Private equity sees hot opportunity in Japan's traditional onsen inns

Abstract: For Japan’s growing flood of foreign tourists, one of the top internet search terms is onsen , the traditional hot springs where travelers have soaked since the days of the samurai. Now some of the world’s oldest businesses are attracting big new money. Private equity funds like SoftBank-owned Fortress Investment Group LLC and Hong Kong-based Odyssey Capital Group are spending billions to tap into the appeal of traditional inns amid a tourism boom that’s ramping up ahead of next year’s Tokyo Olympics. The big funds are moving in as centuries-old spas, many of them still family-run, struggle to find successors in an aging country where small towns and villages are losing young people. Odyssey, along with two other investors, last year purchased its first onsen inn in Japan, a facility with 28 tatami-floored guest rooms near the Sea of Japan called Kagetsu, which means “flowering moon.” Christopher Aiello, managing director of Odyssey’s Japan real estate business, says the firm plans to spend $500 million in the next three years buying about 20 more traditional Japanese inns, known as ryokan . “The Japanese hospitality sector has tremendous opportunities for investment,” Aiello said in an interview. “Many of these ryokan are very undervalued after experiencing so much recession and mismanagement, but a lot of them are located in beautiful natural settings.” At Kagetsu, the founder’s granddaughter, Tomoko Tomii, greets her guests at the inn’s stone-paved entrance, dressed in a delicate pale-pink garment like a kimono. The 40-year-old says the family decided to sell to the Odyssey group last year because debts had piled up and they needed money to update rooms and design an English-language website. “We had no choice but to look for a sponsor,” she said. “We appreciate that our buyer is stabilizing the business, but not kicking us out.” Odyssey and its partners sent two professional managers to help streamline operations, but agreed to let Tomii and the family’s 30 employees stay on after the sale. That was important because concern for the welfare of employees deters many small business owners from selling, even when they’ve fallen into desperate straits. Japanese proprietors, in particular, have a reputation for being “allergic” to selling. A Kagetsu employee prepares futon for guests at the spa, situated in Niigata Prefecture’s Echigo-Yuzawa district. | BLOOMBERG Japan’s hot springs have become hot investment targets for other big businesses, too. Yokohama-based Breezbay Hotel Co. is looking to acquire 100 lodges and onsen inns over five years, according to its chief executive officer, Noritada Tsuda. Bain Capital LP has been buying onsen since 2015, when it purchased a chain of 29 Japanese spas and resorts, including one on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. Last month, the Boston-based private equity firm opened a new ocean-view property in Mie Prefecture, bringing the number of its Japanese hospitality assets to 36, with plans for more. Fortress, the New York-based fund purchased in 2017 for $3.3 billion by Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank Group Corp., is also in the game. In February the firm opened a downtown Osaka spa the size of two city blocks where day trippers can soak in tubs on the edge of a traditional garden, with a hotel-and-mall complex next door and a 51-story tower rising above. It’s a novel experiment that transplants the onsen experience into the heart of one of Japan’s grittiest neon metropolises. Thomas Pulley, chief investment officer for global real estate at Fortress, is a self-described Japanophile who says he visited five times during construction to handpick the resort’s cherry trees and the earthenware baths used in its private, open-air rooms. The tubs cost about ¥2.2 million ($20,000) apiece. For a modern touch, the spa also has a comic book lounge where bathers can peruse a library of 15,000 manga. “Onsen is truly unique in Japan,” said Pulley, who ran Credit Suisse Group AG’s private equity business in Tokyo during the 2000s. “There’s hopefully great demand for this type of urban onsen resort.” A Kagetsu employee sees off guests from the spa in Niigata Prefecture’s Echigo-Yuzawa district. | BLOOMBERG Fortress already owns more than 90 Japanese spas and hotels, but plans to spend the equivalent of $3.6 billion on more. Pulley said SoftBank’s backing has given Fortress extra credibility and opened doors to more deals in Japan. Both Bain and Fortress are raising cash by selling their properties to publicly traded real estate investment trusts they sponsor. Shares in Bain’s REIT have risen about 10 percent this year, while Fortress’ Invincible Investment Corp. has gained more than 20 percent. The benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average is up less than 6 percent. Japan has almost 13,000 traditional onsen inns, where bathers go unclothed into big communal baths heated by geothermal energy that’s bubbled up to the surface. Many of these old hotels are at the end of remote mountain roads or in small seaside towns and, after decades of economic recession, financial distress is common. The most venerable of them, an inn that has run continuously since it was opened in 704, filed for bankruptcy this year. More than half are at risk of simply closing down because they lack someone to take over from their aging owners, according to a 2017 report published by the trade ministry. Solving the succession problem is why Tokyo-based human resources firm BizReach Inc. in March launched an online match-making platform to try to pair ryokan owners with potential buyers. “Owners are still a little resistant to selling,” said CEO Soichiro Minami. “But we think people will gradually open up.” For the Tomii family, the decision to sell to the Odyssey group came after the realization that the actual work of running the hotel — pampering guests and preparing elaborate meals — was leaving no time for figuring out how to make money at the business. “We were too busy with the day-to-day,” Tomii said, “to even think about the future.”


No U.S. auto import quota in works, says Japan's economic revitalization chief Toshimitsu Motegi

Abstract: There is no need to be worried that the United States will impose a quota on Japanese automobile imports, economic revitalization minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Sunday. “There is no worry judging from the U.S. announcement,” Motegi said on a television program, noting that such a quota was not specified in the announcement. On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump put off a decision on whether to impose additional tariffs on automobile and auto parts imports by up to six months. Before that, a U.S. media report said Trump is considering an executive order that may include import quotas for Japanese and European automobiles. “We have told (the United States) that we oppose trade-distorting measures including a quota,” Motegi said, stressing that he has secured the United States’ assurances it will not take such measures. Asked whether Japan will be able to avoid a U.S. import quota after bilateral negotiations on trade, he told reporters after the TV program that it depends on how the accord is worked out. Motegi represents Japan in the trade talks. Despite concerns over a downturn in the Japanese economy, Motegi said on the program that he sees no need at present to draw up additional economic stimulus measures in light of the planned consumption tax hike in October. On Friday, Motegi said that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had confirmed the United States will not push Japan to restrain automobile exports as part of a bilateral trade deal. Trump has threatened to impose additional tariffs of up to 25 percent on imported cars and parts. If he follows through, the new duties would significantly impact major car exporters such as Japan and Germany. Automobiles and auto parts accounted for about 75 percent of the U.S. trade deficit as of 2017. Toyota Motor Corp. rebuked U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration that imported cars threaten national security, signaling contentious talks are ahead for the White House and America’s key trading partners. In an unusually strong-worded statement, Japan’s largest automaker said Trump’s proclamation Friday that the U.S. needs to defend itself against foreign cars and components “sends a message to Toyota that our investments are not welcomed.” The company said it has spent more than $60 billion building operations in the country, including 10 manufacturing plants. Trump on Friday agreed with the conclusions of his Commerce Department, which investigated imports of vehicles and auto parts and found they harmed national security by causing a declining market share for “American-owned” carmakers since the 1980s. The White House set a 180-day deadline for negotiating deals with Japan, the European Union and other major auto exporters. Toyota said it remains hopeful those talks can be resolved quickly, but warned that curbing imports would force U.S. consumers to pay more and would be counterproductive for jobs and the economy. The company’s critique comes two months after its pledge to add $3 billion to a years-long U.S. investment plan.

u.s .
trade
carmakers
tariffs
donald trump


Royalty feud threatens to tear apart FamilyMart's profitable joint venture in China

Abstract: TAIPEI/SHANGHAI - FamilyMart, the most successful Japanese convenience store chain in China, is embroiled in a royalty payments fight between its Japanese and Chinese joint-venture partners that could change how much money each side makes or scuttle the partnership entirely. FamilyMart UNY Holdings Co. is suing to end its Chinese FamilyMart partnership with Ting Hsin International Group, saying the Taipei-based conglomerate hasn’t fairly shared the gains from the chain’s rapid expansion, according to people familiar with the matter and legal documents seen by Bloomberg. Under the terms of the partnership, Ting Hsin effectively operates more than 2,500 FamilyMart stores in China, sharing profits and paying royalties to the Japanese company. Although Ting Hsin’s founders are Taiwanese, the company has had a presence in China since the late 1980s before the country’s economy opened up, and is considered a local entity. It also controls other food and beverage brands, including China’s leading instant noodle maker. FamilyMart has filed a petition with a court in the Cayman Islands — where Ting Hsin and the joint venture are registered — to force its partner to relinquish its 60 percent stake, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing internal company affairs. The tussle comes as China’s convenience store market is set to grow by more than 60 percent in the next five years to $27 billion, according to Euromonitor International. As China rapidly urbanizes, demand for round-the-clock food, snacks and beverages is surging. FamilyMart is the latest foreign brand seeking a way to alter a local partnership as the government eases restrictions on noncritical industries such as consumer goods and retail. Ting Hsin argues that the royalty fees are three times higher than the average charged by rivals such as 7-Eleven, the people said. “We cannot comment on matters of litigation,” said Shinsuke Otsuki, a spokesman for Tokyo-based FamilyMart, which is 50.1 percent-owned by trading house Itochu Corp. Ting Hsin is not commenting due to contractual confidentiality agreements, the company said in a emailed statement. Although 7-Eleven operates more stores in China, FamilyMart has had the most success among its Japanese rivals, accounting for 8.4 percent of the $17 billion in sales, according to Euromonitor. FamilyMart is second only to local chain Dongguan Sugar & Wine Group Co., which sells low-cost goods in less-developed parts of the country. FamilyMart is alleging that Ting Hsin sought to reduce the royalty it pays for use of the brand to 0.3 percent or less from 1 percent, and withheld royalty payments for seven months, according to the documents. The payments were subsequently paid, one person said. It also alleged that Ting Hsin didn’t provide adequate disclosure of transactions related to the joint venture that would give FamilyMart Japan a full picture of the venture’s profitability, according to the documents. The spat is the latest in a long line of tussles involving joint ventures in China because of government restrictions on foreign companies seeking access to its vast consumer market. In 2004, when the FamilyMart JV was formed, non-Chinese businesses were mostly not allowed to set up shop in China without a local partner. In the years since, under pressure from the global business community over an uneven playing field, Beijing has eased access and now requires joint ventures only in certain protected sectors, such as agriculture and scientific research. Caught up in a trade war with the U.S., China is preparing to open up sectors such as banking and auto manufacturing in 2020 to full foreign ownership, and curtail forced technology transfers. The shift of critical know-how to local partners is how European conglomerates Siemens AG and Alstom SA ultimately saw themselves out-competed globally in high-speed rail contracts by Chinese state-owned companies. While technology transfers may not be as important in the market for convenience stores, other consumer giants have been wriggling out of their joint ventures to reap the benefits of their marquee brand names for themselves. In 2017, Starbucks Corp. paid $1.3 billion to buy out its East China joint venture partners in what was then its biggest deal ever.


