Nana, a female bottlenose dolphin, was found dead at the Shizuoka Prefecture aquarium in Japan on Tuesday, said official Kiyoshi Sakamoto.&nbsp;

Dolphin Nana died just weeks after breaking a national record of staying captive at the aquarium for 15,666 days, or 42 years and 11 months.&nbsp;

&quot;Nana was a symbol of our aquarium and had attracted a lot of fans with her cute behaviour,&rdquo; Sakamoto said.&nbsp;

&ldquo;We miss her so much,&rdquo; he said, adding that the facility is considering holding a ceremony in the dolphin&rsquo;s memory.

Officials at the Shizuoka Prefecture aquarium organised the&nbsp;ceremony in her honour on Wednesday, where Shimoda Mayor Yusuke Fukui gave a special residence certificate in Nana&#39;s name, reports said.&nbsp;

Nana was captured off the coast of Ito in 1974 and had lived at the aquarium ever since.

She gave birth to eight calves while also taking part in dolphin shows, the official said.

(with inputs from AFP)

Dolphin Nana died just weeks after breaking a national record of staying captive at the aquarium for 15,666 days, or 42 years and 11 months.?

Nana, a female bottlenose dolphin, was found dead at the Shizuoka Prefecture aquarium in Japan on Tuesday, said official Kiyoshi Sakamoto. Dolphin Nana died just weeks after breaking a national record of staying captive at the aquarium for 15,666 days, or 42 years and 11 months. "Nana was a symbol of our aquarium and had attracted a lot of fans with her cute behaviour,” Sakamoto said. “We miss her so much,” he said, adding that the facility is considering holding a ceremony in the dolphin’s memory. Officials at the Shizuoka Prefecture aquarium organised the ceremony in her honour on Wednesday, where Shimoda Mayor Yusuke Fukui gave a special residence certificate in Nana's name, reports said. Nana was captured off the coast of Ito in 1974 and had lived at the aquarium ever since. She gave birth to eight calves while also taking part in dolphin shows, the official said. (with inputs from AFP)

'Longest living' dolphin in captivity dies in Japan

A Japanese man was arrested on Tuesday after the severed parts of nine bodies, some of them stored in picnic coolers, were found in his apartment, Japanese media said.

Police made the grisly find in the apartment in Zama, a city just outside Tokyo, after investigating the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman who went missing earlier this month and was seen walking with the man near the apartment on security camera footage, multiple media reported.

A number of coolers were found in the house, each containing body parts, and led to the arrest of a 27-year-old man on suspicion of abandoning a body. Police are investigating further, media added.

A spokesman for the National Police Agency declined to confirm the reports, saying nothing had been officially announced.

A Japanese man was arrested on Tuesday after the severed parts of nine bodies, some of them stored in picnic coolers, were found in his apartment, Japanese media said.

A Japanese man was arrested on Tuesday after the severed parts of nine bodies, some of them stored in picnic coolers, were found in his apartment, Japanese media said. Police made the grisly find in the apartment in Zama, a city just outside Tokyo, after investigating the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman who went missing earlier this month and was seen walking with the man near the apartment on security camera footage, multiple media reported. A number of coolers were found in the house, each containing body parts, and led to the arrest of a 27-year-old man on suspicion of abandoning a body. Police are investigating further, media added. A spokesman for the National Police Agency declined to confirm the reports, saying nothing had been officially announced.

Japanese man arrested after parts of nine bodies found in apartment

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gambled by calling a snap election &ndash; and he has won big.

Voters handed Abe&rsquo;s Liberal Democratic Party a sweeping victory in the Oct. 22 balloting for Japan&rsquo;s House of Representatives.

The call for the election came in late September after North Korea had just fired another test missile, with its longest delivery system yet. Over the past months, North Korea has tested six missiles, with each test either falling into the Japan Sea or passing over Japan to land in the Pacific. This latest missile flew over Japan&rsquo;s northernmost island of Hokkaido before falling into the Pacific Ocean. North Korea&rsquo;s leader, Kim Jung Un, used strong threats after this missile test, saying that he hoped to see Japan sink into the sea. Abe and his hawkish, conservative coalition have been attempting to rebuild Japan&rsquo;s military capabilities and to scrap its WWII-era constitution that prohibits aggression.

Based on my research in Japanese politics, I believe the party&rsquo;s electoral victory spells trouble for peace in Asia.

Re-arming the military

Abe&rsquo;s agenda has taken shape in a number of ways. In August, his minister of defence submitted a historic budget request that violates a decades-old unwritten principle. The principle is for Japan&rsquo;s defence budget to never be larger than 1 per cent of GDP. This principle was part of the commitment made after WWII to forever renounce military aggression.

The new budget request is a whopping 5,255 billion yen in military spending (US$48.1 billion) or 2.5 per cent of Japan&rsquo;s GDP for the fiscal year 2018. The request includes new land-based missile defence systems to monitor space and provides auto-warnings for missile launches. This technology would assist in detecting potential missile launches from North Korea, and could theoretically intercept them.

In September, the Japanese Navy launched the ship &ldquo;Myoko&rdquo; that will patrol the Japan Sea between Japan and Korea. It will guard against potential missile fires by North Korea with anti-missile defence capabilities, identical to those of the U.S. Navy. At the launch, Abe said that the &ldquo;increasingly severe security environment&rdquo; posed by North Korea and China must be &ldquo;squarely faced&rdquo; by Japan. He referred to the environment awaiting the Myoko&rsquo;s crew as a &quot;raging sea&quot;.

Many in Japan anticipate the role of Japan&rsquo;s military will soon change to respond to North Korea. Increasing military spending in the budget now may lead to future increases and spending on more offensive weapons. For example, two years ago, Japan and the U.S. renegotiated their security alliance. Japan agreed to come to the aid of its most important ally if the U.S. or one of its allies were to come under attack. A discussion on changing the Japanese Constitution&rsquo;s WWII prohibition of aggression is likely to be revived.

Destabilising the region

The requested increase in military spending in August had an immediate effect on the region and possibilities for peaceful relations.

A spokesperson for China&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted China&rsquo;s concern over the new plan and accused Japan of inflating the threat posed by China in order to take a more offensive stance in Asia.

The relationship between China and Japan is already tense. The two nations are engaged in a dispute over the Senkaku Diaoyutai islands in the East China Sea. This disagreement flared up last summer when China stepped up military activity near the islands. Then in February, President Trump reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to come to Japan&rsquo;s aid with conventional and nuclear weapons in a statement signed by both leaders.

Abe&rsquo;s victory confirms that Japanese people take these threats seriously. Their fears may play into a developing brinksmanship between Japan and North Korea that could, in my opinion, implicate the United States.

Trump will visit Asia in November, and his stay in Japan includes a visit with Japanese who were abducted by North Korea during the 1970s and &lsquo;80s. Doing so may open old wounds with North Korea &ndash; the stories of abduction provoke strong feelings for the Japanese people who will be reminded of North Korea&rsquo;s past offences. Prospects for a peaceful resolution with North Korea are becoming more slim, strengthening Abe&rsquo;s case for building out Japan&rsquo;s offensive capabilities.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/japans-vote-for-abe-could-worsen-prospects-for-peace-with-north-korea-china-86173" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

The USA's aid for Japan's military might narrow the prospect of solving Japan's issues with China and North Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gambled by calling a snap election – and he has won big. Voters handed Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party a sweeping victory in the Oct. 22 balloting for Japan’s House of Representatives. The call for the election came in late September after North Korea had just fired another test missile, with its longest delivery system yet. Over the past months, North Korea has tested six missiles, with each test either falling into the Japan Sea or passing over Japan to land in the Pacific. This latest missile flew over Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido before falling into the Pacific Ocean. North Korea’s leader, Kim Jung Un, used strong threats after this missile test, saying that he hoped to see Japan sink into the sea. Abe and his hawkish, conservative coalition have been attempting to rebuild Japan’s military capabilities and to scrap its WWII-era constitution that prohibits aggression. Based on my research in Japanese politics, I believe the party’s electoral victory spells trouble for peace in Asia. Re-arming the military Abe’s agenda has taken shape in a number of ways. In August, his minister of defence submitted a historic budget request that violates a decades-old unwritten principle. The principle is for Japan’s defence budget to never be larger than 1 per cent of GDP. This principle was part of the commitment made after WWII to forever renounce military aggression. The new budget request is a whopping 5,255 billion yen in military spending (US$48.1 billion) or 2.5 per cent of Japan’s GDP for the fiscal year 2018. The request includes new land-based missile defence systems to monitor space and provides auto-warnings for missile launches. This technology would assist in detecting potential missile launches from North Korea, and could theoretically intercept them. In September, the Japanese Navy launched the ship “Myoko” that will patrol the Japan Sea between Japan and Korea. It will guard against potential missile fires by North Korea with anti-missile defence capabilities, identical to those of the U.S. Navy. At the launch, Abe said that the “increasingly severe security environment” posed by North Korea and China must be “squarely faced” by Japan. He referred to the environment awaiting the Myoko’s crew as a "raging sea". Many in Japan anticipate the role of Japan’s military will soon change to respond to North Korea. Increasing military spending in the budget now may lead to future increases and spending on more offensive weapons. For example, two years ago, Japan and the U.S. renegotiated their security alliance. Japan agreed to come to the aid of its most important ally if the U.S. or one of its allies were to come under attack. A discussion on changing the Japanese Constitution’s WWII prohibition of aggression is likely to be revived. Destabilising the region The requested increase in military spending in August had an immediate effect on the region and possibilities for peaceful relations. A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted China’s concern over the new plan and accused Japan of inflating the threat posed by China in order to take a more offensive stance in Asia. The relationship between China and Japan is already tense. The two nations are engaged in a dispute over the Senkaku Diaoyutai islands in the East China Sea. This disagreement flared up last summer when China stepped up military activity near the islands. Then in February, President Trump reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to come to Japan’s aid with conventional and nuclear weapons in a statement signed by both leaders. Abe’s victory confirms that Japanese people take these threats seriously. Their fears may play into a developing brinksmanship between Japan and North Korea that could, in my opinion, implicate the United States. Trump will visit Asia in November, and his stay in Japan includes a visit with Japanese who were abducted by North Korea during the 1970s and ‘80s. Doing so may open old wounds with North Korea – the stories of abduction provoke strong feelings for the Japanese people who will be reminded of North Korea’s past offences. Prospects for a peaceful resolution with North Korea are becoming more slim, strengthening Abe’s case for building out Japan’s offensive capabilities. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Japan's vote for Abe could worsen prospects for peace with North Korea, China

A Japanese firm has created what it claims is a world-first &quot;noise-cancelling&quot; fork to mask the sound made by slurping down noodles, dubbed &quot;noodle harassment&quot; on social media.

Foreign visitors to Japanese noodle bars are often startled to hear the locals -- normally so polite and restrained cut -- noisily slurping down their noodles with lip-smacking gusto.

The tradition is supposed to show the diner&#39;s appreciation for the food but some people are becoming bothered by the noise.

Now an instant noodle producer claims to have found a solution to the problem.

Inspired by Japanese toilets, which can be programmed to play an artificial flushing noise to cover embarrassing sounds, Nissin Food Products looked at creating something similar for noodles.

The result was a giant fork 4.4 centimeters (1.73 inches) wide and 15.2 centimeters long&nbsp;with a sensitive microphone to detect offending slurps.

&quot;We developed a system in which any subtle slurping sound can be detected,&quot; said the company.&nbsp;

A Japanese firm has created a world-first "noise-cancelling" fork to mask the sound made by slurping down noodles

A Japanese firm has created what it claims is a world-first "noise-cancelling" fork to mask the sound made by slurping down noodles, dubbed "noodle harassment" on social media. Foreign visitors to Japanese noodle bars are often startled to hear the locals -- normally so polite and restrained cut -- noisily slurping down their noodles with lip-smacking gusto. The tradition is supposed to show the diner's appreciation for the food but some people are becoming bothered by the noise. Now an instant noodle producer claims to have found a solution to the problem. Inspired by Japanese toilets, which can be programmed to play an artificial flushing noise to cover embarrassing sounds, Nissin Food Products looked at creating something similar for noodles. The result was a giant fork 4.4 centimeters (1.73 inches) wide and 15.2 centimeters long with a sensitive microphone to detect offending slurps. "We developed a system in which any subtle slurping sound can be detected," said the company.

Slurp alert: Japanese fork masks noodle-sucking noise

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has once again proved that he is a shrewd political strategist who understands Japanese politics better than his rivals. His latest controversial decision to hold snap elections to the House of Representatives one full year earlier than required raised many eyebrows in Japan and many analysts called it a risky gamble.

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<h5>Mr Abe&rsquo;s ruling Liberal Democratic Party- Komeito coalition scored a dramatic victory capturing more than two-thirds majority seats in the Lower House.</h5>
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Already enjoying more than two-thirds majority in the House, it was doubted whether he could even retain the existing strength leave alone the question of bettering it. When Abe took the decision to call the snap elections, he thought that it would be the usual &ldquo;rubber stamp elections&rdquo; which he could easily win as he had done in 2014. Though subsequently many developments like the rise of Ms Yuriko Koike as a challenger seemingly created some hiccups. Finally,&nbsp;Mr Abe&rsquo;s ruling Liberal Democratic Party- Komeito coalition scored a dramatic victory capturing more than two-thirds majority seats in the Lower House.

This victory, fifth successive win in national elections since 2012, will strengthen Mr Abe&rsquo;s position within his own party and even ensure his re-election as party president for the third term in September 2018 and his continuance as the Prime Minister until 2021. Some of his detractors within the party who could have challenged him now look very much weakened by&nbsp;Mr Abe&rsquo;s victory.

He is likely to be the longest-serving post-war prime minister of Japan. It is to be noted that the next major national election he will face will be in the summer of 2019 which will elect&nbsp;half the members of the House Councilors. It means that he will have ample time to initiate and implement some of his long-cherished goals like amending the Constitution, denuclearisation of North Korea, and enhancing the consumption tax from 8 per cent to 10 per cent by 2019.

In particular, Mr Abe will show utmost circumspection while dealing with the constitutional amendment which has posed the greatest challenge to successive governments in the past. He knows that since the issue can fuel a great deal of heat within the country, he has to move carefully to work out a national consensus before taking any hasty step. Winning 310 odd seats in the elections is not the same as winning the hearts of the people. In fact, many public opinion surveys taken after the election results conveyed the message that about 45-50 per cent of the people surveyed expressed their disagreement with Mr Abe&rsquo;s policies.

The Japanese Constitution lays down that any amendment to the Constitution needs to be approved by the two-thirds majority of both Houses and that it has to be endorsed by the people in a national referendum. Mr Abe knows that post-war Japanese pacifism has been centered on this Article and large segments of Japanese people strongly believe that this provision has given considerable stability to the reemergence of Japan as a strong peace-loving democratic state since 1952.

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<h5>Mr Abe is likely to remain in power for four more years augurs well for the rapidly advancing India-Japan partnership.</h5>
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Mr Abe will respect the strength of the people&rsquo;s sentiments and explore all possibilities to mould a national consensus on the issue. It will take time, but it would need careful handling.&nbsp;For instance, there are many elements in his own party who are not fully convinced about changing the Constitution. Further, his own political ally the Komeito Party has long expressed its reservations to the constitutional amendment. To what extent it is going to cooperate with Mr Abe will remain to be seen. In addition, while seeking to amend the Constitution, he has to give careful considerations to how other Asian neighbouring countries would respond to it.

Finally, the fact that Mr Abe is likely to remain in power for four more years augurs well for the rapidly advancing India-Japan partnership. He has been one of the strongest pillars of the bilateral ties since 2006. In particular, his close relations with Mr Narendra Modi have contributed to the deepening of the bilateral partnership since 2014. Mr Abe&rsquo;s recent summit meeting with Mr Modi at Ahmedabad in September 2017 marked a major milestone in their relations.

