Page 10 - aruba-today-20191005

A10 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 5 OctOber 2019
Abe wants summit with N. Korea, keeps distance from South

By MARI YAMAGUCHI the world,” he said. At
Associated Press home, Abe is pushing hard-
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s er to amend Japan’s war-
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe renouncing constitution.
said Friday he wants to Abe and his right-wing sup-
meet with North Korean porters have long cam-
leader Kim Jong Un even paigned to revise the U.S.-
though he keeps testing drafted war-renouncing
missiles. At the same time, constitution, as they see
Abe gave a cold shoulder it as a legacy of Japan’s
to South Korea amid ten- World War II defeat and
sions over wartime history. humiliation during the U.S.
In a policy speech opening occupation.
the parliamentary session, His constitution campaign,
Abe said he will take any however, has struggled
chance to meet Kim. amid voter concern about
“I’m determined to face the economy and social
Chairman Kim Jong Un, security.
without attaching any pre- Hurdles to achieve his long-
conditions,” Abe said, after cherished goal are high _
changing his policy earlier two-thirds approval in both
this year. “Based on a level- houses of the parliament to
headed analysis, I will act Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, chats with lawmakers after the opening of an propose a revision before a
decisively so that I won’t extraordinary session at the upper house of parliament in Tokyo Friday, Oct. 4, 2019. national referendum. Abe’s
miss any chance.” Associated Press party and supporters of a
Abe used to say he would pan’s exclusive economic India, to achieve free and law,” he said. revision have two-thirds in
meet Kim only when there zone. The U.S. talks resume open Indo-Pacific,” Abe Relations between the U.S. the lower house, but lost
is progress on denucleariza- Saturday in Stockholm. said. allies deteriorated rapidly the benchmark in the other
tion and the decades-old “Regarding the current Unlike in the past, Abe did since July over the issue of chamber in the July elec-
issue of Japanese citizens North Korea situation, we not mention South Korea Korean laborers abused tion.
abducted to North Korea. will do the utmost to pro- in the context of coopera- by Japanese companies Abe’s current term ends
But he changed his tune tect the safety of the peo- tion on North Korean missile during World War II, as well in September 2021, un-
after other regional lead- ple as we will closely coop- and nuclear threats. as Japan’s export controls less his party revises its rule
ers, including those in Chi- erate with the U.S. and the He only repeated that for materials crucial for again to allow him to seek
na, South Korea and Russia, international community,” South Korea must withdraw South Korean industries. a fourth term.
choose to meet Kim. Abe said. demands for Japanese It prompted Seoul to an- Abe now proposes a revi-
North Korea has resumed While maintaining its al- wartime compensation nounce in late August it sion to Article 9 by specify-
missile tests following the liance with the U.S. as a beyond what was already would terminate a bilateral ing Japan’s Self-Defense
February collapse of its “cornerstone” of diploma- paid under the peace military intelligence pact. Force as the country’s legit-
summit with the United cy and security, Japan will treaty. “South Korea is an Abe said economy is also imate military as a way to
States. The latest was a test- also “join hands with coun- important neighbor. I urge his policy priority. Japan will gain broader support. He
firing Wednesday of an un- tries that it shares funda- (South Korea) to keep take a leadership to pro- says opposition lawmakers
derwater-launched missile, mental values, such as Brit- promises between coun- mote “free, fair and rule- should at least join discus-
parts of which fell inside Ja- ain, France, Australia and tries under the international based trade zones across sion of a change.q

Japanese whalers complete first commercial hunt in 31 years

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Kyodo Senpaku President er scale hunts in waters just
Associated Press Eiji Mori praised the whal- off Japan’s northeastern
TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese ers for returning with “bet- coasts already filled their
whaling ship returned home ter than expected” results seasonal quota of 33 min-
to the country’s southwest despite earlier uncertainty ke whales, fisheries officials
Friday after almost meeting because of their lack of ex- said. Days after the resump-
its annual quota, ending perience in the area. tion, their fleet of five small
its first commercial whaling “We were worried if we boats returned with two
season in 31 years. could catch any, but they minke whales, whose fresh
Operator Kyodo Senpaku did a great job,” Mori said. meat fetched as much as
Co. said its main factory “We will examine the results 15,000 yen ($140) per ki-
ship Nisshin Maru returned closely and make a plan logram (2.2 pounds) at a
to its home port of Shi- for the next season.” local fish market auction
monoseki, Prime Minister Of the quota of 232 whales celebrating the first com-
Shinzo Abe’s home con- allocated to the main fleet, mercial hunt in three de-
stituency, after catching Japan’s main whaling ship Nisshin Maru returns to its home port of they caught 187 Bryde’s, 25 cades. “It’s wonderful that
223 whales during its three- Shomonoseki, southwestern Japan, after whaling commercially sei and 11 minke whales, we had a good start,” said
month expedition off the for the first time in 31 years, Friday, Oct. 4, 2019. only nine minke whales Agriculture, Forestry and
Japanese coast. Nisshin Associated Press short of the cap. The fleet Fisheries Minister Taku Eto,
Maru’s two support ships, the International Whal- ed research hunts for 31 brought back an estimated a member of Abe’s ruling
Yushin Maru and No. 3 ing Commission, promis- years in the Antarctic and 1,430 tons of frozen whale party, which has pushed for
Yushin Maru, also returned ing that the whalers would the Northwest Pacific that meat from the catch, down commercial whaling. “We
to their home ports. Japan stay within the country’s conservationists criticized 670 tons from last year’s will continue our support so
resumed commercial whal- exclusive economic wa- as a cover for commercial Antarctic hunts. Separate- that commercial whaling
ing on July 1 after leaving ters. Japan had conduct- hunts banned by the IWC. ly, whalers operating small- gets on track.” q