By TOKYO (Reuters) - Torrential rain hit Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu on Monday, with at least one more river bursting its banks, as the death toll from three days of floods and mudslides rose to 44, including 14 at an old people’s home.Evacuation orders were issued for more than half a million island residents, as well as evacuation advisories for tens of thousands more in western Japan, broadcaster NHK said.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the rain was forecast to head east by Wednesday and ordered round-the-clock search and rescue operations. Ten people were missing, NHK said.TV...…By TOKYO (Reuters) - Torrential rain hit Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu on Monday, with at least one more river bursting its banks, as the death toll from three days of floods and mudslides rose to 44, including 14 at an old people’s home.Evacuation orders were issued for more than half a million island residents, as well as evacuation advisories for tens of thousands more in western Japan, broadcaster NHK said.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the rain was forecast to head east by Wednesday and ordered round-the-clock search and rescue operations. Ten people were missing, NHK said.TV...WW…

By TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori apologised on Thursday for sexist comments about women talking too much, but said he would not resign, as his remarks sparked a storm of criticism on social media and risked tainting public opinion of the Games.Mori, 83, apologised at a hastily called news conference, but when pressed on whether he really thought women talked too much, he said: “I don’t listen to women that much lately so I don’t know”.The hashtag “Mori, please resign” was trending on Twitter in Japan on Thursday and some users on the platform were calling on sponsors...…By TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori apologised on Thursday for sexist comments about women talking too much, but said he would not resign, as his remarks sparked a storm of criticism on social media and risked tainting public opinion of the Games.Mori, 83, apologised at a hastily called news conference, but when pressed on whether he really thought women talked too much, he said: “I don’t listen to women that much lately so I don’t know”.The hashtag “Mori, please resign” was trending on Twitter in Japan on Thursday and some users on the platform were calling on sponsors...WW…

By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan and the IOC stood firm on Friday on their commitment to host the Tokyo Olympics this year and denied a report of a possible cancellation, although the pledge looks unlikely to ease public concern about holding the event during a pandemic.Though much of Japan is under a state of emergency due to a third wave of COVID-19 infections, Tokyo Olympic organisers have vowed to press ahead with the re-scheduled Games, which are due to open on July 23 after being postponed for a year because of the coronavirus.A government spokesman said there was “no truth” to a report...…By , TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan and the IOC stood firm on Friday on their commitment to host the Tokyo Olympics this year and denied a report of a possible cancellation, although the pledge looks unlikely to ease public concern about holding the event during a pandemic.Though much of Japan is under a state of emergency due to a third wave of COVID-19 infections, Tokyo Olympic organisers have vowed to press ahead with the re-scheduled Games, which are due to open on July 23 after being postponed for a year because of the coronavirus.A government spokesman said there was “no truth” to a report...WW…

By , TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Japan on Tuesday to rally support from Washington’s closest allies in Asia, calling for deeper collaboration with Japan, India and Australia as a bulwark against China’s growing regional influence.The East Asia visit, Pompeo’s first in more than a year, coincides with worsening tensions with China. Yet the call for a united front against Beijing is a sensitive subject for Washington’s allies, which are reliant on China for trade.In comments before the start of a meeting of the Quad grouping of the four nations’ foreign...…By , TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Japan on Tuesday to rally support from Washington’s closest allies in Asia, calling for deeper collaboration with Japan, India and Australia as a bulwark against China’s growing regional influence.The East Asia visit, Pompeo’s first in more than a year, coincides with worsening tensions with China. Yet the call for a united front against Beijing is a sensitive subject for Washington’s allies, which are reliant on China for trade.In comments before the start of a meeting of the Quad grouping of the four nations’ foreign...WW…

By TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese government is facing potentially damaging blowback after excluding Tokyo residents from a multibillion dollar campaign aimed at reviving domestic tourism, even as the capital on Friday reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s $16 billion “Go To” tourism campaign was intended to promote travel across the country, but officials agreed on Thursday to exclude Tokyo because of the resurgence in infections there.Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike reported 293 new cases on Friday, a fresh daily record after the city recorded 286 cases a...…By TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese government is facing potentially damaging blowback after excluding Tokyo residents from a multibillion dollar campaign aimed at reviving domestic tourism, even as the capital on Friday reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s $16 billion “Go To” tourism campaign was intended to promote travel across the country, but officials agreed on Thursday to exclude Tokyo because of the resurgence in infections there.Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike reported 293 new cases on Friday, a fresh daily record after the city recorded 286 cases a...WW…

By TOKYO (Reuters) - Torrential rain hit Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu on Monday, with at least one more river bursting its banks, as the death toll from three days of floods and mudslides rose to 44, including 14 at an old people’s home.Evacuation orders were issued for more than half a million island residents, as well as evacuation advisories for tens of thousands more in western Japan, broadcaster NHK said.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the rain was forecast to head east by Wednesday and ordered round-the-clock search and rescue operations. Ten people were missing, NHK said.TV...…By TOKYO (Reuters) - Torrential rain hit Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu on Monday, with at least one more river bursting its banks, as the death toll from three days of floods and mudslides rose to 44, including 14 at an old people’s home.Evacuation orders were issued for more than half a million island residents, as well as evacuation advisories for tens of thousands more in western Japan, broadcaster NHK said.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the rain was forecast to head east by Wednesday and ordered round-the-clock search and rescue operations. Ten people were missing, NHK said.TV...WW…

By TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will postpone a bid to raise the retirement age of public prosecutors, media said on Monday, given an intense public backlash fuelled by fears for judicial independence.Opposition to a bill raising the retirement has been among the top-trending topics on social media this month, with singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and other celebrities adding their voices.NHK public broadcaster said the decision to put off the bill was made in a meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Toshihiro Nikai, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.“I have agreed with the...…By TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will postpone a bid to raise the retirement age of public prosecutors, media said on Monday, given an intense public backlash fuelled by fears for judicial independence.Opposition to a bill raising the retirement has been among the top-trending topics on social media this month, with singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and other celebrities adding their voices.NHK public broadcaster said the decision to put off the bill was made in a meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Toshihiro Nikai, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.“I have agreed with the...WW…