New Delhi (The Hawk):&nbsp;The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed between the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&amp;GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti and The Ministry of the Environment of Japan in the areas of Decentralized Domestic Waste Water Management.Implementation strategy and targets:A Management Council (MC) will be formed which will be responsible for the implementation of this MoC by formulating detailed activities of collaboration and the monitoring of its progress.Major impacts:The collaboration with Japan through the MoC shall prove to very fruitful in areas such as Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management and Effective reuse of treated wastewater using Johkasou technology. The decentralized Johkasou systems towards management of wastewater can have greater implications for management of grey/ black water from settlements with coverage under Jal Jeevan Mission as well as the sustainability of sources of fresh water under the mission, besides similar situation under Namami Gange Program.&nbsp;It will help ULBs to plan better for the complex issue of treating waste water.Expenditure Involved:There shall be no financial obligations on both the Parties under this MoC. To facilitate the activities under this MOC, case-specific detailed documents such as Pre-Feasibility Reports, Feasibility Reports, and Detailed Project Reports, among others, may be created, covering detailed specifications in the respective areas as well as other pertinent matters such as, if deemed necessary, the financial arrangement of such case-specific programme and Project.Point-wise details:A Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) was signed between the Department of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&amp;GR), the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) and The Ministry of the Environment of Japan in the areas of Decentralized Domestic Waste Water Management on 19.03.2022. This MoC was signed for promoting cooperation for Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management in preserving the water environment in the public water areas and improvement of public health, based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit between the two countries.&nbsp;MoC signed to strengthen, facilitate and develop the capacity of Decentralized Domestic Waste Water Management between the DoWR, RD &amp; GR, MoJS of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Environment of Japan.&nbsp;The scope of cooperation is mostly focussing on Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management and Effective reuse of treated wastewater Forms of cooperation under this MoC will encourage and facilitate cooperation which may include but is not limited to areas of mutual interest in exchanging information and expertise on Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management through Seminars, conferences and capacity building.To facilitate the activities under this MOC, case-specific detailed documents such as Pre-Feasibility Reports, Feasibility Reports, and Detailed Project Reports, among others, may be created, covering detailed specifications in the respective areas as well as other pertinent matters such as, if deemed necessary, the financial arrangement of such case-specific programme and Project.Both sides will establish a Management Council (MC) that is responsible for the implementation of this MoC by formulating detailed activities of collaboration and monitoring its progress.Background:The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has been envisaging bilateral cooperation with other countries in water resources development and management through sharing of policy and technical expertise, conducting of training courses, workshops, scientific and technical symposia, exchange of experts and study tours. Keeping in view the ongoing India-Japan cooperation, it has been decided to have an agreement with Japan to exchange experience and expertise in the decentralized treatment sector.

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed between the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti and The Ministry of the Environment of Japan in the areas of Decentralized Domestic Waste Water Management.

Cabinet Approves Signing Of MoC Between India & Japan In The Area Of Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management

Tokyo: Japan's health ministry on Tuesday formally approved Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine, a fourth foreign-developed tool to combat the infections as the country sees signs of a resurgence led by a subvariant of fast-spreading omicron.The ministry approval comes the day after its experts panel endorsed use of Novavax's protein vaccine, which is designed with similar technology used to fight diseases such as the flu and hepatitis B, for the first two shots and a booster.Health Minister Shigeyuki Goto told reporters that Novavax product adds variety to the choices available and could appeal to those who are hesitant to use Covid-19 vaccines such as Pfizer's and Moderna's, which are designed with newer technologies.Jabs using Novavax vaccine are expected to start as early as late May.Japan reported 24,164 new cases Monday, according to the health ministry. Japan in March lifted all Covid-19 restrictions as the infections slowed significantly, but experts noted signs of a resurgence in a number of prefectures during a season of traveling and parties for people marking graduation and the start of the academic and business year.The government is trying to expand businesses and get the pandemic-hit economy back on track. Japan is slowly easing the border controls following sharp criticisms for its longtime restrictions on non-resident foreign students, scholars and business people, but Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said Japan is not considering restarting inbound tourism anytime soon.Booster shots have been slow in Japan and less than 50% of the population had received booster shots of mainly mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. A third vaccine, AstraZeneca, is hardly used due to public concern about reports of rare blood clotting and is largely donated to vaccine-scarce Asian countries bilaterally or through a United Nations-backed program. About 80% of the Japanese elderly population had received three shots.Goto said Japan has agreed to purchase 150 million doses of the Novavax shots developed by the Maryland company, which will help stabilize vaccine supply in a country that fully relies on foreign imports while development of its own vaccines have fallen behind. Novavax's distributor in Japan, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., is to locally manufacture 250 million doses annually. —PTI

Japan's health ministry on Tuesday formally approved Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine, a fourth foreign-developed tool to combat the infections as the country sees signs of a resurgence led by a subvariant of fast-spreading omicron.

Japan Approves Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine

Japan's health ministry on Tuesday formally approved Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine, a fourth foreign-developed tool to combat the infections as the country sees signs of a resurgence led by a subvariant of fast-spreading omicron.





