June 18, Tuesday, 2024

1. Russian President Vladimir Putin, ahead of his first visit to North Korea in 24 years, said the two countries will boost their ties to a higher level. His remark appeared in an article printed by North Korea’s ruling party’s newspaper. Putin said in the article that Russia highly appreciates “that the DPRK is firmly supporting the special military operations of Russia being conducted in Ukraine.”
2. Japanese weather officials are warning of bands of heavy rain clouds that will likely form over the Shikoku region, western Japan. The Meteorological Agency says warm and damp air is flowing toward a front accompanied by a low pressure system that stretchers off the southern coast of Kyushu to Kanto, making atmospheric conditions very unstable. 3. Himeji City, in western Japan, has decided to review the admission fee for Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Cultural heritage site, and is considering setting higher rates for non-local and foreign visitors. Himeji Mayor Kiyomoto Hideyasu told reporters on Monday that he intends to consider setting different rates for Japanese visitors, foreign tourists and local residents.