United Airlines to launch direct flights from Japan to Palau

United Airlines announced plans to introduce a year-round, nonstop service between Tokyo/Narita and Koror, Palau, starting in May

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Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2024: Final preview

Following four rounds of enthralling action, all eyes will be on Hanazono Rugby Stadium this Saturday as hosts Japan take on Fiji in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2024 final. Both teams head into the weekend

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Japan’s nuclear wastewater discharge not a breach of Rarotonga Treaty, says Cook Islands PM

Cook Islands Prime Minister and Forum Chairman Mark says that Japan’s discharge of treated nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean does not violate the Rarotonga Treaty. During his visit to Tokyo last week, PM Brown

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MSG calls on France to allow monitoring missions into New Caledonia

As New Caledonia reels after two months of clashes between protesters and police, the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) has called on France to allow independent monitoring missions to visit New Caledonia and assess

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Niue Premier Dalton Tagelagi opens first honorary Consul office in Japan

The Pacific nation of Niue has opened its first honorary consul in Japan.  The announcement was made by Niue Premier, Dalton Tagelagi in Tokyo.  “I am currently in Japan to attend the PALM 10 meeting and to open

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PALM preview: fisheries research vessels and Fukushima

The government plans to provide one fisheries research vessel free of charge to each of the four Pacific Island nations of Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, it has been learned.  Prime

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Japan helps Samoa with science academy

Samoa is preparing to establish a Regional Science Academy with support from the Japanese government revealed by Hideyuki Shiozawa, Senior Programme Director of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.  This is a significant

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Opinion: Another nonsensical decision as Rugby Championship application by Fiji, Japan but rejected by Sanzaar

Sanzaar is proving itself to be the Goldilocks of world rugby, except perhaps that it may never come up with a plan that is just right. For too long its vision was too ambitious – it wanted Super Rugby to expand

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Google to spend $1billion on enhancing subsea internet infrastructure in the Pacific

Google will invest US$1 billion to improve digital connectivity between the U.S. and Japan through two new subsea cables, the Alphabet-owned firm said on Wednesday amid a visit by the Japanese prime minister to boost

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UN nuclear chief tells Japan transparency is ‘very important’ in ruined nuclear plant’s discharges

The head of the UN atomic agency on Tuesday emphasised to Japan’s government the importance of transparency in its ongoing discharges of treated radioactive wastewater at the ruined Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power

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Fukushima nuke wastewater discharge case hearing begins

Japanese citizens have called for a halt to the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean and demanded that the government revoke the permission for

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Japan’s minister chides utility president over radioactive water leak at Fukushima plant

Japan’s industry minister summoned the president of the utility that runs the Fukushima nuclear power plant to his office Wednesday and chided him for a radioactive water leak at the plant earlier this

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Japan Foreign Minister assures Pacific nations of ALPS treated water discharge compliance

Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa has reassured her Pacific counterparts the discharge of Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean last year

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Cook Islands Foreign Minister urges global recognition of regional priorities

Cook Islands Foreign Affairs Minister, Tingika Elikana, Monday highlighted the need to drive discussions on regional priorities and forge inter-regional cooperation essential for global acknowledgment of these

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Japan to host Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting in July; plans to offer Climate support, counter China’s Influence

The Japanese government has begun final arrangements to host the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) in mid-July, inviting the leaders of all 18 Pacific Island Forum (PIF) members to Tokyo.   At the summit, Japan

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Japan’s top diplomat eyes Fiji trip for Pacific island talks next month

Japan’s Foreign Minister, Yoko Kamikawa is arranging a visit to Fiji in the first half of February to attend a ministerial meeting with Pacific island countries and territories, diplomatic sources have said, in an

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Sweeping Kagoshima’s waters

Aboard the Kinko In Kagoshima, Japan, an organisation is taking a proactive approach to floating ocean pollution, ‘sweeping’ the local port five days a week. The Kagoshima Seikoukai Marine Group is a membership

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Japan’s large Pacific bluefin tuna catch limit to be raised in 2024

An international commission responsible for managing Pacific bluefin tuna stocks has decided to allow Japan to effectively increase its catch limit for larger sizes in 2024, reflecting a recovery in their population,

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Palau senate expresses disapproval of Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water

The Senate of the Republic of Palau has passed a joint resolution expressing disapproval of Japan’s decision to release over a million tons of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the

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Third release of treated water from Fukushima nuclear plant ends safely, TEPCO says

The release of a third batch of treated radioactive wastewater from Japan’s damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean ended safely as planned, its operator said Monday, as the country’s seafood

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Fukushima nuclear plant starts 3rd release of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea

The tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant began its third release of treated and diluted radioactive wastewater into the sea Thursday after Japanese officials said the two earlier releases ended

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Fukushima water released without technical concerns, IAEA says

Japan’s release of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant into the sea is “progressing as planned and without any technical concerns,” the UN nuclear watchdog has said. The

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Fukushima plant workers hospitalised after accidentally getting sprayed with radioactive waste

Two workers at the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant were hospitalised after accidentally getting sprayed with liquid laced with radioactive materials, officials said Thursday. The incident occurred

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Remains of Japanese WWII dead to be recovered from sunken ships in Micronesia

The Japan’s Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry on Sunday surveyed a Japanese tanker sunk during the Pacific War for human remains to be recovered, off Chuuk Lagoon, formerly Truk Lagoon. The lagoon is now part of the

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