Boeing acknowledges flaw in 737 MAX simulator software

Abstract: NEW YORK - Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people. “Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions,” it said in a statement. The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators. Its statement marked the first time Boeing acknowledged there was a design flaw in software linked to the 737 MAX, whose MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy. According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October. The company said the latest “changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel,” a rarely used manual wheel to control the plane’s angle. “Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted,” it added. Southwest Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator “late this year.” American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December. “As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association,” it added. The planes have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from U.S. and international regulators before they can return to service. Only Air Canada has a MAX simulator, industry sources told AFP. Currently, there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 MAX in the United States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation. U.S. airlines train their pilots flying the MAX on a simulator built for the 737 NG, the version preceding the 737 MAX in the 737 aircraft family. Southwest said that’s because during the certification process for the MAX, Boeing stressed that there were only minor differences with the NG and simple computer and online training could accommodate for the differences. The FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Canadian regulators had approved those recommendations, Boeing stresses. However, the 737 NG lacks an MCAS, specially designed for the MAX in order to correct an aerodynamic anomaly due to its heavier motor and to prevent the plane from stalling. Pilot training will likely be at the heart of the meeting of international regulators in Forth Worth, Texas on Thursday when the FAA will try convince its counterparts of the robustness of its certification process for the modified 737 MAX. The American regulator has maintained that training pilots on a simulator is not essential, a position with which pilots and its Canadian counterpart disagree. Boeing said Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 MAX. The proposed fix, which addresses a problem with a flight handling system thought to be a factor in both crashes, must now win approval from U.S. and international regulators before the planes can return to service. U.S. airlines have targeted August as the date they expect to resume flying on the 737 MAX.

accidents
airlines
boeing
aviation
737 max


Regional bank in Japan battles ultralow interest rates with wine bar and sea urchins

Abstract: SHIMONOSEKI, YAMAGUCHI PREF. - As years of near-zero interest rates in Japan make traditional lending barely profitable, one regional bank is seeking to drum up business through less conventional enterprises, from opening wine bars to helping fishermen farm sea urchins. The new approach comes as regulators cautiously loosen the rules to let banks venture into other businesses to help offset the hit to their net interest income from the Bank of Japan’s ultraloose monetary policy. For Takeshi Yoshimura, the 59-year-old president of Yamaguchi Financial Group, the effects of the BOJ’s zero interest rates are compounded by other challenges his region faces, notably a dwindling population and an exodus of firms to bigger cities like Tokyo. That is why he is prodding young employees to come up with ideas to make better use of the bank’s roughly 280 branch offices spread across Yamaguchi and Hiroshima, the prefectures where Yamaguchi Financial mainly operates. One idea was to rent out space to a wine bar at a branch in Yuya, a sleepy town with hot springs where such businesses aren’t common. “Yuya is a nice tourist destination, but there are very few places to drink and dine,” Yoshimura said. “Visitors to the bar can open a bank account or get consulting services from one of our bankers,” he said on Tuesday. The bar opens in July. The goal is to transform all other branches into community hubs of various kinds, such as cafes or child care centers, that break the stereotype of traditional banking. “Closing branches would cut costs. But we’re not doing that because we want to maintain a place where we have face-to-face interaction with our customers,” he said. Years of heavy money printing by the BOJ have pushed borrowing costs nearly to zero, benefiting borrowers but hurting regional banks that are already suffering from a dwindling population and a lack of fund demand. Yamaguchi Financial, which ranks 11th among Japan’s 78 listed regional banks in total assets, is no exception. Its consolidated net profit in the year ended in March fell 30 percent from a year earlier. Profits from core lending operations were down 26 percent. Nearly 60 percent of regional banks could suffer net losses a decade from now if corporate borrowing keeps falling at the current trend, the BOJ warned in a report in April. Aside from utilizing its branches, Yamaguchi Financial is seeking to boost the region’s fishery industry. After local fishermen complained they were catching fewer natural sea urchins, its bankers created a network of local academics and researchers to experiment with ways to farm the creatures. If farming proves successful, the bank would provide loans to build plants, market the urchins across Japan and possibly open a restaurant with a view of the sea so visitors can try the delicacy over a glass of wine, Yoshimura said. Yamaguchi Financial also helps local food producers brand and market goods ranging from honey and beef to sake. The group hopes to make such nonfinancial businesses profitable in the next three to five years, which would in turn drive fresh business opportunities for the bank. “Banking is still important. But we also need to come up with other business models to prepare for the day when banks would be allowed to do many other things,” he said. “One day, people might barely remember the day we were a bank. That’s fine.”

banks
yamaguchi
monetary easing
yamaguchi financial group


Huawei chief says growth may slow 'slightly' after U.S. imposed restrictions

Abstract: LONDON - Huawei Technologies’ founder and Chief Executive Ren Zhengfei said Saturday the growth of the Chinese tech giant “may slow, but only slightly” due to recent U.S. restrictions. In remarks to the Japanese press and reported by Nikkei Asian Review, Ren reiterated that the Chinese telecom equipment maker has not violated any law. “It is expected that Huawei’s growth may slow, but only slightly,” Ren told Japanese media in his first official comments after the U.S. restrictions, adding that the company’s annual revenue growth may undershoot 20 percent. On Thursday, Washington put Huawei, one of China’s biggest and most successful companies, on a trade blacklist that could make it extremely difficult for Huawei to do business with U.S. companies, a decision slammed by China, which said it will take steps to protect its companies. The developments surrounding Huawei come at a time of trade tensions between Washington and Beijing and amid concerns from the United States that Huawei’s smartphones and network equipment could be used by China to spy on Americans, allegations the company has repeatedly denied. A similar U.S. ban on ZTE Corp., another Chinese company, almost crippled business for the smaller Huawei rival early last year before curbs were lifted. The U.S. Commerce Department said Friday it may soon scale back restrictions on Huawei. Ren said the company is prepared for such a step and that Huawei would be “fine” even if U.S. smartphone chipmaker Qualcomm Inc and other American suppliers would not be able to sell chips to the company. Huawei’s chip arm, HiSilicon, said Friday it has long been prepared for the scenario that it could be banned from purchasing U.S. chips and technology, and that it is able to ensure a steady supply of most products. The Huawei founder said that the company will not be taking instructions from the U.S. government. “We will not change our management at the request of the U.S. or accept monitoring, as ZTE has done,” he said. In January, U.S. prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing the Chinese company of engaging in bank fraud to obtain embargoed U.S. goods and services in Iran and to move money out of the country via the international banking system. Meng Wanzhou, Ren’s daughter and also Huawei’s chief financial officer, was arrested in Canada in December in connection with the indictment. She has been released on bail and remains in Vancouver, where she is fighting extradition. She has maintained her innocence. Ren had previously said his daughter’s arrest was politically motivated.

china
espionage
telecoms
huawei
donald trump


In referendum, Swiss voters approve tighter gun control

Abstract: ZURICH - Swiss voters agreed Sunday to adopt tighter gun controls in line with changes to European Union rules, heading off a clash with Brussels, projections for Swiss broadcaster SRF showed. The projections from the gfs.bern polling outfit saw the measure passing in the binding referendum by a comfortable 67-33% margin. The restrictions, which apply to non-EU member Switzerland because it is part of Europe’s Schengen open-border system, had raised hackles among shooting enthusiasts ahead of the vote under the Swiss system of direct democracy. Failure to adopt the rules could have forced Switzerland to leave the passport-free Schengen zone and the Dublin joint system for handling asylum requests. After militants killed scores in Paris and elsewhere in 2015, the EU in 2017 toughened laws against purchasing semi-automatic rifles such as the ones used in those attacks, and made it easier to track weapons in national databases. Opinion polls had shown Swiss voters backing the measure by a 2-1 margin. The initial EU proposal provoked an outcry because it meant a ban on the Swiss tradition of former soldiers keeping their assault rifles. Swiss officials negotiated concessions for gun enthusiasts who take part in the country’s numerous shooting clubs, but any restrictions imported from the EU go too far for right-wing activists concerned about Swiss sovereignty. Gun rights proponents complained the rules could disarm law-abiding citizens and encroach on Switzerland’s heritage and national identity, which includes a well-armed citizenry. Switzerland has one of the highest rates of private gun ownership in Europe, with nearly 48% of households owning a gun.