With Shinzo Abe in power, India-Japan relations will prosper and that will benefit India

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has once again proved that he is a shrewd political strategist who understands Japanese politics better than his rivals. His latest controversial decision to hold snap elections to the House of Representatives one full year earlier than required raised many eyebrows in Japan and many analysts called it a risky gamble. Mr Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party- Komeito coalition scored a dramatic victory capturing more than two-thirds majority seats in the Lower House. × Already enjoying more than two-thirds majority in the House, it was doubted whether he could even retain the existing strength leave alone the question of bettering it. When Abe took the decision to call the snap elections, he thought that it would be the usual “rubber stamp elections” which he could easily win as he had done in 2014. Though subsequently many developments like the rise of Ms Yuriko Koike as a challenger seemingly created some hiccups. Finally, Mr Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party- Komeito coalition scored a dramatic victory capturing more than two-thirds majority seats in the Lower House. This victory, fifth successive win in national elections since 2012, will strengthen Mr Abe’s position within his own party and even ensure his re-election as party president for the third term in September 2018 and his continuance as the Prime Minister until 2021. Some of his detractors within the party who could have challenged him now look very much weakened by Mr Abe’s victory. He is likely to be the longest-serving post-war prime minister of Japan. It is to be noted that the next major national election he will face will be in the summer of 2019 which will elect half the members of the House Councilors. It means that he will have ample time to initiate and implement some of his long-cherished goals like amending the Constitution, denuclearisation of North Korea, and enhancing the consumption tax from 8 per cent to 10 per cent by 2019. In particular, Mr Abe will show utmost circumspection while dealing with the constitutional amendment which has posed the greatest challenge to successive governments in the past. He knows that since the issue can fuel a great deal of heat within the country, he has to move carefully to work out a national consensus before taking any hasty step. Winning 310 odd seats in the elections is not the same as winning the hearts of the people. In fact, many public opinion surveys taken after the election results conveyed the message that about 45-50 per cent of the people surveyed expressed their disagreement with Mr Abe’s policies. The Japanese Constitution lays down that any amendment to the Constitution needs to be approved by the two-thirds majority of both Houses and that it has to be endorsed by the people in a national referendum. Mr Abe knows that post-war Japanese pacifism has been centered on this Article and large segments of Japanese people strongly believe that this provision has given considerable stability to the reemergence of Japan as a strong peace-loving democratic state since 1952. Mr Abe is likely to remain in power for four more years augurs well for the rapidly advancing India-Japan partnership. × Mr Abe will respect the strength of the people’s sentiments and explore all possibilities to mould a national consensus on the issue. It will take time, but it would need careful handling. For instance, there are many elements in his own party who are not fully convinced about changing the Constitution. Further, his own political ally the Komeito Party has long expressed its reservations to the constitutional amendment. To what extent it is going to cooperate with Mr Abe will remain to be seen. In addition, while seeking to amend the Constitution, he has to give careful considerations to how other Asian neighbouring countries would respond to it. Finally, the fact that Mr Abe is likely to remain in power for four more years augurs well for the rapidly advancing India-Japan partnership. He has been one of the strongest pillars of the bilateral ties since 2006. In particular, his close relations with Mr Narendra Modi have contributed to the deepening of the bilateral partnership since 2014. Mr Abe’s recent summit meeting with Mr Modi at Ahmedabad in September 2017 marked a major milestone in their relations.

What Japan & India stand to gain from Shinzo Abe's victory

Fresh off a decisive election victory, Japan&#39;s leader pledged today to tackle what he called Japan&#39;s two national crises, the military threat from North Korea and an aging and shrinking population.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a news conference that he is committed to protecting the Japanese people&#39;s prosperity and peace from any contingency. He also referred to the Japanese kidnapped years ago and believed still held by North Korea.

&quot;I will pursue decisive and strong diplomacy to tackle North Korea&#39;s missile, nuclear and abduction issues and put further pressure to get it to change its policy,&quot; he said.

His ruling coalition was returned to power in elections yesterday for Japan&#39;s more powerful lower house. Abe said the result showed &quot;strong support&quot; and thanked the people for backing stability and his government&#39;s policies.

He promised a comprehensive package by the end of the year to deal with Japan&#39;s demographic challenges, including investments in education, productivity improvements, and pension system reform.

Abe called them Japan's two national crises

Fresh off a decisive election victory, Japan's leader pledged today to tackle what he called Japan's two national crises, the military threat from North Korea and an aging and shrinking population. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a news conference that he is committed to protecting the Japanese people's prosperity and peace from any contingency. He also referred to the Japanese kidnapped years ago and believed still held by North Korea. "I will pursue decisive and strong diplomacy to tackle North Korea's missile, nuclear and abduction issues and put further pressure to get it to change its policy," he said. His ruling coalition was returned to power in elections yesterday for Japan's more powerful lower house. Abe said the result showed "strong support" and thanked the people for backing stability and his government's policies. He promised a comprehensive package by the end of the year to deal with Japan's demographic challenges, including investments in education, productivity improvements, and pension system reform.

After election win, Shinzo Abe says his priorities are North Korea and ageing Japan

A powerful typhoon left five dead, two missing and dozens injured in Japan today, moving northward off the Pacific coast after millions struggled to the polls for a national election.

Authorities advised thousands living in coastal areas or near rivers to evacuate to shelters before Typhoon Lan, described as &quot;very large and very strong&quot;, hit Tokyo and surrounding regions early Monday morning.

The typhoon left the Japanese archipelago by about 9:00 am after making landfall in Shizuoka southwest of Tokyo six hours before, the weather agency said.

The storm, which had already dumped torrential rain over much of the country during the weekend, packed gusts up to 162 kilometres per hour, the meteorological agency said.

Train operators suspended some commuter trains in Tokyo suburbs early today and cancelled some &quot;Shinkansen&quot; bullet trains in northern Japan after a blackout left passengers stranded overnight in the country&#39;s central region.

Nearly 300 flights scheduled for Monday have already been cancelled, public broadcaster NHK said, after strong winds forced 500 flights to be grounded Sunday.

Some ferry services in western Japan were also cancelled as the weather agency warned of high waves, landslides, and floods across the Japanese archipelago.

The typhoon claimed its first victims Sunday as a male passer-by died when scaffolding collapsed on him at a construction site in Fukuoka in western Japan.

A 70-year-old man was found dead after he dived into the sea to grab a rope from another vessel as he attempted to escape from his troubled boat, a coastguard told AFP.

Two more people were missing after landslides in Osaka and Wakayama prefectures, private broadcasters FNN and TBS reported.

At least 89 people were injured across the nation, while an 85-year-old man was unaccounted for after his house was hit by landslides, NHK said, while the government confirmed 17 injuries.

Television footage showed rescuers tugging a rubber boat carrying an elderly woman in a residential area in Chiba southeast of Tokyo as a flooded river engulfed the area.

Toyota Motor said it would suspend operations at all domestic plants today.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered his minister in charge of disasters to be ready to mobilise rescue and evacuation forces, including troops.

&quot;In order to protect people&#39;s lives, the Abe cabinet will unite and do its best to provide an emergency response to a disaster,&quot; he told reporters.

Voters in the capital braved torrential rain and driving wind on election day, but turnout across the country was expected to be only a fraction higher than the all-time low, boosted largely by people voting early to avoid the typhoon.

Near complete projections, Monday showed Abe&#39;s ruling conservative coalition was on track to win a two-thirds &quot;super-majority&quot;.

The foul weather did affect the election, with ferries to a remote island in the west cancelled due to high waves, forcing officials to suspend the counting of votes there.

On Saturday, voters on remote southern islands in the path of the storm cast their ballots early, heeding a call from Abe.

At least 89 people were injured across the nation

A powerful typhoon left five dead, two missing and dozens injured in Japan today, moving northward off the Pacific coast after millions struggled to the polls for a national election. Authorities advised thousands living in coastal areas or near rivers to evacuate to shelters before Typhoon Lan, described as "very large and very strong", hit Tokyo and surrounding regions early Monday morning. The typhoon left the Japanese archipelago by about 9:00 am after making landfall in Shizuoka southwest of Tokyo six hours before, the weather agency said. The storm, which had already dumped torrential rain over much of the country during the weekend, packed gusts up to 162 kilometres per hour, the meteorological agency said. Train operators suspended some commuter trains in Tokyo suburbs early today and cancelled some "Shinkansen" bullet trains in northern Japan after a blackout left passengers stranded overnight in the country's central region. Nearly 300 flights scheduled for Monday have already been cancelled, public broadcaster NHK said, after strong winds forced 500 flights to be grounded Sunday. Some ferry services in western Japan were also cancelled as the weather agency warned of high waves, landslides, and floods across the Japanese archipelago. The typhoon claimed its first victims Sunday as a male passer-by died when scaffolding collapsed on him at a construction site in Fukuoka in western Japan. A 70-year-old man was found dead after he dived into the sea to grab a rope from another vessel as he attempted to escape from his troubled boat, a coastguard told AFP. Two more people were missing after landslides in Osaka and Wakayama prefectures, private broadcasters FNN and TBS reported. At least 89 people were injured across the nation, while an 85-year-old man was unaccounted for after his house was hit by landslides, NHK said, while the government confirmed 17 injuries. Television footage showed rescuers tugging a rubber boat carrying an elderly woman in a residential area in Chiba southeast of Tokyo as a flooded river engulfed the area. Toyota Motor said it would suspend operations at all domestic plants today. Yesterday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered his minister in charge of disasters to be ready to mobilise rescue and evacuation forces, including troops. "In order to protect people's lives, the Abe cabinet will unite and do its best to provide an emergency response to a disaster," he told reporters. Voters in the capital braved torrential rain and driving wind on election day, but turnout across the country was expected to be only a fraction higher than the all-time low, boosted largely by people voting early to avoid the typhoon. Near complete projections, Monday showed Abe's ruling conservative coalition was on track to win a two-thirds "super-majority". The foul weather did affect the election, with ferries to a remote island in the west cancelled due to high waves, forcing officials to suspend the counting of votes there. On Saturday, voters on remote southern islands in the path of the storm cast their ballots early, heeding a call from Abe.

Typhoon leaves five dead after lashing Japan on election day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on his re-election and said he looked forward to further strengthening the relations between the two countries.

Abe got a resounding victory in the snap polls held yesterday, with his LDF-led coalition winning a two-thirds majority in the lower house of Parliament.

&quot;Heartiest greetings to my dear friend @AbeShinzo on his big election win. Look forward to further strengthen India- Japan relations with him,&quot; Modi tweeted.

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Heartiest greetings to my dear friend <a href="https://twitter.com/AbeShinzo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AbeShinzo</a> on his big election win. Look forward to further strengthen India-Japan relations with him.
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/922300769432494081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Modi and Abe share a great relationship and have met several times over the last three years.

Abe was in India recently for the annual summit meeting with Modi.

PM Modi said he looked forward to further strengthening the relations between the two countries

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on his re-election and said he looked forward to further strengthening the relations between the two countries. Abe got a resounding victory in the snap polls held yesterday, with his LDF-led coalition winning a two-thirds majority in the lower house of Parliament. "Heartiest greetings to my dear friend @AbeShinzo on his big election win. Look forward to further strengthen India- Japan relations with him," Modi tweeted. Heartiest greetings to my dear friend @AbeShinzo on his big election win. Look forward to further strengthen India-Japan relations with him. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 23, 2017 × Modi and Abe share a great relationship and have met several times over the last three years. Abe was in India recently for the annual summit meeting with Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates Shinzo Abe on re-election

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe swept to a resounding victory in a snap election Sunday and immediately vowed to &quot;deal firmly&quot; with threats from North Korea that dominated the campaign.

Abe&#39;s ruling conservative coalition was on track to win more than 310 seats in the 465-seat parliament, according to a projection from public broadcaster NHK, handing the premier a two-thirds &quot;super-majority.&quot;

This allows nationalist Abe to propose changes to pacifist Japan&#39;s US-imposed constitution, which forces it to renounce war and effectively limits its military to a self-defence role.

Abe said the comfortable election win had stiffened his resolve to tackle North Korea&#39;s nuclear threat, as the key US regional ally seeks to step up pressure on Pyongyang after it fired two missiles over Japan in the space of a month.

&quot;As I promised in the election, my imminent task is to firmly deal with North Korea,&quot; said Abe, who is now on course to become the country&#39;s longest-serving leader.

&quot;For that, strong diplomacy is required,&quot; stressed the 63 year-old, who has courted both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Abe said he would &quot;deepen&quot; debate on the divisive constitution issue in parliament but stressed: &quot;I don&#39;t plan to propose (changes) via the ruling bloc alone. We&#39;ll make efforts to gain support from as many people as possible.&quot;

As results came in, television images showed jubilant victorious lawmakers bowing deeply before punching the air with cries of &quot;Banzai&quot;, the Japanese equivalent of three cheers.

&#39;Very severe result&#39;&nbsp;

Millions of Japanese braved torrential rain and driving winds to vote as a typhoon lashed the country, with many heeding warnings to cast their ballots early.

&quot;I support Abe&#39;s stance not to give in to North Korea&#39;s pressure,&quot; said Yoshihisa Iemori as he cast his ballot in a rainswept Tokyo.

Abe&#39;s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) benefited from a weak and splintered opposition, with the two main parties facing him created only a matter of weeks ago.

Support for the Party of Hope founded by popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike fizzled after an initial blaze of publicity and was on track to win around 50 seats, according to the NHK projection with a handful still to call.

Speaking from Paris where she was attending an event in her capacity as leader of the world&#39;s biggest city, a sullen-faced Koike said it was a &quot;very severe result.&quot;

&quot;As the person who launched the party, I will take responsibility,&quot; pledged Koike.

The new centre-left Constitutional Democratic Party fared slightly better than expected but still trailed far behind Abe with a projected 50 seats.

&quot;The LDP&#39;s victory is simply because the opposition couldn&#39;t form a united front,&quot; political scientist Mikitaka Masuyama from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, told AFP.

&nbsp;&#39;Sink&#39; Japan&nbsp;

The short 12-day campaign was dominated by the economy and the global crisis over North Korea, which has threatened to &quot;sink&quot; Japan into the sea and engaged in a war of words with Trump.

Hawkish Abe stuck to a hardline stance throughout, stressing that Japan &quot;would not waver&quot; in the face of an increasingly belligerent regime in Pyongyang.

But many voters said reviving the once-mighty Japanese economy was the top priority, with Abe&#39;s trademark &quot;Abenomics&quot; growth policy failing to trickle down to the general public.

&quot;Neither pensions nor wages are getting better... I don&#39;t feel the economy is recovering at all,&quot; said 67-year-old pensioner Hideki Kawasaki.

Although voters turned out in their millions to back Abe, he enjoys only lukewarm support and surveys showed his decision to call a snap election a year earlier than expected was unpopular.

&quot;I totally oppose the current government. Morals collapsed. I&#39;m afraid this country will be broken,&quot; said 84-year-old voter Etsuko Nakajima.

&#39;I&#39;m quite disappointed&#39;&nbsp;

Koike briefly promised to shake up Japan&#39;s sleepy political scene with her new party but she declined to run herself for a seat, sparking confusion over who would be prime minister if she won.

In the end the 65-year-old former TV presenter was not even in Japan on election day.

&quot;I thought that I would vote for the Party of Hope if it&#39;s strong enough to beat the Abe administration. But the party has been in confusion ... I&#39;m quite disappointed,&quot; said 80-year-old pensioner Kumiko Fujimori.

The campaign was marked by a near-constant drizzle in large parts of the country and rallies frequently took place under shelter and a sea of umbrellas.&nbsp;

But this did not dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of doughty, sash-wearing parliamentary hopefuls, who have driven around in minibusses pleading for votes via loudspeaker and bowing deeply to every potential voter.

Abe's ruling conservative coalition was on track to win more than 310 seats in the 465-seat parliament, according to a projection from public broadcaster NHK, handing the premier a two-thirds 'super-majority'.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe swept to a resounding victory in a snap election Sunday and immediately vowed to "deal firmly" with threats from North Korea that dominated the campaign. Abe's ruling conservative coalition was on track to win more than 310 seats in the 465-seat parliament, according to a projection from public broadcaster NHK, handing the premier a two-thirds "super-majority." This allows nationalist Abe to propose changes to pacifist Japan's US-imposed constitution, which forces it to renounce war and effectively limits its military to a self-defence role. Abe said the comfortable election win had stiffened his resolve to tackle North Korea's nuclear threat, as the key US regional ally seeks to step up pressure on Pyongyang after it fired two missiles over Japan in the space of a month. "As I promised in the election, my imminent task is to firmly deal with North Korea," said Abe, who is now on course to become the country's longest-serving leader. "For that, strong diplomacy is required," stressed the 63 year-old, who has courted both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Abe said he would "deepen" debate on the divisive constitution issue in parliament but stressed: "I don't plan to propose (changes) via the ruling bloc alone. We'll make efforts to gain support from as many people as possible." As results came in, television images showed jubilant victorious lawmakers bowing deeply before punching the air with cries of "Banzai", the Japanese equivalent of three cheers. 'Very severe result' Millions of Japanese braved torrential rain and driving winds to vote as a typhoon lashed the country, with many heeding warnings to cast their ballots early. "I support Abe's stance not to give in to North Korea's pressure," said Yoshihisa Iemori as he cast his ballot in a rainswept Tokyo. Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) benefited from a weak and splintered opposition, with the two main parties facing him created only a matter of weeks ago. Support for the Party of Hope founded by popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike fizzled after an initial blaze of publicity and was on track to win around 50 seats, according to the NHK projection with a handful still to call. Speaking from Paris where she was attending an event in her capacity as leader of the world's biggest city, a sullen-faced Koike said it was a "very severe result." "As the person who launched the party, I will take responsibility," pledged Koike. The new centre-left Constitutional Democratic Party fared slightly better than expected but still trailed far behind Abe with a projected 50 seats. "The LDP's victory is simply because the opposition couldn't form a united front," political scientist Mikitaka Masuyama from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, told AFP. 'Sink' Japan The short 12-day campaign was dominated by the economy and the global crisis over North Korea, which has threatened to "sink" Japan into the sea and engaged in a war of words with Trump. Hawkish Abe stuck to a hardline stance throughout, stressing that Japan "would not waver" in the face of an increasingly belligerent regime in Pyongyang. But many voters said reviving the once-mighty Japanese economy was the top priority, with Abe's trademark "Abenomics" growth policy failing to trickle down to the general public. "Neither pensions nor wages are getting better... I don't feel the economy is recovering at all," said 67-year-old pensioner Hideki Kawasaki. Although voters turned out in their millions to back Abe, he enjoys only lukewarm support and surveys showed his decision to call a snap election a year earlier than expected was unpopular. "I totally oppose the current government. Morals collapsed. I'm afraid this country will be broken," said 84-year-old voter Etsuko Nakajima. 'I'm quite disappointed' Koike briefly promised to shake up Japan's sleepy political scene with her new party but she declined to run herself for a seat, sparking confusion over who would be prime minister if she won. In the end the 65-year-old former TV presenter was not even in Japan on election day. "I thought that I would vote for the Party of Hope if it's strong enough to beat the Abe administration. But the party has been in confusion ... I'm quite disappointed," said 80-year-old pensioner Kumiko Fujimori. The campaign was marked by a near-constant drizzle in large parts of the country and rallies frequently took place under shelter and a sea of umbrellas. But this did not dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of doughty, sash-wearing parliamentary hopefuls, who have driven around in minibusses pleading for votes via loudspeaker and bowing deeply to every potential voter.

