The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Putin recognizes independence of pro-Russia Ukraine regions
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized the independence of two pro-Moscow separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, fueling fears that the move could provide a pretext for the Russian military to invade the former Soviet republic.
The decision came after a months-long Russian military buildup near Ukraine and despite a flurry of diplomatic efforts by Western countries that have been seeking de-escalation while issuing repeated warnings that any Russian aggression toward its neighbor would be met with “severe” consequences such as economic sanctions.
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Japan’s top business lobby calls for border controls to be eased more
TOKYO – The head of Japan’s largest business lobby suggested Monday that the country’s border controls aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus are not based on epidemiological grounds, calling on the government to further ease them by simplifying immigration procedures.
Masakazu Tokura, who leads the Japan Business Federation, said at a press conference that the government’s decision to raise the cap on the daily number of new entrants from the current 3,500 to 5,000 starting next month is not enough.
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Taiwan lifts import ban on Japan food linked to Fukushima disaster
TAIPEI – Taiwan on Monday lifted an import ban on food products from Fukushima and four other Japanese prefectures imposed in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Amid efforts to secure Japanese support for its bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration said that the ban on food products from Fukushima, Ibaraki, Gunma, Tochigi and Chiba prefectures will be “adjusted” based on risks — a change from the ban based on the production areas.
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Heavy snow batters northern Japan, disrupts traffic
TOKYO – Heavy snow hit northern Japan on Monday, disrupting air and railway traffic, with weather authorities warning of more blizzards for the region and also some eastern parts of the country.
Some 180 flights to and from New Chitose Airport, the main air gateway to the northern main island of Hokkaido, were canceled, while Hokkaido Railway Co. suspended all train runs to and from JR Sapporo Station Monday and the Hokkaido shinkansen bullet train services were delayed as well.
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Woman sent to prosecutors over 7-yr-old son’s death
YOKOHAMA – A 42-year-old woman was taken into custody by prosecutors Monday on suspicion of murdering her 7-year-old son in 2019 by suffocating him.
The move came as police also look into the deaths of her three other children at an earlier date, all of whom also passed away at a young age.
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Australia PM slams China over laser pointing at plane at sea
SYDNEY – Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison accused China on Monday of reckless conduct after an incident last week during which Canberra says Chinese navy vessels targeted an Australian military aircraft with a laser rangefinder.
The incident is the latest point of tension in the progressively worsening relationship between the two countries, particularly after Morrison called for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, and China retaliated by imposing tariffs on a number of Australian goods.
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China raps tough U.S. policy on 50th anniversary of Nixon’s visit
BEIJING – China criticized the United States for adopting a tough policy toward it, on the 50th anniversary Monday of former U.S. President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to Beijing.
The anniversary came amid escalating tensions between the two major world powers over issues such as China’s alleged human rights violations in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, as well as security challenges to Taiwan.
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Japan aims to block sex offenders from jobs in schools, child care
TOKYO – Japan is considering requiring those who want a job in child care or education to submit proof that they are not convicted sex offenders, government officials said Monday, as parents have been calling for such a system amid growing cases of children being sexually abused by teachers and babysitters.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is planning to make the envisioned system, similar to the Disclosure and Barring Service certificates in Britain, the main pillar of a new government agency that will control child-related policies, the officials said.
