Kyodo News Brief: June 11, 2026

TOKYO - Here is the most recent compilation of curated news briefs from Kyodo News.

----------

Japan outlines its position to Pakistan following Islamabad and Beijing expressing concern over military actions.

TOKYO - Japan has clarified its position on defense matters with Pakistan following a recent joint declaration from China and Pakistan expressing opposition to "any efforts by fascism or militarism to resurface," according to diplomatic sources on Wednesday.

A statement issued on May 26 following discussions in Beijing between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was interpreted as a rebuke toward Japan's attempts to enhance its military strength, as China has increased its scrutiny of Japan globally.

----------

Xi rejected efforts to "rekindle militarism" during his visit to North Korea: Xinhua

BEIJING – During his recent trip to North Korea, Chinese President Xi Jinping voiced disapproval of efforts to "rekindle militarism," along with "hegemonistic behavior and power-based politics," according to an announcement from the state-run Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday. The leader seemed to be alluding to Japan and the United States.

President Xi's statements during a welcoming dinner held by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Monday occurred against the backdrop of Beijing increasing its scrutiny of Tokyo's military expansion efforts promoted by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, following a recent dispute involving her remarks about Taiwan.

----------

A bear was spotted close to the Amanohashidate scenic area in Kyoto Prefecture

KYOTO – A bear was caught during the evening hours on Wednesday close to Amanohashidate, which is among Japan's three most beautiful locations, according to authorities.

Someone contacted emergency services at approximately 4:35 p.m. on Wednesday, reporting that a bear was seen and ran towards a sandy area covered with pine trees in the popular tourist zone, as stated by the authorities.

----------

Former lower house speaker Kono, famous for his statement of remorse toward "comfort women," passes away

TOKYO – Yohei Kono, former head of the House of Representatives and former Foreign Minister, who gained recognition for delivering the Japanese government’s significant apology regarding the Korean “comfort women” compelled to serve in Japan’s military brothels during World War II, passed away, according to sources from his family on Wednesday. He was 89 years old.

As chief Cabinet secretary during the time of former Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa in 1993, Kono, who passed away on Monday, released an official declaration recognizing the role of the Japanese military in recruiting "comfort women," typically via force, as well as overseeing places where these individuals were held.

----------

Head of BOJ admitted to hospital, will skip upcoming policy gathering next week

TOKYO - The governor of the Bank of Japan, Kazuo Ueda, has been admitted to the hospital due to an infection related to a liver cyst and will be unable to attend a monetary policy meeting scheduled for next week, according to the central bank on Wednesday.

Deputy Governor of the BOJ, Ryozo Himino, will lead the two-day gathering starting on Monday, whereas Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida will conduct the press briefing following the meeting, according to the bank.

----------

Japan and Malaysia decide to enhance collaboration in energy and maritime safety.

TOKYO - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with Malaysia's leader Anwar Ibrahim during discussions held in Tokyo on Wednesday, where they committed to enhancing collaboration in areas of energy and oceanic safety. This comes as Japan aims to broaden its sources of energy due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Following the summit, Takaichi told journalists that discussions regarding defense matters involved the signing of an agreement between coast guards designed to guarantee secure and unrestricted passage through local waterways. Both countries support the concept of a free and open Indo-Pacific, as Beijing's presence in the area continues to expand.

----------

Japan is wrapping up talks with the United States to maintain imports of Russian liquefied natural gas.

TOKYO – Japan is wrapping up talks with the U.S. Treasury Department to prolong an exception that enables businesses to handle dealings connected to the Sakhalin 2 petroleum and natural gas venture in Russia’s eastern region, where Japanese companies have investments, according to several sources on Wednesday.

As the June 18 deadline nears, this action seeks to maintain the ongoing import of crude oil and liquefied natural gas, according to the sources, with cargo flows from the Middle East to Japan having dropped significantly due to an effective blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.

----------

Rugby: Jones selects 35 players for Japan's training team, expresses regret for recent outburst

TOKYO - Veteran forward Michael Leitch, Toulouse's scrum-half Naoto Saito, and Japan Rugby League One's Rookie of the Year Shunsuke Uenobo are part of a group of 35 athletes selected on Wednesday by head coach Eddie Jones for the Brave Blossoms' preparation camp ahead of an upcoming series of test games beginning next month.

A 66-year-old coach started his news briefing in Tokyo by delivering an apology for his "verbal mistreatment" of home referees during the Japanese U23 team's trip to Australia in April, which resulted in the Japan Rugby Football Union imposing a ban and salary reduction on him.

Editorial: Why Male-Line Emperors Are Harming Japan’s Imperial Future

Efforts have progressed towards amending Japan's Imperial Household Law for the first time since the adoption of the present constitution, aiming to ensure the continued operations of the imperial family. However, the core issue—establishing a clear route for secure imperial succession—has remained unresolved.

