Japanese shipping firms direct vessels to minimize time in Persian Gulf
NYK Line and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines say that they have issued the direction following US strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines currently has around 15 vessels in the Persian Gulf, including tankers carrying oil and natural gas.
NYK Line usually operates around 20 tankers and automobile carriers in the gulf.
Mitsui O.S.K. says its most experienced captains are monitoring waters in the Middle East around the clock from a safety operations support center at its Tokyo head office.
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Japan Times
an hour ago
- Japan Times
Foreign nationals' presence in Japan emerges as key issue in Upper House poll
The problems created by a record number of foreign nationals coming to Japan to visit, work and invest in real estate have emerged as a key issue in the July 20 Upper House election, with political parties offering different solutions in their campaign promises. While pocketbook issues, especially price hikes for food and gasoline, are at the top of voter concerns, the question of Japan's policies with regard to foreign nationals are getting a good deal of attention in campaign platforms from both ruling and opposition parties and their leaders. During a debate Wednesday between eight party leaders at the Japan National Press Club (JNPC), Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba explained his party's immigration policy by saying the government wants to take more responsibility for deciding who to let into the country and that it will not tolerate illegal immigration. Ishiba promised to introduce a system in which the backgrounds of individuals are properly verified before they arrive in Japan. 'We will determine who they are, and those with certain past records will not be allowed to enter Japan ... and this is the first priority,' Ishiba said. The Liberal Democratic Party's campaign promises include the establishment of a new central government coordination mechanism and stricter policies, with the goal of achieving 'zero illegal foreign nationals.' The party also says it will strengthen the management system for immigration and residency status. The Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and Nippon Ishin no Kai are among opposition parties that have included foreign national-related policies in their campaign platforms. The DPP says it's not against having more foreign workers but that it is merely highlighting issues faced by some regions in helping them adjust to life in Japan. The party supports the creation of local centers offering multilingual support as well as extending support for Japanese language training for foreign children. But when it comes to purchases of real estate in major cities such as Tokyo by wealthy foreign nationals, DPP leader Yuichiro Tamaki says he favors stricter conditions. 'We welcome investment from wealthy foreigners in real estate in Tokyo or other cities. But at the same time, the purchasing and investing of real estate in Tokyo, for instance, leads to rent increases, making it difficult for ordinary Japanese, especially the younger working generations, to live in Tokyo, Nagoya or Osaka, ' Tamaki said, noting that places such as Singapore place higher taxes on foreign purchases of real estate than those paid by citizens. Nippon Ishin's platform, on the other hand, promises to limit the number of foreign residents. 'In light of the adverse effects of the disorderly increase in the number of foreign nationals and regional friction, we will formulate a population strategy that includes measures to curb the rise in the ratio of foreign nationals and regulate the total number of foreign nationals accepted, and aim to establish a command center function to manage this strategy centrally at the national level,' the promise reads. 'The population of Japanese children is declining. On the other hand, the number of foreigners is steadily increasing,' Nippon Ishin chief Hirofumi Yoshimura said on June 30. In some areas, he added, foreign nationals are concentrated in specific regions and that the current situation is that policies related to them have become ad hoc immigration policies. The Japanese national flag and Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party flag. Part of the LDP's campaign platform ahead of the July 20 Upper House election includes strengthening the management system for immigration and residency status for foreign nationals. | REUTERS 'I oppose this. It's essential to establish a clear framework for foreigner policies. Such a framework should not only address issues like education and health care, but also encompass various administrative services,' Yoshimura said. Despite the parties' attempts to formulate policies concerning foreign nationals, however, recent polls show that these lie much farther down voters' lists of concerns than economic issues. A JNN television poll conducted Saturday and Sunday ranked such policies in fifth place in terms of importance, with just 6% of respondents saying it