Tokyo: Japan's nuclear regulator has approved a plan to discharge radioactive wastewater from the disaster-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) on Wednesday said that once opinions on the matter from the people are heard, the plan will be officially approved, Xinhua news agency reported.For the construction of the discharge facilities to begin, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO), the stricken plant's operator, will need to gain consent from the municipalities that are hosting the nuclear power complex.In 2011, a nuclear crisis not seen since Chernobyl in 1988 was triggered by a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami knocking out the Fukushima Daiichi plant's key cooling functions. Since then, water pumped in to cool melted reactor fuel has been accumulating at the complex and mixing with rainwater and groundwater at the site. The tainted water contains radioactive tritium, and the beleaguered site will soon reach its capacity of the water.The government's plan is to release the radioactive water through a tunnel under the seabed into the Pacific Ocean nearly 1 km away from the stricken plant. The controversial plan is proposed to begin in the spring of 2023, much to the consternation of local fisheries and the international community. Japan's fisheries industry has voiced its ardent opposition to the plan, as it will almost certainly cause further damage to the industry's already battered reputation.Moreover, some of Japan's closest neighbours have voiced strong concerns over the plan.Japan has been considering a number of feasible alternative plans other than its unilateral proposal just to dump radioactive water into the ocean. These options included injecting the toxic water deep into the ground, releasing it into the atmosphere after vaporising it, or making it into a solid state and burying it underground. On Wednesday, NRA Chairman Toyoshi Fuketa asked TEPCO to do its utmost to ensure there are no incidents at the planned water discharge facilities, according to local reports.—IANS

Japan's nuclear regulator has approved a plan to discharge radioactive wastewater from the disaster-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.

Plan to discharge radioactive waste from Japan plant into ocean gets nod

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have 23 engagements, including meetings with three world leaders, in around 40 hours of stay in Japan where he will join US President Joe Biden and prime ministers of Australia and Japan at the Quad summit in Tokyo on May 24, official sources said. They said PM Modi during his visit will have business, diplomatic and community interactions. He will interact with at least 36 Japanese CEOs and also with hundreds of Indian diaspora members.The prime minister will spend one night in Tokyo and two nights in the plane travelling, the sources said. PM Modi will have bilateral talks with Biden and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida during the summit which is taking place amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He will also hold a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart. While announcing the prime minister's participation in the summit, the External Affairs Ministry had said, "At the invitation of Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the third Quad Leaders' Summit in Tokyo on 24 May 2022 along with President Joseph R Biden Jr. of the US and the Prime Minister of Australia."The forthcoming Quad summit provides an opportunity for the leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest, the MEA had said. "The leaders will review the progress of Quad initiatives and working groups, identify new areas of cooperation and provide strategic guidance and vision for future collaboration," it added.—PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have 23 engagements, including meetings with three world leaders, in around 40 hours of stay in Japan where he will join US President Joe Biden and prime ministers of Australia and Japan at the Quad summit in Tokyo on May 24, official sources said.

PM Modi's visit to Japan for Quad meet, 23 engagements in 40 hours

Delhi: The second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit in Japan will provide an opportunity for leaders of four countries to review the progress of the grouping's initiatives and exchange views on developments in the Indo-Pacific as well as global issues of mutual interest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday. In his departure statement ahead of his visit to Japan from May 23-24, Modi said during his visit he will also hold a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden, where they will discuss further consolidation of the multi-faceted bilateral relations. "We will also continue our dialogue on regional developments and contemporary global issues," Modi said.He said he will be visiting Tokyo at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, and noted that in March 2022, he had hosted Kishida for the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit."During my visit to Tokyo, I look forward to continuing our conversation further, with an aim to strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership," Modi said.In Japan, Modi said, he will also participate in the second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit, which will provide an opportunity for the leaders of the four Quad countries to review the progress of Quad initiatives. "We will also exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest," Modi said.The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia.Modi also noted that the newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be joining the Quad Leaders' Summit for the first time."I look forward to a bilateral meeting with him during which the multifaceted cooperation between India and Australia under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and regional and global issues of mutual interest will be discussed," Modi said.—PTI

The second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit in Japan will provide an opportunity for leaders of four countries to review the progress of the grouping's initiatives and exchange views on developments in the Indo-Pacific as well as global issues of mutual interest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

Quad Summit will exchange views on developments in Indo-Pacific: Modi

Tokyo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived in Japan on a two-day visit to attend a summit of the Quad leaders which is aimed at further bolstering cooperation among the member nations of the influential grouping and discussing developments in the strategic Indo-Pacific region. 'Landed in Tokyo. Will be taking part in various programmes during this visit including the Quad Summit, meeting fellow Quad leaders, interacting with Japanese business leaders and the vibrant Indian diaspora,' Modi tweeted in both Japanese and English.'Ohayo, Tokyo! PM @narendramodi arrives to a warm welcome in Tokyo on what is his fifth visit to Japan in the last 8 years,' External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted. Prime Minister Modi interacted with children outside the hotel in Tokyo.He also saw the drawing of a young girl and signed an autograph for her during his interaction with the children. He then interacted with a boy who was waiting for him with a drawing of the tricolour. Prime Minister Modi asked him from where he learnt Hindi and praised him for his fluency in the language. Japan's Indian community has made pioneering contributions in different fields. They have also remained connected with their roots in India. I thank the Indian diaspora in Japan for the warm welcome,' Modi said on Twitter after his interaction with the community.Besides Modi, the Quad summit in Tokyo on May 24 will be attended by United States President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian prime minister-elect Anthony Albanese. 'In Japan, I will also participate in the second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit, which will provide an opportunity for the leaders of the four Quad countries to review the progress of Quad initiatives,' Modi said in his departure statement.'We will also exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest,' said Modi, whose visit to Japan is taking place under the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia. Modi, who is visiting Tokyo at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, will hold separate bilateral meetings with Biden, Kishida and Albanese on the sidelines of the summit. He had hosted Kishida for the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit in March 2022.'During my visit to Tokyo, I look forward to continuing our conversation further, with an aim to strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership,' Modi said ahead of his visit.He said economic cooperation between India and Japan is an important aspect of their Special Strategic and Global Partnership.Modi also said that he is looking forward to a bilateral meeting with newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Albanese during which the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and regional and global issues of mutual interest will be discussed.Noting that Japan is home to nearly 40,000 members of the Indian diaspora, who are an important anchor in India's relations with Japan, Modi said he looks forward to interacting with them.—PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived in Japan on a two-day visit to attend a summit of the Quad leaders which is aimed at further bolstering cooperation among the member nations of the influential grouping and discussing developments in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

