China vows military action if Taiwan, sea claims opposed

Abstract: SINGAPORE - China’s defense minister warned Sunday that its military will “resolutely take action” to defend Beijing’s claims over self-ruled Taiwan and disputed South China Sea waters. Speaking at an annual security conference in Singapore, Gen. Wei Fenghe did not direct the threat at the U.S. but loaded his address with criticism of activities by Washington, including support for Taiwan and leading so-called freedom of navigation operations in the strategic waterways that China virtually claims as its own. Wei said the People’s Liberation Army would not “yield a single inch of the country’s sacred land.” China’s ruling Communist Party maintains that Taiwan is part of China, and has used increasingly aggressive rhetoric toward the democratic island, which split from the mainland amid a civil war 70 years ago. It opposes Taiwan’s independence and formally says it seeks a “peaceful reunification” while refusing to rule out the use of force if necessary to achieve that goal. “The PLA has no intention to cause anybody trouble but it is not afraid to face up to troubles. Should anybody risk crossing the bottom line, the PLA will resolutely take action and defeat all enemies,” Wei said. Relations between Beijing and Taipei have deteriorated since Taiwan elected a pro-independence president, Tsai Ing-wen, in 2016. China has since increased diplomatic pressure, cut off its contacts with the island’s government and discouraged travel there by Chinese tourists. “China must be and will be reunified. We find no excuse not to do so. If anyone dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese military has no choice but to fight at all costs, at all costs, for national unity,” Wei said. “We will strive for the prospect of peaceful unification with utmost sincerity and greatest efforts, but we make no promise to renounce the use of force.” Wei was addressing defense chiefs, officials and academics at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. U.S. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, who spoke to the same gathering on Saturday, was not present at Wei’s speech. Shanahan called China’s efforts to steal technology from other nations and militarize man-made outposts in the South China Sea a “toolkit of coercion” and urged it to stop activities the U.S. perceives as hostile. China is pitted against smaller Southeast Asian neighbors in multiple disputes over island reefs, corals and lagoons in the South China Sea, where it constructed seven outposts equipped with airstrips, radar and missile stations that Shanahan said Saturday could become “tollbooths” in one of the world’s busiest waterways. Beijing is currently firming up a pact with four rival claimants, containing norms and rules aimed at preventing a shooting war in the disputed waters. On Thursday, China’s Defense Ministry dismissed a report that Australian Navy pilots were hit by lasers earlier in May while exercising in the waters claimed by China. And on Sunday, Beijing closed off an area near Paracel Islands, which is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan, for military training exercises. Wei said China built “limited defense facilities” but much of it was aimed at improving services and infrastructure for people living there. “It is only when there are threats would there be defenses. In face of heavily armed warships and military aircraft, how can we not deploy any defense facilities?” he said. Most of the islands are uninhabited and have been used by fishermen from all sides to shelter during storms. Wei and Shanahan met on the sidelines of the conference Friday and agreed to improve communication and deepen exchanges and cooperation between their militaries. On Sunday, Wei said the countries recognize that a conflict or war between them would have wide-reaching effects. “It takes two to cooperate but only one to start a fight,” he said. “We hope that the U.S. side will work with us towards the same goal, follow the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, and steer the China-U.S. relations in the right direction.” China last sent a high-ranking general to the conference in 2011. Its officials have been quick to downplay this as a mere coincidence, given the busy schedules of their higher-ups. But some observers see Wei’s presence this time as a pointed attempt by China to cement its relationships in the region amid a trade war with the U.S. and having its businesses targeted with sanctions.

china
military
taiwan
south china sea
conflict
disputed islands


India heat wave prompts warnings as temperatures pass 50 degrees Celsius

Abstract: NEW DELHI - Temperatures passed 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in northern India as an unrelenting heat wave triggered warnings of water shortages and heatstroke. The thermometer hit 50.6 degrees Celsius (123 Fahrenheit) in the Rajasthan desert city of Churu on Saturday, the weather department said. All of Rajasthan suffered in severe heat with several cities hitting maximum temperatures above 47 Celsius. In May 2016, Phalodi in Rajasthan recorded India’s highest-ever temperature of 51 Celsius (123.8 Fahrenheit). The Indian Meteorological Department said severe heat could stay for up to a week across Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh states. Several deaths from heatstroke have already been recorded. A red alert severe heat warning has been issued in the capital New Delhi as temperatures passed 46 Celsius, and residents were advised not to go out during the hottest hours of the day. Even in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh, where many wealthy Indians go to escape the summer heat, temperatures reached 44.9 Celsius in Una. Several major cities, led by Chennai, have reported fears of water shortages as lakes and rivers start to dry up. In the western state of Maharashtra, farmers struggled to find water for thirsty animals and crops. “We have to source water tankers from nearby villages as water reserves, lakes and rivers have dried up,” said Rajesh Chandrakant, a resident of Beed, one of the worst-hit districts. “Farmers only get water every three days for their livestock.” Raghunath Tonde, a farmer with a family of seven, said the area has suffered worsening shortages for five years. “There is no drinking water available for days on end and we get one tanker every three days for the entire village,” Tonde said. “We are scared for our lives and livelihood,” he added. The Hindustan Times newspaper said many Beed residents had stopped washing and cleaning clothes due to the water shortage. More than 40 percent of India faces drought this year, experts from Gandhinagar city’s Indian Institute of Technology, warned last month. The annual monsoon — which normally brings much needed rain to South Asia — is running a week behind schedule and is only expected to hit India’s southern tip on June 6, the weather department said. And private forecaster Skymet has said there will be less rain than average this year. The Indian peninsula has seen a drastic change in rainfall patterns over the past decade, marked by frequent droughts, floods and sudden storms.


North Korea swine fever outbreak puts South on edge

Abstract: SEOUL - South Korean troops stationed along the world’s last Cold War frontier have been put on high alert in the face of a new infiltration threat from the nuclear-armed North: fever-stricken wild boar. An outbreak of African swine fever that has cut swaths through China, Vietnam and Mongolia has spread to the isolated country, sparking worries that sick animals crossing the heavily militarized border could devastate the South’s $5.9 billion pork industry. “We need to focus on preventing wild boars in the North from entering our territory,” the South’s Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon said Saturday after visiting a pig farm near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides the two countries. African swine fever is known to be harmless to humans but is fatal to pigs and wild boar and has devastated supply chains in China — the world’s largest consumer of pork — where authorities have ordered the culling of hundreds of thousands of pigs. Pyongyang told the World Organization for Animal Health that 77 out of 99 pigs had died from the disease at a farm near the China border, according to Seoul’s agricultural ministry. The ministry said Friday that the disease is “highly likely” to hit the South, and the government has ordered fences to be erected at farms along the border to prevent possible contact between pigs and wild boars. Seoul believes Pyongyang raises some 2.6 million pigs across 14 state-run farms. The outbreak could worsen food shortages in the impoverished North, where, according to the World Food Programme, its output last year hit the lowest level since 2008. In the South, there are about 6,700 pig farms across the country, and pig farming accounts for 40 percent of the total livestock industry. In 2011, a devastating outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease hit the entire Korean Peninsula and resulted in the culling of nearly 3.5 million cattle, pigs and other animals in South Korea alone. While its bristling fortifications, rolls of barbed wire and trigger-happy North Korean troops mean crossing the DMZ can be deadly for humans, the zone has been untouched by development and is a haven for wildlife. Last October a rare Asiatic black bear was photographed in the zone, Seoul’s environmental ministry said.

north korea
swine fever
south korea
pigs
disease
agriculture
food


Twitter apologizes for suspending accounts critical of China ahead of Tiananmen anniversary

Abstract: BEIJING - Twitter has apologized for suspending a number of accounts critical of China, days before the politically sensitive 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. The apology came after activists said hundreds of Twitter accounts critical of the Communist Party — from “inside and outside” China — were suspended last week. Despite being blocked in China, Twitter and other overseas social media sites have long been used by activists and government critics to address subjects that are censored on domestic forums. But in this case, Twitter said Saturday that Chinese authorities had not reported the accounts or asked for their suspension. Instead, the firm said they were caught up in an ongoing effort to clear up accounts “engaging in various forms of platform manipulation, including spam and other inauthentic” behavior. Among the blocked accounts were some belonging to dissident writers and an activist who has helped document the disappearance of Uighurs — a Turkic-speaking minority in China’s restive Xinjiang region, said Cao Yuexin, founder of human rights site China Change. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted that the platform had become a “Chinese govt censor.” “Sometimes our routine actions catch false positives or we make errors,” Twitter said. “We apologize. We’re working today to ensure we overturn any errors but that we remain vigilant in enforcing our rules for those who violate them.” But activists said Sunday that the social media giant owed users a fuller explanation of what happened. Discussions of the 1989 pro-democracy protests and its military suppression that led to hundreds of deaths are taboo in China. China’s army of online censors have scrubbed clean Chinese social media, removing articles, memes, hashtags or photos alluding to the crackdown ahead of its 30 anniversary on June 4. All language versions of Wikipedia — whose pages include details about the Tiananmen crackdown — were blocked from the Chinese internet weeks ago.

twitter
china
anniversaries
tiananmen square
social media
internet
censorship
history