Shinzo Abe cruises to 'super-majority' win in Japan vote

Typhoon Lan with heavy rains and destructive winds is expected to hit southern Japan on Sunday when the nation holds a national election, forcing officials in Okinawa to stage voting a day early on some remote islands.

The Category 1 typhoon, located east of the Philippines on Friday morning and moving north, is expected to gain strength as it comes some 200 km (125 miles) east of Japan&#39;s southern island of Okinawa by Sunday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

&quot;It will likely rain very heavily in the Nansei island chain (in southern Japan), in the Pacific side of western and eastern Japan from the 21st to 23rd. There is a chance it will rain violently in some regions,&quot; the agency said in a statement.

According to the Tropical Storm Risk website, the typhoon will likely strengthen to category 3, but weaken again by the time it brushes past Tokyo on Monday.

Local authorities in Okinawa have decided to move the voting date to Saturday for some remote islands.

Tomoaki Iwai, a political science professor at Nihon University, said the adverse weather is likely to hurt the standing of a new party led by popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, the Party of Hope.

&quot;Voters with no party affiliation tend not to go and vote (under the bad weather). So, parties that are dependent on the general mood of the voters at a given time, like the Party of Hope, are set to suffer,&quot; Iwai said.

He said some supporters of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe&#39;s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) may opt not to brave the weather and vote as well, believing, based on recent media polls, the ruling party has got the election in the bag.

The LDP-led coalition is on track to roughly match the two-thirds &quot;super majority&quot; it held in parliament&#39;s lower house before dissolution, helped by divisions in the opposition camp and jitters over North Korea&#39;s nuclear and missile programmes, media forecasts have said.

The Category 1 typhoon, located east of the Philippines on Friday morning is expected to gain strength as it comes some 200 km (125 miles) east of Japan's southern island of Okinawa by Sunday

Typhoon Lan with heavy rains and destructive winds is expected to hit southern Japan on Sunday when the nation holds a national election, forcing officials in Okinawa to stage voting a day early on some remote islands. The Category 1 typhoon, located east of the Philippines on Friday morning and moving north, is expected to gain strength as it comes some 200 km (125 miles) east of Japan's southern island of Okinawa by Sunday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. "It will likely rain very heavily in the Nansei island chain (in southern Japan), in the Pacific side of western and eastern Japan from the 21st to 23rd. There is a chance it will rain violently in some regions," the agency said in a statement. According to the Tropical Storm Risk website, the typhoon will likely strengthen to category 3, but weaken again by the time it brushes past Tokyo on Monday. Local authorities in Okinawa have decided to move the voting date to Saturday for some remote islands. Tomoaki Iwai, a political science professor at Nihon University, said the adverse weather is likely to hurt the standing of a new party led by popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, the Party of Hope. "Voters with no party affiliation tend not to go and vote (under the bad weather). So, parties that are dependent on the general mood of the voters at a given time, like the Party of Hope, are set to suffer," Iwai said. He said some supporters of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) may opt not to brave the weather and vote as well, believing, based on recent media polls, the ruling party has got the election in the bag. The LDP-led coalition is on track to roughly match the two-thirds "super majority" it held in parliament's lower house before dissolution, helped by divisions in the opposition camp and jitters over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, media forecasts have said.

Typhoon bears down on Japan, will hinder voting in national election

A&nbsp;Japanese sports official promised on Friday to work with the builder of a showpiece stadium for the 2020&nbsp;Olympics to stamp out &quot;death by&nbsp;overwork&quot;, a designation authorities applied last week to the suicide of a stadium worker.

The parents of the 23-year-old petitioned the government this year to recognise his suicide as &quot;karoshi&quot; - or &quot;death by&nbsp;overwork&quot;, with media saying he had worked 200 hours of overtime a month before his death.

&quot;To our regret, illegal overtime was recognised as a result of inspection by the labour ministry,&quot; said Tadashi Mochizuki, director of stadium manager the&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;Sport Council (JSC), which is part of a joint venture with construction firm Taisei Corp.

&quot;We, JSC and Taisei, took it sincerely and we&#39;ll do the utmost (to comply with the law) in proceeding with construction.&quot;

Authorities unveiled a model of the new stadium in the&nbsp;Japanese capital, which is set to be completed in November 2019, after construction begun in December 2016.

Japan&#39;s fast-ageing society has left employers grappling with an acute labour shortage. It officially recognises two types of &quot;karoshi&quot;: cardiovascular illness linked to&nbsp;overwork, and suicide following mental stress related to work.

Employers face few curbs on overtime and pay so that&nbsp;more&nbsp;than a fifth of company staff exceeded a government overtime threshold of 80 hours a month, a white paper showed in 2016.

The trend was spotlighted by a high-profile death&nbsp;from&nbsp;overwork&nbsp;in 2015 at advertising giant Dentsu Inc. Last week, public broadcaster NHK said a 31-year-old reporter died four years ago of overwork.

To tackle the problem, the government plans sweeping reforms of job practices, including overtime caps and better pay for part-time and contract workers.

&nbsp;

The parents of the 23-year-old petitioned the government this year to recognise his suicide as "karoshi" - or "death by?overwork", with media saying he had worked 200 hours of overtime a month before his death

A Japanese sports official promised on Friday to work with the builder of a showpiece stadium for the 2020 Olympics to stamp out "death by overwork", a designation authorities applied last week to the suicide of a stadium worker. The parents of the 23-year-old petitioned the government this year to recognise his suicide as "karoshi" - or "death by overwork", with media saying he had worked 200 hours of overtime a month before his death. "To our regret, illegal overtime was recognised as a result of inspection by the labour ministry," said Tadashi Mochizuki, director of stadium manager the Japan Sport Council (JSC), which is part of a joint venture with construction firm Taisei Corp. "We, JSC and Taisei, took it sincerely and we'll do the utmost (to comply with the law) in proceeding with construction." Authorities unveiled a model of the new stadium in the Japanese capital, which is set to be completed in November 2019, after construction begun in December 2016. Japan's fast-ageing society has left employers grappling with an acute labour shortage. It officially recognises two types of "karoshi": cardiovascular illness linked to overwork, and suicide following mental stress related to work. Employers face few curbs on overtime and pay so that more than a fifth of company staff exceeded a government overtime threshold of 80 hours a month, a white paper showed in 2016. The trend was spotlighted by a high-profile death from overwork in 2015 at advertising giant Dentsu Inc. Last week, public broadcaster NHK said a 31-year-old reporter died four years ago of overwork. To tackle the problem, the government plans sweeping reforms of job practices, including overtime caps and better pay for part-time and contract workers.

Japan vows no more deaths from overwork while building Olympic arena

Japan&#39;s public broadcaster has vowed to reform its working practices after&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-russian-reporter-punched-live-on-air-18521" target="_blank">it revealed that a young reporter died</a> of heart failure after logging 159 hours of overtime in a month.

NHK reporter Miwa Sado, 31, who had been covering political news in Tokyo, was found dead in her bed in July 2013, reportedly clutching her mobile phone.

A year later, Japanese authorities said her death was linked to excessive overtime. She had two days off in the month before she died.

NHK eventually made the case public four years afterwards, bowing to pressure from Sado&#39;s parents to take action to prevent a recurrence.

The case again highlights the Japanese problem of karoshi, or death from overwork, amid the country&#39;s notoriously long work hours.

It is also an embarrassing revelation for NHK, which has campaigned against the nation&#39;s long working culture.

Sato covered Tokyo assembly elections in June 2013 and an upper-house vote for the national parliament the following month.

She died three days after the upper-house election.

&quot;My heart breaks at the thought that she may have wanted to call me&quot; in her last moments, her mother told the Asahi daily.

&quot;With Miwa gone, I feel like half of my body has been torn off. I won&#39;t be able to laugh for real for the rest of my life.&quot;

The revelation shocked the nation as NHK has actively reported tragic deaths at other companies, including the 2015 suicide of a young woman at major advertising agency Dentsu after logging more than 100 hours of overtime a month.

The chief of NHK has pledged to improve work conditions at the broadcaster. &nbsp;

&quot;We are sorry that we lost an excellent reporter and take seriously the fact that her death was recognised as work-related,&quot; President Ryoichi Ueda said Thursday.

&quot;We will continue to work for reform in cooperation with her parents,&quot; he told reporters.

The case highlights the Japanese problem of karoshi, or death from overwork, amid the country's notoriously long work hours.

Japan's public broadcaster has vowed to reform its working practices after it revealed that a young reporter died of heart failure after logging 159 hours of overtime in a month. NHK reporter Miwa Sado, 31, who had been covering political news in Tokyo, was found dead in her bed in July 2013, reportedly clutching her mobile phone. A year later, Japanese authorities said her death was linked to excessive overtime. She had two days off in the month before she died. NHK eventually made the case public four years afterwards, bowing to pressure from Sado's parents to take action to prevent a recurrence. The case again highlights the Japanese problem of karoshi, or death from overwork, amid the country's notoriously long work hours. It is also an embarrassing revelation for NHK, which has campaigned against the nation's long working culture. Sato covered Tokyo assembly elections in June 2013 and an upper-house vote for the national parliament the following month. She died three days after the upper-house election. "My heart breaks at the thought that she may have wanted to call me" in her last moments, her mother told the Asahi daily. "With Miwa gone, I feel like half of my body has been torn off. I won't be able to laugh for real for the rest of my life." The revelation shocked the nation as NHK has actively reported tragic deaths at other companies, including the 2015 suicide of a young woman at major advertising agency Dentsu after logging more than 100 hours of overtime a month. The chief of NHK has pledged to improve work conditions at the broadcaster. "We are sorry that we lost an excellent reporter and take seriously the fact that her death was recognised as work-related," President Ryoichi Ueda said Thursday. "We will continue to work for reform in cooperation with her parents," he told reporters.

Japanese reporter died after 159 hours of overtime, govt reported her death after 4 years

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe officially dissolved parliament Thursday, effectively kicking off a national election campaign where he faces an unexpected and formidable challenge from the popular governor of Tokyo.

Members of the lower house raised their arms and shouted &quot;Banzai&quot; three times -- the Japanese equivalent of &quot;three cheers&quot; -- after the speaker read out a letter from Abe officially dissolving the chamber.

Voters in the world&#39;s third-biggest economy are expected to go to the polls on October 22, as Abe seeks a fresh popular mandate for his hardline stance on North Korea and a new tax plan.

&quot;A difficult battle starts today,&quot; Abe told reporters, shaking his fist.

&quot;This is an election about how to protect the lives of people,&quot; said the premier. &quot;We have to cooperate with the international community as we face the threat from North Korea.&quot;

Abe asked for public support for his &quot;strong diplomacy&quot; on North Korea, which has threatened to &quot;sink&quot; Japan into the sea and fired missiles at its northern Hokkaido island twice in the space of a month.

&quot;We need to fight for our children&#39;s future.&quot;

Party of Hope

Abe stunned Japan on Monday with a surprise call for a snap election, seeking to capitalise on a weak opposition and a boost in the polls, as voters welcome his hawkish North Korea policy.

But Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has upended Japanese politics in recent days, stealing Abe&#39;s limelight with her newly launched &quot;Party of Hope&quot; that seeks to shake up the country&#39;s lethargic political landscape.

Koike&#39;s new party, formally unveiled Wednesday, has attracted an influx of lawmakers from a wide range of ideological backgrounds and could unify opposition to Abe, presenting Japanese voters with a credible alternative to the premier.

For the moment, although Koike is leading the party, she is not running for a seat in parliament, preferring to concentrate on governing the world&#39;s most populous city in the run-up to the 2020 Olympic Games.

But pundits say the charismatic former TV presenter, 65, could yet go all-in on her high-stakes gamble if she thought she could deflect criticism for ditching her current job after only a year.

&quot;The party may gain some seats in the Tokyo area, but a risk for her is that voters may feel betrayed as they voted for her as Tokyo governor and now she is working in national politics,&quot; Kensuke Takayasu, professor of political science at Seikei University, told AFP.

Vacuum

But surveys show that Koike&#39;s gambit is starting to put pressure on Abe, 63, who seemed to be a shoo-in for a fourth term at the helm.

Abe enjoyed a healthy lead in the polls of more than 30 points only a week ago but the gap appeared to have narrowed following Koike&#39;s high-profile announcement.

A survey in the Mainichi Shimbun suggested that 29 percent of voters would cast ballots for Abe&#39;s conservative LDP, while 18 percent would vote for the Party of Hope.

Abe returned to power in December 2012 and has pushed a nationalist social agenda as well as packages of big-spending, easy money programmes to end deflation and to kick-start the once world-beating economy.

The scion of a political dynasty, Abe had promised to achieve two-percent inflation and stable growth in two years, but nearly five years later, he has failed to deliver on those pledges.

He said on Monday he would use a planned hike in consumption tax from eight percent to 10 percent for new social spending, such as free early childhood education while pushing back his pledges to restore the nation&#39;s fiscal discipline.

Critics argue that Abe called the election to divert attention from a series of scandals in recent months that weighed on his popularity, including allegations of favouritism to a friend in a business deal which the premier strongly denies.

The timing of the election, amid the North Korean crisis, has also faced questions, including from Koike, who said it created a &quot;vacuum&quot; at a time of national tension.

Media-savvy Koike has vowed a break with old-school politics, promising to &quot;reset&quot; Japan and carry out reforms that are un-tied to vested interests.&nbsp;

She hopes to put up as many as 100 candidates in the election.

Members of the lower house raised their arms and shouted 'Banzai' three times -- the Japanese equivalent of "three cheers" -- after the speaker read out a letter from Abe officially dissolving the chamber

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe officially dissolved parliament Thursday, effectively kicking off a national election campaign where he faces an unexpected and formidable challenge from the popular governor of Tokyo. Members of the lower house raised their arms and shouted "Banzai" three times -- the Japanese equivalent of "three cheers" -- after the speaker read out a letter from Abe officially dissolving the chamber. Voters in the world's third-biggest economy are expected to go to the polls on October 22, as Abe seeks a fresh popular mandate for his hardline stance on North Korea and a new tax plan. "A difficult battle starts today," Abe told reporters, shaking his fist. "This is an election about how to protect the lives of people," said the premier. "We have to cooperate with the international community as we face the threat from North Korea." Abe asked for public support for his "strong diplomacy" on North Korea, which has threatened to "sink" Japan into the sea and fired missiles at its northern Hokkaido island twice in the space of a month. "We need to fight for our children's future." Party of Hope Abe stunned Japan on Monday with a surprise call for a snap election, seeking to capitalise on a weak opposition and a boost in the polls, as voters welcome his hawkish North Korea policy. But Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has upended Japanese politics in recent days, stealing Abe's limelight with her newly launched "Party of Hope" that seeks to shake up the country's lethargic political landscape. Koike's new party, formally unveiled Wednesday, has attracted an influx of lawmakers from a wide range of ideological backgrounds and could unify opposition to Abe, presenting Japanese voters with a credible alternative to the premier. For the moment, although Koike is leading the party, she is not running for a seat in parliament, preferring to concentrate on governing the world's most populous city in the run-up to the 2020 Olympic Games. But pundits say the charismatic former TV presenter, 65, could yet go all-in on her high-stakes gamble if she thought she could deflect criticism for ditching her current job after only a year. "The party may gain some seats in the Tokyo area, but a risk for her is that voters may feel betrayed as they voted for her as Tokyo governor and now she is working in national politics," Kensuke Takayasu, professor of political science at Seikei University, told AFP. Vacuum But surveys show that Koike's gambit is starting to put pressure on Abe, 63, who seemed to be a shoo-in for a fourth term at the helm. Abe enjoyed a healthy lead in the polls of more than 30 points only a week ago but the gap appeared to have narrowed following Koike's high-profile announcement. A survey in the Mainichi Shimbun suggested that 29 percent of voters would cast ballots for Abe's conservative LDP, while 18 percent would vote for the Party of Hope. Abe returned to power in December 2012 and has pushed a nationalist social agenda as well as packages of big-spending, easy money programmes to end deflation and to kick-start the once world-beating economy. The scion of a political dynasty, Abe had promised to achieve two-percent inflation and stable growth in two years, but nearly five years later, he has failed to deliver on those pledges. He said on Monday he would use a planned hike in consumption tax from eight percent to 10 percent for new social spending, such as free early childhood education while pushing back his pledges to restore the nation's fiscal discipline. Critics argue that Abe called the election to divert attention from a series of scandals in recent months that weighed on his popularity, including allegations of favouritism to a friend in a business deal which the premier strongly denies. The timing of the election, amid the North Korean crisis, has also faced questions, including from Koike, who said it created a "vacuum" at a time of national tension. Media-savvy Koike has vowed a break with old-school politics, promising to "reset" Japan and carry out reforms that are un-tied to vested interests. She hopes to put up as many as 100 candidates in the election.

