Japan

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were mostly higher on Tuesday with hopes growing for a global economic rebound despite surging coronavirus cases in many places.

France’s CAC 40 gained 0.3% in early trading to 6,181.52, while Germany’s DAX edged up 0.2% to 15,251.55. Britain’s FTSE 100 fell less than 0.1% to 6,885.07. U.S. shares were set for a slow start, with the future for the Dow industrials up 0.1% at 33,656.0. S&P 500 futures also inched up less than 0.1%, to 4,121.38.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government decided Tuesday to start releasing treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean in two years — an option fiercely opposed by fishermen, residents and Japan’s neighbors.

The decision, long speculated but delayed for years due to safety concerns and protests, came at a meeting of Cabinet ministers who endorsed the ocean release as the best option.

TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo adopted tougher measures against the coronavirus Monday as it struggles to curb the rapid spread of a more contagious variant ahead of the Olympics in a country where less than 1% of people have been vaccinated.

Japan started its vaccination drive with medical workers and expanded Monday to older residents, with the first shots being given in about 120 selected places around the country.

TOKYO, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday that his government will soon decide on whether to discharge treated radioactive water building up at the disaster-stricken nuclear complex in Fukushima Prefecture into the sea despite strong opposition by fisheries industries.

Suga held a meeting with Hiroshi Kishi, head of the national federation of fisheries cooperatives known as JF Zengyoren, over the issue at his office in Tokyo earlier in the day.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed Tuesday after a Wall Street rally that reflected some optimism about the economy recovering from the pandemic.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost early gains and fell nearly 0.2% to 30,038.44 in morning trading. South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.1% to 3,125.19. The Shanghai Composite slipped 0.1% to 3,479.84. Hong Kong trading was closed for Easter.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Tuesday expressed strong concerns to his Chinese counterpart about Chinese incursions into territorial waters, the situation in Hong Kong and the human rights situation of China’s Uighur minority.

China’s extensive territorial claims in the East and South China Seas have become a priority issue in an increasingly testy Sino-U.S relationship and are a security concern for Japan.

TOKYO, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Stricter measures came into effect on Monday for three Japanese prefectures in an effort to combat a resurgence of COVID-19 cases under a revised law that does not require declaring a state of emergency.

The tougher measures effective for one month until May 5, cover Osaka, Hyogo and Miyagi prefectures, with prefectural authorities requesting restaurants and bars to shorten their opening hours and close by 8:00 p.m. and customers asked to wear masks while conversing.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will visit Washington for talks with President Joe Biden on April 16, the government announced Friday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters that Suga will be the first foreign leader to meet Biden in person since he took office in January.

“That by itself is proof that the United States places importance on Japan,(asterisk) he said. ”It is also significant as we demonstrate the strength of the Japan-U.S. alliance and the U.S. commitment to engage in the Indo-Pacific region.(asterisk)

Tokyo, Mar 31 (AP-PTI) Japan is calling for further investigation into the origins of COVID-19, saying the WHO report released this week was based on work that faced delays and lacked access to essential virus samples.

In order to prevent future pandemics, it is indispensable to carry out prompt, independent and experts-led investigations that are free of surveillance, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters. We are concerned that the latest investigation faced delays and the lack of access to virus samples.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed in listless trading Tuesday after U.S. stocks finished mostly lower as cause for optimism, such as the Suez Canal reopening, mixed with caution about the vaccine rollout.

Japan’s benchmark slipped 0.1% in morning trading to 29,347.21. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 lost early gains to fall 0.4% to 6,772.10. South Korea’s Kospi added 0.6% to 3,053.78. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.3% to 28,408.74, while the Shanghai Composite slipped 0.3% to 3,423.83.