Some Tokyo residents urged Japan's newly elected leadership to tackle corruption head-on and take meaningful steps to restore transparency in politics.
Shigeru Ishiba was formally reelected as Japan's prime minister on Monday after a rare runoff vote in parliament. The result has sparked controversy, as Ishiba's party has become embroiled in a widespread corruption scandal involving political fund-raising, which locals refer to as "black money".
"My hometown is close to Prime Minister Ishiba's. So, I have expectations from him. I hope the political 'black money' issue can be resolved transparently and a fresh start can be made. I hope they will do their best," a resident said.
"I think the political 'black money' issue has existed for a long time, and it's difficult to completely uproot it. But if they listen to public opinion and make changes, I think that would be good," said another resident.
"The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has always been vague in handling the political 'black money' issue. However, I hope Prime Minister Ishiba will address such issues sincerely," said another resident.
Others expressed hope that Ishiba will prioritize public welfare and relieve price pressures, emphasizing the need for the cabinet to reduce tax burdens and address declining real wages.
"Ishiba said he would raise taxes. That's why I dislike him. I hope he lowers taxes and invests more to make the country prosperous," said a resident.
"I opened the news website and saw the result, and thought, 'Well, it's the same no matter who is elected. Honestly, it's a bit disappointing. I want the consumption tax reduced, preferably to zero. Because income has decreased, and life is tough. I'm nearly 50 years old, and my income has significantly decreased, which is truly disheartening," said another resident.
Japanese residents call for clean politics, tax reductions after PM's reelection
Xi'an, the provincial capital of Shaanxi in the northwest, is to receive a historic cargo train that departed last week from Baku of Azerbaijan, marking the first rail transport of Azerbaijani goods to China in their trade history.
The inaugural Baku-Xi'an freight train consists of 62 forty-foot containers and will travel through Kazakhstan using a multimodal transport approach to reach the Xi'an International Port Station.
As is planned, some 15,000 tons of goods or 600 containers are expected to be shipped along the designated route from Baku to China by the end of this year.
In April this year, Azerbaijan's largest logistics company, Absheron Logistics Center, opened its first branch at the Chanba International Port in Xi'an, signifying a strong partnership to advance the construction of the cross-Caspian Sea international transport corridor. This collaboration has resulted in the regular daily operation of the Chang'an train of the China-Europe freight service, with the frequency to increase to 50 trains per month in the future.
Xi'an has already emerged as a leading Chinese hub for cross-Caspian freight trains, boasting the highest frequency of service in the nation. This year, Azerbaijan has received 280 container trains from China and plans to receive over 300 by the end of the year. By 2025, the number of direct trains is projected to double to 1,000 trains.
To further enhance logistics capabilities, Xi'an is accelerating the building of a new logistics corridor based on a "hub-to-hub" model for China-Europe freight trains. This initiative includes ongoing cooperation with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijani railway companies, as well as the Baku International Sea Trade Port. A multimodal freight terminal is planned for construction at Alat Port in Baku, with a projected completion timeline of one year. Once operational, it is expected to handle 300,000 to 350,000 containers annually.
First rail shipment from Azerbaijan to China arrives in Xi'an
