Biden backs Japan PM on holding safe and secure Olympic Games
US President Joe Biden on Friday gave his backing to Japan's efforts to hold a "safe and secure" Olympic Games this year after talk of cancelation due to the Covid-19 pandemic......»»
FIBA: Mighty Jimmy and the shot that introduced Gilas to the World
This story was originally published on Feb. 24, 2019 It’s Saturday night at Mall of Asia and the arena is absolutely rocking. Eternal basketball rivals in the Philippines and South Korea are delivering another classic. Gilas Pilipinas is down to the final minute of regulation against its longtime tormentor in the second of two semifinal games. The national team is up by two, 81-79. The Philippines is hosting the 2013 FIBA-Asia Championships where three tickets to the 2014 World Cup are at stake and the winner of this particular game gets one of those tickets. Given the rich history of both teams and what it would mean to the winner, this pivotal game has gone down the wire as everyone pretty much expected. Also knowing the history of both teams in international play, Gilas’ precarious two-point lead was not safe at all. A ghost was lurking in the background and a dreaded curse felt almost inevitable. Down to the final minute of the crucial grudge match between the Philippines and South Korea, guard Jimmy Alapag has the ball and a two-point lead. What he will do will help define not only his career but the legacy of the Gilas name as a national team. WAKE-UP CALL Even before the Philippines-Korea game, Gilas Pilipinas already had to go through one emotional game early in its homestand for the Asian Championships. In a preliminary round showdown against Chinese Taipei, the Filipinos collapsed in the fourth quarter, allowing the Taiwanese to steal a morale-boosting 84-79 win. In 2013, the relationship between the two countries hit a rough patch over the death of one Taiwanese fisherman. In an updated May 17 report by CNN’s Jethro Mullen, “Taiwan has reacted angrily after one of its fishermen was killed by a Philippine coast guard vessel.” Taiwan had frozen applications from OFWs seeking jobs in its territory and the government of then President Ma Ying-jeou demanded an apology, among other things, from the Philippines. While the national basketball teams of both countries never really had any prior animosity with each other, tension was naturally present as both teams squared off in Group A action. Gilas Pilipinas and Chinese-Taipei both entered the showdown with identical 2-0 records and the winner would take control of solo Group A lead heading into round 2. Taking a good lead into the fourth quarter, the Philippines was outscored by 18 in the last 10 minutes and the national team took its worst home loss in quite some time. “At the time, it was a huge game for us. We understood what was happening in Taipei during that particular time. We really wanted to win for what our kababayans were going through at that time,” guard Jimmy Alapag said on that first home loss in the 2013 Asian Championships. “We didn’t get the job done, and it was tough especially to lose a game like that, it was a very emotional and it was a game that we knew we needed,” he added. The crushing loss meant that the Philippines had little room for error in round 2. While Gilas didn’t have any world beaters lined up in the second round, anything less than a perfect run would have meant an early clash with Asia’s established powerhouse teams in the knockout stages. On the other side of the bracket, defending champion China, Iran, and South Korea were battling for position and were expected to finish in the top-3. That means if Gilas Pilipinas failed to finish no. 1 in its group, the national team would have faced one of those teams in the quarterfinals. Gilas picked up a crucial win over Qatar in the 6th of August and the day after, the Philippines got some help from those same Qataris as they beat Taipei in a close decision. At the end of round 2, all teams finished with identical win-loss records but Gilas Pilipinas would take over first place after all tiebreaks were considered, barely edging out Taipei. The Philippines ended up avoiding defending champion China, Iran, and South Korea and instead got Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals. No. 2 Taipei drew China and the third-running Qataris were matched up with the South Koreans. “I think that was the moment we grew up and grew closer. I think that was the lowest of the lows, just because of the atmosphere and what was going on between both countries. It kind of felt that we let our end of the bargain down, you know what I mean? We’re on our home soil and we didn’t take care of business. I think that was one of those moments where we had to really check ourselves and find a way to make it right,” forward Gabe Norwood said of the Taipei loss. “But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. In tournaments like FIBA-Asia it’s important that you have short-term memory whether it was a win or a loss. We needed to let go of that game and continue to stay the course, keep our focus in the tournament,” Alapag added. On August 7, four days after Gilas lost to Taipei, the rift between the Philippines and Taiwan would reach a resolution and the latter country lifted its freeze hiring and other sanctions on the former. The Philippines also did issue on official apology over the death of the Taiwanese fisherman a couple of months prior and the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila recommended the pressing of homicide charges to erring members of the Philippine Coast Guard. DARK HISTORY If the word “rival” is to be defined as a, “person or group that tries to defeat or be more successful than another person or group” then sure, the Philippines and South Korea are rivals. Both countries are rivals in the Asian basketball scene and they have been going at it for a very long time. But if the word rival can also mean “equal” or “peer,” is the Philippines really a worthy basketball rival to South Korea? The Philippines’ history with South Korea in terms of basketball is dark. Very dark. Consider the most high-profile matches between the two countries and you’ll see that the Philippine national team is just not at the level of South Korea. Or at the very least, Koreans always seem to reach 120 percent of their potential when they play Filipinos and we barely bring out 80 percent of our abilities when matched up against our East Asian neighbors. The 1998 PBA Centennial team, arguably the greatest Philippine team ever assembled, was demolished by South Korea in the Asian Games. A national team set up for gold only settled for bronze. Speaking of a bronze medal game, the original Gilas Pilipinas team lost a podium finish to South Korea in the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championships. That team squandered a double-digit lead and collapsed late. Of course, who can forget the semifinals of the 2002 Asian Games in Busan when Olsen Racela had the chance to put the Philippines up four but missed two free throws. South Korea would win with a booming triple at the buzzer off a broken play and would later take down China to capture the gold medal. South Korea is the Philippines’ basketball nemesis for all intents and purposes. A worthy adversary that always seem to emerge victorious at our expense. Still, all that previous disappointment didn’t seem to bother Gilas Pilipinas six years ago. The team was not scared and instead, they were excited even. One factor to greatly consider was that fact that the game was in Manila. It makes all the difference to play at home. “We understood the bad history that we had with Korea. We haven’t been very successful with them in quite some time but we knew from Day 1 that if ever we got an opportunity to play them at home, then we have a great chance,” Alapag said. “Man, pre-game, it was just the focus. Everybody was up for the challenge, I don’t think anybody was really nervous, I think it was just the anxiety... we wanted to get out there and do it already,” Norwood added. Playing at home had its perks for sure, but it also had its drawbacks. For all the painful losses the Philippines suffered at the hands of South Korea, it would have been devastating if Gilas actually took a beating in Manila. Stakes were extra high in this particular chapter of this long, ongoing saga. “There was always pressure, it was something that we acknowledged early. Playing at home, it’s great having that support but at the same time, there is some added pressure because you wanna make sure that you make our home crowd proud of the team that they watch and ultimately, win games,” Alapag said, making sure to note that the national team knew of the disadvantages of playing at home even before the Korea game. “It was there but it was something that we acknowledged and we wanted to make sure that we took advantage of the opportunity playing at home,” he added. ALL FILIPINO, ALL HEART Once