Kyodo News Digest: Aug. 16, 2025
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Subcontractors protest unpaid work on 8 overseas Osaka expo pavilions
OSAKA - Subcontractors involved in the construction of eight overseas pavilions at the World Exposition in Osaka are claiming they have not been paid for their work, with organizers and the prefectural government offering little help in what they have deemed is a private matter.
Some subcontractors are preparing to sue GL Events Japan, the prime contractor for four of the overseas pavilions involved in nonpayment disputes. Around 20 subcontractors gathered in protest in front of the French company's Japan branch in Osaka city on July 10, demanding to be paid.
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Japan prime minister vows to pursue peace, be mindful of "remorse" on WWII anniversary
TOKYO - Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday vowed to keep in mind Japan's "remorse" over World War II as the nation continues its pursuit of peace 80 years since its surrender, becoming the first premier in over a decade to use the term at the annual memorial ceremony for the war dead.
Ishiba's speech is seen as a reflection of his resolve to ensure lessons are learned from the war and to pass on what he calls the "sorrowful" memories to future generations as survivors continue to age.
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2 Japan ministers visit war-linked Yasukuni shrine, 1st under PM Ishiba
TOKYO - Farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato visited the war-linked Yasukuni shrine on Friday as Japan marked the 80th anniversary of its surrender in World War II, the first Cabinet members confirmed to have done so since Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba took office in October.
Ishiba sent a ritual offering to the Tokyo shrine without visiting it during the day, according to a source. The Shinto shrine, which honors convicted war criminals along with Japan's war dead, is viewed by Asian neighbors as a symbol of the country's past militarism, drawing immediate backlash from China and South Korea.
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South Korea's Lee lauds partnership but urges Japan to face history
SEOUL - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday vowed to seek forward-looking, mutually beneficial cooperation with Japan while calling on the neighboring country to "squarely face up to" the "long and fraught" history the two countries share.
Speaking at a ceremony in Seoul to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of Japan's colonial rule, Lee said Japan is "an indispensable partner," though "unresolved" historical issues still leave some South Koreans suffering, without detailing such issues as forced labor during the colonial period.
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Japan economy grows 1.0% in April-June, inflation weighs on spending
TOKYO - Japan's economy grew an annualized real 1.0 percent in the April-June period, marking the fifth consecutive quarterly expansion, helped by solid capital investment, though rising prices continued to weigh on consumer spending, government data showed Friday.
Exports increased as the impact of higher U.S. tariffs on automobiles from April was limited in the reporting period, but economists warned that broader effects could emerge on the export-reliant economy in the current quarter and beyond.
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China slams Japan lawmakers' Yasukuni visits as "erroneous"
BEIJING - China on Friday slammed visits by Japanese lawmakers to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine and a ritual offering sent to it by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, saying it reflects Tokyo's "erroneous" stance toward its history of aggression."
The Chinese Embassy in Tokyo also said in a statement the reverence shown by the Japanese politicians indicates "the lingering ghost of Japanese militarism" and "further exacerbates the strong concerns and doubts of its Asian neighbors and the international community about Japan's direction."
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Taiwan leader Lai urges resistance to aggression on WWII anniversary
TAIPEI - Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Friday called for unity to resist aggression and uphold freedom and democracy, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II on the Pacific front.
In a Facebook post, Lai said, "Only through constant vigilance and unity against aggression can we protect our everyday lives." His comments were made as the self-ruled democratic island faces increased military pressure from mainland China, which claims the territory.
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Japan ruling party lawmaker's secretary indicted over funds scandal
TOKYO - A former secretary to veteran ruling party lawmaker Koichi Hagiuda was indicted Friday for failing to report about 20 million yen ($136,000) in political funds, in a development that could prompt calls for his ex-boss to take responsibility.
With prosecutors issuing a summary indictment against Toshifumi Ushikubo, 46, a court fined him 300,000 yen. It was the first criminal case in the slush funds scandal following a prosecution review panel decision.