Chinese defense minister labels Tiananmen crackdown 'correct' decision

Abstract: SINGAPORE - Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said on Sunday that the bloody crackdown on protesters around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 30 years ago was the “correct” decision, citing the country’s “stability” since then. Responding to a question at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore after a hard-line speech about China and international security cooperation, he called the protests political “turbulence.” It is rare for Chinese government officials to acknowledge the events of June 4, 1989, and references to it are heavily censored in China. “Everybody is concerned about Tiananmen after 30 years,” Wei said on Sunday. “Throughout the 30 years, China under the Communist Party has undergone many changes — do you think the government was wrong with the handling of June Fourth? There was a conclusion to that incident. The government was decisive in stopping the turbulence.” He added that China’s development since 1989 showed that the government’s actions were justified. The Tiananmen protests were “political turmoil that the central government needed to quell, which was the correct policy,” he said. “Due to this, China has enjoyed stability, and if you visit China you can understand that part of history.” Tuesday marks the 30th anniversary of the protests, in which Chinese troops opened fire to end the student-led unrest. Rights groups and witnesses say hundreds or even thousands may have been killed. China has never provided a final death toll. His comments echoed those of Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian, who last week decried the use of the word “suppression” to describe the military’s response to the 1989 protests. China at the time blamed the protests on counter-revolutionaries seeking to overthrow the party. The event will not be officially commemorated by the ruling Communist Party or government. In Washington, dozens of activists rallied in front of the Chinese Embassy on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary. Holding aloft banners and battery-powered candles, about 50 activists, including Chinese political dissidents, spoke of their hopes for democracy. “I feel that people around the world are getting more and more impatient with the communist regime. And I feel that people start to realize that they can no longer tolerate this regime,” said Wei Jingsheng, chairman of the Oversea Chinese Democracy Coalition. “When I came here … I was shocked because the information about that movement was completely blocked by the government of China, so I wasn’t even informed of that when I was in China,” said a member of the Chinese Democracy Party who gave her name as Shirley.

protests
tiananmen square
china
history
anniversaries
rights
censorship


Hong Kong singer Anthony Wong scores hit with Tiananmen commemoration song

Abstract: HONG KONG - Thirty years after it was crushed by China’s army, the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement is being commemorated in art, literature, public rallies and even synth pop. Hong Kong singer Anthony Wong’s latest release, “Is It a Crime,” recorded with longtime musical partner Tats Lau, is finding an audience by doing just that. The two make up the group Tat Ming Pair, long a staple of the local music scene known as Cantopop for the Cantonese language in which the music is recorded. Released in May, the composition has been banned in mainland China, where all discussion of the protest movement and the 1989 military crackdown is strictly taboo. Wong says the song asks difficult questions as to what might constitute a crime of remembrance and commemoration under China’s authoritarian one-party communist regime. “Holding a candlelight vigil or just remembering what happened in the past could be a crime,” Wong told a crowd of 80 or so packed into a dimly lit room this past week for the screening of a documentary about the historic event held by local broadcaster RTHK. “Writing an article and singing a song could be a crime. One day, anything could be a crime,” said Wong, wearing a brown fedora hat and a white T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Down With Big Brother.” Then a British colony, Hong Kong was a major base for the student protesters, especially after the bloody crackdown in which hundreds, possibly thousands, were killed. Now a semi-autonomous Chinese territory, it has retained freedoms unknown on the mainland and holds an annual candlelight vigil and rally for the victims and the pro-democracy movement. Tat Ming Pair has been making Beijing uncomfortable with its mix of danceable synth-based rhythms and pointed social observation since 1986, when the group released its first album. Wong said people in Hong Kong should continue to hold rallies and memorial events for 1989 because the city is “the only place in the biggest country in the world, population wise, that we can talk about what we want.” However, speaking out against the communist government has come with a hefty price tag for Wong. He said he has been unable to perform in mainland China ever since his involvement in the 2015 Umbrella street protest movement that sought greater democracy in Hong Kong. Commercial sponsorships and endorsements from “almost everywhere” have dried up, he said. Other Hong Kong entertainers are not immune to Beijing’s effort to eradicate the memories of the bloody 1989 crackdown. Various music streaming services, including Apple Music, have removed a song by Jackie Cheung with a reference to the crackdown. In past years, Denise Ho, a Cantopop star known for her pro-democracy stance, had her concert suddenly canceled after Global Times, a tabloid owned by the Chinese Communist Party, called out cosmetics giant Lancome for inviting her to appear at a promotional event. Anthony Wong Chau-sang, a Hong Kong actor, has said on several occasions that his film roles went away after he spoke out against the communist government. Amid simmering political tensions in Hong Kong in light of the 30th anniversary, Wong’s song has been well-received, topping the city’s iTunes chart. Wong said he’s surprised by the song’s popularity because “the climate is not for this kind of music.” “If people like (the song), that means people still remember,” he said. “I am glad that people remember it.”

hong kong
anthony wong
china
tiananmen square
beijing
entertainment


Shinzo Abe expected to meet with Iranian supreme leader on June 12-14 trip, report says

Abstract: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to meet with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in his visit to the country this month, in what would be the first meeting between the two, the Mainichi daily reported, citing an unnamed government source. The visit is aimed at helping encourage dialogue with the U.S. and ease tensions, according to the Mainichi. Abe plans to travel to Iran from June 12 to 14. The visit will be the first by an incumbent Japanese prime minister since 1978. During the trip, Abe plans to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on June 12 and Khamenei on June 13, the Mainichi reported. Abe has been setting himself up as an intermediary between the U.S. and Iran amid mounting strains between the two countries, a position that U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated he supports. Considering the state of heightened tensions, a meeting with both Rouhani and Khamenei was viewed as necessary, the Mainichi reported.

shinzo abe
iran
ali khamenei
oil
nuclear weapons
iran nuclear deal
iran-japan relations


Japan, U.S. and South Korean defense chiefs pledge to work toward North Korean denuclearization

Abstract: SINGAPORE - The defense chiefs of Japan, the U.S. and South Korea on Sunday pledged to work together to realize the denuclearization of North Korea during a meeting in Singapore, with Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya telling his counterparts that their gathering “is extremely important” and that the situation on the Korean Peninsula has drastically changed. Iwaya issued the warning at the outset of the trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Security Summit, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, as talks between Washington and Pyongyang remain stalled following U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s failed summit in Hanoi in late February. Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo expressed eagerness to deepen trilateral cooperation to tackle issues related to the peninsula. “The three ministers pledged that Japan, the ROK, and the United States will closely cooperate to support diplomatic efforts to establish complete denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula,” a joint statement issued by the three ministers read. ROK is the acronym for the Republic of Korea, South Korea’s formal name. “The U.S. reaffirmed its ironclad commitments to Japan and the ROK,” the statement added. The three defense chiefs met for the first time since North Korea fired projectiles — which some experts believe were short-range ballistic missiles — on May 4 and May 9 in an apparent attempt to stir Washington into making concessions in denuclearization negotiations. Iwaya told Shanahan and Jeong that Pyongyang’s recent actions were a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, and he called on the United States and South Korea to view it in the same way. U.S. President Donald Trump said at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo last week, “My people think it could have been a violation, as you know. I view it differently.” South Korea, meanwhile, has remained silent on whether it has determined the projectiles were ballistic missiles or not, an indication that Tokyo, Washington and Seoul are still divided over how to address the issue. U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from launching any type of ballistic missile. Meanwhile, during separate bilateral talks on Saturday, Iwaya asked Jeong to prevent a recurrence of a radar lock-on incident that occurred late last year, expressing eagerness to end discussions on the issue that has led to worsening ties between the two neighbors. “I believe there is only one truth” but Japan and South Korea “should take one step further based on a future-oriented viewpoint,” Iwaya told reporters the same day after he spoke with Jeong for more than 30 minutes in Singapore. Jeong again rebuffed Japan’s allegation of the radar lock-on. The minister, however, said that he and Iwaya exchanged views “in a candid manner” and that Seoul will make active efforts to improve relations with Tokyo. As tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been rekindled following the breakdown of the second U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi in late February, Tokyo and Seoul may be leaning toward improving bilateral relations, diplomatic sources say. The defense chiefs of the two countries held in-depth talks for the first time since a South Korean destroyer allegedly locked its fire-control radar on a Japanese patrol plane flying over the Sea of Japan near the Noto Peninsula, in Ishikawa Prefecture, last December. Iwaya and Jeong also chatted together on Friday night at the venue of the ceremony of the three-day meeting, which will end Sunday. Strains between Tokyo and Seoul have been running high especially after the radar lock-on incident. In January, Japan concluded that South Korea’s denial of the alleged radar lock was “baseless” and had cut off any discussion about the incident since. Seoul, meanwhile, claimed that Japanese Self-Defense Force planes deliberately flew at low altitude near South Korean naval vessels multiple times, terming the acts a “clear provocation.” The two nations have also been engaged in several disputes based on differing interpretations of thorny issues related to history, such as recent rulings by South Korea’s Supreme Court ordering Japanese companies to pay compensation for work done by Korean nationals during Japan’s colonial rule of the peninsula. A series of court rulings in South Korea have ordered Japanese companies to compensate for what Seoul calls forced labor during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula. Tokyo has argued that the issue of wartime compensation was resolved by a 1965 treaty that established diplomatic ties between the two countries, under which Japan provided South Korea with $500 million in financial aid. With bilateral relations showing little sign of improving, North Korea fired projectiles that appeared to be short-range ballistic missiles on May 4 and 9, fanning fears about peace and stability in the region. In the wake of Pyongyang’s missile launches, Tokyo and Seoul may have started to consider the possibility of talks, the sources said.

