TOKYO: Japan&#39;s government plans to deploy surface-to-air missiles on one of its remote western islands near Taiwan by March 2031, the country&#39;s defence minister said on Tuesday.&nbsp;It is the first time Japan has specified the timing of the deployment.&nbsp;The ministry announced the plan in 2022 to ramp up its air defences on the island, which already hosts a Japanese military base.&nbsp;Japan&#39;s defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at a regular press conference in Tokyo that the deployment on Yonaguni island would take place in the 2030 fiscal year, which ends in March of the following calendar year.&nbsp;The comments come during a months-long row between Japan and China, with Beijing on Tuesday announcing that it was imposing export restrictions on dozens of Japanese firms that it said were involved in building up the country&#39;s military.&nbsp;Koizumi, who visited Yonaguni in November, said the ministry will hold a briefing for local residents next week on the island, located roughly 110 kilometres (68 miles) east of Taiwan and 1,900 kilometres southwest of Tokyo.&nbsp;Japan&#39;s conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on self-ruled Taiwan.&nbsp;China views Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out taking it by force.&nbsp;Since Takaichi made the remark, Beijing has discouraged Chinese nationals from visiting Japan, which hit tourism, one of the pillars of the Japanese economy.&nbsp;Beijing&#39;s top diplomat Wang Yi said at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month that forces in Japan were seeking to &quot;revive militarism&quot;.&nbsp;Takaichi told parliament on Friday that China was intensifying attempts to change the status quo &quot;by force or coercion&quot; in the East China Sea and the South China Sea and has said Japan needs to strengthen its defence capabilities.

Asia

Japan says it plans to deploy surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni by 2031, strengthening defenses near Taiwan amid rising tensions with China. The move follows diplomatic friction, military warnings, and growing regional security concerns in East Asian water

Japan to deploy missile systems on island near Taiwan by 2031: defence minister

TOKYO:&nbsp;Japan seized a Chinese fishing boat and arrested its skipper, authorities said Friday, an incident that could deepen a spat between the Asian giants. The episode on Thursday off southern Japan came three months after Prime Minister <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/japan-pm-takaichi-basks-in-historic-election-triumph" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sanae Takaichi</a> suggested that Japan would intervene militarily if Beijing sought to take Taiwan by force. &quot;The vessel&#39;s captain was ordered to stop for an inspection by a fisheries inspector, but the vessel failed to comply and fled,&quot; Japan&#39;s fisheries agency said. Captain arrested&nbsp;&quot;Consequently, the vessel&#39;s captain was arrested on the same day,&quot; it said in a statement. The boat was inside Japan&#39;s exclusive economic zone 89.4 nautical miles (166 kilometers) south-southwest of Meshima island in the Goto archipelago, Japan&#39;s statement said. China was yet to comment. It was the first time since 2022 that the Japanese fisheries agency has seized a Chinese fishing boat. The captain was named as Chinese national Zheng Nianli, 47.&nbsp; The status of the other 10 people on board the vessel, named the Qiong Dong Yu, was unclear. Major diplomatic incident&quot;To prevent illegal fishing operations by foreign vessels, we will continue to take firm action and engage in enforcement activities,&quot; chief government spokesman Minoru Kihara said. China has a number of territorial tussles with Japan, and there have been repeated incidents around the Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu in China. The 2010 arrest of another Chinese fishing boat captain off those islands in the East China Sea became a major diplomatic incident. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Taiwan spat&nbsp;</h2>Japan and China have close economic ties but Takaichi&#39;s comments about Taiwan have sent relations spiraling downwards again. China has long insisted that Taiwan, occupied for decades by Japan until 1945, is its territory and has not ruled out force to achieve &quot;reunification&quot;. After Takaichi&#39;s comments, Beijing summoned Tokyo&#39;s ambassador, warned Chinese citizens against visiting Japan and conducted joint air drills with Russia. In December, J-15 jets from China&#39;s Liaoning aircraft carrier twice locked radar on Japanese aircraft in international waters near Okinawa, according to Japan. China also tightened controls on exports to Japan for items with potential military uses, fueling worries that Beijing may choke supplies of vital rare-earth minerals. Japan&#39;s last two pandas were even returned to China last month. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Hawkish leader&nbsp;</h2>Takaichi, 64, was seen as a China hawk before becoming Japan&#39;s first woman prime minister in October. She won a landslide victory in snap elections on Sunday, putting her in a strong position for the next four years to stamp her mark on Japanese domestic and foreign policy. Takaichi said Monday that under her leadership Japan -- which hosts some 60,000 US military personnel -- would bolster its defenses and &quot;steadfastly protect&quot; its territory. She also said that she was &quot;open to various dialogues with China&quot;. &lsquo;Takaichi&#39;s erroneous remarks&rsquo;But China&#39;s foreign ministry said &quot;genuine dialogue should be built on respect for one another&quot;. &quot;Proclaiming dialogue with one&#39;s mouth while engaging in confrontation -- no one will accept this kind of dialogue,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Tuesday. &quot;If Japan truly wants to develop a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship with China, it&#39;s very easy and clear: withdraw Takaichi&#39;s erroneous remarks about Taiwan,&quot; he said.

