Reuters reported on the 16th that in a nationwide poll following the attempted assassination of former President Trump, 43% of respondents supported Trump, while 41% supported President Biden. The report indicated that the results are within the margin of error, suggesting that the incident has not significantly changed voters' opinions.
On the other hand, 80% of respondents answered that "the United States is becoming uncontrollable." Additionally, 84% expressed concern that extremists might incite violence following the presidential election on November 5th.
The Tokyo gubernatorial election concluded early on the 8th, with incumbent Yuriko Koike winning her third term.
"We must continue to upgrade and implement major reforms in Tokyo," Koike stated, highlighting her achievements over the past two terms, including the expansion of childcare support policies.
Koike leveraged her high name recognition and effective use of social media during her campaign, securing approximately 2.92 million votes for her third-term victory. On the other hand, Shinji Ishimaru garnered around 1.66 million votes, placing second ahead of Renho.
In an exit poll conducted by Nippon TV and Yomiuri Shimbun, Ishimaru received the most support from non-affiliated voters.
This election saw a record 56 candidates running, and the voter turnout was 60.62 percent, surpassing 60 percent for the first time in 12 year.
The Bank of Japan began delivering newly designed banknotes to financial institutions on Wednesday, marking the first renewal in 20 years.
The new banknotes will be available at financial institution counters and ATMs once they are ready.
Shortly after 8 a.m. on Wednesday, one-meter-tall stacks of the newly designed bills were loaded into a security vehicle at the BOJ’s head office in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, as a BOJ official instructed the staffers to “begin issuing the new BOJ banknotes.”
BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda said, “I hope the new banknotes will be widely distributed to the public and help lubricate the wheel axles of the economy,”
The new ¥10,000 bill features Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism,” and the new ¥5,000 bill bears a portrait of Umeko Tsuda, a pioneer of women’s higher education in Japan. Bacteriologist Shibasaburo Kitasato is the face of the new ¥1,000 bill.
Advanced anti-counterfeiting technologies have been introduced with the banknote renewal. They include a type of 3D hologram technology that makes the banknote portrait appear to rotate when viewed from different angles.
The National Printing Bureau is expected to deliver about 7.5 billion banknotes to the BOJ’s head office and branches by the end of March 2025.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited the head office on Wednesday morning to inspect the issuance of the banknotes.
Afterward, he attended a press conference with Ueda, saying: “The new banknotes are suitable for the new era. I hope the public will receive them well and vitalize the economy.”
Some financial institutions began handling the banknotes on Wednesday, but the three megabank groups — Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc., Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. and Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. — said they will begin handling them at their branches on or after Thursday in principle.
A ceremony commemorating the change of the portrait on the ¥10,000 bill from Yukichi Fukuzawa to Shibusawa was held Wednesday morning at the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
The event was hosted by hometowns of Fukuzawa and Shibusawa, Nakatsu in Oita Prefecture and Fukaya in Saitama Prefecture, respectively.
The mayors mixed local sake from their cities into a kettle-like vessel, poured into two cups and drank together. and then recited the spirit of Fukuzawa and Shibusawa before ringing a bell to pray for the prosperity of the Japanese economy.
In Fukaya, a countdown event was held at the city center from Tuesday night, and more than 300 residents and other people gathered to celebrate the issuance of the new ¥10,000 bill. As the clock struck midnight, cheers and shouts congratulating the issuance of the new bills were heard, and a traditional decorative paper ball was split open.
Tsuda, whose portrait is on the new ¥5,000 bill, is the founder of Tsuda College, the predecessor of Tsuda University.
On Wednesday, the university held a commemorative talk event at Tokyo Gymnasium adjacent to the university’s Sendagaya Campus in Shibuya Ward. President Yuko Takahashi exchanged opinions with former Japanese women’s national soccer team member Mana Iwabuchi, 31, among others about women’s activities on the international stage.
Flags depicting the face of the new ¥1,000 bill were seen throughout tourist spots and along a national highway in Oguni, Kumamoto Prefecture, where Kitasato was born.
