Latest news with #Yomiuri
Yomiuri Shimbun
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Junichi Masuda: PokéPark KANTO, Where Pokémon Are Always There; Tokyo Facility May Evolve After Opening in Spring 2026
'PokéPark KANTO,' an outdoor facility centered on the Pokémon franchise, will open in spring 2026 within the Yomiuriland amusement park that straddles Inagi, Tokyo, and Kawasaki. In an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun, Junichi Masuda, chief creative fellow at The Pokémon Company, who is leading the development of PokéPark KANTO, spoke about the facility and its main Yomiuri Shimbun: What inspired you to create PokéPark KANTO? Junichi Masuda: Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the release of the first Pokémon video games, 'Pokémon Red' and 'Pokémon Green' (the latter sold as 'Pokémon Blue' overseas). Based on the original video games, the series has grown into a major franchise including anime and card games, creating a growing global fanbase. Whenever I've met fans at events in Japan and abroad, I've felt that it was wonderful how people were connected through Pokémon. As creators, ever since we made the first games, we have always valued communication through Pokémon. We wanted people to meet each other, trade Pokémon and become friends. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, people were unable to meet each other, and Pokémon events were almost completely canceled. At that time, I wanted to create a place where people could always gather. I wanted a space where people and Pokémon could enjoy themselves together. When I thought about how I could repay the fans who have loved Pokémon for 30 years, I thought, 'It would be fun to have a place where Pokémon are always there.'Yomiuri: Tell us about PokéPark KANTO Masuda: It consists of two areas: 'Pokémon Forest' and 'Sedge Town.' In the games, you travel through forests filled with wild Pokémon, so there's a real sense of relief when you finally arrive in a town and the atmosphere changes to one of safety. I think you'll get that exact feeling here. Pokémon Forest is a lush forest where Pokémon live. There are many Berries, attracting many Pokémon. As you walk through the forest, you will encounter many Pokémon, most of which are wild. We hope visitors will enjoy the adventure of feeling like Pokémon Trainers. Sedge Town is centered around Pokémon Trainers' Market where you can enjoy shopping for many kinds of merchandise. We want visitors to have fun like it's a festival, so we're planning a parade and greetings with Pokémon. There are two other attractions, which we also hope they'll also created a Pokémon Center, Poké Mart and Gym [modeled on those] that appear in the games. I was impressed when I saw the Pokémon Center. Yomiuri: What aspects did you focus on? Masuda: We deliberately separated this project from digital [technology] and focused on the idea of 'a world where Pokémon exist' and 'can be touched.' In Pokémon GO, when you hold up your smartphone, it looks like there are Pokémon in the real world. But when you reach out, they're not there. I thought that having Pokémon that are really there and that you can touch is something we haven't done before, so I wanted to give it a reason for choosing an outdoor setting is that wild Pokémon live in forests and other natural environments. They fly through the sky and move around freely. [In the forest,] you can feel the wind blowing and smell flowers, and Pokémon are there too. I thought that being in nature is very important for living creatures. We are pursuing the appeal of the outdoors. Yomiuri: What points would you like visitors to pay particular attention to? Masuda: Pokémon are living creatures, so just like humans, each one has its own unique character. There are over 600 Pokémon in PokéPark KANTO, and we have created a story for each and every one of them. For example, if it's shy, it might be looking downward a little. We want [visitors] to pay attention to what each Pokémon is looking at, where its gaze is mannerisms are all different too. If two are standing side by side, they might be friends. If they have their backs turned to each other, they might be fighting. I hope visitors will talk about it with their friends and let their imaginations run wild. We hope that visitors will enjoy this facility in a way that is different from previous Pokémon experiences. Yomiuri: What is your message for children? I think that children today don't have many opportunities to play in the woods or touch the soil. In the woods, their feet may get dirty, but I want children to enjoy that. Some Pokémon are so big that visitors have to look up at them, so I want the visitors to compare the size of Pokémon to their own body. There are also Pokémon that visitors can ride on. Yomiuri: What future plans are there for PokéPark KANTO?Masuda: PokéPark KANTO will not be complete when it opens. The Pokémon available at the facility may change depending on the weather or season, and some may even evolve in the future. Since they are living things, they are not always the same. I think that some parts of the facility may change little by little over the years. Once again, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to fans around the world who have continued to support Pokémon. I am truly grateful that we were able to create this facility to coincide with our 30th anniversary. I hope that visitors will find their favorite Pokémon and think, 'I'll come back to see them again.'Junichi Masuda Masuda was born in 1968 and is originally from Yokohama, Japan. As a founding member of GAME FREAK inc., he is one of the original authors of the Pokémon video game series. Masuda has been involved as a director, producer and video game composer for the Pokémon video game series since 1989. He has been in his current position since 2022. ©2025 Pokémon. ©1995-2025 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK ®, and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.
