Early spring this year has been marked by unstable weather feeling like going back and forth between winter and spring. But when it becomes mid-May, the number of “summer days” that have a maximum temperature of 25 degrees Celsius or higher has increased. Along with that, the concern about heatstroke begins. The total number of emergency transports due to heatstroke from May to September 2024 was 97,578, and among these, the number in May was 2,799 accounting for just under 30% of the total. Early symptoms of heatstroke are dizziness, muscle pain, sweating a lot and so on. If it progresses further, it is said that people suffering from heatstroke have headaches and nausea, leading to a feeling of weakness and inability to exert strength, and need ambulances. The number of deaths from heatstroke remained in the double digits until 1980s, but since 1994, it reached the triple digits, and in 2010, it exceeded 1,000 for the first time. In particular, since 2018, “hot wave days” with temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius or higher have been observed at a total of 3,000 locations, and global warming’s effects are becoming increasingly apparent. According to a forecast by the Ministry of Meteorological Agency, the average temperature in summer this year, from June to August, is expected to be above the norm nationwide. Let’s make sure to take measures against heatstroke for each other.

■■Notice:
I am planning to go to Europe from June 5 (Thursday) to 15 (Sunday). Therefore, on June 13 (Friday), scheduled stream date, I will be abroad instead of in Japan. If communication is possible, I will stream from the site. Probably, I will be in Barcelona, Spain on that day.

■■What I have recently thought and focused on:
■What happened to the tariff issue of President Trump afterwards?:
As usual, there was a policy change or surprise in Mr. Trump’s style again. If policies continue to be changeable as a weathercock, the surrounding people start to take it less seriously, “Not again”. This change is tariff reduction between the United States and China. The United States will reduce from 145% to 30%, and China will reduce from 125% to 10%. The United States will return the tariff to the initial 34% and on top of that, the additional portion,24%, will be suspended for 90 days, until August 12, 2025, and the basic tariff will be 10%. 30%, 20% in the name of measures against illegal drugs added to the basic tariff will be a new tariff. In the last blog on May 2, I wrote down that Mr. Trump’s style “intimidation” or bluff against China, not only tariff issue but also various sanctions, would not work and there is no way China would “ask for leniency”. Of course, raising the tariffs is a painful blow for Chinese economy that is suffering from the real estate recession and sluggish consumer spending. But under one-party rule of the Communist Party, China has a political system that can withstand a protracted struggle. There is also a trump card like rare earths against the United States.
In the end, Mr. Trump’s side had no choice but to lower the raised fist. Mr. Xi Jinping probably felt that “he has done it!”. However, he will refrain from acting in an immature manner that undermines the dignity of others. It seems to me that in terms of shrewdness and human qualities, he is a step ahead.
It will soon be 4 months since Mr. Trump assumed the presidency on January 20 this year. I feel like the surprises have mostly all been revealed, but there is still much we don’t know. This “uncertainty” is greatly influencing the outlook of the world and Japanese economy. On top of that, what I am curious about is the issue surrounding the outcome of the Panama Canal.
At present, Hong Kong company owns management and operational rights, and Chinese government behind it sticks to current condition. On the other hand, President Trump has strong determination to recapture the Panama Canal, and there are concerns that it may become a new conflict between the United States and China.
■The tariff issue for Japan:
The issue with U.S. tariffs on the United Kingdom and China has been settled for the time being. On the other hand, initially, Japanese government was thinking of taking the lead and settling the matter, but I feel like Japanese government is being somewhat sidelined. The main issue between Japan and the United States is exporting automobiles and parts to the United States and importing agricultural products. Honestly, in Japanese side, there are not many cards left that will be key in the negotiations. The decisive difference between Japan and the United States is that “the United States can manage even if isolated, but Japan can’t exist without free trade”. “National security” is the same. This is Japan’s weakness and destiny. In Japan, the agricultural issue is synonymous with the expansion of rice imports. It is true that “Japan imposes a 700% tariff on rice”, a claim that is somewhat exaggerated but nonetheless highlights the level of protectionism. Because the agricultural vote is the foundation of the Liberal Democratic Party’s existence, and on top of that, the Upper House election will be held in summer this year. Diet members who act in the interests of agricultural lobby will resist fiercely.
On the other hand, considering the current situation where 900 million people are suffering from hunger in the world, on this occasion, Japan should transform conventional agricultural policies, and increase production and find a way out through increased exports by improvement of productivity and competitiveness.
Incidentally, regarding rice imports in Japan, since Uruguay Round (multilateral trade negotiations) in 1993, Japan promised to import at least 4% of domestic consumption as a minimum access, and started from 1995.
By the way, my memory at that time was that Governor Willison in California aged 60 at that time visited Japan and stopped over in Osaka in order to promote the California rice called Calrose on November 26, 1993. I was 51 years old at that time, and as the president of my previous company, I was promoting the construction plan for the cold storage in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Through that connection, he requested me to attend the press conference. At the conference, he promoted the sale of rice from California and at the same time, expressed support for our plan. He is the second person from the left in the picture, and the panel that is being displayed is an aerial photograph showing leveled warehouse construction site (black part). Incidentally, tense pre-meeting regarding the rice by the United States side and how to give an American style presentation were very enlightening. I heard that at one time, he was one of presidential candidates, but after that, he gave up due to his health issue.
■The “food waste” issue:
Regarding best by date and expiry date, the Customer Affairs Agency suggested overview for draft of revised guidelines requesting not to set it shorter than necessary for the business operators. Display of the deadline of foods include best by date indicating the deadline during which quality is sufficiently maintained and expiry date indicating the deadline for foods to be safely consumed. Both of them are set by the business operators based on objective tests and examinations. My generation (persons who are over 75 years old) has a strong sense of the term “what a waste!”, because my generation experienced a shortage of goods, particularly foods, during my childhood in the post-war era. But now is an age of satisfactory and luxurious life, and there is a strict focus on quality control. I feel like even children are sensitive to best by date and it is somewhat excessive.
And the “food waste” issue is derived from there. In other words, “large amounts of food that could be eaten are being disposed due to various reasons”. This is not just wasting precious food. This has also become a social issue that cannot be overlooked from the perspective of environmental problems such as huge amount of CO2 emissions from disposal.
According to the Customer Affairs Agency, an estimation of domestic food waste in 2022 was 4.72 million tons. Half of that, 2.36 million tons, is disposed from households, and it is said that 1.02 million tons was directly disposed of without being opened. Japanese government aims to reduce the amount of food waste from households by 50% by the year 2030, compared to the levels in 2000. It is essential to display the meaning of best by date and expiry date on packages in order to encourage reform in customer awareness.