Author: HeraldStar

The pledge by 43-year-old Shinjiro Koizumi, the youngest candidate in the running to be Japan’s next prime minister, to hold talks with “same generation” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to resolve the abduction issue has garnered widespread attention. Japan and North Korea have no diplomatic relations, but Koizumi’s father, Junichiro Koizumi, was the first Japanese prime minister to visit Pyongyang and secured the return of five people abducted by North Korea in the late 1970s. If Shinjiro Koizumi wins the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election scheduled for Sept 27, he would become Japan’s premier, replacing incumbent Fumio Kishida, as…

Out of 1,643 top-listed companies in Japan, only 13 of them have female chief executive officers, according to a new survey from Kyodo News. The findings, which were based on analysis of fiscal 2023 financial statements, found that the percentage of female chief executives in the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s top-tier Prime Market is at 0.8%. A new survey has revealed a stark gender disparity in Japan’s corporate leadership, with only 13 female CEOs leading the country’s top 1,600 listed companies. This translates to a mere 0.8% of firms on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Prime Market being led by women.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has demanded a thorough explanation from Beijing over the fatal stabbing of a 10-year-old Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen, China. The boy, whose father is Japanese and mother is Chinese, was attacked by a 44-year-old man on his way to school, about 200 meters from the Japanese school gates. The suspect was apprehended at the scene and taken into custody. Kishida condemned the attack as “a despicable crime and a serious and grave matter,” urging China to protect Japanese nationals in the country. China’s Foreign Ministry expressed regret and heartache, extending condolences to the boy’s family,…

A 10-year-old Japanese student at a school in China’s southern city of Shenzhen died after being stabbed on his way to school. The attack occurred on Wednesday, about 220 yards away from the Shenzhen Japanese School, and a suspect, identified as 44-year-old Zhong, was apprehended at the scene. The motive behind the attack remains unclear. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida strongly condemned the incident, calling it “an extremely despicable crime and a serious and grave matter”. He urged Beijing to provide all the facts pertaining to the case, while refraining from making any prejudgments about how the stabbing might affect…

China has urged all parties involved in the Middle East conflict to maintain peace and stability, following a series of deadly explosions in Lebanon that left at least 20 people dead and over 450 wounded. The blasts occurred in handheld radios used by the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lin Jian, expressed concern over the incidents, emphasizing opposition to any infringement on Lebanon’s sovereignty and security. “China is highly concerned about the relevant incidents and opposes any infringement on Lebanon’s sovereignty and security,” Lin said. The explosions are believed to have been caused by Israeli spy agency…

China’s top legislative body has approved a plan to increase the retirement age for men from 60 to 63, and for women from 55 to 58 for white-collar jobs and 50 to 55 for blue-collar work. The changes, set to begin on January 1, will be implemented over the next 15 years, with the retirement age increasing by another three to five years. The move aims to address China’s rapidly aging population and ease pressure on the social security system. However, workers are unhappy about the decision, citing concerns over job security, economic uncertainty, and inequity in pension schemes between…

Mercedes-Benz has cut its full-year profit margin for the second time in less than two months, citing a decline in overall sales volume in China. The luxury carmaker’s decision to trim its outlook follows a similar adjustment made just recently in July, underscoring the ongoing challenges faced by the company in the Chinese market. The Stuttgart-based automaker’s shares listed on the Frankfurt exchange fell 3.4% following the announcement. Mercedes-Benz Cars now expects an adjusted return on sales of between 7.5% and 8.5%, down from the previously forecasted range of 10% to 11%. This implies an expected adjusted return on sales…

Nigeria’s presidency has announced that Coca-Cola plans to invest $1 billion in its Nigerian operations over the next five years. This development comes after a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and senior executives of the soft drinks maker, including John Murphy, President and Chief Financial Officer of Coca-Cola, and Zoran Bogdanovic, CEO of Coca-Cola HBC. Bogdanovic revealed that Coca-Cola has already invested $1.5 billion in Nigeria since 2013 to expand production capacity, improve supply chains, and enhance training and development. He expressed satisfaction with the predictable and enabling environment in place, prompting the additional investment. President Tinubu assured the executives…

The mpox outbreak in Africa continues to spiral out of control, with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) sounding the alarm on Thursday. According to Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa CDC, the disease is still on the rise in several countries, with a staggering 177% surge in cases and a 38.5% increase in deaths compared to the same period last year. This dire situation has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, citing the emergence of a new variant . The outbreak has spread to…

In the aftermath of devastating floods that swept through Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri, residents are facing a new challenge: exploitation by canoe owners. The city, reeling from the worst flooding in three decades, has seen canoe owners charge exorbitant fees to transport residents and their belongings to safety. Last week’s floods, triggered by a burst dam wall and heavy rains, left thousands displaced and without access to basic necessities. With vehicles unable to navigate the submerged streets, canoes have become the primary means of transportation. However, what began as a humanitarian gesture has turned into a lucrative business for…