logo
Ishiba, Zelenskyy Agree to Cooperate on Ukrainian Situation in Their 1st Meeting; Japan Pledges Continued Support

Ishiba, Zelenskyy Agree to Cooperate on Ukrainian Situation in Their 1st Meeting; Japan Pledges Continued Support

Yomiuri Shimbun6 hours ago

Pool photo / The Yomiuri Shimbun
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, second from left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, meet in Kananaskis, Canada, on Tuesday.
BANFF, Canada — Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to continue to work closely over the situation in Ukraine and strengthen bilateral relations, in their first face-to-face meeting that took place in Kananaskis, Western Canada, on Tuesday afternoon.
The about-30-minute meeting was held on the sidelines of a Group of Seven summit.
'A lasting peace in Ukraine should be brought about as soon as possible,' Ishiba said at the beginning of their meeting, conveying his intention to work closely with the G7 nations to support Ukraine, which is facing Russia's aggression.
Japan has so far provided Ukraine with more than $12 billion (about \1.75 trillion) in financial aid, and Ishiba expressed his intention to continue to support the country. He also indicated that Japan will hold an international conference on dealing with landmines in Ukraine on Oct. 22.
Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for Japan's support and explained the current situation of the war and future prospects.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

In a first, Lower House opposition parties unite to dismiss finance committee chair
In a first, Lower House opposition parties unite to dismiss finance committee chair

Japan Times

time4 hours ago

  • Japan Times

In a first, Lower House opposition parties unite to dismiss finance committee chair

The Lower House finance committee chairman was removed Wednesday after a united opposition front supported a dismissal motion in a bid to hurt the ruling coalition ahead of the upcoming Upper House election. It is the first time ever that a motion against the head of a committee has cleared the Lower House — with a 237-221 vote — reflecting the vulnerabilities of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government. A similar motion has been approved in the Upper House in the past. Tatsunori Ibayashi, a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, became the target of the dismissal motion for failing to allow deliberations on a bill to abolish the gasoline tax in the final stage of the parliamentary session. Yukihiko Akutsu, a Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker, was chosen to replace him in an election in the Lower House hours later with 238 votes. He is expected to kickstart the debate over the bill in the coming hours. The motion came as it became less likely for the CDP to submit a no-confidence motion — a key arsenal for the opposition — against Ishiba, who reportedly threatened to dissolve the Lower House for a snap election if they did. In the plenary session speech ahead of the voting to dismiss Ibayashi, CDP lawmaker Shuji Inatomi accused the ruling parties of failing to deliberate on the gasoline tax bill, saying they are neglecting the impact of rising prices on people's livelihoods. 'The coalition has taken a very passive stance on this issue, and it's hard to say any concrete discussions to abolish (the provisional gasoline tax rate) have taken place,' Inatomi said. 'The ruling parties have consistently avoided specifying a clear timeline for the abolition.' The motion was submitted Tuesday by six parties — the CDP, Nippon Ishin no Kai, the Democratic Party for the People, Sanseito, the Conservative Party of Japan and the Social Democratic Party. The parties protested Ibayashi's decision to prevent deliberations on an opposition-sponsored bill that would abolish a provisional gasoline tax rate from July 1. The bill — submitted by the six parties with the Japanese Communist Party last week — proposed scrapping two separate taxes often referred to simply as 'gasoline tax.' Parliamentary committee chairpersons have authority over the deliberations in their respective committees. The LDP, meanwhile, called the bill's submission 'unexpected' given the imminent closure of the parliamentary session and the absence of measures to deal with the expected fall of revenues. The provisional tax rate was introduced in 1974, in the aftermath of the first oil shock, by the government of then-Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka to help pay to maintain roads. It was originally intended as a temporary measure but has stayed in place ever since. This fiscal year, the gasoline tax contributed ¥2.2 billion ($15.2 million) in revenue to state coffers. In December, the LDP, Komeito and the opposition's DPP agreed to abolish the provisional gasoline tax, but when that would be implemented and how to fund it weren't discussed. In April, the three parties signed an additional deal to temporarily lower gasoline prices. The opposition is likely to tout Ibayashi's removal and its commitment to take concrete measures to eliminate the gasoline tax in the upcoming Upper House race.