Parents try to remove doctor in French right-to-die case

Abstract: PARIS - The parents of a Frenchman kept alive in a vegetative state for a decade on Monday will try to have the doctor caring for their son removed before he halts life-sustaining treatment the same day, their lawyers said. The last-ditch move by the parents of Vincent Lambert — left quadriplegic with severe brain damage after a 2008 car accident — aims to have the doctor immediately struck off France’s medical register, the lawyers said in a statement Sunday. The parents will also seek to have the doctor, Vincent Sanchez, criminally prosecuted and lodge new appeals to continue care for Lambert, they added. The flurry of legal action spoke of the desperation of the parents just ahead of the planned halt Monday of the nutrition and hydration Lambert receives in the Sebastopol Hospital in the northern French city of Reims. They have already pleaded with President Emmanuel Macron to step in and override the court order. But the case has torn their family apart, pitting them legally and emotionally against other relatives who concur with doctors that the humane path given Lambert’s condition is to end life support. In 2014, the doctors, backed by Lambert’s wife, Rachel, five of his siblings and his nephew, Francois, decided to stop his nutrition and hydration in line with France’s passive euthenasia law. His parents, devout Catholics, and his half-brother and sister obtained a court order to block the move on grounds his condition might improve with better treatment. But early this year, a French court sided with Sanchez’s decision to stop the care keeping Lambert, now aged 42, alive, in line with the country’s laws permitting passive euthanasia. France’s Conference of Bishops added its voice to the controversy Saturday, calling on authorities to wait on an opinion being worked on by a U.N. committee on disabled rights. “Why this rush to lead him to death?” the clerics asked in a statement.

france
medicine
catholic church
euthanasia
emmanuel macron


Saudi Arabia calls urgent regional meetings over Iran tensions

Abstract: RIYADH - Saudi Arabia has called urgent meetings of the regional Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League to discuss escalating tensions in the region, the kingdom’s official news agency said on Saturday. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said King Salman had invited Persian Gulf leaders and Arab states to two emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss recent “aggressions and their consequences” in the region. Tensions have soared in the Persian Gulf, with the United States deploying an aircraft carrier and bombers there over alleged threats from Iran. Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country does not want to go to war with Iran but is ready to defend its interests. Riyadh “does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it.” The United Arab Emirates “welcomed” Saudi Arabia’s invitation. Four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, were damaged in mysterious sabotage attacks last Sunday off the UAE’s Fujairah, located at the crucial entrance to the Persian Gulf. That incident was followed by drone strikes Tuesday by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on a major Saudi oil pipeline, which provided an alternative export route if the Strait of Hormuz closed. Iran has repeatedly threatened to prevent shipping in Hormuz in case of a military confrontation with the United States, which has imposed sanctions on Tehran in recent months. Al-Jubeir said the UAE was leading the probe into the damaged oil tankers, but added that “we have some indications and we will make the announcements once the investigations are completed.” Despite international skepticism, the U.S. government has been pointing to increasing threats from Iran, a long-time enemy and also a rival of U.S. allies Israel and Saudi Arabia. SPA on Sunday said the Saudi crown prince spoke on the phone with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about efforts to enhance security in the region.

conflict
u.s .
saudi arabia
military
iran


Illinois hospital failed to alert authorities in womb-cutting murder case

Abstract: CHICAGO - Police and Illinois’ child welfare agency say staff at a Chicago-area hospital didn’t alert them after determining that a bloodied woman who arrived with a gravely ill newborn had not just given birth to the baby boy, as she claimed. Clarisa Figueroa is charged with killing 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez. Chicago police say she cut Ochoa-Lopez’s baby out of her womb on April 23, then called 911 to report she had given birth to a baby who wasn’t breathing. Paramedics took Figueroa and the baby to Advocate Christ Medical Center in suburban Oak Lawn. The baby remained hospitalized on life support on Saturday, according to authorities. Prosecutors say that when Figueroa was brought with the baby to the hospital, she had blood on her upper body and her face, which a hospital employee cleaned off. They also say Figueroa, 46, was examined at the hospital and showed no physical signs of childbirth. Advocate Christ Medical Center has declined to say whether or when it contacted authorities, citing state and federal regulations. Oak Lawn police said they were not contacted about Figueroa by the medical center or any other agency. Illinois Department of Children and Family Services spokesman Jassen Strokosch said Saturday the agency was alerted May 9 that there were questions about who had custody of the child in order to make medical decisions. He said he couldn’t speculate about why the agency wasn’t contacted sooner. “We don’t know what was happening at the hospital,” he said. Strokosch said the Department of Children and Family Services was alerted by someone required by law to contact the department about suspected abuse or neglect, but he couldn’t say who contacted the agency. However, that was after Chicago police had connected Figueroa and her daughter to Ochoa-Lopez’s disappearance. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said police learned Ochoa-Lopez was missing when her husband reported it on April 24. On May 7, Chicago police learned from one of Ochoa-Lopez’s friends that she had been communicating via a private Facebook group with Figueroa about buying clothing. Police then went to Figueroa’s home, where her 24-year-old daughter eventually told them her mother had recently had a baby. “There was nothing to point us in that direction in the beginning,” Johnson told reporters on Thursday, after police had arrested Figueroa and her daughter on murder charges. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Saturday authorities had to subpoena medical records from the hospital for Figueroa and the child. He said police didn’t learn that Figueroa showed no signs of childbirth until “a couple weeks” after she was examined. Both Johnson and Guglielmi referred questions about hospital protocol and policies to the medical center. A spokesman said in an emailed statement: “We have been cooperating with authorities and as this is an ongoing police matter, we’re referring all inquiries to local law enforcement.” DNA testing determined Figueroa was not the baby’s mother and that Ochoa-Lopez’s husband was his father. Strokosch said his department let protective custody of the child lapse on May 13 because his father had been identified.


Britain's Theresa May to deliver final, 'bold offer' on Brexit deal

Abstract: LONDON - British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday she was preparing to make a “bold offer” to MPs in one final attempt to get them to back her Brexit deal. May said that when she brings the Withdrawal Agreement Bill before Parliament early next month, it will come with a new package of measures attached that she hopes can command majority support for the so-called British exit. “I still believe there is a majority in parliament to be won for leaving with a deal,” May wrote in The Sunday Times newspaper. MPs three times rejected the deal May struck with Brussels, forcing Britain’s EU departure date to be pushed back from March 29 to April 12 and again to Oct. 31. The bill is needed to ratify the divorce agreement struck with the European Union. On Thursday, May agreed to set out a timetable for her departure following the vote in the week beginning June 3, regardless of whether MPs back her deal at the fourth time of asking. It is thought that she will trigger a contest for the leadership of her governing Conservative Party once the bill either fails or completes all of its stages through Parliament. “When the Withdrawal Agreement Bill comes before MPs, it will represent a new, bold offer to MPs across the House of Commons, with an improved package of measures that I believe can win new support,” she told the newspaper. “Whatever the outcome of any votes, I will not be simply asking MPs to think again. Instead I will ask them to look at a new and improved deal with fresh pairs of eyes — and to give it their support.” The bill is expected to include new measures on protecting workers’ rights, future customs arrangements with the EU and how to use technology to avoid the need for border controls between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state and the U.K.’s only land neighbor. It will not, however, seek to re-open the withdrawal agreement, which Brussels repeatedly insisted could not be renegotiated, despite many MPs voting it down due to concerns about its so-called backstop clauses on Northern Ireland. May is expected to set out the details of her proposals in a speech later this month. Her gambit on Sunday comes ahead of the European Parliament elections, to be held in Britain on Thursday. The opinion polls make dire reading for the Conservatives, with the newly formed Brexit Party forecast to win the most seats, ratcheting up the pressure on May. The latest survey out Sunday put euroskeptic figurehead Nigel Farage’s new single-issue party way ahead on 34 percent, with the main opposition Labour Party on 20 percent, the pro-EU Liberal Democrats on 15 percent and the Conservatives on 11 percent. Furthermore, the poll said the Brexit Party had overtaken the Conservatives in general election voting intentions too, with Labour leading on 29 percent, Farage’s party on 24 percent and the Conservatives on 22 percent. Opinium Research conducted an online survey of 2,004 British adults between Tuesday and Thursday for The Observer newspaper. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Saturday that whoever replaces May, calling an early general election risked “killing Brexit” and making veteran socialist Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn prime minister. “A general election before we’ve delivered Brexit would be a disaster,” he told The Daily Telegraph newspaper. “A general election before that not only risks Jeremy Corbyn, but it risks killing Brexit altogether.” The next Conservative leader is set to be chosen by the center-right party’s members. Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson is the clear front-runner, according to a YouGov survey of grassroots Conservatives for The Times newspaper. Johnson was on 39 percent, ahead of former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab on 13 percent, interior minister Sajid Javid and Environment Secretary Michael Gove on 9 percent each and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on 8 percent.


Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz seeks to rule alone after video exposes apparent corruption by coalition partner

Abstract: VIENNA - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for snap elections after his junior coalition partner stumbled over a video showing its leader promising government contracts in return for campaign funding. “Enough is enough,” Kurz said on Saturday evening in Vienna, adding he wants voters to go to the polls as “soon as possible.” Heinz-Christian Strache stepped down as vice chancellor and head of the nationalist Freedom Party earlier in the day, calling his actions depicted on the video “dumb” and “embarrassing.” Strache said he resigned to rescue the coalition with Kurz’s conservative People’s Party, but ultimately this proved to be insufficient. Elections can be held in August at the earliest. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, who is in charge of appointing and dismissing governments, was to speak later. The result of the ballot could leave Kurz, the European Union’s youngest leader, in an awkward situation: He is likely to win the election, but not by a margin large enough to govern alone. A new coalition with the Freedom Party may not be possible after the video scandal, be it for lack of votes or backing in Kurz’s People’s Party. At the same time, the chancellor has burned bridges to the opposition Social Democrats, with whom his party governed in most previous coalitions since World War II. Kurz built his rise to power on breaking with that tradition, so returning to the fold might hurt his credibility. The People’s Party first attempt to govern with the Freedom Party failed in 2002 after just 2 years and snap elections ended with victory for the conservatives and defeat for the nationalists. There may be hopes in the party to repeat that stint. The footage from a 2017 meeting in Ibiza with a woman claiming to be the niece of a Russian oligarch was obtained by German publications Der Spiegel and Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Spiegel didn’t disclose how it obtained the video and said it doesn’t know the motives of the people who made it. Strache, speaking after handing in his resignation to Kurz in Vienna on Saturday, confirmed the Ibiza meeting while saying he did nothing illegal. He said he pointed out to the woman in the video that Austrian laws had to be obeyed, and that he never received donations from her or gave her any business. The video was shot illegally and “this was a targeted attempt of political assassination, this was hired work,” Strache told reporters. He already appeared to be in campaign mode in his resignation press conference, praising the government’s achievements. “I want to provide no pretense whatsoever by my misbehavior to bring down this government.” Austria’s Audit Court said Saturday it would question the Freedom Party’s finances related to the video. Christian Pilnacek of the Justice Ministry told Kurier newspaper that prosecutors will be examining the video. The Freedom Party denies any wrongdoing.

corruption
elections
austria
sebastian kurz


Dutch lead populist charge in European Parliament elections

Abstract: THE HAGUE - A flamboyant Dutch populist could open the floodgates for a tidal wave of euroskeptic and anti-immigration parties across the continent in this week’s European Parliament elections. Classics-quoting climate skeptic Thierry Baudet founded the Forum for Democracy just two years ago, but his party is on course to beat Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s Liberals when the Netherlands votes on Thursday. As the first country in the EU to vote, along with exit-bound Britain, Dutch exit polls will be closely watched as a bellwether of a populist earthquake ahead of official results for the whole EU on Sunday. “What happens in the Netherlands is also happening elsewhere in Europe,” Claes de Vreese, politics professor at the University of Amsterdam, said. Once best known for naked Instagram selfies and controversial comments about women, Baudet, 36, stunned Europe in March when the Forum became the biggest party in the Dutch senate. In the process he stole votes from Geert Wilders, the bleached-blonde anti-Islam leader who has long dented the Netherlands’ image abroad as a bastion of tolerant liberalism. Baudet is now aiming for similar success on the European stage, with latest opinion polls showing the Forum snatching as many as five of the 26 European Parliament seats allotted to the Netherlands, similar to Rutte’s ruling VVD. “Baudet is the new flavor of the year,” said de Vreese. “He does attract a certain audience of voters who may be disgruntled by the fact that Wilders’ style is very confrontational and not particularly intellectual.” But while Baudet has toned down his support for a full “Nexit” from the EU after the chaos in Britain, his nativist, anti-immigration message is similar to the one that has swept Europe from Italy to Hungary. His senate elections victory speech declaring that the “Owl of Minerva spreads his wings” — referring to the Roman goddess of wisdom — was typical of narrative that sees an ancient European civilization under threat from immigration. His references to “boreal” or northern Europe, echo those made in the past by French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. Baudet, who has a law doctorate, has also successfully tapped into the populist railing against elites, whether in The Hague or Brussels or Washington, that has transformed western politics in recent years. “For a long time, Europe has been a very technical story and people did not understand that,” Amy Verdun, European politics professor at Leiden University, said. “The populists made things simple. You may not agree with them, but they simplify things for the ordinary citizen.” She predicted gains for parties that have a “strong line on Europe, whether anti- or pro-EU.” Intriguingly in a low-lying country that is one of the world’s most vulnerable to rising sea levels, the Netherlands’ Baudet is also notable for his strong denial of climate change. This puts him at odds with the leftist greens such as the GroenLinks party who also look set to make gains in the Netherlands on what is replacing the left-right divide as one of the most polarizing issues of our age. “Voters have become more extreme,” said Verdun, pointing to factors such as U.S. President Donald Trump pulling out of 2015 Paris accord. But analysts urged overplaying populist gains, pointing out that the fragmented Dutch political scene means parties can come first with only a small share of the national vote, and most voters will still back centrist parties. “There are very few voters who want to abandon Europe completely and there are very few who want a completely integrated state and no more nation states,” said De Vreese. The repeated failure of squabbling populist and far-right parties to unite within the European Parliament would also lessen their impact, said Amy Verdun. “The populists’ problem is that they can never agree on anything,” she said. “If they don’t capitalize on their result, the populists will never get much further.”

immigration
eu
elections
netherlands
ethnicity
discrimination
mark rutte
thierry baudet


First Republican lawmaker says Trump engaged in impeachable conduct

Abstract: WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, on Saturday became the first Republican lawmaker to say the president has engaged in impeachable behavior. Special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election reveals that Trump “engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment,” Amash, who has signaled he would consider running as a libertarian against Trump in the 2020 election, wrote on Twitter. Mueller’s report “identifies multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice, and undoubtedly any person who is not the president of the United States would be indicted based on such evidence,” Amash wrote. Trump has said Mueller’s report concluded there no obstruction of justice. Mueller’s report made no formal finding on that question, leaving the matter up to Congress. Amash also wrote that “it is clear” that Attorney General William Barr intended to mislead the public about Mueller’s report in his conclusions and congressional testimony about it. In his letter to Congress, Barr said he and his deputy Rod Rosenstein determined there was insufficient evidence to establish that the president committed criminal obstruction of justice, or acted unlawfully to impede the investigation. Amash’s comments echoed the conclusions of many Democrats. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said May 8 that Trump was moving closer to impeachment with his efforts to thwart congressional subpoenas and obstruct lawmakers’ efforts to oversee his administration. Still, Democrats are divided about impeachment and Pelosi also said impeachment proceedings would be “divisive” for the country. The White House and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comments about Amash’s tweets. Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee wrote on Twitter “it’s sad to see … Amash parroting the Democrats’ talking points on Russia.” She said the only people still concerned about the Russia investigation are Trump’s political foes “hoping to defeat him in 2020 by any desperate means possible.” Amash, who represents Michigan’s third congressional district, wrote that he had read Mueller’s full redacted report, but that few members of Congress had. In February Amash became the lone Republican to cosponsor a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to reject the emergency Trump declared at the U.S.-Mexico border to build a wall there, in a stinging rebuke to the president.. Impeachment should be undertaken only in extraordinary circumstances, Amash wrote Saturday. But the risk during a time of extreme partisanship “is not that Congress will employ it as a remedy too often but rather that Congress will employ it so rarely that it cannot deter misconduct.”

congress
russia
robert mueller
donald trump
2016 u.s. presidential election
russia probe
justin amash


In new talks, Sudan protest leaders to insist on civilian head for governing body

Abstract: KHARTOUM - Sudanese protest leaders said Sunday they will insist a civilian runs a planned new governing body in new talks with army rulers, as Islamists warn against excluding Sharia from the political road map. The Alliance for Freedom and Change is determined that the country’s new ruling body be “led by a civilian as its chairman and with a limited military representation,” it said in a statement. The protesters’ umbrella group said talks will resume with the military council — which has ruled Sudan since President Omar al-Bashir was deposed on April 11 — at 9 p.m. Sunday. Talks over a transfer of power by the generals have repeatedly stalled, resulting in international pressure to return to the table after the generals suspended negotiations earlier last week. The generals insist the new body be military-led but the protest leaders demand a majority civilian body. On Sunday the protest movement raised the ante by insisting that the ruling body should be headed by a civilian. The military council is headed by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the generals have previously said he will lead the new governing body. Before talks were suspended the two sides had agreed on several key issues, including a three-year transition period and the creation of a 300-member parliament, with two-thirds of lawmakers to come from the protesters’ umbrella group. The previous round of talks was marred by violence after five protesters and an army major were shot dead near the ongoing sit-in outside the military headquarters in central Khartoum, where thousands have camped out for weeks. Initially, the protesters gathered to demand al-Bashir resign — but they have stayed put, to pressure the generals into stepping aside. The protesters had also erected roadblocks on some avenues in Khartoum, paralyzing large parts of the capital, to put further pressure on the generals during negotiations, but the military rulers suspended the last round of talks and demanded the barriers be removed. Protesters duly took the roadblocks down in recent days — but they warn they will put them back up if the army fails to transfer power to a civilian administration. The generals have allowed protesters to maintain their sit-in outside Khartoum’s army headquarters. Islamic movements rallied outside the presidential palace Saturday night, to reject any civilian administration that excludes Sharia as its guiding principle. Hundreds took part in the rally, the first organized mobilization by Islamist groups since al-Bashir’s ouster. “The main reason for the mobilization is that the alliance (the main protesters’ umbrella group) is ignoring the application of Sharia in its deal,” said Al-Tayieb Mustafa, who heads a coalition of about 20 Islamic groups. “This is irresponsible and if that deal is done, it is going to open the door of hell for Sudan,” he said. Al-Bashir came to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989 and Sudanese legislation has since been underpinned by Islamic law. At Saturday’s rally, hard-line cleric Mohamed Ali Jazuli had a warning for the military council. “If you consider handing over power to a certain faction, then we will consider it a coup,” he vowed as supporters chanted “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest). The protest leaders have so far remained silent on whether Sharia has a place in Sudan’s future, arguing that their main concern is installing a civilian administration.

