Latest news with #Japan
Japan Times
34 minutes ago
- General
- Japan Times
LDP policy chief visits Kawaguchi over reported problems with Kurdish residents
Itsunori Onodera, policy chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, on Wednesday visited the city of Kawaguchi in Saitama Prefecture, where problems have been reported between Kurdish residents and locals. Onodera inspected places such as a garbage collection spot where illegal waste dumping has become a problem. He told reporters that the LDP would compile proposals on issues linked to foreigners and ask the government for appropriate responses. Onodera met with city officials including Mayor Nobuo Okunoki. The officials suggested there had also been cases of foreigners working illegally. "Order is the premise of societies in which people coexist," the LDP policy chief said. "We will not live with foreigners who do not maintain order or abide by rules."
Japan Times
an hour ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Trump's Nippon Steel bid support boosts Japan's trade talk hopes
U.S. President Donald Trump's pivot to champion Nippon Steel's bid to buy U.S. Steel raises the prospect of fresh positive momentum for Japan's sluggish negotiations with the U.S. over tariff relief. While the contours of the proposed steel deal remain vague, Trump is set to hold a rally in Pittsburgh on Friday to tout the deal as a victory for his tariff strategy and American workers. As part of the expected deal, the U.S. government would hold de facto veto rights on some company decisions through a so-called golden share. The apparent breakthrough, and the opportunity it gives Trump to present it as a win, raises the possibility that Japan could get some new traction in its bid to get tariffs on autos and other exports removed, some analysts say. "If the Nippon Steel deal progresses, it could be viewed as one of Trump's achievements. In that sense, I think things are moving in a favorable direction,' said Tomohisa Ishikawa, chief economist at the Japan Research Institute. After three rounds of talks in Washington since Trump launched his global tariff offensive, Japan's negotiation team has had little to show for its efforts to win an exemption from a 25% levy on auto exports and a 10% across-the-board tariff that's set to rise to 24% in early July barring a trade agreement. Japan's top negotiator Ryosei Akazawa is scheduled to fly to the U.S. again for another round of talks on Friday. On Tuesday, he suggested that Trump and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba are likely to meet on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Canada in mid-June, a potential moment to announce a deal. To be sure, there are few signs of an agreement on the horizon. Akazawa has repeatedly insisted that he will continue to press for the complete removal of tariffs, but hasn't given any indications of compromises by either side. "We will proceed with a sense of urgency while maintaining a steady pace,' he said on Tuesday. While Japan initially moved quickly to strike up talks with the U.S., it has since been overtaken by rival China, which adopted a much tougher approach and imposed its own tariffs on the U.S.. Beijing and Washington agreed a deal earlier this month to drop their most punitive tariffs for 90 days. Japan's hope will be that the U.S. Steel breakthrough adds weight to the message that Tokyo has carried throughout negotiations of seeking mutual economic benefits. Japan has been the largest foreign investor in the U.S. in the last three years and employs thousands of American workers at car plants and other facilities in the U.S. So far, Japanese government officials have declined to comment on the impact of the expected U.S. Steel deal as they seek more information about it. Tatsuhiko Yoshizaki, chief economist at Sojitz Research Institute, said that the expected steel deal could segue into an agreement over cooperation in shipbuilding, a sector in which the U.S. is seeking to expand capacity. Japan is the world's third largest shipbuilder by output, behind China and South Korea. However, Yoshizaki cautioned that it's far from clear that Japan should expect anything other than more difficult negotiations with the U.S. "When I speak with former officials from the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, they all express concern — they say Japan is being far too bullish,' he said. At the same time, Yoshizaki said that current officials appear confident. "Maybe they know something we don't,' he said.
Reuters
an hour ago
- General
- Reuters
Japanese nationals detained in Cambodia as two nations fight fraudulent activity, Japan government spokesperson says
TOKYO, May 29 (Reuters) - Japan has been notified by Cambodian authorities that "many" Japanese nationals have been detained in Cambodia, as the two nations work to crack down on bases of fraudulent activity in Cambodia, a Japanese government spokesperson said on Thursday. The Japanese government is looking into details such as the number of people and location of their detention, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a regular press conference.
