May 28 NEWSROOM TOKYO Bangkok Live
3. Gathering testimonies of 1943 Bengal famine
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NHK
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Philippine Navy inspects Japanese destroyer escort for possible acquisition
NHK has learned that officials from the Philippine Navy visited Japan this month to inspect a Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer escort. The Philippine Navy is considering acquiring destroyer escorts set to be retired by the MSDF. Sources say the officials visited the MSDF's Sasebo base in Nagasaki Prefecture to inspect the Jintsuu, an Abukuma-class ship. Abukuma-class vessels are 109 meters long and have a standard displacement of 2,000 tons. They are equipped with anti-ship missiles. Japan's Defense Ministry plans to retire all six of the MSDF's vessels of this type and introduce more manpower-efficient ships. The Phillippine Navy says Abukuma-class ships are suitable for operations in the country's waters. Sources say the Japanese side is also working to realize the plan. The move is seen as aimed at strengthening cooperation, with China in mind. Japan's three principles on the transfer of defense equipment and technology restrict the export of lethal weapons. But they allow exports in cases of joint development and production with other nations. Japan's Defense Ministry says it is studying whether the plan is consistent with these principles. Earlier this month, the Australian government selected a Japanese joint development proposal based on the MSDF's Mogami-class frigate.
Japan Times
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A life upended by Japan's wartime policy of mass suicide
When Hiroyoshi Takizawa was 8 years old, he moved to Manchuria — present-day northeastern China — as part of a pioneer group, but was forced to flee for about three weeks after the Soviet Union invaded. Along the way, he endured the harrowing ordeal of watching his father fatally shoot his younger brother and sister as part of a group suicide. "We were victims of national policy. Such a tragedy must never be repeated," says Takizawa, now a 91-year-old resident of the city of Nagano. In March 1943, spurred by his father's ambition to "make it big in Manchuria," Takizawa's family left their home in what is now the village of Kijimadaira in Nagano Prefecture and relocated to eastern Manchuria. They joined the Koshago pioneer group, formed largely in their home region, and the seven-member household — Takizawa, his parents, two elder brothers, a younger sister and a younger brother — settled there. After their arrival, a baby sister was born. For a time, life was comfortable. But that changed on Aug. 9, 1945, when the Soviet Union invaded Manchuria, in violation of its neutrality pact with Japan. The Imperial Japanese Army's Kwantung forces, which were expected to defend the area, had apparently already withdrawn, leaving civilians including the Takizawas to flee without a clear destination. In the face of repeated attacks, the Koshago pioneer group continued southward. On Aug. 24, 1945, nine days after Emperor Hirohito's radio broadcast announcing Japan's surrender, the group, fearing a Soviet assault, chose mass suicide. The incident claimed the lives of more than 500 of the roughly 700 members. Takizawa's father shot and killed his youngest son and youngest daughter. Group members also resolved to kill Takizawa and his remaining siblings, but their mother intervened and saved them. In the aftermath, he found himself emotionless and unable to mourn his lost siblings or to resent his father. After a harrowing flight, Takizawa was confined to an internment camp. With the meals inadequate, he slipped out to a nearby market to steal apples to survive. He knew it was wrong, and the memory still haunts him. He left Huludao, Manchuria, and returned to Japan in October 1946. For a time, he drifted from one relative's home to another, greeted mostly with cold stares from those around him. In junior high, he could not afford a uniform and attended classes in his regular clothes. He had no money for boots even in winter, and on snowy days he walked to school in wooden geta clogs. He recalls leaving home early each morning out of embarrassment. "If we had known of Japan's defeat sooner, there would have been no need to commit mass suicide," Takizawa emphasizes. In the war's aftermath, he was consumed by anger but had nowhere to direct it. Only in recent years has he found the emotional space to feel sorrow and bitterness over what he endured — and to allow himself to weep. "The settlers who moved to Manchuria believing they were serving their country, many of whom perished, were victims of state policy," he says. "I want people to know that." Guided by this conviction, he continues to bear witness to the tragedy.
Japan Times
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Duty exemptions for low-value imports face review amid exploitation
Amid the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce, there is increasing global momentum to review systems that allow tax exemptions for low-value imports. In response to an influx of inexpensive goods from China and other exporting countries, many nations and regions have strengthened, or are in the process of strengthening, measures to ensure fair competition for domestic businesses. Japan is no exception, with changes to its import taxation policies under consideration. The countries are reviewing the de minimis rule, which comes from a Latin term meaning "trifle." This system exempts imported products valued below a certain threshold from customs duties and other levies, aiming to reduce the administrative burden on importers and ease customs clearance workloads. Japan currently exempts import shipments valued at ¥10,000 or less from customs duties and consumption tax. When the system was introduced in 1989, however, internet use was not widespread and cross-border e-commerce was not foreseen. According to the Finance Ministry, the number of items worth ¥10,000 or less imported into Japan totaled 31.46 million in 2019, but nearly quintupled to stand at 169.66 million in 2024. In recent years, mail order sites originating from China, such as Shein and Temu, are believed to have taken advantage of the exemption systems of other countries to export goods of modest value in small lots, expanding their sales channels around the world. They can provide goods to consumers at low prices if the items are exempt from customs duties and taxes. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has emphasized the need for countries to review their duty exemption systems for low-value imported goods, to examine whether the exemption criteria are still appropriate. The OECD noted that the systems lead to falls in tax revenue and put unfair competitive pressure on domestic retailers. In 2018, Australia abolished its duty exemption for businesses with sales above a certain level, while the European Union and the U.K. suspended their value-added tax exemptions for cheaply priced imports in 2021. There are also concerns that a surge in such imports may lead to lax border policing, possibly enabling the import of illegal drugs and counterfeit goods. The United States, which offers tariff exemptions for minimal-value imports, stopped applying the preferential measure for imports from China in early May this year, citing a need to prevent an influx of the synthetic drug fentanyl. In Japan, economic organizations have expressed a sense of crisis to the Finance Ministry regarding low-priced imports. "(Such products) pose a significant threat to domestic businesses in terms of price competitiveness and could eat into our market shares," one complaint noted. Another said, "The impact of competitive imbalance is significant and problematic." An expert panel at the Japanese government's Tax Commission, which advises the prime minister, underscored the need to ensure a level playing field between domestic and foreign businesses. The panel noted that the business model adopted by overseas sellers of inexpensive goods effectively exploits tax exemption systems for small-ticket item imports. Some call for prompt corrective action, despite the increased administrative work involved in imposing tariffs or taxes on minor-value shipments. At a conference held in Canada in May, Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank chiefs took up the issue of duty exemption systems for low-value imports. Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, who chaired the meeting, said the exemptions have caused problems in border controls and other areas. In a communique adopted at the meeting, the G7 policymakers expressed their resolve to review the systems, saying "We commit to exploring ways that our low-value importation systems could address" related risks. The G7 advanced nations also plan to strengthen international cooperation to close loopholes.