The 2010 arrest of another Chinese fishing boat captain off those islands in the East China Sea became a major diplomatic incident.

Japan seizes Chinese fishing vessel, arrests captain

TOKYO: Japanese giant Sony hiked its full-year forecasts on Thursday, as a weaker yen compensates for its ageing PlayStation games console and a memory chip crunch.&nbsp;Sony now expects net profit of 1.13 trillion yen ($7.2 billion) in the 2025-26 fiscal year, up from its previous projection of 1.05 trillion yen, and a 6%&nbsp;rise on last year.&nbsp;It also projected a 20.6%&nbsp;rise in operating profit and revenues of 12.3 trillion yen, up 2.2%, as well as an improved operating margin of 12.5%, a statement said.&nbsp;For its third quarter, Sony&#39;s net profit rose 11%, and revenues were up 1%. Operating income of 515 billion yen beat analysts&#39; expectations.&nbsp;Sony&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/marvels-wolverine-trailer-delivers-cuttingedge-graphics-gritty-violence" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">PlayStation 5</a>&nbsp;(PS5), launched in 2020, is beginning to get old, and sales volumes of the games console fell 16%&nbsp;in the last quarter.&nbsp;The company offered steep discounts on the device last year in an attempt to boost demand.&nbsp;However, the Japanese group, like its competitors worldwide, is suffering from a growing shortage of memory chips.&nbsp;That is driving up the prices of the chips and eroding the profit margins of all sorts of electronic goods.&nbsp;Shares in Nintendo, maker of the rival Switch 2, dived 11%&nbsp;on Wednesday over concerns about software sales and the impact of the memory chip supply crunch.&nbsp;Sony shares initially soared almost 6%&nbsp;on Thursday but were flat in late trade in a falling overall market.&nbsp;&lsquo;AI boom&rsquo;The artificial intelligence boom has pushed up prices and shipments of conventional NAND and DRAM memory chips, while demand for high‑bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in AI servers has soared.&nbsp;&quot;It will definitely get more difficult to offer reduced prices (of the PS5) this year than in 2025,&quot; gaming industry consultant Serkan Toto told AFP.&nbsp;Sony did not comment on the chip issue in its earnings release, which analysts say could also hit its hardware products, such as cameras, TVs, and smartphones, as well as its image sensor segment.&nbsp;Last month, Sony said it was spinning off its home entertainment business, which includes TVs, into a joint venture with Chinese giant TCL.&nbsp;It might also force Sony to delay the launch of a potential PlayStation 6 to the second quarter of 2028, Yasuo Nakane from Mizuho said in a recent note. &#39;Grand Theft Auto VI&#39;&nbsp;The hotly anticipated upcoming release of &quot;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/grand-theft-auto-vi-video-game-delayed-again-until-nov-2026" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Grand Theft Auto VI</a>&quot; is also important for PlayStation&#39;s continued sales.&nbsp;GTA&#39;s creators, Rockstar Games, delayed the launch again last year, this time until November.&nbsp;&quot;In 2026, GTA VI will do to PS5 what Covid did a few years ago to Sony: provide a massive boost, enough to carry the platform to 2028,&quot; Toto said.&nbsp;&quot;Nobody doubts that GTA VI will be the biggest game launch (and perhaps of an entertainment product) of all time.&quot;&nbsp;Sony is also banking on growth in the music division thanks to increased sales related to concerts and merchandise, while results are expected to stagnate in film and consumer electronics.&nbsp;It began reducing its exposure to this low-margin sector several years ago to focus on entertainment and imaging technologies, its main growth drivers.&nbsp;Sony&#39;s forecast for the estimated impact of tariffs this year imposed on Japanese imports by US President Donald Trump&#39;s administration remained at 50 billion yen.

