Latest news with #TheYomiuriShimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japanese PM Ishiba States Eagerness to Expand Japan-U.S. Cooperation in Aircraft Production, Development
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed his willingness to expand cooperation between Japan and the United States in the field of aircraft manufacturing and development in an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun. The statement comes in connection with bilateral negotiations on U.S. tariffs. During the interview on Friday, Ishiba said Japan-U.S. cooperation would lead to the development of global markets and the expansion of employment in both countries. He also expressed his eagerness to 'create a new Japan-U.S. relationship that will be mutually beneficial.' Ishiba cited aircraft, along with shipbuilding, which has been one of the major items in the tariff talks, as an area where Japan-U.S. cooperation is expected to become increasingly important in terms of economic security. Referring to Mitsubishi SpaceJet — a passenger jet that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. was to produce in Japan, but abandoned in 2023 — Ishiba said, 'There are many sectors that can be utilized in the course of developing and producing aircraft in the United States.' He proposed that the company's technology be utilized in the joint development of aircraft by Japan and the United States. Ishiba also cited the Boeing 787 series aircraft, which some people call a 'quasi-Japanese aircraft,' because about 35% of its fuselage is made in Japan. Using that example, he indicated the aim of expanding the use of materials and parts made by Japanese manufacturers in aircraft manufacturing in the United States. The administration of U.S President Donald Trump has demanded that Japan boost its investment in the United States and reduce the U.S. trade deficit with Japan. In the interview, Ishiba reiterated his stance to emphasize Japan's track record of investment in the United States in making a breakthrough in the negotiations. 'We will reduce the deficit from the perspective of the United States and the surplus from the perspective of Japan, aiming for zero [in trade balance],' he said.
Yomiuri Shimbun
10 hours ago
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Prince Takamado Speech Contest Final Slated for Nov. 28
The final for the 77th H.I.H. Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Inter-Middle School English Oratorical Contest will take place on Nov. 28 at the Yurakucho Yomiuri Hall in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. The contest is aimed at fostering global communication skills in young people. Twenty-seven finalists will deliver their original English speeches, with the winner taking home the H.I.H. Prince Takamado Trophy and other prizes. Finalists will be selected from among junior high school students during nationwide prefectural-level preliminaries in September and October. The semifinals will be Nov. 26-27 at the Akasaka Civic Hall in Tokyo's Minato Ward. Details can be found on Page 2 of today's paper. The annual contest is organized by The Yomiuri Shimbun and the Japan National Student Association Fund. It is supported by the Foreign Ministry; the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry; prefectural boards of education; and other entities. Junior high schoolers get ready for contest Junior high school students across Japan are preparing to compete in the 77th H.I.H. Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Inter-Middle School English Oratorical Contest. From the tremendous number of those who will compete in the prefectural-level preliminary rounds in September and October, 27 students will advance to the national final that takes place in Tokyo on Nov. 28. Five students each from Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa and Hokkaido prefectures; four each from Aichi and Fukuoka prefectures; and three from each of the nation's other prefectures will advance from the preliminaries to the semifinals, limited to one student per school. The semifinals will be held Nov. 26-27 in Tokyo. Participants will deliver an original five-minute speech in English on any theme. The winner will receive the H.I.H. Prince Takamado Trophy, with the runner-up taking home The Yomiuri Shimbun Trophy. The third-place student will receive the Japan National Student Association Fund Trophy, and The Japan News Trophy will go to fourth place. Fifth through seventh place will also be awarded trophies. The schools of the top three speakers will receive a one-year subscription to The Japan News. The competition is open to all students who are recommended by their school's principal, with the following exceptions: • Those who have lived in English-speaking countries or territories after their fifth birthday for a total of one year or more, or continuously for six months or more • Those who have attended an international school or other schools that provide education in English in subjects other than English language courses for six months or more • Those who live with a parent or relative who speaks English as their mother tongue at home or are natives of an English-speaking country or territory • Past first- to third-place winners of the contest TOSHIN HIGH SCHOOL is a special sponsor of the contest. Additional sponsors include Nippon Television Network Corp., Pentel Co. and World Family K.K. For more details, call the contest office at (03) 3217-8393, or visit its website .