A suggestion for dietary improvements aimed at ensuring sufficient members within the Imperial Family has been developed. The majority of political parties have endorsed a strategy allowing female descendants of the Imperial Family, such as Princess Aiko, who is 24 years old and the child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, to maintain their titles following marriage. Additionally, this approach includes provisions enabling males from previous branches of the imperial family to be adopted into the Imperial Family. However, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, which serves as the primary opposition group in the House of Councillors, rejected the idea of adoptions.

According to the Imperial Household Act, a woman within the royal family who weds someone not part of the dynasty forfeits her imperial title. Among the six single individuals in the Royal Family belonging to generations below the current emperor, five are females. The only male among them is Prince Hisahito, the 19-year-old firstborn son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko. Without intervention, this trend will continue unchecked, leading to further reduction in their ranks.

It is appropriate to honor the desires of the women within the Imperial Family and let them decide if they wish to stay part of the family. Both the governing and opposition parties largely concur on this matter. As this issue significantly impacts the personal lives of female members of the imperial household, it must be implemented as soon as possible.

The question of whether the husbands and children of women in the imperial family should also be included in the imperial lineage was central to discussions, but an agreement remains postponed at this time. This is due to concerns from the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and others that granting membership to these individuals might result in an emperor descending through the maternal line.

However, some argue that if spouses and offspring continue to be regular citizens, enjoying constitutional rights to participate in politics and economics, there is a possibility the Imperial Family might be taken advantage of. The present-day Imperial Family performs its official responsibilities as a unified family, making it reasonable for husbands and children to also be part of this familial structure.

At the same time, it raises concerns that the proposal to include adoptive individuals who have a paternal lineage tracing back to an emperor as part of the imperial family was approved.

The people in question would be descendants of the 11 former branch houses that left the Imperial Family about 80 years ago. It is doubtful that the public would accept, as objects of respect, people who were born and raised as ordinary citizens. Some also argue that this would amount to discrimination based on family lineage, which is prohibited by Article 14 of the Constitution. Tracing the male line, their blood relationship to the current Imperial Family is distant, and one would have to go back as far as the Muromachi period (approx. 1336-1573).

According to an opinion survey conducted by Mainichi Shimbun in May, 63% favored permitting women from the Imperial Family to keep their titles, whereas backing for the adoption proposal stood at just 36%.

Article 1 of the Constitution indicates that the Emperor's role comes from "the will of the people." The LDP along with its allied party Nippon Ishin (known as the Japan Innovation Party, or JIP), clearly mentioned in their joint agreement that implementing this plan was their main focus; however, this does not truly reflect the will of the general population.

Firstly, the proposal to include males from previous branch families into the imperial family was not included in the 2005 report prepared by an expert committee during the Junichiro Koizumi government. This decision was made due to concerns regarding public comprehension and acceptance, as well as issues related to stability and traditional practices. In order to maintain the current structure, the committee supported the possibility of having female and maternal-line emperors.

Approximately half of Japan's former emperors had mothers who were consorts, yet this practice does not align with modern societal values. So long as there remains a strong commitment to preserving the paternal lineage, women joining the imperial family will face significant expectations to bear a son. Maintaining such a structure would prove very challenging.

With the progress of women within society and increasing examination of gender-based roles, societal values have evolved. The Emperor’s position as a symbolic figure is upheld not solely through tradition and lineage, but also due to the public's comprehension and empathy.

Following World War II, the imperial family has adapted well to changing societal circumstances, such as accepting wives from common people.

According to a Mainichi survey, 72% of people support having a female emperor. If the issue of permitting female rulers and those from the maternal line isn't addressed, the system could face an impasse, both structurally and regarding societal perception.

Nevertheless, House of Representatives Speaker Eisuke Mori stated during a press briefing on June 8 that if a boy was born to an adoptive family member, he would be eligible to inherit the throne. This statement contrasted with the Diet's proposed plan, which sought widespread consensus, revealing the LDP's genuine commitment to maintaining the male lineage.

After the specific legislation for amending the Imperial Household Act and enabling the resignation of current Emperor Emeritus Akihito came into effect in 2017, a joint resolution approved by both the governing party and the main opposition urged the administration to explore methods for securing consistent imperial succession and establishing branches headed by women within the royal family. However, the 2021 report from the government’s advisory committee suddenly introduced an adoption proposal without addressing the core issue of succession.

The present Diet plan is merely an improvised solution aimed at maintaining the size of the Imperial Family, and it fails to address the key problem directly. A fresh group of specialists needs to be formed, and the discussion should begin anew with greater depth.

The present imperial household has aimed to remain "close to the people," which has garnered backing. However, should the family move excessively away from public awareness due to intense endeavors to preserve the custom of male-only inheritance, it would lose its legitimacy as the "emblem of the nation and the representation of national unity."