People walk past the Sony headquarters in Tokyo on February 10, 2025. (Photo: AFP/File)

Business

It also projects a 20.6% rise in operating profit and revenues of 12.3 trillion yen, up 2.2%, as well as an improved operating margin of 12.5%, a statement said.

Sony hikes forecasts even as PlayStation falters

TOKYO: Official campaigning began in Japan on Tuesday ahead of a snap election on Feb. 8. Here are five key issues in a high-stakes vote where Prime Minister <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/japans-ruling-party-elects-sanae-takaichi-as-new-leader-likely-to-become-first-female-pm" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Sanae Takaichi</a>has laid her political future on the line. Race to the pollsCandidates&#39; posters are up, vans topped with loudspeakers are cruising the streets, and Takaichi held her first rally Tuesday in central Tokyo, where dozens gathered to hear her speak. The lower house of parliament was officially dissolved on Jan. 23, 16 days before the vote -- the shortest window between the two in the postwar era. Yet the brevity of this pre-election period &quot;will likely not have much of an effect&quot;, said Michael Cucek, assistant professor of Asian Studies at Temple University&#39;s Japan Campus. &quot;There is no need for time to introduce or explain anything: the parties are offering strikingly similar policy programmes,&quot; he told AFP, adding that the weather would likely have more impact on voter turnout, with severe snowstorms hitting the north. Takaichi&#39;s slipping popularityAppointed in October as Japan&#39;s first woman prime minister, hardline nationalist Takaichi is banking on strong poll numbers to boost her unpopular Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which holds only a slim majority in the powerful lower house. Takaichi has staked her political future on the vote, saying she will resign immediately if her coalition fails to win a majority. Her government&#39;s once sky-high popularity, while still solid, has started to slip: its approval rating fell from 75% in December to 67%, according to a survey by the Nikkei newspaper. Voters are raising questions over a recent tax-cut pledge to counter inflation and how it would be financed, while many are also frustrated by the snap election, which has slowed parliamentary debate on the 2026-27 budget. Ryutaro Kono, chief economist at BNP Paribas, said that &quot;the surveys ... suggest that the prime minister&#39;s popularity does not necessarily translate into a significant increase in votes for the Liberal Democratic Party.&quot; &quot;Delaying the passage of the budget to proceed with the general election likely caused a significant number of supporters to leave (Takaichi).&quot; Rivals uniteFacing the LDP -- a powerful party that has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955 -- and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), opposition forces have vowed to fight. The Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) and the small Buddhist Komeito party -- a former LDP coalition partner -- are joining forces under a &quot;Centrist Reform Alliance.&quot; Analysts believe the election could be tight depending on the success of the new alliance, but the opposition&#39;s chances of victory remain slim. &quot;There are no significant policy differences among the parties. This election is shaping up as a referendum on Takaichi,&quot; Hideo Kumano, an economist at the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, told AFP. Inflation looms largeJapan has grappled with a surge in living costs in recent years, and public anger over inflation played a major role in the downfall of Shigeru Ishiba, Takaichi&#39;s predecessor. Seeking to ease the pain, Takaichi unveiled in November a $135 billion stimulus package and, if elected, has pledged to waive the consumption tax on food for two years, joining opposition promises to cut various taxes. This risks further inflating the country&#39;s already colossal debt, rattling bond markets and reviving memories of the short-lived British leader Liz Truss, who resigned after alarming investors. According to the Nikkei poll published Monday, 56% of Japanese believe the promised tax exemption would not be effective against inflation. Takaichi defended the measure on Monday, saying she was paying &quot;considerable attention to fiscal sustainability.&quot; Foreigners, diplomacy&nbsp;Another voter concern is the role of foreigners in Japan, although immigration levels there remain low compared with those of other rich economies. Sanseito, a populist anti-immigration party, made a notable breakthrough in mid-2025 upper house elections. Sanae Takaichi is promising a clampdown. On Friday, a cabinet meeting proposed tougher action against foreigners staying illegally and stricter controls on property buyers, while pledging support for those who have the right to stay. International issues may also loom over the campaign. Takaichi, who rolled out the red carpet for US President Donald Trump, played drums with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, and took selfies with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has thrown herself onto the diplomatic stage. But relations with Beijing have worsened since she suggested in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan. In retaliation, Beijing announced tighter export controls to Japan, and the economic cost of this diplomatic crisis is worrying Japanese voters.

