Kyodo News Digest: July 4, 2025
----------
Japan's household spending in May up 4.7% on year
TOKYO - Japan's household spending rose a real 4.7 percent in May from a year earlier, government data showed Friday.
Households of two or more people spent an average of 316,085 yen ($2,200) in the reporting month, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.
----------
Trump likely to start sending new tariff rate letters on Friday
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration would likely begin sending letters informing some countries of their new tariff rates on Friday.
"It's just much easier. We have far more than 170 countries," Trump told reporters on Thursday. "I'd rather send out a letter saying this is what you're going to pay to do business in the United States."
----------
Novelist Otani becomes Japan's 1st to win British crime writing award
LONDON - A Japanese novelist on Thursday became her country's first to win a major British award for crime and mystery writing, highlighting a boom in the popularity of translated Japanese fiction.
Akira Otani was given the best translated crime novel prize at the Dagger Awards for "The Night of Baba Yaga," beating out five shortlisted competitors including fellow Japanese author Asako Yuzuki.
----------
Japan seeks tariff talks early next week in U.S. amid impasse
TOKYO - The Japanese government wants to send its chief tariff negotiator to the United States for an eighth round of ministerial-level talks early next week, a source close to the matter said Thursday.
Tokyo is believed to have sounded out the administration of President Donald Trump for another round of negotiations ahead of next Wednesday's deadline for its 90-day pause on country-specific tariffs.
----------
Strong quake shakes southwest Japan islands amid continued temblors
TOKYO - An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 hit off small islands in southwestern Japan on Thursday, following over 1,000 felt temblors in the area in nearly two weeks, the weather agency said.
The quake, which struck around 4:13 p.m. off the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, measured a lower 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 on Akuseki Island, part of the village of Toshima, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. No tsunami warning was issued.
----------
Japan's Michael Jackson impersonator helps tackle overtourism woes
OSAKA - A Michael Jackson impersonator in Osaka is using his popularity on social media to help address issues such as overcrowding and littering caused by overtourism.
The moonwalking performer, who calls himself "Michael Jackton" and has amassed nearly 13 million followers on video platform TikTok, frequently turns heads in Osaka's bustling Dotombori entertainment district and elsewhere in the western Japan city.
----------
Campaigning for Japan upper house election begins, inflation tests PM
TOKYO - Official campaigning began in Japan on Thursday for the July 20 House of Councillors election, a crucial test for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his minority government as voters struggle with the rising cost of living.
Ishiba has set a goal for the ruling coalition of his Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito party to retain its majority in the 248-member upper house, meaning it will need to win at least 50 seats in the upcoming race in which 125 seats are up for grabs.
----------
Basketball: Japan, Denmark play to stalemate in women's friendly
TOKYO - The Japanese women's national basketball team made too many mistakes but "learned a lot" from Thursday's 65-65 tie with Denmark, head coach Corey Gaines said.
Akatsuki Japan trailed early before fighting its way back into the exhibition game at Ariake Arena, which ended without an overtime period.
----------
Video: Popular mascots parade on Osaka Expo-designated Japan Day
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
2 hours ago
Taiwan Likely to Attend Nagasaki Peace Ceremony
News from Japan Society Jul 5, 2025 18:50 (JST) Nagasaki, July 5 (Jiji Press)--Taiwan is expected to attend the Nagasaki peace memorial ceremony in the southwestern Japan city for the first time on Aug. 9, it was learned Saturday. Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said the same day that he has told the Taiwanese side that the city has accepted its request to attend the annual event to remember the victims of the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of the city. This year, the city changed its policy and sent invitations to countries and regions that have diplomatic relations with Japan or have permanent missions to the United Nations, including Russia and Israel, which were not invited last year. The latest move by Nagasaki came after Taiwan had expressed regret for not being included in the list. The western city of Hiroshima, the other atomic-bombed Japanese city, has already sent a notice of its peace memorial ceremony scheduled on Aug. 6 to Taiwan. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Nikkei Asia
3 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Trump says US will start talks with China on TikTok deal Monday or Tuesday
In June, Trump extended to Sept. 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the U.S. assets of TikTok. © Reuters (Reuters) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he will start talking to China on Monday or Tuesday about a possible TikTok deal. He said the United States "pretty much" has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app. "I think we're gonna start Monday or Tuesday ... talking to China, perhaps President Xi [Jinping] or one of his representatives, but we would pretty much have a deal," Trump told reporters on Air Force One. Last month, Trump extended to Sept. 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the U.S. assets of TikTok. A deal had been in the works this spring to spin off TikTok's U.S. operations into a new U.S.-based company, majority owned and operated by U.S. investors, but it was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump's announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump said the U.S. will probably have to get a deal approved by China. When asked how confident he was that China would agree to a deal, he said: "I'm not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it's good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it's good for us."
Asahi Shimbun
4 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Trump says tariff letters to 12 countries signed, going out Monday
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One on the way to New Jersey on July 4. (REUTERS) U.S. President Donald Trump said he had signed letters to 12 countries outlining the various tariff levels they would face on goods they export to the United States, with the "take it or leave it" offers to be sent out on Monday. Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he traveled to New Jersey, declined to name the countries involved, saying that would be made public on Monday. Trump had earlier on Thursday told reporters that he expected a first batch of letters to go out on Friday, a national holiday in the United States, though the date has now shifted. In a global trade war that has upended financial markets and set off a scramble among policymakers to guard their economies, Trump in April announced a 10% base tariff rate and additional amounts for most countries, some ranging as high as 50%. However, all but the 10% base rate were subsequently suspended for 90 days to allow more time for negotiations to secure deals. That period ends on July 9, although Trump early on Friday said the tariffs could be even higher - ranging up to 70% - with most set to go into effect August 1. "I signed some letters and they'll go out on Monday, probably twelve," Trump said, when asked about his plans on the tariff front. "Different amounts of money, different amounts of tariffs." Trump and his top aides initially said they would launch negotiations with scores of countries on tariff rates, but the U.S. president has soured on that process after repeated setbacks with major trading partners, including Japan and the European Union. He touched on that briefly late on Friday, telling reporters: "The letters are better ... much easier to send a letter." He did not address his prediction that some broader trade agreements could be reached before the July 9 deadline. The shift in the White House's strategy reflects the challenges of completing trade agreements on everything from tariffs to non-tariff barriers such as bans on agricultural imports, and especially on an accelerated timeline. Most past trade agreements have taken years of negotiations to complete. The only trade agreements reached to date are with Britain, which reached a deal in May to keep a 10% rate and won preferential treatment for some sectors including autos and aircraft engines, and with Vietnam, cutting tariffs on many Vietnamese goods to 20% from his previously threatened 46%. Many U.S. products would be allowed to enter Vietnam duty free. A deal expected with India has failed to materialize, and EU diplomats on Friday said they have failed to achieve a breakthrough in trade negotiations with the Trump administration, and may now seek to extend the status quo to avoid tariff hikes.