Trying to capitalize on this occasion, the town is selling related products, such as junmai sake with labels that resemble the new ¥1,000 bill and rice crackers branded with the new ¥1,000 bill.
In her maiden visit to Cambodia, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Kamikawa Yoko, along with Cambodian leaders, will discuss a new approach for the Cambodia-Japan relationship and cooperation.
The Japanese Foreign Minister will also take this opportunity to enhance landmine-clearance cooperation in Southeast Asia, with the support of Japan.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday that Japan’s Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko will pay an official visit to Cambodia Friday and Saturday this week.
In its statement, a ministry spokesman said Kamikawa will be paying separate courtesy calls to Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet. She will also be holding a bilateral meeting with her Cambodian counterpart, Sok Chenda Sophea.
“The visit by Her Excellency Kamikawa Yoko will keep the momentum of frequent high-level exchanges and further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Cambodia and Japan,” the Cambodian Foreign Ministry said.
In a recent press conference, Kamikawa announced her plan to visit Cambodia and the Philippines this month.
“From the 5th to the 9th of July, if circumstances allow, I will visit Cambodia and the Philippines for the first time as Foreign Minister,” she said while addressing the press in Tokyo.
She added that the visit, marking the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation, aims to deepen heartfelt relations and address current issues.
“We will confirm the progress of the concrete cooperation in Cambodia through meetings with key decision makers in the government, including Sok Chenda Sophea, the Foreign Minister,” she said. “We will enhance the relationship with the Hun Manet administration based on long-term cooperation and development in Cambodia. We will make the new approach of bilateral cooperation.”
Kamikawa said that one main issue that she will focus on during the visit to Cambodia and the Philippines will be to facilitate both Southeast Asian countries’ efforts and cooperation on mine clearance.
“Japan has been cooperating with the Cambodia Mine Action Centre for many years, and it has become a leading mine action centre, not only in Cambodia but also extending its support to third countries, including Ukraine,” she added. “Taking advantage of the opportunity my visit to Cambodia offers, we would like to indicate the possibility of mine action support in the Philippines as well.”
Kamikawa added that she will hold a “two-plus-two” security dialogue involving Japanese and Philippine defence and foreign ministers while in Manila, adding that Japan will boost its support for stateless residents of the Philippines who were born to Japanese nationals and were left there amid the turmoil following World War II.
While meeting Chenda Sophea in December last year in Japan, Kamikawa already stated that she welcomes advances in cooperation with Cambodia in the areas of demining and peacebuilding, and, in the area of landmines in particular, cooperation is already advanced for demining assistance in third countries, including in Ukraine, and the two ministers confirmed their continued collaboration.
She added that Japan intends to further advance cooperation in security, digital, and cybersecurity measures. Kamikawa also stated that Japan intends to revitalise intellectual, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges through the “Next-Generation Co-Creation Partnership: WA Project 2.0” and exchange programmes, including JENESYS (Japan East-Asia Exchange for Students and Youths).
Japan stands out as Cambodia’s top donor country, having provided $1.2 billion in official development assistance since 1992.
According to Heng Ratana, Director-General of CMAC, Japan has been playing an exceptional role in helping Cambodia obtain advanced modern technology for clearing landmines as well as training deminers. For instance, Japan last year approved a grant of over $1.39 million for the clearing of cluster munitions, landmine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the country.
“Japan will also provide nearly $14 million to build the world’s largest anti-personnel mine-shaped museum and a mine action training centre in Siem Reap and Kampong Chhnang provinces,” Ratana added.
“Thanks to Japan’s assistance, Cambodia has grown to become a country that is even able to help other countries solve their landmine issues.”
Yang Peou, Secretary-General of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the visit by the new Japanese Foreign Minister will open more doors for more positive cooperation between the countries and unconditional assistance from Japan.
“Japan, as a great friend of Cambodia, has helped the Kingdom in every sector,” he said. “Even regarding politics, especially elections, Japan has never expressed any doubt or concern over the democratic process in Cambodia.”
“We hope that through the visit, both countries will discover more paths for cooperation, either bilateral or multilateral,” Peou added.