military
protests
sudan
omar al-bashir
khartoum


Ecstatic Australian conservatives bask in glory of 'miracle' election win

Abstract: SYDNEY - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday basked in the glow of a “miracle” election victory that sparked praise from U.S. President Donald Trump, soul-searching on the left and speculation about what policies he will pursue. Morrison’s Liberal-National coalition bucked the polls to secure a victory for the ages, but it remains unclear if he will garner enough votes to have a parliamentary majority or need to govern with the help of independents. The 51-year-old Morrison may yet have to depend on ecologically minded independents to pass legislation and manage deep divisions within his fractious coalition, with no room for defections. Still, it was a stunning personal victory for Morrison, who largely flew solo during the campaign as senior ministers stayed close to home to defend seats thought to be at risk. By winning what was seen as an unwinnable election, the unexpected leader has cemented his authority over the Liberal Party, giving him the muscle to end a decade of instability that has seen a revolving door of prime ministers. “It was a one-man show. There will be much written about this in the years to come,” said Haydon Manning, a professor of political science at Flinders University. “He delivered the victory against the odds.” Morrison became prime minister as a compromise candidate after a right-wing faction ousted Malcolm Turnbull as Liberal Party leader last August. The resulting Liberal-National coalition was behind in every opinion poll since Morrison took over, with voters angry at Turnbull’s ouster and frustrated by a perceived lack of action over climate change and a dearth of fresh polices. After a decade of political turmoil that saw both Labor, the main opposition party, and the coalition depose several prime ministers, changes Morrison introduced last year mean that it is now very difficult for his party to remove him now that he has won an election. The secret of Morrison’s success, lawmakers, election strategists and analysts say, was twofold. First, he could see a path to victory through target areas such as the urban fringes of Queensland state, where he won enough seats to offset expected swings against the government in city-based seats. And he was able to frame the ballot as a contest between him and Labor leader Bill Shorten, a former trade union leader whose reform agenda was portrayed by the government as at odds with Australian aspirations. “Morrison’s biggest asset was Bill Shorten. He made the election a personal contest and in the end, the people never liked or trusted Shorten,” said John Hewson, former leader of Australia’s Liberal Party. Hewson now shares a connection with Shorten. As Liberal leader in opposition in 1993, he similarly lost what was considered an election impossible to lose after releasing a detailed and comprehensive tax reform policy well ahead of the vote. In this weekend’s election, Labor proposed removing two generous tax concessions enjoyed primarily by older, wealthy Australians. But rather than winning favor with younger voters, the policies become the target of Morrison’s campaign, fostering suspicion of Labor. Morrison — who centered his campaign on his government’s economic credentials — used Labor’s tax proposals as evidence that the opposition was “coming after your money.” A Labor strategist said the government successfully cobbled together a coalition of support among voters in urban fringes and rural townships. “They won a lot of voters from older Australians with its attacks about a retirement tax. But we lost votes from younger people that we didn’t expect,” said the strategist, who declined to be named as he is not authorized to talk to the media. “We didn’t do enough to talk about jobs for these people in these regions.” As awed Australian pundits declared Morrison a campaigning “legend,” Trump got in on the act by sending a congratulatory tweet. The two men spoke by phone after the results came in, vowing “close cooperation on shared priorities,” according to a White House account of the call. Trump’s allies will be quick to claim Morrison’s win as another victory in the global march of populism. But the results showed a more mixed message from an electorate that appears increasingly split on the significant issues of the day. Brash billionaire Clive Palmer — who explicitly styled himself on Trump in a free-spending countrywide campaign that promised to “Make Australia Great” — appears to have failed to win a single parliamentary seat. Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott — the poster boy for the right wing of the Liberal Party — was unceremoniously turfed out of office after 25 years holding the same seat, with voters opting for a green independent. Despite his high political stock, Morrison may face a rocky three-year term. First, he will have to contend with a challenging economic outlook and figure out how to pay for a budget based on improbable growth forecasts. After almost three decades of robust economic growth, Australia’s economy is showing signs of stalling. The central bank is widely expected to cut interest rates when it meets next month, in a bid to counter a housing market dip, stagnant wages and a weakening labor market. Morrison finds himself in the unusual position of having made few promises to the electorate beyond extending tax cuts. In coal-rich Queensland, voters backed new mining projects that would bring jobs but are fiercely opposed in much of the rest of the country. The divisions within Morrison’s Liberals were already clear to see Sunday, with right and centrist factions racing to fill the policy void. Some demanded an immediate loosening of rules on exploration for fossil fuels, while moderates hinted at a rethink of the party’s climate skepticism. “I have to say to you on climate change, it is real. We take it very seriously,” said Morrison’s deputy, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Inside the vanquished Labor Party, Shorten’s defeat and quick resignation prompted an immediate jockeying for leadership, with several party stalwarts set to throw their hats in the ring. Party officials defended their decision to set out their policies in detail — which critics said provided Morrison with too big a target and made the vote a referendum on Shorten. At least one other group was also licking its wounds. Usually reliable pollsters had spectacularly failed to predict the election outcome and will be picking over the numbers for days and weeks to come to see what went wrong.

australia
elections
scott morrison
bill shorten


Taiwan's top diplomat says Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper is 'commie brainwasher' that 'sucks'

Abstract: Taiwan’s top diplomat has ripped into the Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper after it referred to the island nation as part of China in a tweet praising Taipei’s passage of a law legalizing same-sex marriage. In a Twitter post Sunday morning , Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu blasted the Friday tweet from the official account of the People’s Daily newspaper that said “ local lawmakers in #Taiwan, China, have legalized same-sex marriage .” “WRONG! The bill was passed by our national parliament & will be signed by the president soon,” Wu wrote in response. “Democratic #Taiwan is a country in itself & has nothing to do with authoritarian #China. @PDChina is a commie brainwasher & it sucks. JW.” Wu, a member of President Tsai Ing-wen’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), is a known proponent of Taiwanese independence — a stance that has angered Beijing. China views Taiwan as a renegade province that must be brought back into the fold — by force if necessary — and is suspicious of Tsai and the DPP, and routinely criticizes the party, which it claims is waiting for an opportunity to push for the island’s formal independence. On Friday, Taiwan’s parliament, the Legislative Yuan, voted to legalize same-sex marriage, a first in Asia and a boost for LGBT rights activists who had championed the cause for two decades. The tweet by the People’s Daily account was one of several by Chinese state-run media accounts that appeared to capitalize on Taiwan’s gay-marriage vote, including one on the Global Times newspaper’s account with a video that asked: “Where do queers in #China hang out? This map shows just where the cool LGBT events are in Beijing.” Same-sex relations are not illegal in China, which has a vibrant LGBTQ scene, but it was not until 1997 that homosexuality was decriminalized in the country. It was officially removed from a list of mental illnesses three years later. The Communist Party-ruled government has shown no interest in legalizing same-sex marriage, and launches periodic crackdowns on gay content online or elsewhere. However, experts say these moves are not merely targeting people because of their sexuality, but rather targeting their organizing, which the party views as a potential threat.

china
taiwan
rights
gay marriage
joseph wu


North Korea asks U.N. chief to address ship seizure by 'gangster' U.S.

Abstract: SEOUL - North Korea has asked United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to deal with the “illegal” seizure of one of its cargo ships by the United States, state media has said. “This act of dispossession has clearly indicated that the United States is indeed a gangster country that does not care at all about international laws,” the North Korean ambassador to the United Nations said in a letter sent to Guterres dated Friday, the North official Korean Central News Agency reported Saturday. Pyongyang’s protest to the United Nations over the seizure comes amid mounting tensions since a second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at bringing about the denuclearization of the North, broke down in Hanoi in February. The letter also called for “urgent measures” by Guterres and claimed that Washington infringed the North’s sovereignty and violated U.N. charters. With the denuclearization talks stalled, North Korea went ahead with more weapons tests this month. The tests were seen as a protest by Kim after Trump rejected his calls for sanctions relief at the Hanoi summit. North Korea has said the ship seizure violated the spirit of the summit and demanded the return of the vessel without delay. The U.S. Justice Department said the North Korean cargo ship, known as the “Wise Honest,” was seized and impounded to American Samoa. The vessel was accused of illicit coal shipments in violation of sanctions and was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018.

u.s .
north korea
kim jong un
u.n .
nuclear weapons
north korea nuclear crisis
donald trump
kim-trump summit


Japanese mountaineer dies climbing Kamen volcano in Russia

Abstract: VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA - A Japanese mountaineer died after falling from a dormant volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Friday, local authorities said. Minoru Sawada, whose office is in Kawasaki, was confirmed dead Saturday after suffering a fall on Kamen, the peninsula’s second-highest volcano, his friend told Kyodo News. Two other Japanese who were climbing the 4,585-meter volcano with Sawada were rescued, the authorities said.


