May 18, 2023 (Prime Minister's Office of Japan) - Russian aggression must be stopped at the earliest possible time. As the country holding the G7 presidency, Japan will lead G7 unity and show the world our determination to fully defend the international order based on the rule of law.
Under our G7 presidency, Japan will drive discussions and show the world the G7's strong political will in order to bring about a bright future for Japan and the world.
Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) swept across Japan on June 3rd, bringing record-breaking rainfall, widespread flooding, landslides, transport disruptions, and powerful winds, while prompting Tokyo's first-ever issuance of a Level 4 danger alert under the country's new weather warning system. The storm also exposed challenges surrounding evacuation behavior, as many residents chose not to leave their homes despite official warnings affecting more than 1.6 million people across the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Transport services across eastern Japan were largely returning to normal on June 4th after Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) moved into the Pacific Ocean, with most railway lines resuming operations, airports functioning normally and airlines working to clear residual delays following a day of widespread disruption that saw nearly 900 flights canceled and major rail services suspended.
A body discovered in a river in Tatsuno, Hyogo Prefecture, has been identified as 42-year-old Kenji Oyama, the suspect wanted nationwide in connection with the murder of a mother and daughter last month, police announced on June 4th.
As Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) struck Wakayama Prefecture on June 3rd, the storm became the first major test of Japan's newly introduced disaster weather warning system, revealing both the benefits of earlier evacuation calls and the challenges local authorities faced in helping residents understand and respond to the new alerts.
Flooding was reported around the popular tourist district of Oharai-machi in Ise City following the passage of Typhoon No. 6, with some businesses forced to clean up after floodwaters overflowed from a nearby river during the early hours of June 3rd.
The Japanese government has presented estimates showing how long it would take to implement a reduction in Japan's consumption tax on food products, indicating that cutting the rate to either zero percent or 1 percent would require significant preparation time.
The Japanese government approved a supplementary budget proposal exceeding 3 trillion yen on June 3rd, including the creation of a new contingency reserve aimed at responding to developments in the Middle East and addressing rising energy prices.
The leader of the Democratic Party for the People, Yuichiro Tamaki, suggested on June 2nd that his party may oppose a bill drafted by the Liberal Democratic Party to establish a new criminal offense for desecrating the national flag, arguing that it could unduly restrict freedom of expression.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held a telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 1st, urging Iran to demonstrate maximum flexibility in its ongoing discussions with the United States and expressing hope that an agreement on the nuclear issue can be reached as soon as possible.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi strongly rejected accusations that Japan is embracing "new militarism," describing such claims as false while delivering a speech at a major regional security conference in Singapore on May 31st.
Defense Minister Shinji Koizumi met with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on May 30th while visiting Singapore for the Asian security forum known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, as the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance and expand defense cooperation.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi renewed her determination to resolve the long-standing abduction issue involving North Korea on May 30th, declaring her willingness to pursue a summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as families of the victims gathered in Tokyo to demand the return of their loved ones.
Japan's Defense Minister Shinji Koizumi held the first-ever trilateral meeting with his counterparts from Australia and New Zealand, where the three sides exchanged views on defense cooperation, including the potential export of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's latest frigate design.