defense
takeshi iwaya
jeong kyeong-doo
south korea-japan relations


Japan, U.S., Australia urge North Korea to return to nuclear talks

Abstract: SINGAPORE - The Japanese, U.S. and Australian defense chiefs on Saturday agreed to cooperate on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and urge North Korea to return to disarmament negotiations that have remained at a standstill since the collapse of a second summit between Washington and Pyongyang in late February. Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan reached the agreement with Japanese and Australian defense ministers Takeshi Iwaya and Linda Reynolds at their meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Security Summit, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore. In the wake of the collapse of the Feb. 27 to 28 summit in the Vietnamese capital, where U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un failed to reach a deal, Pyongyang has resumed provocative actions such as recent short-range missile tests. Prior to the trilateral gathering, Japanese and Australian defense ministers held bilateral talks and agreed to work together to crack down on ship-to-ship smuggling involving North Korean vessels, while confirming the importance of bilateral security cooperation. At the outset of his meeting, Iwaya told Reynolds, who took up the post late last month after the general election in May, that Japan is willing to expand joint drills with Australia to bolster their joint defensive capabilities. North Korea is believed to use illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods as a way to evade U.N. Security Council sanctions aimed at preventing Pyongyang from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

australia
north korea
nuclear weapons
u.s .
military


Imperial couple conduct first official duty outside Tokyo since ascension

Abstract: NAGOYA - Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended a national tree-planting ceremony in Aichi Prefecture on Sunday in their first official duty outside Tokyo since the emperor ascended the throne on May 1. “It is our important mission to grow a healthy forest for the next generation,” Emperor Naruhito said in a speech at the National Arbor Festival. The event makes up one of the main festivals the emperor has traditionally attended along with the National Sports Festival and the Festival for the Cherished Sea. It was the first speech at the event by a monarch since it was discontinued in 2009 to reduce the burden on Emperor Emeritus Akihito, who abdicated on April 30. At the ceremony in the city of Owariasahi, the imperial couple planted cryptomeria cedars, camphor, magnolia and other types of trees.

emperor naruhito
empress masako
imperial family


Operator of Yokohama automated train struggles to find cause of accident

Abstract: YOKOHAMA - Driverless train operator Yokohama Seaside Line Co. said Sunday that data transmission was normal between its operating system and a train which ran into a buffer the previous day, injuring 14 people, six of them seriously. The accident occurred as the automated train traveled in the wrong direction at Shin-Sugita Station in Yokohama at around 8:15 p.m. Saturday. The railway company said the operating system ordered the train to change its direction when it arrived at Shin-Sugita Station, the end of the 11-kilometer-long line, and the train sent back a signal confirming that the switch had been made. The train moved backward for about 25 meters and hit the buffer shortly after departing. A government transport safety official probing the accident told reporters that the investigation team will look into every possibility and will interview some of the passengers on the train. Yokohama Seaside Line has never had an accident since it started operation in 1989, the company said.. At 8:15 p.m. on Saturday, an automated train operated by the company traveled in the wrong direction for about 25 meters at a speed of 6 kph. The cause remains unknown. The train had been set to depart the station but instead moved backward and crashed into a buffer at Shin-Sugita Station. According to the police, the five-car train was carrying about 30 passengers. The unmanned train system is automatically operated with a computer system, which sets the speed based on data gathered from all other trains on the line. When staff checked the brake systems of the cars in question on Thursday, they found no abnormalities, said Akihiko Mikami, president of the operating company. The company said it has shut down the line, which connects Shin-Sugita and Kanazawa Hakkei stations. It remains uncertain when services will resume. In Japan, there are several driverless train lines. In October 1993, an automated train in Osaka malfunctioned causing injuries to more than 200 passengers. Transport safety investigators concluded the accident had been caused by an unusual system glitch.


Former top farm bureaucrat arrested over alleged murder of son

Abstract: Police arrested a 76-year-old former top bureaucrat of the farm ministry on Saturday over the alleged murder of his son at their home in Tokyo. Hideaki Kumazawa, also a former ambassador to the Czech Republic, was arrested at the scene after the police received a call from him saying he had stabbed his son to death, according to investigators. His 44-year-old son, Eiichiro, was confirmed dead after being taken to a hospital. Kumazawa, who lived with his wife and Eiichiro, has admitted to stabbing his son with a kitchen knife, according to investigators. A police source quoted Kumazawa as saying his son confined himself at home and rarely went out. The younger Kumazawa also “used violence at home,” police quoted the father as saying. Police believe troubles within the family prompted the suspected to kill his son. After arriving at the scene, a police officer found the collapsed victim bleeding from the chest. The wife was absent when police officers arrived at the home. The son was lying on a bloody futon mat, and police believe the suspect stabbed the victim while he was on the mat. “I think (the family) moved here about 10 years ago, but I have never seen the son,” said an 86-year-old man who lives in the neighborhood and was astounded to hear the news of the murder. The house is located within a quite residential area, about 650 meters south of Heiwadai Station on the Yurakucho subway line. Kumazawa, a graduate of the University of Tokyo who joined the predecessor of the Ministry of Agriculture, Farm, Forestry and Fisheries in 1967, became the ministry’s top bureaucrat in 2001. He stepped down the following year amid criticism of the ministry’s handling of a mad cow disease outbreak. He served as Japan’s ambassador to the Czech Republic from 2005 to 2008.


Japan considers facial recognition for use of My Number cards at hospitals

Abstract: The government is considering having hospitals introduce a facial recognition system to identify patients using My Number tax and social security identification cards as health insurance cards, sources have said. The move is designed to help prevent the fraudulent use of My Number cards and promote the spread of online procedures for public services. The use of My Number cards as health insurance cards at hospitals will become possible as early as March 2021 as the Diet passed related legislation last month. But such use is raising concerns among hospitals about potential problems that could arise if hospital staff accept My Number cards from patients for identification purposes. The government is considering having patients themselves take care of the identification procedures for the cards. Some companies, including NEC Corp. and Panasonic Corp., already sell facial recognition systems. The technology is expected to be used for identification procedures at next year’s Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. The government believes the facial recognition technology can help simplify procedures for other public services such as the issuance of residence certificates.

facial recognition
my number
hospitals
2020 tokyo olympic


The week ahead for June 3 to June 9

Abstract: Monday Finance Ministry to release statistics showing corporate financial results by industry for January-March period. Capital expenditure data will be closely monitored by economists for influence on the revised gross domestic product for the January-March quarter due out June 10. Preliminary data showed that Japan’s economy unexpectedly grew at an annualized rate of 2.1 percent in the first quarter mainly owing to technical factors. Japan Automobile Dealers Association to release new motor vehicle sales data for May. Tuesday Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya and acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan to hold talks in Tokyo. In Shanahan’s first visit to Japan since taking up the post in January, the two are expected to focus on measures to strengthen defense cooperation and discuss recent short-range missile launches by North Korea. Wednesday First hearing for Pierre Taki, an actor and member of Japanese techno-pop duo Denki Groove who has been charged with allegedly using cocaine, to be held at the Tokyo District Court. Thursday Tokyo High Court to rule on request from residents near the U.S. Yokota Air Base to stop nighttime and early morning flights. In October 2017, the Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Court ordered the government to pay a total of about ¥619 million ($5.7 million) for past noise in the suit filed by around 1,000 residents near the base shared by Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force. Friday Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to release average household spending data for April. Cabinet Office to release preliminary composite indexes of economic indicators for April. The focus is on the government’s assessment of the economy based on the indexes. It previously lowered the view, using the expression “worsening” for the first time in more than six years, amid slowing demand for exports of automobiles and manufacturing equipment. Shinzo Abe to become third-longest-serving prime minister in total tenure at 2,721 days, surpassing Hirobumi Ito, Japan’s first prime minister. Women’s World Cup to be held through July 7 in France. Nadeshiko Japan, the 2011 champions and 2015 runners-up, will take part. Saturday Two-day meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors to begin in Fukuoka. The finance chiefs will discuss global tax rules covering digital giants such as Google LLC and Facebook Inc. Two-day G-20 ministerial meeting on trade and the digital economy to begin in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture. Sunday G20 finance ministers and central bank governors to conclude their meeting in Fukuoka. G20 ministerial meeting on trade and the digital economy to conclude in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture.


Slovenia faces similar fiscal challenges to Japan, Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj says

Abstract: Slovenia has similar challenges to Japan in terms of huge government debts and an aging population, and both countries can learn from each other, Slovenian Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj said this week in Tokyo. In an interview with The Japan Times on Wednesday, Bertoncelj, who also serves as the country’s deputy prime minister, said his country has cut its public debt, which stood at 82.6 percent of gross domestic product in 2015, by 12.5 percentage points between 2015 and 2018 — the fastest reduction among all the members of the euro area. Of 28 European Union countries, 19 have adopted the euro as their currency. European Union rules require its members to keep their public debt in relation to GDP below 60 percent. “Slovenia is currently at around 70 percent and the goal for this year is 65 percent. We will be at 55 percent within three years,” said the minister, who was set to speak about his country’s success in debt reduction at an IMF conference in Tokyo on Friday. Among the 19 euro countries the most troubled is Greece, with its public debt amounting to 180 percent of GDP, according to Bertoncelj. Japan’s public debt currently stands at around 230 percent of GDP. The former professor of management said that Slovenia reduced its massive public debt by privatizing public financial institutions, consolidating and recapitalizing them, while implementing tax cuts to stimulate private consumption. Thanks to these efforts, the country’s long-term rating by Standard & Poors was upgraded to AA- (stable) from A+ (positive) on June 14. The minister also said that Slovenia, the population of which is greying rapidly with a birthrate of around 1.5 per woman, is also implementing pension reforms. While 90 percent of the proceeds from the privatization of public banks will be spent on public debt reduction, 10 percent of the proceeds are destined for the country’s pension system. The Slovenian government is also trying to raise the retirement age of company employees to reduce the burden on the pension system. Although the current retirement age is 65 in Slovenia, many people tend to retire in their 50s, according to Bertoncelj. “What we would like to do is to have younger people enter the labor market sooner and older population exit the labor market later,” he said, adding that the government hopes to raise the retirement age to 67 in two years. To grow its economy further, the minister said that his country hopes to learn from Japan, especially on how to transform its economy to one based on advanced technology. “We can learn from the Japanese experience and what the steps were in reforming Japanese industries toward higher added-value industries,” he said. “We are a small economy and you are a global economy. But there are many similarities.”


