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Steady30 stories7 sourcesLast updated: 6/4/2026

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Why Japanese politician’s goal to reset ties with Russia is ‘a long shot’
NEWS
5/6/2026

Why Japanese politician’s goal to reset ties with Russia is ‘a long shot’

A pro-Kremlin Japanese politician has said Russia is trying to arrange a meeting of the two nations’ foreign ministers in July, although analysts suggest that Muneo Suzuki’s efforts to act as a go-between are unlikely to bear fruit. Suzuki, who represents a constituency in Hokkaido and returned to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in 2025 after 23 years as an independent member of the Diet, met senior Russian government officials in Moscow on Monday. Andrey Rudenko, deputy foreign minister in...

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Zoo in Japan’s Hokkaido delays reopening over search for body in incinerator
NEWS
4/29/2026

Zoo in Japan’s Hokkaido delays reopening over search for body in incinerator

One of Japan’s most popular zoos has delayed its reopening after an employee reportedly told police he had burned his wife’s body in an incinerator on its grounds. Asahiyama Zoo in Hokkaido’s second-largest city of Asahikawa, which had been closed for a seasonal break since April 8, was set to reopen on Wednesday, a national holiday. But the date has been pushed back to at least Friday to allow police to search for the body, according to The Asahi Shimbun newspaper. At a news conference on...

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6.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Japan's Hokkaido Island
Developing
World·4/27/2026AI summary

6.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Japan's Hokkaido Island

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck southern Hokkaido, Japan, at 5:23am on April 27, 2026, at a depth of 83km. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued no tsunami warning but warned of increased landslide risks and high probability of similar quakes in the coming week. This follows a magnitude 5.0 earthquake hours earlier in the sea south of Hokkaido and a 7.7 quake off Iwate prefecture last Monday.

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40 Hong Kong tour groups safe after magnitude 7.5 quake strikes Japan
NEWS
4/20/2026

40 Hong Kong tour groups safe after magnitude 7.5 quake strikes Japan

Hong Kong travellers in Japan were reported safe by at least one major tour operator while the Immigration Department said it was closely monitoring the situation after a powerful earthquake struck off the country’s northeast coast on Monday, triggering tsunami warnings. Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said the operator currently had about 40 tour groups in Japan, including three in the northeast and four in Hokkaido, areas covered by the alert. “All our customers are...

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