Kyodo News Digest: June 23, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 14 minutes ago - 09:00 | All, Japan, World
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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LDP wins record-low seats in Tokyo assembly race, in blow to PM
TOKYO - Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party suffered a record-low result in Sunday's Tokyo assembly election, seen as a prelude to July's House of Councillors race, further straining his minority government in national politics.
Tomin First no Kai, a regional party established by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, won 32 seats, the most in the 127-member metropolitan assembly, indicating the popularity of her public welfare and child-rearing policies. One affiliated independent is included in the figure.
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Japan vigilant amid Iran conflict, mum on support for U.S. attacks
TOKYO - Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday that Japan is monitoring with "grave concern" the developments in the Middle East after the United States attacked Iranian nuclear facilities, though he refrained from expressing immediate support for the military action taken by its closest ally.
Speaking to reporters, Ishiba underscored the importance of de-escalating the situation while stressing that Iran's nuclear development must be "blocked."
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U.S. defense chief says strikes on Iran were not about regime change
WASHINGTON - The U.S. military's strikes on Iran's key nuclear sites were not aimed at regime change and targeted neither its troops nor civilians, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday.
Speaking of Saturday's attacks against Iran, Hegseth touted U.S. President Donald Trump's "bold and visionary leadership, and his commitment to peace through strength," asserting that the United States has shown the world that its "deterrence is back."
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FOCUS: Tokyo rebuke puts Ishiba at risk in national election
TOKYO - A sharp warning from voters for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's party in Sunday's Tokyo assembly election has signaled that his tenure could be at risk, with his ruling bloc in danger of losing its majority in the upcoming national vote.
The House of Councillors election, expected to take place on July 20, is shaping up as a de facto referendum on Ishiba's leadership, as the ruling coalition led by his Liberal Democratic Party has already become a minority in the House of Representatives.
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Most Japanese worried about Mideast war's impact on daily lives: poll
TOKYO - Most people in Japan are worried about how the outbreak of war in the Middle East could impact their daily lives, given the country's heavy dependence on the region for oil, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.
In the nationwide telephone poll, a total of 83.7 percent of respondents said they have concerns about the repercussions of the escalating Israel-Iran war.
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Chinese ships spotted near Senkakus for record 216th straight day
NAHA, Japan - Chinese coast guard ships were spotted near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea for the 216th consecutive day, the Japan Coast Guard said Sunday, marking the longest streak since Japan placed the islets under state control in 2012.
The uninhabited islets, which China claims and calls Diaoyu, have remained a source of friction between the Asian neighbors.
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2 Japanese men among 14 prisoners released by Belarus
MOSCOW - Two Japanese nationals have been released from detention in Belarus and are in good health, a Japanese government source said Sunday.
Belarusian state-run media reported Saturday that President Aleksandr Lukashenko decided to pardon 14 people, including two Japanese citizens, at the request of U.S. counterpart Donald Trump.
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Mt. Shinmoe in southwestern Japan erupts, alert level maintained
FUKUOKA - Mt. Shinmoe on the southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu erupted Sunday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The 1,421-meter volcano straddling Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures erupted around 4:37 p.m. and spewed smoke as high as 500 meters, the agency said.
Video: Promotion party for sumo grand champion Hoshoryu
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Russia, China, Pakistan prepare UNSC resolution on Iran situation
Russia, which has strong ties with Iran, says it has prepared a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council together with China and Pakistan. The draft calls for "an immediate and unconditional ceasefire" in the Middle East. The Security Council convened an emergency session on Sunday. The Russian ambassador to the UN says the draft resolution also urges "a search for a diplomatic solution surrounding the Iranian nuclear program" and is "short and balanced." Prior to the meeting, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon slammed the countries on social media for preparing a resolution condemning the United States and Israel. The US is expected to veto the draft if it is put to a vote, highlighting the difficulty for nations with conflicting interests to reach a consensus.