Bank of Japan maintains ultraloose policy as trade tensions cloud global outlook

Abstract: The Bank of Japan kept its ultra-easy monetary policy unchanged Thursday, to underpin the economy amid growing uncertainty over a global economic outlook clouded by the U.S.-China trade war. At the end of its two-day meeting, which came as inflation continued to run under its 2 percent target, the BOJ Policy Board voted 7 to 2 to maintain short-term interest rates at minus 0.1 percent and keep long-term rates near zero — a move that was widely expected by financial markets. Of the two board members who opposed the decision, Goshi Kataoka called for additional monetary easing while Yutaka Harada, another vocal advocate of aggressive easing, also dissented. The board voted unanimously to leave its massive asset purchase program unchanged. “Japan’s economy has been on a moderate expanding trend, with a virtuous cycle from income to spending operating, although exports and production have been affected by the slowdown in overseas economies,” the BOJ said in a statement released after the meeting, maintaining its basic assessment. “Downside risks concerning overseas economies are likely to be significant, and it is also necessary to pay close attention to their impact on firms’ and households’ sentiment in Japan,” it said. Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, said at a symposium Tuesday that the ECB could additionally expand its quantitative easing program if the inflation outlook in the euro area does not improve. The U.S. Federal Reserve, which ended its own two-day meeting on Wednesday, held interest rates steady but pointed to possible rate cuts in the future, citing uncertainty over the economic outlook amid trade tensions with China. Some economists say Japan’s planned consumption tax hike in October could also force the BOJ to shift toward additional easing, as the increase — from 8 percent to 10 percent — is expected to hurt household and business spending and subsequently put downward pressure on inflation.

economy
china
trade war
boj
interest rates
federal reserve
u.s .
tariffs


U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer hopes for farm deal with Japan 'in next several weeks'

Abstract: WASHINGTON - U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer expressed hope Wednesday that the United States and Japan will soon reach a deal on agricultural tariff cuts as part of efforts to strike a bilateral trade agreement. “I’m hopeful that we’ll come to an agreement in the next several weeks,” Lighthizer told a hearing at the House Ways and Means Committee. “It’s a high priority.” It’s a big problem, he added, and one that has to be taken care of in a very swift manner. “The principal thing we’re trying to do is to get agriculture access equal to what the Japanese have given to the TPP (member countries),” the trade representative said. He made the remarks a day after calling for prioritizing an initial deal with Japan on greater market access for American farm products. Speaking at Wednesday’s hearing, Lighthizer said such “an early basis” plan would seek to ensure access to the Japanese market for U.S. agriculture equal to what Tokyo has given 10 other Pacific nations under a revised Trans-Pacific Partnership and to European countries under a free trade agreement between Japan and the European Union. The two sides will hold minister-level trade talks next week, on the occasion of the Group of 20 summit meeting in the city of Osaka on June 28-29. Japan and the United States entered into trade negotiations in April. President Donald Trump’s administration has grown concerned that the recent entry into force of the two FTAs has put American farmers and ranchers at a disadvantage in the Japanese market. Trump withdrew the United States from the TPP in 2017, citing his preference for bilateral trade deals. Lighthizer commented that Japan’s agricultural industry was very structured and protectionist. He added that the country’s “dairy (policy) is among the worst in agriculture in terms of protection.” Also at the hearing, Lighthizer revealed that he plans to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart in trade negotiations, Vice Premier Liu He, before U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit. The trade representative said that he will have phone talks with senior Chinese officials to prepare for the bilateral summit, which was announced by the White House on Tuesday. However, he declined to clarify when the two economic powerhouses will officially resume trade negotiations, which have stalled since early May.

trade
tariffs
china
shinzo abe
u.s .
ustr
trade war


U.S. CEO hands Oxford University $189 million for AI ethics studies

Abstract: LONDON - An American billionaire has given Oxford University £150 million ($188.6 million) for a new institute that will study the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and its vast potential to change society as we know it. The donation from Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of the private equity firm Blackstone, will also fund a center to house all of the university’s humanities subjects in a single space to encourage collaborative study. The idea is to bring together those working on projects that make life worth living with those trying to make sure that the technology of the future works for the interest of society. “AI can be an enormous force for good,” Schwarzman told The Associated Press. “But on the downside it can lead to high unemployment. It could destabilize society if it happens too fast.” Schwarzman compared the rise of AI to the rise of the internet, which was launched by computer scientists who thought it was fun and interesting. But the scientists didn’t adequately consider the downsides of the internet, such as the inability to control cyberbullying or fake news — and the implications of that on democracy. “No one wants to go through that again,” he said of the struggles that government has had in trying to keep the negatives in check. He said ethics and AI are “one of the major issues of our age,” and that governments globally are currently unprepared to deal with the implications. The vision is for the new center at Oxford to address that gap. “The reason do it is to protect society,” he said. Schwarzman co-founded Blackstone, which has some $512 billion assets under management. In recent years, he has made other sizeable donations to educational institutions. Last October, he gave $350 million to establish the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, which will also address the challenges of AI. “I’m focused on this like a laser,” he said.

oxford university
oxford
universities
ai
ethics
stephen schwarzman
blackstone
u.s .
u.k .
wealth


Canada becomes first G20 country to ban trade in shark fins

Abstract: TORONTO - Canada passed a new law banning the import and export of shark fins, which also includes a requirement to rebuild depleted fish populations. The new Fisheries Act, approved late on Tuesday, was hailed by environmental and conservation groups as a win for the preservation of fish habitats and for the shark population. Canada has become the first G20 country to ban the export and import of shark fins, said Josh Laughren, executive director of Oceana Canada, a private conservation group. “With all laws, how they’re implemented matters, but there’s no question this has the potential to be transformative for how we manage Canada’s oceans,” Laughren said. He added that Canada is the largest importer of shark fins outside of Asia. According to Statistics Canada, 148,241 kg of shark fins were imported in 2018, for a total value of 3.2 million Canadian dollars ($2.4 million). Shark fins are often used in shark fin soup, a luxury dish traditionally served at Chinese weddings and banquets. A 2018 Canada government report said that in 2017 35 percent of major fish stocks were healthy, with 14 percent in the cautious zone and 10 percent critical. That represents the lowest number of healthy fish stocks since 2011. Sen. Michael MacDonald, who first tabled a ban on shark fins in 2017 said, “This is just one step forward; it’s not the end, but it’s an important one and sends a signal to the world that this practice is wrong, has to be stopped, and Canada will not participate in the import of these fins anymore.”

canada
g20
sharks
shark fins
fishing
endangered


Activists urge Google to break up before regulators force it to

Abstract: SAN FRANCISCO - Shareholder activists on Wednesday urged Google parent Alphabet Inc. to break itself up before regulators force the world’s biggest internet ad seller to split into different pieces. SumOfUs, a U.S.-based group that aims to curb the growing power of corporations, presented the proposal at Alphabet’s annual shareholder meeting at an auditorium at the company’s offices in Sunnyvale, California. Sonamtso, a campaigns director for Students for a Free Tibet who goes by one name, said at the meeting on behalf of SumOfUs that Alphabet is too big to manage. It should sell off some assets now “rather than waiting for antitrust regulators to set a path” and potentially deriving less shareholder value, Sonamtso said. But the proposal and 13 other shareholder measures opposed by the company were voted down on Wednesday, according to its preliminary tally. Alphabet’s top two executives, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, hold 51.3 percent of shareholder votes. Nevertheless, it shows a growing focus on the prospect of antitrust action against Alphabet and other big technology firms such as Facebook Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. as they face a political and public backlash over privacy issues and the power they now wield over the world’s information. U.S. President Donald Trump has been a frequent critic of Google, claiming without evidence that its search engine unfairly produces results unfavorable to him. He has suggested that U.S. regulators should follow Europe’s lead and look closely at tech companies’ monopolies, but has not suggested any specific remedy. The U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission are gearing up to investigate whether Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook misuse their massive market power, sources told Reuters earlier this month. The 14 proposals on Alphabet’s ballot were the most on any U.S. public company’s ballot in a decade, according to research firm ISS Analytics, reflecting the breadth of issues facing the tech giant. Four Alphabet employees at the meeting separately urged company leaders to address other issues, including offering equitable pay and benefits to all employees and contractors, increasing workforce diversity and doing more to tackle climate change. Alphabet said in shareholder materials its existing policies address the proposed measures and declined to comment further. Activists said they were optimistic that sustained pressure could prompt change. “We started as a voice in the wilderness on some of these issues, but conversations have come more to the fore,” SumOfUs campaign manager Sondhya Gupta said.

