Lego goes local with Vietnam and US plants to curb tariff risks
HANOI -- Lego Group's second Asian production center has opened in Vietnam amid mounting trade tensions, underscoring the Danish toy maker's growing emphasis on local manufacturing that could mitigate the risks posed by U.S. tariffs.
During a visit to the new facility in Binh Duong province for its April 9 opening, Lego CEO Niels Christiansen said that "building a factory here was a very good choice," adding that point had been confirmed on "several occasions" over the past three years.
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The Mainichi
2 hours ago
- The Mainichi
US, China hold high-level trade talks with rare earths in focus
LONDON (Kyodo) -- Senior U.S. and Chinese officials met in London on Monday, with a top economic adviser to President Donald Trump expecting the latest round of trade talks to result in Beijing promptly lifting its export controls on rare earth minerals. The second high-level meeting, following mid-May talks in Geneva, took place after Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone last week, their first known direct communication since the U.S. president's inauguration for a nonconsecutive second term in January. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer attended the talks, which could also continue Tuesday. The trio met with a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier He Lifeng, a longtime confidant of Xi who oversees economic affairs. On Monday, Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, struck an optimistic note about the meeting's anticipated outcome. Hassett said in an interview with CNBC that the talks are likely to end with a "big, strong handshake." "Our expectation is that after the handshake, then export controls from the U.S. will be eased, and the rare earths will be released in volume, and then we can go back to negotiating smaller matters," he said. The 90-minute phone conversation between Trump and Xi on Thursday came after Washington and Beijing exchanged barbs over alleged violations of a preliminary agreement reached in Geneva. Under the deal, the two countries established a 90-day truce in their trade war and committed to stepping back from their respective triple-digit tariff rates. In the days leading up to his call with Xi, the Trump administration expressed frustration over China's slow removal of export controls on critical minerals used in high-tech products, accusing Beijing of failing to uphold the terms of the initial deal. China had criticized the Trump administration for imposing "discriminatory measures," including export control guidance on artificial intelligence chips and the revocation of visas for Chinese students studying in the United States. China's Commerce Ministry said Saturday that Beijing has approved a number of export license applications for rare earth-related items, citing global demand from industries such as robotics and new energy vehicles. However, it did not provide further details. China mines about 70 percent of the world's rare earths that are used in the production of smartphones, personal computers and vehicles. As part of retaliatory measures against high U.S. tariffs, Beijing in April introduced export controls on seven types of rare-earth minerals. Amid a tit-for-tat tariff war, Chinese exports to the United States in May fell 34.5 percent from a year earlier to $28.8 billion, while Chinese imports from the country dropped 18.1 percent to $10.8 billion, customs data of the Asian powerhouse showed Monday.
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japanese Cattle Rancher in Hokkaido Commercializes Frozen Milk, Plans to Export to Other Asian Countries
The Yomiuri Shimbun Toshifumi Suzuki of Suzuki Farm shows bottles of frozen milk in Hiroo, Hokkaido, in April. A cattle ranch has commercialized 'frozen milk' in Hokkaido, the kingdom of Japan's dairy products, and is expanding its sales channels. Though freezing milk typically makes for an unpleasant taste once thawed, making use of flash-freezing technology has been a game-changer. Freshness and flavor are not lost even after thawing, and the expiration date can be extended to about half a year compared to the one to two weeks when refrigerated. The cattle ranch plans to export the product to other Asian countries. 'Trustworthiness and branding power of 'made in Hokkaido' products are great. I believe there is demand from high-income consumers,' said Toshifumi Suzuki, 43, who keeps about 90 dairy cows in Hiroo, Hokkaido. The town is in the Tokachi area, where dairy farms are prosperous. Suzuki Farm, where he works, was established by his great-grandfather. When he began working there, the cows were fed enriched feeds made mainly with corn and artificial supplements. However, the cows repeatedly contracted infectious diseases. In 2010, he changed the ranch's feeding, believing the cows would be healthier if they were raised in an environment closer to nature. Once switching exclusively to organic grass, the cows became ill less often and the taste of their milk improved drastically. In summer last year, he was hit with the idea of commercializing frozen milk upon learning about machines that freeze meat and fish extremely quickly to preserve freshness. The machines are developed by Technican Co., a Yokohama-based freezer manufacturer. The process involves immersing food containers in a liquid at minus 30 C, freezing it instantly without causing cell breakdown. Surely, Suzuki thought, the same process serving to preserve the freshness of food could be applied to milk? Usually, thawing milk causes proteins and fats to separate, giving it a rough texture. Therefore, the Tokyo-based Japan Dairy Industry Association does not recommend freezing milk. However, when Suzuki experimented using the quick-freezing method, it was confirmed that freshness and flavor were not lost even after thawing. After an evaluation by a third-party inspection body, Suzuki began selling frozen milk with a six-month expiration period in summer last year. A 180-milliliter bottle of the frozen milk is priced at ¥700, including tax. As it can be enjoyed without worrying about best-by dates, the milk is popular as a thank-you gift under the furusato nozei hometown tax donation system, in which people donate money to local governments of their choice in return for income tax deductions. Also, since it is unlikely that leftover milk will need to be disposed, some customers buy the frozen milk for dairy product events. Suzuki Farm plans to begin exporting to Singapore and Thailand in autumn. 'I want people all over the world to know the true taste of milk beyond the barrier of best-by dates,' Suzuki said. Another cattle ranch in the area sells flash-frozen milk from cows raised exclusively on pasture grass, of which a 180-milliliter bottle is priced at ¥540, including tax. Miyaji Bokujo ranch in Shimizu, Hokkaido, has shipped its frozen milk to a milk shop in New Chitose Airport and a Fukuoka supermarket.
