Japan

She now faces difficult questions with only a few months to go before the Olympics’ delayed start.

US President Joe Biden has said working closely with allies will be key to his strategy toward China,

Its attempt to include women at meetings has generated a chorus of Twitter disapproval.

Japan has so far approved only the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and started administering the first shots at a Tokyo hospital on Wednesday morning.

Financial experts expect the country's recovery to struggle because it lags behind western economies in vaccine distribution.

Japan is feeling the loss of Chinese tourists who normally come to stock up on expensive gifts for Chinese New Year.

Organisers point to the success of other sports events during the pandemic, but experts note the Olympics will be on an entirely different scale.

Mori's comments, in which he said women speak too much in meetings, are the latest headache for organisers already battling public disquiet about the pandemic-postponed Games.

With less than six months until the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics, Japan has yet to set out when it will vaccinate its population of 126 million people, although it hopes to give the first doses later in February.

Japan lags behind most major economies in starting inoculations due to its dependence on overseas makers and a requirement that the vaccines undergo domestic trials.

PM Suga apologises after lawmakers visit restaurants and night clubs in defiance of their own rulings.

A poll this month found 80% of respondents opposed hosting the event this year, with 35% favouring outright cancellation and 45% calling for further postponement.