Where did you learn Hindi': In Tokyo to attend Quad, Modi meets kids

New Delhi: India and Japan will contribute towards building an open, free and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, connected by secure seas, integrated by trade and investment, defined by respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity and anchored in international law, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an op-ed published in a leading Japanese newspaper on Monday.Prime Minister Modi, who is in Japan on a two-day visit to attend a summit of the Quad leaders at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, penned an op-ed on the vibrant relations between India and Japan in the&nbsp;Yomiuri Shimbun. 'As two democracies, strategically located in the Indo-Pacific region, we can be important pillars of a stable and secure region.'That is why our partnership is expanding across a broad range of areas,' he said. 'Our defence ties are growing rapidly, from exercises and information exchanges to defence manufacturing. We are doing more in cyber, space and underwater domains,' Modi said in the op-ed titled 'India-Japan: A Partnership for Peace, Stability and Prosperity'. He said that India and Japan will also contribute towards building an open, free and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, connected by secure seas, integrated by trade and investment, defined by respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity and anchored in international law, he wrote, amidst China's aggressive actions in the region. China has territorial disputes with many countries in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.The Chinese government claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. It is also involved in a maritime dispute with Japan over the East China Sea. 'Besides security, together and with like-minded partners in the region and beyond, in institutions and arrangements like Quad, we are promoting initiatives for development, infrastructure, connectivity, sustainability, health, vaccines, capacity building and humanitarian disaster response in the region,' Prime Minister Modi said.A peaceful and prosperous Indo Pacific region will be critical for a better future for the entire world, he said. 'Special. Strategic. Global. Each of these three words that describe the India-Japan partnership has a unique significance, yet they fall well short of the true potential of our ties,' Modi said.In a tweet, he said: 'Penned an op-ed on the vibrant relations between India and Japan. Ours is a partnership for peace, stability and prosperity. I trace the journey of our special friendship which completes 70 glorious years. @Yomiuri_Online.' 'Closer India-Japan cooperation is vital in the post-COVID world. Our nations are firmly committed to democratic values.Together, we are key pillars of a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region. I am equally glad that we are working closely in various multilateral forums as well. 'I have had the opportunity of regularly interacting with the Japanese people since my days as Gujarat CM. Japan's developmental strides have always been admirable. Japan is partnering India in key sectors including infrastructure, technology, innovation, start-ups and more,' he said in a series of tweets. In the op-ed, Prime Minister Modi said cultural ties that go back centuries; a firm shared belief in the values of democracy, freedom, and a rules-based international order, as well as convergence in regional and global outlook, are the bedrock of ties between India and Japan as trusted and natural partners.From Bodhisena to Swami Vivekananda, India-Japan cultural ties have a long and rich history of mutual respect and learning from one another, he said. Among Mahatma Gandhi's cherished personal possessions were small statues of Mizaru, Kikazaru and Iwazaru, the Three Wise Monkeys, he said. Justice Radha Binod Pal is a well-known name in Japan, and Gurudev Tagore's admiration for Japan and interaction with Okakura Tenshin were instrumental in forging early connections between artists and intellectuals on both sides, according to Modi. 'These deep links laid a strong foundation for a modern India-Japan partnership that continues to blossom even as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic ties,' he said.Prime Minister Modi said that his own conviction about this partnership began in his early days as Chief Minister of Gujarat. It was not just the sophistication of Japanese technology and skills, but also the seriousness and long-term commitment of Japan's leadership and businesses, that made Japan Gujarat's preferred industrial partner and the most prominent presence in Vibrant Gujarat Summits since its inception, he said. Japan has also proved to be an invaluable partner in India's journey on the path of development and modernisation. From the automobile sector to industrial corridors, Japanese investments and development assistance have a truly pan-India footprint, according to Modi.The iconic Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project symbolises Japan's extensive collaboration in some of the most important endeavours to build a New India, he said.'We have traversed a long distance since we established diplomatic relations in 1952. In my view, though, the best is yet to come. Today, as both India and Japan look to re-invigorate and refashion our economies in a post-Covid era, there is immense scope to deepen our engagement across the entire spectrum from trade and investment, to defence and security,' Modi said.In the last few years, India has embarked on a journey to build a strong foundation for the manufacturing sector, services, agriculture and digital technology infrastructure, he said.'I see Japan as an indispensable partner in India's continuing transformation. For Japan, India's speed and scale combine with ease of doing business, attractive incentives, bold reforms and ambitious plans to create unmatched opportunities. 'We have also fostered a dynamic start-up ecosystem in India, with over 100 unicorns. The Japanese capital is already playing an important role in this effort. And there is potential for a great deal more,' he said. People-to-people links between the two countries have always played an important role in deepening the mutual understanding. Many Indians are now working in Japan and contributing to the Japanese economy and society, just as Japanese executives are contributing to economic development in India. 'I am convinced that such complementarities can be enhanced manifold,' he said.The India-Japan partnership has a greater imperative and serves a larger purpose, he said. The Covid pandemic, global tensions and disruptive challenges to stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region have underlined the need for building resilient supply chains, a human-centric development model and stable and strong international economic relations, capable of resisting coercion and exploitation.The bilateral partnership will help advance these goals.'Crises tend to magnify challenges and accelerate our transition to the future. For this reason, at this pivotal moment for the world, our partnership now faces larger responsibility and greater urgency. Based on all that we share dearly and all that we have built over decades, India and Japan are ready to respond to this calling,' he said. 'In Delhi in March 2022, Prime Minister Kishida and I laid out a roadmap for further deepening and broadening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership for our countries to cooperate for a peaceful, stable and prosperous post-COVID world. 'As we mark 70 years of diplomatic relations, we are also building one of the defining partnerships of our region. I am confident that my meeting with PM Kishida will lead to tangible progress in realising this ambitious agenda,' Prime Minister Modi added. Prime Minister Modi is visiting Tokyo at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.He will attend the summit of the Quad leaders which is aimed at further bolstering cooperation among the member nations of the influential grouping and discussing developments in the strategic Indo-Pacific region. Besides Modi, the Quad summit in Tokyo on May 24 will be attended by US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian prime minister-elect Anthony Albanese. The Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia. Modi will hold separate bilateral meetings with Biden, Kishida and Albanese on the sidelines of the summit.—PTI

