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May 03, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
May 03, 2025
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U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (far left), U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) and Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief tariff negotiator. The second round of tariff negotiations between Japan and the United States were held on Thursday in Washington.
BUSINESS / Economy
Second round of U.S.-Japan tariff talks ends inconclusively in Washington
By Francis Tang
Neither foreign exchange rates nor defense spending were discussed, said Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief tariff negotiator.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (far left), U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) and Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief tariff negotiator. The second round of tariff negotiations between Japan and the United States were held on Thursday in Washington.
Myaku-Myaku, the mascot of the 2025 Osaka Expo. Some people in the Japanese government are hoping that U.S. President Donald Trump will visit Japan to see the expo.
JAPAN
Trump visit to Osaka Expo likely to depend on tariff talks
A visit could provide a tailwind to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition ahead of this summer's Upper House election, observers said.
Plaintiffs celebrate the Tokyo High Court's ruling in a same-sex marriage lawsuit in Tokyo on Oct. 30.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Signs of change emerge in constitutional interpretation of same-sex marriage
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
In a country often seen as a laggard on the rights of sexual minorities, five high courts all ruled against the ongoing ban on same-sex marriage just in the last year.
In a news conference in Tokyo on Friday, Tokie Tanaka, 64, details her allegations of sexual abuse against a Catholic priest.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Woman says archbishop of Tokyo ignored her pleas after priest allegedly raped her
By Karin Kaneko
The woman's lawyer blamed the archbishop for failing to take appropriate actions after the woman told the congregation about the alleged abuse.
Naoya Inoue works out in Los Angeles in April. Inoue will put his undisputed super bantamweight crown on the line against Ramon Cardenas in Las Vegas on May 4.
MORE SPORTS / Boxing
'The Monster' Naoya Inoue returns to U.S. to defend undisputed title
By Adam Davidson
The pound-for-pound superstar remains undefeated with 29 wins — a staggering 26 coming by way of knockout.
Naoya Inoue works out in Los Angeles in April. Inoue will put his undisputed super bantamweight crown on the line against Ramon Cardenas in Las Vegas on May 4.

JAPAN

Tetsuo Sato, a 105-year-old former soldier, talks about the Imphal Operation, in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, on March 30.
'War must never happen again': former Japanese soldier recalls battle of Imphal
The Imphal operation during World War II is known as one of the most reckless battles waged by the Imperial Japanese Army.
A wind turbine blade fell in the city of Akita on Friday.
Man dies after wind turbine blade falls in an Akita park
According to the police, the victim was discovered roughly 1 meter away from the fallen blade.
Japan Times 1975: Junko Tabei becomes first woman to summit Mount Everest
Central Nippon Expressway won't collect tolls after ETC glitch
Princess Aiko to visit quake-hit Noto in mid-May
Truck driver's body recovered from huge Japan sinkhole after three months

BUSINESS

Google has been pushing back on the remedies proposed by the U.S. to address its search dominance — one of which is sharing search data with rivals.
U.S. presses for Google to share data by citing Yahoo Japan deal
By Davey Alba
Google has long had a relationship with Yahoo Japan to provide it with search results and some backend work related to search advertising.
"It does exist as a card,” said Kato, speaking on a TV Tokyo program Friday, when asked if Japan’s stance of not selling U.S. Treasury holdings could be a negotiation tool.
Japan’s Kato says U.S. Treasury holdings could be negotiation card
By Takashi Umekawa, Yoshiaki Nohara and Ruth Carson
The comments come amid negotiations between Japan and the U.S. after President Donald Trump ramped up his global tariff campaign.
MUFG joint venture stops selling structured loans after scrutiny
By Takashi Nakamichi
Four Japan automakers see higher U.S. sales on last-minute demand
Why investors are souring on this once red-hot climate tech
By Coco Liu
Japan’s job market stays tight, supporting wage momentum
By Yoshiaki Nohara

WORLD

A local resident takes his belongings out of a damaged residential building after a drone attack in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Friday.
Trump team has prepped options to pressure Russia to end war
By Alberto Nardelli and Natalia Drozdiak
People familiar with the matter cautioned that Trump has made no decision yet as diplomatic efforts were ongoing.
U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House in Washington on April 24.
Now a trusted ally, 'Little Marco' gets Trump's big jobs
By Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis and Steve Holland
Marco Rubio's expanding resume underscores President Donald Trump's increasing trust in the former Florida senator, officials said.
Germany's AfD dealt blow with right-wing extremist label
By Sam Reeves
On both sides of the line of control, Kashmiris watch, wait and prepare for war
By Fayaz Bukhari, Asif Shahzad and Tariq Maqbool
Trump signs executive order to end federal funding of NPR and PBS
By Derek Wallbank
China says it’s assessing U.S. talks, hinting at possible thaw

Sports

Seiya Suzuki rounds the bases after hitting his second home run against the Pirates during their game in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Seiya Suzuki homers twice to lift Cubs to win over Pirates
Seiya Suzuki hit two home runs and finished with three RBIs to lead the Chicago Cubs to an 8-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.
Jalen Brunson carries Knicks to series-clinching win over Pistons
Tyrese Haliburton's father will not attend Pacers games for "foreseeable future"
Lando Norris not yet worried about Oscar Piastri's lead in F1 standings
Club pro Michael Block qualifies for PGA Championship

Opinion

The Bank of Japan signals rate-hike uncertainty and slashes growth forecasts amid rising trade and inflation concerns, as the central bank's earlier optimism is upended by U.S. President Trump's tariff moves.
Bank of Japan will struggle to justify hikes after this
Gearoid Reidy
Few anticipated how dovish the BOJ would sound on the future direction of rates or how gloomy it would be on the near-term prospects for achieving the inflation goal.
Why is Trump unilaterally dismantling U.S. defenses?
By Jill Kastner and William C. Wohlforth
Japan Inc. cautiously optimistic despite rising uncertainty
By Hitoshi Suzuki
Kashmir terror attack pushes India and Pakistan to the brink of war
Trump’s trade war shakes dollar’s haven status, opens door for Asian financial hubs
By Andy Mukherjee