Yomiuri Shimbun
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Treat Trump as a Politician, Not a Businessman; These Days, the President May Not Want a ‘Deal'
Is U.S. President Donald Trump a politician or a businessman? The answer varies depending on who you ask. During my tenure as a Washington correspondent for The Yomiuri Shimbun from January 2021 to November 2024, I heard both perspectives across the country. Answering this question can help resolve the issue of how Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba should deal with Trump. When I spoke to Trump supporters at his rallies, I always tried to ask why they supported him. The majority answered, 'Because he's a businessman.' They believed in Trump's strong position on the economy and his understanding of the hearts of workers. Even Trump himself knows that he is more attractive to his supporters if he remains seen as a businessman. However, the image of Trump that I formed while closely following him as a correspondent for the four years between his two administrations is completely different from the views of his supporters. From my perspective, he was a genuine politician and a former president. Every time I heard Trump supporters' comments about him being a businessman, I muttered to myself: 'It's a facade. It's a misunderstanding.' But this had not been my first impression of him. In January 2021, shortly after I was assigned as a Washington correspondent and as Trump was leaving office, he independently organized his own farewell ceremony at Joint Base Andrews in the Washington suburbs after skipping President Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony. The song playing as Air Force One took off was 'My Way.' The lyrics 'I've had my fill, my share of losing' made me certain he would never return to the White House. Most people in Washington would have thought the same way at the time. The job of a politician is simply too risky in many ways and no financial gain was expected for Trump. However, my prediction was proven wrong when he announced he would run again for president. Even after being indicted on four charges, he repeatedly criticized such moves as a 'witch hunt' carried out by the Department of Justice and the Biden administration. He faced a number of civil lawsuits and was ordered to pay millions of dollars. If he had returned to being a businessman, it was doubtful he would have faced such judicial pressure. Moreover, Trump was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania last July. He nearly lost his life, but he turned his brush with death into a political opportunity. The man I observed over the past four years was not a businessman, but a tough politician with a greed for power. Last December, I returned to Nagatacho, the area of Tokyo regarded as the heart of Japanese politics, as a political reporter. I was anxious when I heard that the prime minister had told his staff that Trump was a businessman, because I thought that if he negotiated business-like deals with Trump, I could not see a favorable outcome. In fact, shortly after taking office, Ishiba sought advice on Trump from Japanese businessmen. In January of this year, he met with Masayoshi Son, chairman and president of SoftBank Group, and asked him for advice on how to deal with Trump. Son is a longtime business friend of Trump, who calls him 'Masa.' However, Japanese diplomats and government officials who had been observing Trump in Washington were having the same thoughts as me. They began to turn the tide. While there were contradictions between what the diplomats said and what Son said, the prime minister began to listen to diplomats' advice on how to deal with Trump. The diplomats' persistent persuasion finally got the prime minister to adjust his perspective. The Japan-U.S. summit meeting in February was a successful one. Ishiba paid the utmost respect to Trump as a politician. At the press conference after the summit, Trump described Ishiba positively as 'going to be a great one.' He also commented, 'I've gotten to know him, not for long, but I can see what they have.' At the second summit between the two leaders in Canada in June, both of them avoided trying to reach a deal on the 'Trump tariffs.' Trump doesn't always want a deal, because he is no longer a businessman. He is now a politician who prioritizes national interests and reputation, and cares about the results of elections as Ishiba does. It seems to me that continuing negotiations was a sensible choice for Ishiba. After the summit, Trump again referred to Ishiba, saying: 'I think he's going to do a very good job. The Japanese are tough.' This remark suggests that Ishiba is valued as a counterpart by Trump, one step toward achieving Ishiba's goal of protecting Japanese industries. It has been 40 years since Ishiba was first elected to the Diet in his twenties, joining the political world after a career in banking. Prime Minister Ishiba, stay a politician. I believe that is the stance that will guide Japan-U.S. negotiations down the right path for the country of Japan. Political Pulse appears every Saturday. Hiroshi Tajima Hiroshi Tajima is a staff writer in the Political News Department of The Yomiuri Shimbun.
