North Korea apologizes to South Korea over the recent killing Kanako Mita and Noriko Watanabe Modern Tokyo Times Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, made a rare apology to South Korea over the recent killing of a South Korean citizen. He made the apology to show his sincerity in what appears to be a…
Sanctions likely to be lifted in Mali once Interim President takes office Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The military coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita appears to be winning trust regionally. Thus ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) is showing signs of compromise. At first, ECOWAS had tried to…
Trillions of dollars laundered by financial institutions: Drug cartels to terrorism Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Allegations are emerging over enormous money laundering scandals covering the period 1999-2017. More than likely, this is only the tip of a much bigger iceberg. However, once more, the image of banks and multinational financial…
Belarus crackdown prompts Hackers to release info of security forces Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times President Lukashenko of Belarus is using the state apparatus against opposition forces. This applies to mass arrests and other methods of coercion. At the same time, the Russian Federation is increasing its support of Lukashenko. However,…
Japan and diplomacy with China: Australia, India, Japan, and America to meet Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Miniter Yoshihide Suga is the new leader of Japan. Thus, the meeting between senior officials from America, Australia, India, and Japan in Tokyo early next month will be analyzed carefully. It is known…
Mozambique and useful humanitarians in the shadow of Islamists Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sunni Islamists are involved in various conflicts in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and in other parts of the world including the Caucasus. Similarly, religious terrorist attacks in Europe belong to the same Takfiri mindset. However,…
Japan reaches 80,000 centenarians but Covid-19 deaths are low unlike in Europe Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In parts of Europe, many elderly people died in care homes, nursing homes, and throughout society from the coronavirus (Covid-19). This notably applies to Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. However, Japan,…
Ebola in the DRC threatens to spread to the Republic of Congo Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The latest outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is threatening to spread to the Republic of Congo (ROC). This applies to the border areas of the Equateur province in the…
Iran hangs Navid Afkari who denied any wrongdoing Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Iran ignored international appeals and instead hanged a young wrestler on flimsy charges. Navid Afkari, 27 years old, pleaded his innocence after being forced to confess earlier under torture. Of course, for Iran, irrespective if…
Bahrain recognizes Israel similar to the UAE: Geopolitics and the Muslim Brotherhood Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The nation of Bahrain – just like the United Arab Emirates recently – is to normalize ties with Israel. This will further strengthen Israel in the Arabic speaking world, while also highlighting the need…
Japan and the UK sign a trade deal but eyes are on Trans-Pacific Partnership Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The United Kingdom (UK) and Japan, in principle, have signed an important trade deal for the UK. For Japan, the real focus is on continuity and not having supply related issues –…
Over 900,000 Covid-19 deaths and little sign of decreasing Sawako Utsumi and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo Times The international coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis is continuing unabated in terms of deaths and infections per day. Hence, over 900,000 deaths from coronavirus internationally. Therefore, the international situation remains bleak. Indeed, in parts of Europe, infections are increasing once…
Pakistan Christian sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Another verdict in Pakistan will rock all minorities because the fear of blasphemy weighs heavily. Hence, the sentence of death passed on Asif Pervaiz is a firm reminder of institutional religious discrimination in Pakistan. Asif Pervaiz, a Christian…
PM of Sudan signs an accord to separate religion and state Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Prime Minister of Sudan, Abdalla Hamdok, signed an accord to separate religion and state. In a nation led by Islamic Sharia law for decades – and that ultimately led to the division of Sudan…
The foreign policy of Japan in the post-Abe period: America, China, Mekong, and Russia Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The geopolitical challenges for Japan throughout Northeast Asia and the Asia Pacific are enormous. Thus with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resigning then a challenging period will ensue. After all, unlike many other…
Iran and father gets only 9 years for beheading his daughter Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The oppressive Islamic Republic of Iran arrests women for not covering-up and speaking freely, persecutes Muslim apostates, the Baha’is reside in fear, and females are betrayed by bias within the Sharia legal system. Therefore, the…
