月: 2021年8月

1. The U.S. military has announced the completion of the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, marking an end to the conflict described as America’s longest war.
2.U.S. troops have completed their mission in Afghanistan. They spent nearly 20 years in the country, their longest-ever war. The last American planes flew out on Monday, one day before the deadline for the withdrawal.
3. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu praised the United States’ efforts in Afghanistan and said it is of utmost importance to evacuate those who want to leave the country.

1. The United States and more than 90 countries and organizations say they have received assurances from the Taliban on the safe departure of those who want to leave Afghanistan. The White House released a joint international statement on Sunday with Japan, Britain, the European Union and many other countries and organizations.
2. U.S. media say rockets were fired toward the Kabul airport on Monday. They report with no immediate reports of damage or casualties and no group yet claiming responsibility. The U.S. and allies are working to evacuate as many people as possible before Tuesday’s withdrawal deadline. 3. Foreign substances have been found in another lot of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine. They were spotted at a large vaccination center in the southern prefecture of Okinawa on Saturday.

1. U.S. Republicans have strongly criticized President Joe Biden’s response to the situation in Afghanistan after the bomb attack on Thursday near the Kabul airport.
2. NHK has learned that Japan had to give up on taking Japanese and Afghan evacuees to Kabul’s international airport on Thursday due to the deadly bombings.
3. Nearly 400 Afghan evacuees have arrived in South Korea, as part of the country’s efforts to evacuate Afghan people who worked at South Korean embassy and other facilities in the war-torn nation, along with their family members.

1. The coronavirus vaccination drive at more than 800 sites across Japan may be disrupted after foreign substances were found in some vials of the Moderna vaccine. Japan’s health ministry on Thursday decided to halt the use of about 1.63 million doses of the Moderna vaccine that were manufactured in the same factory in Spain at around the same time as the contaminated vials. 2. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says efforts to help evacuate Americans and Afghan partners trying to leave Afghanistan will continue past August 31. Blinken held a news conference on the situation on Wednesday, one day after President Joe Biden said the U.S. intends to meet the end-of-August deadline for pulling its troops out of Afghanistan. 3. Japanese swimmer Yamada Miyuki has made history. The 14-year-old won silver in the women’s 100 meter-backstroke. She’s now the youngest athlete to win a medal for Japan at the Paralympics. Yamada was born without arms and has mobility challenges, so she normally uses an electric wheelchair.

1. U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that he plans to meet his August 31 deadline for pulling American forces out of Afghanistan. He said every day of operations brings added risks to the troops. The Taliban have retaken control of the country. Biden fears American soldiers could be attacked. 2. Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has stressed that Japan is willing to contribute to humanitarian aid for Afghanistan. Suga discussed the Afghan situation with other Group of Seven leaders in an online meeting that took place between late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, Japan time.
3. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says G7 countries will urge the Taliban to guarantee safe passage of people wishing to leave Afghanistan. Johnson posted a video message on Twitter following an emergency virtual meeting of G7 leaders on Tuesday.

1. The opening ceremony of the Tokyo Paralympic Games takes place on Tuesday night. Tokyo will be the first city in the world to host a Summer Paralympics for the second time, following the 1964 event. 2. For the first time, Ukraine has held a conference to drum up support from the international community for the return of Crimea, which Russia annexed seven years ago. Representatives of more than 40 countries and international organizations took part in the conference, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hosted in the capital Kyiv on Monday. Top leaders were present from countries having close ties with Ukraine, such as Poland and the three Baltic states.
3. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has faced repeated questions about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, even as she visited another part of the world. Harris headed to Singapore at the start of a short tour of Southeast Asia.

1. A candidate supported by Japan’s main opposition party won the mayoral election in Yokohama on Sunday, dealing a blow to the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party. A record eight candidates vied to become the mayor of Yokohama City, which is located near Tokyo. 2. U.S. President Joe Biden says evacuation operations in Afghanistan are moving forward, but that discussions are underway about extending the August 31st deadline to withdraw U.S. troops from the country.
3. Forces in northern Afghanistan have been holding out against the Taliban, making it unclear whether the insurgent group will be able to rule the entire country.

1. A Paralympic athlete from overseas has been confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus in Japan. This is the first case before the start of the Tokyo Paralympics next Tuesday. 2. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed 5,405 new coronavirus cases in the capital on Friday. Tokyo’s daily tally topped 5,000 on a third straight day for the first time during the pandemic. 3. Sources close to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government say 63 percent of coronavirus patients staying at home in the capital were denied hospitalization despite their worsening conditions.

1. In Afghanistan, the Taliban appear to be speeding up efforts to establish a new government. The Taliban have stepped up their offensive and seized power as U.S. troops prepare to fully withdraw from the country this month.
2. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman says the United States and allies will continue to fight for Afghan women, using every diplomatic and economic tool to urge the Taliban to protect women’s rights.
3. The British government has announced plans to accept up to 20,000 refugees from Afghanistan. The Home Office on Wednesday disclosed the plan to relocate 5,000 people before the end of 2021 in line with a resettlement program that will prioritize women, girls and minorities most in need.

1. A stationary front has been bringing sporadic heavy rain intermittently to areas along the Pacific coast of western and eastern Japan. Some areas in the Kyushu region in southwestern Japan have received more than half their annual rainfall in a week. Weather officials say some more rain could dramatically heighten the risk of disaster.
2. The Japanese government has decided to expand and extend a state of emergency aimed at containing the coronavirus pandemic. The highly contagious Delta variant is fueling a surge in cases nationwide. Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide on Tuesday stressed the severity of the situation and pointed to the record 20,000 new infections reported last Friday. 3. The Taliban have held their first official news conference in Kabul since they seized power from the elected government. The group announced its intention to allow women access to jobs and education. It also ensured media activities within the framework of Islam.