JAPAN'S RULING COALITION LOSES MAJORITY IN UPPER HOUSE

Welcome to Press Perspective.

It's Monday July 21st here in South Korea.

I'm Min Sunhee.

Today we touch upon the results of a key parliamentary election in neighboring Japan and their broader implications.

For this I have Celio Fioretti with French daily La Croix here in Seoul.

Celio welcome back.

I also have Walter Sim with Singaporean daily The Straits Times over in Tokyo.

Walter it's great to have you on.

Walter, let's begin with the result of Sunday's Upper House election and its political implications for the ruling coalition.

Walter, what has been the public response to the election result?

Celio, keeping in mind Sunday's election result, what potential policy changes in Japan are likely to be closely watched by South Korea?

Celio, last week, Seoul condemned Tokyo's claim over Korea's Dokdo islets.

Now the claim was carried in Japan's annual white paper, which also referred to South Korea as an important regional partner.

Do you believe global geopolitics will help the two countries find a way to move beyond the past conflict and into a future of constructive collaboration?

And why is such cooperation critical under the current climate of geopolitics?

Walter, back in Japan, domestic concerns including inflation and immigration are believed to have strongly shaped voter sentiment.

First, how severe is the inflation there?

And Walter, do explain the anti-foreigner sentiment there in Japan.

I hear some scholars have also shared concern over the growing xenophobia there?

Celio, immigration has been proposed as one potential option to address South Korea's own population crisis, and UPI recently covered a dire reality for the country over the next one hundred years.

Do tell us a bit about this petrifying population prediction, and the prospects of immigration as a tool to tackle it here in this country.

Meanwhile, Walter, what's the latest with regard to Japan's tariff talks with the Trump administration?

Celio, what has been the impact of Mr. Trump's trade protectionism on the concept of nationalism versus globalism here in this part of the world?

And Walter, I extend the same question to you.

How is the U.S. under the Trump administration shaping the regional debate over nationalism versus globalism?

All right.