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Yomiuri Shimbun
2 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Memorial Service Held for War Dead in Philippines to Mark 80th Anniversary of End of World War II
HANOI — A memorial service was held to remember the war dead of both Japan and the Philippines at the Japanese Memorial Garden in Caliraya, Laguna Province, northern Philippines, on Friday, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The Philippines was a fierce battleground between Japan and the United States during the war. About 520,000 Japanese died, and more than 1 million Filipinos were caught up in the fighting and lost their lives. About 260 people, including family members of the war dead and representatives of the Philippine government, attended Friday's ceremony. Following the singing of the national anthems of both countries, the attendees prayed for peace while observing a moment of silence and offering flowers. Messages from the leaders of both countries were read on their behalf. 'The Filipino people were forced to suffer immense casualties,' the message by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba read. 'Building upon the legacy of our predecessors, we are committed to elevating our cooperation with the Philippines to even greater heights across a broad spectrum of fields,' Ishiba's message read. In his message, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed 'our total rejection of war, and our pursuit of lasting friendships.'
Yomiuri Shimbun
7 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Ishiba's World War II Memorial Address Reflects His Distinctiveness as He Mulls Timing of Personal Remarks
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's use of the word 'remorse' in his address about World War II at the annual government-organized national memorial service for the war dead reflected his distinctiveness. The word had been a common fixture of prime ministerial memorial addresses but was last used 13 years ago. Ishiba made the decision not to issue an official statement on World War II requiring Cabinet approval on Aug. 15, the 80th anniversary of its end, in his capacity as prime minister. However, he is still keen to release a message that includes his own assessment of the war. Choice of words explained 'I believe lessons are learned from remorse,' Ishiba told reporters at the Prime Minister's Office after the memorial service, when explaining his use of the word 'remorse.' 'We must once again deeply inscribe the remorse and lessons from that war into our hearts,' Ishiba said in the address. He had been repeatedly revising his speech until shortly before the event. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had used the term 'lessons' in his addresses from 2013. Therefore, Ishiba concluded that using both 'lessons' and 'remorse' would allow him to maintain a sense of consistency. 'Remorse' had been a fixture of prime ministerial addresses since former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama used the word in 1994, as part of an address aimed at victims of the war in Asia. It was last used in that context in 2012 by then Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. In his address on Friday, Ishiba used the word 'remorse' after saying the following: 'We must never again repeat the horrors of war. We must never again lose our way.' A close aide of Ishiba said that the prime minister had used 'remorse' in its broader meaning, not just as an apology to victims in Asia but also as a call to reflect on such things as how civilian control of the military was lost. Ishiba has frequently maintained that it is important to learn why the country went to war in order never to repeat it. He has also encouraged those around him to read 'Showa 16-nen Natsu no Haisen' (Defeat in the summer of 1941) by Naoki Inose, saying that it helps understand how Japan progressed toward war and learn the lessons from it. The work describes how Japan started the Pacific War despite a conclusion being made by the government's Total War Research Institute that Japan would be defeated if it entered into a war with the United States. Ishiba is also influenced by former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, whom he regarded as a political mentor and who said: 'It will be OK as long as those who have experienced the war are in the center of the country. It will be dangerous once that comes to an end.' Party's understanding needed For Ishiba to be able to issue his own remarks about the war, the key will be obtaining understanding within the Liberal Democratic Party. Takayuki Kobayashi, a former minister in charge of economic security, on Friday issued a warning to the prime minister not to release his message on the war. 'The statement issued on the 70th anniversary is everything,' he said. 'We must not burden future generations by having them continue to make apologies.' House of Councillors member Shigeharu Aoyama criticized Ishiba's memorial address on Friday, saying, 'I feel an intention to once again destabilize the domestic and international community that has existed since the Abe administration.' Ishiba was unable to release his message in time for the memorial ceremony due to such factors as the Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations. Sept. 2, the 80th anniversary of Japan signing the official instrument of surrender, is among the alternative dates being floated. 'I will make an appropriate decision, also taking into consideration past statements,' Ishiba said. Abe's address on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II is highly regarded within the party, as it is considered as having put an end to so-called 'apology diplomacy.' Behind Ishiba's decision not to issue an official statement on the 80th anniversary was the strong feeling within the party that Abe's statement should not be modified. Amid intensifying moves within the LDP to oust Ishiba as prime minister, he is expected to take a wait-and-see approach.
