Kyodo News Digest: June 3, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 5 minutes ago - 09:24 | All, Japan, World
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan PM may seek snap election if no-confidence submitted
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba may dissolve the House of Representatives for a snap general election if the main opposition party submits a no-confidence motion, a source close to the government leadership said Monday.
Ishiba, whose coalition holds a minority in the lower house, could take the move before any no-confidence motion is put to a vote in the chamber, the source said. If such a motion is submitted and approved, the prime minister must dissolve the lower house or the Cabinet must resign en masse within 10 days.
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Japanese baseball legend Nagashima dead at 89: Yomiuri newspaper
TOKYO - Japanese baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima, who rose to stardom for his on-field exploits during the country's era of rapid economic growth in the 1960s and 1970s, died Tuesday, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said. He was 89.
Nagashima, who was a key player of the Yomiuri Giants team that achieved nine consecutive Central League and Japan Series titles from 1965 to 1973 and later managed the club, was a charismatic figure whose popularity transcended sports.
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White House says Trump "likely" to speak with China's Xi this week
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump is "likely" to speak with Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week, the White House said Monday, amid renewed trade tensions between the two countries.
The prospect for such talks, mentioned to reporters by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, comes after China hit back at the United States over alleged violations of a temporary bilateral trade agreement reached in mid-May in Geneva.
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South Koreans begin voting in presidential election
SEOUL - South Koreans began voting Tuesday in a presidential election to choose a successor to ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose imposition of martial law deeply divided the nation and sent shockwaves across the country.
More than 14,000 polling stations opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m. Of over 44 million eligible voters, about 34.7 percent have already cast ballots during early voting on Thursday and Friday.
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Japan crafts basic plan to support "employment ice age" generation
TOKYO - The government on Tuesday mapped out a basic framework to support people in their 40s to 50s who fell victim to Japan's "employment ice age," with a focus on easing retirement anxieties.
One key element is to provide "safety net public housing," operated in a way that prevents aging people from being denied a home.
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Japan's departure tax revenue hits record high in FY 2024
TOKYO - Japan's revenue from a departure tax collected from travelers in fiscal 2024 hit a record high amid an influx in the number of visitors, the Finance Ministry said Monday.
Although revenue from the tax for the full fiscal year, which runs from April to March, has yet to be calculated with final receipts gathered by the end of May, the total has already reached 48.1 billion yen ($34 billion), eclipsing the previous record of 44.3 billion yen in fiscal 2019, it said. The full total will be announced later.
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U.N. official looks to Japan as leader in disaster resilience efforts
GENEVA - The focus of work related to natural disaster recovery must shift from rapid rebuilding to long-term resilience and inclusivity, and Japan can play a leading role in such efforts, according to the chief of the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
"We must stop building back fast with big promises and start building back better and more resilient," said Kamal Kishore, special representative of the U.N. secretary general for disaster risk reduction, in a recent interview with Kyodo News.
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Japanese footballer in Australia arrested in betting scandal
SYDNEY - A Japanese footballer playing on an Australian A-League team has been arrested for alleged involvement in a betting scandal, Australian authorities said.
Riku Danzaki, 25, a midfielder for Melbourne-based A-League club Western United, is suspected of deliberately receiving yellow cards during matches to manipulate betting outcomes, local media said.