Japan Times
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- Japan Times
Factory that symbolised Nissan's rise may become victim of its decline
When Nissan's Oppama plant opened in 1961, it was one of Japan's first large-scale auto factories and a symbol of the company's global ambitions. Sixty-four years and millions of cars later, the storied plant now faces possible closure as Nissan sinks deeper into crisis. New Chief Executive Ivan Espinosa unveiled sweeping cost cuts this month that included plans to shed 15% of the global workforce and close seven factories worldwide. Battered by declining sales in the United States and China, Nissan faces a mountain of debt repayment and is scrambling to upgrade its aging lineup of vehicles. The Japanese automaker hasn't said which of its 17 plants will be closed. Oppama, in the port city of Yokosuka south of Tokyo, is being considered, as is another smaller plant in Japan. Factories in South Africa, India, Argentina and Mexico could also be closed.
Japan Times
2 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Japan Times
Chinese parents are fueling Tokyo's education race
An increasing number of elite Chinese are fleeing their deteriorating home country in pursuit of a better life abroad. Some find better educational opportunities for their kids in Japan, where entrance exams are much looser as local birth numbers are in steep decline. International schools in Tokyo are already witnessing an influx of children from the newly arrived, highly involved Chinese households. Chinese students are also more visible in cram schools, eyeing competitive junior high school entrance exams. Yet another notable trend is that Chinese families are clustering in Bunkyo Ward, a district renowned for the finest educational environment. The northern Tokyo ward has long been regarded as a hub for scholars and intellectuals. Historically, the area was home to sprawling samurai estates during the Edo Period (1603 to 1868), many of which were later converted into educational institutions in the wake of the Meiji Restoration. Bunkyo Ward was officially established in 1947 through the merger of two adjacent wards, and its name literally means 'education and culture.' According to Bun Kaito, head of sales at Future Leading, a real estate firm catering to Chinese clientele, Bunkyo's appeal is obvious. 'It's home to the University of Tokyo. The ward is also renowned for safety, often ranked as the safest in statistics. Plus, it's conveniently close to attractions like Korakuen amusement park and offers a high-quality living environment.' Within the Chinese community, four public elementary schools in Bunkyo — Seishi, Sendagi, Showa, and Kubomachi — have earned iconic status. Collectively referred to as '3S1K' based on their initials, these schools boast long histories and impressive academic track records, drawing fervent interest from Chinese parents. In China, disparities in public school quality are acutely felt, and moving to a neighborhood with top schools is not uncommon. Such properties are known as xuequfang, or 'school district homes.' For instance, aspiring to enroll children in top-notch universities like Peking or Tsinghua often starts with placing them in elite middle schools in Beijing's Haidian District. According to "Getting Ashore," a bestseller written by Amber Jiang, Haidian District accounts for over 50% of all admissions to Tsinghua and Peking Universities in Beijing, and the six leading public middle schools alone account for over 90% of the district's admissions to those universities in recent years. This 'school district homes' mindset has led to a sharp rise in Chinese families relocating to Bunkyo. A student roster from one 3S1K school viewed by the author revealed a noticeable increase over the past year in students with Chinese citizenship or heritage, many bearing surnames like Wang, Hu, or Zhang. Chinese students now comprise over 10% of the student body, and the actual number may be higher considering those using Japanese surnames. Showa Elementary School in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward | Alex K.T. Martin A representative from the Bunkyo Ward Board of Education confirmed the upward trend. The number of foreign students in public elementary schools rose from 389 in 2023 to 467 in 2024. Still, they account for a mere 4% of the total student cohort. This data hints at a disproportionate concentration of Chinese students at the 3S1K schools. Hu, a Chinese mother who moved to Japan in 2018, relocated to Bunkyo in 2023 after consulting with her husband. The goal was to enroll their daughter in one of the 3S1K schools, a move inspired by her husband's discovery of these schools on Douyin, China's domestic version of TikTok. The couple hopes their daughter will eventually attend a Japanese national university, an elite institution such as Tsinghua back home, or a U.S. university. With junior high school entrance exams in mind, they are now preparing to place her in SAPIX, Tokyo's premier cram school network. 