Kyodo News
10 hours ago
- Kyodo News
FOCUS: Japan's hard-won status as peace promoter tested 80 yrs after WWII
TOKYO - Japan's role as a peace promoter faces increasing challenges in a conflict-prone world, even as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reiterated on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II the importance of maintaining "remorse" and the lessons learned from the deadly war. The day commemorating the millions of war dead should have been an opportunity for Ishiba to send out a strong message of peace and raise the alarm about the consequences of resorting to force especially as he sees the security environment as "the most severe" in the postwar period amid China's rise and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But Ishiba only addressed a memorial ceremony on Friday, opting not to issue an official government statement to mark the 80th anniversary in break with the tradition of prime ministers who released their own on the 50th, 60th, and 70th anniversaries. The decision not to release a statement was largely seen as heeding to conservative members of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who have been wary to see any remarks from Ishiba that would amount to an apology to countries that suffered under Japan's wartime aggression such as China and South Korea. Regarding the 70th anniversary, then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who pushed for Japan to play a greater security role overseas, stopped short of issuing a fresh apology, although he mentioned that Japan has "repeatedly expressed the feelings of deep remorse" and offered its "heartfelt apology for its actions during the war." Abe, a conservative who sought to realize the first-ever amendment of the Constitution drafted during the U.S. occupation of Japan after World War II, also said that future generations should not "be predestined to apologize." The 2015 statement has led LDP conservatives to argue that it brought an end to Japan's "apology diplomacy" and that another official statement by Ishiba is unnecessary. The anniversary came as Ishiba, a 68-year-old veteran politician known as an Abe critic, has been facing political headwinds following two key national election losses during his tenure, which started less than a year before. Ishiba is still hoping to make public his personal view on the war, one that does not require Cabinet approval, but whether the statement would carry any substantial meaning remains to be seen. Aiko Utsumi, a professor emeritus of Keisen University specializing in historical sociology, said, "I hope to see a statement by the prime minister that reflects his own views on history and sends a message to Asia on Sept. 2," the day when Japan signed the instrument of surrender in 1945. Ishiba has stressed the need for mutual "trust" and "respect" in relations with other Asian nations that suffered Japan's wartime aggression and colonization. This year, Ishiba traveled to Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, which he said allowed him to "revisit" history. On Iwoto Island, the site of a fierce World War II battle between Japan and the United States in the Pacific, he touted the "stronger-than-ever" bilateral security alliance achieved after the war through reconciliation. "We must give thought to their history, be it that of Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia," he said during a recent event to discuss the future of Asia, underscoring the importance of closer ties with other Asian nations in upholding common values such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law. A group of academics had called on Ishiba to issue an official 80th anniversary statement, saying it would serve as "a foundation of Japan's new diplomacy" at a time when the country needs to forge "multifaceted" relationships with countries in the region as U.S. President Donald Trump challenges the existing global order through his "America First" trade and security policies. "We should carefully keep trying to remove the leftovers of prewar Japan that remain in Asian nations. Without such action, it is clear that there will be no true friendship nor cooperation," the Committee of Seven to Appeal for World Peace, founded in 1955 by Nobel Physics prize winner Hideki Yukawa, said in April. To make sure Japan does not repeat the horrors of war, Ishiba vowed on Friday to "hand down across generations the sorrowful memories of the war and our resolute pledge to renounce war." But perceptions of history among the younger generations appear to be shifting, even as many in the public still treasure the pacifism embedded in the Constitution. In a poll by the Japan Association for Public Opinion Research, cited in the Kobe Shimbun daily newspaper earlier this month, the percentage of respondents who thought Japan engaged in "a war of aggression" decreased across all age groups from the 2015 survey, while those aged 29 and under who thought the fighting was "a war for self-defense" more than doubled to 19 percent. Some constitutional experts have expressed concerns over the right-leaning opposition party Sanseito that appears to be broadening its appeal among young people with its "Japanese first" banner. Sanseito, a populist party that rose to prominence through social media, has called for a new Constitution under which the emperor is "sacred." There is also no mention in their proposed Constitution that the sovereignty resides with the people or a guarantee of human rights. The 1947 Constitution, created in response to Japan's wartime aggression, renounces war and bans the possession of military forces and other "war potential" in Article 9. It also defined the emperor as "the symbol of the state and the unity of the people of Japan." This separation from the government came about after some 3.1 million Japanese died in World War II fighting in the name of Emperor Hirohito, posthumously known as Emperor Showa. Masaaki Ito, a professor at Seikei University who has analyzed the recent rise of populism in Japan, said many people who support Sanseito do not necessarily do so because of its ultraconservative views, but they resonate with its push to make the lives of "lower-middle class" people better with aggressive fiscal spending enabled by the issuance of deficit-covering bonds. "Even though those people do so because they agree with where the party stands on economic policy, there is a possibility that they will get aligned" with it over other issues down the road, the professor said.
