Latest news with #Takano
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House approves mortgage assistance for veterans
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Thousands of veterans struggling to pay their home loans could soon get help from Congress after the Trump administration ended a mortgage rescue program earlier this month. The Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program, which the Biden administration created as an emergency fix following the COVID-19 pandemic, gave homeowners an affordable way to catch up on their VA-backed mortgage loan payments. 'President Trump and Secretary Collins are choosing to allow veterans to be foreclosed upon rather than to help them,' U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) said during a press conference Tuesday. Takano, the top Democrat on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said thousands of veterans are now at risk of losing their homes. 'This White House and VA don't seem to care,' Takano said. Takano argues without VASP, the federal government and taxpayers will foot the bill. 'It costs the VA and every one of us an estimated $60,000 every time a veteran is foreclosed on,' he said. The House advanced legislation Monday though that would allow the VA to create a similar lifeline for veterans, which Republicans do support. 'It was a bad program, and the Trump administration was right to stop it,' U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) said on the House floor during Monday's debate. 'However, I recognize that sometimes veterans fall on hard times and veterans need a safety net.' Bost, the VA committee's top Republican, calls the new measure more fiscally responsible than VASP. 'In no way does that make sense to solve a $25,000 problem with a $320,000 solution. Only in government would you do that,' Bost said. Takano also supports the bill but worries it could arrive too late for some veterans since the Senate still has to debate it. In a statement, VA Press Secretary Peter Kasperowicz said ending VASP 'was necessary because VA is not set up or intended to be a mortgage loan restructuring service.' Kasperowicz said the wind down will not impact existing participants or eligible veterans who enrolled before May 1. 'Since the VASP program started May 31, 2024, VA has purchased more than 17,000 loans worth more than $5.48 billion, and this number is expected to increase in the closing days of the program,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Malay Mail
05-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Malaysia's decarbonisation, healthcare sectors among key targets for Japanese company expansion, says trade body
KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — Japanese companies are looking to expand in the decarbonisation, healthcare, innovation and service industries in Malaysia. Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) Kuala Lumpur managing director Koichi Takano said several companies have made firm commitments to invest for two years, beginning from this year. 'These include the establishment of engineering and operations services in the oil and gas, semiconductor and biotechnology sectors,' he told Bernama in an interview. With regard to the decarbonisation sector, he said momentum is expected to build up in view of the Asia Zero Emission Community (Azec) summit, hosted by Japan and Malaysia, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur later this year. Major Japanese companies that have participated in decarbonisation in Malaysia, according to Takano, include Mitsui & Co and others that are working on projects in various areas of decarbonisation in Malaysia, such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen. 'The diffusion index of business sentiment of Japanese companies is steadily recovering. This is seen as a sign of trust in and expectations of a robust Malaysian economy,' Takano said. However, he noted, the tariff measures imposed by the United States have heightened uncertainty in the global economy, making the situation unpredictable. 'At this time of great global turmoil, expectations are growing for Malaysia's leadership as the Asean chair. 'Malaysia has already demonstrated its leadership on the tariff issue, holding discussions within Asean. We look forward to continued Malaysian leadership towards the stability and growth within the Asean region,' he added. According to Takano, Japan has been one of Malaysia's major investors, and more investments from Japan are expected for 2025. Japan is the fourth-largest foreign direct investor in Malaysia in the fourth quarter (4Q) of 2024 with RM102.02 billion foreign direct investment (FDI) secured compared to RM94.18 billion in 4Q 2023, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia. He pointed out that based on a survey on Japanese companies in Malaysia, business sentiment was negative in the second half of 2024 at -11.5 points, but it is expected to improve to -4.5 points in 2025. According to the survey conducted by Jetro and the Japanese Chamber of Trade and Industry, Malaysia (Jactim), the outlook remains uncertain due to cost pressures like minimum wage hikes, tax increases and subsidy cuts. The survey revealed high-value manufacturing and decarbonisation as being top growth sectors. Two hundred companies responded to the survey from January 22 to February 21, 2025. The survey also highlighted that the non-manufacturing sector faces high demand for advanced technology talent. 'Additionally, there is a strong demand for clarification of environment, social and governance (ESG)-related investments, expansion of tax incentives, and thorough advance notifications when regulatory changes occur,' it added. — Bernama
New Straits Times
