NYK launches 2nd cruise ship as Japan aims for 1m passengers
TOMONORI WASHIDA
TOKYO -- Japanese marine transport group NYK Line held a naming ceremony on Friday for the second cruise ship in its fleet, as the government envisions a domestic cruise market of 1 million passengers.
At 52,265 metric tons, the Asuka III is a midsize vessel that can accommodate 740 passengers in 381 cabins.
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The Mainichi
15 minutes ago
- The Mainichi
Voting underway in Japan for upper house race, with focus on majority
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Voting got underway on Sunday in Japan's House of Councillors election, with all eyes on whether the ruling coalition can maintain its majority amid public frustration over rising prices and growing support for emerging parties. The outcome of the election will have a strong bearing on the fate of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government, as failure to retain control of the upper house would make parliamentary deliberations even more difficult and could potentially cost him the premiership. With 125 seats up for grabs, the ruling bloc led by Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party needs to win at least 50 to keep its majority in the 248-member upper house. It currently holds 75 seats in the other half of the chamber that is not being contested on Sunday. Upper house members serve fixed six-year terms, unlike those in the House of Representatives, which can be dissolved by the prime minister. Half of the upper house members are replaced in elections held every three years to prevent a complete turnover. Of the 125 seats, including one to fill a vacancy, 75 will be chosen in electoral districts and 50 through proportional representation. Around 520 candidates are vying for the seats. Voters cast two ballots -- one to select a candidate for their electoral district and the other for proportional representation, under which seats are allocated based on the total number of votes received by each group and its listed candidates. Pre-election media polls have painted a bleak picture for the ruling coalition of the LDP and the Komeito party, with smaller opposition forces expected to gain strength. During the campaign period, debate intensified over a possible cut in consumption tax and policies concerning foreigners. Ishiba spent the 17-day campaign scrambling to secure a vote of confidence in his administration, as Japan faces a myriad of challenges -- from the rising cost of living to defending national interests in tariff negotiations with the United States, a longtime ally. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition force, aims to strip the ruling camp of its majority control of the upper house and inject momentum into its push for a change of government. Opposition parties, such as the Democratic Party for the People and the Japan Innovation Party, are united in their call to reduce or abolish the politically sensitive consumption tax to support inflation-plagued households. The populist Sanseito party, which has been using social media to attract younger voters, is seen as a potential game-changer in the election, as media polls suggest the minor group, known for its nationalistic platform, has seen a surge in popularity. Its "Japanese First" slogan has apparently struck a chord with conservatives, though its hardline stance on foreigners has drawn criticism as being xenophobic.
Japan Today
5 hours ago
- Japan Today
Japan heads to polls in key test for PM Ishiba
Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), raises his fist from atop a campaigning bus on the last day of campaigning for the July 20 upper house election, in Tokyo, on Saturday night. Japanese voters could unleash political turmoil as they head to the polls on Sunday in a tightly contested upper house election, with rising prices and immigration concerns threatening to weaken Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's grip on power. Opinion polls suggest Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner Komeito may fall short of the 50 seats needed to retain control of the 248-seat upper house of parliament in an election where half the seats are up for grabs. The polls show smaller opposition parties pushing for tax cuts and increased public spending are set to gain, among them the right-wing Sanseito, which vows to curb immigration, oppose foreign capital inflows and reverse gender equality moves. A poor showing by the coalition could shake investor confidence in the world's fourth-largest economy and disrupt critical trade talks with the United States, analysts said. Ishiba may have to choose between making way for a new LDP leader or scrambling to secure the backing of some opposition parties with policy compromises, said Rintaro Nishimura, an associate at the Asia Group in Japan. "Each scenario requires the LDP and Komeito to make certain concessions, and will be challenging, as any potential partner has leverage in the negotiations." After the election Japan faces a deadline of August 1 to strike a trade deal with the United States or face punishing tariffs in its largest export market. Such import levies could squeeze the economy and further pressure the government to give financial relief to households already reeling from inflation, such as a doubling of rice prices since last year. With an eye on a jittery government bond market, the LDP has called for fiscal restraint, rejecting opposition calls for major tax cuts and welfare spending to soften the blow. Ishiba's administration lost its majority in the more powerful lower house in October. As the LDP's worst showing in 15 years, the outcome roiled financial markets and left the prime minister vulnerable to no-confidence motions that could topple his administration and trigger a fresh general election. Ruled by the LDP for most of the post-war period, Japan has so far largely avoided the social division and fracturing of politics seen in other industrialised democracies. Voting ends at 8 p.m., when media are expected to project results based on exit polls. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Japan Today