NPO uses traditional Japanese karuta card game to help foreign residents learn disaster-related vocabulary

Abstract: KAWAGOE, SAITAMA PREF. - A Tokyo-based nonprofit organization is using traditional karuta playing cards as part of a disaster-prevention effort to help foreign nationals living in Japan get information and overcome language barriers in times of emergency. In a karuta game, one person reads out the text on a reading card and players grab a picture card, which usually has a corresponding character and image. The aim of the program is to teach foreign participants disaster-related terms in Japanese such as jishin , meaning earthquake, and hinan , meaning evacuation, and their kanji and kana characters through repetition. Motoko Kimura, founder and co-executive director of the NPO, WaNavi Japan, came up with the idea of offering such a program after seeing her American friend having a hard time obtaining information when the Great East Japan Earthquake struck in March 2011. Kimura learned that there is a gap between Japanese people and foreign residents in terms of knowledge about evacuation shelters and wireless disaster information distribution systems. “I heard that some foreign residents walked alongside the coast when returning to their homes because they didn’t understand the meaning of the (tsunami alert) sirens,” Kimura said. As part of such workshops — held at the request of institutions such as municipalities, embassies and companies — the NPO has participants listen to sample evacuation broadcasts warning of a pending tsunami in order to check if they actually understand what is being said. The NPO also introduces an app to foreign participants that gives evacuation information in English, among other ways to access necessary information. At a workshop held at Tokyo International University in Kawagoe, Ana Paula Ortiz, a 20-year-old exchange student from Mexico, said that she did not know Japanese words such as hinan. She expressed her eagerness to be better-prepared for possible disasters. As foreign workers in Japan are expected to increase after the revised immigration control law came into effect in April, which is designed to accept more workers to address the country’s serious labor shortage, Kimura stressed the importance of education to help foreign residents learn the terminology being used when emergencies hit. “I want people from abroad to learn Japanese disaster-related terms needed for survival right after their arrival in the country,” Kimura said.

tsunami
npo
earthquakes
foreign workers
karuta


61% of Japanese back Abe plan to meet North Korean leader without conditions, survey finds

Abstract: Around 61 percent of voters support Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s stance of seeking talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un without a guarantee of progress on the issue of Japanese nationals abducted decades ago, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday. In the nationwide telephone poll conducted Saturday and Sunday, the approval rate for Abe’s Cabinet stood at 50.5 percent, down from 51.9 percent in the previous survey conducted in early May. The disapproval rate was 36.2 percent, up from 31.3 percent. Abe has recently softened his stance toward Pyongyang amid a continuing lack of progress over the past abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents. He has been reaching out to Kim by proposing a meeting “without preconditions,” a shift from his previous position that any summit should yield progress on the abduction issue. In the survey, 61.2 percent said they welcomed Abe’s idea of meeting with Kim without preconditions, while 30.2 percent did not. On the government’s plan to raise the consumption tax from 8 percent to 10 percent in October, 57.6 percent expressed opposition, while 37.6 percent were supportive. The government maintains the consumption tax will be raised as planned unless Japan’s economy suffers a shock on the scale of the global financial crisis triggered by the 2008 collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. Recent economic data have shown the Japanese economy could be on a downward trend amid protracted trade tensions between the United States and China. Koichi Hagiuda, executive acting secretary-general of Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party, hinted in April at a postponement, saying, “There could be a different development” depending on the Bank of Japan’s business sentiment survey for June, due out on July 1.

shinzo abe
north korea
kim jong un
abduction
consumption tax


Abe tells kin of Japanese abductees he wants to talk frankly with North Korean leader

Abstract: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated Sunday his hope to hold unconditional and candid talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “By meeting Workers’ Party of Korea Chairman Kim Jong Un without setting conditions, I want to talk with him frankly with an open mind,” Abe said during a meeting in Tokyo with family members of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s. Abe also pledged to resolve the long-standing issue while he is in power, adding U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with the families during his four-day visit to Japan as a state guest from next Saturday. “The president has his heart set on helping,” Abe said, while Sakie Yokota, the mother of Megumi Yokota who was abducted at age 13 in 1977, said the families have waited anxiously for so long for the return of their loved ones. In the run-up to the Upper House election in July, Abe has started repeating his desire to hold talks with Kim, even without preconditions, a shift from his previous position that any summit should yield progress on the abduction issue. An early settlement of the abduction issue remains a major political goal for Abe, who, unlike the leaders of the other major countries dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue, is yet to hold a meeting with Kim. Japan officially lists 17 people as abductees, five of whom were repatriated in 2002, and suspects North Korea’s involvement in many more disappearances. But North Korea has insisted the abduction issue has already been resolved. Japan has said it will normalize relations with North Korea if Pyongyang abandons its nuclear and missile programs, and resolves the abduction issue. During a visit to the U.S. earlier this month, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga called for an early resolution to the abduction issue, framing it as a “global challenge.” Speaking at an event at U.N. headquarters in New York, he said the government has been injecting “maximum effort” to realize the return of all abductees “at the earliest possible timing.”

shinzo abe
u.s .
north korea
kim jong un
abduction
donald trump


LDP to set up caucus on making use of paternity leave mandatory throughout Japan

Abstract: Like-minded members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party plan to form a caucus to make the taking of paternity leave mandatory in Japan, informed sources said Saturday. The caucus, to be chaired by former education minister Hirokazu Matsuno, is set to hold its first meeting as early as June 5, the sources said. The LDP members believe creating an environment friendly to those who wish to take paternity leave will eventually contribute to reviving the birthrate and allow more women to play active roles in society. They plan to make policy proposals, with the aim of compiling legislation to oblige men to take paternity leave, according to the sources. The group will devise measures by studying mandatory paternity leave systems adopted by private-sector companies and other countries, such as Finland, where such leave systems are used. Possible measures include the introduction of a program to give parenting leave to male workers even without applications and the drafting of a law calling on companies to encourage workers to take paternity leave. According to a fiscal 2017 survey by the Japan Productivity Center, a public interest incorporated foundation, about 80 percent of newly hired male workers in Japan said they wanted to take paternity leave. But the ratio of men who took paternity leave in fiscal 2017 stood at only 5.14 percent, against 83.2 percent for women, according to labor ministry data. The figure for men falls far short of the 13 percent the government aims to realize by 2020. Men tend to refrain from taking parenting leave out of concern about negative effects on work performance reviews, and due to a workplace atmosphere that makes it difficult for them to take such leave, sources familiar with the situation said. “To change the current situation, it would be effective to make paternity leave practically mandatory,” an LDP member said. The member added that a mandatory system is expected to help Japan not only deal with its low birthrate and promote women’s participation in the society, but also lower the divorce rate and improve corporate culture.

children
ldp
birthrate
paternity leave
companies


Former abductee Kaoru Hasuike calls for Japan-North Korea summit on abduction issue

Abstract: A Japanese abductee held by North Korea for more than two decades before being repatriated in 2002 has expressed hope for a summit meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim Jong Un to seek progress in saving others still believed to be in North Korea. “Even if we can’t expect a major achievement, now is the time to realize a Japan-North Korea summit,” 61-year-old Kaoru Hasuike said in an interview Monday in Niigata Prefecture, where he lives, adding that North Korea is currently “isolated.” Prime Minister Abe has recently softened his stance toward North Korea, saying he will meet with its leader, Kim, “without preconditions,” a shift from his previous position that any summit should yield progress on the abduction issue. While Abe’s new policy has drawn some criticism inside Japan, Hasuike said, “It’s meaningful for the leaders to directly understand each other’s ideas. Nothing will begin unless they meet.” He also indicated North Korea may have an incentive to reach out to Japan, with its neighbors — South Korea, China and Russia — remaining hesitant to subvert U.N. Security Council resolutions and engage economically with the North. But at the same time he admitted that the long-standing abduction issue will not be resolved “at once” even if a meeting between the two leaders is realized because nuclear and missile issues have to be resolved as well. Japan’s goal is to seek a comprehensive settlement of the nuclear, missile and abduction issues. Meanwhile, denuclearization talks between the United States and North Korea have stalled, and the second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim in Hanoi in February broke down after a dispute over sanctions. If Abe and Kim do meet, it will be the third summit between the two countries following those in 2002 and 2004 between then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il. In a joint declaration issued in 2002, the two countries agreed to work toward normalization of relations by tackling outstanding problems, including the abduction issue. Japan also said in the declaration it will extend economic cooperation to North Korea after the normalization of ties. Tokyo officially lists 17 people as abductees, five of whom were repatriated in 2002, and suspects North Korea’s involvement in many more disappearances. While Pyongyang insists the abduction issue is “already resolved,” Abe has made it a top political priority to settle it once and for all. Hasuike and his wife, Yukiko, were among the five abductees who returned to Japan. The couple were abducted in 1978 on the coast of Kashiwazaki in Niigata Prefecture. Since returning, Hasuike has taught Korean language and the culture of the Korean Peninsula at Niigata Sangyo University in his hometown.

north korea
abduction
interview
kaoru hasuike


Volcanic alert level raised for popular Mount Hakone resort area in Kanagawa

Abstract: Authorities raised the volcanic alert level for Mount Hakone on Sunday — warning of a possible eruption — after increasing seismic activity was detected near the popular hot-spring resort area in Kanagawa Prefecture. For the first time since 2015, the Meteorological Agency raised its alert level at the site to a 2 on the 5-point scale, meaning people have been barred from approaching the crater. The agency said it decided to raise the level from 1 after the number of volcanic earthquakes increased to 45 on Saturday, compared with zero the previous day. On Sunday, the number of quakes detected had hit 21 as of 9 a.m. The agency warned of a possible eruption and volcanic cinders as fumarolic activity has been intensifying in areas around Owakudani, a volcanic valley in the Hakone area about 80 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. After the alert level was raised, the town of Hakone decided to restrict entry around the crater and close a road leading to the area. The operator of the Hakone Ropeway also suspended its services running through Owakudani on Sunday. In 2015, small eruptions occurred at the 1,438-meter mountain and the agency’s alert level was raised to 3, warning people not to approach a larger swath of area surrounding the volcano. Prior to those small eruptions, geological evidence has suggested that the mountain last erupted between the late 12th and 13th centuries.