Japan's Prime Minister and President of the Liberal Democratic Party Sanae Takaichi delivers her first campaign speech for the House of Representatives election in Tokyo on January 27, 2026. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces slipping approval ratings, rising inflation concerns, a fragile parliamentary majority and a newly unified opposition, as voters weigh economic strain, foreign policy risks and domestic political stability.

Japan's election campaign kicks off: Five things to know

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Japan held the 8th Government-Business Joint Dialogue and the Pakistan Business Forum in Tokyo to deepen economic ties and promote trade and investment cooperation, the Embassy of Pakistan in Tokyo said in a press release on Tuesday. The Dialogue, convened in Tokyo for the first time since December 2018, was co-chaired by Pakistan&rsquo;s Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Industry Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan&nbsp;and Japan&rsquo;s Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Takuo Komori.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2013159364975050993&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=6a22852af20e5782161273426ab9c5b3a452b7a4&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 574px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral economic relations, improving trade and investment environments, and advancing practical cooperation in key sectors, including minerals and mining, agriculture, agri-food products, and information technology. According to the press release,&nbsp;Japanese participants shared perspectives on the operating environment for Japanese companies in Pakistan and discussed areas where continued engagement could further facilitate business activity. Separately, the Pakistan Business Forum, co-organized by the Pakistan embassy and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), featured sectoral presentations highlighting cooperation opportunities. Komatsu outlined its involvement in Pakistan&#39;s mining sector, while Pak Suzuki Motor Company presented a biogas pilot initiative that converts agricultural waste into an alternative fuel. Pakistan&#39;s Ambassador to Japan, Abdul Hameed, noted improved business confidence among Japanese firms operating in Pakistan, citing JETRO&#39;s 2025 survey showing better profitability outlooks and expansion intentions among Japanese companies in the country.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2013477527101243478&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=6a22852af20e5782161273426ab9c5b3a452b7a4&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Both sides reaffirmed the importance of sustained government-to-government engagement, supported by close coordination with the private sector, to advance mutually beneficial economic cooperation, the embassy said.

Pakistan–Japan Private Sector Business Dialogue Tokyo (Photo: X/ @PakinJapan)

Economy

Foreign Affairs

Pakistani, Japanese, and business leaders discussed investment conditions and sector-specific cooperation in mining, agriculture, and technology, reflected in improved profitability outlooks and expansion plans.

Pakistan, Japan hold economic dialogue in Tokyo after six-year gap

FILE: An excavator loads a truck with rare earth at the Port of Lianyungang in Lianyungang city, east China's Jiangsu province, 31 October 2010. (AFP)

Japan embarks Sunday on what it says is the world's first bid to tap deep-sea rare earths at a depth of 6,000 meters, greater than the height of Mount Fuji, to curb dependence on China.