it was go time, the Philippines-South Korea game went about pretty normal, as you would expect any game from these two national teams. But even before halftime, an injury to Gilas center Marcus Douthit changed the complexion of the semifinals showdown. All of a sudden, the Philippines was without its anchor, without its best player. Sure, there were players on the Gilas bench that can come in and replace Douthit’s size but there was simply no one on the Gilas bench that can come in and replace his talent, production, and just overall presence. June Mar Fajardo was in that Gilas bench but it 2013, the would-be five-time PBA Most Valuable Player was just not at that level yet. It would have been easy for Gilas Pilipinas to fold like cheap furniture and succumb to the overwhelming pressure of trying to overcome South Korea to reach a stage very few Filipinos have reached before. Gilas didn’t fold and instead, the Douthit injury rallied the team even further. “Alam mo sa totoo lang, puso na lang yun eh. Nung nawala si Marcus talaga, sabi ni coach kailangan doble kayod tayo. Dahil sobrang dehado tayo kumbaga, wala na tayong import, wala tayong malaki,” forward Marc Pingris said. With Douthit gone, Ping ate up all of his minutes and worked by committee with guys like Ranidel De Ocampo and Japeth Aguilar to fill in the gaps. “As a player naman, kami nagusap-usap kami na kahit anong mangyari, lalaban kami. Yung time na yun, talagang patay kung patay,” Ping added. Despite losing its best player to an untimely injury, Gilas Pilipinas’ confidence in winning never wavered. With their collective backs against the wall, the Philippine national team played even better. Unlike the later iterations of Gilas Pilipinas, the 2013 team, aptly called Gilas 2.0, had the luxury of having actual preparation before the FIBA-Asia Championships. The amount of work that came before the tournament and the Korea game, the bond built over countless hours of training, all of that helped the national team avoid a monumental meltdown in front of a rabid Manila crowd. “We were such a close-knit team in terms of our chemistry, in terms of the talent that we had, so we felt confident even when Marcus went down early in the game. If you looked at our huddle, you had 11 more very confident guys, not just in themselves but more importantly, in each other,” Alapag said. “That just boiled down to the chemistry that we had. I don’t think any of us panicked, we were all confident in each other. We’ve all been into that situation with our PBA teams, having the ball in our hands and making a play. Knowing that we had five weapons on the floor that could make the winning play, I think it made us very confident and we were able to sustain our composure,” the former Gilas captain added. THE GHOST AND ITS CURSE Shin Dong Pa, Hur Jae, Lee Sang-min, Oh Se-Keun, TJ Moon, and Cho Sung-min are just some players from the South Korean national team that inflicted incredible damage to the Philippines over the course of decades. The dreaded Ghost of South Korea takes form in these players and its curse is to give Filipinos the most heart-crushing loss possible. In 2013, the Ghost was Kim Min-goo and his curse was to beat Gilas Pilipinas in Manila. Despite losing Marcus Douthit and trailing by three points at the break, the Philippines started to turn the tables in the second half. Gilas Pilipinas unleashed Jayson Castro and the Blur led a blazing offense in the third quarter, finding a way to take a 10-point lead over South Korea, the Philippines’ largest of the night. But as the dust settled and Gilas holding a 65-56 lead entering the final period, an ominous figure would make his presence felt. The Korean Ghost has arrived and his name was Kim Min-goo. His curse? Beat Gilas Pilipinas in Manila. Kim was 22 and a senior in college when he made the South Korean national basketball team as a backup shooter in 2013. In nine games in Manila, Kim would play well enough to make the tournament’s All-Star team, averaging 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He led Asian Championships with 25 three-point field goals, 10 came in the last two games and five came against Gilas Pilipinas. Kim drilled back-to-back triples to open the fourth quarter against the Philippines. Later, his fifth triple — a four-point play at that — pushed the Koreans to within a point, 72-73. South Korea would take over soon after as Lee Seung-jun dunked the basketball on a fastbreak. The Ghost has arrived and his curse is in effect. “Ako pumasok sa isip ko yun nung lumamang Korea, na putek ito na naman,” Pingris said. “Pero ang sabi ko, sayang yung opportunity, kaya naman eh. So sabi ni Jimmy samin, no matter what happens wag kami gi-give up. Pinaghirapan natin to at may goal tayo, this year aalis tayo,” he added, noting the team’s goal to get into Spain and compete with the world’s best national teams. Faced with the possibility of dealing with a devastating defeat, Gilas had enough mental fortitude to keep things going. Trust your system, trust your preparation, trust your crowd, trust your teammates, and more importantly, trust yourselves. “You’re never out of the game if you’re playing at home,” Norwood said as they stared a deficit late against their destined rivals. “I think that was our mindset, keep it close and just find a way,” he added. Jimmy Alapag found a way. BORN READY Down 73-75, Jimmy Alapag was under heavy duress when he let go of a three-pointer from the left wing just in front of his bench. It was good to go. The Philippines was back on top by one as Alapag somehow managed to get his team to snap out of an initial shock following Korea’s strong fourth-quarter rally. The stage is now set for a wild finish and Jimmy will star in the final act of what has been an incredible show by Gilas and South Korea. “In situations like that, as an athlete and as a pro, that’s the situations that you dream about,” Alapag said. “Those are shots that you practice when you were a kid. When the shot clock is winding down, to have an opportunity to knock down a shot. It’s a shot that I practiced thousands of times,” he added. After the Philippines and South Korea traded baskets for the lead, Alapag made perhaps the most underrated play in this crazy and emotional encounter between two basketball rivals. Tasked with inbounding the ball just near underneath his own basket, Alapag found his Talk ‘N Text teammate Ranidel De Ocampo for an open look at three. Swish. Gilas leads, 81-77, with 91 seconds to go. “Ranidel was my favorite target for a very, very long time in my career,” Alapag said on the play that most people probably don’t even remember. “Once I saw that he got open, I wanted to make sure that I gave him as great a pass as possible and Ranidel has been known for a long time to take care of the rest,” he added. THE EXORCIST “Yeah, I was right under the basket,” Gabe Norwood says with a laugh when asked if he remembers the shot that changed the course of Gilas Pilipinas as a national team. Late in the fourth quarter of what was essentially a heavyweight bout, the Philippines just landed two strong haymakers but South Korea would refuse to go down without a fight, beating the count of 10 each time. Down to the final minute of a crucial grudge match with a World Cup berth on the line, Jimmy Alapag had his hands on the basketball as Gilas would go to its halfcourt set. Jimmy will never let go of said basketball. Up two, Jimmy did what Olsen wished he could 11 years prior. Up two against South Korea in a pivotal semifinal game, Alapag received a screen from Marc Pingris, which was enough to momentarily shake off Kim Tae-sul. With some room, Alapag drifted to his left and let a three-point shot fly. Boom. Gilas leads, 84-79, with 54 seconds to go. The shot would later be remembered as the one that ended the Korean Curse, the one that finally exorcised the Ghost. “The first thought that came to my mind was don’t miss,” Jimmy said of the clutch jumper. “That last one, Ping sets a good screen and I got a clean look. It’s a shot that myself, and Jayson [Castro], and Larry [Fonacier], and Gary [David], and Jeff [Chan], all of us, we practice that shot time and time again after practice. So you know, it was a shot that I was confident in but in that moment, all you’re thinking about was don’t miss,” he added. It’s one thing to be confident in yourself and to be confidednt in your preparation. It’s a different thing to actually perform under such pressure. As soon as Alapag managed to shoot his shot, Gabe Norwood did what any other good teammate would do and got in position to get the offensive rebound. You know, just in case. Gabe got the ball alright, but he got it after it swished through the rim. “When he put the shot up, I tried to crash for the rebound but I basically knew that it was going in,” he said. “I had probably the best view, I was right under the basket. I think caught it after it went through too,” Norwood added. Alapag checked out moments