Survey finds nearly 43% of people expect esports to grow in popularity in Japan

Abstract: A Jiji Press survey showed Sunday that 42.8 percent of people think esports competitive video games will become popular as sports in Japan, up 7.4 percentage points from the previous survey carried out in April last year. Still, more than 40 percent opposed approving esports as an extracurricular activity after school. Overseas, esports have gained in popularity and will be an official event in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, in eastern China. In Japan, an esports event will be held for the first time as part of a cultural project in the National Sports Festival in Ibaraki Prefecture in October. According to the survey, people who think esports will spread widely totaled 58.1 percent among those aged 18 to 29, up 7.3 points, and 60.8 percent among those in their 30s, up 13.2 points. More than 40 percent of people in their 40s and 60s said they think so. By contrast, 27.7 percent think esports will not become popular, down 3 points. On reasons, with multiple answers allowed, 65.7 percent said they do not regard games in which people operate machines as sports. More than 30 percent each said that esports will not contribute to health or building up bodies and that esports are not good for education. Some expressed concern that promoting them was like recommending computer games. On the idea of approving esports as an extracurricular activity for students after they finish the school day, the largest share, or 42.6 percent, said they should not be approved as such. About 35 percent supported approving esports as an extracurricular activity, with 18.9 percent backing them as an activity at high school, 8.3 percent at junior high school and 8.5 percent at elementary school. In addition, 21.0 percent said they do not know. The interview-based survey was conducted on 2,000 people aged 18 or older. Valid responses were received from 62.1 percent of them.


Rescuers help hundreds of climbers stranded by heavy rains on Yakushima Island

Abstract: KAGOSHIMA - At least 314 people stranded by heavy rains — many of them overnight — managed to descend a mountain on Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture with the help of rescuers from the Japan Coast Guard, the Ground Self-Defense Forces and others on Sunday. Hikers in more than 10 cars and buses were forced to spend the night in the vehicles and in a mountain cabin when flooding and landslides blocked roads after a total of about 120 millimeters of rain fell per hour on Saturday. Some even spent the night outdoors while it was still raining. Due to the adverse weather conditions, rescue operations did not commence until early Sunday morning. Several of the hikers complained of pain or feeling unwell, and some were taken to the hospital. None were in serious condition, according to local officials. The island, known for its famous Jomon cedar tree and 1,936-meter-high Mount Miyanoura, has been designated as a world natural heritage site by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. More than 300 people were stranded following the heavy rains. The downpour caused a road near one of the starting points for hikers to cave in, officials at the Yakushima town office said. The town office also issued an evacuation advisory for 6,667 households on the island. On Saturday night, the Kagoshima Prefectural Government requested that GSDF personnel be dispatched to help rescue the stranded people. Other areas in southern Kyushu also received heavy rain. The Meteorological Agency warned that up to 200 mm could fall in Kagoshima and 180 mm could fall in Miyazaki Prefecture in a 24-hour period through 6 p.m. Sunday.

self defense forces
rain
yasukuni island
mt . miyanoura


The week ahead for May 20 to May 26

Abstract: Monday Cabinet Office to release preliminary data for January-March gross domestic product. The focus is on whether Japan’s economy shrank in the quarter amid a slowdown in the Chinese economy and a trade dispute between the United States and China. A weak result may fuel speculation that the government will delay raising the consumption tax to 10 percent from the current 8 percent in October. Tuesday Japan Tourism Agency to release numbers for non-Japanese who visited Japan in April. 10th anniversary of the introduction of Japan’s lay judge system. Ordinary citizens have served as judges in serious criminal cases such as murder at the district-court level, in hopes of reforming Japan’s justice system that has been criticized for being difficult to comprehend and out of touch with popular sentiment. Wednesday NTT Docomo Inc. to start accepting subscriptions for its new mobile phone billing plans. The company has decided to cut its mobile phone charges by up to 40 percent amid the government’s call on telecom carriers to lower service fees. Cabinet Office to release data on machinery orders for March. Finance Ministry to release preliminary customs-cleared trade statistics for April. Thursday FIFA U-20 World Cup to be held in Poland through June 15. A total of 24 teams to compete, including Japan. Friday Cabinet Office to release its monthly economic report for May. Attention will be on whether the government will revise downward its assessment, with the report in the previous two months saying the economy is “recovering at a moderate pace while weakness is seen recently in exports and industrial production in some sectors.” Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to release nationwide consumer price index for April. Osaka High Court to hand down ruling on appeal by woman dubbed Japan’s “black widow” who was sentenced to death over alleged serial murders using cyanide between 2007 and 2013. Saturday U.S. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump to visit Japan through May 28. The Trumps will be the first state guests to meet with Emperor Naruhito who ascended to the throne on May 1. Trump will also watch live sumo bouts at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan and hold talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Sunday Campaigning to start for mayoral election in Sakai, Osaka.


China digs in for protracted trade fight with U.S.

Abstract: BEIJING - China is digging in for a tough period of deteriorating ties with the United States, fanning the flames of patriotism with Korean War films, a viral song on the trade war and editorials lambasting Washington. The trade spat has turned into a war of words since U.S. President Donald Trump blacklisted Huawei Technologies Co. last week over concerns the telecom giant’s equipment could be used by Beijing for espionage. The move, which bans U.S. companies from providing technology Huawei needs, came as the two sides have yet to resume trade negotiations after they exchanged steep increases in tariffs. A commentary on state-run Xinhua News Agency on Friday said China now had a “deeper understanding” of U.S. “capriciousness” and was ready to fight with its “Long March” spirit. It echoes President Xi Jinping’s tough stance when he called on cadres earlier this week to brace themselves for a “new Long March” — recalling the legendary strategic retreat by Communist revolutionaries in the 1930s who regrouped and went on to triumph in 1949. Xi warned local officials of “complicated and long-term effects” of external influences. The world’s top two economies will “go through a long period of irrational conflict,” said Zhang Yansheng, chief researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, at a government-organized briefing Wednesday. “And then during this process, step by step … come to understand each other, resist each other, and (finally) cooperate with each other.” Trump has left the door open for reconciliation with plans to meet President Xi on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Japan next month. But Chinese state media have ramped up the rhetoric. A Xinhua commentary Thursday called the U.S. government “selfish and arrogant.” “The U.S. is defying international rules, abandoning cooperation agreements and harping on America first, American privilege and American exceptionalism,” it said. Since Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods in mid-May, the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily has been running a daily column tag-lined “an alarm bell,” rejecting Trump’s arguments that China’s rise was leading to American losses. Korean War films stoking anti-U.S. sentiment from the 1950s were broadcast for six consecutive days on state television from May 16, reminding audiences of a time when the Cold War came to China’s doorstep as it fought on North Korea’s side against U.S.-led U.N. forces defending South Korea. Meanwhile, a song penned by a former Chinese government official vowing to beat the U.S. “out of its wits” on the trade war went viral this week, before it was pulled down from popular social media platforms WeChat and Weibo for violating their content rules. The song is set to the tune of a well-known wartime anti-Japanese propaganda film, “Tunnel War.” “The Chinese nation is facing a dangerous threat now, similar to the difficult times addressed in the film,” lyricist Zhao Liangtian said. “I want to use this song to awaken the masses. We need to unite as one to develop and to fight.” Chinese netizens have rallied around Huawei after Trump’s threat to kneecap the company, which is widely seen as a move to thwart Beijing’s high-tech ambitions. An interview last week with the telecom giant’s founder, Ren Zhengfei, was one of the top trending topics on China’s Twitter-like microblogging platform Weibo. Hundreds of commentators said they wouldn’t abandon the company, while a few called for boycotting iPhones. But several others said the idea of smashing iPhones was “mere fake patriotism,” after Ren himself said his family uses Apple products. “U.S. attempts to damage Huawei is only a delay tactic, it won’t lead to a deadlock,” said Shi Yinhong, director of the American studies center at Renmin University. But China’s tech sector would have to brace itself for a long, painful period as it had relied heavily on American technologies, he said. “The American door is closing,” he said, “but China still doesn’t have a plan B.”

