N.Korea's Kim visits drill using drones, eyes fighting in modern warfare
North Korea says its leader Kim Jong Un has inspected an exercise of special forces using drones and instructed the country's military to improve its ability to cope with modern warfare.
Wednesday's edition of the ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that Kim made a visit to the drill on Tuesday. The paper carried photos of a tank bombardment and soldiers operating a drone.
Kim described the training as being held in an innovative way in various spheres to cope with actual war.
South Korean media say the drill was aimed at sharing within the North Korean military the combat experience of soldiers dispatched to Russia in relation to its invasion of Ukraine.
Rodong Sinmun also published photos of senior North Korean military officials shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It says those pictures were taken on May 9, the date marking the Soviet Union's victory in World War Two.
The paper reported that Putin himself expressed gratitude with warm words to commanders of North Korean special forces who fought near Kursk region in western Russia.
The report apparently stresses the deepening of military ties between Russia and North Korea.
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Japan Times
an hour ago
- Japan Times
Mother of North Korean abductee urges government to have sense of mission over issue
Sakie Yokota, the mother of a child abducted by North Korea, called on the Japanese government to tackle the abduction issue with a sense of mission, as Thursday marked five years since the death of her husband, Shigeru. Speaking to reporters Tuesday in the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Sakie, 89, said she feels "great loneliness" after the death of her husband, whom she described as a "serious person." Following the abduction of their daughter Megumi in the city of Niigata in 1977 when she was 13, Shigeru launched a group of abductees' families in 1997, serving as its first leader and working hard with Sakie to give lectures and collect signatures to call for an early resolution. But Shigeru died in 2020 at the age of 87 without being able to see his daughter again. Sakie said she could discuss anything with Shigeru, saying she now tells his portrait in the living room of her home that the situation of the abductees remains unknown. This year marks 48 years since Megumi's abduction, and Sakie has become the only living parent of an abductee. "It's so hard that I won't want to give birth and raise a child even if I am reborn," the mother said. "I hope (the Japanese government) will have a sense of mission that they have to bring (the abductees) back seriously," Sakie said. She called for holding a summit meeting between the Japanese and North Korean leaders at an early date, saying, "I hope top officials look each other in the eye and discuss." On Thursday, posters for a charity concert calling for Megumi's return to Japan were put up in buses operating in Niigata. The posters were made by Megumi's former elementary and junior high school classmates. According to Masaki Ikeda, 61 and head of the group of former classmates, a total of 50 posters will be on display in buses operated by Niigata Kotsu until the date of the concert, Oct. 4. The posters show a photograph of Megumi standing in front of a cherry tree and a picture of her and her parents hugging each other. "In order to make progress for her return to Japan, we will bring the thoughts of various people together and make a big wave of support to the government," Ikeda said.
Japan Times
6 hours ago
- Japan Times
Japan eyes tougher rules and a tax hike for foreign residents and tourists
Amid a record inflow of visitors and workers into Japan, legislators are increasingly calling for reforms to address growing concerns over social services, tax and regulatory loopholes. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party established a panel on May 21 'to dispel public concerns' among citizens living with an increasing number of foreign residents. Its members discussed policy revision, including the current system that allows some foreign nationals to easily convert their driver's license issued in their home countries to a Japanese one. 'We need to comprehensively discuss what the people (Japanese citizens) are concerned about,' LDP policy chief Itsunori Onodera said at the meeting, adding that the central and local governments need to tackle such issues together. The LDP is expected to submit a proposal to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Thursday that includes urging the government to create a centralized government body to coordinate policies on foreign residents and tourists across ministries. Lawmakers are also discussing increasing taxes on foreign visitors amid an overtourism problem, or rethinking the country's tax-free shopping system amid rising cases of products bought under the program being resold domestically. Here are some of the key issues currently under debate. Foreign driver's licenses The National Police Agency is moving to tighten regulations for foreign nationals to convert their overseas driver's licenses into Japanese ones. Critics have long argued that the current process is overly lenient, resulting in an increase in the number of car accidents by foreign drivers, including drunken driving and driving on the wrong side of the highway. Foreign nationals with international driver's licenses can use them to drive in Japan for one year. But foreign visitors and nationals from countries that do not issue