DJI skips US for new flagship drone amid tariffs, security scrutiny
The Mavic 4 Pro, which went on sale in China and other markets on May 13, has three cameras -- including wide-angle and telephoto, with the main one boasting a 100-megapixel sensor -- that can rotate 360 degrees in flight. It has been priced at around $2,000 in other markets.
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The Mainichi
6 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Cut to foreign PhD student support deals blow to Japanese academia
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government's plan to end financial support for foreign doctoral students has drawn criticism from students and academics who have labeled the step unjust and counterproductive to fostering a diverse, inclusive and thriving academic environment. Before the change proposed late June, the government offered up to 2.4 million yen ($16,400) as a living allowance annually to PhD students. Now, however, the education ministry plans to extend the support only to Japanese nationals, with the change likely taking effect as early as fiscal 2027, if approved by a ministry committee. "It is unacceptable that suddenly a line is drawn between the students based on nationality when both Japanese and foreigners have bonded and studied together daily. It is unthinkable that the students will be treated differently," said Emi Omuro, a Japanese third-year PhD student at Ochanomizu University. Omuro organized a rally in front of JR Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo in early July, with approximately 20 mostly-Japanese university students holding up placards saying, "Don't discriminate," "Nationality clause will shake the foundation of Japanese academia," and "Academia has no borders." The issue of payments to foreign students entered the political discussion during a parliamentary debate in March when Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Haruko Arimura stated that over a third of those who have received the money were foreign nationals. Arimura singled out Chinese students, saying the "government should not just stand by" and watch doctorate programs become dependent on Chinese students "from the perspective of national economic security." "The program cannot win the support of the public without clearly stipulating that it is designed to support Japanese nationals," Arimura said. Of the 10,564 people who received the subsidies in fiscal 2024, 39 percent were foreigners, with Chinese nationals accounting for 76 percent of the non-Japanese cohort at 3,151, according to the ministry. The number of foreign students at high-level institutions such as universities and vocational colleges as of May 2024 surged 21.7 percent from the previous year to 229,467, including 20,015 enrolled in PhD programs. The decision to withdraw support for foreign students comes in stark contrast to the government's stated goal of increasing the number of PhD candidates from overseas. It set a target to raise the ratio of international students in doctoral programs to 33 percent by 2033 over 10 years, up from 21 percent in 2023. "The (funding withdrawal) plan shows the government is only looking at one aspect of a person, their role as a researcher, when they are living human beings that need to make a living," Omuro said, adding that most would have to cut back on their study time to instead work to survive. Azusa Karashi, another Japanese doctorate student, said, "I am extremely angry at the government for creating a division between students, who improve knowledge and research by exchanging views and through communication. The measure suppresses people with diverse backgrounds." In addition to affecting the student experience, the loss of PhD students will deal a blow to the universities' research capabilities. Norihiro Nihei, professor at the Graduate School of Education at the University of Tokyo, warned that excluding and discriminating based on nationality will lead to a "steady decline in the level of academia in Japan over the medium to long term." "I have felt up close how many foreign students with highly specialized expertise have generated significant ideas and knowledge while studying at Japanese universities and raised the level of academia," Nihei said in a comment posted on an online petition against the changes. Demonstrating this brain drain, a Chinese graduate school student at the University of Tokyo said she would abandon plans to advance to a doctoral course because of the new measure, arguing it is unfair. "I was thinking of applying for (the program) next year. But given the inflation in the price of daily goods, I will give up advancing to a PhD program if I can't get financial support and look for a job instead," she said at the student rally in Ikebukuro. The government program was launched in fiscal 2021 to provide support for PhD students, offering 1.8 million yen to 2.4 million yen in living support, with the aid also covering research and other fees totaling up to 2.9 million yen. Foreign students will remain eligible for research expenses. Yusuke Kazama, lecturer at Nara Prefectural University, said the policy is a reflection of the recent increase in xenophobia in Japan, characterized by the "Japanese First" platform promoted by Sanseito, a new populist right-wing party that campaigns on anti-immigrant policies. "I fear that foreigners, who are in the minority, are being scapegoated" in this social phenomenon, Kazama said, stressing, "International students who have come to Japan with a desire to learn and who have chosen to study here should never be excluded."
