Japan PM Ishiba says Japan, U.S. Cannot Keep Going Along Parallel Lines Forever on Tariffs
'I said, 'investment rather than tariffs,' and we are making various efforts to gain understanding [from the U.S.],' he added.
As the Aug. 1 deadline for the U.S. imposing its 25% 'reciprocal tariff' on Japanese imports is approaching, economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa plans to visit the United States as early as this week for an eighth round of tariff negotiations.
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Asahi Shimbun
37 minutes ago
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: ‘Self-serving theatrics' warp political spats over Ishiba
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meets reporters at the prime minister's office on July 25 after the meeting of leaders of ruling and opposition parties. (Asahi Shimbun file photo) Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has declared, 'I will not step down,' defying a growing chorus of voices within his own Liberal Democratic Party calling for his resignation following the LDP-Komeito coalition's recent electoral defeat. Ishiba is reportedly furious with lawmakers from the now-defunct LDP faction once led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (1954-2022), many of whom are leading the charge for his ouster. 'Who dragged the LDP into such disrepair? All they ever think about is themselves,' he is said to have complained. But if that's truly how he feels, why didn't he confront them earlier? Within the ruling party, criticism has intensified in the wake of the electoral pasting, with some members saying, 'It's unacceptable that no one is taking responsibility.' That's a valid argument. But if so, why have they been turning a blind eye to their own role in downplaying scandals such as the unreported political funds accumulated by certain LDP factions and the party's murky ties with the Unification Church, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification? Do they truly believe that simply replacing the party leader will resolve the deep-rooted issues it faces? Opposition party leaders have also taken a hard line, declaring, 'The public has delivered a vote of no confidence to the Ishiba Cabinet.' But if that's truly the case, why didn't they introduce a no-confidence motion themselves much earlier? They certainly had ample opportunities to act. It's often said that politicians are a reflection of the people. We don't expect them all to be model citizens or wise statesmen. But if today's Nagatacho—Japan's political nerve center—is a mirror of ourselves, it's hard not to sigh. The endless infighting and self-serving theatrics have left the public weary and disillusioned. Politics, as political philosopher Masao Maruyama (1914-1996) once observed, drawing on the thoughts of Meiji Era (1868-1912) educator and writer Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835-1901), is ultimately 'a choice between degrees of badness.' Expecting the best from politics often ends in disappointment. In his essay 'Seijiteki Handan' (On political judgment), Maruyama, a leading figure in postwar political thought, argued that what truly matters is choosing the path that is 'even slightly less bad.' The LDP will convene an informal meeting of its lawmakers from both houses of the Diet on July 28. What will be said there? We should watch closely and commit this cacophonous theater of self-interest to memory. Democracy, though often winding, allows for self-correction. When we change, the reflection we see in the mirror will change as well. —The Asahi Shimbun, July 28 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
37 minutes ago
INTERVIEW: PayPay Bank to Expand Small-Lot Corporate Loans
News from Japan Economy Jul 28, 2025 12:18 (JST) Tokyo, July 28 (Jiji Press)--PayPay Bank President Tomohito Takusari has indicated that the Japanese online bank aims to develop its corporate operations into a core business area on par with its services for individual customers. The bank, which belongs to the LY Corp. group, the operator of the Line messaging app and the Yahoo internet portal, plans to expand small-lot loans to member stores of the group's PayPay settlement service and to small businesses and sole proprietors operating outlets on the Yahoo! Japan Shopping e-commerce website, according to Takusari. "We hope to provide our services by leveraging our point of contact close to the foundations of (our customers') operations," he said in an interview with Jiji Press. PayPay Bank currently offers a service in which corporations can take on loans of up to 10 million yen without having to visit branches of the lender. While partner consumer finance company Aiful Corp. is responsible for loan guarantee, PayPay Bank is feeding data to a loan screening system developed by the bank using machine learning. "We aim to improve our screening ability so that we can provide loans without guarantees," Takusari said. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
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Researchers from Japan, China Discuss Cooperation
Beijing, July 27 (Jiji Press)--Researchers from Japan and China exchanged opinions on social challenges and bilateral cooperation in a forum held in Beijing on Sunday. The forum for Japanese and Chinese researchers to hold dialogue to enhance friendship as well as human and cultural exchanges took place for the first time in Tokyo last year. Sunday's session, jointly hosted by the Japan-China Friendship Center in Tokyo and a foundation under the Publicity Department at the Communist Party of China's Central Committee, was the second of its kind. It was held some 10 days after a Chinese court handed down a prison sentence to a Japanese worker of Astellas Pharma Inc. of Japan for his espionage activities in China. Participants, including Tomoki Kamo, professor from Japan's Keio University, exchanged opinions on social issues confronting Japan and China, such as declining birthrates and aging populations, and discussed how the two neighboring countries should cooperate. "Academic exchanges between Japan and China are decreasing, a situation that will significantly affect the mutual understanding of Japanese and Chinese people," Yuji Miyamoto, chief of the Japan-China Friendship Center and former Japanese ambassador to China, said, underscoring the importance of dialogue. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