google
alphabet
sumofus
sonamtso
amazon
donald trump
apple
u.s .
fcc


Mexico's senate approves trade deal with U.S. and Canada

Abstract: MEXICO CITY - Mexico’s Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to ratify a new free trade agreement with the United States and Canada, making it the first of the three countries to gain legislative approval. Mexico’s upper chamber voted 114 to four with three abstentions in favor of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. U.S. President Donald Trump had demanded a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement that it will replace. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said in a recorded message that the vote was “very good news.” “It means foreign investment in Mexico, it means jobs in Mexico, it means guaranteeing trade of the merchandise that we produce in the United States,” he said. Mexico’s economy ministry in a statement said that with the approval “Mexico sends a clear message in favor of an open economy and of deepening its economic integration in the region.” Mexican lawmakers had already executed a series of labor reforms that the U.S. had demanded. Sen. Ricardo Monreal, leader of the governing party in the Senate, said the vote was “an important step to diminish the existing uncertainty for North American trade.” The treaty is still awaiting consideration by lawmakers in the United States and Canada. Ratification of the agreement still faces some opposition in the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives. On May 30, the same day that Mexico’s government formally presented the USMCA agreement to its Senate, Trump announced via Twitter that he would begin imposing escalating tariffs on all Mexican imports unless Mexico slowed the flow of Central American migrants to their shared border. Days of negotiations averted the tariffs and Mexico is implementing measures to lower the number of migrants crossing its territory.

mexico
trade
canada
usmca
donald trump
andres manuel lopez obrador
tariffs
u.s .
nafta


Dollar hits five-month low in Tokyo trading

Abstract: The dollar hit a five-month low below ¥107.60 in Tokyo trading Thursday, after the Bank of Japan decided to keep its monetary policy unchanged. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥107.67, down from ¥108.38-42 at the same time Wednesday. The euro was at $1.1297, up from $1.1200, and at ¥121.64, up from ¥121.39. The dollar remained under selling pressure after the U.S. Federal Reserve suggested an interest rate cut this year. Around midmorning, dollar-selling was boosted by the benchmark U.S. long-term interest rate’s drop below 2 percent in off-hours trading, pushing the greenback down to ¥107.56, the lowest level since Jan. 4. After bouncing back above ¥107.70 later in the morning, the dollar grew top-heavy due to selling prompted by the no policy change decision announced after the end of the BOJ’s two-day policy-setting meeting. In the afternoon, the U.S. currency remained almost static until BOJ Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda told a news conference that the bank will not hesitate to consider fresh easing measures if consumer prices lose upward momentum. The comment prompted dollar-buying against the yen, traders said.


Tokyo stocks rise further on advance in U.S. and China markets

Abstract: Stocks rose further on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Thursday, buoyed by an extended Wall Street rally and a surge in Shanghai stocks. The 225-issue Nikkei average went up 128.99 points, or 0.60 percent, to end at 21,462.86, after advancing 361.16 points Wednesday. The Topix index of all first section issues finished up 4.63 points, or 0.30 percent, at 1,559.90. It gained 26.60 points the previous day. The Tokyo market opened higher, supported by the New York market’s continued advance Wednesday on buying induced by the U.S. Federal Reserve suggesting an interest rate cut possibility in a statement released after its two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting, brokers said. In the statement, the Fed said it “will act as appropriate to sustain the expansion.” The market lost steam after the vigorous start. But buying sentiment grew again toward noon on the back of a sharp rise in Shanghai shares, brokers said. In the afternoon, both the Nikkei and Topix indexes moved narrowly amid a lack of fresh trading incentives. “A risk-on mood spread thanks to the rise in U.S. equities,” said Tomoaki Fujii, head of the investment research division at Akatsuki Securities Inc. But Tokyo stocks failed to rise further after the late morning rebound as they were weighed on by the yen’s appreciation against the dollar, market sources said. An asset management company official said active trading was put on hold ahead of Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda’s news conference later in the day after the end of the BOJ’s two-day policy-setting meeting. The news conference was drawing investor attention because Kuroda was expected to suggest the possibility of the central bank taking a fresh easing step in line with the Fed and the European Central Bank, the official said. Rising issues outnumbered falling ones 1,259 to 767 in the TSE’s first section, while 118 issues were unchanged. Volume shrank to 1.017 billion shares from Wednesday’s 1.167 billion shares. Messaging app provider Line Corp. jumped 1.52 percent on a news report that the company will start cryptocurrency trading soon. Heiwa Real Estate Co. and other realtors attracted buying and so did semiconductor-linked issues such as precision equipment manufacturer Disco Corp. Other major winners included clothing store chain Fast Retailing Co. On the other hand, mega-banks Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. eased on expectations for lower interest rates ahead. Among other noticeable losers were automaker Honda Motor Co. and frozen food producer Nichirei Corp. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key September contract on the Nikkei average rose 130 points to end at 21,400.


Fed Chairman Jerome Powell says he plans to serve full term amid Trump pressure

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has said he intends to serve his full four-year term as head of the Federal Reserve, after the White House explored ways of removing him from the job amid criticism from President Donald Trump. “I think the law is clear that I have a four year term, and I fully intend to serve it,” Powell said at a press conference in Washington on Wednesday after policymakers met to discuss interest rates. They left the benchmark rate unchanged, while signaling that a cut has become more likely. Bloomberg News reported Tuesday that the White House in February had examined the legality of stripping the chairmanship from Powell and demoting him back to a Fed governor. In December, there were reports that Trump had discussed firing Powell amid mounting frustration over interest-rate increases last year. The president has repeatedly criticized Powell — his own pick as Fed chair — for not doing enough to boost the economy. Trump has called for lower interest rates as he seeks to offset the headwinds created by his trade war with China, and create a favorable backdrop for his re-election campaign next year. Trump told ABC News Friday that he disagreed with Powell “entirely,” adding that “if we had a different person in the Federal Reserve that wouldn’t have raised interest rates so much,” economic growth would have been stronger. He returned to the fray as the Fed meeting got under way Tuesday, calling out the European Central Bank for weakening the euro by pledging policy stimulus. In addition to Powell, Trump has picked three of the other four current members of the Fed Board in Washington. They all voted in favor of the Fed’s last interest-rate increase in December. The president’s attacks on the Fed are a departure from almost three decades of caution in the White House about making public comments on monetary policy, out of respect for the independence of the central bank.

jerome powell
federal reserve
donald trump
interest rates
u.s .


Mitsui & Co. to invest up to around $2.5 billion in LNG project in Mozambique

Abstract: Mitsui & Co. said Wednesday it has made a final decision to invest in a liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique. The project entails the extraction of natural gas from a large-scale gas field off the coast of the southern African country. The gas will then be liquefied at an onshore plant before being shipped. Together with state-linked Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. (JOGMEC) the trading house will jointly hold a 20 percent interest in the project. Mitsui will invest up to around $2.5 billion. The project aims to produce 12 million tons of LNG annually starting in 2024. Of the total, Mitsui has reached a deal to supply 11.1 million tons to Japanese and foreign clients, including Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. and Tokyo Gas Co., for a period of 10 to 20 years. Mitsui has been engaged in the project, which was initially seen as a high-risk endeavor, since it was at the exploration stage. The project is highly promising, a company executive said.

mitsui
lng
mozambique
jogmec
tokyo gas
tepco
mitsui & co


Macron to discuss Renault and Nissan with Abe next week, French official says

Abstract: PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss the situation regarding the alliance between carmakers Renault and Nissan with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe next week, an official at Macron’s Elysee office said. “There will certainly be a discussion during the meeting with Prime Minister Abe about questions regarding the relationship between Renault and Nissan,” the official said. “It will be an opportunity for the president to reaffirm the strong attachment France has regarding the Renault-Nissan alliance, an attachment which was again emphasized during the recent talks that took place with Fiat,” the official added. The French state has a 15 percent stake in Renault, and French ministers have consistently highlighted the importance of ensuring that the Renault-Nissan alliance remains strong — before planning any further consolidation with the likes of Fiat-Chrysler. The official in Macron’s office added that Macron was not planning to discuss Fiat with Abe. They were also not anticipated to discuss the possibility of the French state reducing its Renault stake, the official said. France’s finance minister had raised the possibility of reducing its stake in order to consolidate the partnership with Nissan.

renault
nissan
emmanuel macron
carmakers
shinzo abe
france
acquisitions
mergers
fiat chrysler