later as the Philippines went to its defensive lineup in order to stop another Korean comeback. South Korea turned to its most effective shooter in Kim and as he rose up to try and answer Alapag’s triple, Norwood met him at the apex for the game’s most dramatic stop. Gabe blocked Kim and Gilas would finish things off with a final Marc Pingris basket on the other end. A historic 86-79 win was complete. “I still get chills thinking about it, to look up and see grown men just breaking down. My wife was trying to hold my kids and she was holding back tears. It was just an awesome moment, the bond that we had on that team, the stuff that we did to get prepare, I think we poured it all out in that game,” Norwood said on the monumental victory. “I think it probably didn’t hit me until the final buzzer sounded. Not just for me but for the entire team, when that final buzzer sounded, it was such a special group of guys and the fact that we could share that moment with not just with each other but the entire country, it’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Alapag added, savoring the moment of a Philippine win over Korea 28 years in the making. THE INTRODUCTION Gilas Pilipinas would lose to Iran the next day in the Finals of the 2013 FIBA-Asia Championships. The Philippines put up a fight but Hamed Haddadi would prove to be too powerful to stop. It would take another two years for Gilas to beat Iran but that didn’t really matter in the moment. The Philippines is headed to the World Championships for the first time in three decades. The Philippines has beaten South Korea and one singular shot has allowed the Gilas name to be known around the world. Jimmy wouldn’t say that though. At least not directly in that way. “For me, that shot was the biggest for my career. But really, it was our entire team. We’ve gone through so much and that was just one particular play that really culminated the entire game and all the contributions from other guys from Gabe’s defense, to Ping’s rebounding, to Japeth’s rim protecting, to Jayson and LA doing a lot of the legwork,” Alapag said. “Everybody had their part in contribution to the game. After the shot, after the buzzer sounded, it was just a very special moment for us as a team and for Philippine basketball to show that all of the sacrifices, all of the hard work, now it’s given an opportunity to re-introduce ourselves to the world,” he added. Jimmy wouldn’t say it, but his teammates would. That shot of his that beat South Korea in the 2013 FIBA-Asia Championships introduced the Gilas name to the world. It announced that the Philippines has finally arrived. Gilas’ breakthrough overtime win a year later in Spain against Senegal — a game Jimmy pretty much decided late as well — made it known that Filipinos are here to stay on the World stage. “I would say so, it got us to where we wanted to be in the World Cup. I think we shocked some people there as well. But just the work that went in, I think it showed the country that we can get back to where we want to be as long as you work together,” Norwood said. “Yung puso ni Jimmy, grabe naman. Makikita mo maliit pero gusto lang niya talaga manalo. Ang liit pero parang lion pag nagalit eh, nandoon yung tiwala namin sa kanya. Ano pa ba masasabi mo, Jimmy is Jimmy Alapag,” Pingris would add. [NOTES: At the time of original publishing, Gilas Pilipinas was fighting to make a return trip to the FIBA World Cup, this time in China in 2019. To secure its slot, the the Philippine national team needed to beat Kazakhstan in Astana plus a loss from Japan, Jordan, and/or Lebanon. One of the teams that can help Gilas is South Korea... ironically. Jimmy Alapag retired from national team play in 2014 and retired playing for good in 2016. He has since made himself a champion basketball coach in the ABL. Marc Pingris suffered an ACL injury in 2018 and is in the process of returning for his PBA team in the current 2019 season. Gabe Norwood is still in Gilas. He’s still an effective two-way weapon. He can still dunk and will stop your best player too.] [Updated Notes: The Philippines beat Kazakhstan to make the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China. Gilas got help from... South Korea. The Koreans beat Lebanon on the road, allowing Gilas to advance to the World Championships outright with a victory over Kazakhstan.] — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
Japan begins release of water from Fukushima nuclear plant
Japan began releasing wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant on Thursday in an operation it insists is safe but has generated a fierce backlash from China. The beginning of the discharge of around 540 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water into the Pacific over several decades is a big step in decommissioning the still highly dangerous site 12 years after one of the world's worst nuclear accidents. Live video provided by plant operator TEPCO showed engineers behind computer screens and an official saying -- after a countdown -- that the "valves near the seawater transport pumps are opening." Monitors from the UN atomic watchdog, which has endorsed the plan, were due to be on site for the procedure, while TEPCO workers were scheduled to take water samples later on Thursday. Ahead of the operation, about 10 people held a protest near the site and around 100 others gathered outside TEPCO headquarters in Tokyo, AFP journalists said. "It's like dumping an atomic bomb in the ocean. Japan is the first country that was attacked with an atomic bomb in the world, and the prime minister of the country made this decision," said Kenichi Sato, 68. China's environment ministry on Thursday blasted Japan's plan as "extremely selfish and irresponsible", saying it would "track and study" the impact on its waters. - Multiple meltdowns - With around 1,000 steel containers holding the water, TEPCO has said it needs to clear space for the removal of highly dangerous radioactive nuclear fuel and rubble from the wrecked reactors. Three of the reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi facility in northeastern Japan went into meltdown following a massive earthquake and tsunami that killed around 18,000 people in 2011. Since then, TEPCO has collected 1.34 million cubic metres of water contaminated as it cooled the wrecked reactors, along with groundwater and rain that has seeped in. TEPCO will carry out four releases of the treated water from Thursday until March 2024. The first discharge will take about 17 days. About 5 trillion becquerels -- a measure of radioactivity -- of tritium will be released this fiscal year, TEPCO added. Japan insists that all radioactive elements have been filtered out except the tritium, levels of which are harmless and lower than what is discharged by operational nuclear power plants, including in China. This is backed by most experts. "When released into the Pacific, the tritium is further diluted into a vast body of water and would quickly get to a radioactivity level which is not discernibly different from normal seawater," said Tom Scott from the University of Bristol in England. "Hence, it poses very little risk and the risk itself decreases with time due to the relatively short radioactive half-life... meaning that the amount of tritium (and hence the risk) continually reduces." - Sushi safety - Not everyone is convinced, with environmental group Greenpeace saying that the filtration process is flawed, and China and Russia suggesting the water be vaporised and released into the atmosphere instead. China has accused Japan of treating the Pacific like a "sewer", and even before the release, Beijing banned food imports from 10 out of 47 Japanese prefectures and imposed radiation checks. Hong Kong and Macau, both Chinese territories, followed suit this week. Restaurants in Beijing and Hong Kong serving sushi and sashimi are already reeling from the restrictions. "About 80 percent of the seafood products we use come from Japan," Hong Kong caterer Jasy Choi, who runs a small kitchen for takeaway Japanese food, told AFP. "If more than half of my Japan-imported ingredients are affected, then it would be difficult for me to continue to operate." Analysts said that while China may have genuine safety concerns, its strong reaction is also at least in part motivated by its economic rivalry and frosty relations with Japan. The South Korean government, which is seeking to improve ties with Japan, has not objected although many ordinary people are worried and have staged protests. Social media posts in China and South Korea have included false claims about the release including doctored images of deformed fish with claims they were linked to Fukushima. burs-stu/cwl © Agence France-Presse The post Japan begins release of water from Fukushima nuclear plant appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan begins release of water from Fukushima nuclear plant