Japan to test deep sea rare earth mining to cut China reliance

TOKYO: Beijing&#39;s actions are &quot;not conducive to regional peace,&quot; Japan&#39;s defense minister and US counterpart Pete Hegseth agreed during a call after Chinese aircraft locked radar on Japanese jets near Taiwan, Tokyo said on Friday. The radar incident was followed this week by Chinese-Russian air patrols around Japan, and came after comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Taiwan that infuriated China. Hegseth and Japan&#39;s Shinjiro Koizumi &quot;exchanged candid views on the increasingly severe security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, including the radar incident,&quot; the Japanese defense ministry said after the call. They &quot;expressed serious concern over any actions to increase regional tensions, as China&#39;s actions are not conducive to regional peace and stability,&quot; the statement added. Koizumi said on X that the two men &quot;expressed grave concern over the behaviors that heighten tensions in the region.&quot; He said he had also told Hegseth that China was &quot;disseminating information that is completely contrary to the facts&quot; about the radar incident. &quot;However, Japan has made clear that it does not seek escalation and that we are responding calmly while making necessary rebuttals, and we are keeping the door open for dialogue,&quot; Koizumi added. There was no immediate statement from the United States about the call. Takaichi had suggested on Nov. 7 that Japan would intervene with military force in any Chinese attack on Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own and has not ruled out seizing by force. Last week, J-15 jets from China&#39;s Liaoning aircraft carrier twice locked radar on Japanese aircraft that had scrambled in international waters near Okinawa, according to Japan. Fighter jets use their radar for fire control to identify targets and for search and rescue operations. China&#39;s foreign ministry on Wednesday accused Japan of sending the jets &quot;to intrude into the Chinese training area without authorization, conduct close-range reconnaissance and harassment, create tense situations, and... &nbsp;maliciously hype up the situation.&quot; On Tuesday, two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers flew from the Sea of Japan to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea, then conducted a joint flight around the country, Japan said. Japan said that it scrambled fighter jets in response. Japan and the United States air forces on Wednesday conducted their own joint air drills in a show of force, Tokyo said. The &quot;tactical exercises&quot; over the Sea of Japan involved two US B-52 bombers, three Japanese F-35 fighter jets, and three Japanese F-15s, Tokyo said. South Korea said on Tuesday that Russian and Chinese warplanes also entered its air defense zone, with Seoul also deploying fighter jets that same day. Beijing confirmed on Tuesday that it had organized drills with Russia&#39;s military in accordance with &quot;annual cooperation plans.&quot; Moscow also described it as a routine exercise, saying it lasted eight hours and that some foreign fighter jets followed the Russian and Chinese aircraft.

US Secretary of War Hegseth, Japan's Koizumi exchange “candid views on the increasingly severe security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, including the radar incident." 

