News Headlines - 23 October 2018

▽What can be learned from feverish nation-building of Meiji Restoration? - The Japan News

Tuesday marks the passage of 150 years since an Imperial edict was issued to change the name of the era to “Meiji” on Oct. 23, 1868. The government will hold a commemorative ceremony... Society, however, seems not to be as interested as it was back in 1968, when the passage of 100 years was marked. Five decades ago, when the nation was in a period of rapid economic growth, people could have found something in common with the time of the Meiji Restoration, when the nation was steadily developing.
At present, when Japan is ever more swiftly becoming an aged society with a low birthrate, and economic growth remains at low levels, it has become difficult even to imagine the energy for reform felt at the time of the Meiji Restoration.

▽Spain beats Japan to longer life expectancy - but did UK make top 10? | Express.co.uk

The Mediterranean country has overtaken Japan in the top spot for the first time in many years, according to a new study.
Spaniards will live for an average of 85.8 years by the year 2040, the recent statistics show, while Japanese people will have an average lifespan of 85.7 years
A report by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) published in the journal The Lancet unveiled the new findings.

▽Turkey to host four-nation summit on Syria crisis | The Japan Times

A summit between the leaders of Turkey, France, Germany and Russia will be held in Istanbul this month to discuss the conflict in Syria and efforts for a lasting solution to the war in the Arab country, a Turkish official said Friday.
Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, in a written statement said the summit will take place on Oct. 27.

▽German foreign minister: U.S. should consider consequences of leaving nuclear treaty | Reuters

Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the United States should consider the consequences, both for Europe and for future disarmament efforts, of pulling out of an international treaty aimed at eliminating a class of nuclear weapons.

▽Russian woman charged with interference in 2018 midterms

A Russian woman has been charged with trying to interfere and “sow discord” in the American political system, including in the 2018 midterm elections as part of a conspiracy that exploited thousands of social media accounts and emails that claimed to be owned by U.S. residents, authorities said.
Elena Khusyaynova of St. Petersburg, Russia, is accused of participating in a conspiracy engaged in “information warfare against the United States” that aimed “create and amplify divisive social media and political content.”