🇯🇵💣❗️— Footage published by observers show Japanese Prime Minister Kishida being evacuated after an individual threw a smoke bomb towards him.

Japanese Police quickly apprehended the suspect after the device was thrown.

🔗 Global: Military-Info (@Global_Mil_Info)

🇫🇷🗳🔥 — 📰 Sky News Arabia: The French President signs the law raising the retirement age to 64 years

https://fxtwitter.com/SkyNewsArabia_B/status/1647104784942485504

🇯🇵🇷🇺🛢 — 📰 WSJ (April 2, 2023): Japan Breaks With U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap

— "The U.S. has rallied its European allies behind a $60-a-barrel cap on purchases of Russian crude oil, but one of Washington’s closest allies in Asia is now buying oil at prices above the cap.

Japan got the U.S. to agree to the exception, saying it needed it to ensure access to Russian energy. The concession shows Japan’s reliance on Russia for fossil fuels, which analysts said contributed to a hesitancy in Tokyo to back Ukraine more fully in its war with Russia.

While many European countries have reduced their dependence on Russian energy supplies, Japan has stepped up its purchases of Russian natural gas over the past year. Japan is the only Group of Seven nation not to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was the last G-7 leader to visit Ukraine after Russia’s invasion."

Link
https://archive.is/NHWxq

🇯🇵⚰️📃 — 📰 CNN News (April 7, 2023): Japanese military helicopter crashes in sea with 10 on board

— " Rescuers are scanning waters off southern Japan for 10 people on board a Japanese military helicopter that apparently crashed into the sea on Thursday, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said.

“I will continue to do my best to collect information on the damage and search for human lives,” said Hamada, who looked visibly overcome with emotion when he spoke to reporters Friday.

Gen. Yasunori Morishita, chief of staff of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF), said searchers had found what appeared to be parts of the the UH-60JA helicopter in the sea and are continuing to scan the ocean for survivors."

Link
https://archive.is/KYWcG

🇯🇵⚰️📃 — 📰 Nikkei Asia (April 6, 2023): Japan defense helicopter with 10 aboard missing near Okinawa

— "A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter with 10 personnel aboard went missing in waters off the southern prefecture of Okinawa on Thursday, with what could be parts of the chopper later found in the sea.

The UH-60JA multipurpose helicopter is believed to have been caught up in an accident, Gen. Yasunori Morishita, chief of staff of the GSDF, told a press conference, as rescue efforts continued for the pilots, mechanics and other members of the Self-Defense Forces.

The helicopter disappeared from radar around 3:55 p.m. near Okinawa prefecture's Miyako Island, shortly after taking off from there to surveil nearby land features, according to the GSDF. The chopper was originally scheduled to return to Miyako Island at 5:05 p.m."

Link
https://archive.is/eC0VW

🇯🇵⚰️📃 — 📰 The Japan Times: Several bodies from missing SDF chopper likely found, source says
— "Crews searching for a Self-Defense Forces helicopter that went missing with 10 personnel aboard off Okinawa Prefecture last week have found what are believed to be several bodies, a government source said Friday.

The latest discoveries come after searchers on Thursday night located what appeared to be a body and a major part of the UH-60JA helicopter, which disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from a base on Miyako Island on April 6 at 3:46 p.m.

Those aboard the helicopter included Lieutenant general Yuichi Sakamoto, the 55-year-old commander of the Ground Self-Defense Force’s 8th Division based in Kumamoto Prefecture."

Link
https://archive.is/xPMsy

🇺🇸🗳📃 — 📰 Reuters, quoting US President Joe Biden: I have decided to run for the upcoming presidential elections, and I will announce it officially soon

🇯🇵💣📃 — 🇹🇼 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan) on Twitter:
— "We're shocked by the attempted attack on Fumio Kishida at an election event & strongly condemn violence undermining a democratic process.

The people & government of Taiwan express their best wishes to the PM & people of Japan & extend solidarity for our shared values of democracy."

https://archive.is/ErEZp
🔗 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan):

🇸🇩🔥📃 — Sky News Arabia report heavy armed clashes and gunfire on Sudanese Capital, Khartoum

🇸🇩🔥📃 — Al-Arabiya correspondent: We are Hearing the sounds of heavy weapons in the vicinity of the Marawi military base

🇸🇩🔥📃 — Al-Arabiya correspondent: There are heavy armed Clashes around and inside the Marawi Air Base in Sudan