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Kyodo Top12 News (18:45)(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ---------- Japan agrees with Colombia to enhance ties with Pacific Alliance BOGOTA - Japan has agreed to strengthen its ties with the Pacific Alliance, a forum for economic cooperation comprising Colombia and three other Latin American countries, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday after talks with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. The two leaders also agreed to "accelerate negotiations" toward concluding a free trade agreement between Japan and Colombia, Abe told a joint press conference. The Pacific Alliance was created in June 2012 and also includes Mexico, Peru and Chile. Japan has observer status with the group, which it sees as having potential as a supplier of natural resources and foodstuffs. "We hope to make a major advance in the relationship between Japan and Latin America" through cooperation with the Pacific Alliance and other groups, said Abe, who is the first Japanese prime minister to visit Colombia. ---------- Japan begins antipiracy campaign against 300 Internet sites TOKYO - The Japanese government and producers of manga and animation began an antipiracy campaign on Wednesday, demanding some 300 piracy Internet site operators delete their infringing content within the next five months. The project aimed at cracking down on piracy is targeted at around 580 manga and animation items that have been copied illegally. They could resort to legal action if the operators do not respond to calls to delete them, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said. The targeted sites are located in several countries, including China and South Korea. A survey conducted by the government in 2012 showed the damage to Japanese industries in four major Chinese cities -- Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing -- is estimated at around 560 billion yen each year. ---------- Microsoft asserts China unit broke no laws BEIJING - Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday its Chinese unit has consistently followed the law, a day after local authorities confirmed they have opened an anti-monopoly investigation into the U.S. software giant. "Obeying each country's laws and regulations is our basic principle," Joanna Li, Microsoft's China spokeswoman, told Kyodo News in a statement, adding that the company is ready to actively respond to questions by the authorities. China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce said Tuesday that the country is investigating whether Microsoft has violated its anti-monopoly laws, noting that the company had not fully disclosed relevant information about its Windows operating system and Office software. ---------- U.S. announces additional sanctions on Russia WASHINGTON - The United States announced Tuesday that it will impose additional sanctions on Russian energy, arms and financial sectors to increase pressure on Moscow to end its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. "Today, and building on the measures we announced two weeks ago, the United States is imposing new sanctions in key sectors of the Russian economy -- energy, arms and finance," President Barack Obama told a press conference. "We're blocking the exports of specific goods and technologies to the Russian energy sector, we're expanding our sanctions to more Russian banks and defense companies, and we're formally suspending credit that encourages exports to Russia and financing for economic development projects in Russia," he said. ---------- Abbott skips new sanctions on Russia, says focus still on victims SYDNEY - Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott ruled out new sanctions on Russia on Wednesday, with his government focusing on operations to retrieve the bodies of the deceased from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 shot down in the Ukraine almost two weeks ago. "Our focus is not on sanctions, our focus is on bringing home our dead as quickly as we humanly can," Abbott said. He said the Australian focus is to enter the crash site, perform a recovery mission and "get out," a view he has reiterated numerous times since the plane was shot down. Abbott's comments come as the United States and Europe announced tough new sanctions on Russia overnight following their support of rebels in Ukraine, a group believed responsible for the downing of the commercial plane, killing all 239 people on board. ---------- Town picked as candidate for radiation-tainted waste disposal UTSUNOMIYA, Japan - The Japanese government notified a town in Tochigi Prefecture on Wednesday that it has been picked as a candidate site for the final disposal of some of the radiation-tainted waste resulting from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Shioya Mayor Kazuhisa Mikata said the same day that the town "clearly" opposes the