china
u.s .
trade
tariffs
huawei
donald trump
trade war


Japanese trade chief Motegi hold talks with his U.S. counterpart, Lighthizer, in Tokyo ahead of Abe-Trump summit

Abstract: The Japanese and U.S. trade chiefs met Saturday in an attempt to advance talks on a bilateral deal ahead of Monday’s summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Donald Trump, but the two sides still remain at odds, Economic revitalization chief Toshimitsu Motegi said. In fact, no breakthrough was expected from the latest round of negotiations between Motegi, minister for economic and fiscal policy, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, as the countries remain at odds over tariffs on agricultural and industrial products. “So far, Japan and the U.S. haven’t gained common ground. We will work to bridge the gap,” Motegi told reporters after the talks. “It is unlikely any trade deal will be reached at the upcoming summit” between Abe and Trump scheduled for Monday. The trade talks began hours after Trump’s arrival in the Japanese capital for a four-day state visit that will make him the first foreign leader to meet with Emperor Naruhito, who ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1. At the outset of the talks, Motegi welcomed Lighthizer to his office and showed off an American football jersey from the Pittsburgh Steelers. “This is a symbol of my desire to revitalize the Rust Belt,” said Motegi, who is in charge of dealing with trade issues with the United States, in an apparent gesture of his hope for a deal that will benefit both Japanese and U.S. businesses. What Trump sees as a trade imbalance between the two allies is expected to top the agenda when he meets with Abe on Monday. But in working-level discussions in Washington earlier this week, officials from both countries confirmed a significant gap between their positions still remains. The United States is seeking greater access to the Japanese market for products such as beef, pork and wheat, as American farmers have become less competitive following the activation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free trade agreement that includes Australia and New Zealand. Japan has, meanwhile, pushed for the removal of tariffs on industrial products including automobiles, one of its biggest exports, as had been agreed before the United States withdrew from the TPP.

toshimitsu motegi
u.s.-japan relations
international trade
donald trump
robert lighthizer


Tie-up talks could see Fiat-Chrysler join Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance

Abstract: PARIS/NEW YORK - French carmaker Renault is in talks with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, with the long-term prize a world-leading alliance including Nissan and Mitsubishi, reports say. The Financial Times reported Saturday night that the discussions were at an “advanced” stage and could lead to “extensive cooperation”. The Wall Street Journal said the talks were “wide-ranging” and could include Renault and Fiat Chrysler “joining large portions of their businesses”. However, The New York Times said the discussions were in early stages, the specifics unclear and “could still collapse”. Contacted by AFP, neither Renault nor Fiat would comment. The Financial Times, quoting multiple people informed on the talks, said: “The agreement may ultimately lead the carmaker (Fiat-Chrysler) to join the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance in the future,” if Nissan could be won over. Such an automaker alliance would become the world’s biggest, a title Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi currently vies for with Germany’s Volkswagen. Renault holds 43 percent of Nissan which in turn owns 15 percent of its French partner Renault. The imbalance causes frictions in a relationship that has been tested by the arrest of former Renault and Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn in Tokyo. He was released on bail for a second time on April 25 and is now preparing for trial on four charges of financial misconduct ranging from concealing part of his salary, to using Nissan funds for personal expenses. The reports did not spell out the level of any involvement by Nissan in the current discussions, although one FT source said it was absent. Early this year rumors circulated that Renault was interested in Fiat-Chrysler after its hopes for a merger with Nissan or even French competitor PSA faded. Collaboration between automakers has taken on importance in recent years as they seek to build their technological capabilities in pursuit of electrical vehicles, net connectivity and artificial intelligence for vehicles. Automakers are also under pressure from regulators, particularly in Europe and China, to come up with electric vehicles so they can meet tougher pollution limits. Volkswagen and Ford Motor Co. formed a global alliance in January to develop commercial vans and medium-sized pickups and explore cooperation on future battery-powered and autonomous vehicles and services. Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley told analysts earlier this month that he expects further consolidation in the industry in the near term, though he has stressed that the company can continue to make it as an independent player. Manley also told analysts that Fiat was taking action to address weaknesses in Europe. North American sales accounted for virtually all of the U.S.-Italian carmaker’s profits in the first quarter, a difficult period that saw a 47 percent drop in profits due largely to production changes. The Financial Times reported that a number of partnership options between Renault and Fiat Chrysler are being considered, but that the talks have moved beyond sharing technology.

mitsubishi
nissan
carmakers
renault
fiat chrysler


Toyota announces plan to build assembly plant in Myanmar

Abstract: NAGOYA - Toyota Motor Corp. will start building an assembly plant this year in Myanmar, where demand for new cars has been growing strongly after import restrictions on used vehicles were tightened in 2017. According to sources familiar with the matter, Toyota will invest several billion yen in the plant in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone on the outskirts of Yangon. The facility will focus on pickup trucks. In Myanmar, new car sales doubled to around 17,000 units in 2018. Suzuki Motor Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Hyundai Motor Co. already have plants there.

myanmar
pickup trucks
toyota motor corp .


Eyeing commercial operations in Arctic, Russia launches first of three nuclear icebreakers

Abstract: ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - Russia on Saturday launched a nuclear-powered icebreaker, part of an ambitious program to renew and expand its fleet of the vessels in order to improve its ability to tap the Arctic’s commercial potential. The ship, dubbed the Ural and which was floated out from a dockyard in St. Petersburg, is one of a trio that, when completed, will be the largest and most powerful icebreakers in the world. Russia is building new infrastructure and overhauling its ports as, amid warmer climate cycles, it readies for more traffic via what it calls the Northern Sea Route (NSR) which it envisages being navigable year-round. The Ural is due to be handed over to Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom in 2022 after the two other icebreakers in the same series, Arktika (Arctic) and Sibir (Siberia), enter service. “The Ural together with its sisters are central to our strategic project of opening the NSR to all-year activity,” Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom’s chief executive, was quoted saying. President Vladimir Putin said in April Russia is stepping up construction of icebreakers with the aim of significantly boosting freight traffic along its Arctic coast. The drive is part of a push to strengthen Moscow’s hand in the Arctic area as it vies for dominance with traditional rivals Canada, the United States and Norway, as well as newcomer China. By 2035, Putin said Russia’s Arctic fleet would operate at least 13 heavy-duty icebreakers, nine of which will be powered by nuclear reactors. The Arctic holds oil and gas reserves equivalent to 412 billion barrels of oil, about 22 percent of the world’s undiscovered oil and gas, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates. Moscow hopes the route which runs from Murmansk to the Bering Strait near Alaska could take off as it cuts sea transport times from Asia to Europe. Designed to be crewed by 75 people, the Ural will be able to slice through ice up to around 3 meters thick.


Venezuela negotiators return to Norway for crisis talks

Abstract: CARACAS - Representatives of the Venezuelan government and opposition have returned to Norway for a mediation effort aimed at resolving the political crisis in the South American country, the Norwegian government said Saturday. Norway said it will facilitate discussions next week in Oslo, in an indication that the negotiation track is gaining momentum after months of escalating tension between Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Juan Guaido, the U.S.-backed opposition leader. Top Maduro aide Jorge Rodriguez and Hector Rodriguez, the governor of Miranda state, both of whom were in Oslo earlier this month for an earlier round of exploratory talks, will once again lead the government delegation. They will be joined this time by Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza and Larry Devoe, the government’s top human rights official, said a Venezuelan official who was not authorized to discuss the talks and spoke on condition of anonymity. The opposition delegation is being led by Stalin Gonzalez, a senior member of the opposition-controlled congress, former Caracas area Mayor Gerardo Blyde and former Transport Minister Fernando Martinez Mottola, according to a person familiar with the talks who also spoke on the condition of anonymity. They will be joined by Vicente Diaz, a supporter of past negotiations with the government who previously served on the nation’s electoral council. Both delegations traveled Saturday for the meetings, according to the two people. Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide praised both sides for their involvement. Representatives of Venezuela’s political factions traveled to the European country earlier this month for talks, but it had been unclear if they would continue to engage with one another amid increased tensions over the opposition’s call for a military uprising on April 30. The opposition had previously ruled out talks, accusing Maduro of using negotiations between 2016 and 2018 to play for time, and has demanded Maduro’s resignation and early elections. Maduro, in turn, alleges the opposition tried to seize power by force. Addressing supporters on a visit to Venezuela’s Lara state, Guaido said the opposition would not be subjected to “false dialogue” as in the past. “That is why we are on the streets, aware that we can’t believe anything the dictatorship says,” said the leader of the opposition-led National Assembly. The U.S. State Department noted the arrests of key opposition figures in Venezuela and said the only thing to negotiate with Maduro is “the conditions of his departure” from office. “We hope the talks in Oslo will focus on that objective, and if they do, we hope progress will be possible,” spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said. The diplomatic effort reflects recognition in Venezuela that neither side has been able to prevail in the struggle for power, leaving the country in a state of political paralysis after years of hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicine. Several million Venezuelans have left the country, creating Latin America’s biggest migration crisis. The United States and more than 50 other countries support Guaido’s claim to be Venezuela’s rightful leader. The U.S. has imposed oil sanctions to try to force out Maduro, whose key allies are Cuba, Russia and China. Norway has a long, successful history of foreign mediation: The country hosted peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians in September 1993 and Maoist rebels and the government in the Philippines in 2011. The government also brokered a 2002 cease-fire between Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebel negotiators. Seven years ago, mediators from the Colombian government and left-wing FARC rebels held their first direct talks in a decade in Norway.