
Japan readies $700m package to lure talent amid US brain drain
TOKYO -- The Japanese government has put together an emergency policy package of at least 100 billion yen ($698 million) to attract overseas researchers in the wake of an exodus of talent from the U.S. under President Donald Trump.
Minoru Kiuchi, Japan's minister of state for science and technology policy, will announce the plan on Friday.

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NHK
28 minutes ago
- NHK
Trump warns Iran to make nuclear deal 'before it is too late'
US President Donald Trump has reiterated his warning to Iran to make a nuclear deal. Trump posted on social media on Friday, "Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left." He strongly urged the country to make concessions on its nuclear development by warning, "No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE."


The Mainichi
an hour ago
- The Mainichi
Local gov'ts in Japan providing 'rice aid' in vouchers, real grain, amid high prices
TOKYO -- Local governments in Japan are carrying out "rice aid" programs for residents amid soaring rice prices, mostly using national subsidies designated to address rising costs as resources. The Hokkaido Prefectural Government will hand out vouchers or digital coupons worth 5,240 yen (about $36) to purchase rice and milk, or distribute 5.5 kilograms of locally produced rice to each of some 390,000 households with children. The prefecture is accepting applications until the end of June. The city of Kameoka in Kyoto Prefecture will hand out 5 kg of Japanese rice each to all children aged up to 18 in the city (roughly 12,500), as well as coupons worth 8,000 yen (about $56) that can be used at local shops in the city. The city of Fukui will distribute 5,000-yen (approx. $35) vouchers for locally grown rice to some 24,000 families with children. The amount will be increased to 8,000 yen for single-parent households. The Hitachi Municipal Government in Ibaraki Prefecture will send out 4,400-yen (about $31) rice certificates to around 11,000 families with children. The Osaka Prefectural Government has been carrying out a program to provide children aged 18 and younger and pregnant women with digital coupons or food items worth 7,000 yen (roughly $49). The prefecture announced in early June that the age bracket will be expanded to include those aged 19 to 22. Meanwhile, some municipal governments include all residents and households for aid programs. The city of Chichibu in Saitama Prefecture will distribute rice certificates to all 26,000 households in the city. The amount ranges depending on the number of household members: those with one to three members will receive certificates worth 2,200 yen (approx. $15) and those with four or more 3,080 yen (about $21). The city plans to send them out around late August. The Toki Municipal Government in Gifu Prefecture will send out 4,400-yen rice vouchers per household to all of the city's roughly 24,700 households, while Ehime Prefecture's city of Imabari will hand out rice certificates worth 2,200 yen each to the city's approximately 147,000 residents. Many of the local governments are asking their residents not to resell these vouchers online.


Yomiuri Shimbun
2 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Govt, LDP Discuss Increasing Taxation on Foreign Visitors; Abolition of Tourist's Consumption Tax Exemption Urged
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo The Liberal Democratic Party's headquarters in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. There are growing discussions within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party about how to tax the rapidly increasing number of foreign visitors to Japan more effectively. The LDP argues that abolishing the consumption tax exemption and raising the International Tourist Tax (departure tax) would also help to combat overtourism. A group of LDP lawmakers on Thursday handed proposals to Itsunori Onodera, chairperson of the LDP's Policy Research Council, and Yoichi Miyazawa, chairperson of the party's Research Commission on the Tax System, calling for the abolition of the consumption tax exemption. Introduced alongside Japan's consumption tax in 1989, the exemption is based on the international principle that consumption tax is levied at the point of consumption. However, there have recently been an increasing number of cases of abuse of the system, with large quantities of tax-exempt goods being purchased and resold for profit. In response, the government plans to revise the current system of selling goods without consumption tax being imposed at duty-free shops and instead implement a 'refund system' from November next year, whereby consumers will receive the amount paid in consumption tax at the time of departure. If abuse occurs, the refund will not be paid. Nevertheless, the lawmakers argue that abuse cannot be prevented if duty-free shops and international visitors collude, and therefore the tax exemption should be abolished. 'Offering a 10% discount (by not imposing the consumption tax) to encourage people to buy overseas brand-name goods (in Japan) is not the vision of a tourism-oriented country that we are aiming for,' said Kenji Nakanishi, a member of the House of Representatives. The government and the LDP are also considering increasing the departure tax. Introduced in 2019 as a source of revenue for tourism promotion, the tax imposes a ¥1,000 levy on passengers departing from Japan, regardless of nationality. The tax is added to airline and cruise ship ticket prices. At the House of Councillors Budget Committee in May, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that visitors to Japan also use Japan's infrastructure and that 'paying appropriate compensation is an obligation that they owe Japanese taxpayers,' indicating his intention to consider raising the tax. There are countries and regions with higher departure taxes than Japan — Australia imposes a 70 Australian dollar (approximately ¥6,600) levy, while Hong Kong charges 120 Hong Kong dollars (approximately ¥2,200). According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2024 increased by 47.1% year-on-year to reach 36.87 million. Visitors are arriving at a record-breaking pace this year, making measures to address overtourism an urgent issue.