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
2025 Expo ‘a Mirror of the Times' That Highlights International Affairs
The Yomiuri Shimbun King Frederik X of Denmark, fourth from left, walks on the Grand Ring at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. More than 50 days have passed since the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo began. Exhibits that evoke the future of society are popular, and the number of visitors is increasing after an initially slow start. Although they tend to be overlooked amid the spectacular exhibits, some events and activities during this 50-day period have reflected the complex state of the world today. The king's sales A procession led by the king of Denmark passed along the Grand Ring, the world's largest wooden structure and the symbol of the Expo, and made its way to the Japan Pavilion. Visitors held up their smartphones to record the scene. On April 24, it was Denmark's turn to mark 'National Day,' in which countries participating in the Expo showcase their cultures. King Frederik X — the successor to Queen Margrethe II, who enjoyed immense popularity during her 52-year reign — led the party, which included Danish corporate leaders. King Frederik chose Japan as the first Asian country to visit after his accession to the throne in January last year, accompanied by a business delegation including Danish Crown, his nation's largest meat producer. One of the accompanying members wrote in an email before arriving in Japan that she considered this visit to Japan to be 'particularly important.' One reason why is the Trump administration's tariff policy. Japan is gaining importance as a market amidst the instability of the global free trade system, and it has 'a long-standing partnership [with Denmark] grounded in mutual respect and values,' as King Frederik said in a speech at the Expo. The day before arriving in Osaka, the king stopped by Ippudo, a ramen chain restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, that uses pork supplied by Danish Crown. He enjoyed a bowl in front of the press, helping to promote Danish products. 'A window to the world' Denmark has a population of just under 6 million, which is less than Chiba Prefecture. Two-thirds of its food production is exported, and the country relies on international trade to support its economy. 'We are a small country in a big world. So, we are a strong believer of free trade,' stressed delegation member Soren Sondergaard, who is president of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council. 'We don't like tariffs at all. For Denmark, Japan is a big, big, big export market for us where we would like to export more. ' After leaving the Expo site, Mr. Sondergaard and the delegation went to the head office of Suntory Holdings in Kita Ward, Osaka, which obtained beer manufacturing technology from Carlsberg in Denmark. They met with members of Japanese companies, with the 52 Danish participants exceeding the 42 from Japan. Following the event, a lively reception was held at the PRONTO bar on the ground floor of the building. Business exchange events related to Denmark are often held in Tokyo, so holding one in Osaka is a rare occurrence. Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Jacob Jensen emphasized, 'I believe that a small country like Denmark, with an open economy, we have huge interest in having loyal and long partnerships with good friends like Japan.' 'When you look at a map, you have Japan here, you have Denmark, long way, 13 hours in a plane directly, but still, we are very close in the way that we do business, in the way that we have values, democracies,' Jensen said. 'We have an open society, and we have also trust as a keyword in our society. Even though … we are far from each other in geography, I think we are very close in our mindset. The Expo is a window to the world.' A diplomatic stage The Expo also serves as a diplomatic stage in connection with ongoing global conflicts. Israel is exhibiting a 2,000-year-old building stone weighing approximately 1.5 tons from the Old City of East Jerusalem that dates back to the early Hasmonean Kingdom, a Jewish dynasty. The dynasty was established when the Jews regained their independence from Hellenistic rule. Gilad Cohen, Israel's ambassador to Japan, stated at the opening ceremony on April 23 that 'the pavilion expresses the connection between the people of Israel, their homeland and their capital, Jerusalem.' However, East Jerusalem is an area that Israel occupied after the 1967 Six-Day War. The Palestinian side considers it to be the capital of a future state. Most of the international community, which supports the 'two-state solution' between Israel and a future Palestinian state, does not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and maintains that the status of Jerusalem should be decided through peace talks between Israel and Palestine. An expert on Middle Eastern politics said, 'Israel's exhibition at the Expo could cause controversy over its claim to the territory.' The Palestinian pavilion at the Expo site had not directly addressed the Gaza conflict. However, as the Israeli Army restarted its military operations in Gaza, the pavilion displayed QR codes at the end of May that link to information about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to visitors. 'The world must see and acknowledge the truth. It's time for awareness to turn into action,' a Palestinian official said. 'Gaza has endured over 600 days of relentless suffering — children's lives lost, civilians bombed out of their shelters, famine ravaging communities and aid being misused for military purposes. It's a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent attention and tangible steps to end the suffering,' the official said. Russia withdrew from the Expo, but Ukraine is holding an exhibition to convey its position. To show their solidarity, a representative from the European Union visited the pavilion on May 9, followed by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden on the 14th and Norwegian foreign minister Espen Barth Eide on June 2. Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory, is participating in the Expo under the name of a private company. The absence of the word 'Taiwan' in the exhibition area is seen as an attempt to avoid China's objections by framing it as a 'non-governmental' activity. While the Olympic Games, known as the 'Festival of Peace,' uphold political neutrality in the Olympic Charter, the Convention Relating to International Exhibitions that defines the nature of the Expo does not include neutrality provisions. Therefore, politics is not strictly off-limits. The Expo is often referred to as 'a mirror of the times.' With just over four months remaining, we will witness more realities of the global situation at this festive event. Political Pulse appears every Saturday. Kenji Nakanishi Kenji Nakanishi is a deputy editor in the City News Department of the Yomiuri Shimbun Osaka.
