月: 2022年12月

1. Defending champions France are through to the World Cup final in Qatar after a 2-nil win over tournament surprise package Morocco. The match was billed as a battle between French superstar Kylian Mbappe and Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou who had conceded just once in five games that included a penalty shootout. But it took France just 5 minutes to beat him. A goalmouth scramble saw the ball fall to defender Theo Hernandez who angled a shot home. 2. Participants of a UN Security meeting have called for urgent reform of the body. Observers say the council is failing to take united action over the situation in Ukraine and other matters due to disagreements between member states with veto power.
3. Post offices across Japan started accepting New Year’s greeting cards on Thursday. In this age of social media, the postal service is encouraging people to give their greetings in the traditional way by sending “nengajo.”

1. The Bank of Japan said on Wednesday that its Tankan survey shows that business sentiment among major manufacturers worsened for the fourth straight quarter. The BOJ polled over 9,000 companies from early November to early December.
2.Dozens of countries have pledged over 1 billion euros, or about 1.1 billion dollars, in additional aid to Ukraine to help the people there survive the freezing winter weather. France initiated an aid conference for Ukraine, as Russian missile attacks have left Ukrainian citizens desperately short of power, heat and water across the country. 3. Superstar Lionel Messi led Argentina into the final of the FIFA World Cup with a 3-0 win over 2018 runner-up Croatia. Argentina is seeking its first World Cup championship since 1986.

1. Japan’s Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa says the government is considering supporting the African Union’s admission to the Group of 20 economies. The African Union comprises of 55 members and is one of the largest regional blocs in the world. US President Joe Biden has indicated that he will announce support for its membership. 2.The United States has announced that it plans to give Africa 55 billion dollars in aid over the next three years. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan made the announcement on Monday, as President Joe Biden was preparing to host the US-Africa summit in Washington. 3.Ukraine is once again pressing its Western allies for help to battle back Russia’s invasion. The Group of Seven responded with a pledge to bolster Ukrainian air defenses and push Moscow to work for peace. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the leaders online Monday. He asked for more air defense systems, howitzers and long-range rockets.

1.China’s official coronavirus case count has dropped, but the actual number is believed to be much higher after the government eased its zero-COVID policy. The Chinese government says more than 8,000 new cases were confirmed on Sunday. The daily tally dropped to about one-fifth of the figure when the infection peaked in late November. But the case count is believed to have fallen partly because fewer people are taking PCR tests, after authorities stopped requesting people to present negative test results at may public places. 2. The US government says it has taken custody of a Libyan man accused of being involved in making the bomb that destroyed Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. 3. Japanese venture firm has successfully launched what could become the first privately-funded spacecraft to land on the moon.

1. Japan’s Empress Masako marked her 59th birthday on Friday. In a statement released by the Imperial Household Agency, the Empress said she feels deep sorrow over the fact that the lives of many people, including children, have been lost due to wars and conflicts around the world. 2. Japan’s Finance Minister Suzuki Shunichi says the government must sincerely explain to the public its plan to raise taxes to finance the country’s growing defense budget. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio instructed ministers and the ruling coalition parties to raise Japan’s defense budget amid the increasingly severe security environment surrounding the country. 3.Chinese President Xi Jinping is exploring new territory during what he has called a “pioneering” trip to Saudi Arabia. He has signed dozens of deals to “usher in a new era” in relations with the Arab world.

1. Russian President Vladimir Putin says the risk of nuclear war is on the rise, but he insists his country sees its arsenals as purely defensive deterrent. At Russia’s Human Rights Council on Wednesday, Putin said he understands “what nuclear weapons are.”
2. Japan’s Lower House has passed a bill that would regulate donations to religious entities. They include the controversial group formerly known as the Unification Church. The bill has been sent to the Upper House and is expected to be enacted on Saturday. 3. Peru’s Congress voted on Wednesday to oust President Pedro Castillo during an impeachment trial that was prompted by allegations of corruption. Vice President Dina Boluarte was sworn in to replace Castillo.

1. In the United States, the Democratic incumbent has won Tuesday’s Senate runoff in the state of Georgia. The result is a setback for former President Donald Trump, who had backed the Republican candidate. The race in Georgia came to a runoff after none of the candidates won the required majority of votes in last month’s midterm elections. 2. Japan faces a rising tide of aging infrastructure that cannot be repaired due to tight budgets and worker shortages. Local authorities are required to inspect bridges and tunnels every five years, following a fatal tunnel collapse a decade ago. The accident in the Chuo Expressway’s Sasago Tunnel in Yamanashi Prefecture killed nine people. 3. Business leaders across the US saw a shortage of semiconductors put a wrench in global supply chains already disrupted by the pandemic. They and President Joe Biden are hoping the world’s largest contract chipmaker can help. On Tuesday, Biden visited a plant in Arizona being built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Executives have spent 12 billion dollars on the facility and hope to have it running in 2024. They have also announced they will build another factor nearby. Their investment of 40 billion dollars is one of the largest outlays by a foreign company in US history.

1. Chinese President Xi Jinping and other members of the country’s leadership have paid tribute to former President Jiang Zemin, who died last Wednesday. He was 96. Jiang was appointed General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party by then-supreme leader Deng Xiaoping after the Tiananmen Square incident in June of 1989. Pro-democracy demonstrators were militarily cracked down in the incident. He promoted economic reforms that involved the introduction of a market economy under socialism.
2. Japan has missed its chance to advance to the quarterfinals at the men’s soccer World Cup in Qatar. The Samurai Blue lost to Croatia on penalties. This was the third World Cup to pit Japan against Croatia which was the runner-ip in 2018. Japan’s Maeda Daizen opened scoring just before half time. Croatia equalized the score in the 55th minute. 3. Hundreds of soccer fans witnessed Japan’s heartbreaking World Cup defeat to Croatia at a public viewing spot in Tokyo. Their reaction to the loss, however, was largely positive. The crowd roared when Maeda Daizen netted the opener in the first half. But the fans turned jittery again after Croatia got the equalizer to take the game into extra time. There was a sigh of disappointment after Japan lost in the penalty shootout. But it was soon followed by a round of applause.

1. Authorities in China have begun loosening some measures against coronavirus infections across the country. The move comes as the government indicated its intention to “optimize” anti-infection measures last week. Beijing’s strict “zero-COVID” policy has recently sparked protests in various cities.
2. Japan’s ruling and opposition parties are closer to an agreement on a bill that would regulate religious group’s questionable solicitation practices. The government submitted the bill to help people who have suffered financially from the actions of the former Unification Church.
3. A fierce battle continues in eastern Ukraine as Ukraine and Russia fight for gains in areas they will control during the winter months. Russian forces are mounting incessant attacks on Ukrainian-controlled Bakhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk.

1.In the men’s soccer World Cup, Japan again came from behind to seize victory. Japan defeated former champion Spain 2-1 in a Group E match, advancing to the knockout stage. Spain took the control of the game at the beginning, with Alvaro Morata scoring in the 11th minute. The tide turned when Japan sent in two attackers at the start of the second half. Japan took the ball with aggressive defense, and Doan Ritsu scored a game-tying goal in the 48th minute. Just three minutes later, Mitoma Kaoru turned a cross ball, and Tanaka Ao pushed it in.
2.History was made on Thursday when a female referee took charge of a men’s World Cup match for the first time. Frenchwoman Stephanie Frappart oversaw the game between Germany and Costa Rica.
3.British defense analysts said on Thursday that Russian forces are striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure to “demoralize” the populace and force their leaders to “capitulate.” However, they say the strategy has likely been “blunted.”