Yomiuri Shimbun
15 hours ago
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Rare Copies of Yomiuri's Wartime Paper Found in Nagano Pref. Library Bearing Forgotten Strips of Popular Manga
Copies of a newspaper published by The Yomiuri Shimbun during the latter years of the Pacific War have been found in a library in Nagano Prefecture, a discovery revealing of life on the home front at that time. Many of the Yomiuri's own copies of the daily were lost during a U.S. air raid. The wartime newspaper was aimed at laborers across the nation and carried articles about the war and other topics written from an everyday point of view. It also carried a four-panel comic called 'Norakuro,' which was a popular manga drawn by Suiho Tagawa before the war. These strips of 'Norakuro' had been forgotten, so the discovery of the wartime newspapers means there is a new trove of lost comics. Kyushu University Prof. Hiroki Nagashima found the newspapers in the Nagano Prefectural Library in Nagano City. Nagashima will report his findings at a meeting of the Japan Society for Studies in Cartoons and Comics that will be held in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, from Saturday. Record of life on the home front The Yomiuri's wartime edition was published for about 13 months from March 1, 1944, until the end of March 1945. The newspaper was edited separately from The Yomiuri Shimbun and issued in tabloid form, half the size of the regular Yomiuri. However, The Yomiuri Shimbun has hard copies of only about four months' worth of the wartime daily — from the first edition through to the end of May 1944, as well as those editions printed in September that year. The Yomiuri's head office in Tokyo's Ginza district burned down in an air raid and numerous documents were destroyed by the fire. It is believed that many copies of the wartime edition that had been kept at the head office were lost at that time. The copies recently found at the Nagano Prefectural Library were issued from June 1944 to March 1945, a span that neatly overlaps with the gap in the Yomiuri's own collection. As a result, there are now hard copies of almost every single issue, from the very first right through to issue No. 395. The Yomiuri's wartime edition was aimed at laborers working in factories, mines, agriculture, forestry and the fisheries industry under the country's total mobilization policy. The newspaper assumed that its readers had completed primary school. It carried easy-to-understand news as well as entertainment. The daily offers a valuable record of day-to-day life for average people on the home front through its many articles dealing with the war, such as those offering tips on how to get by. 'Norakuro' on hiatus'Norakuro''s four-panel comics were carried 224 times in the wartime paper, from the inaugural issue until October 1944. The manga was a major hit when it was published in a boys' magazine before the war, but it ended its run shortly before the Pacific War started. The manga resumed after the war, but even Tagawa's autobiography made no mention of the comic strip printed in the Yomiuri's wartime edition. Consequently, the wartime years had been considered a fallow period for his work. The 'Norakuro' comics in the recently discovered newspapers at times sprinkle humor into their depictions of the home front and are a valuable window into the wartime atmosphere in Japan. The comics also provide an important link between the prewar and postwar history of manga.
