Latest news with #JapanNews
Yomiuri Shimbun
a day ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Egyptian Candidate for Unesco's Top Spot Stresses Agency's Role in Times of Crisis
The Japan News Khaled El-Enany speaks during an interview with The Japan News at the Egyptian Embassy in Tokyo on May 26. Khaled El-Enany, a former minister of tourism and antiquities for Egypt and now a candidate for director general of UNESCO, stressed the role the U.N. organization has played in times of crisis and the need to strengthen its funding in a recent interview with The Japan News in Tokyo. A written response was also provided after the interview. Recent conflicts around the world, including in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, have damaged and destroyed numerous cultural properties, while also seriously impacting many children's ability to get an education. El-Enany argued that the destruction of cultural heritage is 'no longer a tragic by-product of war' but is now rather 'a deliberate strategy … to erase identity.' As for the children who lose access to education, he said they 'miss the values needed to thrive in their societies,' which can put an entire generation at risk 'of marginalization, of vulnerability, sometimes of radicalization.' The affected children need 'pragmatic solutions,' such as distance-learning tools, as well as psychological support. UNESCO, said El-Enany, has neither the power nor the mandate to stop wars. That means it should be focused on its roles at three levels — preventing conflicts by 'fostering a culture of peace and fighting against hate'; protecting institutions and cultural assets during conflicts; and prioritizing reconstruction of 'heritage sites and schools' after conflicts. In February, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump announced it would reconsider U.S. membership in UNESCO because the agency has 'demonstrated anti-Israel sentiment over the past decade,' among other reasons. The United States withdrew from the organization in 2018 during the first Trump administration and was readmitted in 2023 during the Biden administration. Nicaragua recently announced it intends to withdraw over issues related to free speech. El-Enany expressed regret over these developments, which he said present a serious problem for funding and mean the loss of U.S. expertise. That is why UNESCO must 'do everything to keep the United States,' he asserted. 'The idea behind UNESCO is inclusivity, and we have to have everyone, even countries who disagree politically.' He added that UNESCO 'can offer [a] very important platform' for discussion of contentious issues. In light of these problems, he called for strengthening UNESCO's funding to make it more diverse, flexible and sustainable, so that the organization can minimize the possible impact of withdrawals and 'focus on its strategic priorities rather than constantly adapting to fragmented project-based logic.' To this end, there needs to be stronger 'partnerships with the private sector and philanthropic foundations.' UNESCO's next director general election will be appointed by the General Conference in October. Currently, two other candidates are also in the running.
The Star
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Japan's favourite ex-princess, Mako Komuro, has given birth to her first child, says Imperial Household Agency
Mako Komuro, Crown Prince Fumihito's eldest daughter, with her now-husband Kei Komuro at a press conference to announce their engagement in Tokyo in 2017. - PHOTO: AFP TOKYO (Japan News/ANN): Mako Komuro, Crown Prince Fumihito's eldest daughter who married out of the imperial family, gave birth to her first child, the Imperial Household Agency said on Friday (May 30). According to the agency, the former princess' parents are delighted at the birth of their first grandchild and are wishing for the happiness of their 33-year-old daughter and her family. Naomasa Yoshida, the top aide to the crown prince's family, said in a press conference in the city that the family is 'delighted and wishes days of happiness' for the former princess' family. The former princess, a big favourite with the Japanese people, married her university sweetheart, Kei Komuro in October 2021 and has since moved to New York, where her husband works as a lawyer. After marrying outside the imperial family in October 2021, she gave up her title as required by the Imperial Household Law. -- JAPAN NEWS/Asian News Network
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 days ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Over 500 People Join Michinoku Coastal Walk Event in Natori, Miyagi Pref.; Tracing Memories of 2011 Earthquake, Tsunami