A veteran politician with an impressive résumé, Kamikawa’s academic background includes the University of Tokyo and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She also served as a policy staff fellow for then-US Senator Max Baucus. In her political career, she was Japan’s Justice Minister three times and Minister of State for Gender Equality and Social Affairs.
In September 2023, Kamikawa became Japan’s first female Foreign Minister in 20 years. Since her appointment, she has demonstrated her diplomatic skills through several high-profile overseas visits, including to the Middle East, Ukraine, and a tour of Europe and North America. In January this year, Kamikawa launched a new “Women, Peace, and Security (WPS)” task force to address gender-inclusive security issues. While maintaining Japan’s long-term foreign policy stance as a proactive contributor to peace, her energetic diplomatic efforts have brought her significant international recognition.
The select shop "DELTA" will conduct a "voting discount" campaign aimed at increasing voter turnout among young people, coinciding with the Tokyo gubernatorial election on July 7.
Compared to the overall voter turnout in Tokyo, the voter turnout among those in their 20s has been particularly low, not only in the gubernatorial election but also in the metropolitan and national elections. Specifically, in the Tokyo gubernatorial elections since 2000, the voter turnout for those aged 21-24 has hovered around 20-30%, about 20 points lower than the overall voter turnout, reflecting a persistently tough situation.
Customers who present a "voting certificate" at DELTA in Yoyogi-Uehara or its sister store "BREATH BY DELTA" will receive a 20% discount on spring and summer items. The campaign runs from June 28 to July 6. People living outside Tokyo can participate by sharing the campaign image on social media.
"DELTA" was started by the couple Aya and Yuki Okura in 2004. Their project "BREATH BY DELTA," which focuses on "earth environment and human rights," collaborates with various designers to create high-design, zero-waste items. In addition, they regularly host events that address social issues through fashion, such as charity events to support organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the "voting discount" campaign during election periods.
Amid speculation that Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Pyongyang on Tuesday, Seoul and Beijing will hold the "two plus two" talks of their senior foreign and defense officials on the day.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday that the 'Korea-China Diplomatic and Security Dialogue' will be held Tuesday in Seoul, led by first vice foreign minister Kim Hong-kyun and Chinese vice foreign minister Sun Weidong.
During defense talks, Lee Seung-beom, director general for international policy at the Ministry of Defense will hold talks with Zhang Baoqun, the deputy chief of the International Military Cooperation Office.
The foreign ministry explained that the two countries will exchange opinions on issues of mutual interest, such as bilateral relations, Korean Peninsula issues, and regional and international issues.
The two plus two talks were agreed upon during the bilateral meeting between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the Seoul-Tokyo-Beijing trilateral summit held last month.
Khuon Phon Rattanak, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, received Ülkü Kocaefe, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the Kingdom of Cambodia, on June 14, 2024, at the Ministry.
The Secretary of State and the Ambassador expressed their deep satisfaction with the fruitful outcomes of the official visit of Sok Chenda Sophea, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, to Turkey from May 28–29, 2024.
The meeting reviewed and followed up on progress made on key initiatives discussed during the Deputy Prime Minister’s visit.
Both sides also expressed their strong commitment to not only continue these efforts but also explore new areas of cooperation.
President Yoon Suk Yeol will pay state visits to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan next week.
According to Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Kim Tae-hyo on Friday, Yoon will embark on the six-day visit on Monday, accompanied by First Lady Kim Keon-hee from June 10 to 15.
Kim emphasized that Central Asia, which was the center of the Silk Road, is a strategic point that connects Europe and Asia, adding that the strategic importance is growing further amid the global polycrisis that includes the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East.
The top office also announced that South Korea, along with the five Central Asian countries, agreed to set up a summit and hold the first meeting at the South Korean National Assembly next year.
The announcement comes as the government also decided to promote the 'Korea-Central Asia K-Silk Road' strategy to strengthen regional economic exchanges, including cooperation in supply chains with the Central Asian nations.
The U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin came to visit Cambodia on June 4, 2024, after his visit to Singapore to participate in the Shangri-La Dialogue which is the world-famous forum inviting leaders from around the world to participate and address issues that are happening in their countries as well as in the world.
