A student suspected of carrying out a hammer attack at a university in Tokyo has been arrested, with local media reporting that several people were injured in the incident, reports AP. The 22-year-old South Korean sociology student was apprehended at the scene for allegedly assaulting a male student during a class at Hosei University’s Tama campus, located in Tokyo’s western suburbs on Friday. The attack resulted in minor injuries to the victim, according to the Tokyo metropolitan police.HAISON, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo to host Bangladeshi business mission to Japan in 2025 Reports indicated that seven additional students were also injured, with the suspect believed to have struck them one after the other. It remains unclear whether the attack was premeditated. Kyodo News reported that the suspect told authorities she was “frustrated” after experiencing bullying and being ignored by her peers, and that she used a hammer she found on campus. Approximately 150 students were in class at the time, and one witness told Kyodo that the attacker appeared to swing the hammer without any clear intention, hitting people seated in the back rows. The witness described how everyone in the classroom fled, while another said the assailant's face appeared emotionless, and she did not seem to be targeting anyone specifically. The police are continuing their investigation, though no further details have been provided. There remains lingering discrimination against Koreans in Japan due to the troubled history between the two nations, particularly related to Japan’s brutal colonisation of Korea, which ended in 1945 with Japan’s defeat in World War II. While violent crime is rare in Japan, there have been isolated incidents of random stabbings and shootings in recent years. In December, a junior high school student was fatally stabbed, and her friend injured, while waiting in line at a McDonald's in Kitakyushu, a city in the southwest of Japan. The attacker was later arrested. Tokyo park faces environmental protests over cutting trees In 2022, three people, including two students heading to entrance exams, were stabbed outside the University of Tokyo. A 17-year-old student was apprehended and later convicted of attempted murder.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Thursday began a trip to Malaysia and Indonesia as part of an effort to strengthen defense and economic ties with Southeast Asia as China's threats grow in the region. The visit, his first for bilateral talks outside of international meetings, shows Japan’s commitment to further those ties even as the US presence in the region may decrease after President-elect Donald Trump takes office later this month. Malaysia and Indonesia are maritime regional powers near vital shipping lanes and are key to Japanese and global security and the economy, and they share concerns over China's increasing assertiveness, officials say. Sri Lanka extends tax relief for 3 int'l airports to attract airlines Ishiba, who will meet Friday with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, hopes to strengthen security cooperation and discuss efforts to ensure stable supply chains with Malaysia, which is chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year. On Saturday, Ishiba and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will reportedly sign a deal for Japan's provision of high-speed patrol boats. Talks between the two leaders, who are both former defense ministers, are expected to focus on military cooperation and arms transfers.

Japan on Wednesday linked more than 200 cyberattacks over the past five years targeting the country's national security and high technology data to a Chinese hacking group, MirrorFace, detailing their tactics and calling on government agencies and businesses to reinforce preventive measures. The National Police Agency said its analysis on the targets, methods and infrastructure of the cyberattacks by MirrorFace from 2019 to 2024 concluded they were systematic attacks linked to China with an aim of stealing data on Japanese national security and advanced technology. The targets of the Chinese government-led cyberattacks included Japan's Foreign and Defense ministries, the country's space agency and individuals including politicians, journalists, private companies and think tanks related to advanced technology, the NPA said. Experts have repeatedly raised concerns about the vulnerability of Japan’s cybersecurity, especially as the country steps up its defense capabilities and works more closely with the United States and other partners to strengthen cyber defenses. Japan has taken steps but experts say more work is needed. Japan Airlines hit by a cyberattack, delaying flights during the year-end holiday season MirrorFace sent emails with attachments containing malware to targeted organizations and individuals to view data saved on computers mainly from December 2019 to July 2023, often from Gmail and Microsoft Outlook addresses using stolen identities, the NPA investigation found. The emails typically used as subjects key words such as “Japan-U.S. alliance,” “Taiwan Strait,” “Russia-Ukraine war” and “free and open Indo-Pacific," and included an invitation for a study panel, references and a list of panelists, the NPA said. In another tactic, the hackers targeted Japanese organizations in areas of aerospace, semiconductors, information and communications from February to October 2023 by exploiting vulnerabilities in virtual private networks to gain unauthorized access to information. The attacks included one on the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency, or JAXA, which acknowledged in June it had suffered a series of cyberattacks since 2023, though sensitive information related to rockets, satellites and defense was not affected. It was investigating to take preventive measures. Last year, a cyberattack paralyzed operations at a container terminal at a port in the city of Nagoya for three days. More recently, Japan Airlines was hit by a cyberattack on Christmas, causing delays and cancellations to more than 20 domestic flights, though the carrier was able to stop the onslaught and restore its systems hours later and there was no impact on flight safety.