'There's a 70-square-meter apartment nearby that recently sold for ￥190 million ($1.29 million). Rumor has it a Chinese buyer snapped it up,' she explained. Following her daughter's enrollment, however, Hu realized the actual curriculum wasn't drastically different from that of other public schools. She suspects that some Chinese-run real estate agents may be inflating the appeal of the Bunkyo brand. Another Chinese mother who recently moved to Japan — specifically to one of the 3S1K school districts — said she is now considering moving to another area of Tokyo after noticing her children speaking Chinese with newly transferred students from China, despite her original expectation that they would quickly improve their Japanese skills. 'In my apartment building, the number of Chinese families has more than tripled in just one year,' she explained, making her feel that the super-competitive atmosphere she had tried to escape is now being recreated here. Still, statistics confirm Bunkyo's growing popularity among Chinese citizens. According to Tokyo Metropolitan Government data, the number of Chinese residents in Bunkyo grew by roughly 3,000 from January 2022 to January 2024 — an astonishing 60% surge. On Chinese Instagram-like social media RedNote, one can browse countless posts explaining the 3S1K. One reads, 'Bunkyo residents are the most education-conscious in all of Tokyo,' while another claims, 'The average progression rate to private or national junior high schools is 7% nationally and 25% in Tokyo, but 50% in Bunkyo.' Other posts detail the 140-year history of one of the 3S1K schools, often alongside real estate listings targeting Chinese buyers. One post even said: 'Some parents are selling large homes to move into tiny, old houses in Bunkyo just so their children can attend these schools — even if it means lowering their standard of living,' citing a Chinese old saying that philosopher Mencius' mother moved three times to ensure a proper educational environment. The flock of Chinese newcomers has started to strain Bunkyo's housing market. A Chinese couple who arrived in Japan in 2023 hoped their daughter could attend a public school in Bunkyo. However, outside the 3S1K areas, the only available property was a 75-square-meter unit renting for ¥350,000, which they found unaffordable. Xu, a Chinese father in his 30s living in a major city in China, is preparing to immigrate to Japan shortly. The tipping point was the worsening state of education in his motherland. Sendagi Elementary School in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward | Alex K.T. Martin 'In 2023, I participated in a reunion at my old high school and realized that club activities now start only in senior year. Parents had pressured the school, saying academic performance was slipping. Kids today study from 7 a.m. to midnight, and student suicides are sadly common. I don't want my daughter to experience that, so we've decided to move to Japan.' University entrance in China has grown fiercely competitive in recent years. The buzzword juan, or involution, has gained popularity. With weak social safety nets, Chinese families do not hesitate to pour resources into education, and this ever-intensifying fervor is now spilling into Japan. Like many compatriots, Xu originally searched for housing in Bunkyo but noticed it was too costly. After more detailed investigation, he finally chose to land in Urawa Ward in the city of Saitama, another area known for educational advantage. He narrowed down the options based on the academic level of a nearby elementary school and eventually purchased a ￥20 million ($133,000) apartment unit. Among Chinese real estate agents in Tokyo, Urawa has earned the nickname 'Little Bunkyo.' 'Urawa has so many cram schools — it's like the Ginza of tutoring,' Xu explained. Already popular among Japanese families, Urawa is now seeing sharp land price increases. Furthermore, in the Chinese real estate agent circle, the nearby city of Shiki, also famous for educational achievement, is now being dubbed 'Little Urawa.' The relentless drive for academic excellence continues to push Chinese families toward Bunkyo and similar schooling districts. Junior high school entrance exam rates are hitting record highs in greater Tokyo. Still, Japanese parents tend to believe it's a domestic rivalry among Japanese students. This perception may soon change, as elite public schools become launchpads for Chinese families intent on academic conquest. 'We're planning for junior high entrance exams,' Xu said. 'We're eyeing schools like Eikoh Junior High.' Eikoh is one of the toughest private junior highs in Saitama and among the most competitive in the country. 'Chinese urban schools already lead the world in subjects like math and English, so I'm not worried. Once in Japan, we'll focus on improving her Japanese,' Xu added. 'For many Chinese families, even Eikoh is just a safety net school.' Takehiro Masutomo is the author of "Run Ri," a book on China's new immigrants in Japan.