India and Japan will contribute towards building an open, free and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, connected by secure seas, integrated by trade and investment, defined by respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity and anchored in international law, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an op-ed published in a leading Japanese newspaper on Monday.

With eye on China, PM's Op-Ed hails India-Japan ties

Washington: NASA's impending Artemis programme will include a Japanese astronaut, US President Joe Biden has said. Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met in Tokyo on Monday where they announced progress on collaboration for human and robotic lunar missions.They confirmed their commitment to include a Japanese astronaut aboard the lunar Gateway outpost and their shared ambition to see a future Japanese astronaut land on the Moon as part of the Artemis mission. "In recent years, the alliance between Japan and the United States has grown stronger, deeper, and more capable as we work together to take on new challenges -- just as important as the opportunities -- of a rapidly changing world," the US President added."A great example of this: We viewed Japan's lunar rover... a symbol of how our space cooperation is taking off, looking towards the Moon and to Mars. And I'm excited about the work we'll do together on the Gateway station around the Moon and look forward to the first Japanese astronaut joining us in the mission to the lunar surface under the Artemis programme," he said.The US and Japan are working to formalise the Japanese astronaut's inclusion on Gateway through an implementing arrangement later this year.As part of ongoing collaborations on space and Earth science missions, Biden and Kishida reaffirmed the US and Japan's continued cooperation on Earth science data sharing to improve scientific understanding of the Earth's changing climate.—IANS

NASA's impending Artemis programme will include a Japanese astronaut, US President Joe Biden has said. Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met in Tokyo on Monday where they announced progress on collaboration for human and robotic lunar missions.

 NASA's Artemis mission will fly a Japanese astronaut to Moon: Biden

Jakarta: The young Indian men's hockey team produced a spirited performance to beat Japan 1-0 and clinch the bronze medal in the Asia Cup here on Wednesday. After missing out of a place in the title clash on goal difference following an exciting 4-4 draw with South Korea on Tuesday, defending champions India came out with purpose and scored a field goal through Raj Kumar Pal as early as in the seventh minute of the game and then defended in numbers to seal the deal.India started brightly and pushed hard in the first five minutes of the match but their attacks fizzled once out inside the opposition D. The Indians, however, broke the deadlock in the seventh minute from a brisk counter-attack with Uttam Singh doing all the hardwork on the right flank to set it up for Rajkumar Pal, who neatly pushed it past the Japanese goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa. Three minutes later, the Indians secured two back-to-back penalty corners but wasted both.In the last five minutes of the first quarter, Japan pressed hard in search of the equaliser and mounted numerous raids but the Indian defence stood firm to hold on to their lead. Trailing by a goal, Japan continued to attack and in the process earned two consecutive penalty corners in the 20th minute but the Indians defended in numbers to keep their lead intact. Both Japan and India had a few more chances in the second quarters but both the teams faltered in the final third. Japan came out attacking after the change of ends and secured two more penalty corners in quick succession but they failed to break the resolute Indian defence.In between India had a golden chance to extend their lead but Rajkumar shot over from close quarters from a SV Sunil pass The Japanese put relentless pressure on the Indian citadel in the final two quarters in search of the equaliser but the Birendra-Lakra side stood like a rock to deny their opponents. In the 48th minute, Japan secured three successive penalty corners but couldn't breach the Indian backline. Japan earned another penalty corner in the 51st minute but the Indian defence once again foiled the chance. While Japan pressed hard in the remaining minutes the Indians put numbers at the back to successfully defend their one goal lead and secure a podium finish.—IANS

The young Indian men's hockey team produced a spirited performance to beat Japan 1-0 and clinch the bronze medal in the Asia Cup here on Wednesday.