was the most important issue in the Upper House election. In contrast, 30% ranked policies to deal with high prices as the top issue. The reasons why the foreign national issue has become a focus of the Upper House contest are difficult to pinpoint, experts say. It may be a combination of general economic concerns and the recent popularity of candidates in local elections who advocated a tougher stance on foreign visitors and residents, drawing the attention of political parties nationally. Katsuhiro Yoneshige, head of the automated news company JX Press, which develops and operates election survey engines, says that while it's difficult to point to one trigger for the rush of Upper House campaign promises on foreign nationals, there are a number of possible factors. 'These include rising prices due to the depreciation of the yen, an increase in inbound tourism, and the growing number of foreign workers,' Yoneshige said. As for concerns about foreign real estate purchases in Tokyo making it hard for younger Japanese to live there, Yoneshige said central Tokyo housing prices are reaching levels that make it difficult even for relatively high-income households to afford. 'After 30 years of deflation, residents are not accustomed to rising prices and significant anxiety about increases in housing prices and rents,' he said, which means more intense discussion, including among Upper House candidates, about strengthening regulations. He cited as an example a mayoral election in May in the city of Saitama, where a candidate who campaigned on strict policies toward foreign nationals did better than expected and placed third. The city is adjacent to Kawaguchi and Warabi, where security issues and hate speech directed at the local Kurdish population have become regional concerns. Sanseito, a small right-leaning populist party , says it is pushing for limits on the number of foreign workers and tourists allowed into Japan, and wants to make it more difficult for foreign nationals to become naturalized citizens, which would allow them to stand for public office, or obtain permanent residence. On the other hand, two other mainstream parties, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) and Komeito, have basic policies that promote more foreign workers. The CDP says it will review the overall residency system and promote the establishment of one for the employment of foreign general workers. It's also pushing for the enactment of a new antidiscrimination law. CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda echoed some of what Ishiba said regarding Japan's demographic need for more foreign nationals. 'In this era of population decline, in nursing and child care, there is a shortage of human resources. We should create a multicultural society in which foreign nationals as well as their families are welcomed to come to Japan, work, learn, and integrate into local communities,' Noda said at the JNPC debate last Wednesday. Komeito also supports having more foreign immigrants, but, like the LDP, also says its goal is zero foreign overstayers. The party is offering specific pledges to strengthen the system allowing foreign drivers' licenses to be converted to Japanese licenses, with the aim of reducing road accidents. As of October 2024, there were about 2.3 million foreign workers in Japan , an increase of nearly 254,000 compared with the previous year, according to a labor ministry survey. Of the total, 570,708 (24.8%) were from Vietnam, 408,805 (17.8%) were from China, and 245,565 (10.7%) came from the Philippines. Meanwhile, Japan received nearly 37 million foreign visitors in 2024 , a record high. Increased purchases of real estate by foreign nationals, especially in Tokyo, means property prices there and other major urban centers are surging. Wealthy foreign buyers are getting the blame from some politicians. Ishiba emphasized that Japan needs foreign workers. ' Japan's population decreased by 890,000 last year alone . That's roughly the population of Kagawa Prefecture, and the shortage of labor is a serious issue. We are not talking about illegal immigrants, but legal ones. 'We want them to learn the complicated Japanese language and customs at the expense of the Japanese government, so that they can truly coexist with Japanese society,' he said at the debate.
Nikkei Asia
an hour ago
- Nikkei Asia
Toyota importing US cars to Japan among ideas to avoid Trump tariffs
Japanese automakers are closely watching how Japan-US tariff negotiations play out. (Source photos by Toshiki Sasazu and AP) YUICHI SHIGA TOKYO -- Japanese automakers are exploring all options to help their country reduce its trade imbalance with the U.S. as Tokyo continues efforts to negotiate a trade deal with the U.S. amid a looming July 9 deadline for the imposition of President Donald Trump's 'reciprocal' tariffs. Among floated ideas: Toyota Motor importing cars it makes in the U.S. back to Japan or offering American brands at its own dealerships in Japan. A Japanese dealership tends offer only one as opposed to multiple carmakers or brands handled by typical American dealerships.
