Kyodo News Digest: May 19, 2025

Kyodo News

19-05-2025

KYODO NEWS - 15 minutes ago - 09:00 | All, World, Japan
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Ishiba Cabinet support rate hits record low at 27.4%: poll
TOKYO - The approval rating for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet hit a record low at 27.4 percent, down 5.2 percentage points from last month, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.
Ishiba, who took office in October, saw the disapproval rating for his Cabinet rise to 55.1 percent, according to the nationwide survey.
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U.S. eyes region-based tariffs for many nations as deadline nears
WASHINGTON - The United States is likely to introduce region-based tariffs instead of coming up with individual duty rates for many countries, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday, as time runs out to negotiate trade deals across the world.
Bessent said the administration of President Donald Trump is now aiming to strike deals with select key trading partners on its sweeping so-called reciprocal tariffs imposed in April. While appearing on a CNN program, the secretary said he expects to "do a lot of regional deals."
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Ex-U.S. president Biden diagnosed with "aggressive" prostate cancer
WASHINGTON - Former U.S. President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer, major U.S. media outlets reported Sunday, citing his office.
Biden's personal office reportedly said in a statement that he and his family are studying treatment options after he was found Friday to have the disease that has spread to the bone.
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China to impose duties on plastic from U.S., Japan, EU, Taiwan
BEIJING - China will impose up to 74.9 percent anti-dumping tariffs on imports of a type of engineering plastic from the United States, Japan, Taiwan and the European Union, the Commerce Ministry said Sunday.
The tariffs on polyformaldehyde copolymer will take effect Monday and last for five years, the ministry said. The duty on products from America will be as high as 74.9 percent and those from Japan 35.5 percent.
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Pope Leo gives inauguration Mass attended by world figures
ROME - Pope Leo XIV gave his inauguration Mass as the new head of the Catholic Church in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on Sunday, with world figures, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance, attending.
"It is the hour of love," the 267th pontiff said during the service, calling to build a Catholic Church that "opens its arms to the world." The first American in the role, Pope Leo XIV was elected on May 8 to succeed the late Pope Francis.
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Nissan to seek early retirement applicants from office staff in Japan
TOKYO - Nissan Motor Co. will solicit early retirement applications from administrative staff in Japan this summer, a source close to the matter said Sunday, launching such a program for the first time in 18 years as the struggling automaker aims to turn its business around.
The early retirement packages, to be offered in July and August, will target those in sales and accounting, while employees working in the development and production sections will be excluded, according to the source.
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