India beat Japan 1-0 to clinch Asia Cup bronze

Tokyo: Japan on Friday eased its borders for foreign tourists and began accepting applications, but only for those on guided package tours who are willing to follow mask-wearing and other antivirus measures as the country cautiously tries to balance business and infection worries. Friday is the first day to start procedures needed for the entry and arrivals are not expected until late June at the earliest, even though airport immigration and quarantine offices stood by for any possible arrivals. The Japan Tourism Agency says tours are being accepted from 98 countries and regions, including the United States, Britain, China, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore, which are deemed as having low infection risks. Japan’s partial resumption of international tourism is being carried out under guidelines based on an experiment conducted in late May. It involved about 50 participants, mostly tour agency employees from Australia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States.In one case, a tour for a four-member group was cancelled when one of the participants tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving in Japan. Under the guidelines, participants are requested to wear face masks most of the time and to purchase insurance to cover medical costs in case they contract Covid-19. The rules don’t set a cap for the number of people in one group, but tour guides must be present throughout the tour. After facing criticism that its strict border controls were xenophobic, Japan began easing restrictions earlier this year. On June 1, it doubled its cap on daily entries to 20,000 people a day, including Japanese citizens, foreign students and some business travelers. The daily limit will include the package tour participants for the time being, and officials say it will take some time before foreign visitors can come to Japan for free, individual tourism. Japan’s inbound tourism business has laid dormant during the pandemic and even though the country welcomes tourists and their spending, infection concerns persist among Japanese, especially in popular tourist destinations.Unlike most Western countries where mask-wearing has largely been abandoned, most people continue to wear them even in situations, such as outdoors in uncrowded settings, where they are no longer requested. Japan is still reporting more than 10,000 new Covid-19 cases daily, though the number in Tokyo is below 2,000. The latest mask wearing rules call for people to wear them on public transport systems, in hospitals and other public facilities. People can doff their masks outdoors when others are not around or talking loudly. It’s unclear how popular the package tours options will be with foreign tourists, most of whom have to apply for tourist visas that can take weeks to obtain. But the yen is trading at 20-year lows against the U.S. dollar and weak against other major currencies, which would make traveling in the high-cost country something of a bargain. Foreign tourist arrivals fell more than 90% in 2020 from a record 31.9 million the year before, almost wiping out the pre-pandemic inbound tourism market of more than 4 trillion yen ($30 billion).—AP

Japan on Friday eased its borders for foreign tourists and began accepting applications, but only for those on guided package tours who are willing to follow mask-wearing and other antivirus measures as the country cautiously tries to balance business and infection worries.

Japan eases foreign tourism ban, allows guided package tours

United Nations: Japan has been elected to UN Security Council to succeed India as a non-permanent member for a two-year term starting next year. Japan was one of the five countries that were elected on Thursday through secret ballots. The seats are allocated by region and Japan was the unopposed choice of the Asia Pacific group with no formal rivals. However, it received 184 votes out of the 192 cast, with three going to Mongolia — which was not a candidate — as a passive-aggressive sign of opposition to Japan, and the other five were presumably blanks. Switzerland, which joined the UN only in 2002, was elected for the first time to the Council.The others elected were Malta, also from the Western European group, and Mozambique from Africa and Equador from Latin America. Japan, which was elected for the 12th time, will be joining the United Arab Emirates that began its term in January and is the other Asian nation on the Council. India will be completing its two-year term at the end of December — a month during which it will be the Council’s President, the second time during its current tenure. Like India, Japan is an aspirant for a permanent seat on the Council, and with Brazil, currently an elected member, and Germany they form the group known as G4 that lobbies for Council reform to expand permanent member slots and mutually support their candidacies for permanent seats. Japan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Odawara Kiyoshi said after the election that his country will push the Council to deal with the situation in North Korea, which has resumed missile tests. The Council has been deadlocked on the North Korea issue because of Chinese and Russian vetoes. His country’s other priorities on the Council would be “security, including energy and food,” he added.—IANS

Japan has been elected to UN Security Council to succeed India as a non-permanent member for a two-year term starting next year. Japan was one of the five countries that were elected on Thursday through secret ballots.

Japan Elected To UNSC To Succeed India Next Year

Tokyo: For the first time in two years, Japan on Friday reopened its borders to some foreign tourists as it continues to take steps to increase inbound tourism to support the economy as concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic ease. The government initially opened its borders to tourists from 98 countries and regions on guided tours, with the countries and regions deemed eligible owing to their low risk of Covid-19, reports Xinhua news agency. Such countries include the US, Britain, China, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand. Foreign visitors from this group are exempt from Covid-19 testing upon arrival in Japan and do not need to quarantine for any period of time.This applies to travellers even if they are unvaccinated against the virus. The cap, however, is for 20,000 foreign visitors to be allowed into the country per day. Towards the end of June, the government has said that it expects full-scale tourism to resume, although it remains concerned about a possible spike in infections as more foreign guests arrive from overseas. In April, the estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan was down 95.2 percent from the same month in 2019 at 139,500 people, the government said in May. Japan's strict border controls have been heavily criticized by educational institutions and business lobbies as being unnecessarily draconian. In a shift of pace, Japan is now looking to bring its border protocols in line with other G7 major nations. Business leaders have called on the government to gradually reopen to inbound tourists to help revive the pandemic-hit economy, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has given assurances that Japan will ease border controls "in stages" to bring them on par with other G7 nations.—IANS

For the first time in two years, Japan on Friday reopened its borders to some foreign tourists as it continues to take steps to increase inbound tourism to support the economy as concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic ease.

Japan reopens borders to some foreign tourists after 2 years

Tokyo: Japan's Hayabusa2 space mission, which brought to Earth samples from an asteroid in late 2020, has found more than 20 types of amino acids in it, according to Japanese space agency JAXA officials.In 2018, Hayabusa2 landed atop a moving asteroid named Ryugu and collected particles from above and below its surface. In December 2020, it returned to Earth with a sealed capsule containing about five grams of dust and rock.The discovery of amino acids showed for the first time that they exist on an asteroid in space, Japan Times reported. Amino acids are substances that make proteins and are indispensable for life. Although it is not known how amino acids arrived on ancient Earth, one theory says they were brought by meteorites, with amino acids being detected in a meteorite found on Earth. It is also possible that such acids were transferred from the surrounding environs."We previously only had a handful of these rocks to study, and all of them were meteorites that fell to Earth and were stored in museums for decades to centuries, which changed their compositions," said geochemist Nicolas Dauphas, one of the three University of Chicago researchers who worked with a Japan-led international team of scientists to analyse the fragments."Having pristine samples from outer space is simply incredible. They are witnesses from parts of the solar system that we have not otherwise explored."Hayabusa2 delivered the subsurface materials to Earth without exposing them to outside air after collecting the samples that had not been weathered by sunlight or cosmic rays.Hayabusa2 left Earth in 2014 and reached its stationary position above Ryugu in June 2018 after traveling 3.2 billion km on an elliptical orbit around the sun for more than three years.The probe touched down on the asteroid twice the following year, collecting the first-ever subsurface samples from an asteroid, the report said. This mission is the first of several international missions that will bring back samples from another asteroid named Bennu, as well as unexplored areas on our moon, Mars, and Mars' moon Phobos. This should all be taking place in the next 10 to 20 years. —IANS

Japan's Hayabusa2 space mission, which brought to Earth samples from an asteroid in late 2020, has found more than 20 types of amino acids in it, according to Japanese space agency JAXA officials.