Japan began releasing wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant on Thursday in an operation it insists is safe but has generated a fierce backlash from China. The beginning of the discharge of around 540 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water into the Pacific over several decades is a big step in decommissioning the still highly dangerous site 12 years after one of the world's worst nuclear accidents. Live video provided by plant operator TEPCO showed engineers behind computer screens and an official saying -- after a countdown -- that the "valves near the seawater transport pumps are opening." Monitors from the UN atomic watchdog, which has endorsed the plan, were due to be on site for the procedure, while TEPCO workers were scheduled to take water samples later on Thursday. Ahead of the operation, about 10 people held a protest near the site and around 100 others gathered outside TEPCO headquarters in Tokyo, AFP journalists said. "It's like dumping an atomic bomb in the ocean. Japan is the first country that was attacked with an atomic bomb in the world, and the prime minister of the country made this decision," said Kenichi Sato, 68. China's environment ministry on Thursday blasted Japan's plan as "extremely selfish and irresponsible", saying it would "track and study" the impact on its waters. Multiple meltdowns With around 1,000 steel containers holding the water, TEPCO has said it needs to clear space for the removal of highly dangerous radioactive nuclear fuel and rubble from the wrecked reactors. Three of the reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi facility in northeastern Japan went into meltdown following a massive earthquake and tsunami that killed around 18,000 people in 2011. Since then, TEPCO has collected 1.34 million cubic metres of water contaminated as it cooled the wrecked reactors, along with groundwater and rain that has seeped in. TEPCO will carry out four releases of the treated water from Thursday until March 2024. The first discharge will take about 17 days. About 5 trillion becquerels -- a measure of radioactivity -- of tritium will be released this fiscal year, TEPCO added. Japan insists that all radioactive elements have been filtered out except the tritium, levels of which are harmless and lower than what is discharged by operational nuclear power plants, including in China. This is backed by most experts. "When released into the Pacific, the tritium is further diluted into a vast body of water and would quickly get to a radioactivity level which is not discernibly different from normal seawater," said Tom Scott from the University of Bristol in England. "Hence, it poses very little risk and the risk itself decreases with time due to the relatively short radioactive half-life... meaning that the amount of tritium (and hence the risk) continually reduces." Sushi safety Not everyone is convinced, with environmental group Greenpeace saying that the filtration process is flawed, and China and Russia suggesting the water be vaporised and released into the atmosphere instead. China has accused Japan of treating the Pacific like a "sewer", and even before the release, Beijing banned food imports from 10 out of 47 Japanese prefectures and imposed radiation checks. Hong Kong and Macau, both Chinese territories, followed suit this week. Restaurants in Beijing and Hong Kong serving sushi and sashimi are already reeling from the restrictions. "About 80 percent of the seafood products we use come from Japan," Hong Kong caterer Jasy Choi, who runs a small kitchen for takeaway Japanese food, told AFP. "If more than half of my Japan-imported ingredients are affected, then it would be difficult for me to continue to operate." Analysts said that while China may have genuine safety concerns, its strong reaction is also at least in part motivated by its economic rivalry and frosty relations with Japan. The South Korean government, which is seeking to improve ties with Japan, has not objected although many ordinary people are worried and have staged protests. Social media posts in China and South Korea have included false claims about the release including doctored images of deformed fish with claims they were linked to Fukushima. The post Japan begins release of water from Fukushima nuclear plant appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lost gem
The Philippines has lost yet another gem after fencing sensation Maxine Esteban underwent naturalization to be eligible to see action for Ivory Coast in major international tournaments. Esteban’s departure is a huge slap in the faces of Filipino sports officials. Aside from being a four-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines champion for Ateneo de Manila University, Esteban is also an eight-time national titleholder and emerged as No. 16 in the world junior ranking. Her stock soared even higher when she hired legendary Italian mentor, Andrea Magro, who helped her become the No. 62 fencer in the world — the highest ranking ever reached by a Filipino. The way she was performing, the Paris Olympics seemed within reach. But things didn’t go according to plan. Esteban tore her anterior cruciate ligament while representing the country in the World Fencing Championship in July last year. Although it wasn’t really bad, Esteban still spent her own resources to go to Australia for surgery and worked double time to recover, hoping to see action in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last month. Eventually, Esteban was given the green light to compete by noted sports surgeon Dr. Edgar Eufemio in December, towing away the massive roadblock for her return to the national team. But for some reason, the Philippine Fencing Association didn’t reinstate her. She was dropped from the national roster. Without a team, Esteban trained and immersed herself in the Ivory Coast — a West African country that is known more for its lovely beaches and world-class cocoa beans than for being a global sports powerhouse. The Ivorians welcomed Esteban with open arms as she spent a lot of time there holding fencing clinics for young children and other outreach projects for the less fortunate. With that, officials of the Ivory Coast fencing federation immediately processed her naturalization papers in a bid to make her their entry to the next Summer Games, after Gbahi-Gwladys Sakoa who competed in the women’s epee event at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. The PFA and the Philippine Olympic Committee released Esteban to Ivory Coast without any resistance, even requesting the International Fencing Federation to waive the three-year waiting period for Esteban so she could immediately compete for her new country in international events that offer ranking points for the Paris Olympics. In a letter to Nathalie Rodriguez, chief executive officer of the world governing body in fencing, PFA president Richard Gomez said they supported Esteban’s decision to join Ivory Coast as they believed in the Olympic spirit that “sports has no nationality.” POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, for his part, said he supported Esteban’s goal of sharing her talent with a country like Ivory Coast. And just like that, Esteban — the country’s former top fencer — is gone. The Philippines’ loss is Ivory Coast’s gain. Esteban’s case is another heartbreaking story of “what could have been” in Philippine sports. We’d seen it before when chess wizard Wesley Go pledged allegiance to the United States after failing to collect his incentives for winning the gold medal in the 2013 Summer Universiade and when golf sensation Yuka Saso opted to carry the colors of Japan for better opportunities. Esteban could have been a national treasure, an elite athlete like Manny Pacquiao or Hidilyn Diaz, given the opportunity to compete in major international events. She is smart, pretty, hard-working, and very talented. She also comes from a well-off family and didn’t mind spending a fortune to get the best training from the world’s best coaches so she could bring honor to the country. But the country failed her. Instead of being repaid for her love and sacrifices for the past 10 years, she was sacked from the national team after suffering an injury while representing the country in a world-class tournament. Is this how we treat our national athletes? Esteban is a gem of an athlete. She will surely shine wherever she goes — even in the vast deserts of Africa. The post Lost gem appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Olympic sponsor gets prison term
