Latest news with #ShigeruIshiba
Straits Times
33 minutes ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Will the future of Asia be one of conflict or cooperation?
Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said the world stands on the precipice of a 'once-in-a-century turning point in history'. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG News analysis Will the future of Asia be one of conflict or cooperation? – The 21st century is meant to be the 'Asian century', but will the world's largest continent live up to its brimming potential, or will it be derailed by conflict? This was the biggest question weighing on the minds of politicians, business leaders and academics who convened in Tokyo for the Future Of Asia conference, held by Japanese media conglomerate Nikkei Inc on May 29-30. Many attendees sounded the clarion call for solidarity and unity, saying that only by entrenching cooperation can the world overcome its many fissures. Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, citing wars, pandemics and financial turmoil, said the world stands on the precipice of a 'once-in-a-century turning point in history'. 'When we look at each of the events that are happening, it is hard not to feel the similarities between today and 100 years ago,' he said. 'A stable international order is no longer a given.' That is an ominous message for a flagship forum – of which The Straits Times is a media partner – that is celebrating its milestone 30th year. Is the future of Asia doomed? Plenty of positivity was dished up over two days of speeches which were, however, lacking in substantive suggestions for action. What was of note, however, were some young participants who gave a glimpse of what the future might hold with their innovative ideas and their optimism. First up was Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who said: 'Asia, home to more than half of humanity, sits at the epicentre of uncertainty. It is also at the centre of possibility at the same time.' Although he warned that 'cooperation is not always guaranteed', he pointed to the region's 'formidable collective strength'. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet described Asia as 'relatively peaceful, stable and prosperous, at least for the moment', even as a Cambodian soldier was killed in gunfire with the Thai military during a brief clash on May 28 on a disputed stretch of the border between Cambodia and Thailand. Mr Jin Liqun, head of China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, insisted: 'Asia can maintain its growth regardless of what's happening in the rest of the world.' Yet it is impossible to ignore the undercurrents of uncertainty and tumult as the world experiences whiplash from United States President Donald Trump's unpredictable policies. The restrictions on international students enrolling in US universities is an affront to the role that education plays in innovation and in fostering the exchange of ideas across continents and political divides. The effective abolition of the US Agency for International Development, which provides aid to about 130 countries and regions, inflicts more suffering on the impoverished people in these areas. The US pullout from the Paris Agreement on climate change ignores climate risks that threaten countries worldwide, particularly those in vulnerable regions such as South Asia and Africa. What has been most disruptive, however, are Mr Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs imposed on more than 100 of America's trading partners and ranging from 10 per cent to 50 per cent. On pause for 90 days from April 9 while negotiations take place, they form an assault on the rules-based multilateral trading order. Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, speaking at the forum, pointedly said that Mr Trump has effectively made 'the whole world the enemy'. It became clear that weaker economies are lower down the pecking order for tariff negotiations – major economies such as the European Union, China and Japan are in the midst of negotiation – when Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith told the conference that Vientiane has reached out for talks but not yet received any response. Laos was hit with a 48 per cent rate. 'Protectionism disrupts the global equilibrium and heightens tension, therefore leading to an increasing risk of armed conflict,' Mr Thongloun said. Speakers including Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said that a possible antidote to such inward-looking tendencies of the US is to entrench existing partnerships and forge new alliances. Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa added that a 'renewed commitment to cooperation' was necessary as the Indo-Pacific becomes a theatre for intensifying US-China rivalry. 'The old saying, 'unity is strength', is now more crucial than ever,' he said. 'While we do not seek confrontation, we must protect our interests in a world shaped by the competition of giants.' It goes without saying, however, that national interests vary from country to country. This can be seen in the vastly different positions adopted by different countries in the unfolding conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. How, then, will countries respond in the event of an accidental conflict in contested waters, as Chinese and Philippine military activities intensify around shoals in the South China Sea over which the two sides have overlapping claims? Or if China invades Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province to be reunified by force if necessary? To stave off conflict, Mr Ishiba said Japan's position is to continue communicating with China at all levels to build a relationship 'based on true trust (and) common strategic interests for a constructive and stable relationship'. He also emphasised the need for 'an enduring US commitment to the region at a time of growing Chinese economic and security influence'. While Mr Ishiba's remarks sound contradictory, they point to the delicate diplomatic tightrope Japan needs to tread, given that it has close economic ties with China but is wary of its giant neighbour in security terms due to their historical tensions and Beijing's growing military power. But his remarks leave open the question whether China will engage with Japan on the same terms. For Mr Hun Manet, the solution is clear: 'New tensions are rising in many traditional flash points, so our leaders need to stay united in purpose, strategic in vision and steadfast in collective actions.' Heavy geopolitics aside, there were some bright sparks at the forum in the form of a young generation of start-up leaders who were invited to discuss social innovation and the prospects for Asian growth. Among