Japan's Abe calls snap election, faces challenge from Governor Koike

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called a snap election even as tensions with North Korea continued to destabilise the Korean peninsula.

&quot;I will dissolve the House of Representatives on the 28th&nbsp;of September,&quot;&nbsp;Abe told reporters today.

The Japanese Prime Minister has been leading in the popularity polls recently which is up 20 per cent from 30 per cent in July.

The main opposition Democratic Party is struggling with single-digit ratings, Reuters reported.

Developing

"I will dissolve the House of Representatives on the 28th of September," Abe told reporters.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called a snap election even as tensions with North Korea continued to destabilise the Korean peninsula. "I will dissolve the House of Representatives on the 28th of September," Abe told reporters today. The Japanese Prime Minister has been leading in the popularity polls recently which is up 20 per cent from 30 per cent in July. The main opposition Democratic Party is struggling with single-digit ratings, Reuters reported. Developing

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe calls snap elections amid tensions with North Korea

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-crisis-boosts-japans-hawkish-pm-analysts-20374">Japan</a> will&nbsp;deploy an additional missile defence system on its northern island of Hokkaido, a defence ministry spokesman told AFP, days after North Korea launched a missile over the island.

&quot;We are deploying a PAC-3 system at about&nbsp;noon&quot; to a base of the nation&#39;s Ground Self-Defense Force in the southern tip of Hokkaido, said Kensaku Mizuseki.

According to local officials, Japan has already deployed the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile defence system to another part of Hokkaido.

But Mizuseki declined to confirm where in Japan other PAC-3 systems were deployed, citing the sensitive nature of defence information.

The move comes with tensions on the Korean peninsula at fever-pitch after Pyongyang carried out its sixth nuclear test and fired two missiles over Japan in the space of less than a month, sparking emergency warnings to take cover.

North Korea has threatened to &quot;sink&quot; Japan into the sea and said&nbsp;Saturday&nbsp;that it sought military &quot;equilibrium&quot; with arch-enemy the United States by developing a full nuclear arsenal.

For his part, hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he would &quot;never tolerate&quot; the North&#39;s &quot;dangerous provocative action&quot; and has urged the international community to ramp up pressure on Pyongyang.

The UN Security Council, which condemned the launch as &quot;highly provocative,&quot; will hold a new ministerial-level meeting&nbsp;Thursday&nbsp;on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, focused on enforcing sanctions on the North Korean regime.

The move comes with tensions on the Korean peninsula at fever-pitch after Pyongyang carried out its sixth nuclear test and fired two missiles over Japan in the space of less than a month, sparking emergency warnings to take cover

Japan will deploy an additional missile defence system on its northern island of Hokkaido, a defence ministry spokesman told AFP, days after North Korea launched a missile over the island. "We are deploying a PAC-3 system at about noon" to a base of the nation's Ground Self-Defense Force in the southern tip of Hokkaido, said Kensaku Mizuseki. According to local officials, Japan has already deployed the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile defence system to another part of Hokkaido. But Mizuseki declined to confirm where in Japan other PAC-3 systems were deployed, citing the sensitive nature of defence information. The move comes with tensions on the Korean peninsula at fever-pitch after Pyongyang carried out its sixth nuclear test and fired two missiles over Japan in the space of less than a month, sparking emergency warnings to take cover. North Korea has threatened to "sink" Japan into the sea and said Saturday that it sought military "equilibrium" with arch-enemy the United States by developing a full nuclear arsenal. For his part, hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he would "never tolerate" the North's "dangerous provocative action" and has urged the international community to ramp up pressure on Pyongyang. The UN Security Council, which condemned the launch as "highly provocative," will hold a new ministerial-level meeting Thursday on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, focused on enforcing sanctions on the North Korean regime.

Japan to deploy additional missile defence system in north: Defence ministry

The North Korea crisis has been like &quot;divine aid&quot; for hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, experts say, burnishing his nationalist credentials and possibly tempting him into a snap election.

Abe is aiming to capitalise on a public perception of strong leadership in a time of crisis, as well as an opposition in turmoil, and is reportedly considering a vote as soon as late October.

Analysts say North Korea&#39;s provocative actions -- including a nuclear test and two missile launches over Japan -- have fanned the fears of Japanese voters, and Abe will use the crisis to justify his call for an early general election.

&quot;For Abe, it&#39;s like divine aid,&quot; Shinichi Nishikawa, a political analyst at Meiji University, told AFP.

The crisis has diverted attention away from a series of scandals that have pushed down Abe&#39;s approval ratings, including allegations of favouritism to a friend in a business deal, which the premier strongly denies.

During the scandals, &quot;people thought that he wouldn&#39;t last, but by using his sense of crisis, Abe has managed to turn the situation around,&quot; said Nishikawa.

Abe has sought to deliver a strong but reassuring message to a jittery population by reacting swiftly to missile launches and insisting his government has &quot;complete grasp&quot; of each projectile&#39;s path.

He has also promised to do his best to &quot;secure people&#39;s safety and security&quot;, with the government issuing rapid warnings to residents, complete with sirens and emergency text messages.

In a Yomiuri Shimbun survey released last week, half of respondents approved of Abe&#39;s efforts to deal with the crisis compared to 37 percent with the opposite view.

&quot;A sense of crisis has arisen among the Japanese people and they believe the country needs a hawkish leader now,&quot; said historian Hideaki Kase.

&quot;It is no wonder Abe&#39;s support ratings went up as North Korean tensions rose,&quot; he added.

&#39;Good chance&#39; for Abe 
Political blue-blood Abe, in office since late December 2012, has pushed a nationalist agenda alongside a massive policy effort to end years of on-off deflation and rejuvenate the world&#39;s third-largest economy.

Some commentators have suggested that Abe&#39;s government is playing up the North Korean threat to Japan in order to bolster his bid to revise the pacifist constitution.

When the sirens went off on Friday, many Japanese felt a sense of helplessness, with only a matter of minutes to take shelter and few practical places to hide.

&quot;I&#39;m wondering if the alert system is practical or not,&quot; Nishikawa said. &quot;This could be rather a gesture to show their seriousness or justify the budget to beef up defence systems.&quot;

But Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies at Temple University Japan, says the current crisis is too serious to be playing politics.

&quot;Does the government take advantage of the situation and even exaggerate the risk to the Japanese population? No, in the sense that it is really a crisis,&quot; he said, while admitting that alerting the population just minutes before impact is &quot;a bit ridiculous.&quot;

Abe&#39;s reported decision to call an election also came as the opposition camp struggles to offer a political alternative, with the largest opposition Democratic Party (DP) suffering a string of defections despite a recent change in leadership.

The DP&#39;s decline accelerated in 2011 when the party, then in power, came under fire for poor crisis management over the Fukushima disaster, the world&#39;s worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

&quot;It&#39;s good timing for (Abe&#39;s conservative party) the LDP as the main opposition is on the verge of falling apart,&quot; noted Toshihiko Matsuno, chief strategist at SMBC Friend Securities.

&quot;They couldn&#39;t do this before due to sagging support rates but they see a good chance.&quot;

However, the LDP suffered a drubbing in local Tokyo elections in July, which analysts and newspapers blamed on an increasing &quot;arrogance&quot; on the part of the prime minister.

And some experts warned him against taking the election gamble.

&quot;The North Korea crisis is one of the factors pushing Prime Minister Abe for snap elections,&quot; said Naoto Nonaka, professor of politics at Gakushuin University in Tokyo.

&quot;But I don&#39;t think it&#39;s a wise decision to call it now, which will merely fuel unnecessary fears among voters by inflating the sense of crisis without giving concrete measures to settle the issue,&quot; Nonaka told AFP. 
&nbsp;

Analysts says North Korea's provocative actions have fanned the fears of Japanese voters, and Abe will use the crisis to justify his call for an early general election

The North Korea crisis has been like "divine aid" for hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, experts say, burnishing his nationalist credentials and possibly tempting him into a snap election. Abe is aiming to capitalise on a public perception of strong leadership in a time of crisis, as well as an opposition in turmoil, and is reportedly considering a vote as soon as late October. Analysts say North Korea's provocative actions -- including a nuclear test and two missile launches over Japan -- have fanned the fears of Japanese voters, and Abe will use the crisis to justify his call for an early general election. "For Abe, it's like divine aid," Shinichi Nishikawa, a political analyst at Meiji University, told AFP. The crisis has diverted attention away from a series of scandals that have pushed down Abe's approval ratings, including allegations of favouritism to a friend in a business deal, which the premier strongly denies. During the scandals, "people thought that he wouldn't last, but by using his sense of crisis, Abe has managed to turn the situation around," said Nishikawa. Abe has sought to deliver a strong but reassuring message to a jittery population by reacting swiftly to missile launches and insisting his government has "complete grasp" of each projectile's path. He has also promised to do his best to "secure people's safety and security", with the government issuing rapid warnings to residents, complete with sirens and emergency text messages. In a Yomiuri Shimbun survey released last week, half of respondents approved of Abe's efforts to deal with the crisis compared to 37 percent with the opposite view. "A sense of crisis has arisen among the Japanese people and they believe the country needs a hawkish leader now," said historian Hideaki Kase. "It is no wonder Abe's support ratings went up as North Korean tensions rose," he added. 'Good chance' for Abe Political blue-blood Abe, in office since late December 2012, has pushed a nationalist agenda alongside a massive policy effort to end years of on-off deflation and rejuvenate the world's third-largest economy. Some commentators have suggested that Abe's government is playing up the North Korean threat to Japan in order to bolster his bid to revise the pacifist constitution. When the sirens went off on Friday, many Japanese felt a sense of helplessness, with only a matter of minutes to take shelter and few practical places to hide. "I'm wondering if the alert system is practical or not," Nishikawa said. "This could be rather a gesture to show their seriousness or justify the budget to beef up defence systems." But Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies at Temple University Japan, says the current crisis is too serious to be playing politics. "Does the government take advantage of the situation and even exaggerate the risk to the Japanese population? No, in the sense that it is really a crisis," he said, while admitting that alerting the population just minutes before impact is "a bit ridiculous." Abe's reported decision to call an election also came as the opposition camp struggles to offer a political alternative, with the largest opposition Democratic Party (DP) suffering a string of defections despite a recent change in leadership. The DP's decline accelerated in 2011 when the party, then in power, came under fire for poor crisis management over the Fukushima disaster, the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. "It's good timing for (Abe's conservative party) the LDP as the main opposition is on the verge of falling apart," noted Toshihiko Matsuno, chief strategist at SMBC Friend Securities. "They couldn't do this before due to sagging support rates but they see a good chance." However, the LDP suffered a drubbing in local Tokyo elections in July, which analysts and newspapers blamed on an increasing "arrogance" on the part of the prime minister. And some experts warned him against taking the election gamble. "The North Korea crisis is one of the factors pushing Prime Minister Abe for snap elections," said Naoto Nonaka, professor of politics at Gakushuin University in Tokyo. "But I don't think it's a wise decision to call it now, which will merely fuel unnecessary fears among voters by inflating the sense of crisis without giving concrete measures to settle the issue," Nonaka told AFP.

North Korea crisis boosts Japan's hawkish PM: Analysts

&quot;Missile launch! Missile launch! A missile appears to have been launched from North Korea. Take cover in a building or underground.&quot;

To the accompaniment of blaring sirens and emergency phone alerts, that was the terrifying loudspeaker message that jolted millions of Japanese awake in the early hours as North Korea blasted its second missile over the country in less than a month.

But for local residents on the flightpath over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, there was no question of this becoming a routine event.

&quot;I cannot say that we are used to this. I mean, the missile flew right above our town. It&#39;s not a very comforting thing to hear,&quot; said Yoshihiro Saito, who works in the small fishing town of Erimo on Hokkaido.

&quot;It&#39;s pretty scary. I heard that it went 2,000 kilometres in the Pacific and dropped in the sea&quot; where 16 of his ships were operating under the missile&#39;s flight path.

Citizens in earthquake-prone Japan are well-drilled in seeking cover when emergency strikes but with only a matter of minutes from launch to impact, several residents voiced a feeling of helplessness.

&quot;It&#39;s really scary. The government tells us to flee to stable buildings but we can&#39;t do that quickly. Our colleagues offshore can never take cover,&quot; said Yoichi Takahashi, 57, a fisheries official in Kushiro on Hokkaido.

&quot;It has now happened twice to us ... We&#39;ll have restless days from now on,&quot; Takahashi told AFP.

Isamu Oya, 67, a sushi restaurant owner in Erimo, told AFP: &quot;The government told us to take cover in a stable building or underground, but there isn&#39;t one here. We have no choice but just do nothing.

&quot;Scary? Yes, but we can&#39;t help it.&quot;

Dangerous provocative action

Breakfast television programmes across Japan, usually broadcasting a light-hearted diet of children&#39;s shows and gadget features, instead flashed up the warning message as the intermediate range ballistic missile flew overhead.

Mobile carriers in Japan sent automatic text messages to rouse customers awake.

Train services between Japan&#39;s main island and Hokkaido were temporarily suspended after the launch and bullet train services were also halted.

Airports in the area appeared to be unaffected, however, with Shinya Matsuura, an official at Obihiro airport, near the missile&#39;s flightpath, telling AFP that passengers there were calm and quiet.

&quot;We are just relieved it did not affect us.&quot;

An ashen looking Shinzo Abe, Japan&#39;s prime minister, said his country could &quot;never tolerate&quot; such &quot;dangerous provocative action that threatens world peace&quot;.

&quot;If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future. We must make North Korea understand this,&quot; he added.

The Japanese government said its priority was to ensure the safety of its citizens.

There were no immediate reports of falling debris or damage but Tokyo stressed that a missile launch without warning could have destroyed shipping or aircraft in the area.

But some locals living on the missile flight path fretted that repeated missile launches could have a damaging impact on their day-to-day lives.

&quot;We are afraid that this may have an impact on our life, ranging from fishing to tourism,&quot; said Hironori Matsura, an official at the anti-disaster division at Erimo town hall.

Sushi chef Oya said he thought the missile wouldn&#39;t affect his trade as most of his customers were local but acknowledged that &quot;I&#39;m afraid this may affect a flow of tourism to Erimo&quot;.

Meanwhile, others displayed a grim determination that life would go on.