05-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Japanese companies keen to expand in various sectors in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR: Japanese companies are looking to expand in the decarbonisation, healthcare, innovation and service industries in Malaysia. Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) Kuala Lumpur managing director Koichi Takano said several companies have made firm commitments to invest for two years, beginning from this year. "These include the establishment of engineering and operations services in the oil and gas, semiconductor and biotechnology sectors," he told Bernama in an interview. With regard to the decarbonisation sector, he said momentum is expected to build up in view of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) summit, hosted by Japan and Malaysia, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur later this year. Major Japanese companies that have participated in decarbonisation in Malaysia, according to Takano, include Mitsui & Co and others that are working on projects in various areas of decarbonisation in Malaysia, such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen. "The diffusion index of business sentiment of Japanese companies is steadily recovering. This is seen as a sign of trust in and expectations of a robust Malaysian economy," Takano said. However, he noted, the tariff measures imposed by the US have heightened uncertainty in the global economy, making the situation unpredictable. "At this time of great global turmoil, expectations are growing for Malaysia's leadership as the ASEAN chair. "Malaysia has already demonstrated its leadership on the tariff issue, holding discussions within ASEAN. We look forward to continued Malaysian leadership towards the stability and growth within the ASEAN region," he added. According to Takano, Japan has been one of Malaysia's major investors, and more investments from Japan are expected for 2025. Japan is the fourth-largest foreign direct investor in Malaysia in the fourth quarter (4Q) of 2024 with RM102.02 billion foreign direct investment (FDI) secured compared to RM94.18 billion in 4Q 2023, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia. He pointed out that based on a survey on Japanese companies in Malaysia, business sentiment was negative in the second half of 2024 at minus 11.5 points, but it is expected to improve to minus 4.5 points in 2025. According to the survey conducted by Jetro and the Japanese Chamber of Trade and Industry, Malaysia (Jactim), the outlook remains uncertain due to cost pressures like minimum wage hikes, tax increases and subsidy cuts. The survey revealed high-value manufacturing and decarbonisation as being top growth sectors. Two hundred companies responded to the survey from Jan 22 to Feb 21, 2025. The survey also highlighted that the non-manufacturing sector faces high demand for advanced technology talent. "Additionally, there is a strong demand for clarification of environment, social and governance (ESG)-related investments, expansion of tax incentives, and thorough advance notifications when regulatory changes occur," it added.
22-04-2025
- Business
Casio Computer to Promote Takano to President
News from Japan Economy Technology Apr 22, 2025 17:19 (JST) Tokyo, April 22 (Jiji Press)--Casio Computer Co. said Tuesday that it will promote Executive Managing Officer Shin Takano to president and chief executive officer. Takano, 64, will assume the post after a shareholders meeting on June 27. Current President and CEO Yuichi Masuda, 70, will step down to become an adviser. Chairman Kazuhiro Kashio, 59, will remain in his position but will lose his representative rights. Casio said the management renewal is aimed at achieving sustainable growth and further enhancing the group's corporate value. Takano, who joined Casio in 1984, assumed his current post in April 2021. His career has focused on finance, including serving as chief financial officer. Masuda was the first person outside Casio's founding family to be appointed president in April 2023. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House Democrats unsatisfied after meeting with education secretary
(NewsNation) — House Democrats who met with Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Wednesday say she could not provide answers to their questions and they're still concerned about the plan to dismantle her department. In a press conference afterward, they said there is no plan for oversight of the money Trump wants sent to the states, nor any plan on how McMahon would dismantle the agency while fulfilling its legally mandated support for students. McMahon, who joined the press conference briefly, said, 'I welcome the fact that these folks came today and expressed their concerns and shared, in an open, collegial format, their concerns and how we can lead now to work more together.' What happens if the Department of Education is abolished? Several Congress members said they were grateful for the meeting and pointed out that it's the first time a Cabinet secretary has met with House Democrats despite numerous requests. Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said it was 'refreshing' that McMahon indicated that before she moves the functions of the Department elsewhere, she is looking at the statute to see what she can do. Despite the president's executive order, only Congress can eliminate the department. But that's where the niceties ended. Takano said in the meeting they demanded, but were not given, a timeline for closing the Education Department, asked how civil rights would be enforced, and wanted more information on contract cancellations and employee terminations. Texas teen runs his own business selling eggs 'I'm afraid that all these firings at the Office of Civil Rights means that students with disabilities, students that are facing discrimination because of antisemitism or islamophobia, students who are facing discrimination based on race or gender or sexual orientation, aren't going to have the Office of Civil Rights able to enforce their rights against discrimination around this country,' said Takano. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, was concerned some governors might not use the money the federal government sends to the states for education if the department doesn't oversee it. Escobar also cautioned that some governors may send it to politically friendly districts while underfunding districts that aren't as supportive. The Democrats also did not think it was appropriate to compare closing a government agency with reorganizing a business. 'Our children are not a corporate enterprise,' Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., said. Suspected Tren de Aragua members arrested during FBI raid in Texas McMahon said this was about the children of America and that 'funding from the United States government will continue through the programs that have already been established.' Today's meeting came after at least 75 Democratic House members sent McMahon a letter requesting a meeting to discuss the firing of about 1,300 department staffers. There will be additional meetings with McMahon and other members who signed the letter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