Japan crypto-exchange license approval nears for Line

Abstract: Line Corp., the nation’s largest messaging app, is close to obtaining a license to launch a cryptocurrency exchange in Japan, according to people familiar with the matter. The Financial Services Agency could issue the license as early as this month, with exchange operations starting a few weeks after that, said the people, asking not to be identified discussing private matters. The service, which will be called BitMax, will allow Line’s 80 million users in Japan to buy and sell cryptocurrencies including bitcoin and Line’s own token, Link, one of the people said. Line joins a crowded field of tech companies racing to roll out cryptocurrency products, including a move from Facebook Inc. earlier this week to create its own financial system with Visa Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc. For Line the pressure to succeed is particularly acute, as stagnant user growth has pushed shares to their lowest since listing in 2016. The company booked a loss last fiscal year as it stepped up investments into new businesses to reduce its reliance on advertising revenue. Line spokeswoman Icho Saito declined to comment. BitMax will use the same back-end technology as BitBox, a Singapore-based crypto-exchange that Line launched last year for global users, according to one person. BitBox is off limits to users in Japan because of the licensing issue, and so far has not delivered a big boost to the company’s earnings. Exchange volume over the past 24 hours was about $2 million, according to its website. Line is still awaiting a separate banking license in Japan that will allow deeper integration of cryptocurrencies with its other services like online shopping. That license is unlikely to be issued until next year, according to one person. Line aims to debut stock brokerage operations this year with Nomura Holdings Inc. and banking services next year with Mizuho Financial Group Inc., co-Chief Executive Officer Shin Jung-ho said this month. Facebook announced this week its plans for Libra, a so-called stablecoin that is expected to let users send and receive money, shop online and invest through the social media platform. In Japan, tech companies including Rakuten Inc. and Yahoo Japan Corp. have launched their own crypto-exchanges this year after receiving licenses from the FSA. The growing adoption of cryptocurrencies by large companies is contributing to a rebound in prices this year, with bitcoin more than doubling over the past three months. Line’s Link has almost doubled in June alone, giving it a market valuation of about $30 million. It’s one of the few cryptocurrencies in the world that is issued by a large, listed company.

apps
line
cryptocurrency
bitcoin
rakuten
yahoo japan


Get your fax right: Tepco workers accidentally spark Japan nuclear scare

Abstract: Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (Tepco) employees sparked a nuclear scare after a violent, late-night earthquake by ticking the wrong box on a fax form — inadvertently advising authorities that an accident had occurred when it had not. The workers at Tepco, operator of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in Niigata Prefecture where the strong quake struck, faxed a message to local authorities Tuesday night, seeking to allay any fears of damage. But the Tepco employees accidentally ticked the wrong box on the form, mistakenly indicating there was an abnormality at the plant rather than that there was no problem. One official filled out the form, and it was checked by a colleague before being sent. Many government departments and companies in Japan still rely on fax machines for communication. Tepco’s Tokyo headquarters noticed the mistake and a correction was published 17 minutes after the original release, the firm’s Tokyo-based spokesman said. The mayor of Kashiwazaki city, Masahiro Sakurai, saw the incorrectly filled-out form and immediately directed staff to check what was happening. The mayor hit out at Tepco, which also operates the Fukushima No 1 nuclear plant that suffered a catastrophic disaster when an earthquake and tsunami struck in 2011, the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. “When a real earthquake is happening, not a drill, this is a massive error,” Sakurai told local reporters, according to the Mainichi Shimbun daily. “It is extremely poor on their part to make errors in the most important and basic information at a time of crisis,” he said, according to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. Tepco apologized and vowed not to repeat the mistake. The late-night quake prompted a tsunami advisory, but only small ripples of 10 centimeters (three inches) were recorded. The government said up to 26 people were injured — two seriously, although their injuries were not life-threatening.

tepco
earthquakes
tsunami
nuclear energy
kashiwazaki kariwa
gaffes


Chinese fund Harvest Tech to raise investment in Japan Display to ¥64 billion

Abstract: Japan Display Inc. said Wednesday that Chinese investment fund Harvest Tech Investment Management Co. will increase its investment in the ailing Japanese company to a maximum of ¥64 billion. JDI reached a basic agreement in April to receive up to ¥80 billion in financial support from a China-Taiwan consortium, including Harvest Tech. Harvest Tech’s investment plan apparently takes into consideration the possible withdrawal of Taiwanese financial group Cosgrove Global Ltd. from the consortium. The Japanese maker of small and midsize liquid crystal display panels hopes that a formal decision on the investment will be made by June 27. On Monday, JDI said that TPK Holding Co., a Taiwanese maker of touch screens, will leave the three-company consortium and that Oasis Management Co., a Hong Kong investment fund, will join the group in its place. The screen-maker also said that Harvest Tech will increase its investment amount. While Cosgrove Global has not clarified whether it will continue to support JDI, the announcement on Wednesday revealed that Harvest Tech will shoulder much of the Taiwanese financial group’s investment. Harvest Tech’s influence in JDI’s management is expected to grow, including an increase in the number of board members sent from the Chinese company to the Japanese firm. JDI plans to continue talks with TPK on sales of LCDs and a technology tie-up. It is also expected to continue to discuss plans to build an organic light-emitting diode panel plant in China together with Harvest Tech.

harvest tech
investments
japan display
china
cosgrove global
taiwan


Japan corporate income hit record high in fiscal 2017

Abstract: The total income of profitable companies in Japan grew 14.3 percent in fiscal 2017 from a year before to a record ¥67.944 trillion, an estimate by the National Tax Agency showed Wednesday. Corporate spending on items such as entertainment expenses rose 5.1 percent to ¥3.810 trillion — up for the sixth straight year. The estimate was based on a survey of some 1.77 million companies across the country. The survey is conducted every year to estimate tax revenues. Profitable companies totaled some 1 million, up 3.7 percent. The number of loss-making companies fell 0.1 percent to some 1.68 million, or 62.6 percent of the total, down 0.9 percentage point. The proportion has been declining since peaking at 72.8 percent in fiscal 2009, after the global financial crisis of 2008. Overall operating revenue increased 4.7 percent to ¥1.519 quadrillion.

national tax agency
taxes
surveys
financial results


Renault and Nissan agree to explore driverless services partnership with Waymo in France and Japan

Abstract: DETROIT/PARIS - French automaker Renault SA, its partner Nissan Motor Co. and tech giant Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo have agreed to assess the feasibility of a partnership to develop and use self-driving vehicles to transport people and goods in France and Japan, the companies said on Thursday. The potential venture could also be expanded to other markets, the companies said. If the partnership is realized, it will have ramifications for other alliances and other self-driving projects, most of which have yet to hit the road. Automakers across the world are rethinking independent autonomous vehicle efforts, and are instead looking for partners to share rising investment costs and regulatory risks. A potential competitor to a Renault-Nissan-Waymo venture in Japan would be Monet Technologies, a self-driving project involving Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. backed by SoftBank Group Corp. SoftBank and Honda have also invested in General Motors Co.’s Cruise self-driving car unit. The initial agreement among Waymo, Renault and Nissan aims to “develop a framework for deployment of mobility services at scale,” according to Hadi Zablit, business development chief of the Renault-Nissan alliance. Physical testing of vehicles and deployment of services would come in later phases. The two automakers have proposed setting up 50-50 joint ventures in France and Japan to develop the driverless transportation services. Zablit said a later Waymo investment is “one of the options” under consideration. Together with Waymo, they will also research commercial, legal and regulatory issues related to building automated transportation-as-a-service businesses in the two countries. The agreement is time-limited and exclusive in both countries, barring either side from working with competitors. Its duration was not disclosed. It is not clear how involving Waymo might affect the existing alliance between Renault and Nissan, which has been strained since the departure earlier this year of longtime Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn, or a proposed merger between Renault and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV. FCA and Renault had reached a preliminary agreement in late May to pursue a $35 billion merger. But FCA Chairman John Elkann abruptly withdrew the offer on June 6 after the French government, Renault’s biggest shareholder, blocked a board vote and demanded more time to win backing from Nissan. Late last year, Waymo began offering a self-driving service in Arizona called Waymo One, but with a human monitor on board. Waymo also has an existing partnership with FCA, under which the automaker is supplying Chrysler Pacifica minivans for Waymo’s fledgling self-driving fleet in the United States and eventually may buy self-driving systems from Waymo for its own vehicles. FCA also agreed in early June to partner with Aurora, the Silicon Valley startup co-founded by former Waymo chief Chris Urmson and funded in part by South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co. The alliance took an earlier step towards working with Alphabet last year, when it agreed to adopt the Google Android operating system in its future vehicles.

renault
nissan
waymo
france
alphabet
self-driving
fiat chrysler
u.s .
carmakers


20 missing from migrant boat after ferry rescues 27 off Spanish coast

Abstract: MADRID - Spanish rescue services are searching for at least 20 people missing from a migrant boat found adrift in the Mediterranean after a passenger ferry rescued 27 people still aboard on Wednesday. The number of migrants arriving in Europe by sea, already declining steadily since 2015, has fallen further this year as the European Union focuses increasingly on border control. The migrant boat was reported missing on Tuesday with 49 people on board after setting off from northeastern Morocco, rescue services said. A passenger ship found the boat on Wednesday afternoon, rescuing 27 people, six of whom were evacuated by helicopter. Irregular sea arrivals from the Middle East and North Africa have dropped from over 1 million in 2015 to a little over 140,000 people last year, United Nations data show. Fewer than 23,000 refugees and migrants have made it across the sea to Europe so far this year. This week rights group the Council of Europe said the EU was violating international law with its increasingly restrictive stance on immigration and called on the bloc to step up sea rescues.