Harry Chandler, a Navy medic who helped pull injured sailors from the oily waters of Pearl Harbor after the 1941 Japanese attack on the naval base, has died. He was 103. Chandler died Monday at a senior living center in Tequesta, Florida, according to Ron Mahaffee, the husband of his granddaughter Kelli Fahey. Chandler had congestive heart failure, but Mahaffee said doctors and nurses noted his advanced age when giving a cause of death. The third Pearl Harbor survivor to die in the past few weeks, Chandler was a hospital corpsman 3rd class on Dec. 7, 1941, when waves of Japanese fighter planes dropped bombs and fired machine guns on battleships in the harbor and plunged the U.S. into World War II. He told The Associated Press in 2023 that he saw the planes approach as he was raising the flag that morning at a mobile hospital in Aiea Heights, which is in the hills overlooking the base. “I thought they were planes coming in from the states until I saw the bombs dropping,” Chandler said. His first instinct was to take cover and ”get the hell out of here.” “I was afraid that they’d start strafing,” he said. His unit rode trucks down to attend the injured. He said in a Pacific Historic Parks oral history interview that he boarded a boat to help pluck wounded sailors from the water. The harbor was covered in oil from exploding ships, so Chandler washed the sailors off after lifting them out. He said he was too focused on his work to be afraid. “It got so busy you weren't scared. Weren’t scared at all. We were busy. It was after you got scared,” Chandler said. He realized later that he could have been killed, “But you didn’t think about that while you were busy taking care of people.” Read: Remains of Utah sailor killed at Pearl Harbor to return home The attack killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. Nearly half, or 1,177, were sailors and Marines on board the USS Arizona, which sank nine minutes after it was bombed. Chandler's memories came flowing back when he visited Pearl Harbor for a 2023 ceremony commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the bombing. “I look out there, and I can still see what’s going on. I can still see what was happening,” Chandler told The Associated Press. Asked what he wanted Americans to know about Pearl Harbor, he said: “Be prepared.” “We should have known that was going to happen. The intelligence has to be better,” he said. After the war Chandler worked as a painter and wallpaper hanger and bought an upholstery business with his brother. He also joined the Navy reserves, retiring as a senior chief in 1981. Chandler was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and lived for most of his adult life in nearby South Hadley, Mahaffee said. In recent decades he split his time between Massachusetts and Florida. An avid golfer, he shot five hole-in-ones during his lifetime, his grandson-in-law added. Chandler had one biological daughter and adopted two daughters from his second marriage, to Anna Chandler, who died in 2004. He is survived by one daughter, nine grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. Read more: 3 dead after Pearl Harbor sailor shoots civilians, himself Military historian J. Michael Wenger has estimated that there were some 87,000 military personnel on the island of Oahu the day of the attack. With Chandler’s death only 15 are still living, according to a tally maintained by Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors. Bob Fernandez, who served on the USS Curtiss, also died this month, at age 100, and Warren Upton, 105, who served on the USS Utah, died last week.