The U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit to Cambodia caused different expectations and different interpretations among Cambodian scholars as well as Cambodian politicians. Cambodian people who believe that the US will still be the only main market for Cambodia to export products of Cambodia deem that it is very important to welcome the visit of the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss on important topics that are beneficial for Cambodia and the US, whereas people who believe that the US will come to Cambodia just for their own benefits think that Lloyd Austin came to Cambodia to ask about topics that are not related to Cambodia since the US officials who came to Cambodia always raised questions that are not related to Cambodia and the US but Cambodia-China Relations or about Chinese military in Cambodia.
US officials who come to visit Cambodia should only raise questions that are personally related to Cambodia-US relations because each visit and each meeting always lasts a few hours, so that talking on the related topics that are crucial for Cambodia and US are pretty important for both countries.
Cambodia and the US had established diplomatic ties on July 11, 1950, the relations of both countries always go-up-and-down. There are different interpretations between politicians in Cambodia and politicians in the US. Some of Cambodian politicians think that the US is the only country that led Cambodia to face challenges and created tragedies for Cambodia and then asked Cambodia to pay money which the US spent to buy weapons to kill Cambodian citizens. The US side thinks that Cambodia is just a small country which has a very close relations with China and never wants to have a good relation with the US.
The former prime minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, in 2022 said during the US-ASEAN Summit in 2022 that “Why is it so difficult for me if I just want to be a good ally of the US”? It means that Cambodia also wants to be friend with the US and other countries, not only China.
Both the US and Cambodia think differently from each other, and most of the time they do not have enough discussion with each other but let media and other countries to incite the relations of both countries. The US expects too much from Cambodia, the US always expects all the good things from Cambodia such as full human rights respect, one hundred percent democracy, and all good things which the US themselves could not make.
Cambodia always wants the US to listen to its concerns and understand challenges as well as requirements for the social development in Cambodia. Cambodia is a small country which maintains good relations with many countries in the world including Australia, the US, South Korea, Japan, China, and ASEAN countries but Cambodia is always treated as a China client-state due to some countries being worried too much about China and then try to find ways to hit a small country like Cambodia.
There are many unfair things that take place for Cambodia but Cambodia could not explain its real situation to the world since this small country did not invest enough on human resources, especially did not support scholars who are able to talk about the real situations of Cambodia to the world. Cambodia should adjust its nomination system and should encourage more qualified officials to work in the right places. Especially, the Cambodian government should encourage Cambodian scholars to be able to depict real situations to the outside world, not only talking among Cambodian people but the outside world too.
Some people may do not like it but it is real: the US is one of the great partners for Cambodia which the Government should have closer relations with since the US is still the main market for Cambodia to sell products, and the US has a lot of important technologies which can help Cambodia improve social development and human resources. The US can help Cambodia to maintain its relations with other countries, so that Cambodia should learn from the history when there is a wrong decision in foreign policy, and when Cambodia cut off diplomatic relations with the US on May 3, 1965.
There are a lot of hopes and optimism from the Cambodian side after the visit of Lloyd Austin since both sides had agreed on important issues such as military cooperation and resumption of scholarship for Cambodian students to study in the military section in the US.
All in all, both Cambodia and the US should talk face to face with each other and should just talk on the topics that are personally related to Cambodia and US since one of the disturbing topics for the relations between Cambodia-US in the past is that there are always questions about China-Cambodia Relations and about Chinese military in Cambodia. The US should understand the requirements of Cambodia and then invest on that requirement rather than interrogation but nothing for Cambodia. At this time Cambodia needs both lecture and also the gift because Cambodia is a developing country which still needs to develop in many fields. Both Cambodia and the US should listen to understand and go back to the drawing board when they first established the diplomatic ties during the tough time for Cambodia in 1950.
Dr. Seun Sam is a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia. All views in this article are his own.
PARIS (AP) — President Joe Biden is being feted by French President Emmanuel Macron with a state visit Saturday, as the two allies aim to show off their partnership on global security issues and move past trade tensions.
Biden and Macron attended ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday. They met separately the following day with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris — engagements they both used to underscore the urgent need to support Kyiv’s fight against Russia’s invasion.