mediterranean
eu
morocco
africa
refugees
immigration
spain
maritime accidents


Human Rights Watch accuses Nicaragua of torturing protesters and urges sanctions

Abstract: MANAGUA - Pro-government forces in Nicaragua committed human rights abuses including torture in suppressing recent protests against President Daniel Ortega, and top officials should face sanctions, Human Rights Watch said in a report on Wednesday. After demonstrations against Ortega broke out in April 2018, more than 700 people were arrested and 325 mostly opposition protesters died in clashes with security forces, creating the country’s worst crisis since a bloody civil war in the 1980s. Human Rights Watch said it had interviewed 11 former detainees who had experienced a form of abuse, and had collectively witnessed the abuse of some 40 other people. “Daniel Ortega has shown no real commitment to justice for the victims of the brutal crackdown by National Police and armed thugs during the 2018 protests,” Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. The group called for sanctions such as freezing assets and banning travel for Ortega and various other senior officials. The Nicaraguan government did not immediately respond to a request by Reuters for comment on the report. Doctors interviewed by the organization said they treated dozens of people showing signs of physical harm consistent with abuse and torture described by the detainees. The acts included rape, waterboarding, electric shocks, acid burns, mock executions and removal of fingernails. “The cases we documented are consistent with a pattern of systematic abuse against anti-government protesters and opponents that international human rights bodies have reported,” Human Rights Watch said. Last August, the U.N. human rights office said it had documented rights violations, including the disproportionate use of force and extrajudicial killings by the police, disappearances, widespread arbitrary detentions and instances of torture and sexual violence in detention centers. Human Rights Watch also said that it could not find publicly available information indicating that any police officers or members of pro-government groups had been prosecuted for abuses. The United States has sanctioned Ortega’s wife and Nicaraguan vice president, Rosario Murillo, as well as Ortega’s adult son, Laureano Ortega.

human rights watch
nicaragua
torture
daniel ortega


'Humanitarian emergency': Mexico migrant shelters overwhelmed amid crackdown

Abstract: TAPACHULA, MEXICO - Thin mattresses cover every inch of floor each night at the Good Shepherd shelter near the Mexico-Guatemala border, even spilling into the kitchen and the chapel, as an over-capacity crowd of migrants tries to find space to sleep. With nearly 700 migrants packed into a space intended for 250, its director, Olga Sanchez, sometimes can offer only beans, rice and a roof. “They are living in misery,” said Sanchez, whose nonprofit shelter relies on donations. Mexico’s ramped-up effort to curb the flow of Central American migrants to the United States so far hasn’t eased the burden on the dozens of independent humanitarian shelters like Sanchez’s that are scattered along migration routes through the country. It may even have increased demand because many fear they could be detained if they leave the shelter. Religious groups, mostly Catholic but including some Protestant denominations, have long operated shelters to aid migrants. Initially, they largely helped Mexicans making their way north, or those who had been deported and dumped across the border. But the flow of Mexicans north has abated, replaced by a new flood of Central Americans, Cubans, Haitians and even Africans trying to reach the U.S. or, in some cases, establish roots in Mexico itself. Most of the migrants at Good Shepherd are seeking refugee status in Mexico and awaiting documentation that could eventually allow them to find work and settle in the country. At Mexico’s northern border with the U.S., shelters in places like Tijuana, Mexicali and Ciudad Juarez are overwhelmed both by migrants arriving from the south, as well as by thousands being returned by the U.S. government to await resolution of their asylum petitions in Mexican territory. The pinch has been compounded by the austerity measures of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has slashed support for nongovernmental organizations in general, even if he said on Wednesday his government would support those running shelters. On Tuesday, the state government of Tabasco, through which many migrants pass, announced that it was investigating shelters on suspicion of money laundering. Meanwhile, migrants have been trying to make the best of the crowded conditions, appreciative of having a safe place to rest. “It’s better to be here than have them take you prisoner,” said Hoda Teresa Gomez, who arrived from Honduras with her husband and three children two weeks ago. The flow of migrants into southern Mexico has seemed to slow in recent days as more soldiers, marines, federal police — many as part of Mexico’s newly formed National Guard — deploy to the border under a tougher new policy adopted at a time of increased pressure from the Trump administration. They work highway checkpoints that inspect the documents of those traveling in taxis and public transportation, but have also made a showing on the banks of the Suchiate River that divides the two countries. But even if fewer are arriving there is little relief in sight for the saturated shelters because many of the migrants fear continuing their journey north with the increased immigration controls. On Tuesday, Sanchez’s shelter had to turn away seven migrants from El Salvador because there was no space. They were sent to a hotel being rented by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees for those seeking asylum in Mexico. “Here everything is complicated, the bed, the baths, sometimes if kids get sick there’s no medicine,” said Eylin Martinez cradling her 11-month old son at Good Shepherd. The infant was naked because she had just bathed him in an attempt to lower his fever. “But we’re OK.” The Rev. Cesar Augusto Canaveral, director of the Belen shelter in Tapachula, characterized the situation as a “humanitarian emergency.” He said they should be offering the migrants not only food, but psychological attention and safety. With 300 migrants, mostly families, his shelter was at double its capacity, though still maintaining its tidy appearance. There a Guatemalan family of five enjoyed a bit of calm after escaping their town under a death threat. The father, who declined to give his name because of safety concerns, said they hadn’t encountered any police or soldiers as they crossed the river illegally into Mexico. But he said that while traveling on public transportation early Tuesday, the vehicle was stopped twice and his family was extorted, first by a uniformed man with a gun who he couldn’t identify and later by police. “They told me that if I didn’t pay they would turn me over to immigration,” said the man, a computer repair technician back in Guatemala. On Wednesday, the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders said the Mexican government’s enforcement efforts were driving migrants into the hands of smugglers and preventing them from getting medical care. Sergio Martin, the group’s head of mission in Mexico said, “Fewer people have come for medical consultations in recent days. The conclusion is obvious: People in need of medical services are not receiving them.” Canaveral warns arriving migrants to not leave the shelter much, because they could be detained. He worried that Mexico’s militarizing of the southern border could lead to even more migration in the long run. “I don’t think the government can last at the border,” he said. “As soon as the soldiers leave it will be worse because they (migrants) will come with more force.”

mexico
tapachula
refugees
andres manuel lopez obrador
tabasco
immigration
doctors without borders
u.s .
donald trump


Website documents histories of Georgetown-owned slaves

Abstract: BOSTON - A Boston-based genealogical organization and a Georgetown University graduate who launched a project to trace the family histories of hundreds of black slaves sold by the Jesuits who ran the college in 1838 have teamed up to digitize the information and make it available to people researching family histories. The public announcement Wednesday of what’s known as the GU272 Memory Project coincides not only with Juneteenth — the annual observance of the 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery in America — but also with the anniversary of the 1838 sale of 272 of the more than 300 slaves the Washington, D.C., college sold over a five-year period. American Ancestors, also known as the New England Historic Genealogical Society, has troves of genealogical information on its website, but the GU272 Project is unique, said Claire Vail, the project director. “For this project, we said, ‘Let’s do something different and let’s talk to the living descendants,’ most of whom have … no family lore that stretched back to their enslaved ancestors,” she said. So in addition to documents, photographs and the indexed genealogies of thousands of descendants, the project includes recorded interviews with dozens of living descendants. “As black Americans — as descendants of enslaved people — we have always been told, ‘You’ll never know who you are. You’ll never know where you came from.’ Now that we have this data, my hope is that we can use it to open doors and make connections,” Melisande Short-Colomb, 65, a slave descendant pursuing a history degree at Georgetown, said in a statement released by American Ancestors. Facing mounting debt, the Jesuits who ran what was then known as Georgetown College made the decision to sell the slaves to a Louisiana sugar plantation. The slaves themselves were Roman Catholic, having been baptized by the Rev. Thomas Mulledy, Georgetown’s president. The sale raised $115,000, or about $3.3 million in today’s dollars, and allowed the Jesuits to settle their most pressing debts and start the process of transforming the modest college into today’s prestigious Georgetown University. Much of the information for the American Ancestors site comes from a project launched several years ago by Richard Cellini, an attorney from Cambridge, Massachusetts, who has undergraduate and law degrees from Georgetown. His interest was sparked by student protests on campus over the slave sale. University folklore held that all of them died soon after the sale, a conclusion he refused to accept because it didn’t make sense. “Even the Titanic had survivors,” he said, stressing that his research was independent and received no funding from the university. The university has, however, done its own research into the sale and the fate of the slaves in a project started in the 1990s. Archived documents include a letter detailing how Jesuit priests from Maryland traveled to Louisiana a decade after the sale in order to understand the lives of the slaves sold there, according to a Georgetown spokeswoman. Cellini hired genealogists who dug into Louisiana and Maryland records. The ongoing project has so far located 224 of the slaves and nearly 8,500 descendants, about 4,000 of whom are living. When it came to making the information public, he knew American Ancestors was the place to go as what he calls the gold standard of genealogical research. Cellini dearly loves his alma mater, but he acknowledged that the project has shocked some people. But he said the slaves deserve a place of honor in school history. “Everyone who loves Georgetown should be proud and grateful to the people who founded it,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, the slaves are part of that, and I am grateful and proud of these families who helped make Georgetown what it is.”

history
georgetown university
slavery
american ancestors
u.s .
african-americans


'Sully' Sullenberger tells Congress 737 Max pilots should get new simulator training