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Kyodo News
2 hours ago
- Kyodo News
FOCUS: South Korea's Lee to seek stable ties with Japan amid uncertainties
By Keita Nakamura, KYODO NEWS - 9 minutes ago - 23:51 | World, All South Korea's newly elected liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, is likely to pursue stable ties with Japan at least early in his tenure, avoiding a hardline stance as the two countries navigate regional security challenges and uncertainties triggered by the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. Still, the risk of flareups over issues tied to Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula lingers, given Lee's past anti-Japan rhetoric and the approaching 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, which could reignite debate over Japan's view of its history. To strengthen bilateral ties, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba should move quickly to build personal trust with Lee through summit talks, foreign policy experts say, noting that this would also help maintain trilateral cooperation with the United States amid North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and China's regional assertiveness. Following Tuesday's snap presidential election, Lee, 60, will take over from conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached and ousted over his short-lived martial law declaration in December. He will become the first South Korean president from the progressive camp in three years since Moon Jae In. Under Moon, ties between the two Asian neighbors sank to their lowest point in decades, largely over issues such as wartime labor compensation and the treatment of "comfort women" forced to work in Japanese military brothels. Japanese experts on South Korean affairs are skeptical that ties will immediately unravel once Lee enters the Blue House, with Junya Nishino, a political science professor at Keio University, citing the "current severe international affairs" that require close collaboration between the two nations. "Just because an administration is liberal does not mean it is anti-Japanese," he said. After narrowly losing to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, Lee grew increasingly critical of Japan, as the conservative president made significant strides to improve frosty bilateral ties, deepened cooperation with key ally the United States and worked to expand three-way collaboration. Later in 2022, Lee, then leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, called for the cancellation of a joint defense drill involving U.S., South Korean, and Japanese forces, arguing that the exercises would help Japan become a "military power" despite being a "country that ruled South Korea by force" and having "not offered a sincere apology" over historical issues. In 2023, Lee escalated his criticism of Japan, likening its discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to an "act of terror" reminiscent of its imperialist actions during the Pacific War. But he toned down such remarks after Yoon's martial law turmoil thrust him into the spotlight as a leading presidential contender. In foreign policy and national security pledges announced just over a week before the presidential election, Lee acknowledged Japan as "an important partner for cooperation" and pledged to pursue "pragmatic" diplomacy in the national interest. Nishino said Lee's shift in stance is aimed at presenting himself as a "realistic politician" amid turbulent times while also taking into account public support for improved bilateral ties. "The return of the Trump administration is creating many challenges to the international situation," he said. "So, he(Lee) should basically be thinking that he would not want to add more to his plate by seeing Japan-South Korea ties deteriorate." South Korea saw tensions with the United States rise during the first Trump administration from 2017 to 2021, as Seoul was pressured to significantly increase its share of the cost of hosting U.S. forces, reportedly faced threats of a troop withdrawal, and was pushed to renegotiate a bilateral free trade agreement. Trump has continued his "America First" foreign and trade policy in his nonconsecutive second term, which began in January, imposing higher tariffs on allies, including South Korea and Japan, as part of efforts to extract concessions on trade and other issues. Trump's commitment to Asia remains hazy, with U.S. media reporting in May that his administration is considering withdrawing thousands of U.S. troops from South Korea. The Pentagon has denied the report, but if carried out, the move could weaken deterrence against North Korea and China. Meanwhile, the Aug. 15 anniversary of the end of World War II could be a sensitive time for Japan and its Asian neighbors that endured its wartime aggression. Ishiba, seen as a dove on historical issues between Japan and South Korea, is not expected to issue a Cabinet-approved statement marking the anniversary amid opposition from conservative members of his party. However, any sign of Japan backtracking from its postwar pacifism could provoke a backlash from China and South Korea. Lee has signaled that he has no intention of making concessions on historical and territorial disputes with Japan, but at the same time pledged to take a "future-oriented" approach to cooperation in social, cultural and economic areas. Susumu Kohari, an expert on Korean studies, warned that Lee could ramp up his anti-Japan rhetoric if he struggles with a low public support rate. The University of Shizuoka professor emphasized the importance of promptly arranging summit talks between Ishiba and Lee and maintaining regular leader-level visits, a practice resumed in 2023 after a hiatus of more than a decade. Kohari also suggested that Japan and South Korea collaborate in responding to Trump's tariff blitz, citing shipbuilding, an area where both countries are strong, as potential leverage in trade talks. Tadashi Kimiya, an expert in South Korean politics, said that strengthening ties with the United States and Japan, which share values and security concerns, is a "far more realistic" path for Lee, as the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry has made it increasingly difficult for Seoul to pursue balanced diplomacy between the world's two largest economies. Related coverage: Japan PM pledges stable ties with key partner South Korea under Lee
3 hours ago
Japan to Call China Biggest Strategic Challenge