Saito admitted that the missile has been dominating conversation in the town -- &quot;like how scary it is&quot; -- but said: &quot;No one really has talked about stopping their work or suspending their operations.&quot;

Residents woke up to blaring loudspeakers alerting them of the missile launch by North Korea, its second over Japan in a month

"Missile launch! Missile launch! A missile appears to have been launched from North Korea. Take cover in a building or underground." To the accompaniment of blaring sirens and emergency phone alerts, that was the terrifying loudspeaker message that jolted millions of Japanese awake in the early hours as North Korea blasted its second missile over the country in less than a month. But for local residents on the flightpath over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, there was no question of this becoming a routine event. "I cannot say that we are used to this. I mean, the missile flew right above our town. It's not a very comforting thing to hear," said Yoshihiro Saito, who works in the small fishing town of Erimo on Hokkaido. "It's pretty scary. I heard that it went 2,000 kilometres in the Pacific and dropped in the sea" where 16 of his ships were operating under the missile's flight path. Citizens in earthquake-prone Japan are well-drilled in seeking cover when emergency strikes but with only a matter of minutes from launch to impact, several residents voiced a feeling of helplessness. "It's really scary. The government tells us to flee to stable buildings but we can't do that quickly. Our colleagues offshore can never take cover," said Yoichi Takahashi, 57, a fisheries official in Kushiro on Hokkaido. "It has now happened twice to us ... We'll have restless days from now on," Takahashi told AFP. Isamu Oya, 67, a sushi restaurant owner in Erimo, told AFP: "The government told us to take cover in a stable building or underground, but there isn't one here. We have no choice but just do nothing. "Scary? Yes, but we can't help it." Dangerous provocative action Breakfast television programmes across Japan, usually broadcasting a light-hearted diet of children's shows and gadget features, instead flashed up the warning message as the intermediate range ballistic missile flew overhead. Mobile carriers in Japan sent automatic text messages to rouse customers awake. Train services between Japan's main island and Hokkaido were temporarily suspended after the launch and bullet train services were also halted. Airports in the area appeared to be unaffected, however, with Shinya Matsuura, an official at Obihiro airport, near the missile's flightpath, telling AFP that passengers there were calm and quiet. "We are just relieved it did not affect us." An ashen looking Shinzo Abe, Japan's prime minister, said his country could "never tolerate" such "dangerous provocative action that threatens world peace". "If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future. We must make North Korea understand this," he added. The Japanese government said its priority was to ensure the safety of its citizens. There were no immediate reports of falling debris or damage but Tokyo stressed that a missile launch without warning could have destroyed shipping or aircraft in the area. But some locals living on the missile flight path fretted that repeated missile launches could have a damaging impact on their day-to-day lives. "We are afraid that this may have an impact on our life, ranging from fishing to tourism," said Hironori Matsura, an official at the anti-disaster division at Erimo town hall. Sushi chef Oya said he thought the missile wouldn't affect his trade as most of his customers were local but acknowledged that "I'm afraid this may affect a flow of tourism to Erimo". Meanwhile, others displayed a grim determination that life would go on. Saito admitted that the missile has been dominating conversation in the town -- "like how scary it is" -- but said: "No one really has talked about stopping their work or suspending their operations."

'Missile launch, take cover': How Japan woke up Friday

Rattled by the recent spate of train derailments in the country, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday, assured the people about the ambitious project and said that that the bullet train has not seen a single accident in Japan.

&quot;It has been a zero-accident train in Japan and I am sure the track record will remain the same in India,&quot; Piyush Goyal said.

Ahead of Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of the bullet train project, Goyal said that the country`s rail network will be transformed and revolutionised with the initiative.

&quot;Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given directions for a holistic development of the Indian Railways,&quot; Goyal said, adding, India`s transport sector is all set to change and &quot;it is indeed a matter of celebration.&quot; Goyal further said that the new initiative will help boost the employment in the country. &quot;The coming of bullet trains to India will not only boost employment , but also will help India to export it,&quot; he said.

Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe will also be visiting India to attend the `Bhoomi Poojan` and foundation stone laying ceremony of the Rs. 97,636-crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail link, using Japanese bullet-train technology. During the visit, Prime Minister Abe will also hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi and is expected to serve as the &quot;top salesman&quot; for the adoption of the Shinkansen technology by other Indian railway systems, with China also aiming to win orders for the projects, the Japan Times had reported, earlier in August.

The 500-km railway will link Mumbai and Ahmedabad in western India, with services planned to commence in 2023. This train is based on Japanese high-speed technology called Shinkansen, known for its safety and comfort. India has pledged to build high-speed railways, focused on the four major cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

When Prime Minister Modi went to Japan last November, he travelled by Shinkansen with his Japanese counterpart from Tokyo to Kobe to visit a bullet-train plant of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., a maker of Shinkansen cars.

'It has been a zero-accident train in Japan and I am sure the track record will remain the same in India,' the new railway miniser said

Rattled by the recent spate of train derailments in the country, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday, assured the people about the ambitious project and said that that the bullet train has not seen a single accident in Japan. "It has been a zero-accident train in Japan and I am sure the track record will remain the same in India," Piyush Goyal said. Ahead of Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of the bullet train project, Goyal said that the country`s rail network will be transformed and revolutionised with the initiative. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given directions for a holistic development of the Indian Railways," Goyal said, adding, India`s transport sector is all set to change and "it is indeed a matter of celebration." Goyal further said that the new initiative will help boost the employment in the country. "The coming of bullet trains to India will not only boost employment , but also will help India to export it," he said. Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe will also be visiting India to attend the `Bhoomi Poojan` and foundation stone laying ceremony of the Rs. 97,636-crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail link, using Japanese bullet-train technology. During the visit, Prime Minister Abe will also hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi and is expected to serve as the "top salesman" for the adoption of the Shinkansen technology by other Indian railway systems, with China also aiming to win orders for the projects, the Japan Times had reported, earlier in August. The 500-km railway will link Mumbai and Ahmedabad in western India, with services planned to commence in 2023. This train is based on Japanese high-speed technology called Shinkansen, known for its safety and comfort. India has pledged to build high-speed railways, focused on the four major cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. When Prime Minister Modi went to Japan last November, he travelled by Shinkansen with his Japanese counterpart from Tokyo to Kobe to visit a bullet-train plant of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., a maker of Shinkansen cars.

Piyush Goyal assures people Indian bullet train will be safe

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would allow Japan and South Korea to buy more &quot;highly sophisticated&quot; US military equipment, amid soaring tensions after Pyongyang&#39;s latest atomic test.

&quot;I am allowing Japan &amp; South Korea to buy a substantially increased amount of highly sophisticated military equipment from the United States,&quot; Trump said in a tweet.

Trump&#39;s statement came after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/46-quake-detected-in-n-korea-due-to-cave-in-china-19810">North Korea on Sunday detonated what it described as a hydrogen bomb</a> designed for a long-range missile, sparking global alarm with what was by far its most powerful test to date.

On Monday, the South&#39;s military launched a volley of ballistic missiles simulating an attack on the North&#39;s nuclear test site.

Trump did not elaborate on the kind of weaponry and equipment he had in mind, but the White House has said the president is willing to approve the sale of &quot;many billions of dollars&#39; worth of military weapons and equipment&quot; to Seoul.

The White House statement also confirmed an earlier announcement by Seoul that the United States would lift restrictions on South Korean missile payload capabilities.

Seoul was previously restricted to a maximum warhead weight of 500 kilograms (1100 pounds) on its ballistic missiles, according to a bilateral agreement with the United States signed in 2001.

The United States on Monday launched a bid at the UN Security Council to quickly slap the &quot;strongest possible measures&quot; on North Korea in response to its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, but China and Russia argued that diplomatic talks were needed to address the crisis.

Trump's statement came after North Korea on Sunday detonated what it described as a hydrogen bomb designed for a long-range missile, sparking global alarm

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would allow Japan and South Korea to buy more "highly sophisticated" US military equipment, amid soaring tensions after Pyongyang's latest atomic test. "I am allowing Japan & South Korea to buy a substantially increased amount of highly sophisticated military equipment from the United States," Trump said in a tweet. Trump's statement came after North Korea on Sunday detonated what it described as a hydrogen bomb designed for a long-range missile, sparking global alarm with what was by far its most powerful test to date. On Monday, the South's military launched a volley of ballistic missiles simulating an attack on the North's nuclear test site. Trump did not elaborate on the kind of weaponry and equipment he had in mind, but the White House has said the president is willing to approve the sale of "many billions of dollars' worth of military weapons and equipment" to Seoul. The White House statement also confirmed an earlier announcement by Seoul that the United States would lift restrictions on South Korean missile payload capabilities. Seoul was previously restricted to a maximum warhead weight of 500 kilograms (1100 pounds) on its ballistic missiles, according to a bilateral agreement with the United States signed in 2001. The United States on Monday launched a bid at the UN Security Council to quickly slap the "strongest possible measures" on North Korea in response to its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, but China and Russia argued that diplomatic talks were needed to address the crisis.

Japan, S Korea can buy more sophisticated US military equipment: Trump

No amount of interference or shadowing of its aircraft will stop the Chinese air force from carrying out long-range drills, the defence ministry said, announcing another round of exercises of the type that have unnerved Taiwan and Japan, the defence ministry said, announcing another round of exercises of the type that have unnerved Taiwan and Japan.

The air force carried out further long-range exercises&nbsp;on Thursday, the ministry said late that same day, without giving details of where they happened. Japan said it was concerned about bombers flying close to its territory.

Such &quot;normal&quot; drills accord with international law and practices and are part of an &quot;ordinary need&quot; to raise combat abilities and strengthen the military, it added.

&quot;No matter what obstructions are encountered, the Chinese air force will carry on as before; no matter who flies with us, the Chinese air force will fly a lot and as normal!&quot; the ministry added, citing an air force spokesman.

Japan&#39;s government said six Chinese bombers flying from the East China Sea&nbsp;on Thursday&nbsp;passed close to its islands on route to the Pacific Ocean.

It was the first time we have recorded Chinese military aircraft flying this route,&quot; Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera said during a regular press briefing&nbsp;on Friday. &quot;We expressed our concern through diplomatic channels,&quot; he added.

Drills over the past few months have mostly focused on flying near self-ruled Taiwan, claimed by China as its own, and by Japan&#39;s southern island chain to the north of Taiwan.

Taiwan&#39;s military said earlier this month it was in a high state of alert following three straight days of drills by the Chinese air force near it.

China has been increasingly asserting itself in territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas. It is also worried about Taiwan, run by a government China fears is intent on independence.

Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring proudly democratic Taiwan under its control and has warned that any moves towards formal independence could prompt an armed response.

China is in the midst of an ambitious military modernisation programme that includes building aircraft carriers and developing stealth fighters to give it the ability to project power far from its shores.modernisation programme that includes building aircraft carriers and developing stealth fighters to give it the ability to project power far from its shores.

Taiwan is well armed with mostly US&nbsp;weaponry, but has been pressing Washington to sell it more high-tech equipment to better deter China.

The air force carried out further long-range exercises?on Thursday without giving details of where they happened

No amount of interference or shadowing of its aircraft will stop the Chinese air force from carrying out long-range drills, the defence ministry said, announcing another round of exercises of the type that have unnerved Taiwan and Japan, the defence ministry said, announcing another round of exercises of the type that have unnerved Taiwan and Japan. The air force carried out further long-range exercises on Thursday, the ministry said late that same day, without giving details of where they happened. Japan said it was concerned about bombers flying close to its territory. Such "normal" drills accord with international law and practices and are part of an "ordinary need" to raise combat abilities and strengthen the military, it added. "No matter what obstructions are encountered, the Chinese air force will carry on as before; no matter who flies with us, the Chinese air force will fly a lot and as normal!" the ministry added, citing an air force spokesman. Japan's government said six Chinese bombers flying from the East China Sea on Thursday passed close to its islands on route to the Pacific Ocean. It was the first time we have recorded Chinese military aircraft flying this route," Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera said during a regular press briefing on Friday. "We expressed our concern through diplomatic channels," he added. Drills over the past few months have mostly focused on flying near self-ruled Taiwan, claimed by China as its own, and by Japan's southern island chain to the north of Taiwan. Taiwan's military said earlier this month it was in a high state of alert following three straight days of drills by the Chinese air force near it. China has been increasingly asserting itself in territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas. It is also worried about Taiwan, run by a government China fears is intent on independence. Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring proudly democratic Taiwan under its control and has warned that any moves towards formal independence could prompt an armed response. China is in the midst of an ambitious military modernisation programme that includes building aircraft carriers and developing stealth fighters to give it the ability to project power far from its shores.modernisation programme that includes building aircraft carriers and developing stealth fighters to give it the ability to project power far from its shores. Taiwan is well armed with mostly US weaponry, but has been pressing Washington to sell it more high-tech equipment to better deter China.

Despite Japan's concern, China continues to engage in air drills over its territory

Japan said Friday it will impose fresh sanctions on North Korea by freezing the assets of Chinese and Namibian firms doing business with the nuclear-armed state.

The move against a half dozen organisations and a couple of individuals comes days after Washington expanded its own punitive measures against Chinese and Russian firms, as well as people linked to Pyongyang.

The US move drew an angry response from Beijing, North Korea&#39;s key ally, while Japanese media said Friday that Namibia has been tightening its links to the North in recent years.

&quot;We will continue to make strong calls (for North Korea) to take actions toward denuclearisation,&quot; Yoshihide Suga, the Japanese government&#39;s top spokesman, told a regular press briefing.

&quot;Now is the time to apply pressure,&quot; he added.

The sanctions are aimed at disrupting the flow of cash funding North Korean weapons programmes, which are in violation of United Nations resolutions.

Japan has previously frozen the assets of entities and individuals involved in natural resources and research work related to Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear and missile development programmes.

The US and its allies, particularly Japan and South Korea, have been on high alert in recent months as North Korea carried out successive missile tests.

Tensions have eased since North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un pulled back from a plan to send a salvo of missiles towards the US Pacific territory of Guam.

But Pyongyang Wednesday disclosed significant technological advances and ambitious plans to further improve its missile capabilities.

US President Donald Trump, like his predecessors, has called on China to play more active roles in convincing North Korea to stop threatening its neighbours and the US.

But China has so far been lukewarm on the idea, preferring to address the issue through long-stalled talks.

Japan has frozen the assets of Chinese and Namibian firms doing business with North Korea

Japan said Friday it will impose fresh sanctions on North Korea by freezing the assets of Chinese and Namibian firms doing business with the nuclear-armed state. The move against a half dozen organisations and a couple of individuals comes days after Washington expanded its own punitive measures against Chinese and Russian firms, as well as people linked to Pyongyang. The US move drew an angry response from Beijing, North Korea's key ally, while Japanese media said Friday that Namibia has been tightening its links to the North in recent years. "We will continue to make strong calls (for North Korea) to take actions toward denuclearisation," Yoshihide Suga, the Japanese government's top spokesman, told a regular press briefing. "Now is the time to apply pressure," he added. The sanctions are aimed at disrupting the flow of cash funding North Korean weapons programmes, which are in violation of United Nations resolutions. Japan has previously frozen the assets of entities and individuals involved in natural resources and research work related to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development programmes. The US and its allies, particularly Japan and South Korea, have been on high alert in recent months as North Korea carried out successive missile tests. Tensions have eased since North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un pulled back from a plan to send a salvo of missiles towards the US Pacific territory of Guam. But Pyongyang Wednesday disclosed significant technological advances and ambitious plans to further improve its missile capabilities. US President Donald Trump, like his predecessors, has called on China to play more active roles in convincing North Korea to stop threatening its neighbours and the US. But China has so far been lukewarm on the idea, preferring to address the issue through long-stalled talks.

Japan hits nuclear-armed North Korea with fresh sanctions

Makoto Hasebe has been recalled for Japan&#39;s crucial World Cup qualifying matches against Australia and Saudi Arabia after the Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder was included in head coach Vahid Halilhodzic&#39;s squad on Thursday.

Having missed games against the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Iraq due to surgery on a knee injury, Japan&#39;s captain has made a full recovery to be selected in Halilhodzic&#39;s initial 27-man squad.

&quot;There are a number of players I am concerned about and I have done this because I don&#39;t want to take risks. I want to look first-hand at the players I have got and see what the possibilities are,&quot; Halilhodzic was reported as saying by Kyodo News.

The former Algeria coach has also recalled Getafe midfielder Gaku Shibasaki as well as striker Yoshinori Muto, while there are fitness concerns over Yuya Osako, Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa.

Japan lead Group B of Asia&#39;s qualifying competition for the tournament in Russia next year by a solitary point and victory over Australia on Aug. 31 would secure a place in the World Cup finals for a sixth successive time.

However, with the Australians and Saudi Arabia only a point behind, Halilhodzic&#39;s side cannot afford to slip up or risk being forced to continue their qualification quest via a series of playoffs.

&quot;We started the final round of qualifiers on the wrong foot (with a 2-1 home defeat to UAE last September) but we are top of the group,&quot; Halilhodzic said.

&quot;I hear the recent criticism directed my way and it puts pressure on me but this is the kind of situation I like. The more I come under attack and the more criticism I face, the more determined I am to respond.&quot;

&nbsp;

Japan Squad

Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Metz, France), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka), Kosuke Nakamura (Kashiwa Reysol).

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan, Italy), Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Reds), Maya Yoshida (Southampton, England), Hiroki Sakai (Marseille, France), Gotoku Sakai (Hamburg, Germany), Gen Shoji (Kashima Antlers), Naomichi Ueda (Kashima Antlers), Genta Miura (Gamba Osaka).

Midfielders: Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Yojiro Takahagi (FC Tokyo), Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka), Yuki Kobayashi (Heerenveen, Holland), Gaku Shibasaki (Getafe, Spain), Yosuke Ideguchi (Gamba Osaka).

