Analysis: How Japan's cost-of-living crisis weighed on voters
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NHK
9 minutes ago
- NHK
Japan pressing US to act as tariff deadline nears
Japanese trade minister Muto Yoji says Tokyo and Washington need to act swiftly to implement their recent tariff deal. The two countries agreed last week to cut a planned 25 percent US tariff on Japanese goods to 15 percent. The higher rate was set to come into force on August 1. Muto said: "The important thing for both Japan and the US is to make efforts to implement the agreement. With Friday's deadline in mind, Japan is strongly urging the US to take necessary measures, such as signing at an early date executive orders to cut the rate." Muto said the ministry is calling for quick implementation of the 15 percent levy on Japanese cars, which was cut from 27.5 percent. He said the ministry will determine the impacts of the tariffs on Japan's industries and job market and take additional measures whenever necessary.
Japan Times
9 minutes ago
- Japan Times
Eight opposition parties agree to push for extra gasoline tax to be scrapped
Eight opposition parties on Tuesday agreed to push for scrapping the provisional add-on gasoline tax rate on Nov. 1. At the day's meeting among policy chiefs, the parties, including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), affirmed a plan to jointly submit a bill to implement such a tax cut during an extraordinary parliamentary session slated to be convened Friday. The opposition parties are hoping to raise public expectations for political change, as the ruling coalition no longer holds a majority in either chamber of parliament after losing their combined majority in the July 20 election for the House of Councilors, the upper chamber. Meanwhile, the CDP is aiming to foster trust among opposition parties. Tuesday's meeting was attended by policy chiefs from the CDP, Nippon Ishin no Kai, the Democratic Party for the People, Sanseito, Reiwa Shinsengumi, the Japanese Communist Party, the Conservative Party of Japan and the Social Democratic Party. The CDP plans to call on the ruling camp of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito to hold talks on ways to ensure the abolition of the provisional gasoline tax rate. "We'll strongly push for the enactment (of the bill) during next month's extraordinary parliamentary session," CDP policy chief Kazuhiko Shigetoku told reporters after the meeting. "We'll not allow the tax cut to be postponed beyond Nov. 1," he added. As the LDP has expressed reluctance to scrap the extra gasoline tax rate starting in November, talks between the ruling and opposition parties may stall.
Japan Times
39 minutes ago
- Japan Times
80% of high schoolers in Japan show interest in wages and labor systems
About 80% of high school students in Japan are interested in wages and labor systems, according to the results of a questionnaire survey released by the labor ministry on Tuesday. The results were included in the 2025 white paper on health, labor and welfare, which features education on social security and labor laws. "The more education students receive, the greater their interest and understanding," the ministry said in the paper, which was presented at the day's cabinet meeting. The ministry analyzed valid responses from 3,000 individuals who took part in the online survey conducted in January. With multiple answers allowed, 80.0% of respondents expressed interest in wage rules, followed by working hour rules, at 79.5%. Medical service systems were selected by 63.6%, and pension systems by 58.3%. Nursing care systems were cited by only 43.3%. The white paper cites civics classes as good opportunities for high school students to learn about social security systems. It also highlights efforts to promote vocational awareness during school by dispatching employees from Hello Work public job placement offices to universities and high schools.
