Japan taking action to tackle shortages and soaring prices of rice
Japan is taking more action to tackle shortages and soaring prices of rice, releasing more from stockpiles into the domestic market. While the public is generally supportive, there are concerns about a potential shortfall in the event of an emergency. CNA's Michiyo Ishida has more.
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CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
There's more to Chengdu than just pandas: How to have a chic getaway in this Sichuan city
At first glance, Chengdu seems to run entirely on the panda economy and to some extent, it does. As the capital of Sichuan province and home to major panda conservation and research centres, the city has fully embraced its status as the spiritual home of China's most beloved furball. No wonder the city is overflowing with panda-themed everything. From panda-shaped ice cream to black-and-white bubble tea, exclusive merch (even from collectible chain Pop Mart) and plushies galore. It is cute, kitsch and completely unavoidable. But Chengdu has also been quietly upping its style game. In recent years, luxury fashion houses like Bottega Veneta, Loewe and Dior have launched striking flagships and exclusive concepts. Louis Vuitton, for example, opened its third China Maison here, featuring The Hall – its first restaurant in China – inside the century-old Guangdong Hall. This understated cool is embodied by locals: designer handbags slung over relaxed silhouettes, vintage touches and sneakers with attitude. No wonder coveted French label and champion of quiet luxury Lemaire recently opened its inaugural store in China at the unique Taikoo Li development, which features the adaptive reuse of Qing dynasty courtyard houses and traditional architecture for luxury retail and F&B concepts. To immerse in this heritage-meets-contemporary vibe, check into The Temple House, arguably the most distinctive of Swire Hotels' three House Collective properties, alongside hotels in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Designed by architectural firm Make Architects and adjacent to Taikoo Li, Temple House, which features 100 hotel rooms and 42 serviced apartments, is part of the city government's conservation project to preserve the heritage buildings in the vicinity. Named after the 1,600-year-old Daci Temple on whose grounds it now stands, the hotel draws on a rich past. This storied sanctuary has welcomed emperors, poets and seekers of wisdom including the monk Xuanzang, whose epic pilgrimage inspired Journey to the West. Today, the main temple complex still stands in the middle of Taikoo Li, offering an interesting counterpoint to the sleek storefronts and buzzy eateries surrounding it. This essence of cultural depth is echoed in The Temple House, which thoughtfully incorporates its reverence for history with a modern, minimalist sensibility. The entrance is set in a painstakingly restored hundred-year-old Qing Dynasty Chinese courtyard building, once home to scholars who had travelled to study in Chengdu. It is a humble, historic entryway that sets the tone for the hotel's quietly memorable hospitality. Checking into my chic Deluxe Temple Suite, a blend of dark timber accents and sunlit tones of white and oak, I am welcomed with playful local touches – a dessert platter styled like hotpot, freshly brewed tea and a cuddly panda plushie for company. If Taikoo Li is where Chengdu shows off its polished, Prada-wearing side, then Dong Jiao Memory Cultural and Creative Park is its artsy counterpart who listens to vinyl and thrift shops for upcycled secondhand finds. Just two metro stops or a 15 minute drive from The Temple House, this former factory site has been transformed into a sprawling creative park, while still preserving its industrial facade. Sprawling factories have been transformed into indie retail outlets, cool cafes like popular chain Manner and bubble tea joints abound and there are art installations, galleries and live music gigs to uncover. This is also where the Xiaohongshu-famous brick wall bearing the Chinese characters Chengdu is located. Get in line to snap a selfie but know everyone takes their sweet time perfecting their shot. Of course, no trip to Chengdu is complete without feasting on its signature culinary highlights, chief among them, the obligatory communal, tongue-numbing Sichuan hotpot. For an over-the-top experience, head to The Way of the Dragon, a theatrical hotpot restaurant tucked along Kuan Zhai Alley, one of the city's best-preserved historic streets, now buzzing with shops, street snacks and teahouses. It's a full-blown spectacle, with servers presenting platters of meats, mushrooms and offal (if you dare) on dragon- or boat-shaped vessels. There is also a nightly show with classic Sichuan acts including musical recitals, kung fu demonstrations and the crowd-pleasing bian lian (face changing) opera performance. After all that spice and spectacle, Chengdu's teahouse culture, popular among locals as a place for relaxation and socialising, is a welcome palate cleanser. The Temple House's Mi Xun Teahouse – also where the hotel's excellent spa is located – is situated within a standalone courtyard building next to the hotel and elevates this concept to an artform. The Michelin Green Star teahouse offers a refined vegan menu inspired by the healthful dishes once served at Daci Temple with delicious meatless versions of Sichuan specialties such as dan dan mian noodles and mapo tofu. Both were layered with such bold, satisfying flavours that not a single soul at the table missed the meat. The menu also celebrates the seasons with elegant, farm-to-table dishes crafted from locally sourced produce, offering a lighter perspective to Sichuanese cuisine. Naturally, there is a broad selection of tea varieties to pair with the food. Alternatively, head sommelier Cederic