6 d. ago Japan Reports Decrease in Airspace Violations from Chinese, Russian Aircraft

Japan Reports Decrease in Airspace Violations from Chinese, Russian Aircraft  USNI News

Politics

6 d. ago Nuclear ‘bribery’ backlash in Japan over restart plan for world’s largest plant

Japan’s largest power company is reportedly dangling a 100 billion yen (US$654 million) payout for locals to restart its long-dormant Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in a move critics have called “bribery”. The unprecedented financial support package, originally reported by the Nikkei business newspaper, reflects Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (Tepco) mounting desperation to revive the world’s largest nuclear site more than a decade after the Fukushima disaster, according to analysts. A...

Events

7 d. ago Japan man exploits delivery platform refund policy, eats 1,000 meals for free

A 38-year-old man in Japan has been arrested on suspicion of fraud after exploiting loopholes in a major food delivery platform, resulting in losses exceeding 3.7 million yen (US$24,000). Authorities in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, apprehended Takuya Higashimoto in early October for making 1,095 orders from a food delivery service, consuming all the food, yet managing to evade payment, according to reports from Japan Times. His method involved selecting contactless delivery through the platform and...

Events

1 week ago Why Japan is investing in an arsenal of inflatable dummy weapons

Inspired by the success that Ukraine has had in fooling Russian forces on the battlefield, Japan is reportedly buying more inflatable dummy weapons systems, a move observers say is also embedded in Tokyo’s fighting history. Vehicle News reported on Friday that Japan’s Defence Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency announced last month a public tender for “balloon decoys” that would have to be delivered to an aircraft factory operated by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Gifu Prefecture,...

Events

1 week ago Hong Kong travellers demand refunds as Octopus PayPay service struggles in Japan

Some Hong Kong travellers using the Octopus App’s new cross-border payment PayPay service, in Japan have reported frequent system malfunctions and incorrect charges, despite the company claiming the service is popular. A week after the service launched, many Hongkongers took to social media on Tuesday to criticise the new service as a failure. In a response to the Post, Octopus said the app had experienced some payment settlement issues, which were resolved on Tuesday night, and that refunds...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong travellers demand refunds after Octopus service glitches in Japan

Some Hong Kong travellers using the Octopus app’s new cross-border payment PayPay service in Japan have reported frequent system malfunctions and incorrect charges, despite the company claiming the service is popular. A week after the service launched, many Hongkongers took to social media on Tuesday to criticise the new service as a failure. In a response to the Post, Octopus said the app had experienced some payment settlement issues, which were resolved on Tuesday night, and that refunds were...

Politics

2 w. ago Where is Japan’s EEZ? Tokyo’s complaint over Chinese ship marks unresolved issue

A new diplomatic protest from Tokyo over suspected marine surveys by a Chinese vessel in contested waters has renewed focus on a long-standing unresolved issue: the lack of agreement between Japan and China on their maritime boundaries in the East China Sea. At the centre of the row is a clash of interpretations. While Japan insists the Chinese survey ship violated its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by conducting underwater research without getting its prior consent, analysts point out that China...

Politics

2 w. ago The data access challenge in China of trying to counter the US’ Xinjiang claims

As Washington and its allies continue to slap sanctions related to Xinjiang on Chinese companies, citing allegations of human rights violations, a group of scholars is trying to challenge some of those claims, digging into their years of field research and networks of contacts in the far western autonomous region. Yet in their efforts to debunk the claims, the academics keep running into a brick wall: the reticence of regional authorities. Generally seen by Beijing as well meaning, the scholars...

Politics

3 w. ago ‘Very tough’: why Japan’s love affair with US travel is fading

Japanese tourism to the United States is facing major headwinds – from a weak yen and safety concerns to dwindling interest among younger travellers – with the sparse American turnout at Japan’s biggest travel fair this year offering a glimpse of the market’s fragility. Analysts and tourism officials say the slowdown points to deeper structural shifts in Japan’s outbound travel patterns, though some US states are reporting modest gains and looking to high-profile events and celebrity appeal to...

Politics

3 w. ago Russia tells West any aggression will be met with ‘decisive response’

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the West on Saturday that any aggression against Moscow would face a “decisive response”, warning against attempts to down aircraft in Russian airspace and accusing Germany of militaristic rhetoric. As Russia’s war rages in Ukraine, tensions have mounted along Nato’s eastern flank in recent weeks as Estonia said Moscow sent three fighter aircraft into its airspace and Nato warplanes shot down Russian drones over Poland. “Any aggression against my...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump tells Nato nations to shoot down intruding Russian planes

US President Donald Trump said Nato nations should shoot down Russian aircraft that violated their airspace and struck a more sympathetic tone on Ukraine’s chances of winning the war. He spoke as he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following recent jet incursions that have alarmed allies. “Yes, I do,” Trump said when asked directly by a reporter if Nato allies should take down Russian aircraft during his meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on...

Politics

4 w. ago Chinese regulator summons ByteDance, Alibaba's platforms over content violations

Chinese regulator summons ByteDance, Alibaba's platforms over content violations  Reuters

Politics