The Yomiuri Shimbun Participants walking along the embankment of the Natori River on Sunday during the Michinoku Coastal Trail Walk in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture. An event to walk the 'Michinoku Coastal Trail,' a 1,000-kilometer-long path on the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region, was held on Sunday in the Yuriage district of Natori, Miyagi Prefecture. I joined as a participant and walked the approximately 4-kilometer course. It was a walk to commemorate the victims of the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, and help people feel the breath of the area's recovery through new buildings and young cherry trees. The cold rain that had been falling early in the morning had fortunately stopped by the 9:30 a.m. start time. A total of 531 participants from 12 prefectures, including the Tohoku region and Tokyo, gathered at the Yuriage Community Center, the starting point for the 'Michinoku Coastal Trail Walk in Natori with Pokémon Local Acts.' After the opening ceremony, participants started on two courses, one approximately 4 kilometers long and the other approximately 8 kilometers long. The Japan News Participants taking photos at a photo spot along the course. The Japan News Pokémon characters make their appearance at the opening ceremony on Sunday. The Japan News Participants starting off together under a cloudy sky The trail connects the Pacific coastline of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures in the Tohoku region. Last year, I walked an 8-kilometer course at a similar event held in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, which is the northernmost point of the trail. In contrast to the scenic coastline and natural surroundings of the Hachinohe course, this time I walked along the embankment of the Natori River estuary and the redeveloped flatlands where reconstruction continues to progress. The short course, which turns around at the Natori Trail Center 2 kilometers from the starting point, can be completed in about an hour even at a leisurely pace. However, the story behind the trail is significant. Immediately after the starting point of the walk, the embankment was lined with a commercial facility called Kawamachi Terrace Yuriage. Opened in 2019, this facility consists of three wooden single-story buildings with restaurants and souvenir shops offering an open space overlooking the Natori River where visitors can enjoy a meal. It has become a new landmark in Yuriage, which suffered many casualties in the disaster. According to the report compiled by the city of Natori after the earthquake, there were 884 victims in the city as of Jan. 31, 2014. Of these, 701, or about 80%, were residents of the Yuriage district. Many of them died in the tsunami that struck about an hour after the earthquake. The Japan News People gaze at the names of victims at the Natori City Disaster Memorial Park. The white monument is the same height as the tsunami was. As I descended the embankment and walked along the flat ground, a white monument came into view. It was the Natori City Disaster Memorial Park, which preserves the memory of the earthquake and tsunami. The 8.4-meter-tall monument serves as a memorial. I approached and looked up at it. It was the same height as the tsunami that struck this area on the day of the disaster. At the base of the monument were stone plates engraved with the names of victims, and several participants stood there, staring intently. 'Minoru Endo.' I found a familiar name. He worked as a news editor when I was a new reporter at the Yokohama bureau. In an instant, his face and voice, the red pen corrections he made on my unpolished articles, and a memory of eating grilled fish set meals together at a nearby eatery flashed through my mind. He had already retired by the time of the disaster and was living here. I stood there for a moment of silence. Along the canal in the middle of the course, there was a spot where young cherry trees lined the banks. These are the 'Natori Recovery Cherry Trees,' which were grown from buds taken from cherry trees that survived the tsunami and bloomed after the earthquake. I am sure, in ten years, these trees will be in full bloom and draw many people together. Walking events at three more locations The Michinoku Coastal Trail Walk event will be held in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture on June 8, Hachinohe on July 6, and Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture on Oct. 5. For more details, please visit the event website ( The event is organized by the Ministry of the Environment and others, sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun and others, and supported by Asics Trading Co. and Japan Airlines Co. The Japan News Participants walk along the embankment in front of a water gate with a sign marking the height of the tsunami. The Pacific Ocean can be seen in the distance.