Forwards: Shinji Okazaki (Leicester City, England), Keisuke Honda (Pachuca, Mexico), Takashi Inui (Eibar, Spain), Yuya Osako (Cologne, Germany), Genki Haraguchi (Hertha Berlin, Germany), Yoshinori Muto (Mainz, Germany), Kenyu Sugimoto (Cerezo Osaka), Yuya Kubo (Gent, Belgium), Takuma Asano (Stuttgart, Germany).

Japan's captain has made a full recovery to be selected in Halilhodzic's initial 27-man squad.

Makoto Hasebe has been recalled for Japan's crucial World Cup qualifying matches against Australia and Saudi Arabia after the Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder was included in head coach Vahid Halilhodzic's squad on Thursday. Having missed games against the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Iraq due to surgery on a knee injury, Japan's captain has made a full recovery to be selected in Halilhodzic's initial 27-man squad. "There are a number of players I am concerned about and I have done this because I don't want to take risks. I want to look first-hand at the players I have got and see what the possibilities are," Halilhodzic was reported as saying by Kyodo News. The former Algeria coach has also recalled Getafe midfielder Gaku Shibasaki as well as striker Yoshinori Muto, while there are fitness concerns over Yuya Osako, Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa. Japan lead Group B of Asia's qualifying competition for the tournament in Russia next year by a solitary point and victory over Australia on Aug. 31 would secure a place in the World Cup finals for a sixth successive time. However, with the Australians and Saudi Arabia only a point behind, Halilhodzic's side cannot afford to slip up or risk being forced to continue their qualification quest via a series of playoffs. "We started the final round of qualifiers on the wrong foot (with a 2-1 home defeat to UAE last September) but we are top of the group," Halilhodzic said. "I hear the recent criticism directed my way and it puts pressure on me but this is the kind of situation I like. The more I come under attack and the more criticism I face, the more determined I am to respond." Japan Squad Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Metz, France), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka), Kosuke Nakamura (Kashiwa Reysol). Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan, Italy), Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Reds), Maya Yoshida (Southampton, England), Hiroki Sakai (Marseille, France), Gotoku Sakai (Hamburg, Germany), Gen Shoji (Kashima Antlers), Naomichi Ueda (Kashima Antlers), Genta Miura (Gamba Osaka). Midfielders: Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Yojiro Takahagi (FC Tokyo), Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka), Yuki Kobayashi (Heerenveen, Holland), Gaku Shibasaki (Getafe, Spain), Yosuke Ideguchi (Gamba Osaka). Forwards: Shinji Okazaki (Leicester City, England), Keisuke Honda (Pachuca, Mexico), Takashi Inui (Eibar, Spain), Yuya Osako (Cologne, Germany), Genki Haraguchi (Hertha Berlin, Germany), Yoshinori Muto (Mainz, Germany), Kenyu Sugimoto (Cerezo Osaka), Yuya Kubo (Gent, Belgium), Takuma Asano (Stuttgart, Germany).

Japan World Cup qualifier: Makoto Hasebe recalled for matches against Australia, Saudi Arabia

International reactions on the current Doklam tension have been quite cautious. Many major countries, including the United States and Australia have reacted to India-China border stand-off that involves Bhutan. The United States State Department Spokesman Heather Nauert had stated earlier to resolve the Doklam border stand-off through &ldquo;direct dialogue&rdquo; while Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had stated that both India and China should resolve the dispute peacefully without any escalation. Given the sensitivity of the matter, much of these reactions, however, have taken a neutral stance indicating to the fact that none of these countries overtly wants to support either China or India.&nbsp;

In contrast to these cautious international reactions, Japan seems to be quite eloquent and bold. Though Japan was quite late in commenting on the Doklam border tension, the Japanese Ambassador to India who also holds the Ambassadorship to Bhutan concurrently, Kenji Hiramatsu, recently stated that it is important for the &lsquo;parties involved in the Doklam border tension to not resort to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force&rsquo;. Calling for a &lsquo;peaceful&rsquo; resolution to the long-standing India-China stand-off in Doklam, the Japanese Ambassador explicitly acknowledged India&rsquo;s stance by stating that &lsquo;India is involved in this incident based on its bilateral agreement with Bhutan&rsquo;. This statement may have neutral wordings, but a close appraisal of this statement reveals how Japan has spoken the unsaid, by explicitly supporting India on the Doklam tension.&nbsp;

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<h5>The statement by the Japanese Ambassador, undoubtedly, was a pro-India statement, supporting New Delhi on the matter.</h5>
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<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The statement by the Japanese Ambassador, undoubtedly, was a pro-India statement, supporting New Delhi on the matter. " target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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The statement by the Japanese Ambassador, undoubtedly, was a pro-India statement, supporting New Delhi on the matter. This statement clearly points out to the strategic understanding both New Delhi and Tokyo are currently sharing with each other on sensitive matters. The Japanese stance further explains a number of issues that should not be missed out in the broader context of Japan, India and their bilateral relations.&nbsp;

First, the Japanese stance on Doklam reveals the significance of preserving the &lsquo;status-quo&rsquo; on territorial disputes that have implications for Japan and the region. The Japanese attempt of touching the issue of &lsquo;status-quo&rsquo; is certainly an exclusive one since none of these major countries, such as the United States and Australia have commented on the &lsquo;status-quo&rsquo; issue while reacting on the Doklam border tension. India must appreciate this perspective by the Japanese on Doklam.&nbsp;

This perspective, however, is derivative of Tokyo&rsquo;s increasing concern over the Chinese maritime law enforcement agency&#39;s (CMLEA) involvement in the Senkaku islands in the East China Sea as well as China&rsquo;s attempt at changing the facts on the ground in the South China Sea. These actions are seen by Japan as gradually disturbing the &lsquo;status-quo&rsquo; existing in the region.&nbsp;

Chinese naval vessels have frequently been visiting the Japanese territorial waters and that has troubled Tokyo for some time. Through its newly released 2017 Defense White Paper, Tokyo reportedly outlines how China is gradually trying to &#39;change the status quo by coercion in the East and the South China Sea dispute. All this while, Japan has tried to garner international support on the matter, including an attempt to develop a shared understanding with India. A positive statement on Doklam and touching the sensitive issue of &lsquo;status-quo&rsquo; unveils the Japanese intention of exposing China&rsquo;s aggressive attempt at changing the &lsquo;status-quo&rsquo; in relation to land and maritime territorial disputes. Therefore, this Japanese stance calls for a greater India-Japan dialogue, mainly in developing a shared perspective on land and maritime disputes, locally and regionally.&nbsp;

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<h5>A positive statement on Doklam and touching the sensitive issue of &lsquo;status-quo&rsquo; unveils the Japanese intention of exposing China&rsquo;s aggressive attempt.</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A positive statement on Doklam and touching the sensitive issue of ?status-quo? unveils the Japanese intention of exposing China?s aggressive attempt." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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Second, the Japanese statement that &lsquo;India is involved in the incident based on the bilateral agreement with Bhutan&rsquo; describes the country&#39;s resolve to support India diplomatically. Further, Japan has stated that it appreciates a &lsquo;peaceful resolution&rsquo; to the matter, referring to India&rsquo;s External Affairs Minister&rsquo;s approach. Clearly, Japan wants to passively underline the aggressive stance taken by the People&rsquo;s Liberation Army (PLA) in contrast to India&rsquo;s persistent effort for a &lsquo;peaceful resolution&rsquo; through diplomatic channels. Also, Japan intends to support India which Bhutan must take a serious note of.&nbsp;

The Japanese Ambassador&rsquo;s statement has a greater context for India-Japan cooperation. His statement indicates that Tokyo takes an immense strategic interest in India&rsquo;s Northeast provinces as well as in India&rsquo;s neighbours where Japan wants to emerge as a partner for development. Clubbing India and Bhutan together in the statement explains how Japan wants to make its presence noticed smartly as a power promoting &lsquo;peace&rsquo; and development both for India and its neighbouring countries.&nbsp;

Though the statement by the Japanese Ambassador is not a direct statement on Bhutan but it has to be also seen in the context of Japan-Bhutan bilateral relationship. For long, Japan is trying to boost its relationship with Bhutan, not only through the donor and recipient mode but also through trade and investment cooperation.&nbsp;

Kenji Hiramatsu&rsquo;s statement has a domestic narrative attached to it where the emphasis is again on &lsquo;peace&rsquo;&rsquo;. The term &ldquo;Proactive contribution to peace&rdquo; has been the catchphrase of Japan&rsquo;s approach to regional security matters, including its maritime disputes with China. In fact, in this context, Japan wants to acknowledge India for promoting peace, not aggression as a resolution to the Doklam tension. Both Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe had, in fact, agreed to have a shared understanding on cooperation between India and Japan in promoting &lsquo;peace and prosperity&rsquo;. The Joint Statement of November 11, 2016, released during Prime Minister Modi&rsquo;s visit to Tokyo, bears testimony to the fact.&nbsp;

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<h5>Both India and Japan need to translate their growing strategic interests to an action-oriented partnership, both in bilateral and regional contexts.</h5>
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Japan&rsquo;s stance on the Doklam tension might appear to be a symbolic gesture of support towards India, but it has other narratives attached to it to which India must read carefully and nurture its relationship with Japan accordingly in times to come. The bold Japanese stance on Doklam is essentially a reflection of its changing security and diplomatic outlook.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Japan under Shinzo Abe is debating on a new constitution by 2020. It wants to revise its age-old pacifist Constitution, which prohibits Japan to maintain an active armed force, limiting it to just maintain a self-defense force (SDF). The main debates in Japan surround over Article 9 of the Japanese pacifist Constitution and its fading relevance. Seen as a relic of the Cold War period, the growing voice in Japan is that Article 9 is unable to help the country to meet the emerging security and defence challenges of the post-Cold war period. &nbsp;

Hence, Japan wants to have a &lsquo;proactive pacifist&rsquo; constitution to meet new security challenges arising not only from China and North Korea but it also wants to be able to &ldquo;proactively&rdquo; contribute to peace in and around the neighborhood region. Japanese statement on Doklam may not directly be linked to this Japanese initiative to change the Constitution, but it undoubtedly derives from this changing security mindset that India must prepare to take a strong cognisance of.&nbsp;

Both India and Japan need to translate their growing strategic interests to an action-oriented partnership, both in bilateral and regional contexts. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe&rsquo;s forthcoming visit to India must encourage both sides to have a careful and in-depth discussion on security matters that are local as well as regional in nature. On India&rsquo;s part, New Delhi must exhibit the character of a greater power in East Asia which should complement Japan&rsquo;s &ldquo;Proactive Pacifist&rdquo; security thinking. Further, India needs to gradually emerge as a greater security provider in the region which will complement the Japanese changing security outlook.&nbsp;

Japan wants to underline the aggressive stance taken by the People?s Liberation Army in contrast to India?s persistent effort for a ?peaceful resolution? of the Doklam tension

International reactions on the current Doklam tension have been quite cautious. Many major countries, including the United States and Australia have reacted to India-China border stand-off that involves Bhutan. The United States State Department Spokesman Heather Nauert had stated earlier to resolve the Doklam border stand-off through “direct dialogue” while Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had stated that both India and China should resolve the dispute peacefully without any escalation. Given the sensitivity of the matter, much of these reactions, however, have taken a neutral stance indicating to the fact that none of these countries overtly wants to support either China or India. In contrast to these cautious international reactions, Japan seems to be quite eloquent and bold. Though Japan was quite late in commenting on the Doklam border tension, the Japanese Ambassador to India who also holds the Ambassadorship to Bhutan concurrently, Kenji Hiramatsu, recently stated that it is important for the ‘parties involved in the Doklam border tension to not resort to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force’. Calling for a ‘peaceful’ resolution to the long-standing India-China stand-off in Doklam, the Japanese Ambassador explicitly acknowledged India’s stance by stating that ‘India is involved in this incident based on its bilateral agreement with Bhutan’. This statement may have neutral wordings, but a close appraisal of this statement reveals how Japan has spoken the unsaid, by explicitly supporting India on the Doklam tension. The statement by the Japanese Ambassador, undoubtedly, was a pro-India statement, supporting New Delhi on the matter. × The statement by the Japanese Ambassador, undoubtedly, was a pro-India statement, supporting New Delhi on the matter. This statement clearly points out to the strategic understanding both New Delhi and Tokyo are currently sharing with each other on sensitive matters. The Japanese stance further explains a number of issues that should not be missed out in the broader context of Japan, India and their bilateral relations. First, the Japanese stance on Doklam reveals the significance of preserving the ‘status-quo’ on territorial disputes that have implications for Japan and the region. The Japanese attempt of touching the issue of ‘status-quo’ is certainly an exclusive one since none of these major countries, such as the United States and Australia have commented on the ‘status-quo’ issue while reacting on the Doklam border tension. India must appreciate this perspective by the Japanese on Doklam. This perspective, however, is derivative of Tokyo’s increasing concern over the Chinese maritime law enforcement agency's (CMLEA) involvement in the Senkaku islands in the East China Sea as well as China’s attempt at changing the facts on the ground in the South China Sea. These actions are seen by Japan as gradually disturbing the ‘status-quo’ existing in the region. Chinese naval vessels have frequently been visiting the Japanese territorial waters and that has troubled Tokyo for some time. Through its newly released 2017 Defense White Paper, Tokyo reportedly outlines how China is gradually trying to 'change the status quo by coercion in the East and the South China Sea dispute. All this while, Japan has tried to garner international support on the matter, including an attempt to develop a shared understanding with India. A positive statement on Doklam and touching the sensitive issue of ‘status-quo’ unveils the Japanese intention of exposing China’s aggressive attempt at changing the ‘status-quo’ in relation to land and maritime territorial disputes. Therefore, this Japanese stance calls for a greater India-Japan dialogue, mainly in developing a shared perspective on land and maritime disputes, locally and regionally. A positive statement on Doklam and touching the sensitive issue of ‘status-quo’ unveils the Japanese intention of exposing China’s aggressive attempt. × Second, the Japanese statement that ‘India is involved in the incident based on the bilateral agreement with Bhutan’ describes the country's resolve to support India diplomatically. Further, Japan has stated that it appreciates a ‘peaceful resolution’ to the matter, referring to India’s External Affairs Minister’s approach. Clearly, Japan wants to passively underline the aggressive stance taken by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in contrast to India’s persistent effort for a ‘peaceful resolution’ through diplomatic channels. Also, Japan intends to support India which Bhutan must take a serious note of. The Japanese Ambassador’s statement has a greater context for India-Japan cooperation. His statement indicates that Tokyo takes an immense strategic interest in India’s Northeast provinces as well as in India’s neighbours where Japan wants to emerge as a partner for development. Clubbing India and Bhutan together in the statement explains how Japan wants to make its presence noticed smartly as a power promoting ‘peace’ and development both for India and its neighbouring countries. Though the statement by the Japanese Ambassador is not a direct statement on Bhutan but it has to be also seen in the context of Japan-Bhutan bilateral relationship. For long, Japan is trying to boost its relationship with Bhutan, not only through the donor and recipient mode but also through trade and investment cooperation. Kenji Hiramatsu’s statement has a domestic narrative attached to it where the emphasis is again on ‘peace’’. The term “Proactive contribution to peace” has been the catchphrase of Japan’s approach to regional security matters, including its maritime disputes with China. In fact, in this context, Japan wants to acknowledge India for promoting peace, not aggression as a resolution to the Doklam tension. Both Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe had, in fact, agreed to have a shared understanding on cooperation between India and Japan in promoting ‘peace and prosperity’. The Joint Statement of November 11, 2016, released during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Tokyo, bears testimony to the fact. Both India and Japan need to translate their growing strategic interests to an action-oriented partnership, both in bilateral and regional contexts. × Japan’s stance on the Doklam tension might appear to be a symbolic gesture of support towards India, but it has other narratives attached to it to which India must read carefully and nurture its relationship with Japan accordingly in times to come. The bold Japanese stance on Doklam is essentially a reflection of its changing security and diplomatic outlook. Japan under Shinzo Abe is debating on a new constitution by 2020. It wants to revise its age-old pacifist Constitution, which prohibits Japan to maintain an active armed force, limiting it to just maintain a self-defense force (SDF). The main debates in Japan surround over Article 9 of the Japanese pacifist Constitution and its fading relevance. Seen as a relic of the Cold War period, the growing voice in Japan is that Article 9 is unable to help the country to meet the emerging security and defence challenges of the post-Cold war period. Hence, Japan wants to have a ‘proactive pacifist’ constitution to meet new security challenges arising not only from China and North Korea but it also wants to be able to “proactively” contribute to peace in and around the neighborhood region. Japanese statement on Doklam may not directly be linked to this Japanese initiative to change the Constitution, but it undoubtedly derives from this changing security mindset that India must prepare to take a strong cognisance of. Both India and Japan need to translate their growing strategic interests to an action-oriented partnership, both in bilateral and regional contexts. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s forthcoming visit to India must encourage both sides to have a careful and in-depth discussion on security matters that are local as well as regional in nature. On India’s part, New Delhi must exhibit the character of a greater power in East Asia which should complement Japan’s “Proactive Pacifist” security thinking. Further, India needs to gradually emerge as a greater security provider in the region which will complement the Japanese changing security outlook.

