The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun
Suga-Biden in-person summit expected in April
WASHINGTON — Japan and the United States have started discussions on holding the first summit between Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and U.S. President Joe Biden in person at the White House as early as April, diplomatic sources said.
The possible meeting could make Suga the first foreign leader Biden will meet in person after his inauguration in January.
Tokyo and Washington are coordinating on the specific date for the meeting, taking into consideration the novel coronavirus infection situation and the Diet schedule.
According to the sources, Suga and Biden are expected to hold talks on such issues as ways to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance, maritime security in the East China and South China seas in light of China’s actions there, and measures to realize the vision of a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”
In June, the United Kingdom is hosting an in-person summit of the Group of Seven leading industrial nations. Tokyo and Washington hope to hold the Suga-Biden talks ahead of the G7, so dates in April or during the Golden Week holidays that run through early May are being discussed.
The Biden administration has made dealing with China its top international priority and is working to strengthen ties with its allies in the Indo-Pacific region. The United States will soon hold the first online meeting with the other leaders of the Quad: Japan, Australia and India.
As early as next week, March 15 at the earliest, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Japan, their first visit to a foreign nation since taking on their current posts.
Suga has approached the U.S. government about an early visit to Washington to meet Biden, but the U.S. president had not agreed to meet foreign leaders in person in order to concentrate on domestic affairs. As it is likely that the Biden-supported $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill will be passed by the U.S. Congress, the U.S. president is reportedly considering to start tackling foreign affairs in person, the sources said. (March 9)
Fast Retailing Co. announced Thursday that it will cut the prices of all products in its Uniqlo and GU casual clothing stores by about 9% starting March 12. Companies have been rethinking their pricing strategies in response to the mandatory “total price labeling” of products and services, which will require labels to include consumption tax, starting in April.
The company has been labeling clothing and other items with the pre-tax price followed by the notation “plus tax.” Thus, a product labeled with a price of ¥1,990, for example, now actually costs ¥2,189 at the checkout with the 10% consumption tax included. But from March 12, the tax-inclusive price tag will show ¥1,990, which is effectively a discount.
Uniqlo’s mainstay is everyday clothing, and its performance has been strong even amid the spread of the novel coronavirus. However, in 2014 and 2015, the company gradually raised its prices due to the weakening yen and increased raw material costs, driving away some customers.
In response to the public’s growing frugality, Uniqlo will now offer more value
for money by lowering prices.
When the consumption tax was introduced in 1989, there were no regulations on price labeling, and price labels with or without tax were mingled together.
To make it easier for consumers to understand the amount they are actually paying, total price labeling was made mandatory in 2004. But in 2013, when the tax rate was set to increase to 8% in April 2014, tax-exclusive labeling was allowed as a special measure.
This special measure will expire at the end of March. (March 7)
Flowers are woven into the hair of Marie Ogawa, 33, a professional figure skater from Tokyo, at Saimyoji temple, which has become an unlikely setting for photo shoots in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture. For a fee, visitors can don lavish kimono and become living ikebana models for the temple’s hana-matoi event, held to provide a cause for celebration at a time when other festive occasions have been canceled due to the pandemic. After being primped by a team of hair and makeup stylists, kimono advisers and floral designers, participants take commemorative photos. (March 8)