Japan aid agency official punished for Philippines project info leak

An official of the Japan International Cooperation Agency leaked information regarding a bid for a railway rehabilitation project in the Philippines financed by low-interest yen loans, the Japanese government said Tuesday.

JICA imposed a one-month suspension on the official in…[Read more]

Only own-goals as Japan and Australia draw 1-1 in Asian World Cup qualifying

Two own-goals saw the points shared Tuesday as Japan and Australia drew 1-1 in Asian World Cup qualifying.

Shogo Taniguchi accidentally put Australia ahead just before the hour at Saitama Stadium, but Australia’s Cameron Burgess returned the favor soon after to leave…[Read more]

Election to test Ishiba’s ability to build a strong political base

The Oct. 27 general election — the first nationwide vote since a slush funds scandal was uncovered within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party — comes as an early test of the leadership of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is already grappling with a fragile party support base and…[Read more]

Bahçeli denies new process with DEM Party

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has called his unexpected handshake with Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) officials an act of “brotherhood rather than the start of a new political process.”

“It is well-known where those who take my extended hand out of context a…[Read more]

Stars will replace warplanes in Palestine one day: Erdoğan

ddressing the Conference on the Future of Palestine in the capital, Ankara, on Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hit out at Israeli aggression targeting Palestinians and the inaction of the international community, seeking to rally support for the victims of Israeli a…[Read more]

Father of Turkish-American activist wants US probe into her killing by Israeli soldiers

The father of the Turkish-American activist killed by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank on Thursday welcomed Turkey’s decision to initiate an independent investigation into her death and called on the United States to do the same.

Aysenur Ezgi E…[Read more]

Turkey and Serbia suggest they might jointly produce military drones

The leaders of Turkey and Serbia suggested Friday that their countries might jointly produce military drones, months after a Turkish shipment of unmanned aircraft to Serbia’s neighbor Kosovo sparked anger in the Serbian capital.

While Serbia had initially planned the purchase B…[Read more]

Ishiba omits divisive proposals in first policy speech as PM

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba gave his first policy speech to parliament on Friday, omitting some of the most divisive proposals he made during last month’s Liberal Democratic Party presidential campaign and instead prioritizing quickly actionable measures.
While he did not touch on p…[Read more]

The man behind Japan’s $170bn bid to prop up the yen

For several years, Masato Kanda hardly slept.

“Three hours a night is an exaggeration,” he laughs as he speaks to the BBC from Tokyo.

“I slept for three hours consecutively before being woken up but I then went back to bed, so if you add them up, I got a bit more.”

So why was this 59…[Read more]

Japan PM warns ‘today’s Ukraine could be tomorrow’s East Asia’

TOKYO: Japan´s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba warned in his first policy speech on Friday that “today´s Ukraine could be tomorrow´s East Asia”, saying that the world is becoming ever more divided.

The 67-year-old former defence minister, who took office this week, also dubbed th…[Read more]

Runway closed at Japan airport after WWII bomb explodes on taxiway

An unexploded World War II-era bomb exploded on a taxiway at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan on Wednesday morning, forcing the closure of its runway, although no injuries were reported, authorities said.

Video footage from the Civil Aviation College, which uses the airport…[Read more]

NYC mayor Adams pleads not guilty to federal corruption charges

Eric Adams says he will fight charges stemming from alleged illegal campaign contributions from Turkish sources.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges stemming from alleged bribes taken from Turkish diplomats and businesspeople.

Adams, 64,…[Read more]

Turkish Parliament to discuss measures against Israeli expansion

Turkish lawmakers are set to assemble for a closed session next week to discuss Israel’s expansionist policies and Türkiye’s potential measures against it, according to a report in Turkish newspaper Sabah.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler will be briefi…[Read more]

Gaza GDP shrunk nearly 90% due to ‘devastating’ war: IMF

A year of Israel’s attacks on Gaza has had a “devastating impact on the economy” in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported on Thursday.

That includes a nearly 90% decline in Gaza’s gross domestic product (GDP), severely affecting livelihoods in the…[Read more]

Turkey anti-inflation steps don’t go far enough, experts warn

Although Turkish inflation slowed in September, it is still raging out of control with the government avoiding difficult decisions that could help tackle it, experts told AFP.

Turkey has experienced spiraling inflation the past two years, peaking at an annual rate of 85.5 percent in O…[Read more]

Regional victory brings Germany’s Scholz brief respite

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) staved off the far right in a regional election on Sunday, likely providing him only a brief reprieve from growing criticism of his leadership within his own party.

The center-left SPD staged a last minute comeback in the eastern sta…[Read more]

Germany honors Jürgen Klopp with highest civic award

German football coach Jürgen Klopp received the Federal Order of Merit for his contribution to democracy and his impact on the football world and more. He accepted the honor with customary modesty, asking “why me?”

German football coach Jürgen Klopp on Wednesday received the Federal Order of…[Read more]

Not just AfD: What’s the BSW, Germany’s rising populist left party?

The party founded in January espouses anti-NATO, anti-immigrant populist rhetoric while promoting left-wing economics.

It’s the new kid on the block in German politics — and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is making waves.

A little more than nine months after its birth,…[Read more]

Fifth time’s a charm as former defense minister finally wins Japan ruling party leadership contest and will become country’s next leader

Former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba will become Japan’s new prime minister after winning his party’s leadership contest on Friday, following a crowded race that ended in a runoff vote.

The 67-year…[Read more]

Shigeru Ishiba to become Japan’s next PM

Shigeru Ishiba, a veteran politician with a reputation for irking his conservative colleagues, is set to become Japan’s next prime minister after winning the leadership race for the Liberal Democratic Party Friday.

Ishiba, a 67-year-old former defense minister, defeated socially conservative foreign pol…[Read more]