Why Japan supports India and not China on Doklam

The Japanese Self Defence Force (JSDF) and Third Division US Marines, took part in a live-fire joint exercise on Wednesday (Aug 16) in the northern Japanese city of Eniwa, Hokkaido, as part of Northern Viper 17-- the largest-scale military drill to be held between the two countries.

The exercise was also the first to be held in Hokkaido, as an effort to strengthen the US-Japan alliance by training together on unfamiliar ground.

Although the drills are not related to the latest tension on the Korean peninsula, it is taking place as unease between North Korea and the US are escalating and with US troops based in Okinawa, where the bulk of US forces in the region are based.

The 18-day live fire exercise which include rocket artillery drills and live-fire operations, will run through August 28 and will involve 3,500 troops.

Although the drills are not related to the latest tension on the Korean peninsula, it is taking place as unease between North Korea and the US are escalating

The Japanese Self Defence Force (JSDF) and Third Division US Marines, took part in a live-fire joint exercise on Wednesday (Aug 16) in the northern Japanese city of Eniwa, Hokkaido, as part of Northern Viper 17-- the largest-scale military drill to be held between the two countries. The exercise was also the first to be held in Hokkaido, as an effort to strengthen the US-Japan alliance by training together on unfamiliar ground. Although the drills are not related to the latest tension on the Korean peninsula, it is taking place as unease between North Korea and the US are escalating and with US troops based in Okinawa, where the bulk of US forces in the region are based. The 18-day live fire exercise which include rocket artillery drills and live-fire operations, will run through August 28 and will involve 3,500 troops.

US, Japan conduct joint military drill in Hokkaido

Japan&#39;s economy grew in the second quarter at the fastest pace in more than two years as consumer spending and capital expenditure both rose at the fastest in more than three years, highlighting stronger domestic demand.

Gross domestic product expanded an annualised 4.0 per cent in April-June, government data showed, more than the median estimate for 2.5 per cent annualised growth and the biggest increase since January-March 2015.

Compared to the previous quarter, the economy expanded 1.0 per cent, versus the median estimate for 0.6 per cent growth.

Annualised GDP for the previous quarter was revised to a 1.5 per cent increase, while quarterly real (inflation adjusted) GDP was revised up to 0.4 per cent growth from a 0.3 per cent increase.

Economic growth is expected to continue in coming quarters, offering the Bank of Japan (BOJ) the hope that a tight labour market is finally starting to boost consumer spending, which in turn makes it easier to generate sustained inflation.

&quot;The engines of consumer spending and capital expenditure both fired well in the second quarter, and that&#39;s why domestic demand was so strong,&quot; said Hidenobu Tokuda, senior economist at Mizuho Research Institute.

&quot;The pace of growth may moderate slightly, but we are still in recovery mode. This is a positive development for inflation.&quot;

The economy grew for six straight quarters in April-June. The last time the economy had a run of six consecutive quarters of growth was January-March 2005 through April-June 2006.

Private consumption, which accounts for about two-thirds of GDP, rose 0.9 per cent from the previous quarter, more than the median estimate of 0.5 per cent growth.

That marked the fastest expansion in more than three years as shoppers splashed out on durable goods such as cars and home appliances. Consumers also spent more money on dining out, the data showed. These are all encouraging sign that consumer spending is no longer the weak spot in Japan&#39;s economic outlook.

Capital expenditure jumped by 2.4 per cent in April-June from the previous quarter, doubling the median estimate for a 1.2 per cent increase. That was the fastest growth in business investment since January-March 2014 as companies spent more on software and construction equipment.

Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was more cautious on the outlook for domestic demand and pledged to implement more policies to strengthen the economy.

&quot;If you ask me whether private consumption has fully recovered, I would say it still lacks strength in some areas, which will need to be followed with policy,&quot; Motegi told reporters.

&quot;We&#39;ll make sure that the domestic demand-led recovery continues. What is needed is supply-side reform. We&#39;ll focus our efforts on human resource investment, improvement in productivity, and new growth strategies.&quot;

While growth was faster than expected, it is not expected to nudge the Bank of Japan into dismantling its massive stimulus programme anytime soon, as inflation remains stubbornly weak.

External demand subtracted 0.3 percentage point from GDP growth in April-June in part due to an increase in imports. This is notable because Japan usually relies on exports to drive growth.

Since launching quantitative easing in April 2013, the BOJ has pushed back the timing for reaching its 2 per cent inflation target six times in part due to weak consumer spending.

The GDP data for April-June show private consumption is finally starting to move in the direction that the BOJ and other government ministers have long predicted.

Compared to the previous quarter, the economy expanded 1.0 per cent, versus the median estimate for 0.6 per cent growth

Japan's economy grew in the second quarter at the fastest pace in more than two years as consumer spending and capital expenditure both rose at the fastest in more than three years, highlighting stronger domestic demand. Gross domestic product expanded an annualised 4.0 per cent in April-June, government data showed, more than the median estimate for 2.5 per cent annualised growth and the biggest increase since January-March 2015. Compared to the previous quarter, the economy expanded 1.0 per cent, versus the median estimate for 0.6 per cent growth. Annualised GDP for the previous quarter was revised to a 1.5 per cent increase, while quarterly real (inflation adjusted) GDP was revised up to 0.4 per cent growth from a 0.3 per cent increase. Economic growth is expected to continue in coming quarters, offering the Bank of Japan (BOJ) the hope that a tight labour market is finally starting to boost consumer spending, which in turn makes it easier to generate sustained inflation. "The engines of consumer spending and capital expenditure both fired well in the second quarter, and that's why domestic demand was so strong," said Hidenobu Tokuda, senior economist at Mizuho Research Institute. "The pace of growth may moderate slightly, but we are still in recovery mode. This is a positive development for inflation." The economy grew for six straight quarters in April-June. The last time the economy had a run of six consecutive quarters of growth was January-March 2005 through April-June 2006. Private consumption, which accounts for about two-thirds of GDP, rose 0.9 per cent from the previous quarter, more than the median estimate of 0.5 per cent growth. That marked the fastest expansion in more than three years as shoppers splashed out on durable goods such as cars and home appliances. Consumers also spent more money on dining out, the data showed. These are all encouraging sign that consumer spending is no longer the weak spot in Japan's economic outlook. Capital expenditure jumped by 2.4 per cent in April-June from the previous quarter, doubling the median estimate for a 1.2 per cent increase. That was the fastest growth in business investment since January-March 2014 as companies spent more on software and construction equipment. Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was more cautious on the outlook for domestic demand and pledged to implement more policies to strengthen the economy. "If you ask me whether private consumption has fully recovered, I would say it still lacks strength in some areas, which will need to be followed with policy," Motegi told reporters. "We'll make sure that the domestic demand-led recovery continues. What is needed is supply-side reform. We'll focus our efforts on human resource investment, improvement in productivity, and new growth strategies." While growth was faster than expected, it is not expected to nudge the Bank of Japan into dismantling its massive stimulus programme anytime soon, as inflation remains stubbornly weak. External demand subtracted 0.3 percentage point from GDP growth in April-June in part due to an increase in imports. This is notable because Japan usually relies on exports to drive growth. Since launching quantitative easing in April 2013, the BOJ has pushed back the timing for reaching its 2 per cent inflation target six times in part due to weak consumer spending. The GDP data for April-June show private consumption is finally starting to move in the direction that the BOJ and other government ministers have long predicted.

Japan Q2 GDP blows past expectations on robust domestic demand

Japan could legally intercept a North Korean missile headed towards Guam, defence minister Itsunori Onodera said on Thursday in remarks reported by Kyodo news service.

Onodera told a lower house of parliament committee that Japan would be allowed to hit a missile headed towards the US&nbsp;Pacific territory if it was judged to be an existential threat to Japan, Kyodo said.

This is a reiteration of the Japanese government&#39;s position.

Experts say Japan does not currently have the capability to shoot down a missile flying over its territory headed for Guam.

&nbsp;

Defence minister Itsunori Onodera reportedly told a lower house of parliament committee that Japan would be allowed to hit a missile headed towards the US?Pacific territory if it was judged to be an existential threat to Japan

Japan could legally intercept a North Korean missile headed towards Guam, defence minister Itsunori Onodera said on Thursday in remarks reported by Kyodo news service. Onodera told a lower house of parliament committee that Japan would be allowed to hit a missile headed towards the US Pacific territory if it was judged to be an existential threat to Japan, Kyodo said. This is a reiteration of the Japanese government's position. Experts say Japan does not currently have the capability to shoot down a missile flying over its territory headed for Guam.

Japan could legally intercept a Guam-bound North Korea missile: Report

A new breed of younger, business and tech-savvy farmers are transforming Japan&#39;s shrinking agriculture sector with cutting edge techniques and marketing strategies, giving new hope to an industry in slow decline.

Hiroki Iwasa, a 40-year-old IT entrepreneur with an MBA, grows strawberries in seven high-tech greenhouses where computers set the temperature and humidity to optimum growing conditions and ensure the rows of bushes are sprayed with water at precise times.

He markets his &quot;Migaki Ichigo&quot; brand strawberries directly to fancy department stores in Tokyo, where they go for as much as 1,000 yen ($9) apiece, as well as to customers in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand, where Japanese produce has an excellent reputation.

Such changes, while small, come as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushes to reform Japan&#39;s hidebound farm industry where small-plot holdings still dominate, the average farmer is aged over 66 and the sector&#39;s contribution to the economy has fallen by 25 per cent since its peak in 1984.

They should also make Japan more resilient if the United States tries, as Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has hinted, to pry open markets such as rice and beef that are protected by tariffs.

Iwasa was running an IT company and getting an MBA in Tokyo when his coastal hometown of Yamamoto in the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi, an area famous for strawberries, was hit by the March 2011 tsunami.

He rushed to help with relief efforts and later saw an opportunity to combine his tech skills with the specialised know-how of a local farmer.

He now heads 6-year-old GRA, which has 20 full-time employees and 50 part-timers, including four dedicated to managing overseas orders.

&quot;Farmers&#39; intuition and experience may not always result in a good harvest. So it&#39;s crucial that we capture that as explicit knowledge in technology and automation, and use that to increase productivity,&quot; Iwasa said. &quot;Also nurturing professional farm managers is needed.&quot;

By leasing surrounding land, Iwasa expanded his farm to two hectares (five acres), which is about 10 times the size of an average strawberry farm in Japan.

Future of Farming

Such larger-scale agri-businesses, many using new technologies, are the future of Japanese farming, says Kazunuki Ohizumi, professor emeritus at Miyagi University, who has been studying farming trends in Japan for decades.

&quot;Large-sized farmers are the ones to revitalise Japan&#39;s agriculture, which will be changed significantly,&quot; he said. &quot;Of course, IT, robots and artificial intelligence are needed, which will generate jobs to handle such technologies.&quot;

Japan is already seeing a shift toward company-run farms, whose numbers have jumped from 8,700 in 2005 to 20,800 last year.

And the number of young people working in agriculture is slowly rising. The farm industry added just over 23,000 workers under the age of 49 in 2015, up from less than 18,000 five years ago.

Ohizumi predicts that sales from large-sized farms - those with more than 50 million yen ($450,000) in sales - will rise to about three-quarters of total sales by 2030, up from 41 per cent in 2015.

Shuichi Yokota, a 41-year-old rice farmer in Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, says Japan&#39;s rice farmers have been protected by government subsidies and tariffs for too long.

Japan imposes a hefty 341 yen ($3.09) per kg tariff on imported rice, outside of its World Trade Organisation tariff-free obligations, while the government offers subsidies of up to 105,000 yen ($950) per 0.1 hectare (0.25 acre).

Farmers should aim to become just as globally competitive as the country&#39;s famed car brands Toyota and Honda, Yokota said.

&quot;If you fail business management, you have to leave. It is the same in other industries,&quot; he said. &quot;If you cannot lower production costs or secure clients, you will go bankrupt.&quot;

When Yokota became a farmer after graduating from college 20 years ago, his family had about 16 hectares. As older farmers in the area retired, he started leasing their land.

He now oversees a 140-hectare (346-acre) rice farming corporation, far bigger than the average three hectare (7.5 acres) farm.

The company grows several different varieties so that planting and harvesting are spread out, and uses electronic sensors to measure water levels and temperature in the paddies as well as the condition of the rice.

&quot;Government subsidies will have to end eventually as it is not sustainable,&quot; Yokota said. &quot;Farmers should produce goods that have a market.&quot;

Such changes come as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushes to reform Japan's hidebound farm industry where small-plot holdings still dominate

A new breed of younger, business and tech-savvy farmers are transforming Japan's shrinking agriculture sector with cutting edge techniques and marketing strategies, giving new hope to an industry in slow decline. Hiroki Iwasa, a 40-year-old IT entrepreneur with an MBA, grows strawberries in seven high-tech greenhouses where computers set the temperature and humidity to optimum growing conditions and ensure the rows of bushes are sprayed with water at precise times. He markets his "Migaki Ichigo" brand strawberries directly to fancy department stores in Tokyo, where they go for as much as 1,000 yen ($9) apiece, as well as to customers in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand, where Japanese produce has an excellent reputation. Such changes, while small, come as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushes to reform Japan's hidebound farm industry where small-plot holdings still dominate, the average farmer is aged over 66 and the sector's contribution to the economy has fallen by 25 per cent since its peak in 1984. They should also make Japan more resilient if the United States tries, as Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has hinted, to pry open markets such as rice and beef that are protected by tariffs. Iwasa was running an IT company and getting an MBA in Tokyo when his coastal hometown of Yamamoto in the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi, an area famous for strawberries, was hit by the March 2011 tsunami. He rushed to help with relief efforts and later saw an opportunity to combine his tech skills with the specialised know-how of a local farmer. He now heads 6-year-old GRA, which has 20 full-time employees and 50 part-timers, including four dedicated to managing overseas orders. "Farmers' intuition and experience may not always result in a good harvest. So it's crucial that we capture that as explicit knowledge in technology and automation, and use that to increase productivity," Iwasa said. "Also nurturing professional farm managers is needed." By leasing surrounding land, Iwasa expanded his farm to two hectares (five acres), which is about 10 times the size of an average strawberry farm in Japan. Future of Farming Such larger-scale agri-businesses, many using new technologies, are the future of Japanese farming, says Kazunuki Ohizumi, professor emeritus at Miyagi University, who has been studying farming trends in Japan for decades. "Large-sized farmers are the ones to revitalise Japan's agriculture, which will be changed significantly," he said. "Of course, IT, robots and artificial intelligence are needed, which will generate jobs to handle such technologies." Japan is already seeing a shift toward company-run farms, whose numbers have jumped from 8,700 in 2005 to 20,800 last year. And the number of young people working in agriculture is slowly rising. The farm industry added just over 23,000 workers under the age of 49 in 2015, up from less than 18,000 five years ago. Ohizumi predicts that sales from large-sized farms - those with more than 50 million yen ($450,000) in sales - will rise to about three-quarters of total sales by 2030, up from 41 per cent in 2015. Shuichi Yokota, a 41-year-old rice farmer in Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, says Japan's rice farmers have been protected by government subsidies and tariffs for too long. Japan imposes a hefty 341 yen ($3.09) per kg tariff on imported rice, outside of its World Trade Organisation tariff-free obligations, while the government offers subsidies of up to 105,000 yen ($950) per 0.1 hectare (0.25 acre). Farmers should aim to become just as globally competitive as the country's famed car brands Toyota and Honda, Yokota said. "If you fail business management, you have to leave. It is the same in other industries," he said. "If you cannot lower production costs or secure clients, you will go bankrupt." When Yokota became a farmer after graduating from college 20 years ago, his family had about 16 hectares. As older farmers in the area retired, he started leasing their land. He now oversees a 140-hectare (346-acre) rice farming corporation, far bigger than the average three hectare (7.5 acres) farm. The company grows several different varieties so that planting and harvesting are spread out, and uses electronic sensors to measure water levels and temperature in the paddies as well as the condition of the rice. "Government subsidies will have to end eventually as it is not sustainable," Yokota said. "Farmers should produce goods that have a market."

Tech-savvy farmers will revive Japan's declining agriculture sector

Typhoon Noru dumped heavy rain on Japan Tuesday as it moved back out to sea, causing flooding and property damage while the number of injured reportedly rose to 51.&nbsp;

After making landfall in western Japan the previous day, the storm packing winds of up to 108 kilometres&nbsp;per hour ploughed across the main island of Honshu.&nbsp;

The typhoon was 40 kilometres off the coast of northern Niigata prefecture by 1:00 pm (0400 GMT) Tuesday, slowly moving towards the northeast, Japan&#39;s meteorological agency said. The storm earlier killed two people on outlying islands Saturday.

