Kishida delights Washington with promise of 250 cherry trees as independence gift
Washington DC, US Reuters Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida drew cheers and applause from US lawmakers on Thursday when he announced a plan to donate 250 cherry trees to the US capital to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US independence. In a speech to the US Congress in Washington underscoring close ties between the […]
With flowers and a gun salute, Japan bids farewell to Abe at state funeral
Tokyo, JapanReuters With flowers, prayers and a 19-gun salute, Japan honoured slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday at the first state funeral for a former premier in 55 years – a ceremony that has become as controversial as he was in life. The ceremony started at 2pm, with Abe’s ashes carried into the […]
Japan PM promises to never again wage war, ministers visit controversial shrine
Tokyo, JapanReuters Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged to never again wage war on the anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender, while members of his cabinet marked the date with visits to a controversial shrine, moves set to anger China and South Korea. With the Yasukuni Shrine seen as a symbol of Japan’s past […]
Pope, Japan PM, discuss hopes for nuclear-free world
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis and the Prime Minister of Japan, the only country to be hit by atomic bombs, met on Wednesday and discussed their common hope for a world free of nuclear weapons. Francis and Fumio Kishida met for about half an hour in a receiving room of the Vatican’s audience hall just before […]
Outcome uncertain as Japan’s ruling party heads to vote on next PM
Tokyo, JapanReuters Japan’s ruling party votes on Wednesday for the country’s next prime minister in an election that has turned into the most unpredictable race since Shinzo Abe made a surprise comeback almost a decade ago, defeating a popular rival in a runoff. The winner of the 29th September contest to lead the conservative Liberal […]