them — including China, Vietnam and Brazil, who are not members of the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic — must pass a written exam and driving test to convert their licenses to a Japanese one to drive in Japan. Ariake Junction in Tokyo in 2021. The National Police Agency is moving to tighten regulations for foreign nationals looking to convert their overseas driver's licenses into Japanese ones. | Bloomberg The written test, however, consists of just 10 questions, with a minimum passing score of seven, prompting criticism that it fails to properly assess applicants' understanding of Japanese traffic rules. Authorities have also identified a loophole in which applicants on short-term tourist visas use hotels or other temporary accommodations as their registered address when applying for their license. The NPA plans to make it mandatory for applicants to submit their resident registration records and make the written and driving tests more difficult. National health care program An increasing amount of premiums for the national health care program has been left unpaid by foreign residents in Japan, with the local governments forced to allocate taxpayer's money to cover the deficit. When foreign nationals stay in Japan for more than three months, they must join the national health care program, called kokumin kenkō hoken. If they are hired at companies as full-time employees in Japan, they and their family members will be covered under the company's health care program. But those who are not, such as exchange students, are sometimes unaware they need to join the national health care program. Under the current rules, invoices are mailed out after enrollment, but many foreign residents fail to follow through. A health ministry survey of 150 municipalities from April to December 2024 found that only 63% of the foreign residents who need to pay the premium have done so — far below the 93% overall rate that includes Japanese citizens. In a parliamentary session in May, opposition lawmaker Hirofumi Yanagase, of Nippon Ishin no Kai, said that in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, households headed by a foreign resident paid only ¥870 million out of ¥2 billion in assessed premiums in a single year, leaving more than ¥1.1 billion unpaid. If this percentage is applied nationwide, he estimated that unpaid premiums by foreign residents may total over ¥400 billion annually. The ruling LDP is now proposing to have newly enrolled foreign residents pay a set portion — or potentially the full amount — of annual premiums upfront when they register their residency at local municipalities. The proposal was handed over to Ishiba on Monday. The LDP is calling for offering clearer explanations of premium payment obligations for the health care program during the visa application process, as many foreign nationals come from countries without public insurance systems and may be unfamiliar with Japan's model, and as such, might not realize they have to pay. Another issue is that when foreign nationals arrive in Japan, the calculations for their previous year's income are recorded as zero, thus making their first-year premiums extremely low and thereby creating a built-in deficit in the insurance pool. Tax-free shopping system Lawmakers are also considering drastic changes to the tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, pushing for stricter oversight — or even a complete abolition of the program — amid mounting evidence of abuse and tax evasion. The exemption, introduced decades ago to boost spending by international travelers, allows foreign visitors to purchase goods from designated retailers without paying the country's 10% consumption tax, provided the items are taken abroad. But in practice, the system has been increasingly exploited for unauthorized resale and tax avoidance. In fiscal 2022, there were nine individuals who purchased tax-free products, but didn't have the goods with them when they left the country, meaning they failed to pay ¥340 million ($2.4 million) in consumption tax, according to the Board of Audit. The surge in inbound tourism has also amplified the financial implications. Government estimates suggest that of the ¥8.1 trillion spent by foreign visitors in 2024, roughly ¥2.4 trillion went toward tax-free shopping — though officials acknowledge the exact figure is uncertain. Critics have long argued that the current process allowing holders of foreign driver's licenses to convert to Japanese ones is overly lenient, causing an increase in the number of car accidents by foreign drivers. | REUTERS To curb abuse, the government approved a series of tax reforms that will shift the tax-exemption model to a post-purchase refund system starting in November 2026. Tourists will be required to pay the full 10% tax upon purchase and instead apply for a refund at the airport after presenting their goods to customs — similar to systems used in countries such as France and Italy. Retailers have expressed concern that the change could dampen consumer demand and overwhelm airport staff. But policymakers argue the reform is essential for restoring fairness and protecting tax revenue. However, some LDP lawmakers say the overhaul doesn't go far enough. Last week, members of an LDP study group drafted a proposal seeking to scrap the tax-free system altogether. The proposal will be submitted to the party's tax panel chief so it will be deliberated in next year's tax reform. Departure tax The government is considering increasing the ¥1,000 departure tax — mandatory for both foreign and Japanese