Business Recorder
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Most Gulf markets gain ahead of key US data, trade talks
Most major stock markets in the Gulf rose in early trade on Tuesday ahead of U.S. inflation data due later in the day, signalling investors' relatively upbeat outlook on talks Washington and major trading partners. U.S. President Donald Trump signalled he was open to discussions on tariffs after his weekend threat to impose 30% duties on imports from the European Union and Mexico from August 1. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, meanwhile, is arranging to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Tuesday. Investors are also awaiting U.S. consumer price data for June, due on Tuesday, and will monitor for any upward pressure on prices from tariffs that might influence U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate decisions. The Fed's actions have a significant impact on the Gulf region's monetary policy, as most regional currencies are pegged to the U.S. dollar. Dubai's main share index gained 0.7%, led by a 2.7% rise in top lender Emirates NBD and a 1.4% increase in blue-chip developer Emaar Properties. In Abu Dhabi, the index climbed 0.7%, with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank jumping 6%. Most Gulf stocks subdued as Trump steps up tariff threats The lender, which is the Gulf country's third-largest by asset volume, posted second-quarter net profit of 2.32 billion dirham ($631.65 million), also exceeding analysts' consensus estimates, according to data compiled by LSEG. The Qatari index added 0.1%, helped by a 0.4% rise in petrochemical maker Industries Qatar. However, Doha Bank fell 0.7%, despite reporting an increase in first-half profit. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index eased 0.3%, hit by a 0.6% fall in oil giant Saudi Aramco. Oil prices - a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - fell after Trump's lengthy 50-day deadline for Russia to end the Ukraine war and avoid sanctions eased immediate supply concerns.
Business Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Japan PM to meet Bessent on Friday: Yomiuri
[TOKYO] Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is arranging to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Tokyo on Friday, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Tuesday, ahead of an Aug 1 deadline to strike a trade deal with the United States. A separate Yomiuri report said European Union leaders will visit Ishiba later this month to sign an 'alliance' advocating global free trade, seeking multilateral ties as US tariffs add to trade risks. Bessent is set to travel to Japan to attend the US national day at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, scheduled for July 19, skipping a concurrent Group of 20 finance officials meeting in South Africa, US Treasury said last week. Bessent would lead the US delegation, which will also include Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, according to the White House. Japan's top tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa is also expected to meet with Bessent, Yomiuri added, citing an unnamed government source. Despite seven US visits since April, Akazawa has yet to secure a trade agreement with Washington. Reuters has not independently confirmed these planned meetings during Bessent's Japan trip. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up This would mark the first high-level meeting between Tokyo and Washington after US President Donald Trump last week sent a letter to Japan raising tariffs on Japanese imports to 25 per cent from August 1. Separately, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa will meet Ishiba in Tokyo around July 23 and launch a 'competitiveness alliance' scheme, Yomiuri reported. The EU, facing 30 per cent tariffs, has accused the US of resisting efforts to strike a trade deal and warned of countermeasures. The new EU-Japan framework will note their commitment to 'a stable, predictable, rules-based, free and fair economic order' to counter Trump's tariffs and China's rare earth export restrictions, Yomiuri said, citing draft statements. The statement could also mention EU-Japan tie-ups in areas such as rare earth and battery supply chains, natural gas investments, defense industry dialogues and satellites, the newspaper added. The US and EU officials' Japan visits come at a sensitive time for Ishiba with his ruling coalition seen losing its majority in Sunday's upper house election, according to recent polls. Having already lost the lower house majority in October, a second electoral defeat could significantly undermine Ishiba's political standing while potentially strengthening opposition parties that advocate for tax cuts and looser monetary policy. REUTERS
Japan Today
15-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Japan PM to meet Bessent on Friday, Yomiuri says