Yao will happily share his recommendations for highly rated and rare Chinese wines. Tip: When the weather is good, ask for a table in the red lantern-lit courtyard for an atmospheric meal. The Temple House is also home to Tivano, a Michelin-listed Italian spot led by chef Riccardo Baronchelli (ex-Mandarin Oriental Singapore), known for its open kitchen, wood-fired pizzas and handmade pastas. Afterwards, head to cocktail bar Jing, where Boston Baijiu Bar alum Nick Lappen serves globally inspired drinks in a sultry, low-lit setting. Just beyond the hotel, alleys brim with eateries, including stalls selling the classic Chengdu snack of stewed rabbit heads. Locals swear by them but I chickened out. I had better luck at the one Michelin-starred Ma's Kitchen, a Chengdu institution that began as a humble eatery in 1923. It is famed for elevated versions of comfort dishes like kung pao prawns with eggplant, twice-cooked pork and cold chicken in green Sichuan pepper and every bite was wiped clean. Pro tip: they do not take reservations, so go early or expect a queue. For those who are game for a day trip that is off the well-trodden panda path, visit the Sanxingdui Museum, about an hour's drive away. This fascinating museum houses one of China's most intriguing archaeological finds - the remains of a mysterious Bronze Age civilisation that thrived over 3,000 years ago and then disappeared without a trace or any form of writing. A new extension by Chinese architecture firm CSWADI opened in 2023, more than doubling the exhibition space and bringing renewed attention to Sanxingdui's mind-boggling discoveries. There are a staggering array of artefacts including delicate gold sceptres, an intricate bronze tree of life, and countless ceremonial masks with wide, staring eyes and razor-sharp geometric features. These objects are so otherworldly they have sparked countless theories of time travel, alien contact or lost advanced civilisations. I was mesmerised by how strangely modern many of them appear. A stone stele had engravings that looked like they were made by laser and the masks looked like they belonged in a superhero movie. The piercing gazes of the bronze masks lingered in my mind long after I left the museum.
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Trump and Japan PM discuss tariffs, Israel's attacks against Iran
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 7, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo WASHINGTON - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call on Friday in which they discussed tariffs and Israel's attacks against Iran, the Japanese foreign ministry said. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Trump has sought to leverage his tariff threats to strike bilateral trade deals with many countries, including U.S. ally Japan. Japan will remain steadfast in its request for a review of U.S. tariffs and would not accept a partial agreement, Tokyo's chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said on Friday. On the diplomatic front, the two leaders agreed remain in close communication on Israel's strikes against Iran that began late on Thursday U.S. time and on Friday Middle East and Asia time. Japan has condemned Israel's strikes by calling them escalatory while the U.S. has called those a form of "unilateral action" and said Washington was not involved. KEY QUOTES "Prime Minister Ishiba reiterated Japan's views on the U.S. tariff measures, taking into account the results of the Japan-U.S. Consultations on the U.S. Tariff Measures to date," the Japanese foreign ministry said. It added that the two leaders "concurred to accelerate the consultations between the ministers in charge in order to achieve a mutually beneficial agreement." A White House official confirmed from the U.S. side the call had taken place on Friday. The Japanese foreign ministry added that the two leaders agreed on the importance of peace and stability in the Middle East. CONTEXT Trump and Ishiba are expected to meet in Canada on the sidelines of the Group of Seven meeting next week. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
Japan, US to 'accelerate' trade talks after Trump-Ishiba call
TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and US President Donald Trump agreed on Friday (Jun 13) to speed up discussions on a bilateral trade deal, amid heightened global economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. The two leaders held a phone call ahead of their planned meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit, set to begin Sunday in Canada. 'We agreed to accelerate discussions toward realising an agreement that would be beneficial to both Japan and the US,' Ishiba told reporters after the call, which was initiated by Tokyo. TRADE TENSIONS AND TARIFFS Japan, a key US ally and its largest investor, has been subject to a baseline 10 per cent tariff imposed by Trump on most trading partners, as well as steeper levies on autos, steel and aluminium. In April, Trump announced an additional 24 per cent "reciprocal" tariff on Japanese imports but paused enforcement until July. Despite five rounds of talks, both sides remain far apart. Japan insists that all Trump-announced tariffs must be lifted for any agreement to proceed. 'Our position remains unchanged,' Ishiba said. Tokyo's trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa had earlier told reporters in Washington that 'some progress' had been made but that 'we've not been able to find a point of agreement yet.' G7 SUMMIT AND MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS Ishiba said the upcoming G7 summit would be a chance to deepen dialogue on the bilateral relationship. The leaders also discussed Israel's military strikes on Iran, and according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, reaffirmed that 'peace and stability in the Middle East is extremely important.'
