logo
Japan's ‘Rice Minister' Is Ruling Party's Biggest Election Gamble

Japan's ‘Rice Minister' Is Ruling Party's Biggest Election Gamble

Bloomberg15-07-2025
In Japan, where politicians usually favor caution over confrontation, Shinjiro Koizumi is proving to be an exception.
Dressed in a sharp navy suit and crisp white shirt, the 44-year-old son of a former prime minister showed up in the rice-growing heartland of Yamagata this month with a message few farmers wanted to hear: The price of rice must come down.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India's Modi meets China's top diplomat as Asian powers rebuild ties
India's Modi meets China's top diplomat as Asian powers rebuild ties

Yahoo

time26 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

India's Modi meets China's top diplomat as Asian powers rebuild ties

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi met China's top diplomat on Tuesday and hailed the 'steady progress' made in improving the bilateral relationship after a years-long stand-off between the nuclear-armed Asian powers. Mr Modi also noted 'respect for each other's interests and sensitiveness' in a statement on social media after meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. China's foreign ministry said the countries have entered a 'steady development track' and the countries should 'trust and support' each other. Mr Wang arrived in India on Monday and has met with foreign affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar as well as national security adviser Ajit Doval about the countries' disputed border in the Himalayan mountains. India's foreign ministry said Mr Wang's meeting with Mr Doval discussed 'de-escalation, delimitation and boundary affairs'. Relations plummeted in 2020 after security forces clashed along the border. The violence, the worst in decades, left 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers dead, freezing high-level political engagements. 'The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interest of the people of our two countries. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored in the borders,' Mr Wang said. Mr Modi emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity on the border and reiterated India's commitment to a 'fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question', his office said in a statement. The rebuilding of India-China ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington after US president Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on India, a long-time ally seen as a counterbalance against China's influence in Asia. India is part of the Quad security alliance with the US, along with Australia and Japan. The chill in relations after the deadly clash in 2020 between troops in the Ladakh region affected trade, diplomacy and air travel, as both sides deployed tens of thousands of security forces in border areas. Some progress has been made since then. Last year, India and China agreed to a pact on border patrols and withdrew additional forces along some border areas. Both countries continue to fortify their border by building roads and rail networks. In recent months, the countries have increased official visits and discussed easing some trade restrictions, movement of citizens and visas for businesspeople. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Both sides are working to restore direct flights. Last week, the spokesman for India's foreign ministry, Randhir Jaiswal, said India and China were in discussions to restart trade through three points along their 2,167-mile border. 'Settling the boundary issue between the two countries requires political compromise at the highest political level,' said Manoj Joshi, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank. He also served as a member of the advisory board for India's National Security Council. The thaw between Beijing and New Delhi began last October when Mr Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping met at a summit of emerging economies in Russia. It was the first time the leaders had spoken in person since 2019. Mr Modi is set to meet Mr Xi when he travels to China late this month — his first visit in seven years — to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional grouping formed by China, Russia and others to counter US influence in Asia. Earlier this year, Mr Xi called for India and China's relations to take the form of a 'dragon-elephant tango' — a dance between the emblematic animals of the countries. Last month, India's external affairs minister visited Beijing in his first trip to China since 2020.

Bessent Says India's Richest Families Benefit From Russia Deals
Bessent Says India's Richest Families Benefit From Russia Deals

Bloomberg

timean hour ago

  • Bloomberg

Bessent Says India's Richest Families Benefit From Russia Deals

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed some of the 'richest families in India' benefited from the purchase of Russian crude oil, while reiterating plans to boost tariffs on the South Asian nation. 'We have planned to up the tariffs on India — these are secondary tariffs for buying the sanctioned Russian oil,' Bessent said in an interview to CNBC on Tuesday. Before Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, less than 1% of India's oil came from Russia, 'and now, I believe, it's up to 42%. So India is just profiteering,' he said.

Veteran who served in Middle Eastern wars launches campaign against Sen. Susan Collins
Veteran who served in Middle Eastern wars launches campaign against Sen. Susan Collins

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Veteran who served in Middle Eastern wars launches campaign against Sen. Susan Collins

More than a year before voters take to the polls, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has a new challenger. Early Tuesday morning, Graham Platner entered the race as a Democrat. The combat veteran served in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, according to his online biography, and is now the owner-operator of Waukeag Neck Oyster Co. His campaign Facebook page says he is a "friend of the working Mainer, foe of the oligarchy." He already has more than a dozen town halls scheduled across the New England state. "[E]very where I've gone, it seems like the fabric of what holds us together is being ripped apart by billionaires and corrupt politicians," Platner, 40, said in a campaign launch video. Senate Democrats Are Feverishly Recruiting Top Candidates To Win Back Majority In 2026 Midterms "Profiting off of destroying our environment, driving our families into poverty and crushing the middle class," he said. Read On The Fox News App Platner went on to say he supports universal healthcare, aiding veterans and stopping funding for foreign wars. The video was produced by Morris Katz, a top advisor to the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, according to the New York Times. "Being a Bernie Bro and Kamala Harris donor is a profile to appeal to Portland progressives, not centrist and conservative voters in rural Maine," Jason Savage, the executive director of the Maine Republican Party said, according to the Times. Trump Ally Mike Collins Launch Key Battleground State Bid To Flip Democrat-held Senate Seat Platner, a political newcomer, told Politico that he also brought on Joe Cavello, a former senior aide to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., to help with his campaign. "To call me a liberal, I think is fairly amusing. I mean, I'm a competitive pistol shooter. That's what I do on the weekends," he told the media outlet. "I'm a firearms instructor. I spent multiple years, obviously, in the service utilizing firearms. I also grew up in rural Maine, where guns are a part of our existence." The Democratic challenger list against Collins is growing, and reports say those already in office are trying to tap Janet Mills, the state's 77-year-old Democratic governor, for the seat. Republicans currently control the majority of the Senate by a 53-47 margin. Democrats would need to flip four seats in the 2026 midterm elections to take the majority. A spokesperson for Collins told Fox News Digital that Platner is "just another progressive entering the race."Original article source: Veteran who served in Middle Eastern wars launches campaign against Sen. Susan Collins Solve the daily Crossword

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store