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is arranging to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Tokyo on Friday, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Tuesday, ahead of an August 1 deadline to strike a trade deal with the United States. A separate Yomiuri report said European Union leaders will visit Ishiba later this month to sign an "alliance" advocating global free trade, seeking multilateral ties as U.S. tariffs add to trade risks. Bessent is set to travel to Japan to attend the U.S. national day at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, scheduled for July 19, skipping a concurrent Group of 20 finance officials meeting in South Africa, U.S. Treasury said last week. Bessent would lead the U.S. delegation, which will also include Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, according to the White House. Japan's top tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa is also expected to meet with Bessent, Yomiuri added, citing an unnamed government source. Despite seven U.S. visits since April, Akazawa has yet to secure a trade agreement with Washington. Reuters has not independently confirmed these planned meetings during Bessent's Japan trip. This would mark the first high-level meeting between Tokyo and Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump last week sent a letter to Japan raising tariffs on Japanese imports to 25% from August 1. Separately, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa will meet Ishiba in Tokyo around July 23 and launch a "competitiveness alliance" scheme, Yomiuri reported. The EU, facing 30% tariffs, has accused the U.S. of resisting efforts to strike a trade deal and warned of countermeasures. The new EU-Japan framework will note their commitment to "a stable, predictable, rules-based, free and fair economic order" to counter Trump's tariffs and China's rare earth export restrictions, Yomiuri said, citing draft statements. The statement could also mention EU-Japan tie-ups in areas such as rare earth and battery supply chains, natural gas investments, defense industry dialogues and satellites, the newspaper added. The U.S. and EU officials' Japan visits come at a sensitive time for Ishiba with his ruling coalition seen losing its majority in Sunday's upper house election, according to recent polls. Having already lost the lower house majority in October, a second electoral defeat could significantly undermine Ishiba's political standing while potentially strengthening opposition parties that advocate for tax cuts and looser monetary policy. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Korea Herald
15-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Japan PM to meet Bessent on Friday, Yomiuri says
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is arranging to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Tokyo on Friday, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Tuesday, ahead of an Aug. 1 deadline to strike a trade deal with the US. A separate Yomiuri report said European Union leaders will visit Ishiba later this month to sign an "alliance" advocating global free trade, seeking multilateral ties as US tariffs add to trade risks. Bessent is set to travel to Japan to attend the US national day at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, scheduled for July 19, skipping a concurrent Group of 20 finance officials meeting in South Africa, US Treasury said last week. Bessent would lead the US delegation, which will also include Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, according to the White House. Japan's top tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa is also expected to meet with Bessent, Yomiuri added, citing an unnamed government source. Despite seven US visits since April, Akazawa has yet to secure a trade agreement with Washington. Reuters has not independently confirmed these planned meetings during Bessent's Japan trip. This would mark the first high-level meeting between Tokyo and Washington after US President Donald Trump last week sent a letter to Japan raising tariffs on Japanese imports to 25 percent from Aug. 1. Separately, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa will meet Ishiba in Tokyo around July 23 and launch a "competitiveness alliance" scheme, Yomiuri reported. The EU, facing 30 percent tariffs, has accused the US of resisting efforts to strike a trade deal and warned of countermeasures. The new EU-Japan framework will note their commitment to "a stable, predictable, rules-based, free and fair economic order" to counter Trump's tariffs and China's rare earth export restrictions, Yomiuri said, citing draft statements. The statement could also mention EU-Japan tie-ups in areas such as rare earth and battery supply chains, natural gas investments, defense industry dialogues and satellites, the newspaper added. The US and EU officials' Japan visits come at a sensitive time for Ishiba with his ruling coalition seen losing its majority in Sunday's upper house election, according to recent polls. Having already lost the lower house majority in October, a second electoral defeat could significantly undermine Ishiba's political standing while potentially strengthening opposition parties that advocate for tax cuts and looser monetary policy. (Reuters)
