Kyodo News Digest: April 23, 2025

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (front, L), Empress Masako (front, R) and other imperial family members attend the spring imperial garden party at the Akasaka Imperial Gardens in Tokyo on April 22, 2025. (Pool photo) (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.

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China urges Japan via letter to unite against U.S. tariffs

TOKYO – China has sent a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba urging coordinated action against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, as trade tensions escalate between the world’s two largest economies, Japanese government sources said Tuesday.

The letter from Chinese Premier Li Qiang was delivered to Japan by Chinese Ambassador Wu Jianghao, the sources said. It likely urged Japan to join China in opposing protectionism, but the close U.S. ally plans to respond cautiously to the proposal.

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Japan mulls expanding imports of tariff-free U.S. rice

TOKYO – The Japanese government is considering expanding tariff-free imports of U.S.-grown rice as part of negotiations over higher levies imposed by Washington, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday.

One proposal involves increasing the amount imported from the United States to around 410,000 tons from the current 350,000. Japan currently imports approximately 770,000 tons globally every year tariff-free, the sources said.

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70 lawmakers make cross-party visit to war-linked Yasukuni shrine

TOKYO – A cross-party group of around 70 Japanese lawmakers on Tuesday attended the spring festival at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, regarded as a symbol of the country’s past militarism by its Asian neighbors.

Group member Ichiro Aisawa, a lawmaker from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said at a press conference, “We should never forget the history of how the spirits of many fallen heroes laid the foundation for a peaceful and prosperous Japan after the war.”

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Japan junior ruling party chief discusses tariffs with China official

BEIJING – Tetsuo Saito, chief of Japan’s junior ruling coalition partner the Komeito party, exchanged views Tuesday with a senior Chinese official on U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of high tariffs, participants of the meeting said.

Liu Jianchao, head of the Chinese Communist Party’s International Department, told Saito the world’s second-largest economy has been “troubled” by the recent U.S. tariffs, they said. Trump has slapped additional 145 percent duties on all Chinese imports to the United States.

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Trump says tariffs on China will ultimately “come down substantially”

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he expects his administration’s hefty tariffs on goods from China will ultimately “come down substantially.”

“I think it’s going to work out very well,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding he believes he will be able to strike a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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Japan to cut energy, electricity costs amid inflation: PM

TOKYO – Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday his government will help reduce gasoline prices and energy costs for households as part of inflation relief steps.

Ishiba said the government will take measures to reduce the price of gasoline and diesel fuel by 10 yen per liter, and that of kerosene and heavy oil by 5 yen, from May 22.

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Trump says he has no plan to fire Fed chief Powell

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he has no plan to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, but he continued pressuring the central bank to cut a key interest rate to boost the economy.

Trump claimed that prices have been falling and there is no risk of inflation in the United States. “It’s all coming down. The only thing that hasn’t come down, but hasn’t gone up much, are interest rates,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

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IMF slashes 2025 world growth forecast to 2.8% on Trump’s tariffs

WASHINGTON – The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday sharply downgraded its outlook for global growth and countless countries’ economic performances this year due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s series of tariff announcements since taking office.

The IMF said it has revised its world economic growth forecast for 2025 to 2.8 percent, down 0.5 percentage point from its estimate in January, with the outlook for China, Japan and the United States likewise markedly lower.

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