them was Singapore's Mr Kee Cheng Heng, 29, of HelloHolo that uses virtual reality to support language learning. While most start-ups do not take off, he credited Singapore with having built an environment where failure is a learning journey and 'a badge that you can wear proudly'. Fellow start-up founder Shunsuke Inoue, 25, of data optimisation company Japan Process Mining Technology, agreed that the tide seems to be turning in Japan which traditionally does not take too kindly to failure. He said: 'I don't think one failure means that you never get another chance.' The future of Asia, clearly, will lie in its youth and their never-say-die perseverance. The 84-year-old Dr Yunus summed it up best: 'The future of Asia is not just about economics or geopolitics. It's about people, it's about ideas. It's about the young people wanting to create a new world different from the one they were born in.' He added: 'Let us be guided not by fear, but by possibilities. Not by power, but by purpose. Let us have the courage to imagine a better world.' Walter Sim is Japan correspondent at The Straits Times. Based in Tokyo, he writes about political, economic and socio-cultural issues. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Kyodo News
43 minutes ago
- Business
- Kyodo News
Japan eyes more rice exports as domestic consumption set to decline
KYODO NEWS - 7 hours ago - 17:41 | All, Japan The Japanese government on Friday vowed to explore new overseas markets and provide support for more efficient production as part of efforts to increase rice exports in response to an envisioned long-term contraction in domestic consumption. In the annual white paper on food and agriculture for fiscal 2024 approved by the Cabinet, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries recommends increased rice exports despite the Japanese government recently introducing measures to curb soaring domestic prices, driven in part by shortages. The report identified China, Singapore, the United States, Hong Kong and Taiwan as target markets for exports. With the popularity of Japanese food booming abroad, the country's exports of agricultural goods reached a record 1.51 trillion yen ($10.5 billion) in 2024, as it sets a target of 5 trillion yen in 2030, the paper said. To achieve that target, the government wants to increase rice exports, which trended higher to 12.03 billion yen in 2024 -- 27.8 percent above the year before -- through sales at Japanese restaurants and stores. The government set a goal to boost rice exports by nearly eightfold to 353,000 tons in 2030 from 2024 in its medium- to long-term basic plan for agriculture, released in April. To bolster productivity for rice exports, the government aims to increase the acreage managed by export-focused farmers with fields of 15 hectares or larger. It also seeks to reduce the current production costs of 16,000 yen per 60 kilograms nearer to 9,500 yen for exports to help domestic producers better compete with foreign-grown rice, according to the plan. New farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi also urged rice growers to increase output, despite the government issuing a guideline annually for each major producing region to match expected demand, a step that has led to adjustments in supply. He said last week that even if there is a surplus, rice could be exported overseas or the government could find new ways to market it. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is also supportive of increasing agricultural exports, saying in a recent TV program, "Rather than saying, 'We will export if there is a surplus,' we should aim to export from the beginning." The paper, which includes a chapter dedicated to agricultural exports for the first time, said, "It is essential to shift to earning money in growing overseas markets" as domestic consumption is expected to decline due to the falling population. Related coverage: Japan opposition chief rebuked for calling gov't reserve rice "animal feed" Japan gov't vows reserve rice supply to countryside amid price spike Half of Japan's stockpiled rice sought by retailers under new scheme
Kyodo News
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Kyodo News
Japan Diet begins debate on dual surname bill for 1st time in 28 yrs
KYODO NEWS - 5 hours ago - 15:01 | All, Japan Japan's parliament on Friday began its first deliberations in 28 years on legislation that would give married couples the option of keeping different surnames. The passage of any of the three bills submitted separately by three opposition parties, however, looks unlikely during the current Diet session through late June, despite growing public acceptance of their push to change the longstanding rule requiring married couples to share a single family name. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who heads a minority government, remains reluctant to allow the change, with some within the party concerned that it would hurt family cohesion and traditional values. A revision to the Civil Code is required to enable couples to keep different family names after marriage. Up to now, it is mostly women who abandon their maiden names. Among the vocal supporters of introducing a dual family-name system, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan seeks to allow people to choose whether to retain their family name or change it to their partner's. The couples would be required to decide, upon marriage, which of their family names their children will use. The Democratic Party for the People also wants to allow separate family names, but, according to its bill, children should automatically use the family name of the head of the household couples designated in their family register. The Japan Innovation Party, meanwhile, is sticking to the principle of one family name for each household. But it aims to give legal status when a person uses their premarriage name even after wedlock by allowing it to be specified in the family register. In 1996, the Justice Ministry's legal counsel recommended that couples should be able to choose to keep different family names upon marriage and decide in advance which family name will identify their children, although the same name should be used by all offspring. The following year, parliament deliberated on an opposition-submitted bill to revise the Civil Code that would have opened the way for the dual surname system. Since then, Japan has made little headway in making the change. In recent years, business leaders have been stepping up calls for introducing the system of different surnames, and the public has warmed to the idea. In a Kyodo News poll, 71 percent of respondents supported the dual family-name system, while 27 percent were opposed. Ishiba has stressed the need for the LDP to deepen internal debate on the issue, but the ruling party has yet to reach a consensus ahead of the House of Councillors election. Related coverage: Japan surname law cited in 30% of common-law unions: survey Over 40% of Japanese want to use old surnames at work after marriage