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Iran mulls retaliation after US strikes nuclear sites
Tehran appears to be mulling potential retaliation after the US attacked its nuclear sites. The Iranian foreign minister said his country has not ruled out closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime transport route, especially for oil. Abbas Araghchi stressed that the door for diplomacy should be always kept open. But he said, "This is not the case right now. My country has been under attack, under aggression, and we have to respond based on our legitimate right of self-defense." Araghchi said there are variety of options available for them. On Sunday, Iran launched dozens of missiles at Israel as an apparent initial response to the US strikes. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Washington, calling Trump a friend like no other. The strikes on nuclear sites raised concerns of potential radioactive contamination, but none has been reported. Iranian officials told media that most of the highly enriched uranium at the Fordow facility was moved prior to the attack. The International Atomic Energy Agency says "no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported" so far at the three sites. The agency says it will provide further assessment on the situation.
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43 minutes ago
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U.S. strikes on Iran come at fragile moment for the global economy
U.S. strikes on Iran's three main nuclear facilities come at a fragile moment for the global economy, and the outlook now hinges on how forcefully the Islamic Republic retaliates. The World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the International Monetary Fund have all downgraded their global growth forecasts in recent months. Any significant increases in oil or natural gas prices, or disturbances in trade caused by a further escalation of the conflict, would act as yet another brake on the world economy. "We'll see how Tehran responds, but the attack likely puts the conflict on a escalatory path,' Bloomberg Economics analysts including Ziad Daoud wrote in a report. "For the global economy, an expanding conflict adds to the risk of higher oil prices and an upward impulse to inflation.' The rising geopolitical risks intersect with a potential escalation in tariffs in the coming weeks as President Donald Trump's pauses of his hefty so-called "reciprocal' levies are due to expire. The biggest economic impact from a prolonged conflict in the Middle East would likely be felt via surging oil prices. Post the U.S. strike, a derivative product that allows investors to speculate on price swings in crude oil surged 8.8% on IG Weekend Markets. If that move were to hold when trading resumes, IG strategist Tony Sycamore said he projects WTI crude oil futures will open at around $80 per barrel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks as President Donald Trump looks on as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on April 7. | Eric Lee / The New York Times Much will hinge on near-term events. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the U.S. attacks are "outrageous and will have everlasting consequences.' He cited the United Nations Charter on provisions for self-defense and said Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest and people. Analysts see three options for Iran to respond: Attacks on U.S. personnel and assets in the region Targeting regional energy infrastructure Closing the Strait of Hormuz maritime chokepoint using underwater mines or harassing ships passing through In the extreme scenario in which the Strait of Hormuz is shut, crude could soar past $130 per barrel, according to Daoud, Tom Orlik and Jennifer Welch. That could take U.S. CPI near 4% in the summer, prompting the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks to push back the timing of future rate cuts. About a fifth of the world's daily oil supply goes through the Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran and its Gulf Arab neighbors such as Saudi Arabia. The U.S. is a net exporter of oil. But higher crude prices would only add to the challenges the U.S. economy is already facing. The Fed updated economic projections last week, marking down its forecast for U.S. growth this year to 1.4% from 1.7% as policymakers digested the impact on prices and growth of Trump's tariffs. As the largest buyer of Iranian oil exports, China would face the most obvious consequences from any disruption to the flow of petroleum, though its current stockpiles may offer some respite. People attend a protest following U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tehran on Sunday. | Arash Khamooshi / The New York Times Any disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would have a significant impact on the global liquefied natural gas market too. Qatar, which makes up around 20% of the global LNG trade, uses this route for exports and has no alternative passage. That would leave the global LNG market extremely tight, pushing European gas prices significantly higher. While investors may be concerned that supplies could be interrupted if hostilities escalate, OPEC+ members, including de facto group leader Saudi Arabia, still have abundant spare capacity that could be activated. In addition, the International Energy Agency may choose to coordinate the release of emergency stockpiles to try and calm prices. "The Middle East tensions represent another adverse shock to an already weak global economy,' Ben May, director of global macro research at Oxford Economics, said in a report ahead of the latest escalation. "Higher oil prices and the associated rise in CPI inflation would provide central banks with a major headache.'
