India-Pakistan tensions rise after Kashmir attack: 5 things to know
NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD -- Tensions are escalating between India and Pakistan following a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam in the Kashmir region last week, heightening fears of a wider conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
India blames Pakistan for the April 22 attack that killed 25 Indians and one Nepalese. Islamabad has denied any involvement. A little-known group called Kashmir Resistance, which some media reports suggest is linked to Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, initially claimed responsibility and then denied its role.
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Tokyo Reported
15 hours ago
- Tokyo Reported
Osaka scouting group illegally referred women to soaplands
OSAKA (TR) – Law enforcement in Aichi and Kagawa prefectures have rearrested four men from Osaka City-based commercial sex scouting group Seed Advertising for illegally referring women to soapland bathhouses, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Apr. 16). Takeru Fukuyama, 27, is senior member of Seed Advertising. Police rearrested Fukuyama and three associates for introducing women to a soapland in Takamatsu City, Kagawa. Three other associates were arrested in this case for the first time. Police accused the seven suspects of violating the Employment Security Act regarding introductions for harmful business purposes. Seed Advertising formed in January 2022. From that time until this past March, the group made a total of at least 1.3 billion yen in profits from women's introduction fees and other sources, according to Aichi Prefectural Police. The group, which has up to 10 members, has conducted transactions with approximately 400 adult entertainment establishments in 46 prefectures and administrative districts. It is suspected that freelance scouts arranged for women they recruited on social-networking sites to be placed in adult entertainment establishments and received 15 percent of the women's sales as 'scout kickbacks.' The rearrest charges for Fukuyama and his associates allege that they introduced a woman in her early 20s to a soapland in Takamatsu City around June 11 last year. Fukuyama and his associates had been arrested twice before on suspicion of introducing other women in their 20s to soapland businesses in Kaga and Kofu cities, Ishikawa Prefecture.
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Japan Today
Trump clears path for Nippon Steel investment in U.S. Steel, so long as it fits the government's terms
President Donald Trump speaks at U.S. Steel Corporation's Mon Valley Works-Irvin plant on May 30, in West Mifflin, Pa. By JOSH BOAK President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order paving the way for a Nippon Steel investment in U.S. Steel, so long as the Japanese company complies with a 'national security agreement' submitted by the federal government. Trump's order didn't detail the terms of the national security agreement. But the iconic American steelmaker and Nippon Steel said in a joint statement that the agreement stipulates that approximately $11 billion in new investments will be made by 2028 and includes giving the U.S. government a ' golden share " — essentially veto power to ensure the country's national security interests are protected against cutbacks in steel production. 'We thank President Trump and his Administration for their bold leadership and strong support for our historic partnership," the two companies said. "This partnership will bring a massive investment that will support our communities and families for generations to come. We look forward to putting our commitments into action to make American steelmaking and manufacturing great again.' The companies have completed a U.S. Department of Justice review and received all necessary regulatory approvals, the statement said. 'The partnership is expected to be finalized promptly,' the statement said. U.S. Steel rose $2.66, or 5%, to $54.85 in afterhours trading Friday. Nippon Steel's original bid to buy the Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel in late 2023 had been valued at $55 per share. The companies offered few details on how the golden share would work, what other provisions are in the national security agreement and how specifically the $11 billion would be spent. White House spokesman Kush Desai said the order 'ensures U.S. Steel will remain in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and be safeguarded as a critical element of America's national and economic security.' James Brower, a Morrison Foerster lawyer who represents clients in national security-related matters, said such agreements with the government typically are not disclosed to the public, particularly by the government. They can become public, but it's almost always disclosed by a party in the transaction, such as a company — like U.S. Steel — that is publicly held, Brower said. The mechanics of how a golden share would work will depend on the national security agreement, but in such agreements it isn't unusual to give the government approval rights over specific activities, Brower said. U.S. Steel made no filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday. Nippon Steel originally offered nearly $15 billion to purchase U.S. Steel in an acquisition that had been delayed on national security concerns starting during Joe Biden's presidency. As it sought to win over American officials, Nippon Steel gradually increased the amount of money it was pledging to invest into U.S. Steel. American officials now value the transaction at $28 billion, including the purchase bid and a new electric arc furnace — a more modern steel mill that melts down scrap — that they say Nippon Steel will build in the U.S. after 2028. Nippon Steel had pledged to maintain U.S. Steel's headquarters in Pittsburgh, put U.S. Steel under a board with a majority of American citizens and keep plants operating. It also said it would protect the interests of U.S. Steel in trade matters and it wouldn't import steel slabs that would compete with U.S. Steel's blast furnaces in Pennsylvania and Indiana. Trump opposed the purchase while campaigning for the White House, and using his authority Biden blocked the transaction on his way out of the White House. But Trump expressed openness to working out an arrangement once he returned to the White House in January. Trump said Thursday that he would as president have 'total control' of what U.S. Steel did as part of the investment. Trump said then that the deal would preserve '51% ownership by Americans,' although Nippon Steel has never backed off its stated intention of buying and controlling U.S. Steel as a wholly owned subsidiary. 