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) -- The former chairman of a Tokyo 2020 Olympics sponsor was handed a suspended prison sentence along with two others in the first convictions in a spiraling bribery scandal surrounding the event. Corruption allegations have mushroomed in the aftermath of the pandemic-delayed Games, implicating major companies and damaging Japan's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in Sapporo. Hironori Aoki, the 84-year-old ex-head of high-street business suit retailer Aoki Holdings, received a suspended prison term of two and a half years, a Tokyo District Court spokesman told AFP. Aoki pleaded guilty in December to accusations that he and two colleagues bribed a Tokyo 2020 board member to secure sponsorship rights, according to Japanese media. "These criminal acts damaged social trust in the fair operation of the Games, which attracted world attention and were important for the country," judge Kenji Yasunaga said Friday in comments reported by Jiji Press. Aoki, who had instructed a colleague at the time to destroy evidence, "wanted to pursue the interests of his company," the judge said. Prosecutors had sought immediate jail for the businessman, but instead the court handed down Friday's sentence, suspended for four years. Aoki Holdings was an official partner of the 2020 Olympics -- which were held largely without spectators in 2021 because of Covid -- allowing the firm to use the event's logo and sell officially licensed products. Aoki was arrested in August along with two ex-colleagues and former Tokyo 2020 board member Haruyuki Takahashi. The two ex-colleagues also received suspended jail sentences on Friday, one for a year and the other for 18 months. Takahashi, who is facing several separate bribery charges, has reportedly pleaded not guilty. Takahashi allegedly received $380,000 which he understood to be "thank-you money for the beneficial and preferential treatment" of Aoki Holdings, according to prosecution documents. An Aoki Holdings spokeswoman told AFP: "We take the ruling seriously and will do our utmost to prevent a recurrence and regain trust from our customers." Other parties involved in bribery allegations include a major publishing firm and a merchandise company licensed to sell soft toys of the Games' mascots. The former president of ADK Holdings, Japan's third-largest advertising agency, has pleaded guilty to offering Takahashi over $100,000. Meanwhile, in a separate strand of allegations, senior Tokyo 2020 organizing committee official Yasuo Mori and three others have been arrested on suspicion of rigging a string of Games-related tenders. And in February, Japan's biggest advertising agency, Dentsu Group, was indicted along with five other companies for allegedly violating an anti-monopoly law. As investigations continue, the country's Olympic chief warned this month that Japan could push its Winter Olympics bid back four years to 2034. Japanese Olympic Committee president Yasuhiro Yamashita said it would be "difficult to move ahead without gaining people's understanding" following the scandals. The allegations are not the first-time questions have been raised about alleged impropriety around Tokyo 2020, which took place during a Covid state of emergency and against the backdrop of public anger. The then-head of Japan's Olympic Committee, Tsunekazu Takeda, stepped down in 2019 as French authorities probed his alleged involvement in payments made before Tokyo was awarded the event. He denies wrongdoing. The post Olympic sponsor gets prison term appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan ‘cornered’ on Tokyo Olympics, says national committee member
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan has been backed into a corner over the Tokyo Games, a member of the country’s Olympic committee said Friday, arguing the virus-postponed event has “lost meaning” — but adding that it’s too late to cancel. Public opposition to holding the Olympics this summer remains high, but organizers insist they will […] The post Japan ‘cornered’ on Tokyo Olympics, says national committee member appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
IOC wants safe and secure Games, outlines vaccine stance
The International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday it was determined "safe and secure" Tokyo Games would go ahead and that while it urged participants to be vaccinated, that was only part of its Covid-19 "toolbox"......»»
Tokyo games & lsquo;safe and secure& rsquo; despite virus emergency
Tokyo---Tokyo Olympics organizers insisted Friday that the coronavirus-postponed Games will still go ahead despite Japan declaring a state of emergency less than 200 days before the opening ceremony......»»
Chooks 3x3 goes pro; set to start new season inside bubble
The new season of Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 will be its first as a professional league. Last Tuesday, the Philippines' pioneering 3x3 league was granted professional status by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB). "In the board meeting of GAB, we have received and accepted the request of Chooks 3x3 to turn professional," chairman Abraham Mitra said in the online press conference announcing the development on Wednesday. This means that Chooks 3x3 has given yet another reason for basketball players to consider a route running parallel to traditional 5-on-5. "This will provide our players the opportunity to explore possibilities of a professional career in 3x3. I really believe that we Filipinos have a very strong chance at excelling in this sport," league commissioner Eric Altamirano said. The development is nothing but welcome for Chooks 3x3 league officials, especially owner and founder Ronald Mascarinas who has long stood behind the upstart sport. "This will help strengthen our drive in becoming a dominant force in 3x3 all over the world," Altamirano said. At present, the Philippines has risen to 22nd in the world and fourth in Asia in the FIBA rankings, with much thanks to Chooks 3x3's first two seasons as well as Chooks-to-Go's support of Philippine teams playing in international tournaments. Altamirano has no doubt that would only continue now that the league will operate as a professional entity come its new season penciled in for September to February. For that, Chooks 3x3 would be borrowing the NBA's bubble concept - holding all its games and practices in a facility in Calamba, Laguna. There, the league would take all the necessary steps for its players, staff, and everybody else involved to be safe and secure. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
Error-prone AI chatbot dog leads Japan’s elderly astray
A cartoon canine AI chatbot designed to cheer up and inform lonely older residents of western Japan is in the doghouse after providing error-laden responses. Powered by generative artificial intelligence, "Dai-chan" was this year launched by Osaka authorities who called it the first of its kind in a country where one in 10 people is age 80 or older. But the chatbot, which features a Shiba Inu cartoon dog and answers in the Osaka dialect, has shown itself far from faithful to the truth. When a user asked about the World Expo planned in Osaka in 2025, the dog incorrectly responded that the event was cancelled. That answer gained public attention, with Japanese newspapers and broadcasters reporting on the dog who got the wrong end of the stick. "Dai-chan, you're good," one social media user joked. Despite slow progress and budget challenges, the world fair is still scheduled to go ahead. Among other incorrect answers, Dai-chan said the "G7 foreign ministers' meeting will be held on November 4" rather than the slated November 7-8. Asked by an AFP reporter if the mooted Sapporo Olympic Games will be pushed back, the bot dog said: "The Sapporo Olympics is postponed! It's not cancelled so I look forward to it!" Earlier this month, the Japanese Olympic Committee said Sapporo had given up its bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics as public support for hosting the games waned after a string of corruption scandals over the 2020 Tokyo Games. Asked about the decision, Dai-chan responded: "The Olympic Committee decided to postpone! It is a decision considering safety! Good job, the Olympic Committee!" The government has defended the chatbot. Its purpose "is to broaden communication base for elderly people and not to give correct answer every time, and users seem to be enjoying Dai-chan with an understanding of the limits of what generative AI can do," an Osaka official in charge of the project told AFP. "Dai-chan is designed as a talking dog that is 10 years old (in terms of human intelligence) tasked with preventing elderly residents from becoming isolated," Osaka governor Hirofumi Yoshimura told Japanese media. Asked by AFP for his reaction, Dai-chan said: "Yes, yes, I often make mistakes, but it's a bit hard that people report about it. But making mistakes is part of growth, isn't it?" The post Error-prone AI chatbot dog leads Japan’s elderly astray appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PGA Tour Player Blog: Always at home in Japan
Xander Schauffele, the World No. 6, will make his fifth straight appearance at the Zozo Championship in Japan this week with every intention of completing a famous “double” where he also won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021......»»
