Japan
In the decisive match of the 2025 World Cup, the Ukrainian national ice hockey team lost to Japan with a score of 2:3. Now the team's entry into the elite division depends on the results of the matches of Italy, Romania, Great Britain and Poland.
On May 3, the Ukrainian national ice hockey team will play a match against Japan, a victory in which will allow them to play in the elite division for the first time in 18 years. Broadcast at 12:30 on «Suspilne Sport».
The government of Ukraine has approved an agreement with Japan to attract about $3 billion within the Ukraine Facility. The funds will go to priority budget expenditures, reconstruction and development.
In Japan, the Tokaido Shinkansen train service was suspended due to a snake that caused a power outage. Traffic was restored an hour and a half later after a safety check.
On May 2, Lviv celebrates its 769th anniversary, Harry Potter fans celebrate his birthday, and wine lovers celebrate International Sauvignon Blanc Day. They also celebrate Baby Day and Tuna Day.
At the Ice Hockey World Championship in Division IA, the Ukrainian national team defeated Romania (4:0) and Poland (4:1). Thanks to this, the team secured second place and moved closer to the elite.
Spot gold fell nearly 2% to $3222. 66 an ounce, hitting a two-week low. The reason was signs of easing trade tensions and a stronger dollar.
Japanese scientists have found that wounds in humans heal much slower than in other mammals, including chimpanzees. This may be due to the loss of body hair in the process of evolution.
Maria Zakharova criticized Japan for providing Ukraine with a loan of over $3 billion from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets, calling it complicity in the theft of Russian property.
The Ministry of Defense received a batch of equipment from the IT coalition, funded by Luxembourg and Iceland, worth almost 2 million euros. The delivery included access points, routers, charging stations and telephones.
Japanese operator Q-shu University Institute will transfer geolocation images from satellites, including SAR radar images, to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. This is the first step of such a level of cooperation between Ukraine and Japan.
Japanese company NTT successfully tested the world's first drone capable of inducing and redirecting lightning to protect infrastructure. During the test on December 13, 2024, the drone withstood a strike of up to 150,000 amperes and remained in the air.
The Philippines and the US have begun joint "Balikatan" exercises involving 17,000 troops amid tensions with China. For three weeks, they will practice a battle scenario near the South China Sea to deter Beijing.
Hungary can force the EU to lift sanctions against €210 billion of frozen Russian assets. This will remove the guarantee on loans to Ukraine and shift their coverage to EU and G7 taxpayers.
China is massively implementing embodied AI, from humanoid robots to drones, to accelerate the economy and solve strategic tasks. This technological revolution is taking place against the backdrop of escalating competition with the US for leadership in key AI developments.
Trump's global trade war is leading to a fall in stocks, especially for technology companies. Nvidia expects losses of $5.5 billion, and airlines are preparing for an uncertain summer season.
A briefing for diplomats on sanctions against Russia was held in the OP. The impact of restrictions, foreign components in weapons and the confiscation of Russian assets were discussed.
Four people have been arrested in Japan on suspicion of selling AI-generated pornographic posters. They uploaded obscene images to AI, later selling posters for thousands of yen.
Icelandic whaling company Hvalur has canceled the season due to falling prices in Japan and economic uncertainty. The situation will be reviewed next year.
Britain and France will present Trump with a force plan for Ukraine, hoping to convince the United States to provide security guarantees to Kyiv. Military leaders are working out the details of the European coalition.
New US tariffs could lead to higher prices for Nintendo and Sony game consoles. The price of Switch 2 or PS5 may increase by 30% as production is concentrated in China.
Research shows that plastic recycling is hardly increasing, despite the increase in its production. In 2022, only 9.5% of new plastic was made from recycled materials.
The plant, which is part of the Russian military-industrial complex, was damaged. Ukraine, the EU, the US, Britain, Japan and Switzerland have imposed sanctions against the plant for supporting the war.
Ukraine and Japan signed an agreement to allocate $58 million for humanitarian demining, energy and infrastructure restoration. Japan has already provided Ukraine with $12 billion in aid.
Kim Jong-un's sister stated that North Korea will never abandon its nuclear program. Any negotiations on denuclearization are a denial of the country's sovereignty.
Asian countries are responding to US tariffs, protecting their financial interests. Japan is negotiating, South Korea is providing support to automakers, India is cutting rates.
Donald Trump has introduced super-high import duties for a number of countries. According to him, world leaders are ready for anything to conclude trade agreements with the United States.
New trade restrictions with ultra-high duties of 104% on Chinese imports have entered into force in the US. Financial markets have reacted with a fall in indices and currencies in Asia.
Elon Musk again criticized White House adviser Peter Navarro, calling him ignorant for statements about Tesla's production. The White House allowed "sparring", acknowledging different views.
In Wakayama Prefecture, a new railway station was built using 3D printing on the site of an old wooden building from 1948. Construction lasted only six hours.