Latest news with #TheJapanNews
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days 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.
Yomiuri Shimbun
4 days ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Head of Interim Bangladesh Govt Yunus: Election to Be Held Between Dec. 2025 and June 2026; Cotton, LNG Eyed as Bargaining Chips in Bangladesh-U.S. Trade Talks
The Yomiuri Shimbun Muhammad Yunus speaks during an interview in Tokyo on Friday. Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, reiterated his intention to hold a general election between December this year and June next year, as calls for a December election grow. Yunus also called for more investment from 'technology-oriented industries' to help the country's development, in an interview with The Japan News on Friday. Last year in Bangladesh, student-led anti-government protests grew as a result of dissatisfaction with then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's iron fist rule, leading her to flee the country. The student group that led the demonstrations proposed that Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, become head of the interim government. He accepted. Hasina had been prime minister since 2009. 'We had a terrible experience for over 16 years of corruption, massive amount of mismanagement and misrule,' said Yunus during the interview in Tokyo. 'And then we have to fix all these things.' He stressed the interim government needs to promote political and electoral reforms before a general election so that 'the country doesn't slip back again in the same old way.' Yunus said, 'We are [a] nonpolitical government, so [a] political government through elections should come and take the responsibility.' At the same time, he pointed out that there are certain timing issues, such as 'how much time you allocate for reform so that you can hold the election.' He said the general election will be held 'between December and June.' 'We can hold [an] election maybe, if you have less reform, by December of this year, and if you want to do more reform a little bit, then maximum June of next year,' he said. He has been in talks with political parties to hold a general election, but he does not intend to run, and said, 'I go back to my work' after the election. He emphasized the importance of Japan's support for rebuilding the country. 'After this terrible 16 years of mismanagement and corruption, everything went destroyed, damaged,' Yunus said. 'We need enormous support from Japan, and Japan has been responding very generously.' He said his country needs 'technology-oriented industries' like vehicle assembly plants. While he praised that the garment industry has propelled the Bangladeshi economy and helped it become one of the largest exporters of garments in the world, he said, 'We are so focused on the garment, we didn't pay attention to other things.' Among its population of about 170 million, the country has many young workers. Yunus said, 'You can bring all your investment here, set up your factory here, you'll have no problem with cheap labor.' 'We are inviting to produce anything from technology-oriented industries, assembly plants, any kind of assembly that China has been doing for the rest of the world,' he added. U.S. eyes more cotton exports Bangladesh, which exports a large amount of garment products to the United States, faces a 37% 'reciprocal tariff' imposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Yunus said, 'We are looking for ways [on] how to see this as an opportunity, how to minimize any dislocation in our economy and all the future economies, so that it's not disrupted.' He said his country has been negotiating with U.S. officials, who advised Bangladesh to increase such imports from the United States as cotton and liquefied natural gas. 'What happens if you start buying from [the U.S.]? Will that ease that problem? We are looking for the packaging of the trade between the U.S. and Bangladesh,' Yunus said. 'We are hopeful that we'll find a solution to this.' After Trump returned to the presidency, the United States cut aid programs through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), resulting in the suffering of Rohingya people living in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Yunus said Bangladesh has been trying to secure funds for the refugee camps from other countries. 'Since [the] USAID program has been stopped, we are looking for other countries' support like Japan, European countries – [the] European Union particularly – to replenish that so that people don't have to suffer … They are very supportive,' he said. Meanwhile, the United Nations has proposed to support Rohingya people in Myanmar through the border with Bangladesh. Yunus said: 'In principle, we said yes. In a kind of humanitarian situation where people are dying, if you want to take some goods from [the] Bangladesh side to [the] other side, I don't think Bangladesh will mind.' Yunus visited Japan to attend a forum and to meet Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
The Star
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Japan to create digital archive of manga, anime and games
Studio Ghibli has produced iconic anime films like My Neighbor Totoro. Japan seeks to digitise such cultural treasures and add them to a database, thereby boosting Japan's soft power. - Studio Ghibli TOKYO: The government is set to launch a new 'digital archive strategy' aimed at preserving and promoting Japan's trove of such cultural assets as manga, anime and video games, which are immensely popular among young people worldwide. The initiative seeks to digitise these cultural treasures and add them to a database, thereby boosting Japan's soft power and attracting people from all over. The government also aims to promote the online distribution of local arts and cultural properties, with the goal of fostering regional revitalisation. The strategy is the first of its kind to be formulated by the government. It outlines a framework and policy for initiatives over a five-year period, from fiscal 2026 to 2030. Work on the strategy began when an expert panel was established in March last year. Two key areas are prioritised. Namely, 'media arts,' which include manga, anime and video games and which have added to Japan's soft power thanks to their global acclaim; and 'regional resources,' which encompasses cultural properties and works of art with a high tourism potential. Within the media arts domain, the strategy outlines the establishment of a national media arts centre, which will be tasked with collecting and preserving original manga drawings and animation cells and creating a comprehensive database for these items. In recent years, anime and manga fans have