Japan

This comes as incoming Forum chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown travelled to Japan as part of the PIF delegation in an effort to convey their concerns.

He requested a deferral of Japan's plans which will see over one million tonnes of wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant dumped into the ocean.

Brown, as the incoming Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, will be joined by the Republic of the Marshall Islands Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kitlang Kabua at their high level meeting with the Japan leader.

“Plans by Japan to begin discharging over a million tonnes of treated Fukushima nuclear wastewater into the Pacific in 2023 are a core reason for the Forum visit. Talks may also include the Japan-Pacific Forum nations dialogue partner relationship and ongoing priorities set by Forum Leaders, particularly related to Oceans and the Blue Pacific 2050 Strategy”, said SG Puna.

Fumio Kishida said it was a case of "now or never."

Japan - population 125 million - is estimated to have had fewer than 800,000 births last year. In the 1970s, that figure was more than two million.

Birth rates are slowing in many countries, including Japan's neighbours.

But the issue is particularly acute in Japan as life expectancy has risen in recent decades, meaning there are a growing number of older people, and a declining numbers of workers to support them.

Japan is due to start dumping one million tonnes of nuclear waste from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean in only a few months.

According to Japan's government, the wastewater is to be treated by an Advanced Liquid Processing System, which will remove nuclides from the water.

It says the water to be discharged into the ocean is not contaminated.

Last year, the Pacific Islands Forum demanded Japan share pivotal information about the plan.

In his second appearance for the club against Hanazono Kintetsu Liners the 29-year-old bulldozed his way to a hat-trick of tries to announce his arrival in Japan with a man-of-the-match showing.

His first of the day against the Liners was a typical piece of power running from Laumape, taking a direct carry off the scrum and powering through multiple defenders before reaching out to score.

The Kintetsu Liners struggled to contain the former All Black as his destructive running laid the platform for a 58-36 win for the two-time Japan League champions.

In his second season in Japan, 73-Test veteran Folau bagged his three tries in the space of 11 minutes before being substituted midway through the second half.

His Urasayu D-Rocks team continued their unbeaten season start in second division with a 68-17 thrashing of Shimizu Kotu Blue Sharks.

A successor to Folau as Wallabies fullback, Tom Banks scored his first try in Japanese club rugby as his MIE Honda demolished Kamaishi Seawaves 75-15 in another second division match.

The two All Blacks will then join Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, who are coached by ex-New Zealand captain Todd Blackadder, the Japanese club said today.

Under New Zealand Rugby rules, Mo'unga and Frizell, both 28, will not be eligible to play for the All Blacks while in Japan. The duo are set to join the club after next year's Rugby World Cup in France.

Frizell has made 25 appearances for the All Blacks since making his debut in 2018. He has also played 57 games for the Highlanders.

Tsunami waves of up to 15 meters hit the South Pacific island nation following the eruption, destroying many buildings. The damage to undersea cables hampered telephone and internet connections. Drinking water was tainted with volcanic ash.

The Tongan government made the announcement at an online seminar on Wednesday. The plan was drawn up with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, or JICA.

The plan includes relocating houses to avoid damage from tsunami and installing evacuation towers near hotels in coastal areas.

Members of government organisations that are recipients of the Grant, the event formalised funding agreements for:

According to local media, at least one man was taken to hospital on Thursday after encountering the sea mammal.

Japanese officials believe the same dolphin is responsible for at least six related attacks so far this summer.

While dolphins are not usually aggressive to humans, hostility towards swimmers is not unheard of.