Takaichi Forgoes Yasukuni Visit and Omits 'Reflection'; China, South Korea Slam Cabinet Visits

PM Takaichi Forgoes Yasukuni Visit, Offers Tamagushi Fee; Four Cabinet Ministers' Visits Draw China, South Korea Protests On the 15th, the 81st anniversary of the end of the war, Prime Minister Takaichi, mindful of diplomacy, forwent a visit to Yasukuni Shrine, offered a tamagushi fee through a Liberal Democratic Party executive, and paid her respects from Nippon Budokan. Four cabinet ministers, including Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, visited the shrine, drawing a 'strong protest' from China and criticism from South Korea, which called it 'forgetting history.' 12345

PM Takaichi's First Memorial Address Omits 'Reflection', Touts Indo-Pacific Beacon At the national memorial ceremony for the war dead on the 15th, Prime Minister Takaichi delivered her first address since taking office and did not include the word 'reflection' that had been restored the previous year. She emphasized Japan's postwar peace path and argued that Japan can become a 'beacon of the Indo-Pacific that is relied upon.' 26

Chiba Torrential Rains: Death Toll Rises to 9, 1,087 Homes Flooded; Drainage Pumps Found Inoperative On the 15th, the prefecture confirmed the death of a man in his 70s in Isumi City, bringing the death toll to 9, with 1 person still missing. Residential flooding reached 1,087 homes and abandoned vehicles exceeded 1,200. Governor Kumagai indicated he would ask the national government to designate the disaster as extremely severe. At the Route 16 underpass in Chiba City, drainage pumps and an emergency generator failed due to the power outage, and the water level reached about 3 meters. 789

Constitutional Amendment Outlook for Next Spring Unclear as House Differences and Ishin Rift Persist In the House of Representatives, the ruling bloc holds a majority and constitutional amendment discussions have advanced, but in the House of Councillors, where the ruling parties are a minority, cooperation from opposition parties has not been obtained. Even within the ruling camp, a rift is conspicuous between the LDP's priority on emergency clauses and Ishin's demand for parallel deliberation on Article 9. In the autumn extraordinary Diet session, a food consumption tax cut and a reduction in Lower House seats are pending, leaving limited time for debate. 10

Environment Ministry to Set Up Critical Minerals Recycling Office in FY2027 The Environment Ministry plans to set up the 'Office for Recycling of Critical Minerals and Other Materials' with seven staff including an office chief within the Resource Circulation Division in fiscal 2027. In light of China's tightened rare earth export controls, it aims to increase recovery from 'urban mines' such as used home appliances and smartphones, and strengthen domestic procurement and supply chains. 11

One Month Until Okinawa Gubernatorial Election; Tamaki, Koja Both Lack a Decisive Edge The Okinawa gubernatorial election, with voting and counting on September 13, is effectively a one-on-one race between incumbent Denny Tamaki, seeking a third term, and Genta Koja, the former Naha vice mayor backed by the LDP. As interest in the Henoko relocation issue wanes, both candidates are putting expansion of medical and welfare benefits at the forefront to win over unaffiliated voters. 12

Man, 55, Arrested for Trying to Run Over Train Spotter Following Dispute On the afternoon of the 14th, a 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder for assaulting a 19-year-old man who was photographing trains near a railroad crossing in Naruto City and then reversing his car in an attempt to run him over. Many 'toritetsu' (train enthusiasts) had gathered at the scene, and there appears to have been a dispute over vehicle passage. 13