But Macron and Biden have often chafed at the pace of support for Ukraine, especially as the U.S. — by far the largest contributor to Kyiv’s defense — was forced to pause aid shipments for months while congressional Republicans held up an assistance package.
The state visit will begin with a welcome ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe and a military parade along the Champs-Élysées leading to the Élysée Palace, where the two will hold official meetings and deliver public statements. Later, Macron will host a state dinner at the palace for Biden and his wife, Jill.
Biden hosted Macron in December 2022 at the White House for the first state visit of his presidency — a glamorous affair that included business and political figures after the COVID-19 pandemic.
First lady Jill Biden will join her husband for the Saturday events, returning to France aboard a government plane after spending Friday in Delaware to support their son, Hunter Biden, who is standing trial on federal gun charges.
Biden’s trip to France also comes ahead of Sunday’s European Parliament election, in which the far right is likely to emerge as one of the biggest winners while Macron’s pro-EU movement is flagging.
A top French official said Macron and Biden have a friendly and warm relationship and stressed that the U.S. president is spending five days in France, reflecting the importance he attaches to the visit. The official spoke anonymously, in line with customary practices for Macron’s office.
The official said the U.S. presidential campaign was not a factor in the discussion.
Macron previously hosted then-President Donald Trump, the Republicans’ presumptive 2024 nominee, in France for Bastille Day in 2017, before being hosted himself by Trump in 2018 for a state visit, before the two leaders’ relationship soured.
Both U.S. and French officials said Ukraine would be at the top of Saturday’s agenda, but the centerpiece of the weekend event would be the strength of the alliance, proven at Normandy 80 years ago, but with roots far deeper.
“It’s probably a good thing for us to remember that we didn’t win our independence either without some foreign help or foreign assistance, specifically from France,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Friday.
Max Bergmann, a former U.S. State Department official who leads Europe research at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the relationship between the two countries is strong despite occasional disagreements.
“There’s always tension in Franco-American relations, because the French try to do stuff,” he said. “They’re bold, they throw up proposals, and that leads to some friction when we push back.”
For example, he said, France proposed putting Western trainers on the ground in Ukraine, leading to questions of whether this is “really giving Ukraine a major, tangible benefit” or has the “potential to be escalatory and dangerous.”
Regarding Macron, Bergmann said, “he’s the one that pushes the boundaries and throws up ideas.”
Kirby said the two leaders would have an announcement Saturday on deepening maritime law enforcement cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. They also are to discuss economic and climate challenges.
While praising the Biden administration’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, Macron said earlier this year that Europe must become “capable of defending its interests, with its allies by our side whenever they are willing, and alone if necessary,” arguing the continent should rely less on the U.S. for its own defense.
He also warned Western powers against showing any signs of weakness to Russia as he repeatedly said that sending Western troops into Ukraine to shore up its defense shouldn’t be ruled out.
The two leaders were also set to discuss their efforts to bring about a cease-fire to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, as the U.S. and Israel await Hamas’ response to a Biden-promoted ceasefire proposal that would allow a surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
“The president will update President Macron on all of that. And again, eagerly await his perspectives and his views as well on what’s going on in Gaza,” Kirby said.
Macron is expected to raise U.S. trade practices that he has often criticized, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which favors American-made climate technology, like electric vehicles. Macron said the U.S., like China, has “decided not to respect the rules of global trade” by shoring up protections and subsidies while Europe’s industry remains open and is stuck in overregulation.
The French top official said Europe has to defend European interests, after watching the U.S. do the same with its own, but said Macron hopes to find a mutually acceptable outcome.
Gary Hufbauer, nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said trade with China is a sticking point between the U.S. and Europe, particularly France. The U.S. has been more eager to restrict trade, particularly regarding technology.
Biden is also moving toward tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and batteries, which could affect European cars that include Chinese parts.
The fear is that “if you’ve got some component from China, we don’t want you in the U.S.”
“That’s a big worry in Europe.”
Overall, Hufbauer said, “Europe wants to maintain much more trade with China than the U.S. wants.”
