Sept 26 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he wants to improve relations with China, South Korea and Russia, while acknowledging difficulties facing ties with his country's Asia-Pacific neighbours. "Quiet efforts are needed" if Abe is to achieve his goal of meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a November Pacific Rim meeting in Beijing, Abe told a news conference in New York on Thursday evening. The news conference was broadcast live in Tokyo. Abe, who came to office in December 2012, visited all the leaders of Southeast Asia in his first year, but he has not been able to meet bilaterally with the leaders of China or South Korea, countries angered by territorial disputes with Japan and Abe's approach to Japan's wartime past. He has met Russia's President Vladimir Putin five times, but ties have recently been strained as Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea region and pro-Russian rebels fought Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.
More

Vietnam invites China, Laos, Cambodia to send troops for Reunification Day parade
Vietnam is actively preparing for the event
Read more

Towering blaze in Malaysia on Petronas pipeline, 63 sent to hospital
The fire started on Tuesday morning in the town of Puchong in Selangor state
1 day ago
Thai watchdog had flagged concerns on building that collapsed in earthquake
The government has announced an investigation into the cause of the collapse of the tower,
2 days ago
Strong earthquake strikes central Myanmar, panic in Bangkok
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake was of 7.7 magnitude and at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles)
5 days ago
'Heartbreaking' floods swamp Australia's cattle country
More than 100,000 livestock had been swept away, were missing, or had drowned
1 day ago
Lantern festival lights up Taoyuan sky with Japanese flair
The 'light-up' ceremony for the 36th iteration of the major Taiwanese festival was held on Feb. 12
1 day agoHighlights

Belgium to strengthen all-round ties with Vietnam, ratify EVIPA: King Philippe
Belgium is in the final stages of ratifying the agreement
US tech giant Intel seeks more partners to develop semiconductor ecosystem in Vietnam
6 hours agoCentral Vietnam's coastal beauty enchants couple during 1,000km motorcycle trip
7 hours agoLatest news

Belgium to strengthen all-round ties with Vietnam, ratify EVIPA: King Philippe
Belgium is in the final stages of ratifying the agreement

In Vietnam, personal data, corporate documents sold widely on Internet
A report indicated a significant increase in cyberattacks, data breaches, and security vulnerabilities across the Southeast Asian country

PM wants Vietnamese, US universities to boost cooperation
He urged universities from both sides to strengthen cooperation, focusing on new fields such as ocean space, outer space, and underground space exploration

Thailand may lose up to $8 bln from potential US tariffs, says official
Thailand could suffer a $7 billion to $8 billion export loss from potential U.S. tariffs if the U.S. administration were to even up levies between the two countries, but it has a strategy for trade negotiations, senior officials said on Wednesday

How a Brazilian chief is staving off Amazon destruction
As you approach his Capoto/Jarina Indigenous territory in Mato Grosso state, large single-crop farms of soybean or maize give way to lush, verdant rainforest

Nintendo to unveil upgrade to best-selling Switch console
The Switch 2 features a larger screen, a wider stand, and retains its detachable 'Joy-Con' controllers

Deadly house fire in Ho Chi Minh City kills 2 adults, 1 child
The house reportedly had eight occupants at the time, five of whom managed to escape

Britain imposes new travel permit requirement on Europeans
The UK government follows other countries in seeking to strengthen immigration security

Hanoi woman's passion for limited-edition plush toys
From classic teddy bears to iconic animated characters, every piece represents a fragment of her childhood

Belgian king, queen enjoy egg coffee at eco-friendly café in Hanoi
The royal couple also learned about the history of Vietnamese coffee