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya met with top Chinese leaders Wednesday during his visit to Beijing, the first since the heads of the two countries met at a summit in Peru last month, in an effort to make positive inroads in the bilateral relationship. The two neighbors have had a tense relationship in recent years. At the top of Iwaya's agenda is China’s ban on Japanese seafood in response to the release of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, as well as China’s increasingly assertive military activity in the East and South China Seas. Iwaya met with China's premier, Li Qiang Wednesday as well as Wang Yi, his Chinese counterpart. "Currently the China-Japan relations are at a critical period of improvement and development,” said Li, in his remarks. “ China is willing to work together with Japan to move towards the important direction proposed by the leaders of the two countries.” "I want to build a relationship where the people of both countries feel that Japan-China relations have developed and progressed in a positive direction," said Iwaya, ahead of his meeting with Wang. France gets a new government again amid political crisis His trip comes just before US President-elect Donald Trump is to take office in January. Tokyo considers the Japan-US alliance the lynchpin of its diplomatic and security policies, a tone emphasized in the past four years under US President Joe Biden’s direction, but it’s unclear how Trump will impact the alliance. Japan has revamped its approach to defense i n response to Chinese actions in recent years, boosting military spending and shifting away from a principle of self-defense. Earlier this year, Japan protested when a Chinese military plane flew into Japan's airspace, while in the summer, a Chinese survey ship sailed into Japanese territorial waters. While how US-China relations come out under the Trump administration is unclear, Japan is seeking stability in its relationship with its neighbor and hopes to develop ties in areas of mutual interest, including the economy and the elderly care industry. South Korea's opposition party vows to impeach acting president Iwaya told reporters before his departure Tuesday that he will also hold bilateral high-level people and cultural exchange talks, joined by the education ministers from the two sides. “The relationship with China, our neighboring country, is one of Japan’s most important,” Iwaya told reporters Tuesday. Though there are many issues and concerns, Japan and China share a variety of possibilities, he said. “The two countries share important responsibilities for the peace and prosperity of the region and the international society.” Iwaya, a security expert, is also expected to reiterate his concern about Japanese nationals detained in alleged spying allegations. Japan maintains that the water discharged from the Fukushima plant is treated and diluted to levels much safer than international standards and adequately monitored, but China calls the water contaminated. Japan and China agreed in September to work toward easing the seafood ban by allowing China in multinational sampling missions under the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Chinese experts joined an IAEA monitoring mission to Fukushima in October, when China took water samples from the sea just off the coast of the Fukushima plant, as well as the water discharge system on the plant, for analysis.

Japanese automobile giants Honda and Nissan have unveiled plans to merge, potentially creating the world’s third-largest car manufacturer by sales, as the industry shifts focus towards electric vehicles and sustainability. Both companies confirmed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Monday. Mitsubishi Motors, a smaller Nissan alliance partner, is also set to participate in discussions to integrate operations. Honda’s president, Toshihiro Mibe, stated that the companies aim to consolidate under a joint holding company, with Honda initially taking the lead in management. The brands will maintain their unique identities, and a formal agreement is anticipated by June, with completion targeted for August 2026. Although the merger's financial details remain undisclosed, Mibe emphasized that talks are in preliminary stages, acknowledging uncertainties about the outcome. Japan’s automakers are striving to reduce costs and accelerate their transition to electric vehicles to keep pace with global competitors. Speculations about the merger surfaced earlier this month, linked to reports that Taiwan’s Foxconn was exploring ties with Nissan. Nissan currently operates in alliance with France’s Renault and Mitsubishi Motors. Albanian prime minister says TikTok ban was not a 'rushed reaction to a single incident' Should the merger proceed, it could result in a combined market valuation exceeding $50 billion. The integration would enhance competitiveness with industry leaders like Toyota, which produced 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, and Volkswagen. The combined output of Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi would total approximately 8 million vehicles annually, based on 2023 figures. In August, the three companies had already announced plans to collaborate on electric vehicle components, including batteries, and to develop autonomous driving software, building on a preliminary March agreement between Honda and Nissan. Honda, Japan’s second-largest automaker, is seen as a potential stabilizing force for Nissan, which has struggled since the 2018 scandal involving its former chairman Carlos Ghosn, who fled to Lebanon after being charged with fraud—charges he denies. Ghosn criticized the proposed merger as a “desperate move” during a video press conference from Tokyo. Industry analysts believe Honda could benefit from Nissan’s expertise in large SUVs, hybrid technologies, and battery development. In November, however, Nissan announced plans to cut 9,000 jobs globally and reduce production capacity by 20% after posting a quarterly loss of 9.3 billion yen ($61 million). HAISON, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo to host Bangladeshi business mission to Japan in 2025 Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida took a 50% pay cut and emphasized the need for improved efficiency and responsiveness to market trends. Uchida expressed optimism about the merger’s potential to deliver more value to customers. Despite recent challenges, Fitch Ratings downgraded Nissan’s credit outlook to “negative,” citing profitability concerns but acknowledged its strong cash reserves of 1.44 trillion yen ($9.4 billion). Following reports of the merger, Nissan’s shares rose 1.6% on Monday, having surged over 20% last week. Honda’s shares also gained 3.8% despite reporting a near 20% profit drop for the first half of its fiscal year. This proposed merger highlights the broader trend of consolidation in the automotive sector amid intensifying competition and technological advancements. Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi refrained from commenting on specific merger details but stressed the importance of maintaining competitiveness in storage batteries and software to meet global challenges. “As the automotive industry undergoes major transformations, we expect companies to take the necessary steps to remain competitive internationally,” Hayashi remarked.