Colombia massacres keep on mounting Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Increasing levels of violence in Colombia this year are setting off alarm bells. This is based on the fragility of this nation over many decades. Therefore, in parts of the country, the centralized state is but a figment of the imagination.…
Belarus standoff continues while Moscow and Washington appear restrained Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times President Lukashenko of Belarus is using the state apparatus in the hope of quelling opposition forces and that protests will decline. Of course, this might be wishful thinking on his part. Internationally, unlike Ukraine, it appears that…
The Philippines hit by terrorist attacks in Jolo Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times A twin terrorist attack hit Jolo in the province of Sulu in the Philippines. It is known that at least 14 people were killed in both attacks including soldiers. Therefore, the armed forces of the Philippines are on…
Ebola deaths and infections are increasing in the DRC Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The eleventh outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is spreading throughout the Equateur province. This outbreak emerged with the ending of the tenth outbreak in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri. Sadly,…
Japan and South Korea and the GSOMIA merry-go-round: Japan should focus on China and Russia Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Korean Peninsula is divided between North Korea and South Korea because both Korea’s don’t trust each other. Thus with South Korea repeatedly turning against Japan when relations between both Korea’s…
800,000 Covid-19 deaths with little let-up in America, Brazil, India, and Mexico Kanako Mita and Chika Mori Modern Tokyo Times The international coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis is now responsible for 800,000 known deaths. In the four nations of the highest number of deaths, the numbers keep flowing. Therefore, unlike the hardest-hit nations in Europe, the countries…
ECOWAS puts pressure on Mali but coup leaders say a transitional president Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The military coup leaders in Mali are ignoring regional and international pressure about the ousting of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. However, they have declared that a transitional president will be chosen from inside the…
One million internally displaced refugees in Burkina Faso Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Burkina Faso is under intense pressure from Sunni Islamic jihadists and ethnic tensions that blight this nation. At the same time, the infrastructure is extremely weak. Therefore, the number of internally displaced keeps on growing. In early 2019,…
Mali mutiny is morphing into a coup after Political leaders held Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Since the June 5 Movement occurred in Mali endless protests have hit the capital. Indeed, even when ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) sought political dialogue, opposition forces refused to relent. Therefore, it isn’t…
Belarus protests continue against embattled President Lukashenko Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times President Lukashenko of Belarus is coming under intense pressure to resign because of major protests and civil disobedience. The geopolitical angle of Belarus is also witnessing a less confrontational approach despite America and the European Union (EU) condemning the…
Malnutrition is stalking the Democratic Republic of Congo Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is blighted by millions of internal refugees and many severe health issues. This applies to the bubonic plague, Covid-19, Ebola, HIV, Malaria, Measles epidemic, and other ills. Therefore, with ethnic and religious…
Belarus protests continue against Lukashenko: Geopolitical tightrope Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Protests are continuing in Belarus against President Lukashenko after the recent national election that activists claim is tainted. At the same time, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya immediately left the country fearing the power of the state apparatus. Therefore, the geopolitical tightrope…
Sunni Islamists take a key port in Northern Mozambique Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sunni Islamists in Northern Mozambique have taken a key port in Mocimboa da Praia. This is another setback for the armed forces of Mozambique that appear bereft of how to tackle the growing Islamist insurgency. Therefore, regional…
Belarus protests after President Lukashenko declared the winner once more Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Political tensions are running high in Belarus after President Lukashenko emerged victorious in the national election. Hence the announcement that he won 80 percent of the vote irked opposition groups who claim the result as fraudulent.…
Lebanon is in crisis while the Government resigns: The Geopolitical dimension Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The huge explosion that rocked Lebanon last week is known to have killed at least 200 people. Prior to this, the country was beset by economic, political, and social convulsions. Therefore, protests naturally followed the…
Bubonic Plague Deaths in China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mongolia Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The bubonic plague conjures images in the head of vast deaths from distant centuries. However, while no longer the potent killer disease of the past, people are still becoming infected and dying each year.…