Japan's Hayabusa2 Probe Finds Amino Acids In Asteroid Samples

Tokyo: Japan's Hayabusa2 space mission, which brought to Earth samples from an asteroid in late 2020, has found more than 20 types of amino acids in it, according to Japanese space agency JAXA officials. In 2018, Hayabusa2 landed atop a moving asteroid named Ryugu and collected particles from above and below its surface. In December 2020, it returned to Earth with a sealed capsule containing about five grams of dust and rock. The discovery of amino acids showed for the first time that they exist on an asteroid in space, Japan Times reported.Amino acids are substances that make proteins and are indispensable for life.Although it is not known how amino acids arrived on ancient Earth, one theory says they were brought by meteorites, with amino acids being detected in a meteorite found on Earth. It is also possible that such acids were transferred from the surrounding environs. "We previously only had a handful of these rocks to study, and all of them were meteorites that fell to Earth and were stored in museums for decades to centuries, which changed their compositions," said geochemist Nicolas Dauphas, one of the three University of Chicago researchers who worked with a Japan-led international team of scientists to analyse the fragments."Having pristine samples from outer space is simply incredible. They are witnesses from parts of the solar system that we have not otherwise explored." Hayabusa2 delivered the subsurface materials to Earth without exposing them to outside air after collecting the samples that had not been weathered by sunlight or cosmic rays.Hayabusa2 left Earth in 2014 and reached its stationary position above Ryugu in June 2018 after traveling 3.2 billion km on an elliptical orbit around the sun for more than three years.The probe touched down on the asteroid twice the following year, collecting the first-ever subsurface samples from an asteroid, the report said.This mission is the first of several international missions that will bring back samples from another asteroid named Bennu, as well as unexplored areas on our moon, Mars, and Mars' moon Phobos. This should all be taking place in the next 10 to 20 years.—IANS

Tokyo, June 10 Japan's Hayabusa2 space mission, which brought to Earth samples from an asteroid in late 2020, has found more than 20 types of amino acids in it, according to Japanese space agency JAXA officials.

Japan's Hayabusa2 probe finds amino acids in asteroid samples

Dehradun: The research wing of the Uttarakhand Forest department discovered a rare carnivorous plant species Utricularia Furcellata, which has been published in 'the Journal of Japanese botany'.The journal of Japanese botany is a 106-year-old journal on plant taxonomy and botany and is considered one of the most prestigious journals in the field. It (Utricularia Furcellata) is the first such publication in this journal by Uttarakhand Forest Department. A team of the Research Wing of the Uttarakhand forest department, consisting of Range officer Harish Negi and Junior Research Fellow (JRF) Manoj Singh discovered this Utricularia Furcellata in the Mandal valley in September 2021.''This is the first such recording/sighting of this rare carnivorous plant not only in Uttarakhand but in the entire western Himalayan region of India. In fact, after 1986, this species could not be collected from any part of India," Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Chief Conservator of Forest (Research) said.This discovery has extended its range of distribution westward. However, the species face threat due to heavy biotic pressure because of being at a tourist spot.The plant belongs to a genus, commonly known as bladderworts, which uses one of the most sophisticated and developed plant structures for trap and its targets range from protozoa to insects, mosquito larvae and even the young tadpoles. Its operation is simply based on a mechanical process, that is by creating a vacuum or negative pressure area to draw prey inside the trap door.These plants are mostly found in fresh water and wet soil.Notably, the discovery was a part of a project on the study of insectivorous plants in Uttarakhand which was approved by the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) in the year 2019.This was the first such comprehensive study in the State and so far, around 20 plant species belonging to the genus Drosera, Utricularia and Pinguicula have been found.Earlier also, the search for a rare orchid species Liparis Pygmaean by the research wing was reported in the French Journal Richardiana in September 2020, which also added a new orchid species Cephalanthera erecta var.oblanceolata to the list of Indian flora last year, besides adding many more orchid species to the list of earlier recorded orchid species in Mandal valley of Chamoli district.Carnivorous plants has aroused new interest in the scientific community across the world because of their completely distinct manner of arranging food and nutrition through the intelligent trap mechanisms, as compared to the photosynthesis used by the normal plants. The carnivorous plants otherwise generally grow on the poor nutrient soil and have potential medicinal benefits. —ANI

The research wing of the Uttarakhand Forest department discovered a rare carnivorous plant species Utricularia Furcellata, which has been published in 'the Journal of Japanese botany'.