increasingly sought to visit the real-world settings of their favorite stories. The government wants to boost tourism in regions that have these connections by encouraging fans from around the world to visit. To improve the digital preservation and distribution of regional resources, the government will collaborate more closely with local municipalities using Japan Search. This portal allows users to search the materials held by libraries, museums and other institutions nationwide all at once. The strategy emphasises that local communities should lead the decision-making process for preserving local cultural and artistic works, with municipalities playing a central role in expanding and utilising digital archives. This initiative is expected to have a spillover effect, encouraging domestic and international enthusiasts to, after seeing the digitised version of a digital cultural asset, pay a visit to wherever the asset is located. Furthermore, the government aims to document cultural properties as a safeguard against large-scale disasters, ensuring their preservation for future generations. The strategy mirrors efforts by the European Union, which has been developing platforms for cultural assets for some time. 'We want to have a system on par with Europe's in the next ten years,' said a Japanese government official. - The Japan News/ANN
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Welsh Artist Creates Artwork to Highlight Japan-Wales Links; Himeji, Conwy Castle Among Designs on Show
© Crown Copyright / Licensed under U.K. OGL v3.0. Full-color version of tetsuin railway stamps created by Jonathan Edwards, representing (left) Himeji Castle and Conwy Castle, and (right) Mt. Fuji and Yr Wyddfa (Mt. Snowdon), the tallest mountain in Wales. Y Ddraig Goch, the red dragon that symbolizes Wales, stands out with its tongue and tail shaped like arrowheads. To celebrate ties between Japan and Wales, Welsh artist Jonathan Edwards created designs with the dragon in front of scenes depicting both countries, with its arrowheads pointing at each of them. Edwards was among the Welsh artists whose Japan-inspired work was on show at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo on Wales Day at the U.K. pavilion on April 29. Edwards' work takes the form of full-color tetsuin railway stamp designs. He was given a brief to come up with various designs and narrowed it down to themes such as nature and technology. © Crown Copyright / Licensed under U.K. OGL v3.0. Jonathan Edwards 'It was a great honor,' Edwards told The Japan News via e-mail when asked about having his work on display at the Expo. 'To walk into such a spectacle and then see people using my stamps was a moment of great pride.' One of the most striking designs is an image of Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, and Conwy Castle in North Wales. The castles, both UNESCO World Heritage sites which were both built around the same time, were twinned in 2019. Another features Mt. Fuji along with Yr Wyddfa (Mt. Snowdon), the tallest mountain in Wales and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United Kingdom. Visitors to the Expo were able to make prints of the designs with a monochrome ink version of stamps similar to those found at Japanese train stations. © Crown Copyright / Licensed under U.K. OGL v3.0. Jonathan Edwards, right, at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka on April 29. Courtesy of Jonathan Edwards Close ties Japan and Wales have many links in various fields. Many Japanese companies have bases in Wales, including Sony Crop. and Panasonic Corp. Both companies have had a presence there for over 50 years. The country even provided Hayao Miyazaki with inspiration for his movie 'Tenku no shiro rapyuta' (Laputa: Castle in the Sky). Edwards, from Wrexham in North Wales, first visited Japan 20 years ago. He has previously held exhibitions of his works in Nara and Osaka, and in 2021, his work was displayed on store windows at the Hankyu Department Store Osaka Umeda Main Store. He has also produced prints and books of his work themed on Japan. © Crown Copyright / Licensed under U.K. OGL v3.0. An ink version of a stamp available for visitors to sample Edwards said he is a big fan of many Japanese illustrators, including Ryohei Yanagihara and Akira Uno, and finds Japan 'endlessly inspiring.' 'I've been asked by a lot of people in the U.K. if they'll get to see [the stamps] used in Wales,' he said. 'It would be great to see them used at Welsh train stations.' Works from other Welsh artists and performers were also on display at the Expo, including hand-woven blankets by textile artist Llio James that were made using traditional Welsh fabrics.
The Hill
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Japan to spend $6.3B to protect its businesses from Trump tariffs
Japan is expected to spend $6.3 billion in an effort to thwart the economic impact of President Trump's tariffs. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi on Tuesday lauded the country's approved spending package set to aid regional businesses in sustaining operations amid slated price jumps. Additional funds will be allocated for utility bill subsidies and upscaled loan programs stemming from the Japan Finance Corporation to increase insurance support, according to Hayashi. 'Japan's national interests must come first in any trade negotiations. We need to seek an agreement that is a win-win situation for both Japan and the United States to also ensure that Washington will maintain its engagement in the Indo-Pacific region,' the secretary told The Japan News. 'What would President Trump consider to be a 'win'?' he questioned. Hayashi said Japan began preparing for economic shifts around September ahead of Trump's auto tariffs, which have unraveled profits in the manufacturing sector. In March, Trump implemented a 25 percent tariff on imported passenger vehicles. Companies including Toyota and Nissan have projected billion dollar losses due to U.S. levies while plotting to scale back production levels in an uncertain business climate. Japanese officials say their reductions could cripple smaller companies that supply parts. 'Japan's direct investment in the United States is the highest of any nation. The government has conveyed its deep concerns that U.S. tariffs could erode Japan's capacity to invest in the United States,' Hayashi said. 'Japan and the United States should pursue cooperation that benefits both nations, including through greater investment,' he continued. Economic Minister Ryosei Akazawa met with Trump's officials in Washington last week with hopes of hammering out a stabilized deal for both countries. Hayashi said they will continue to hold talks with a 'candid' and 'constructive' approach.
