By , , , MILAN/SEOUL (Reuters) - In Italy, millions are locked down and more than 1,000 people have died from the coronavirus. In South Korea, hit by the disease at about the same time, only a few thousand are quarantined and 67 people have died. As the virus courses through the world, the story of two outbreaks illustrates a coming problem for countries now grappling with an explosion in cases.It’s impractical to test every potential patient, but unless the authorities can find a way to see how widespread infection is, their best answer is lockdown.Italy started out testing widely, then...…By , , , MILAN/SEOUL (Reuters) - In Italy, millions are locked down and more than 1,000 people have died from the coronavirus. In South Korea, hit by the disease at about the same time, only a few thousand are quarantined and 67 people have died. As the virus courses through the world, the story of two outbreaks illustrates a coming problem for countries now grappling with an explosion in cases.It’s impractical to test every potential patient, but unless the authorities can find a way to see how widespread infection is, their best answer is lockdown.Italy started out testing widely, then...WW…

By , , TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China on Tuesday against using “coercion and aggression” as he sought to use his first trip abroad to shore up Asian alliances in the face of growing assertiveness by Beijing.China’s extensive territorial claims in the East and South China Seas have become a priority issue in an increasingly testy Sino-U.S. relationship and are an important security concern for Japan.“We will push back, if necessary, when China uses coercion and aggression to get its way,” Blinken said.His visit to Tokyo with Defense Secretary Lloyd...…By , , TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China on Tuesday against using “coercion and aggression” as he sought to use his first trip abroad to shore up Asian alliances in the face of growing assertiveness by Beijing.China’s extensive territorial claims in the East and South China Seas have become a priority issue in an increasingly testy Sino-U.S. relationship and are an important security concern for Japan.“We will push back, if necessary, when China uses coercion and aggression to get its way,” Blinken said.His visit to Tokyo with Defense Secretary Lloyd...WW…

By , , FUKUSHIMA/TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -With waves, smiles and streamers, but no cheers, the Olympic torch relay kicked off on Thursday, beginning a four-month countdown to the postponed 2020 summer Games in Tokyo, the first ever organised during a deadly pandemic.Casting a pall over celebrations already scaled back because of coronavirus measures, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles before the relay began in Fukushima, an area hit hard by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.“For the past year, as the entire world underwent a difficult period, the Olympic...…By , , FUKUSHIMA/TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -With waves, smiles and streamers, but no cheers, the Olympic torch relay kicked off on Thursday, beginning a four-month countdown to the postponed 2020 summer Games in Tokyo, the first ever organised during a deadly pandemic.Casting a pall over celebrations already scaled back because of coronavirus measures, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles before the relay began in Fukushima, an area hit hard by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.“For the past year, as the entire world underwent a difficult period, the Olympic...WW…

By , TOKYO (Reuters) -A consortium of private Japanese firms and a Japanese state entity paid rent on a multi-million dollar hotel and office development that ultimately went to Myanmar’s defence ministry, six company and government officials told Reuters.It is the first time Japan has acknowledged the project benefits Myanmar’s defence ministry, which is controlled by the military under the country’s constitution. The payments, starting in 2017, are not illegal but are potentially embarrassing for Japan given United Nations investigators have alleged human rights abuses by Myanmar’s...…By , TOKYO (Reuters) -A consortium of private Japanese firms and a Japanese state entity paid rent on a multi-million dollar hotel and office development that ultimately went to Myanmar’s defence ministry, six company and government officials told Reuters.It is the first time Japan has acknowledged the project benefits Myanmar’s defence ministry, which is controlled by the military under the country’s constitution. The payments, starting in 2017, are not illegal but are potentially embarrassing for Japan given United Nations investigators have alleged human rights abuses by Myanmar’s...WW…

By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Myanmar police detained a Japanese freelance journalist at a protest in the commercial capital of Yangon on Friday, one of his colleagues said, the first detention of a foreign reporter since a military coup on Feb. 1.Yuki Kitazumi runs a media production company, Yangon Media Professionals, and used to be a journalist with the Nikkei business daily, according to his Facebook page and interviews with online media.“I didn’t witness it, but I received a message from him via Messenger app around 11:30 that he got arrested,” Kitazumi’s Myanmar colleague, Linn Nyan Htun,...…By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Myanmar police detained a Japanese freelance journalist at a protest in the commercial capital of Yangon on Friday, one of his colleagues said, the first detention of a foreign reporter since a military coup on Feb. 1.Yuki Kitazumi runs a media production company, Yangon Media Professionals, and used to be a journalist with the Nikkei business daily, according to his Facebook page and interviews with online media.“I didn’t witness it, but I received a message from him via Messenger app around 11:30 that he got arrested,” Kitazumi’s Myanmar colleague, Linn Nyan Htun,...WW…