Japan has extended a grant of 500 million Japanese Yen (approximately $3.3 million) to Bangladesh under the "Fourth Primary Education Development Programme" (PEDP4), aiming to enhance the quality of primary education in the country. The Exchange of Notes formalising the grant was signed on Thursday by IWAMA Kiminori, the Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, and Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) under the Ministry of Finance. Bangladesh calls for finalizing BIMSTEC FTA A relevant Grant Agreement was then signed by JICA Bangladesh Office Chief Representative ICHIGUCHI Tomohide and Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ambassador IWAMA emphasised the pivotal role of education in national development.  “Education, which develops human resources, is a crucial element for the future of any nation. Without education, there is no development of the nation,” he said. Dhaka seeks ‘comprehensive roadmap’ for Rohingya repatriation He expressed optimism that the support for PEDP4 would enable many children to access high-quality education. “It will be one element of numerous initiatives that will benefit both our nations.” With this fifth grant, Japan has provided a total of JPY 2.5 billion (approximately $16.7 million) for PEDP4, supporting various implementations to achieve the programme's objectives.

Fresh fin whale meat was auctioned in Japan on Thursday for the first time in nearly five decades, fetching prices of over $1,300 per kilogramme (2.2 lbs), as officials strive to sustain the struggling whaling industry, reports AP. This year, Japan’s Fisheries Agency included fin whales among three other whale species eligible for legal hunting, as the nation broadens commercial whaling within its waters. Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which had protected fin whales from overhunting since 1976. Whale meat fetches 'celebration prices' after Japanese hunt Officials cited stock surveys indicating sufficient recovery of fin whale populations in the North Pacific. During this season, 30 of the 60 allowed fin whales were caught, alongside a combined quota of 379 minke, Bryde's, and sei whales. Kyodo Senpaku Co., Japan’s sole large-scale whaling fleet operator, invested 7.5 billion yen ($49 million) in a new 9,300-ton whaling ship, the Kangei Maru, to demonstrate its commitment to the industry. On Thursday, 1.4 tons of fresh fin whale meat from Hokkaido were auctioned at the Sapporo fish market and at Shimonoseki, the Kangei Maru's home port. In Shimonoseki, 250 kilograms (550 lbs) of tail meat, a prized delicacy called onomi, reached the highest price of 200,000 yen ($1,312) per kilogram, according to the city’s fishery promotion department. “Larger whales are said to have better taste, so fin whales might be more delicious than other types, though I’ve never tasted it,” said Ryo Minezoe, a Shimonoseki city official. Japan’s whaling industry has faced longstanding controversy and criticism from conservationists. However, protests have diminished since Japan shifted from contentious Antarctic “research whaling,” often perceived as a guise for commercial hunts, to domestic commercial whaling. Last year, Japan’s whalers caught 294 minke, Bryde’s, and sei whales, amounting to less than 80% of the quota and fewer than what was caught in earlier Antarctic and Pacific hunts. Industry officials attribute the declining catch to climate change, while critics suggest overhunting as the root cause. Nanami Kurasawa, leader of the conservationist Dolphin & Whale Action Network, opposes hunting fin whales. She warns that fin whales nearly went extinct due to past overhunting and urges more comprehensive studies on their populations in Japanese waters. Whalers prefer larger whales for efficiency, but Kurasawa argues that a thorough investigation of stocks is necessary. Historically, whale meat was a vital protein source for Japan’s malnourished population post-World War II, peaking at 233,000 tons in 1962. However, consumption has plummeted to around 2,000 tons annually, as other meats replaced whale in diets. Officials aim to increase this to 5,000 tons to sustain the industry. Experts are sceptical about demand for whale meat in modern Japan, where it is neither affordable nor widely consumed. Nobuhiro Kishigami, a professor and expert on indigenous whaling at Osaka’s National Museum of Ethnology, noted that whale meat is mostly eaten in whaling towns, while it remains expensive and rarely consumed in Tokyo or elsewhere. “It’s more of a delicacy than a daily staple,” Kishigami said. “If it’s not accessible, tasty, and reasonably priced, it won’t sell. Without substantial government subsidies, sustaining the industry as a business would be extremely challenging.”