'We have a golden share, which I control,' Trump said. Trump added that he was 'a little concerned' about what presidents other than him would do with their golden share, 'but that gives you total control.' The proposed merger had been under review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, during the Trump and Biden administrations. The order signed Friday by Trump said the CFIUS review provided 'credible evidence' that Nippon Steel 'might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States,' but such risks might be 'adequately mitigated' by approving the proposed national security agreement. The order doesn't detail the perceived national security risk and only provides a timeline for the national security agreement. The White House declined to provide details on the terms of the agreement. The order said the draft agreement was submitted to U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel on Friday. The two companies must successfully execute the agreement as decided by the Treasury Department and other federal agencies that are part CFIUS by the closing date of the transaction. Trump reserves the authority to issue further actions regarding the investment as part of the order he signed on Friday. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Tokyo Assembly Race Kicks Off: Voters Must Carefully Ascertain Information before Casting Ballots
With the nation's capital facing many issues, such as high prices, a declining birth rate, an aging population and disaster preparedness measures, how should the future of Tokyo be shaped? This election will not only test the candidates' views, but also the judgment of every voter. Campaigning for the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election has officially kicked off. A record 295 people filed their candidacies for the 127 seats. Candidates will campaign for nine days until June 22, when voting and vote counting is held. Many Tokyo residents cite 'rising prices and wage increases' as points of contention in the election. In Tokyo, housing prices and rent are rising, placing a heavy burden on younger generations in particular. Many people are likely seeking an environment in which they can live without worries. According to national statistics released this month, Tokyo's total fertility rate — the average number of children born to each woman over her lifetime — stood at 0.96 last year, the lowest in the country. Increasing the number of children who will shape the future of the nation is a critical challenge. Preparing for disasters such as a major earthquake directly under the capital or heavy rainfall is also essential. It is important to carefully examine the policies presented by each candidate and determine who is most suitable. The Tokyo election is seen as a bellwether for the House of Councillors election this summer. The focus of the election will be on whether the Liberal Democratic Party, which currently holds 30 seats, can maintain its position as the largest party in the assembly. Whether the LDP, the Tokyo-based regional party Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites first group) and Komeito — the three parties that support the Tokyo governor — will be able to maintain their joint majority will also be closely watched. The approval rating for the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba remains low, hovering just above 30%. A scandal regarding LDP factions' involvement in failing to report revenue from political fundraising parties on political funds reports has spread to the LDP assembly group in the Tokyo assembly. The results of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election are likely to affect the prime minister's ability to maintain party unity. In recent elections, false and unverified information circulated on social media, creating a situation in which elections could be influenced. The practice of candidates running solely to help another candidate win, known as 'two-horsepower' campaigning, has also become an issue. In last year's Tokyo gubernatorial election, posters unrelated to the candidates, such as advertisements for adult entertainment establishments, were posted on election poster boards, leading to a revision of the Public Offices Election Law to prohibit election posters that undermine dignity. This will be the first major election since the revised law came into effect. Acts that degrade elections, which are the foundation of democracy, cannot be tolerated. All candidates should keep this matter in mind. The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association issued a statement ahead of the Tokyo assembly election, expressing concern that inaccurate information could influence the election. Four member companies of the association, including The Yomiuri Shimbun, have formed a voluntary group to start fact-checking information found online, starting with the Tokyo assembly election. Urban areas have a large number of voters who have no party preference, and the 'wind' that determines election outcome can sometimes blow. In an era of information overload, voters must ascertain information to cast their ballots. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 14, 2025)
