September 22, Friday, 2023

1. Japan’s Crown Prince and Princess Akishino have attended a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the country and Vietnam in its capital Hanoi. The two are now visiting Vietnam. In a speech at the ceremony on Thursday evening, the Crown Prince said the bilateral friendship has been nurtured over a long time through constant efforts by people of both countries. 2. Japan, Germany, Brazil and India have confirmed that they will work together to try to reform the United Nations Security Council. The foreign ministers of the four countries, known as the G4, met on Thursday in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. The countries are seeking to secure permanent seats on the council. Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and the other ministers agreed that it is becoming increasingly important to strengthen the functions of the United Nations, due to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
3. Policymakers at the Bank of Japan have decided to leave the central bank’s easing program unchanged as they wrapped up their two-day meeting on Friday. Investors are now focusing on whether BOJ Governor Ueda Kazuo will offer any fresh signals on the timing of a policy shift at his news conference scheduled after the meeting.