The Independent
6 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
China to resume Japanese seafood imports after Fukushima water row
Japan has announced that China will lift its ban on Japanese seafood imports. The ban was imposed in 2023 due to concerns over the discharge of wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean. Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said that the agreement was reached during a meeting between Japanese and Chinese officials in Beijing. The resumption of imports is contingent upon the completion of required paperwork. As of now, there has been no immediate statement from China regarding this development. The step is based on an agreement between the two nations that Beijing was to take steps toward ending the ban by joining water sampling missions as part of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Fukushima Daiichi plant was damaged in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, triggering meltdowns in its three reactors and causing large amounts of radioactive water to accumulate. The wastewater was treated and heavily diluted to reduce the radioactivity as much as possible before Japan began discharging the wastewater in August 2023. Japan says the discharge has met international safety standards and data from the IAEA monitoring are publicly available. China blocked imports of Japanese seafood because it said the release would endanger the fishing industry and coastal communities in eastern China. Earlier this week, Japan announced plans to use slightly radioactive soil, stored near the nuclear plant, for flower beds outside Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's office. The move is intended to demonstrate the safety of reusing soil that was removed from Fukushima prefecture during decontamination efforts. Officials say that some of the soil has now reached levels deemed safe for reuse. The government aims to reassure the public by using the soil at Mr Ishiba's office in Tokyo, with plans to extend its use to flower beds and other purposes within government agency grounds.
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Japan fretting over fighter rollout target, say sources
Japan's chief trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said Japan's defence equipment purchase could boost US trade surplus. (AFP pic) TOKYO : Japan has growing doubts that its next-generation fighter project with Britain and Italy will meet a 2035 rollout target, potentially forcing Tokyo to plug air defence gaps with new US F-35 stealth planes or upgrades to aging jets, two sources said. The joint Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) established in 2022 is falling behind schedule due to a lack of urgency from Britain and Italy, which could push deployment beyond 2040, according to one of the sources. Both sources, who have knowledge of Japan's air defence discussions, were not authorised to speak to media and declined to be identified. Japan will need to begin planning soon if the GCAP is delayed to ensure it has enough jets to counter Chinese and Russian planes that regularly probe its air defences. While senior officials are discussing the possibility of buying more F-35s, Reuters was not able to learn if specific numbers or a timeline are under consideration. A swift decision to acquire more Lockheed Martin F-35s at around US$100 million each could be a bargaining chip for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in tariff talks with US President Donald Trump. Japan's chief trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa will hold a fresh round of tariff talks with US officials on Friday in Washington. Ishiba is also expected to meet Trump for their second in-person meeting in June at the Group of Seven leaders' gathering in Canada. 'Japan's purchase of defence equipment would contribute to the US trade surplus, so in that sense, it could be considered (in trade talks),' Akazawa told reporters on Thursday ahead of his departure for the US capital. In 2019, in a move lauded at the time by Trump, then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered 105 F-35s, making Japan the aircraft's largest overseas buyer with a total of 147 on order. In a sign that Trump may again welcome Japanese purchases of US military hardware, the Asahi newspaper reported that in a phone call with Ishiba on May 23, he discussed Boeing's planned F-47 fighter jet and encouraged his Japanese counterpart to consider US aircraft. GCAP is an effort by Japan and its two European partners to build a next-generation fighter free from the operational restrictions that often come with purchases of US-made military equipment. For example, buyers are often not allowed to do upgrades and maintenance without US permission. The project is being led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, BAE Systems in Britain and Leonardo in Italy. In Britain and Italy, GCAP will replace Eurofighter Typhoon jets that will be in operation until the 2040s. In Japan, it is meant to replace the F-2, a US F-16 variant developed three decades ago by Mitsubishi Heavy and Lockheed Martin. Japan's concerns about a possible delay to GCAP's 2035 rollout stem from how much time is being taken to align each country's concept of how the aircraft will operate, said one of the sources. A spokesperson for the Japanese defence ministry's acquisition agency said the 2035 rollout target was unchanged, adding that the decommissioning of the F-2 is set to begin that year. 'I am not aware of any plans to place additional orders for the F-35,' he added. A British ministry of defence spokesperson said: 'The UK, Italy and Japan are focused on delivering a next generation combat aircraft for 2035 and we are making strong progress.' The Italian defence ministry did not reply to a request for comment. Additional GCAP partners could include Saudi Arabia, which would bring funding and a lucrative market for the aircraft. Of the 147 F-35s Japan has ordered to date, 43 F-35As have been delivered while six F-35Bs, a short takeoff and vertical landing variant, have been delayed, making more purchases a contentious issue. Japan could instead opt to extend the operational life of its older F-2 fleet through upgrades. 'We have already paid for many items, and they haven't arrived. It's not right to be told to buy more when previous orders haven't been fulfilled,' a senior ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