By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, long seen as a homogeneous redoubt of elderly men, now wants more women at its key meetings - provided they don’t do the talking.The party, in power for most of the time since 1955, has proposed allowing five female lawmakers to join its board meetings as observers in a response to criticism that its board is dominated by men.Two of the party’s 12-member board are women, while only three of its 25-member general council are women.The proposal comes after sexist comments from former Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori, himself an...…By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, long seen as a homogeneous redoubt of elderly men, now wants more women at its key meetings - provided they don’t do the talking.The party, in power for most of the time since 1955, has proposed allowing five female lawmakers to join its board meetings as observers in a response to criticism that its board is dominated by men.Two of the party’s 12-member board are women, while only three of its 25-member general council are women.The proposal comes after sexist comments from former Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori, himself an...WW…

By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, long seen as a homogeneous redoubt of elderly men, now wants more women at its key meetings - provided they don’t do the talking.The party, in power for most of the time since 1955, has proposed allowing five female lawmakers to join its board meetings as observers in a response to criticism that its board is dominated by men.Two of the party’s 12-member board are women, while only three of its 25-member general council are women.The proposal comes after sexist comments from former Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori, himself an...…By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, long seen as a homogeneous redoubt of elderly men, now wants more women at its key meetings - provided they don’t do the talking.The party, in power for most of the time since 1955, has proposed allowing five female lawmakers to join its board meetings as observers in a response to criticism that its board is dominated by men.Two of the party’s 12-member board are women, while only three of its 25-member general council are women.The proposal comes after sexist comments from former Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori, himself an...WW…

By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori resigned on Friday and apologised again for sexist remarks that sparked a global outcry, leaving the troubled Olympics searching for a chief five months from the opening ceremony.The resignation of the 83-year-old former prime minister further erodes confidence in organisers’ ability to pull off the postponed Summer Games during a coronavirus pandemic.A selection committee made up of an equal number of men and women, and centred around athletes, would choose a new president for the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, the group’s...…By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori resigned on Friday and apologised again for sexist remarks that sparked a global outcry, leaving the troubled Olympics searching for a chief five months from the opening ceremony.The resignation of the 83-year-old former prime minister further erodes confidence in organisers’ ability to pull off the postponed Summer Games during a coronavirus pandemic.A selection committee made up of an equal number of men and women, and centred around athletes, would choose a new president for the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, the group’s...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTOKYO, Dec 25 (Reuters) - A top Japanese defence official on Friday urged U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to "be strong" in supporting Taiwan in the face of an aggressive China, calling the island's safety a "red line.""We are concerned China will expand its aggressive stance into areas other than Hong Kong. I think one of the next targets, or what everyone is worried about, is Taiwan," State Minister of Defense Yasuhide Nakayama told Reuters.In an interview, Nakayama, Japan's deputy defence minister, urged Biden to take a similar line on...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTOKYO, Dec 25 (Reuters) - A top Japanese defence official on Friday urged U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to "be strong" in supporting Taiwan in the face of an aggressive China, calling the island's safety a "red line.""We are concerned China will expand its aggressive stance into areas other than Hong Kong. I think one of the next targets, or what everyone is worried about, is Taiwan," State Minister of Defense Yasuhide Nakayama told Reuters.In an interview, Nakayama, Japan's deputy defence minister, urged Biden to take a similar line on...WW…

By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan aims to expand a major regional free trade pact called the CPTPP, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday, potentially catering for China’s and Britain’s interest in joining the deal.The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) links 11 countries including Canada, Australia and Japan.“Japan will aspire for the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific through the early conclusion of the RCEP agreement and the steady implementation and expansion of the CPTPP as next year’s chair,” Suga said.The premier made the comment in a...…By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan aims to expand a major regional free trade pact called the CPTPP, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday, potentially catering for China’s and Britain’s interest in joining the deal.The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) links 11 countries including Canada, Australia and Japan.“Japan will aspire for the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific through the early conclusion of the RCEP agreement and the steady implementation and expansion of the CPTPP as next year’s chair,” Suga said.The premier made the comment in a...WW…