Ukraine left out in cold by US shutdown deal
The future of US aid for Ukraine hangs in the balance after a last-gasp deal to avoid a government shutdown, despite President Joe Biden's attempts to reassure Kyiv it will get what it needs to fight Russia. Barely a week after President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Washington appealing for more funds, the compromise struck in Congress late Sunday dropped new funding for Ukraine amid opposition from hardline Republicans. Biden and his Democratic party say America has a duty to help Ukraine stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin's brutal invasion, warning that a failure to do so could embolden other autocrats in the future. But the issue has become so politicized in Washington that the fate of vital military aid is now in jeopardy, just as Kyiv tries to make progress in its sluggish counteroffensive before winter sets in. Biden urged Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Sunday to "stop the games" and said he "fully expects" him to secure passage of a separate bill for Ukraine funding soon. "I want to assure our American allies, the American people, and the people in Ukraine that you can count on our support. We will not walk away," Biden said in an address from the White House. Ukraine played down the blow, saying Sunday it was "actively working with its American partners" to ensure new wartime aid. Josep Borrell, the top diplomat for the European Union -- a major US partner in delivering aid to Ukraine -- said the bloc was "surprised" by the last-minute deal and "regret (the US decision) deeply, thoroughly." "I have a hope that this will not be a definitive decision and Ukraine will continue having the support of the US," he said. The post Ukraine left out in cold by US shutdown deal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Second round of Fukushima wastewater release to start next week
Japan will begin releasing a second batch of wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant from next week, its operator has said, an exercise that angered China and others when it began in August. On 24 August, Japan began discharging into the Pacific some of the 1.34 million tons of wastewater that has collected since a tsunami crippled the facility in 2011. "The inspections following the first release have been completed... The (second) discharge will start on 5 October," TEPCO said on Thursday. China banned all Japanese seafood imports after the first release, which ended on September 11, despite Tokyo's insistence that the operation poses no risk. Russia, whose relations with Japan are also frosty, is reportedly considering following suit on a seafood ban. In the first phase around 7,800 tons of water were released into the Pacific out of a planned total of 1.34 million tons, equivalent to more than 500 Olympic swimming pools. TEPCO says that the water has been filtered of all radioactive elements except tritium, which is within safe levels. That view is backed by the UN atomic agency. China has accused Japan of using the ocean like a "sewer", accusations echoed at the United Nations last week by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare of the Solomon Islands, who has developed close relations with Beijing. The release, which is expected to take decades to complete, is aimed at making space to eventually begin removing the highly dangerous radioactive fuel and rubble from the wrecked reactors. "As was the case for the first discharge, we will continue to monitor the tritium levels. We will continue to inform the public in ways that are easy to understand based on scientific evidence," TEPCO official Akira Ono told reporters Thursday. Despite China's ban on Japanese seafood imports, Chinese boats are reportedly continuing to catch fish off Japan in the same areas that Japanese vessels operate. Rahm Emanuel, the US ambassador to Japan, last week posted photos of what he said were Chinese fishing boats off Japan on 15 September. "They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Chinese vessels fishing off Japan's coast on September 15th, post China's seafood embargo from the same waters," Emanuel said on social media platform X. The post Second round of Fukushima wastewater release to start next week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biggest-ever Asian Games ready for liftoff in China after Covid delay
The biggest Asian Games in history, boasting about 12,000 competitors -- more than the Olympics -- will open on Saturday in the Chinese city of Hangzhou after a year's delay because of Covid. Athletes including world and Olympic champions will fight for medals in 40 sports from athletics, swimming and football to eSports and bridge. Nine sports, among them boxing, break dancing and tennis, will serve as qualifiers for next year's Paris Olympics. The Games were supposed to take place last September but were postponed because of China's strict zero-Covid rules, before China's ruling Communist Party abruptly abandoned the policy. The 19th edition of the Games, which were first held in New Delhi in 1951, throws together competitors from 45 countries and territories across Asia and the Middle East. For China, which hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics in a Covid-secure "bubble" in Beijing, it is a chance to show off its organizational, sporting and technological prowess after the pandemic years cut the country off from the sporting world. "We have overcome a lot of challenges but we are now fully conditioned to hold a successful Games," Chen Weiqiang, chief spokesperson for the Games, said on Wednesday. Sport meets politics The Games will be staged at 54 venues -- 14 newly constructed -- mostly in Hangzhou but also extending to cities as far afield as Wenzhou, 300 kilometres (180 miles) south. The centerpiece is the "Big Lotus" Olympic stadium with a capacity of up to 80,000 where athletics and the opening and closing ceremonies will be staged. President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony and meet Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad there, along with other visiting leaders, Chinese state media says. Assad is making his first visit to ally China since the war erupted in Syria in 2011. Russian President Vladimir Putin likewise attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, along with Xi, and weeks later launched the invasion of Ukraine. Hangzhou, a city of 12 million people an hour's bullet train from Shanghai, is famed in China for its ancient temples, gardens and its beloved West Lake. It is also the unofficial home of China's tech industry, notably the birth place of Jack Ma's Alibaba. The Games will showcase some of the latest tech to come out of the city, including driverless buses, robot dogs and facial recognition. China medal dash Hosts China have topped the medals table at every Asian Games since 1982 and are expected to do so again by the time the curtain comes down on October 8. They should reign in swimming, with Qin Haiyang fresh from his heroics at the world championships, where he announced himself as the new undisputed breaststroke king. The 24-year-old swept all three men's events and set a new world record in the 200m. In athletics, another of the most closely watched sports, India's Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra will defend his Asian Games javelin crown. His nearest competitor should be world silver medalist Arshad Nadeem from arch-rivals Pakistan and the countries are also on a collision course in cricket and hockey. ESports, in what is seen as a step toward Olympic inclusion one day, will make its full Asian Games debut having been a demonstration sport five years ago. Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as "Faker", has god-like status in League of Legends and will lead the South Korean charge at the futuristic-looking China Hangzhou Esports Centre. There is an added incentive which has caused controversy in South Korea -- winning gold will exempt them from having to do military service. A feature of the Asian Games is that it includes sports that are a little more quirky than the Olympics. Xiangqi -- also known as "Chinese chess" -- the card game bridge and the ancient wrestling discipline of kurash are all on the menu. Although the Games officially open on Saturday, the sporting action began on Tuesday, when North Korea returned to major international competition for the first time since the pandemic with a 2-0 win over Taiwan in men's football. The post Biggest-ever Asian Games ready for liftoff in China after Covid delay appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A resounding FIBA World Cup hosting success