Uttarakhand Forest Department Discovers Rare Carnivorous Plant; Gets Published In Journal Of Japanese Botany

Roorkee (The Hawk): To analyze the economic and environmental impact of the COVID 19 pandemic induced reverse migration on the urban-rural continuum,Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan and Keio University, Japan collaborateto implement an India-Japan bilateral projectentitled“Ecosystem centric rural revitalization: Bridging the urban-rural dichotomy toward post-COVID resilient recovery”. The project is jointly funded Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), India, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), The bilateral collaborative research will focus on two selected study sites including Haridwar in India and Kanagawa prefecture in Japan respectively. Haridwar is a holy Hindu pilgrimage center, which later became a prominent industrial hub after the formation of the Uttarakhand State in 2000 and the creation of SIIDCUL (State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation Uttarakhand Limited) in 2002.The first project workshop was conducted in the Committee Room, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Roorkee on June 27, 2022.The objective of the workshop is to bring experts and key stakeholders into a common platform in order to discuss the social and environmental impact of COVID-19 pandemic-induced reverse migration on the urban-rural continuum and how reverse migration can be translated intoan opportunity foraddressing the urban-rural dichotomy. In the light of the objective,The workshop was attended by distinguished scholars and laureates viz., Prof. Subir Sen, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Roorkee; Prof. Anindya Jayanta Mishra, Head&nbsp;Department of Humanities and Social Science, IIT Roorkee; Dr. Bijon Kr. Mitra, IGES Japan; Prof. Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee; Dr. Anamitra Anurag Danda, Director, Sundarbans Programme, WWF India; Prof. Dinesh K. Nauriyal, Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Roorkee; Dr. Rajarshi Dasgupta, IGES Japan; Richa, PhD Scholar, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Roorkee; Md. Riyaj, PhD Scholar, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Roorkee; Shubham Sharma, PhD Scholar, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Roorkee; Prof. Sameer DeshkarDepartment of Architecture and Planning, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur; Prof. Rajib Shaw, Keio University, Japan; Prof. Uttam Kumar Roy, Associate Professor and&nbsp;Head Centre for Transportation Systems (CTRANS) (Internal Expert), IIT Roorkee; Prof. D. Bharat, Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (Internal Expert), IIT Roorkee.While presenting the overview of the project, Dr. Bijon Kr. Mitra, IGES Japan, pointed out,"Urban and rural areas are strongly interconnected and failure to understand the strong linkages may affect the sustainability of the rural food-energy-water nexus. The proposed research will emphasize the policies adopted in India and Japan to support key economic sectors, making them resilient to disasters”. Talking about the expectations and challenges, Prof. Rajib Shaw, Keio University, said,"The proposed research is multidisciplinary in nature and one aspect is to develop a methodology for assessing the ecological capacity of an ecosystem to meet the demand of natural resources in the new normal. The key challenge, however, is to identify those successful initiatives helping economies to ‘bounce forward’ rather than ‘bouncing back’ to the old normal." Taking on the social impact, Prof. Ajit K Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee, said,"The project will demonstrate the pathways of eco-system centric revitalization of rural areas through diversification of its economy toward decentralized growth in the post-COVID-19 era. There is no need to re-invent the wheel to find solutions to complicated problems but harness the learnings cross-discipline and cross-country to identify sustainable growth strategies."Talking about reverse migration and COVID-19, Dr. Anamitra Anurag Danda, Director, Sundarbans Programme, WWF-India, highlighted,"Post COVID-19 lockdown has affected earnings in the state as both industries and tourism has come to a standstill. Understanding the economic and environmental impact of the COVID 19 pandemic induced reverse migration on the urban-rural continuum will guide the integration of spatial capitals for the post-COVID-19 economic recovery."

To analyze the economic and environmental impact of the COVID 19 pandemic induced reverse migration on the urban-rural continuum,Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan and Keio University, Japan collaborateto implement an India-Japan bilateral projectentitled“Ecosystem centric rural revitalization: Bridging the urban-rural dichotomy toward post-COVID resilient recovery”. 

IIT Roorkee Collaborates In An India-Japan Bilateral Research Project Under ICSSR And JSPS In The Field Of Social Sciences	

Paris: BepiColombo, a joint mission of European Space Agency's (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), successfully completed the second of its six encounters with Mercury -- about 200 km above the planet's surface.The spacecraft, which is on its way to the mysterious innermost planet of the solar system Mercury, aims to enter the planet's orbit in 2025.It made the second encounter with Mercury at 09:44 UTC (3:14 pm IST) on June 23, and just as the first one on October 1. It captured an amazing array of the planet's rich geological features along with scientific data."Hello again Mercury!...Feeling the presence of #Mercury as we make our second #MercuryFlyby at just 200 km from its surface! This gravity assist will slow our velocity in relation to the Sun by about 1.3 km/s," mission officials said in a tweet.The two monitoring cameras (MCAM) on board the spacecraft took a beautiful sequence of 56 black-and-white snapshots at 1024 x 1024 pixel resolution.The image sequences lasted about 15 minutes starting soon after closest approach to Mercury. The first sequence showcases images taken by MCAM-2, starting from a distance of around 920 km from the surface of the planet and finishing at about 6099 km. The second sequence shows images from MCAM-3 covering a similar distance range (approximately 984 km - 6194 km).Since MCAM-2 and MCAM-3 are located on either side of the spacecraft, and the image acquisition alternated quickly between the two cameras with about 15-20 seconds between them, the final sequence shows a composite of the two views, giving an impression of the complete planet receding behind the spacecraft.The images show beautiful details of Mercury, including Heaney -- a 125 km wide crater covered in smooth volcanic plains. It hosts a rare example of a candidate volcano on Mercury, which will be an important target for BepiColombo's high resolution imaging suite once in orbit.Just a few minutes after closest approach and with the Sun shining from above, Mercury's largest impact feature, the 1550 km-wide Caloris basin swung into view for the first time, its highly-reflective lavas on its floor making it stand out against the darker background.The volcanic lavas in and around Caloris are thought to post-date the formation of the basin itself by a hundred million years or so, and measuring and understanding the compositional differences between these is an important goal for BepiColombo."The images highlight many of the science goals that we can address when BepiColombo gets into orbit. I want to understand the volcanic and tectonic history of this amazing planet," the officials said, in a statement.BepiColombo will build on the data collected by NASA's Messenger mission that orbited Mercury 2011-2015. BepiColombo's two science orbiters -- ESA's Mercury Planetary Orbiter and JAXA's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter -- will operate from complementary orbits to study all aspects of mysterious Mercury from its core to surface processes, magnetic field and exosphere, to better understand the origin and evolution of a planet close to its parent star. BepiColombo's main science mission will begin in early 2026. It is making use of nine planetary flybys in total: one at Earth, two at Venus, and six at Mercury, together with the spacecraft's solar electric propulsion system, to help steer into Mercury orbit. Its next Mercury flyby will take place on June 20, 2023. —IANS

BepiColombo, a joint mission of European Space Agency's (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), successfully completed the second of its six encounters with Mercury -- about 200 km above the planet's surface.

