US To Amend Executive Order for Japan Tariffs

In this week’s news roundup we have the latest on the United States’ executive order for Japan tariffs. A ceremony is held in Hiroshima to mark 80 years since the US dropped an atomic bomb on the city. Two barges carrying fireworks go up in flames in Yokohama. The population of Japanese residents continues to shrink at an alarming rate. Another sexual assault case rocks the Japanese music industry. And Miyu Yamashita wins the Women’s Open.

Japan’s Chief Negotiator Says US Will Revise Executive Order on Japan Tariffs

Speaking on Thursday, Japan’s chief negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, said the US government has promised to amend its July 31 presidential executive order to ensure that the agreed 15% levy on Japanese imports will not stack on top of pre-existing duty rates. Extra tariffs that have already been collected since the new rate came into effect at 1:01 p.m. on Thursday will be reimbursed. Akazawa apologized for what he called a “regrettable error.”

The two countries reportedly reached a consensus on July 22, with a 15% baseline import tariff rate imposed on Japan. However, the verbal accord was never put into a signed document. This caused confusion in Tokyo, despite Akazawa insisting there were “no discrepancies” in their understanding of the agreement. Yet, according to the Trump administration, the additional 15% tariff was to be imposed on all Japanese imports, whereas the Japanese government insisted it applied only to certain products.

Hiroshima Mayor Warns of the Growing Acceptance of Nuclear Weapons on 80th Anniversary of Atomic Bombing

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Wednesday, the city’s mayor, Kazumi Matsui, warned of the growing acceptance of nuclear weapons. Referring to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, he said, “These developments flagrantly disregard the lessons the international community should have learned from the tragedies of history. They threaten to topple the peace-building frameworks so many have worked so hard to construct.”

Matsui also urged the Japanese government to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It has been signed by over 70 countries. Japan has, thus far, refused to do so because it “supports the retention and potential use of US nuclear weapons on its behalf.” Earlier this year, the government refused to attend an anti-nuclear meeting at the United Nations as an observer state. Terumi Tanaka, co-chair of the Nobel laureate organization, Nihon Hidankyo, called the decision “pathetic and disappointing.”

Fire Breaks Out at Minatomirai Fireworks Festival

A fireworks launch system is believed to have gone out of control in Yokohama’s Minatomirai district on Monday, causing two out of eight barges carrying the explosive devices to go up in flames. Five crew members on one of the flat-bottomed boats subsequently jumped into the water to escape the blaze. Fortunately, they were all rescued, though one of them was hospitalized with minor injuries. There were no people on the other barge that caught fire.

The blaze broke out at around 7:50 p.m. Event organizers attempted to halt the launch system, but the fireworks continued to go off. According to the Japan Coast Guard, the fire was extinguished around 15 hours after it started. The organizing committee of the festival held a press conference on Wednesday. “We offer our sincerest apologies for causing concern and trouble to local residents and related parties,” said committee chair, Hiroyuki Sudo.

Japanese Population Shrinks by 900,000 as Foreign Residents See Record Rise

According to figures released by the Internal Affairs Ministry on Wednesday, the population of Japanese nationals fell to just over 120.65 million in 2024. That’s around 908,000 fewer than the previous year, a record drop. At 0.75%, it’s also the largest rate of decline since record-keeping began 57 years ago. A total of 46 prefectures saw a decrease in numbers. The only place that didn’t was Tokyo, which saw an increase of 0.13%.

The population of Japanese residents peaked at 27 million in 2009. Since then, it has been declining year-on-year and is forecast to fall below 120 million in 2026. The total population for 2024 was a little over 124.33 million, down 0.44% (554,485) from a year earlier. As for the number of foreigners living in Japan, the number rose by more than 350,000 to 3.77 million. It’s the largest increase since the ministry started keeping records in 2013.

Pretty Chuu Idol Alleges She Was Sexually Assaulted by Producer’s Boyfriend

A member of the recently formed idol group Pretty Chuu allegedly filed a police report after claiming she was sexually assaulted and secretly filmed by Taichi Saito, the boyfriend of the group’s producer, Yurinya. The news was first leaked on X last Friday by a YouTuber who goes by the name of Korekore. He posted that 19-year-old Shuna Amamiya alleges she was “secretly undressed and filmed by Taichi” and was impregnated after being “assaulted while sleeping.”

Yurinya, an influencer with more than 430,00 followers on Instagram, responded to the allegations with a statement on Friday, denouncing Saito’s actions. Pretty Chuu uploaded an apology letter on its official X page the following day. “Due to the inappropriate behavior of Taichi Saito, one of the group’s managers, we have decided to remove him from Pretty Chuu’s management team,” it read. “Shuna Amamiya has requested to leave Pretty Chuu, and we have accepted this request.”

Miyu Yamashita Wins Women’s Open for First Major Title

Miyu Yamashita turned 24 on Saturday, but the real celebration began a day later as she became the third Japanese golfer to win the Women’s Open, following in the footsteps of Ayako Okamoto and Hinako Shibuno. Holding a three-shot lead through the midway point of the tournament, Yamashita saw her advantage narrowed to a single shot going into the final day of action at Royal Porthcawl in the UK. A two-under round of 70, though, was enough to seal the victory.

Approaching the final hole, Yamashita knew a bogey would win her the tournament. Despite hitting the rough with her first two shots, she held her nerve with a nice chip to the green. She then tapped in for par to finish on 11-under, two shots ahead of Great Britain’s Charley Hull and Japan’s Minami Katsu. It secured Yamashita her first major trophy. She’s the fourth Japanese golfer to win an LPGA major title over the last two seasons.