Japan Today
6 hours ago
- Japan Today
New tax break for auto loans could save some U.S. buyers thousands of dollars. But will it boost sales?
By DAVID A. LIEB Millions of people receive a federal tax deduction for the interest they pay on home loans. Under President Donald Trump's new tax-cut law, many people for the first time also could claim a tax deduction for interest on their vehicle loans. The new tax break will be available even to people who don't itemize deductions. But there are some caveats that could limit its reach. The vehicles must be new, not used. They must be assembled in the U.S. And the loans must be issued no sooner than this year, to list just a few qualifications. Here are some things to know about the new auto loan interest tax deduction: Trump pledged while campaigning last year to make interest on car loans tax-deductible. He said it would make car ownership more affordable and 'stimulate massive domestic auto production.' The idea made it into the big tax-cut bill passed by Congress, which Trump signed into law July 4. The law allows taxpayers to deduct up to $10,000 of interest payments annually on loans for new American-made vehicles from 2025 through 2028. It applies to cars, motorcycles, sport utility vehicles, minivans, vans and pickup trucks weighing less than 14,000 pounds, a threshold referred to as light vehicles. But it only applies to vehicles purchased for personal use, not for fleets or commercial purposes. The tax break can be claimed starting on 2025 income tax returns. But the deduction phases out for individuals with incomes between $100,000 and $150,000 or joint taxpayers with incomes between $200,000 and $250,000. Those earning more cannot claim the tax break. U.S. automobile dealers sold 15.9 million new light vehicles last year, a little over half of which were assembled in the U.S, according to Cox Automotive. It says around 60% of retail sales are financed with loans. After excluding fleet and commercial vehicles and customers above the income cutoff, an estimated 3.5 million new vehicle loans could be eligible for the tax break this year, if purchasing patterns stay the same, said Jonathan Smoke, chief economist at Cox Automotive. The tax break applies to vehicles assembled in the U.S., no matter where the company making them is headquartered. All Tesla vehicles sold in the U.S. are assembled in this country. But so are all Acura brands, the luxury model of Japanese automaker Honda. Last year, 78% of Ford vehicles sold in the U.S. were assembled in this country, according to Cox Automotive. But customers wanting the tax break will need to pay attention to specific models. While the Ford Mustang is assembled in Michigan, the Mustang Mach-E is built in Mexico. General Motors assembles all of its Cadillacs in the U.S. But just 44% of its Chevrolets sold last year were assembled in the U.S., and just 14% of Buicks, according to Cox Automotive. That's a lower U.S-assembled rate than Honda (60%), Toyota (52%) and Nissan (48%), which all are headquartered in Japan. The average new vehicle loan is about $44,000 financed over six years. Interest rates vary by customer, so the savings will, too. In general, the tax deduction will decline after the initial year, because interest payments on loans are frontloaded while principal payments grow on the back end. At a 9.3% interest rate, an average new vehicle buyer could save about $2,200 on taxes over four years, Smoke said. The tax savings would be less on a loan at 6.5%, which is the rate figured into calculations by the American Financial Services Association, a consumer credit industry trade group. Whereas the tax deduction for home loan interest can be claimed only by people itemizing on their tax returns, Congress wrote the deduction for auto loan interest so that it can apply to all taxpayers, including those claiming the standard deduction. On a tax form, the auto loan deduction will come before the calculation of a taxpayer's adjusted gross income. That's an important distinction, because many states use a taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income as the starting point for figuring their state income taxes. If that income figure is lower, it could reduce the state taxes owed. At Bowen Scarff Ford in Kent, Washington, customers started asking about the auto loan tax deduction before Congress had even taken a final vote on the tax-cut bill, said General Manager Paul Ray. So he decided to promote it on the dealer's website. A website ribbon exclaims: 'CAR LOAN TAX DEDUCTION NOW AVAILABLE" while also promoting an electric vehicle tax credit that is ending soon as a result of Trump's tax-cut law. 'I think it's going to help incentivize vehicle purchases through this year," Ray said. Celia Winslow, president and CEO of the American Financial Services Association, concurred: 'For some people deciding — should I buy it, should I not — this could be something that tips the scale.' Others remain skeptical. According to Smoke's math, the average annual tax savings is smaller than a single month's loan payment for a new vehicle. 'I don't think it moves the needle on somebody on the fence of buying a new vehicle or not," Smoke said. "But I think it could influence their decision to finance that vehicle instead of paying cash or instead of leasing a vehicle.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Nikkei Asia