Japan will support Bangladesh's reform agenda, and its investors would continue to stay in Bangladesh to help boost the country's economic developments, outgoing Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori said on Wednesday. The Japanese envoy made the comments during a farewell call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka. Ambassador Kiminori praised the leadership of Professor Yunus and added that his government would cement ties with Bangladesh in three pillars of Japanese engagements, which include peace and stability, economic cooperation, and human-to-human interactions. "We'll do our best to support the three pillars," Kiminori said, reiterating Tokyo's "strong support" for the reform initiatives undertaken by the Interim Government in areas including elections. Professor Yunus thanked the outgoing ambassador for their contribution to the Bangladesh-Japan relationship. He also lauded the ties between the two countries. "The relationship has always been very strong," the Chief Adviser said. He called for more Japanese investment in Bangladesh as his government was carrying out vital reforms to attract more foreign direct investment in the country. "The presence of Japanese investors in Bangladesh sends a good message for us," he said. The Japanese envoy said, "not a single Japanese company has withdrawn" from Bangladesh after the Jully-August mass uprising. "They are willing to stay in the country," he said. General amnesty if fake freedom fighters apologise: Farooq-e-Azam He extended an invitation from Nikkei to an annual conference in Japan where the Japanese Prime Minister is expected to speak. He said the Chief Adviser could meet chief executives of top Japanese companies during the conference and invite them to invest in Bangladesh. The Japanese ambassador also appreciated the Chief Adviser's move to hold an international conference on the Rohingya issues, saying Tokyo strongly supports the meeting. The Chief Adviser reiterated his call to create a UN-guaranteed safe zone in Myanmar's western Rakhine state where the displaced communities can temporarily be relocated before they return to their homes once the conflict is over. Lamiya Morshed, principal coordinator on SDG Affairs and a senior secretary of the government, was also present during the meeting.  

A 92-year-old survivor of the 1945 Nagasaki atomic bombing delivered a powerful speech recounting the horrors of nuclear war as he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Nihon Hidankyo, a group dedicated to nuclear disarmament. Terumi Tanaka, speaking in Oslo, detailed the devastation he witnessed, including the deaths of five family members and the charred ruins of his city, while urging the world to uphold the taboo against using nuclear weapons. Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots organization of Japanese atomic bomb survivors, received the award for nearly 70 years of advocacy against nuclear weapons. Their work gains urgency as geopolitical tensions rise, with nuclear powers like Russia and Israel hinting at the possibility of using such weapons. Tanaka expressed his sorrow and anger over the weakening of the nuclear taboo, which the Norwegian Nobel Committee also emphasized in its decision. Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes highlighted the increasing dangers posed by nuclear weapons, as none of the nine nuclear-armed states show significant interest in disarmament. Instead, many are modernizing their arsenals, a trend Frydnes described as a threat to global security. He called on nations, especially those bound by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to fulfill their commitments to reduce nuclear stockpiles. Read: Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Japanese organization of atomic bombing survivors Nihon Hidankyo Tanaka’s vivid recollections of the Nagasaki bombing underscored the devastating human toll of nuclear warfare. He described the blinding flash, the ensuing shock wave, and the heartbreaking aftermath of finding his loved ones’ charred remains. Reflecting on decades of survivor-led efforts for nuclear abolition and justice, he called for global citizens to reject nuclear weapons and pressure their governments to change policies. “The belief that nuclear weapons cannot—and must not—coexist with humanity must inspire change,” Tanaka said, urging action to prevent a repeat of such tragedies. Source: With inputs from agencies