US, Japan defense ministers say China harming regional peace

TOKYO:&nbsp;At least 10 people were reported injured on Tuesday, but there appeared to be no major damage after a big quake rocked northern Japan and triggered tsunami waves up to 70 centimeters (28 inches) high. But the Japan Meteorological Agency also said the magnitude 7.6 quake, which struck at 11:15 pm on Monday (1415 GMT) off the coast of the Aamori region, raised the chances of similar or larger tremors in the coming days. The injured included one person seriously hurt in the main northern island of Hokkaido, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. In Hokkaido, an AFP reporter said the ground shook violently for around 30 seconds as smartphone alarms rang to alert residents. Live footage showed shattered glass fragments scattered across roads. Some 2,700 homes in Aomori were without power, Kyodo News reported in the hours after the quake, and there were numerous reports of fires. Initially, the JMA warned that tsunamis up to three meters (10 feet) could hit, which could have caused major damage, and thousands of residents were urged to go to safe places. In the end, the biggest waves recorded measured up to 70 centimetres, and after several hours, the warnings were lifted. Public broadcaster NHK cited a hotel employee in the city of Hachinohe in Aomori as saying there had been some injuries as a result of the quake. Shinkansen bullet-train service was suspended in some areas while engineers checked for any damage to the tracks. Shortly after Monday&#39;s earthquake, Tohoku Electric Power said no abnormalities were detected at its Higashidori nuclear power plant in Aomori and its Onagawa facility plant in the Miyagi region. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, early on Tuesday, urged residents to be careful. &quot;Please listen to information from the JMA or local governments for about a week and check if furniture is fixed .... and be prepared to evacuate when you feel shaking,&quot; she said. &#39;Megaquake&#39;&nbsp;In 2011, a magnitude-9.0 quake triggered a tsunami that left 18,500 people dead or missing and caused a devastating meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Japan sits on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific &quot;Ring of Fire&quot; and is one of the world&#39;s most tectonically active countries. The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, experiences around 1,500 jolts every year. The vast majority are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to their location and depth below the Earth&#39;s surface. Quakes are extremely hard to predict, but in January, a government panel marginally increased the probability of a major jolt in the Nankai Trough off Japan in the next 30 years to 75-82%. The government then released a new estimate in March saying that such a &quot;megaquake&quot; and subsequent tsunami could cause as many as 298,000 deaths and damage of up to $2 trillion.

Japanese Prime Minister says a powerful 7.6 quake strikes northern Japan, prompting tsunami alerts, injuries, power outages, evacuations, and safety checks before warnings are lifted.

10 reported hurt after big Japan quake, warning of more tremors

ISLAMABAD: Relations between China and Japan have deteriorated dramatically in the past week after Japan issued one of its strongest warnings yet regarding a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait. China slammed on Monday Japan&#39;s decision to push ahead with a planned deployment of missiles on an island near Taiwan, according to the AFP. Its foreign ministry said Japan&#39;s missile deployment was a &quot;deliberate attempt to create regional tension and provoke military confrontation.&quot; Earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had said that any attack on Taiwan could constitute a &ldquo;survival-threatening situation&rdquo; for Japan, a designation under its security laws that could allow limited collective self-defence in support of allies. The statement reflects growing concern in Tokyo over regional stability and the security of sea routes near Okinawa. China condemned the remarks, accusing Japan of interfering in its internal affairs. The Chinese foreign ministry said Tokyo was violating the One-China principle and &ldquo;sending the wrong signal&rdquo; to what it calls &ldquo;separatist forces&rdquo; in Taiwan. Beijing also lodged a diplomatic protest with officials from Japan&rsquo;s Embassy in Beijing. In parallel, China expanded its coast guard and maritime militia presence near the Senkaku Islands, a territory claimed by China but administered by Japan. These patrols have become increasingly regular and assertive, raising tensions in already contested waters. Background: China and Taiwan China and Taiwan have operated under separate governments since 1949, after the Chinese Civil War, when the Nationalist government relocated to Taiwan and the Communist Party founded the People&rsquo;s Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland. The PRC insists that Taiwan is part of &ldquo;one China&rdquo; and maintains that the Beijing government is the sole legitimate representative. Official PRC sources cite UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to argue that Taiwan has no independent status in the UN system. At the same time, Taiwan maintains its own democratic government, military, and domestic policies. The feud reaches the United Nations&nbsp;China&#39;s permanent representative to the UN, Fu Cong, wrote in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres on Friday that &ldquo;if Japan dares to attempt an armed intervention in the cross-Strait situation, it would be an act of aggression.&rdquo; China maintains that the strait dividing mainland China from self-governing Taiwan is part of its territory. Economic pressure adds to the strainOn November 14, China issued a no-travel advisory for Japan, followed by recommendations that students reconsider enrolling in Japanese universities. Shares in Japanese tourism and retail firms fell sharply after Beijing discouraged its citizens from visiting Japan. Three Chinese airlines offered free cancellations or refunds for flights to Japan scheduled for November 15. China also suspended imports of Japanese seafood. This follows a partial easing earlier in 2025, when China resumed seafood imports from some Japanese regions, subject to strict documentation requirements. Beyond trade and tourism, two Japanese animated films scheduled for release in Chinese theaters were postponed indefinitely. State media reported that the delays were part of Beijing&rsquo;s countermeasures.&nbsp;At a routine press conference this week, He Yongqian, a spokesperson for China&rsquo;s commerce ministry, stated that PM Takaichi&#39;s remarks had &ldquo;severely damaged&rdquo; economic relations between the two nations. Where does Taiwan stand?Taiwan has maintained a measured stance amid escalating tensions while continuing to strengthen its defense posture. Authorities have expanded air and maritime surveillance, conducted regular readiness exercises, and developed missile defence and early warning capabilities. Taiwanese officials say they are closely monitoring regional developments, particularly as Chinese aircraft and ships operate near the island. Taiwan lifts restrictions on JapanAccording to AFP, Taiwan lifted all restrictions on Japanese food imports on Nov. 21&nbsp;in a show of support for Tokyo. Previously, the Taipei government had banned food imports from five Japanese regions around the site of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident. Taiwan&#39;s Food and Drug Administration said&nbsp;that &ldquo;Japanese food safety management measures return to normal,&rdquo; effective immediately. What is happening now?Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Nov. 21 that she wants &ldquo;constructive&rdquo; ties with China and that Japan&rsquo;s stance on Taiwan remains &ldquo;unchanged&rdquo; amid the dispute with Beijing. &ldquo;At the end of last month, President Xi [Jinping] and I confirmed the broad direction of comprehensively advancing our strategic, mutually beneficial relationship and building a constructive and stable relationship,&rdquo; Takaichi told reporters. &ldquo;The government&rsquo;s position remains unchanged&rdquo; on Taiwan, she added. China, however, has signaled a cooling of diplomatic engagement. Premier Li Qiang will not meet one-on-one with Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi on the sidelines of the next G20 Summit, according to China&rsquo;s foreign ministry. &ldquo;A meeting with the Japanese leader is not on Premier Li Qiang&#39;s agenda,&rdquo; Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said last week in Beijing at a regular news briefing.

