ISHIBA MEETS BESSENT IN TOKYO WITH TARIFFS LOOMING
Ishiba welcomed Bessent at the Prime Minister's office on Friday. They posed for photos before heading in for talks that lasted a little over half an hour.Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryosei also joined the meeting. He is acting as Japan's top negotiator on the tariff issue. Ishiba and Bessent affirm their countries will seek stronger ties in areas, including the economy and security.
I told Secretary Besant that I want him to continue energetic discussions with Mr.
Akazawa to reach an agreement that benefits both Japan and the United States.
Japanese government sources say Besant won't engage in ministerial talks during his visit. He's officially here as part of the US delegation to the World Expo in Osaka. The Japanese government is said to be considering sending Akazawa back to Washington soon to seek progress in negotiations.
Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has met with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent who's visiting Japan to attend the 2025 World Expo. The Prime Minister called for continued negotiations over impending US tariffs so the countries can reach a deal that benefits both sides.
US President Donald Trump notified Ishiba by letter he plans to impose a tariff of 25% on Japanese imports from August 1st.
G20 FINANCE CHIEFS WARN OF RISING TRADE TENSIONS
Finance ministers and central bank chiefs from the Group of 20 nations have wrapped up two days of talks in South Africa. They pointed to rising tensions over trade, but stopped short of directly mentioning sweeping US tariffs.The meeting came after US President Trump announced plans to hit a host of countries with higher levies. The G20 issued a communique on Friday. It says the global economy faces complex challenges that pose a risk to growth and stability. Unlike previous statements, it does not include resisting protectionism.
It's very meaningful that the G20 issued a joint statement from the perspective of working together to deal with high uncertainties and various risks facing the global economy.
Some observers say new US tariffs could sow confusion in global supply chains, raising the need for coordinated measures from the G20 and other international frameworks.
TRUMP TARIFFS
BRAZIL'S LULA HITS BACK: "UNACCEPTABLE BLACKMAIL"
President Trump has threatened to impose hefty tariffs of 50% on imports from Brazil, and that's drawn the ire of his Brazilian counterpart.President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the proposal as unacceptable blackmail.
Lula told a crowd of student activists that he won't back down from Trump.
No way. There's no way a foreigner is going to give an order to this president of the Republic.
Trump says one reason for the stiff tariffs is the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro. That, too, drew a rebuke from Lula.
Trying to interfere in Brazilian justice is a serious attack on national sovereignty.
Trump has insisted that the charges against Bolsonaro be dropped, calling the trial a witch hunt. He took to social media to urge authorities to change their course.
He says he'll be watching the situation closely. Bolsonaro and his allies are on trial for their actions after the 2022 presidential election. They're accused of trying to overthrow the government after the results showed that Lula won the vote. Brazil's Supreme Court believes Bolsonaro is trying to solicit interference from the US. On Friday, it issued search warrants and restraining orders against him, and it imposed a curfew and ordered him to wear an ankle monitor. Bolsonaro has denied the charges and says he's not a flight risk. He criticized the court restrictions as a supreme humiliation.
He says he'll be watching the situation closely. Bolsonaro and his allies are on trial for their actions after the 2022 presidential election. They're accused of trying to overthrow the government after the results showed that Lula won the vote. Brazil's Supreme Court believes Bolsonaro is trying to solicit interference from the US. On Friday, it issued search warrants and restraining orders against him, and it imposed a curfew and ordered him to wear an ankle monitor. Bolsonaro has denied the charges and says he's not a flight risk. He criticized the court restrictions as a supreme humiliation.
EU TO LOWER PRICE CAP ON RUSSIAN OIL UNDER NEW SANCTIONS
The European Union has decided to lower the price cap on Russian crude oil ship by sea. The move is part of efforts to strengthen sanctions against Moscow amid the country's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The EU says the price cap will be lowered from $60 a barrel to $47.6. It says the block will ensure the cap is always 15% below the average market price. and that it'll be reviewed every six months, taking into account market fluctuations. The EU introduced the $60 cap on Russian oil in December 2022, based on an agreement with G7 nations and Australia. EU foreign policy chief Kaya Kala says the latest sanctions aim to weaken Moscow's ability to continue the fighting. She says the bloc will keep raising the pressure until Russia ends its war. Britain is taking similar measures. The EU expects other G7 members will follow suit, but it is unclear whether the United States will join. The new EU sanctions will also target an additional 105 tankers in Russia's so-called shadow fleet used to transport Russian oil while circumventing restrictions.JAPAN'S MIHAMA NUCLEAR PLANT OPERATOR MULLING NEW FACILITY
Japan may be getting a new nuclear power plant. The operator of the Mihama plant on the Sea of Japan coast is considering resuming surveys for rebuild.A new reactor would be the first in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident.
Kansai Electric Power Company began geological surveys at the Mihama plant in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, in 2010, but the work was suspended after the 2011 accident. Sources say the operator plans to make an announcement about the resumption soon and explain it to relevant authorities. The company says it is time to consider building a new plant, but it says nothing has been decided yet.
The Mihama Plant's number one and two reactors have been scrapped. Japan's government had not planned to increase the number of nuclear plants, but it now seeks to maximize their use. The country's Basic Energy Plan, laid out in February, promotes development of next-generation reactors at the sites of decommissioned nuclear plants.
OHTANI TO SHARE SPOTLIGHT WITH PET PUP IN CHILDREN'S BOOK
Major League Baseball sensation Ohtani Shohei's dog will be the star in a picture book for children. The Japanese two-way player's pooch Dekopin is known as Decoy among his US fans. The picture book will be titled Decoy Saves Opening Day. It tells the story of a dog tasked withThe ceremonial first pitch for the opening game, but the pup leaves its favorite ball at home, then must struggle to make it in time for the event. Decoy gained fame after appearing in the first pitch ceremony for a game at Dodger Stadium last season. Decoy gripped the ball in its mouth and carried it from the pitcher's mound to Otani. serving as a catcher behind the plate. Ohtani will be among the authors of the book. It will be released in February next year in eight countries, including Japan.JAPAN RESEARCHERS: ASTEROID ROCKS OLDEST FOUND IN SOLAR SYSTEM
Researchers in Japan have made a landmark discovery. They say rock samples retrieved from an asteroid are the oldest ever found in the solar system.
Japanese space probe Hayabusa-2 brought back samples collected from the asteroid Ryugu, the researchers from institutions, including Hokkaido University, found characteristics in the samples that indicate they were formed under high temperature conditions in the early solar system. They say the rocks were formed 4567000000 years ago, shortly after the birth of the solar system. They also say it is likely that the rocks were formed somewhere far from the sun, since the samples are less than 0.1 millimeters in size.
Associate Professor Kawasaki Noriyuki of Hokkaido University says the findings shed light on how materials moved within the solar system and were taken into the celestial body.
Those were the main stories for this hour.
That's the news this hour. I'm Gito Totti from all of us here at NHK Newsline to all around the world. Thanks very much for joining us.
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