nationals leaving Japan — just for foreign travelers. According to Finance Ministry data released Monday, the levy for fiscal 2024 is expected to generate a record high with the figure for 11 months from June 2024 already posting a record ¥48.1 billion in revenue, far exceeding government forecasts. Tax revenue for a fiscal year is calculated based on payment made from June through May the next year. Ishiba expressed support for a rate hike during a parliamentary session in May, noting that Japan's fee is low compared with other nations. Australia charges roughly ¥6,400, while Hong Kong's is around ¥2,200. Haneda Airport in April. The government is considering increasing the ¥1,000 ($7) departure tax — mandatory for both foreign and Japanese nationals leaving Japan — only for foreign travelers. | Bloomberg Government officials have floated the idea of using any additional revenue to improve tourism-related infrastructure and address overtourism in regions overwhelmed by growing visitor numbers. Critics have argued that applying a higher rate exclusively to foreign tourists could violate international agreements. Naturalization A growing number of foreign nationals are opting to acquire Japanese citizenship through naturalization rather than applying for permanent residency — largely because the former is conversely easier to obtain under current laws, much to the chagrin of some policymakers. In Japan, naturalization requires five years of residency, while permanent residency requires 10. A background check for naturalization typically looks at just one year of tax and insurance payments, compared to five years of tax and two years of insurance history for permanent residency applicants. Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki acknowledged the discrepancy during a parliamentary session in May, saying it would be 'clearly inappropriate' if naturalization were the easier path. 'Both pathways should involve strict evaluations,' he said, adding that the government would review the legal framework for consistency. Nippon Ishin's Yanagase, who raised the issue, said the current system lacks coherence and called for legislative changes. 'Naturalization grants voting rights and access to one of the world's most powerful passports. It should not come with lighter requirements than permanent residency,' he said.
Japan Today
6 hours ago
- Japan Today
China issues bounty for hackers it says are linked to Taiwan
FILE PHOTO: A man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo The public security bureau in the Chinese city of Guangzhou has put up an undisclosed bounty for more than 20 people it suspects carried out cyber attacks in China, the official news agency Xinhua said on Thursday, stepping up accusations against Taipei. The authorities said the hackers were linked to the Taiwan government and named one of them as Ning Enwei. There was no information on the size of the bounty in Chinese state media. Chinese authorities accused Taiwan of organizing, planning and premeditating attacks on key sectors such as military, aerospace, government departments, energy and transportation, maritime affairs, science and technology research firms in China as well as in special administration regions Hong Kong and Macau, Xinhua said. Xinhua, citing a cybersecurity report, said the Taiwan "information, communication and digital army" has cooperated with U.S. anti-Chinese forces to conduct public opinion and cognitive warfare against China, secretly instigate revolution and attempt to disrupt public order in China. Taiwan's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A senior Taiwan security official told Reuters that the Chinese allegations were invented, saying Beijing was trying to shift the focus from Czech and European scrutiny over alleged Chinese hacking activities there. "They fabricated a false narrative to shift the focus. It's a very typical behavior by the Chinese Communist Party," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter. "No amount of storytelling can change the fact that Beijing is not only a regional trouble maker, but also a common international threat to the online world." China also said Taiwan had longstanding cooperation with the U.S. National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and other intelligence agencies for the United States' "Asia-Pacific Strategy", calling it Taiwan's attempt to gain independence through relying on the United States. "The US intelligence department has long provided personnel training and technical equipment support for Taiwan's 'information, communication and digital army', and many police stations have sent 'hunting' teams to Taiwan, to launch a cyber attacks on China," according to a social media post by an account linked to Chinese state television. Last week authorities in Guangzhou, the capital of the southern Guangdong province, attributed a cyberattack on an unnamed technology company to the Taiwan government, saying Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party supported the "overseas hacker organisation" responsible. The accusation prompted Taiwan to blame China for peddling false information, saying it was China who was carrying out hacking against the island. China views Taiwan as its own territory. Taiwan's democratically elected government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. Chinese courts and legal bodies have no jurisdiction in separately governed Taiwan, whose government has repeatedly complained about Beijing's "long armed jurisdiction" efforts. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