proposal, and that he conveyed the stance to Senior Vice Environment Minister Shinji Inoue during a meeting in the town earlier in the day. But Mikata left open the possibility of accepting a detailed survey by the state of the candidate landfill site in the town north of Tokyo, telling a news conference that "it does not mean we will refuse to hear the government's explanation." ---------- Foreign "cosplayers" visit Japan ministry before int'l event TOKYO - Young people from China, Finland and Mexico involved in "cosplay," in which they dress as characters from Japanese animation, manga and video games, visited the Japanese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday before competing at the 12th World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya. A costumed pair from each of the three countries met with Parliamentary Vice Foreign Minister Seiji Kihara ahead of Saturday's contest that will draw performers from 22 countries and territories. Kihara told the visitors, "Pop culture is very effective in deepening bonds between countries and between people." Turning to the Chinese pair, Kihara said, "There are difficult issues (between Japan and China), but I'm happy to see you promote people-to-people exchanges as you serve to share (Japanese) pop culture (with people in China)." ---------- Toyota set to become world's top car seller in 1st half of 2014 TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday its global auto sales reached a record 5.09 million units in the first half of 2014, likely making it the world's best-selling automaker in the period for the third consecutive year. The sales volume, including Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors Ltd. vehicles, gained 3.8 percent from a year earlier in the January to June period, supported by strong performances in North America and China as well as brisk demand in Japan before the consumption tax hike in April. The figure eclipsed the previous record of 4.98 million units set in the first half of 2012, and hit the 5 million unit level for the first time. ---------- ANA returns to black in April-June for 1st time in 2 years TOKYO - ANA Holdings Inc. said Wednesday it returned to the black in the April to June period for the first time in two years due to an expansion in its international flight business. In the three-month period, the company posted a group net profit of 3.49 billion yen, against a year-earlier loss of 6.64 billion yen. The parent of All Nippon Airways Co. logged a consolidated operating profit of 347 million yen, compared with a year-earlier loss of 5.61 billion yen on revenue of 386.83 billion yen, up 10.0 percent from a year earlier. The company said robust business demand for both domestic and international flights offset the negative impact of the yen's depreciation, which raised fuel costs. ---------- Yoko Ono asks youth to spread Hiroshima A-bomb peace message to world HIROSHIMA - Artist Yoko Ono on Wednesday urged youngsters gathered at a peace event in Hiroshima to help teach the world about the experiences of the city that was devastated by a U.S. atomic bomb attack in 1945. The 81-year-old widow of former Beatle John Lennon, told the roughly 300 participants, "'No more Hiroshima' is a global issue. I want you to spread the experiences of Hiroshima to the world as much as possible." The event was planned by college students in the western Japan prefecture who believe it is young generations' responsibility to build a peaceful world by inheriting their forebears' experiences, according to organizers. Terue Toda, 82, a victim of the atomic bombing, lamented the current situation, saying at the event, "Many people seem to be forgetting" the A-bomb attack. ---------- Tokyo stocks edge higher, dollar remains firm in lower 102 yen range TOKYO - Tokyo stocks gained slightly Wednesday as buying backed by strong corporate results and a weaker yen offset selling to lock in recent gains. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 28.16 points, or 0.18 percent, from Tuesday at 15,646.23. The broader Topix index finished 1.83 points, or 0.14 percent, higher at 1,292.24. On the currency market, the U.S. dollar remained firm in the lower 102 yen range. At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 102.16-17 yen compared with 102.07-17 yen in New York late Tuesday afternoon. It moved between 102.03 yen and 102.19 yen during the day. The euro was quoted at $1.3398-3399 and 136.88-92 yen against $1.3403-3413 and 136.88-98 yen in New York. ---------- Weather forecast for key cities in Japan TOKYO - Weather forecast for Thursday: Tokyo=fair, occasionally cloudy; Osaka=cloudy, occasionally fair; Nagoya=cloudy; Sapporo=cloudy, occasionally fair; Sendai=fair, then cloudy; Niigata=fair, then cloudy; Hiroshima=cloudy, occasionally fair; Takamatsu=cloudy, occasionally fair; Fukuoka=fair, then cloudy; Naha=cloudy, occasionally rain. (c) 2014 Kyodo News |