Central Asia

China

China-Japan tensions have escalated after Tokyo warned that an attack on Taiwan could trigger collective self-defence. Beijing responded with diplomatic protests, military activity, and economic pressure; Taiwan has strengthened its defence and backs Japan, as high-level China-Japan diplomacy stalls.

Tensions in East Asia: What exactly is going on?

TOKYO: Japan is set to give the green light this week to restart the world&#39;s biggest nuclear plant, local media reported Wednesday. The resource-poor country pulled the plug on nuclear power after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, but it wants to revive atomic energy and reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant is expected to get approval this week from the local governor to resume operations, according to Kyodo News and the Nikkei business daily, citing unnamed sources. Hideyo Hanazumi, governor of central Niigata province, where the plant is located, is expected to hold a news conference on Friday, the reports said. Only one reactor&nbsp;Of the seven reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, only one will resume functioning. After the 2011 tsunami and meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, Japan shut down all of its nuclear reactors, with the public voicing unease about the energy source. A total of 14 reactors -- mostly in western and southern regions -- have since resumed operation after strict safety standards were imposed. This will be the first restart of a nuclear plant for the Fukushima operator, Tepco, after the disaster, if approved. Carbon neutrality by 2050&nbsp;The government has continued to back nuclear power as a reliable, clean energy source. Japan needs to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In July, power company Kansai Electric said it was taking an initial step toward building the nation&#39;s first new nuclear reactor since the Fukushima disaster. Japan still faces the daunting task of decommissioning the Fukushima plant, which is expected to take decades. Radioactive debris&nbsp;In August, Japanese technicians sent in remote-controlled robots to one of the damaged reactor buildings as part of preparations to remove radioactive debris. Dangerously high radiation levels mean that removing melted fuel and other debris from the plant is seen as the toughest challenge in the decades-long decommissioning project.

After the 2011 tsunami and meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, Japan shut down all of its nuclear reactors; a total of 14 reactors have since resumed operation after strict safety standards were imposed.

Articles tagged with "Japan"