20 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Samsung trial, Singapore data center IPO, Japan election
Welcome to Your Week in Asia. China's role in the global economy will be in the spotlight this week, with trade data for the first half of 2025 -- capturing the impact of much higher U.S. tariffs -- set to be published and the International Supply Chain Expo taking place in Beijing. In Japan, Tokyo's relations with Washington will be in focus at the weekend, when one of the U.S.'s main trade negotiators visits the country and voters head to the polls to cast their ballots in an election in which Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's handling of negotiations has emerged as a significant issue. Get the best of our coverage of Asia and much more by following us on X, where our handle is @NikkeiAsia. We are also now on Bluesky, with the handle @ MONDAY Albanese's China visit Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese continues a visit to China that began Saturday and runs through Friday. He is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss potential cooperation on artificial intelligence, an area his government has flagged as possibly presenting national security risks. Ties, which were strained under Australia's previous coalition government, have improved since Albanese was elected in 2022, but bilateral relations remain a balancing act given China's economic importance and Canberra's security alignment with Washington. China trade data China will release a string of key economic indicators this week, starting with June trade data on Monday and second-quarter gross domestic product on Tuesday. Trade data is widely expected to show a further decline in shipments to the U.S. after June's bilateral talks fixed a 55% levy on Chinese imports. Overall annual export growth may still see a slight uptick as more Chinese companies divert goods to ASEAN and other regions. Prabowo's France trip Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will visit Paris after receiving an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend Bastille Day celebrations as a guest of honor. The two nations have recently been enhancing cooperation in the defense sector, particularly in the development of strategic weaponry such as Rafale fighter jets and Scorpene submarines. NTT data center REIT initial public offering Singapore is set for its biggest initial public offering in years, with the listing of data center-focused real estate investment trust NTT DC REIT, valued at $773 million. The REIT is backed by Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC and Japan's telecommunications and information technology giant NTT Group. This marks the first data center-focused REIT launched by a Japanese company. Data: Singapore second-quarter GDP, India inflation Earnings: Ola Electric Mobility TUESDAY China International Supply Chain Expo The third International Supply Chain Expo kicks off in Beijing, bringing together domestic and global companies across the industry. The five-day event covers such areas as advanced manufacturing, clean energy and smart vehicles. Media outlets have reported that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will be attending, though the company has declined to comment on his travel plans. Data: Philippines remittances, India trade WEDNESDAY Monetary policy: Indonesia Data: Malaysia first-half automobile sales THURSDAY Supreme Court verdict on Samsung Electronics chairman South Korea's Supreme Court will hand down its ruling on allegations of fraud against Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who has been charged with stock price manipulation and accounting fraud related to the merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015. The top court is expected to uphold a lower court's acquittal of Lee. Earnings: TSMC, Wipro Data: Japan trade SATURDAY U.S. treasury chief visits Osaka Expo U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will visit Japan to attend the World Expo in Osaka as the head of a presidential delegation. In the wake of the U.S. deciding to impose a 25% tariff on Japan, the question of whether Bessent, a key tariff negotiations figure, will hold a minister-level meeting is attracting a lot of attention. SUNDAY Japan's upper house election Japan heads to the polls for the upper house election, in which 125 seats will be up for grabs out of the chamber's total 248 seats. The ruling parties need to win no fewer than 50 seats to keep their majority in the upper house, which will be no easy feat, with the election becoming a referendum on consumption tax cuts as households continue to struggle with the cost of living.
