ship are missing, after the ship collided with a fishing boat, off Japan’s northeastern prefecture of Aomori late Saturday (last night), the Chinese consulate general in Sapporo said today (Sunday).

Guo Xing 1, the 1,989-tonne cargo ship with 14 crew on board, informed the Japanese side after it suffered the collision, at around 10:17 p.m. local time Saturday, about 12 km off the coast of Rokkasho.

TOKYO (AP) — Amid fears about where the next outbreak of a fast-spreading new virus would appear, infections and deaths continued to rise across the globe Sunday, emptying streets of tourists and workers, shaking economies and rewriting the realities of daily life.

Panic-buying of daily necessities emerged in Japan, tourist sites across Asia, Europe and the Mideast were deserted, and governments closed schools and banned big gatherings. Amusement parks have been shuttered and concerts cancelled. In Paris, priests stopped placing sacramental bread in worshippers’ mouths.

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese vice-minister for justice is heading to Lebanon for talks on the case of former Nissan Motor Co. executive Carlos Ghosn, who fled for his home country late last year while out on bail awaiting trial.

Justice Minister Masako Mori said Friday that she was dispatching the official to Beirut to explain the Japanese criminal justice system and improve cooperation.

TOKYO (AP) --- Asian stock markets fell further Friday on spreading virus fears, deepening a global rout after Wall Street endured its biggest one-day drop in nine years.

Tokyo’s benchmark fell by an unusually wide margin of 3.4% and Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul all dropped by more than 2%. Oil prices slumped further on expectations industrial activity and demand might decline.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares slid Wednesday following another sharp fall on Wall Street as fears spread that the growing virus outbreak will put the brakes on the global economy.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 declined 1.1% to 22,357.39, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 2.1% to 6,720.70. South Korea’s Kospi lost 1.1% at 2,080.46. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined 0.6% to 26,722.29. The Shanghai Composite reversed early losses, gaining 0.3% to 3,022.21.

Shares fell in Taiwan and most of Southeast Asia but rose in Malaysia following recent losses due to political turmoil.

SEATTLE/TOKYO (Reuters) - ANA Holdings Inc (9202.T) said it will buy 15 more Boeing Co (BA.N) 787 Dreamliners worth $5 billion at list prices, the first commercial order announcement for the U.S. planemaker this year as it wrestles with the grounding of the smaller 737 MAX.

The deal, which sees Japan’s biggest carrier switch from Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (RR.L) engines to ones supplied by General Electric (GE.N), is a boost for Boeing after it posted no January orders for the first time in decades.