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who in 2009 landed a US Airways flight safely on the Hudson River in New York, told a congressional panel on Wednesday that pilots of the now-grounded 737 Max should get new simulator training before the plane returns to service. He also said that the Federal Aviation Administration’s system of certifying new aircraft is not working after two deadly crashes since October killed 346 people: “Our current system of aircraft design and certification has failed us.” Boeing said in May it had completed an update to software, known as MCAS, which would stop erroneous data from triggering an anti-stall system that automatically turned down the noses of the two planes that crashed, despite pilot efforts to stop it. Sullenberger told the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday that “it is clear that the original version of MCAS was fatally flawed and should never have been approved.” Allied Pilots Association President Daniel Carey told the committee that getting all pilots in simulators before the 737 Max returns to service poses logistical issues, with 4,200 737 Max pilots at American Airlines and 9,000 737 Max pilots at Southwest Airlines. Boeing has said that simulator training is not necessary, and is recommending a mandatory computer-based course that explains MCAS and could be completed at a pilot’s home in about an hour, according to pilot unions. Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell said in May he had not decided on whether to require simulator training. Carey said pilots could get computer- and video-based training before the plane returns to service and then all could get into simulators within 10 months. Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio criticized Boeing for failing to disclose details about the MCAS system to pilots. “The pilots didn’t know it existed,” DeFazio said. Two people briefed on the matter said Boeing is set to conduct a certification flight as early as next week before it formally submits its software upgrade and training proposal. Sharon Pinkerton, a vice president at Airlines for America, an industry trade group that represents American and Southwest, said airlines are relying on the FAA and the independent flight standard board for guidance. “We are confident that working with those independent experts, involving our pilots unions, they will come to the right decision about what kind of training is needed and we will provide that training,” Pinkerton told the panel. Federal prosecutors aided by the FBI, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Transportation Department’s inspector general, congressional panels and a number of independent committees are reviewing the 737 Max’s certification. Sullenberger managed to glide his Airbus A320 to a safe landing on the Hudson River after hitting a flock of geese shortly after takeoff, saving all 155 on board, in what became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.”

congress
737 max
aviation
boeing
mcas
faa
u.s .
chesley sullenberger
air accidents


NOAA Fisheries biologists record singing by rare right whale

Abstract: ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have recorded singing by a rare right whale for the first time. Researchers used moored acoustic recorders to capture patterned calls made by male North Pacific right whales. Researchers detected four distinct songs over eight years at five locations in the southeast Bering Sea. Humpback, bowhead and other whales previously have been recorded singing. Right whales have been recorded making individual sounds. NOAA Fisheries marine biologist Jessica Crance says the recent recordings are the first time right whales have been detected using patterned phrases that make up what she describes as a song. Right whales make sounds described as gunshot calls, upcalls, screams and warbles. Crance says a male putting the sounds in song patterns may by trying to attract a female.


Eroding trust in vaccines leaves populations vulnerable, global study finds

Abstract: LONDON - Trust in vaccines — one of the world’s most effective and widely-used medical products — is highest in poorer countries but weaker in wealthier ones where skepticism has allowed outbreaks of diseases such as measles to persist, a global study released Wednesday has found. France has the least confidence of any country in the world in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, with a third believing that vaccines are unsafe, according to the study. While most parents do choose to vaccinate their children, varying levels of confidence expose vulnerabilities in some countries to potential disease outbreaks, the study’s authors said, recommending that scientists need to ensure people have access to robust information from those they trust. Public health experts and the World Health Organization say vaccines save up to 3 million lives every year worldwide, and decades of research evidence consistently shows they are safe and effective. But to achieve “herd immunity” to protect whole populations, immunization coverage rates must generally be above 90 percent or 95 percent, and vaccine mistrust can quickly reduce that protection. “Over the last century, vaccines have made many devastating infectious diseases a distant memory,” said Charlie Weller, head of vaccines at the Wellcome Trust health charity, which co-led the Wellcome Global Monitor study. “It is reassuring that almost all parents worldwide are vaccinating their children. However, there are pockets of lower confidence in vaccines across the world.” The spread of measles, including in major outbreaks in the United States, the Philippines and Ukraine, is just one of the health risks linked to lower confidence in vaccines. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, false rumors about polio vaccines being part of a Western plot have in recent years hampered global efforts to wipe out the crippling disease. The study, led by Wellcome and polling company Gallup, covered 140,000 people from more than 140 countries. It found 6 percent of parents worldwide — equivalent to 188 million — say their children are unvaccinated. The highest totals were in China at 9 percent, Austria at 8 percent and Japan at 7 percent. Seth Berkley, chief executive of the not-for-profit GAVI vaccine alliance, said the report showed a “worrying number of people” questioning vaccine safety. But by focusing on the “vocal minority” who refused to vaccinate, it was easy to forget that the vast majority trusted vaccines and the science that underpinned them. The study also found that three-quarters of the world’s people trust doctors and nurses more than anyone else for health advice, and that in most parts of the world, more education and greater trust in health systems, governments and scientists is a also sign of higher vaccine confidence. In some high-income regions, however, confidence is weaker. Only 72 percent of people in North America and 73 percent in Northern Europe agree that vaccines are safe. In Eastern Europe it is just 50 percent. Heidi Larson, director of the vaccine confidence project at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, worked with researchers on this study. She said it “exposes the paradox of Europe” which, despite being a region with among the highest income and education levels, also has the world’s highest levels of vaccine skepticism. In poorer regions, trust levels tend to be much higher, with 95 percent in South Asia and 92 percent in Eastern Africa feeling confident that vaccines are safe and effective.


Survey sees biggest U.S. honeybee winter die-off ever

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Winter hit U.S. honeybees hard with the highest loss rate yet, an annual survey of beekeepers showed. The annual nationwide survey by the Bee Informed Partnership found 37.7 percent of honeybee colonies died this past winter, nearly 9 percentage points higher than the average winter loss. The survey of nearly 4,700 beekeepers managing more than 300,000 colonies goes back 13 years and is conducted by bee experts at the University of Maryland, Auburn University and several other colleges. Beekeepers had been seeing fewer winter colony losses in recent years until now, said Maryland’s Dennis vanEngelsdorp, president of the bee partnership and co-author of Wednesday’s survey. “The fact that we suddenly had the worst winter we’ve had … is troubling,” vanEngelsdorp said. Some bees usually die over winter, but until the past couple decades, when a combination of problems struck colonies, losses rarely exceeded 10 percent, he said. Bees pollinate $15 billion worth of U.S. food crops. One-third of the human diet comes from pollinators, including native wild bees and other animals, many of which are also in trouble, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “We should be concerned on multiple levels,” said University of California, Berkeley, agricultural social scientist Jennie Durant, who has a separate study this week on loss of food supply for bees. Year-to-year bee colony losses, which include calculations for summer, were 40.7 percent, higher than normal, but not a record high, the survey found. “The beekeepers are working harder than ever to manage colonies but we still lose 40-50% each year… unacceptable,” Swiss bee expert Jeff Pettis, who wasn’t part of the survey, said in an email. For more than a decade, bees have been in trouble with scientists blaming mites, diseases, pesticides and loss of food. This past winter’s steep drop seems heavily connected to the mites, vanEngelsdorp said. Beekeepers report that chemicals that kill mites don’t seem to be working quite as well and mite infestation is worsening, he said. Those mites feed on the bees’ fats and that’s where the insects store protein and center their immune response. Durant’s study in this week’s journal Land Use Policy found that changes in food supply in the Midwest’s Prairie Pothole Region, a hot spot for honeybee colonies, has been a major factor in losses. That area has lost wetland areas with clover bees feed on. Other areas have been converted to corn and soy crops, which don’t feed bees, she said. As bad as the survey numbers are, vanEngelsdorp said, “We’re not really worried about honeybees going extinct … I’m more worried that the commercial beekeepers will go out of business.”

winter
bees
bee informed partnership
agriculture
insects
u.s .
climate change


Cold War-era spy images reveal Himalayan glaciers are melting twice as fast as before

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Cold War-era spy satellite images are showing scientists that glaciers on the Himalayas are now melting about twice as fast as they used to. The Asian mountain range, which includes Mount Everest, has been losing ice at a rate of about 1 percent a year since 2000, according to a study Wednesday in the journal Science Advances . “The amount of ice (lost) is scary but what is much more scary is the doubling of the melt rate,” said Josh Maurer, a glacier researcher at Columbia University’s Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory and lead author of the study. The Himalayas, part of an area that is referred to as “The Third Pole” because it has so much ice, has only 72 percent of the ice that was there in 1975. It has been losing about 8.3 billion tons (7.5 billion metric tons) of ice a year, compared 4.3 billion tons (3.9 billion metric tons) a year between 1975 and 2000, according to the study. The Himalayan melt doesn’t contribute much to sea level rise, Mauer said, because it is dwarfed by melting in Greenland and Antarctica. But the loss of the ice means current and future disruptions of water supplies — both surges and shortages — for the hundreds of millions of people in the region who rely on it for hydropower, agriculture, and drinking, said study co-author Jorg Schaefer, a climate geochemistry professor at Columbia. “Disaster is in the making here,” Schaefer said. Scientists lacked some critical data on ice in the Himalayas until Maurer found once-classified 3D images from U.S. spy satellites that had been put online. Those images allowed Maurer to calculate how much ice was on the Himalayas in 1975. He then used other satellite data to measure ice in 2000 and then again in 2016. Past research looked at individual Himalayan glaciers over short time periods, but this is the first to look at the big picture — 650 glaciers over decades, Schaefer said. For years, scientists have looked at many possible causes for melting glaciers, including pollution and changes in rainfall. But when the team was able to see trends using long-term data, they found the major culprit: “it’s clear it’s temperature and everything else doesn’t matter as much,” Schaefer said. Maurer double-checked that conclusion by feeding the data into a computer model. It “predicted” the same type of ice melt that happened over the four decades. NASA climate scientist Josh Willis, who wasn’t part of the study, said it provided important confirmation of what scientists suspected and what models showed. “As a scientist it’s nice to hear that we’re right, but then again as a civilian it’s sometimes a little scary to hear that we’re right,” Willis said.

himalayas
glaciers
climate
climate change