ENVIRONMENT

The aftermath of a wildfire in Yeongyang, South Korea, on March 28.
South Korea's deadly fires made twice as likely by climate change, researchers say
By David Stanway
Fires blazed for nearly a week, killing 32 people and destroying around 5,000 buildings before they were brought under control in late March.
Trump administration targets scientists behind key climate assessment
By Valerie Volcovici
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami
By Alex K.T. Martin
Pope Francis saw defending the climate as an urgent priority for the world
By Eric Roston
Countries could use forests to 'mask' needed emission cuts, report says
By Kelly Macnamara

CULTURE

The Adachi Institute has been working on creating brand new ukiyo-e prints in collaboration with contemporary artists such as Yayoi Kusama, whose “Mt. Fuji in Seven Colours: When life boundlessly flares up to the universe” (2014) can be seen on display at “Ukiyo-e in Play.”
'Ukiyo-e in Play' showcases traditional art carved anew
By Marigold Warner
The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints keeps age-old methods alive by creating ukiyo-e prints in collaboration with artisans and contemporary artists.
‘Blank Canvas’: 'Tough love' of the past isn't so funny anymore
By Mark Schilling
‘The Killer Goldfish’: The future of cinema, or just indie cosplay?
By James Hadfield
China’s first K-pop concert in years signals efforts to mend ties
By Hyonhee Shin and Shinhye Kang
‘Wildcat Dome’ challenges Japan's historical narratives
By Kris Kosaka

LIFE

“‘Future of life,’ by Ishiguro,” the World Expo pavilion by roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro, displays humanlike androids.
Want to see the future at Expo Osaka? Get in line.
By Thu-Huong Ha
Androids and lab-grown heart cells: A dispatch from the world fair.
Why the month of May feels tough and how language can help
By Yaeko Kabe
Expo '25 gives the world a masterclass in mascots
By Patrick St. Michel
How to bring up bad news in Japanese
By Yuko Tamura
Savoy, Tokyo’s top pizzeria, fires up in Sapporo
By Simon Daly

COMMUNITY

Magokoro Yoshihira (center) is the managing director of Yui Associates, which operates the neighborhood fixtures of Sanya Cafe and Juyoh Hotel. Yusuke Takahashi (left) met Yoshihira during a difficult period in his life and now works as the cafe’s chef. Nancy Anne (right) has worked for over 10 years at Juyoh Hotel and enjoys the multicultural environment.
Reclaiming Sanya, one meal at a time
By Kim Kahan
Since 2018, Sanya Cafe has been building community in one of Tokyo’s most colorful — and infamous — neighborhoods.
A Hokkaido cross that’s more sweet than spicy
Arunima Mazumdar: ‘Japanese literature has a niche but deeply engaged readership in India’
By Megha Wadhwa
How to spend the perfect day in Hiroo, Tokyo’s expat enclave
By Eric Margolis
Noriko Shakti: ‘Music reflects my journey and learnings’
By Miikka J. Lehtonen

Editors' Picks

LIFE
Want to see the future at Expo Osaka? Get in line.
By Thu-Huong Ha
“‘Future of life,’ by Ishiguro,” the World Expo pavilion by roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro, displays humanlike androids.
JAPAN
Ishiba hears advice from across the aisle on how Japan should handle Trump
By Eric Johnston
Prime Minister Shigaru Ishiba and CDP head Yoshihiko Noda at a parliamentary session in Tokyo on April 23.
BUSINESS
Don't send in the clones: AI event nixed as Alt accounts get reality check
By Himari Semans
A screenshot from the website for Alt's AI conference, which was canceled after the company disclosed an investigation into its sales figures.
JAPAN
CDP submits bill proposal on separate surnames, but challenges remain
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers speak to reporters in parliament on Wednesday after submitting a bill in the Lower House to allow married couples to retain different surnames.
SUMO
Puzzling decisions and opaque rankings are all part of sumo's charm
By John Gunning
Chiyoshoma (right) battles Churanoumi during the New Year Basho in Tokyo in January. The Mongolian's drop down the sumo rankings ahead of the May tournament was one of the biggest surprises of the latest banzuke.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami
By Alex K.T. Martin

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Looking ahead to Yokohama’s Green × Expo 2027
Looking ahead to Yokohama’s Green × Expo 2027

WHAT’S TRENDING

JAPAN
Israel protests after Kyoto inn seeks war crime declaration from tourist
By Karin Kaneko
A street in Kyoto in March 2023. An Israeli tourist was asked to sign a document stating that he had not committed war crimes when he checked in at a Kyoto guesthouse in April, prompting a response from Israel's ambassador.
JAPAN
Nearly half of workers in Japan engage in ‘quiet quitting’
By Yukana Inoue
"Quiet quitting" is most common among the younger generation, with 46.7% of respondents to a survey in their 20s identifying with the practice, reflecting a less-motivated workforce more focused on work-life balance.
JAPAN
Britain responds after Expo 2025 afternoon tea brews outrage
The café space at the Osaka Expo's British pavilion
JAPAN
Truck driver's body recovered from huge Japan sinkhole after three months
Workers stand around a vehicle carrying the body of a person recovered from a sinkhole in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, on Friday.
BUSINESS
Second round of U.S.-Japan tariff talks ends inconclusively in Washington
By Francis Tang
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (far left), U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) and Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief tariff negotiator. The second round of tariff negotiations between Japan and the United States were held on Thursday in Washington.