Kyodo News Digest: July 22, 2025
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Japan PM Ishiba vows to stay on to avoid stalemate after poll defeat
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday said he will remain in office to avert a "political stalemate," even as the ruling coalition lost its majority control in both chambers in parliament following a crushing House of Councillors election defeat.
Ishiba, who heads the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, also underscored the need for leadership continuity at a time of "national crisis," as households reel from high prices and as Japan continues negotiations with the United States ahead of steep tariffs set to be imposed by President Donald Trump on Aug. 1.
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Despite election loss, Japan says seeking U.S. trade deal by Aug. 1
WASHINGTON - Japan's chief tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, said Monday that he will aim for some kind of trade agreement with the United States by Aug. 1, a deadline set by President Donald Trump to wrap up bilateral talks.
"I don't have (such a concern)," Akazawa told reporters at an international airport near Washington upon his arrival, when asked whether the Japanese governing coalition's huge loss in Sunday's upper house election will make the stalled bilateral negotiations even more difficult.
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Philippine president secures U.S. commitment to peace in Indo-Pacific
WASHINGTON - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday secured a renewed commitment from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration that it will strive to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-pacific region.
A day before his talks with Trump in Washington, Marcos met separately with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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Ex-Japanese Prime Minister Suga eyes visit to S. Korea next week
TOKYO - Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is making final arrangements to visit South Korea at the end of July, also hoping to meet President Lee Jae Myung, a source close to the matter said Monday.
Suga, who heads a group of Japanese lawmakers working to promote friendly Japan-South Korea relations, is planning the visit on July 30 and 31, the source said.
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Sumo: Onosato beats Takayasu, Ichiyamamoto takes sole lead in Nagoya
NAGOYA - New yokozuna Onosato scored a bounce-back win over komusubi Takayasu at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday, as rank-and-file wrestler Ichiyamamoto emerged as the surprise outright leader.
A day after his upset loss to up-and-coming No. 4 maegashira Hakuoho, Onosato (7-2) went back to basics with a dominant performance against former ozeki Takayasu (6-3) on Day 9 at IG Arena.
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Japan businesses call for stable politics after LDP's election defeat
TOKYO - Business leaders on Monday called for political stability to keep the Japanese economy on a sustainable growth path, after the ruling parties lost their majority in the House of Councillors following the weekend election.
"We face a slew of structural issues that need to be tackled from a medium- to long-term perspective," Yoshinobu Tsutsui, head of Japan's biggest business lobby Keidanren, said, citing measures to address elevated prices, tax reforms to fund soaring social security costs and promotion of a free and open international economic order.
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China says it seeks stable ties with Japan after LDP election defeat
BEIJING - China said Monday it will continue to seek stable ties with Japan, a day after the country's ruling Liberal Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and its coalition partner Komeito lost their majority in the upper house race.
Guo Jiakun, a spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, declined to comment on the results of Sunday's House of Councillors election, calling them "internal affairs" of Japan, but said Beijing is willing to work with Tokyo to continuously carry out dialogue and communication at all levels.
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New S. Korea foreign minister says patience key to Japan challenges
SEOUL - South Korea's new Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Monday that pressuring Japan to resolve historical issues will not produce results, stressing the challenge should be approached with "patience and persistence."
Speaking to reporters ahead of his swearing-in the same day, Cho emphasized the importance of building future-oriented ties with Japan, saying a long-term approach is required to resolve the issues, namely wartime labor compensation, through improved mutual understanding.
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