News from Japan Society Jun 4, 2025 22:31 (JST) Tokyo, June 4 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government, in its upcoming basic economic and fiscal policy guidelines, will position China as the biggest strategic challenge to efforts to strengthen the international order based on the rule of law, it was learned Wednesday. It is unusual for the annual economic and fiscal policy guidelines to criticize China for its coercive behavior toward neighboring countries. A draft of the guidelines points out that China is using economic coercion, including through trade, and that the spread of yuan-based settlements through its Belt and Road initiative could impact the role of the dollar. The draft also expresses strong concern about China's attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, as well as its actions against peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Regarding U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, the draft states that the government will patiently continue negotiations to urge the Trump administration to reconsider the tariffs. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
The Mainichi
4 hours ago
- The Mainichi
S. Korea's Lee to seek stable ties with Japan amid uncertainties
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- South Korea's newly elected liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, is likely to pursue stable ties with Japan at least early in his tenure, avoiding a hardline stance as the two countries navigate regional security challenges and uncertainties triggered by the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. Still, the risk of flareups over issues tied to Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula lingers, given Lee's past anti-Japan rhetoric and the approaching 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, which could reignite debate over Japan's view of its history. To strengthen bilateral ties, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba should move quickly to build personal trust with Lee through summit talks, foreign policy experts say, noting that this would also help maintain trilateral cooperation with the United States amid North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and China's regional assertiveness. Following Tuesday's snap presidential election, Lee, 60, will take over from conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached and ousted over his short-lived martial law declaration in December. He will become the first South Korean president from the progressive camp in three years since Moon Jae In. Under Moon, ties between the two Asian neighbors sank to their lowest point in decades, largely over issues such as wartime labor compensation and the treatment of "comfort women" forced to work in Japanese military brothels. Japanese experts on South Korean affairs are skeptical that ties will immediately unravel once Lee enters the Blue House, with Junya Nishino, a political science professor at Keio University, citing the "current severe international affairs" that require close collaboration between the two nations. "Just because an administration is liberal does not mean it is anti-Japanese," he said. After narrowly losing to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, Lee grew increasingly critical of Japan, as the conservative president made significant strides to improve frosty bilateral ties, deepened cooperation with key ally the United States and worked to expand three-way collaboration. Later in 2022, Lee, then leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, called for the cancellation of a joint defense drill involving U.S., South Korean, and Japanese forces, arguing that the exercises would help Japan become a "military power" despite being a "country that ruled South Korea by force" and having "not offered a sincere apology" over historical issues. In 2023, Lee escalated his criticism of Japan, likening its discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to an "act of terror" reminiscent of its imperialist actions during the Pacific War. But he toned down such remarks after Yoon's martial law turmoil thrust him into the spotlight as a leading presidential contender. In foreign policy and national security pledges announced just over a week before the presidential election, Lee acknowledged Japan as "an important partner for cooperation" and pledged to pursue "pragmatic" diplomacy in the national interest. Nishino said Lee's shift in stance is aimed at presenting himself as a "realistic politician" amid turbulent times while also taking into account public support for improved bilateral ties. "The return of the Trump administration is creating many challenges to the international situation," he said. "So, he(Lee) should basically be thinking that he would not want to add more to his plate by seeing Japan-South Korea ties deteriorate." South Korea saw tensions with the United States rise during the first Trump administration from 2017 to 2021, as Seoul was pressured to significantly increase its share of the cost of hosting U.S. forces, reportedly faced threats of a troop withdrawal, and was pushed to renegotiate a bilateral free trade agreement. Trump has continued his "America First" foreign and trade policy in his nonconsecutive second term, which began in January, imposing higher tariffs on allies, including South Korea and Japan, as part of efforts to extract concessions on trade and other issues. Trump's commitment to Asia remains hazy, with U.S. media reporting in May that his administration is considering withdrawing thousands of U.S. troops from South Korea. The Pentagon has denied the report, but if carried out, the move could weaken deterrence against North Korea and China. Meanwhile, the Aug. 15 anniversary of the end of World War II could be a sensitive time for Japan and its Asian neighbors that endured its wartime aggression. Ishiba, seen as a dove on historical issues between Japan and South Korea, is not expected to issue a Cabinet-approved statement marking the anniversary amid opposition from conservative members of his party. However, any sign of Japan backtracking from its postwar pacifism could provoke a backlash from China and South Korea. Lee has signaled that he has no intention of making concessions on historical and territorial disputes with Japan, but at the same time pledged to take a "future-oriented" approach to cooperation in social, cultural and economic areas. Susumu Kohari, an expert on Korean studies, warned that Lee could ramp up his anti-Japan rhetoric if he struggles with a low public support rate. The University of Shizuoka professor emphasized the importance of promptly arranging summit talks between Ishiba and Lee and maintaining regular leader-level visits, a practice resumed in 2023 after a hiatus of more than a decade. Kohari also suggested that Japan and South Korea collaborate in responding to Trump's tariff blitz, citing shipbuilding, an area where both countries are strong, as potential leverage in trade talks. Tadashi Kimiya, an expert in South Korean politics, said that strengthening ties with the United States and Japan, which share values and security concerns, is a "far more realistic" path for Lee, as the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry has made it increasingly difficult for Seoul to pursue balanced diplomacy between the world's two largest economies. (By Keita Nakamura)