Ishiba leaves G-7 summit with Upper House election on mind
Ishiba leaves G-7 summit with Upper House election on mind

Asahi Shimbun

time5 hours ago

  • Asahi Shimbun

Ishiba leaves G-7 summit with Upper House election on mind

CALGARY, Canada—Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba wrapped up his first Group of Seven summit, ready to return to domestic politics, including the Upper House election, but without a deal with the United States to show voters. The G-7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, ended on June 17 without a comprehensive joint declaration by the G-7 leaders. Still, Ishiba said the summit gave him and the other world leaders the opportunity to exchange frank opinions on international affairs, including the situation in the Middle East. 'Through the intensive discussions during these two days, we were able to demonstrate our united G-7 leadership in addressing the various issues facing the international community,' Ishiba said at a news conference in Calgary on June 17. 'It was a great achievement that we were able to issue a leaders' statement in solidarity on important issues, when the world is facing a new turning point.' Ishiba said he discussed topics related to North Korea and disaster prevention. 'We will continue to deepen multi-layered cooperation with our allies and like-minded countries, and we will work hard on diplomacy to protect our country's independence, peace and our people's lives,' he said. The Japanese government had hoped that Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump would reach an agreement at the summit on removing or reducing U.S. tariffs, particularly on automobiles. But no deal was reached. 'I will do everything I can to ensure there is no insufficiency in countermeasures against urgent issues, such as rising prices and responding to U.S. tariffs,' Ishiba said in response to a question about the July 20 Upper House election. Asked how he would respond if opposition parties submitted a no-confidence motion against his Cabinet, Ishiba said, 'I will refrain from commenting on hypothetical questions.' Regarding the ruling coalition's plan to provide 20,000 yen ($138) in cash handouts to every resident, Ishiba said: 'We are also taking measures to combat rising prices. So, please consider this handout as part of our comprehensive strategy.' He also expressed his view that 20,000 yen is 'not a small amount.' In addition, Ishiba frowned on the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan's promise for a temporary lifting of the consumption tax on food items as a countermeasure against rising prices. 'A cash handout is much more effective,' Ishiba said. 'We should be extremely cautious about reducing the consumption tax.' (This article was written by Junichiro Ishii and Shinya Tokushima.)

Ishiba says disagreements remain with U.S. on tariffs; Trump calls Japan 'tough'
Ishiba says disagreements remain with U.S. on tariffs; Trump calls Japan 'tough'

Japan Today

time5 hours ago

  • Japan Today

Ishiba says disagreements remain with U.S. on tariffs; Trump calls Japan 'tough'

By Tim Kelly Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said his country has not reached a comprehensive tariff agreement with the United States as some disagreements persist between the two nations. Ishiba, talking to reporters after the Group of Seven leaders' summit in Canada on Tuesday, emphasised the importance of securing a trade deal that benefits both countries while safeguarding Japan's national interests. Ishiba, who was at his first G7 summit as prime minister, held tariff talks U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, but the meeting ended without an agreement to lower or eliminate the 25% tariff Trump has imposed on Japanese auto imports. Ishiba said U.S. tariff measures were impacting the earnings of many Japanese companies, including those in the automobile sector, while causing a significant impact on the global economy. "Both Japan and the United States have continued sincere discussions, exploring the possibility of an agreement until the last moment," he said. But Ishiba added there still remain points of disagreement between the two sides. Trump on Tuesday said Japan was being "tough" in trade talks. But he also said there was a chance of a trade deal between Washington and Japan. "They're tough, the Japanese are tough, but ultimately you have to understand we're just going to send a letter saying 'this is what you're going to pay, otherwise you don't have to do business with us'. But there's a chance," he said. Ishiba's news conference in Calgary, Canada was held following a gathering of G7 leaders at the nearby Kananaskis mountain resort in the Canadian Rockies. Ishiba also met other leaders for bilateral talks including his first meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The Japanese leader also discussed security relations with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung before heading back to Tokyo. The summit ended without a joint statement of support from the group for Ukraine after U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and left the event a day early to address the Israel-Iran conflict. On the Middle East, Ishiba said he had told G7 leaders that Iran's nuclear development was "never tolerable" while stressing the importance of diplomatic efforts through dialogue. Ishiba will participate in the NATO Summit in the Netherlands next week, he added. © Thomson Reuters 2025.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store