Japan Times
2 hours ago
- Japan Times
Japan eyes used warship transfer to Philippines in bid to counter China
Japan is looking to transfer secondhand Maritime Self-Defense Force Abukuma-class destroyer escorts to the Philippines, in what would mark Tokyo's first export of an entire major naval platform in decades. Such a move would come as Japan aims to boost the defense capabilities of like-minded neighbors as a counter to growing Chinese military assertiveness. The Philippine Navy confirmed earlier media reports, saying in a statement Sunday that navy officials are preparing to conduct a 'joint visual inspection' of the 109 meter-long vessels, reportedly slated for later this summer, following an invitation by Japan's Defense Ministry. Philippine Navy spokesperson Capt. John Percie Alcos said the move would be part of 'exploratory discussions' on the possible transfer of these ships, which some refer to as guided-missile frigates. A delegation of Philippine navy experts will then be dispatched to conduct an in-depth assessment of the ships, with the outcome expected to guide further deliberations on the potential acquisition as part of the service's modernization program. The statement went on to say that the Abukuma-class vessels, which are mainly designed for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare and are known for their 'reliability and versatility,' align with the Philippine Navy's operational requirements. The MSDF currently operates six Abukuma-class ships, all of which entered service between 1989 and 1993. They have a crew of 120, a full-load displacement of about 2,500 tons, a top speed of 27 knots (50 kilometers per hour) and are armed with torpedoes, anti-surface missiles, a naval gun and a close-in weapons system. No details were revealed about the number of platforms Manila is considering acquiring, the potential delivery schedule or whether this would be part of a grant or government-to-government purchase. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Japan may look to turn the export into a 'joint development' project by overhauling the more than 30-year-old ships and updating them with modern systems sought by the Philippines. This would not only make sense for Manila but would make it easier for Tokyo to transfer the platforms under its current arms export rules. According to Japan's revised Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, it can only export defense equipment under strict conditions, such as when the gear is intended for rescues, transportation, vigilance, surveillance or minesweeping. Weapons platforms that are regarded as part of 'international joint development and production projects,' however, are exempted from these rules. The principles were first implemented in 1967, revised in 2014 and loosened again last year to ease the export of equipment, as Tokyo aims to help shore up the country's military industry, one of the key pillars of Tokyo's 2022 Defense Buildup Program. In the postwar era until 1967, Japan is known to have exported several warships, including tank landing ships to Indonesia. The Abukuma transfer talks come as Tokyo steps up efforts to bolster the defense capabilities of like-minded neighbors, particularly Manila. The Philippines is seeking to close a significant capability gap with the Chinese Navy as the two sides remain embroiled in an intensifying territorial and maritime dispute in the South China Sea. Not only is the Philippines the only country set to become a recipient of Japan's military aid program for the fourth straight year, but it has also bought air surveillance radars from Tokyo and received over a dozen coast guard vessels. Manila is also no stranger to receiving second-hand military equipment from Japan following the provision of five TC-90 aircraft between 2017 and 2018 for use in maritime patrols, with reports now stating that the Philippine Navy is interested in acquiring even more. As the first Abukuma vessels are slated to be retired from 2027 — with the MSDF's newer Mogami-class frigates replacing them — their potential transfer to the Philippines would prove beneficial for both sides, experts say. 'This represents a momentous win-win opportunity for Japan's security relationship with the Philippines,' said John Bradford, founder and executive director of the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies. On the one hand, he said, these ships would be able to provide a relatively fast and low-cost solution to the Philippines' pressing need for naval capabilities. On the other hand, the transfer would set a precedent for Japan's more open policy toward arms exports as this would be 'a complete platform package that can defend itself, identify targets and fire with lethality.' 'Unlike a radar set, no one will mistake these warships for anything other than weapon systems being provided to the Philippines so that it can defend itself from naval aggression,' he added. 'They are made to deter and, if necessary, fight in wars.' Another advantage would be increased interoperability. 'MSDF destroyers were designed from keel up for interoperability with the rest of the Japanese and the U.S. Navy fleets,' Bradford said, something the Philippine Navy could also use to its advantage. A transfer would also give the Japanese defense industry more experience in arms codevelopment, exports and international customer service, especially should Japanese companies be tasked with upgrading and maintaining the vessels. This would provide valuable experience going forward as Tokyo also aims to export new vessels, including an upgraded version of its Mogami-class frigate to Australia that would be customized to fit local requirements. The multimission Mogami-class is currently competing with Germany's Meko A-200 for a contract to replace the Royal Australian Navy's Anzac-class frigates. A decision is expected to be announced later this year. Meanwhile, Indonesia, which has also expressed interest in the Mogami, is known to also be looking into the possibility of acquiring decommissioned Soryu-class submarines from Japan.