In 2007, sports patron and prominent business executive Manny V. Pangilinan flew to Geneva to mend the country’s scarred relationship with FIBA when the Philippines was suspended due to a struggle between the Basketball Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Olympic Committee. Over the years, MVP, along with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas or SBP, were able to make amends and formed a strong bond with FIBA. And as they say, the rest was history. MVP’s vision to host the FIBA World Cup in a tri-nation bid was approved. The country, together with Japan and Indonesia, was granted to host the 2023 FIBA World Cup, with 32 teams competing for the coveted Naismith trophy for the 2023 Last Sunday, the World Cup curtain finally closed, with several records written, erased, and etched in FIBA history. First, the expanded World Cup adopted by the organizers successfully achieved a more competitive playing field. Nine of the 32 that came to this World Cup did not play in the previous World Cup. After two weeks of grueling competition, six of the eight countries that previously entered the quarterfinals in the 2019 World Cup failed to advance to the next round. Argentina, France, Spain, Poland, Australia, and the Czech Republic were eliminated earlier in the group stages, with only the US and Serbia moving to the semi-final round. Second, for the first time since it participated in the tournament, Germany won the World Cup championship, beating all its opponents in the elimination rounds for an immaculate 7-0 and completing an 8-0 game sweep by beating Serbia in the final, 83-77. FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis was quoted by AP saying the expanded qualification field “has changed global basketball on the men’s side.” Third, the three host countries had record-breaking attendance, a rousing success for the tri-nation hosting of the world’s biggest basketball show. Across 92 games in 15 days in five different venues (three in Manila, one each in Okinawa and Jakarta), Zagklis said the World Cup drew a total of 700,000 fans pending the final numbers from the bronze-medal match between USA and Canada and Serbia-Germany finale. In the opener on 25 August, the Philippines tallied a World Cup record featuring 38,115 fans who witnessed the thrilling battle between home team Gilas Pilipinas and the Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. The milestone highlighted the Philippines’ hosting and smashed the previous record of 32,616 spectators who watched the gold medal match between the USA and Russia in the 1994 games in Toronto, Canada. Zaglis was all praises for the three countries, especially the Philippines, whom he described as an excellent host. “I don’t think it’s easy to find anywhere in the world that has this kind of service to the visitors. Always with a smile and kindness and with a solution-oriented approach. I can only express how grateful FIBA is to the Philippines,” Zaglis said. SBP president Al S. Panlilio had mixed emotions as the FIBA World Cup ended. “We have proven that our country can host a global basketball event as huge as the FIBA World Cup. Everyone involved — the local organizing committee, various private and public stakeholders, volunteers, peace and order personnel, traffic enforcers, the LGUs, and basketball-loving Pinoys who bravely trooped to the venues to watch the games — must be congratulated for making the event a whopping success.” “But there’s also a feeling of extreme bittersweetness as it comes to an end, yet overshadowed by extreme hopefulness for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar,” he added. Panlilio spearheaded the country’s bid for the multiple-nation hosting of the World Cup along with MVP, SBP chairman emeritus, in 2017. He acknowledged what MVP did to bring the FIBA World Cup to the Philippines with his creative vision of bidding for multi-nation hosting. “It was a privilege to help realize that creative vision by collaboratively working with various groups and stakeholders and successfully hosting the World Cup. We are proud of the effort everyone contributed to make this huge undertaking a monumental and amazing feat,” Panlilio said. The post A resounding FIBA World Cup hosting success appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan PM eats ‘safe and delicious’ Fukushima fish
Japan's prime minister ate what he called "safe and delicious" fish from Fukushima on Wednesday, days after wastewater was released from the area's crippled nuclear plant into the Pacific. A video clip showing Fumio Kishida eating Fukushima fish, published on social media by his office, comes after China banned all seafood imports from its neighbor following the discharge that began on 24 August. "This is very good," Kishida said as he chewed on a slice of flounder sashimi, calling on viewers to enjoy "safe and delicious" Japanese seafood to support the northeastern region. The clip, overlaid by cheery music, showed the conservative leader joined by three other ministers at his office for sashimi, boiled pork, fruits, rice and vegetables from the Fukushima region. It was designed to promote products from the area 12 years after Fukushima was devastated by a huge earthquake and tsunami that triggered one of the world's worst nuclear disasters. Even before the wastewater release, many in Japan's fishing industry were worried about what it would do to the reputation of the country's seafood domestically and abroad. The discharge, equivalent to more than 500 Olympic swimming pools, is expected to take decades and will allow engineers to start removing highly dangerous radioactive fuel from three wrecked reactors. Bricks and eggs have been thrown at Japanese schools and consulates in China and Tokyo has advised its nationals there to keep a low profile. Businesses in Japan have also been swamped with nuisance calls from Chinese numbers. Kishida was expected to visit Tokyo's main Toyosu fish market on Thursday to sample more Fukushima fish. Japan has demanded that China -- its biggest market for fish -- drop its ban on seafood imports while warning it will complain to the World Trade Organization. Kishida's government is also reportedly planning a package of financial aid for the fishing industry while also helping it find new export markets. Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reiterated on Wednesday that the water being released was safe according to the UN watchdog. In a show of support for Japan, the US ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, was due to visit the Fukushima area on Thursday and eat locally caught seafood. The post Japan PM eats ‘safe and delicious’ Fukushima fish appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan PM condemns China over stone throwing at embassy, schools
Japan's prime minister urged China to ensure its people "act in a calm and responsible manner" after instances of stones being thrown at diplomatic missions and schools, following the release of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant. Last week, China banned all seafood imports from its neighbor as Japan began releasing cooling water from the Fukushima plant in an operation that Tokyo and the United Nation's nuclear watchdog have said is safe. Since then, Japan has urged its citizens in China to keep a low profile and has increased security around schools and diplomatic missions. Businesses in Japan have meanwhile been swamped with nuisance calls from Chinese numbers. "There have been numerous harassment calls believed to originate from China and instances of stones being thrown at the Japanese embassy and Japanese schools. It must be said these are regrettable," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday. "We summoned the Chinese ambassador to Japan today and strongly urged him to call on Chinese people to act in a calm and responsible manner," Kishida told reporters. Japan's Deputy Foreign Minister Masataka Okano told the ambassador, Wu Jianghao, that China should properly inform the public "rather than unnecessarily raising people's concerns by providing information that is not based on scientific evidence", the foreign ministry said in a statement. Low profile Asked what action Beijing would take over the stone throwing, Beijing's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday that China "always protects the safety and legitimate rights and interests of foreigners in China, in accordance with law". "We strongly urge the Japanese side to face up to the legitimate concerns of all parties, immediately stop the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, fully consult with its neighbors and other stakeholders, and earnestly dispose of nuclear-contaminated water in a responsible manner," Wang told a regular briefing. On Sunday, Japan's foreign ministry urged its citizens in to China to be "cautious in your speech and behavior. Do not speak Japanese unnecessarily or too loudly". "If you need to visit a Japanese embassy, consulate general, or Japanese school, pay close attention to your surroundings," it added. "If you happen to come across a protest or other such activities, do not approach them and do not take pictures of them with your smartphones." A range of businesses in Japan, from bakeries to an aquarium, have reportedly been subjected to thousands of crank calls that have included abusive and racist language. Social media users in China have posted recordings and videos of the calls, some of which have attracted tens of thousands of likes. 'Scientifically justified process' Japan began releasing more than 500 Olympic swimming pools' worth of diluted wastewater from Fukushima into the Pacific on Thursday, 12 years after a tsunami knocked out three reactors in one of the world's worst atomic accidents. All radioactive elements have been filtered out except for tritium, levels of which are within safe limits and below that released by nuclear power stations in their normal operations -- including in China, plant operator TEPCO says. Test results from seawater and fish samples near the plant since the start of the discharge -- which will take decades to complete -- have confirmed this, according to Japanese authorities. "Even after the ocean release, the United States, for example, expressed its position that it is satisfied with Japan's safe, highly transparent and scientifically justified process," Kishida said Monday. "We would like to convey these voices from the international community to the Chinese government." US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel plans to visit Fukushima this week and publicly eat locally caught fish in a show of support to Japan, according to media reports. The post Japan PM condemns China over stone throwing at embassy, schools appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The legal woes of Donald Trump
