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Ukraine’s outspoken and charismatic ambassador to Japan, Sergiy Korsunsky, may be on his way out soon, but he has a message for his host country as he winds down his time in Tokyo: be prepared and stick to your principles. Speaking to The Japan Times days before Ukraine marks on Monday three years of war since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, Korsunsky stressed that, amid a spate of regional and global challenges that have shaken the world order, Tokyo will see its responsibilities for maintaining that order grow. “It may come as a surprise to many, but I believe that the time is coming for Japan to play a greater role not just in Asia, but in the world,” the ambassador said in an interview. Source link

Canada beat the United States 3-2 in overtime to win a riveting 4 Nations Face-Off final in Boston on Thursday and close out a tournament that was filled with political tension. Connor McDavid scored the winner after much-maligned Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington delivered some clutch saves. The taut action on the ice mirrored the geopolitical tensions bubbling in North America since U.S. President Donald Trump took office last month. Source link

Prince Hisahito, the only son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, will hold his first news conference on March 3, the Imperial Household Agency said Friday. The prince, the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the throne, turned 18 in September last year. It is customary for Imperial Family members to hold a press conference when they reach the age of majority. His press conference was delayed, however, as he was busy with his studies in his third year at the University of Tsukuba’s Senior High School at Otsuka in Tokyo. The schedule of the event was decided after he gained admission to the national university. His coming-of-age ceremony is expected to take place after he graduates from high school in March. Naomasa Yoshida, grand master of the Crown Prince’s Household, said that the prince is preparing for his new life from April. Source link

The Public Security Intelligence Agency launched a special website Friday to preserve public memory of the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system by the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult. The agency hopes that the website, which features the memories of bereaved families and related photos, will help younger generations to learn about the attack that killed 14 people and injured more than 6,000. The digital archive of issues linked to Aum Shinrikyo covers not only the Tokyo subway system attack, but also other crimes by the cult, including a sarin gas attack in Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture in June 1994. Source link

The vast majority of the public continues to endorse the country’s death penalty system, according to a recent government survey. In the Cabinet Office’s survey of 1,815 people between October and December, 83.1% said that the system is “unavoidable.” The percentage of respondents giving that answer exceeded 80% for the fifth consecutive time. Source link

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and two key opposition parties — both eager to have their signature policies reflected in the fiscal 2025 budget — are in an all-out battle of nerves as the government aims for the budget to clear the Lower House in the next week. Nippon Ishin no Kai and the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) are intensifying their rhetoric, confident that the ruling coalition needs their support for the budget. The LDP has shown signs of frustration over the two parties’ entrenched resistance in the negotiations over education reform, social insurance and the tax-free income threshold. Despite expectations that a deal could be made by the end of this week, the LDP, Komeito and Nippon Ishin on Friday morning failed to reach a compromise over the language for a reduction in the burden of social insurance premiums on households in a potential agreement. Source link

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and two key opposition parties — both eager to have their signature policies reflected in the fiscal 2025 budget — are in an all-out battle of nerves as the government aims for the budget to clear the Lower House in the next week. Nippon Ishin no Kai and the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) are intensifying their rhetoric, confident that the ruling coalition needs their support for the budget. The LDP has shown signs of frustration over the two parties’ entrenched resistance in the negotiations over education reform, social insurance and tax-free income threshold. Despite expectations that a deal could be made by the end of this week, the LDP, Komeito and Nippon Ishin on Friday morning failed to reach a compromise over the language for a reduction in the burden of social insurance premiums on households in a potential agreement. Source link

At least seven Japanese nationals have been taken into protective custody from large-scale scam centers at the Thai-Myanmar border — thought to hold at least 120,000 people — with many more still believed to be in captivity. The Japanese nationals are among hundreds of thousands of people who police say have been coerced into engaging in online scams. On Thursday, authorities in Thailand began to send back those that had been held at the scam centers in large numbers, with 200 Chinese citizens sent back to their country and hundreds more expected to be in the coming days. Keiichi Iwamoto, a senior Foreign Ministry official in charge of consular affairs, said Thursday in parliament that two boys — high school students age 16 and 17 — along with five other Japanese nationals had been taken into custody in Thailand. Six of them have already returned to Japan. Source link

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the NBA season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, the team said Thursday. The Spurs said in a statement that the 21-year-old French player was diagnosed with the blood clot after he returned to San Antonio following last Sunday’s All-Star Game in San Francisco. “Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season,” the Spurs said. “The team will provide updates as appropriate.” Source link

This year, products and services related to cats are estimated to generate ¥414.50 billion more than last year. Source link