Yomiuri Shimbun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Shiki's ‘Back to The Future' Musical: A Dazzling Ride through Time; Stars Naoto Risu, Masuo Nonaka Speak on the Hit's Japan Debut
Shiki Theatre Company's new production, 'Back to the Future: The Musical,' an acclaimed stage adaptation of the 1985 cinematic smash hit, is thrilling audiences with its electrifying performances and ingenious stagecraft. Now enjoying a successful run, this highly anticipated work features Naoto Risu as high school protagonist Marty McFly and Masuo Nonaka as Doc, the eccentric scientist who invents the time machine. Read on for highlights of the show, along with an interview with its stars. Set in a California suburb in 1985, the story begins as Marty, a high school student leading a dull life, visits the laboratory of his friend, the scientist Emmett 'Doc' Brown. Doc excitedly rambles on about how he has modified a DeLorean supercar and developed a time machine. During the experiment, however, Doc collapses due to the plutonium fuel. Marty drives the DeLorean to take Doc to the hospital, leading to a pivotal moment that changes entering the theater, visitors are greeted by an electrifying sight: LED boards mimicking circuit boards line the walls parallel to the audience. As the DeLorean travels through time and space, these boards brilliantly light up, creating a breathtaking effect that pulls the audience directly into the action. While audiences are initially blown away by the theme park-like mechanisms, these soon prove to be just an added feature. The meticulously crafted sets, recreating the famous movie scenes as well as showcasing original staging, are packed with ingenious theater technology that defies explanation, leaving audiences in awe of the stagecraft. Beyond the spectacle, the most vital element is the musical's core message: Doc's recurring mantra of 'Where there's a will, there's a way' resonates deeply. While we cannot rewind the past or fast-forward to the future, we are the ones who hold the power to take action toward shaping our destiny. With that kind of dedication, our dreams are within cast's energetic performances as they jump between 1985 and 1955 drive this point home with incredible conviction. You'll leave feeling empowered and inspired, thinking, 'Maybe starting tomorrow I'll start trying a little harder.' 'Back to the Future: The Musical' is enjoying a long run at the JR-East Shiki Theatre Aki in the Hamamatsucho district of Tokyo. The musical premiered in the United Kingdom in 2020, where it won Best New Musical at the 2022 Olivier Awards, the most prestigious ceremony in London theater. It also had a Broadway run in New York from August 2023 to January 2025. Delving into roles Risu, who plays Marty, and Nonaka, who plays Doc, spoke to The Yomiuri Shimbun. The following is excerpted from the interview: * * * The Yomiuri Shimbun: What is the appeal of Marty and Doc's respective roles? Risu: I think many stories feature protagonists who grow throughout the narrative, but Marty's charm lies in his inherent goodness from the very Despite being around 70, Doc poured about 30 years into his research, relentlessly pursuing his dream. That kind of sustained drive and power is astounding, isn't it? Yomiuri: I heard director John Rando instructed you to 'bring out your individuality.' Risu: If you try your best and your good qualities spill out, perhaps that is what individuality is. Nonaka: Individuality likely emerges eventually by delving deeply into a role. For me, it felt like it came naturally as I reacted to John's directions. Yomiuri: What were these 'directions'? Risu: The scene where Doc explains the time travel theory with a model was quite challenging to perform. Nonaka: He told me, 'Just keep improvising.' When I suggested, 'How about 'Mamma Mia!' when the sparks fly?' he enthusiastically replied, 'That's great!' Risu: Nonaka and Yoichiro Akutsu, who alternate the role of Doc, both appeared in the Japanese premiere of the musical 'Mamma Mia!' so I thought it was a clever touch. Yomiuri: Please tell us about some hidden Definitely the meticulousness of the Doc's laboratory set. Nonaka: I heard they found a genuine old projector and a lamp. Risu: The clocks in Doc's laboratory change time depending on the scene, but they are actually physically swapped out! Nonaka: The stagehands replace all twenty-something of them. Risu: Beyond that, it is worth examining all the subtle yet significant differences in Doc's 1985 and 1955 laboratories. You'll find, for example, that the Diet Pepsi can Marty enjoys is conspicuously absent in 1955, simply because it hadn't been released yet. Nonaka: Audiences probably wouldn't notice unless they stopped and compared I particularly like the scene at Marty's house. In the background, there is a whiteboard displaying Dave's (Marty's brother) future plans, though it quickly becomes hidden from view. Yomiuri: What do you hope audiences pay the most attention to? Nonaka: Of course, the time travel scenes. Even we, as performers, get excited. Risu: I'd be thrilled if audiences came away thinking about how Doc and Marty, despite their significant age difference, have such a good relationship. Naoto Risu: Raised in Tokyo, Risu joined the Shiki Theatre Company training center in 2018. His acting journey began with his appearance in an elementary school Christmas play. He has played many leading roles, including Ren / Kyuta in 'Bakemono no Ko' ('The Boy and The Beast'). Masuo Nonaka: Raised in Tochigi Prefecture, Nonaka is a Shiki Theatre Company veteran who joined the training center in 1984. He is also skilled at playing villains, such as Jafar in 'Aladdin' and medical officer John Hall in 'The Ghost and the Lady.'