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 days ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
‘Magnificent 7' Could Adopt Stablecoins in Next 3 Years, Says Crypto Platform Founder
Japan News file photo Charles Hoskinson during his visit to Tokyo in September 2024 Cardano blockchain founder Charles Hoskinson expects IT giants will enter the cryptocurrency space within three years, spurred by U.S. President Donald Trump's vow to make America the crypto capital of the world. 'Now institutional investors like the BlackRocks, the Goldman Sachses and large companies like the 'Magnificent 7,' like Microsoft and Google and Apple, are much more likely to enter the cryptocurrency space,' Hoskinson told The Japan News in an online interview in May. Using crypto 'saves them money,' he added. When firms sell products abroad, they normally have to conduct transactions through middlemen, such as local payment systems and banks that charge commissions. On top of which, there are fees for changing currency. However, if a firm has a cryptocurrency on its own network, it can save money through direct transactions, said Hoskinson, who also cofounded Ethereum blockchain platform. 'Facebook tried about five, six years ago with a project called Libra, which later became Diem, and unfortunately it fell apart because the regulation just wasn't there for issuing a stablecoin,' he said. But because of Trump's support, 'it's very likely within the next 12 to 36 months that these large companies will enter in, including Japanese companies.' He added that if companies like Toyota Motor Corp. adopt this technology, their dealerships could pay them with tokenized yen to save on transaction fees. Businesses did not use crypto previously because of 'the compliance issues and the legal issues. But now that the United States is entering the space, it's opening up the laws.' Planning for the long term In January, Trump signed an executive order to establish a strategic reserve for bitcoin, mirroring existing reserves for petroleum and gold. He followed that up with an order to promote legitimate dollar-backed stablecoins and hosted a first-of-its-kind crypto summit in March. The sudden and successive announcements have even surprised Hoskinson. In March, he learned from a post by Trump on his app Truth Social that the strategic crypto stockpile would include Ethereum, XRP, Solana and Hoskinson's own Cardano. 'When the Federal Reserve discusses interest rates, they say it over 30, 40 pages of dense prose and very careful language. They typically don't tweet,' said Hoskinson, adding, 'That is just the nature of this president.' Hoskinson's concern now is whether the slew of new policies will hold long-term. The White House under U.S. President Joe Biden had taken a tough stance on cryptocurrency, but now the Trump administration is targeting this asset for its reserve. The drastic shift in policy is 'creating some heartburn for us in the industry,' said Hoskinson. To ensure that crypto policies last, he noted the industry is working very closely with the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs as well as the House Committee on Financial Services, 'trying to pass laws for many administrations.' 'Trump will no longer be president in January of 2029, but whatever laws we pass will likely still be in effect at that time period,' he said. 'So that's why we're very focused in those directions.' 'Above my pay grade' Trump has also become personally involved in crypto ventures. In January, he launched the $TRUMP memecoin, and the coin's top 220 buyers recently won access to an exclusive gala dinner with the president. In March, World Liberty Financial, Inc., a crypto project affiliated with the Trump family, announced that it would issue a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar at a 1:1 ratio. Although these coins are not controlled by the government, the move has drawn allegations that Trump is using his position to enrich himself. Hoskinson said he doesn't take a negative or positive view of Trump's actions, as judging the president is 'above my pay grade.' 'We don't really try to pick winners or losers,' he added. 'We just say, 'Are there good laws and also are the markets growing and are we achieving our commercial ends?''
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 days ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Savor the New ‘Ramen of Japan' E-book; Features 30 Recommended Shops in Japanese, English
The Yomiuri Shimbun The 'Ramen of Japan' e-book 'Ramen of Japan,' the popular column by Japan News Senior Writer Futoshi Mori, is now available as an e-book. A passionate ramen enthusiast, Mori has visited shops across the country. 'Ramen of Japan' introduces 30 of his top recommendations, with text in both Japanese and English. This isn't just a guidebook describing the taste of specific dishes — Mori's book explains in detail the shop owners' passion for each bowl, their efforts to achieve their ideal flavors, and the tapestry of their lives. ▼Click the icons below to purchase 'Ramen of Japan' for just ¥880.