5 hours ago
- Japan Today
Japan voters see little hope for tariff reprieve in car maker Mazda's hometown
Mazda Motor employees walk at the company's main plant in Fuchu-cho, Hiroshima Prefecture, on July 15. By Tamiyuki Kihara and Tom Bateman When car maker Mazda sneezes, everyone catches a cold, say people in its hometown of Hiroshima in western Japan, but these days, auto parts maker Yuji Yamaguchi fears a deep chill is on the way. "If Mazda builds fewer cars, our orders will drop," said Yamaguchi, whose 110-year-old firm, Nanjo Auto Interior, has almost 1,000 employees making door panels and other parts for the automaker, which accounts for more than 90% of its sales. "The key thing is whether we can remain profitable with lower volumes." The economic engine of Hiroshima, a manufacturing hub 800 km (500 miles) southwest of Tokyo, Mazda faces U.S. tariffs of 25% on automobiles, a dispiriting prospect for an electorate already battling inflation and a weak economy. Mazda Motor brand cars are displayed at a car dealership in Hiroshima. Image: REUTERS/Issei Kato Japan votes on Sunday in an upper house election that looks set to weaken the grip on power of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who has failed to win a tariff reprieve from the United States, its closest ally and a crucial trade partner. "I have no expectations for the Japanese government anymore," said Yamaguchi, a great-grandson of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. "I'm past frustration and have just resigned myself to things." As people in Hiroshima and other auto manufacturing regions, brace for the inevitable fall-out from tariffs, Yamaguchi said he had little hope the government could turn the tide. President Donald Trump has given no sign of relenting on his tariffs, and has even hinted at raising those against Japan. Mazda, which saw U.S. sales fall 18.6% in May on the year and by 6.5% in June, is one of the Japanese car makers most exposed to U.S. tariffs. Imports bring in the bulk of Mazda's American sales, but the importance of the wider industry for Japan is almost impossible to overstate. After Japan ceded global leadership in chips and consumer electronics, its auto industry has grown to make up about 28% of the roughly $145 billion worth of goods shipped to the United States last year. There are more than 68,000 companies in Japan's auto supply chain, a July survey by research firm Teikoku Data Bank showed, and the JAMA industry group says they employ 5.6 million people, or about 8% of the labour force. "A supply chain is hard to rebuild once broken," said Hideki Tsuchikawa, research head at Teikoku Databank's branch in Hiroshima, which his firm estimates is home to more than 2,000 auto suppliers. "Automobiles are a core national industry. Government support is essential." The tariffs could cost Mazda and other smaller Japanese automakers U.S. market share lost to bigger rivals, said Julie Boote, an autos analyst at Pelham Smithers Associates in London. Mazda, headquartered in Hiroshima, where it has assembly plants, has so far declined to give a full-year earnings outlook, citing the uncertainty of tariffs. In a statement, Mazda told Reuters its top priority was to protect suppliers, dealers and employees as it looked to overcome the tariff impact. It anticipated significant impact in the short term, the company said, adding it was taking all possible steps, such as asking for government countermeasures. 'NO OVERTIME, NO DRINKING' It is hard to say whether the uncertainty will further deepen voter anger over time, or how much opposition parties will be able to chip away at Ishiba's support as they look to tap into voter discontent. For the auto industry there seems to be no recourse except to return to a well-worn playbook of cost-cutting perfected during Japan's years of stop-start economic growth. No overtime means no extra money for drinking, said Koji Sasaki, the 54-year-old owner of a bar in the town of Fuchu close to Mazda's headquarters, where the automaker's employees usually form the bulk of customers. Their numbers have dropped in recent months, with some regulars apologizing for making fewer visits, he said. Drinking in Sasaki's bar on a recent July evening was company veteran Toshiyuki Shimizu, 45, who said Mazda had already cut back on overtime and business travel for employees. "We used to bring junior staff along on business trips, but now I often go alone," said Akira Ichigi, a 32-year-old Mazda colleague, adding that the limits denied junior employees valuable experience acquired on such trips. Mazda has set up a tariff strategy team that was meeting each week in Hiroshima, said one company insider, speaking on condition of anonymity. But Mazda faced constraints in finding ways to tackle the tariffs from a labour shortage in the United States, that kept it from boosting capacity at its sole plant there, operated with Toyota, the source added. Mazda said overtime cuts and a business travel review were part of its drive to cut 100 billion yen in costs. Essential travel continued, but it was evaluating whether accompanying staff were necessary, it said. The company set up a team to monitor tariffs and was working with suppliers and dealers, it said, adding that key to increasing supply to the U.S. market were its efforts to tackle labour shortages and strengthen the supply chain. For now, parts supplier Yamaguchi said he was not considering specific steps to counter the tariffs. "In business, we need to have long-term vision," Yamaguchi said, likening the moment to the COVID-19 pandemic, when his company posted a loss in 2020 but returned to profit the next year by working to boost efficiency rather than cutting costs. "If we don't invest in 2025, we might miss opportunities." © Thomson Reuters 2025