Former US president Donald Trump is facing four criminal indictments, all filed since March -- with the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 White House race possibly navigating a series of trials as he campaigns. On Thursday, he was formally arrested on 13 counts in the southern state of Georgia in connection with his alleged efforts to interfere with the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump has already been indicted in federal court in connection with election interference in multiple states, and over his handling of classified documents, making him the first former US president to face federal criminal charges. The twice-impeached Trump has also been charged in New York with making election-eve hush money payments to a porn star. Here are the key cases involving the 77-year-old one-term president -- and others that could materialize: Georgia election meddling Trump stands accused in Georgia of pressuring state officials to overturn Biden's election victory -- incidents that were also referred to in a federal indictment. Evidence includes a taped phone call in which he asked Georgia's then-secretary of state to "find" enough votes to reverse the result. Fulton County's top prosecutor Fani Willis has charged Trump with 13 felony counts including violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, as well as six conspiracy counts over alleged efforts to commit forgery, impersonate a public official and submit false statements and documents. Eighteen co-defendants also were indicted, including Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, for pressuring local legislators over the result after the election, and Trump's White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows. 2020 election interference Special Counsel Jack Smith had already slapped Trump with four federal charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, as well as conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of an official proceeding -- the January 6, 2021, meeting of a joint session of Congress held to certify Biden's election victory. He is also charged with conspiracy to deny Americans the right to vote and to have one's vote counted. The indictment mentions six co-conspirators but none are identified -- Trump, currently the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is the only named defendant. Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, as Congress met to certify the presidential election results. Before what was ultimately a deadly attack, Trump delivered a fiery speech urging the crowd to "fight like hell." Classified documents Trump, in another indictment brought by Smith, is accused of endangering national security by holding onto top secret nuclear and defense documents after leaving the White House. Trump kept the files -- which included records from the Pentagon, CIA, and National Security Agency -- unsecured at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and thwarted official efforts to retrieve them, according to the indictment. Trump was initially charged with 31 counts of "willful retention of national defense information," each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. A count was added related to a classified document "concerning military activity in a foreign country." He also faces charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice, making false statements, and other offenses. The federal judge in the case has set a trial date of May 20, 2024, at the height of the presidential campaign. Stormy A New York grand jury indicted Trump in March over alleged hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors say the money was paid prior to the 2016 election to silence Daniels over claims she had a tryst with Trump in 2006 -- a year after he married Melania Trump. Late in the campaign, Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen arranged a payment of $130,000 to Daniels in exchange for her pledge of confidentiality, prosecutors said. That case, in which he faces 34 felony counts, is due to go to trial next March, in the middle of the Republican primary election season. Other probes Trump was found liable in a civil case for sexually abusing and defaming a former magazine columnist, E. Jean Carroll, in 1996, and ordered to pay her $5 million in damages. In New York, state Attorney General Letitia James has filed a civil suit against Trump and three of his children, accusing them of fraud by over-valuing assets to secure loans and then under-valuing them to minimize taxes. James is seeking $250 million in penalties as well as banning Trump and his children from serving as executives at companies in the city. Trump has denied all wrongdoing. The post The legal woes of Donald Trump appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MMDA ready to handle traffic for FIBA World Cup 2023
An official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yesterday said the agency has prepared for the possible heavy traffic for the opening of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 in Bulacan. This was disclosed by MMDA Traffic Discipline Office - Enforcement head Vic Nuñez in response to the expected traffic build-up due to the event. He said all the delegates, VIPs, and FIBA officials that will be going to the venues, especially to the Philippine Arena in Bulacan have been considered and they have prepared a traffic plan for it. Nunez said that some of the delegates, VIPs, and FIBA officials will use a VIP lane going to the venue as they deployed around 1,300 MMDA personnel for FIBA 2023. Earlier, the MMDA announced that it would implement a stop-and-go traffic scheme and truck ban in some concerned areas as part of its traffic management. Also, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said that the security measures for the event are already “locked in” after a conference with concerned government agencies and stakeholders. The PNP said 2,589 personnel from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and 363 officers from Police Regional Office 3 (PRO-3) will be deployed. A total of 2,904 personnel from other government agencies and force multipliers will also help secure the basketball event. The police said they expect 3,000 participants in the event, including FIBA members, World Congress attendees, local organizers, government officials, media, and foreign embassy representatives. Around 2,000 guests are also expected to arrive from other countries for the event, the PNP said. The event will be held from 25 August to 10 September wherein three Asian countries will host FIBA 2023: the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. Accordingly, the Philippines will host participants from Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, with an expected total of 3,253 FIBA customer groups participating. Games will be played in different venues, including the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City and the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. The post MMDA ready to handle traffic for FIBA World Cup 2023 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hong Kong to curb some Japan food imports over Fukushima water release
Hong Kong will ban "aquatic products" from 10 Japanese prefectures, a government minister said Tuesday, after city leader John Lee condemned Tokyo's plans to release water from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. Japan has said the gradual release into the sea of more than 500 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water -- 12 years after the Fukushima disaster -- is safe, a view backed by the UN atomic agency. But the decision has incited massive pushback from neighboring South Korea and China, as well as finance hub Hong Kong -- the second-largest receiver of food products from Japan after mainland China. "The (Hong Kong) government will ban the imports of all aquatic products from 10 prefectures of Japan from the 24th of August," Tse Chin-wan, Hong Kong's Secretary for Environment and Ecology, said during a press conference. The products include "all live, frozen, chilled, dried or otherwise preserved aquatic products, sea salt and raw or processed seaweeds". Tse also said there was no timeline for how long the ban would be in place, as it would depend on "how well the Japanese government's supervising system works". Japanese food is extremely popular in Hong Kong, home to groceries specializing in imported seafood products as well as upscale omakase restaurants. Tuesday's decision came the same day the Japanese government announced it would start discharging the water, with city leader John Lee taking Tokyo to task for deciding "on its own". "It disregards the risks to food safety and the irreversible pollution and damage to the ocean ecology, and is an irresponsible way of pushing one's problems onto others," Lee said in a Facebook post earlier on Tuesday. "I express my strong objections," he added, calling on relevant agencies to "immediately activate" import control measures. The 10 prefectures named were Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama. Last month, China's General Administration of Customs threatened a blanket ban on all foodstuffs from the same 10 prefectures. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin renewed Beijing's objections on Tuesday, saying it would take "necessary measures to safeguard the marine environment, food safety and public health". In releasing the water, Wang said, Japan "is openly... putting its own self-interest over the long-term well-being of all humankind". Japan's diplomatic representatives in Hong Kong have opposed the import curbs and have met with Lee and senior government officials in recent weeks. The post Hong Kong to curb some Japan food imports over Fukushima water release appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»