ESA's BepiColombo Probe Makes Second Flyby Of Mercury

New Delhi: India and Japan discussed cybersecurity cooperation during the fourth India-Japan Cyber Dialogue on Thursday. The two sides discussed the important areas of bilateral cyber cooperation and reviewed the progress made thusfar in the areas of cybersecurity and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), including 5G. The Indian Delegation was led by Muanpuii Saiawi, Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), while the Japanese delegation was led by Yutaka Arima, Ambassador in-charge of Cyber Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). The Indian delegation consisted of senior officials from the MEA, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, National Security Council Secretariat, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Telecommunication, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team and National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre. The Japanese delegation included senior officials from the National Centre of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity (NISC), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and MoFA. Both sides agreed to hold the next India-Japan Cyber Dialogue in 2023.&nbsp;—IANS

India and Japan discussed cybersecurity cooperation during the fourth India-Japan Cyber Dialogue on Thursday.

India, Japan Hold Talks To Strengthen Cybersecurity

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he was "deeply distressed" over the attack on his "dear friend", former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, who was shot at earlier in the day. Taking to Twitter, Modi said: "Deeply distressed by the attack on my dear friend Abe Shinzo. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and the people of Japan."Abe, who was Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister, collapsed after he was shot at while addressing en election rally in Nara city on Friday, state media said in a report, adding that the police have arrested a 41-year-old suspect.According to state broadcaster NHK, the incident took place at around 11. 30 a.m. (local time) near the Yamatosaidaiji Station in Nara city while the 67-year-old former leader was making a speech for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate's election campaign. Abe did not appear to show any life signs following the attack, and is presently hospitalised. --- IANS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he was "deeply distressed" over the attack on his "dear friend", former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, who was shot at earlier in the day. Taking to Twitter, Modi said: "Deeply distressed by the attack on my dear friend Abe Shinzo. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and the people of Japan."

 Modi shocked by attack on 'dear friend' Shinzo Abe

Tokyo [Japan] : As an investigation into the assassination of Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe continues, local media reports revealed that the man who was detained after Abe was shot served in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/japanese-navy" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Japanese Navy</a>&nbsp;for three years.<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/tetsuya-yamagami" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Tetsuya Yamagami</a>, a 41-year-old resident of Nara City, in western Japan shot Abe while he was during a campaign speech on Friday.Yamagami has told police that he initially planned to attack a leader of a religious group that he believed caused his mother to become bankrupt through donations, Kyodo News reported citing sources.Yamagami admitted that he had visited other locations where Abe had delivered campaign speeches ahead of Sunday's House of Councillors (upper house of the National Diet of Japan) election, sources informed the media outlet.The man denied that he committed the crime because he was opposed to Abe's political belief, according to the police.Following Abe's assassination, the police searched his home on Friday. They found items that are believed to be explosives and homemade guns, the media outlet reported citing Japanese police.Yamagami is currently unemployed. However, he was working at a manufacturer in the Kansai region from around the autumn of 2020. According to a staffing agency employee, he quit the job in May this year.He was previously a member of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/japanese-navy" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Japanese Navy</a>) for about three years through August 2005.On Saturday morning, a car carrying the body of Abe left the hospital in Nara where his autopsy was conducted. His wife Akie Abe was in the car and the body is expected to arrive in Tokyo later in the day.The police said that Abe died from blood loss. The police also said that the autopsy determined that there were two gunshot wounds, on his upper left arm and neck.There was another wound on the neck but it is unknown how that was caused, the police added.After the attack on him, Abe was rushed to hospital and initial media reports citing authorities said that it appeared that the former Japanese PM was shot at in the chest. They described his condition as in "cardiopulmonary arrest" and said he showed no vital signs.Public broadcaster NHK later reported, citing ruling Liberal Democratic Party sources that Abe, had died. Abe died at 5:03 pm (local time) and had two gunshot wounds in his neck, according to officials from Nara Medical University Hospital.A gun that appeared to be handmade was retrieved from the site where Abe was campaigning for a candidate ahead of Sunday's elections for Japan's upper house of Parliament.Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, stepped down in 2020 citing health reasons. He was prime minister of Japan twice, from 2006-07 and again from 2012-20. He was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga and later by Fumio Kishida.Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida earlier in his live address to the country yesterday said "this is not a forgivable act," and that authorities would "take appropriate measures to handle the situation." Kishida further said that the motive behind Abe's shooting is not known.The Japanese PM also requested everyone to not speculate about any political ramifications at the time. (ANI)

As an investigation into the assassination of Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe continues, local media reports revealed that the man who was detained after Abe was shot served in the Japanese Navy for three years.Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old resident of Nara City, in western Japan shot Abe while he was during a campaign speech on Friday

The Hawk

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Cabinet Approves Signing Of MoC Between India & Japan In The Area Of Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management

Sunil Aswal

Tag : Japan

Cabinet Approves Signing Of MoC Between India & Japan In The Area Of Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management

Sunil Aswal

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