Public broadcaster NHK said the number of people injured in accidents related to the typhoon had reached 51.&nbsp;

Aerial footage showed a flooded river in western Japan&#39;s Shiga prefecture, while houses, rice paddies, and roads were submerged.

On Saturday, a man in his 60s on the southern island of Yakushima died after falling in strong gusts generated by Noru and hitting his head.

Another man in his 80s on neighbouring Tanegashima island drowned the same day after he went to check on his boat and was swept into the water.

A total of 65 flights were cancelled Tuesday due to Noru, NHK reported.

After making landfall in western Japan the previous day, the storm packing winds of up to 108 kilometres?per hour ploughed across the main island of Honshu.

Typhoon Noru dumped heavy rain on Japan Tuesday as it moved back out to sea, causing flooding and property damage while the number of injured reportedly rose to 51. After making landfall in western Japan the previous day, the storm packing winds of up to 108 kilometres per hour ploughed across the main island of Honshu. The typhoon was 40 kilometres off the coast of northern Niigata prefecture by 1:00 pm (0400 GMT) Tuesday, slowly moving towards the northeast, Japan's meteorological agency said. The storm earlier killed two people on outlying islands Saturday. Public broadcaster NHK said the number of people injured in accidents related to the typhoon had reached 51. Aerial footage showed a flooded river in western Japan's Shiga prefecture, while houses, rice paddies, and roads were submerged. On Saturday, a man in his 60s on the southern island of Yakushima died after falling in strong gusts generated by Noru and hitting his head. Another man in his 80s on neighbouring Tanegashima island drowned the same day after he went to check on his boat and was swept into the water. A total of 65 flights were cancelled Tuesday due to Noru, NHK reported.

Japan: Typhoon Noru brings heavy rain, 51 injured

The G-20 (Group of 20)&nbsp;is an international forum which was formed with the purpose of establishing international cooperation on global economic and financial&nbsp;issues. The forum plays an important role in decision making on issues of international relevance.

G20 countries account for three-quarters of global trade. The G-20 countries produce more than&nbsp;80 per cent of the global economic&nbsp;output.&nbsp;

Around two-third&nbsp;of the global population lives in G-20 member countries.&nbsp;

The G-20 started in 1999 as a meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis that sent shockwaves through the global economic community.

In 2008, the first G-20 Leaders&rsquo; Summit was held, and the group played a key role in responding to the global financial crisis that rattled world markets causing massive financial instabilty and leading to the collapse of financial institutions.&nbsp;Its decisive and coordinated actions boosted consumer and business confidence and supported the global&nbsp;economic recovery.&nbsp;

How it works 
Each year in December&nbsp;a different G-20 member country assumes presidency of the forum. To ensure continuity, the presidency is supported by a &ldquo;troika&rdquo; (Trio) made up of the current, immediate past and next host countries. Being an informal group, the group has no permanent secretariat.&nbsp;

The G-20 president is responsible for bringing together the G-20 agenda in consultation with other members and in response to developments in the global economy. The summit and the preparatory processes &ndash; often including more than 60 ministerial and working group meetings per year &ndash; are coordinated by the respective host country.

Members of G20 
The twenty members of the forum are :

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<ul>
				<li>Argentina</li>
				<li>Australia</li>
				<li>Brazil</li>
				<li>Canada</li>
				<li>China</li>
				<li>France</li>
				<li>Germany</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
			<td>
			<ul>
				<li>India</li>
				<li>Indonesia</li>
				<li>Italy</li>
				<li>Japan</li>
				<li>Republic of Korea</li>
				<li>Mexico</li>
				<li>Russia</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
			<td>
			<ul>
				<li>Saudi Arabia</li>
				<li>South Africa</li>
				<li>Turkey</li>
				<li>The United Kingdom</li>
				<li>The united States</li>
				<li>The European Union</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

 
&nbsp;

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The map displays the member countries, which represent two-thirds of the world population (Image source: g20.org) (Others)
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At the invitation of each Presidency, international organisations also regularly attend the G20 meetings. These organisations include the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the World Bank (WB), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN). The German G20 Presidency has also invited the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2017.

Spain attends the G-20 Summits as a permanent guest. The Presidency can also invite representatives of regional organisations and guests to the G-20 Summit.&nbsp;

India and G20

India has enacted a number of legislations and taken steps to tackle issues like black money, terror financing and food security which can be traced back to G-20. &nbsp;

For instance, India enacted the&nbsp;National Food Security Act with the objective to provide food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate quantity of food at affordable prices to people.&nbsp;

India stands to gain from G-20 knowledge sharing and best practices of improving food security without increasing water consumption to unsustainable levels. The same can then also form part of implementation under the National Water Policy of India.

G-20 has emerged as an important forum where global leaders come together to discuss issues of international significance. At a time, when countries like US are turning inwards and showing signs of protectionism, forums like G-20 have assumed all the more importance to steer the global economic community.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

G20 is an international informal forum where India has made the mark of an emerging economy which aspires to take the world along with it towards development

The G-20 (Group of 20) is an international forum which was formed with the purpose of establishing international cooperation on global economic and financial issues. The forum plays an important role in decision making on issues of international relevance. G20 countries account for three-quarters of global trade. The G-20 countries produce more than 80 per cent of the global economic output. Around two-third of the global population lives in G-20 member countries. The G-20 started in 1999 as a meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis that sent shockwaves through the global economic community. In 2008, the first G-20 Leaders’ Summit was held, and the group played a key role in responding to the global financial crisis that rattled world markets causing massive financial instabilty and leading to the collapse of financial institutions. Its decisive and coordinated actions boosted consumer and business confidence and supported the global economic recovery. How it works Each year in December a different G-20 member country assumes presidency of the forum. To ensure continuity, the presidency is supported by a “troika” (Trio) made up of the current, immediate past and next host countries. Being an informal group, the group has no permanent secretariat. The G-20 president is responsible for bringing together the G-20 agenda in consultation with other members and in response to developments in the global economy. The summit and the preparatory processes – often including more than 60 ministerial and working group meetings per year – are coordinated by the respective host country. Members of G20 The twenty members of the forum are : Argentina Australia Brazil Canada China France Germany India Indonesia Italy Japan Republic of Korea Mexico Russia Saudi Arabia South Africa Turkey The United Kingdom The united States The European Union The map displays the member countries, which represent two-thirds of the world population (Image source: g20.org) (Others) × At the invitation of each Presidency, international organisations also regularly attend the G20 meetings. These organisations include the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the World Bank (WB), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN). The German G20 Presidency has also invited the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2017. Spain attends the G-20 Summits as a permanent guest. The Presidency can also invite representatives of regional organisations and guests to the G-20 Summit. India and G20 India has enacted a number of legislations and taken steps to tackle issues like black money, terror financing and food security which can be traced back to G-20. For instance, India enacted the National Food Security Act with the objective to provide food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate quantity of food at affordable prices to people. India stands to gain from G-20 knowledge sharing and best practices of improving food security without increasing water consumption to unsustainable levels. The same can then also form part of implementation under the National Water Policy of India. G-20 has emerged as an important forum where global leaders come together to discuss issues of international significance. At a time, when countries like US are turning inwards and showing signs of protectionism, forums like G-20 have assumed all the more importance to steer the global economic community.

All you need to know about G-20

Japan&#39;s lower house of parliament passed a bill Friday that allows ageing Emperor Akihito to step down, as it also called for a rare debate on the role of women in the male-dominated monarchy.

Japan has not had an imperial abdication in two centuries and there was no law to deal with 83-year-old Akihito&#39;s surprise retirement request after nearly three decades on the Chrysanthemum Throne.

The popular monarch shocked the country last summer when he signalled his desire to hand the crown to his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, citing age and declining health -- he has been treated for prostate cancer and had heart surgery.

The one-off bill is widely expected to become law next week after passage through the upper house.

The abdication must take place within three years of the bill becoming law or it expires -- and it only applies to Akihito.

Some scholars and politicians feared that changing the law to allow any emperor to abdicate could put Japan&#39;s future monarchs at risk of being subject to political manipulation.

Japan has had abdications in its long imperial history, but the last one was over 200 years ago and politicians had to craft legislation to make it possible because there was no provision for it in the law.

The status of the emperor is highly sensitive in Japan given its 20th century history of war waged in the name of Akihito&#39;s father Hirohito, who died in 1989.

The abdication issue has highlighted concerns over a potential succession crisis in one of the world&#39;s oldest monarchies.

A government panel in April issued a warning over the dwindling number of male heirs.

On Friday, the powerful lower house passed a non-binding resolution that called on the government to consider giving women a bigger role in the monarchy.

Female imperial family members lose their royal status upon marriage to a commoner.

The law does not apply to male royals, with Akihito and both his sons marrying commoners, and only men are allowed to become emperor, though Japan has been ruled by empresses in past centuries.

When Naruhito, who has a daughter, ascends the throne, his younger brother Akishino will be next in line, followed by Hisahito, Akishino&#39;s 10-year-old son.

But there are no more eligible males after that, meaning the centuries-old succession would be broken if Hisahito fails to have a son in the future.

News of the upcoming engagement of the emperor&#39;s granddaughter Mako, 25, to her college sweetheart has intensified a debate on whether the law should be changed so women born into the imperial family can continue in their royal roles.

That could help increase the number of potential male heirs.

Traditionalists, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, strenuously oppose such changes.

But the idea of female succession is popular among ordinary Japanese.

A Kyodo News agency survey last month showed 82 per cent of those polled were in favour of allowing a female member of the imperial family to succeed, while 62 per cent supported the creation of female imperial family branches.

(AFP)

The one-off bill is widely expected to become law next week after passage through the upper house

Japan's lower house of parliament passed a bill Friday that allows ageing Emperor Akihito to step down, as it also called for a rare debate on the role of women in the male-dominated monarchy. Japan has not had an imperial abdication in two centuries and there was no law to deal with 83-year-old Akihito's surprise retirement request after nearly three decades on the Chrysanthemum Throne. The popular monarch shocked the country last summer when he signalled his desire to hand the crown to his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, citing age and declining health -- he has been treated for prostate cancer and had heart surgery. The one-off bill is widely expected to become law next week after passage through the upper house. The abdication must take place within three years of the bill becoming law or it expires -- and it only applies to Akihito. Some scholars and politicians feared that changing the law to allow any emperor to abdicate could put Japan's future monarchs at risk of being subject to political manipulation. Japan has had abdications in its long imperial history, but the last one was over 200 years ago and politicians had to craft legislation to make it possible because there was no provision for it in the law. The status of the emperor is highly sensitive in Japan given its 20th century history of war waged in the name of Akihito's father Hirohito, who died in 1989. The abdication issue has highlighted concerns over a potential succession crisis in one of the world's oldest monarchies. A government panel in April issued a warning over the dwindling number of male heirs. On Friday, the powerful lower house passed a non-binding resolution that called on the government to consider giving women a bigger role in the monarchy. Female imperial family members lose their royal status upon marriage to a commoner. The law does not apply to male royals, with Akihito and both his sons marrying commoners, and only men are allowed to become emperor, though Japan has been ruled by empresses in past centuries. When Naruhito, who has a daughter, ascends the throne, his younger brother Akishino will be next in line, followed by Hisahito, Akishino's 10-year-old son. But there are no more eligible males after that, meaning the centuries-old succession would be broken if Hisahito fails to have a son in the future. News of the upcoming engagement of the emperor's granddaughter Mako, 25, to her college sweetheart has intensified a debate on whether the law should be changed so women born into the imperial family can continue in their royal roles. That could help increase the number of potential male heirs. Traditionalists, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, strenuously oppose such changes. But the idea of female succession is popular among ordinary Japanese. A Kyodo News agency survey last month showed 82 per cent of those polled were in favour of allowing a female member of the imperial family to succeed, while 62 per cent supported the creation of female imperial family branches. (AFP)

Japan lower house passes emperor abdication bill, calls for bigger role of women in monarchy

Last week, China became the <a href="http://www.cctvplus.com/news/20170518/8050794.shtml#!language=1">first country</a> to stably and continuously produce gas from methane hydrate.

Methane hydrate is one of the world&#39;s largest untapped sources of energy, with reserves <a href="http://www.cctvplus.com/news/20170518/8050794.shtml#!language=1">twice</a> that of coal, oil and natural gas combined. It is usually found under the ocean bed, but because of difficulties involved in recovering it, it has not been exploited so far.

Countries such as China and Japan are increasingly making attempts to tap these reserves in their waters. Could India take a leaf out of their book and make use of this resource?

The motivation for China&nbsp;and Japan

China <a href="http://www.cctvplus.com/news/20170518/8050794.shtml#!language=1">produced</a> at least 10,000 cubic metres of methane for eight days in a row at&nbsp;their mining project in the South China sea. Japan is trying to better this by producing gas for <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/84abdc56-30b0-11e7-9555-23ef563ecf9a">four weeks</a> in a test well off the coast of central Japan.

Japan was actually the first to extract methane with an offshore platform <a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/japan-methane-hydrate-idUKL3N1HI1KA">back in 2013</a>, but the flow lasted less than a week before problems crept in.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WCnXp_c9stg" width="560"></iframe>

China is especially motivated to&nbsp;develop&nbsp;this technology because it is the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-economy-trade-crude-idUSKBN1570VJ">second-largest</a> importer of crude oil in the world. Japan is in a similar predicament, as it is presently the world&#39;s <a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/japan-methane-hydrate-idUKL3N1HI1KA">biggest importer</a> of liquefied natural gas.

Right now extracting methane is not technically viable, let alone being commercially viable. But the progress made by China and Japan shows that day is not far away. In fact, Japan is hoping to produce methane on a commercial scale 10 years from now, <a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/japan-methane-hydrate-idUKL3N1HI1KA">by 2027</a>.

Why methane hydrate matters for India

Global reserves of gas stored in methane hydrate are <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/8925cbb4-7157-11e3-8f92-00144feabdc0">estimated</a> to be in the range of 3,000 - 140,000 trillion cubic metres. Around 1,900 trillion cubic metres of methane are present in the seas around India, according to one <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/columnists/swaminathan-s-a-aiyar/tapping-massive-deposits-of-fire-ice-methane-hydrate-can-change-indias-energy-landscape/articleshow/19014438.cms">report</a>.

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There are potential reserves of methane hydrate in these basins (WION)
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In fact, a gas reserve was <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/ONGC-hydrates-discovery-may-be-4-times-bigger-than-RILs-gas-find/articleshow/50505577.cms">discovered two years ago</a> in 2015 in the Krishna-Godavari basin off the eastern coast of India. The reserve is said to have a potential four trillion cubic metres of gas and there are said to be <a href="http://dghindia.gov.in/index.php/page?pageId=39">more reserves</a> in the Mahanadi and Andaman basins in the Bay of Bengal.

Given how India could be the world&#39;s third-biggest consumer of energy <a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/india-to-be-world-s-3rd-largest-energy-user-by-2020-shinde-112042103005_1.html">by 2020</a>, it would do well to meet growing demand by tapping this huge resource just off its shores.

East Asian powers are trying to tap methane hydrate as a potential source of energy. Is India even in the conversation?

Last week, China became the first country to stably and continuously produce gas from methane hydrate. Methane hydrate is one of the world's largest untapped sources of energy, with reserves twice that of coal, oil and natural gas combined. It is usually found under the ocean bed, but because of difficulties involved in recovering it, it has not been exploited so far. Countries such as China and Japan are increasingly making attempts to tap these reserves in their waters. Could India take a leaf out of their book and make use of this resource? The motivation for China and Japan China produced at least 10,000 cubic metres of methane for eight days in a row at their mining project in the South China sea. Japan is trying to better this by producing gas for four weeks in a test well off the coast of central Japan. Japan was actually the first to extract methane with an offshore platform back in 2013, but the flow lasted less than a week before problems crept in. China is especially motivated to develop this technology because it is the second-largest importer of crude oil in the world. Japan is in a similar predicament, as it is presently the world's biggest importer of liquefied natural gas. Right now extracting methane is not technically viable, let alone being commercially viable. But the progress made by China and Japan shows that day is not far away. In fact, Japan is hoping to produce methane on a commercial scale 10 years from now, by 2027. Why methane hydrate matters for India Global reserves of gas stored in methane hydrate are estimated to be in the range of 3,000 - 140,000 trillion cubic metres. Around 1,900 trillion cubic metres of methane are present in the seas around India, according to one report. There are potential reserves of methane hydrate in these basins (WION) × In fact, a gas reserve was discovered two years ago in 2015 in the Krishna-Godavari basin off the eastern coast of India. The reserve is said to have a potential four trillion cubic metres of gas and there are said to be more reserves in the Mahanadi and Andaman basins in the Bay of Bengal. Given how India could be the world's third-biggest consumer of energy by 2020, it would do well to meet growing demand by tapping this huge resource just off its shores.

China, Japan way ahead of India in new gas race

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