The Japan Times

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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe failed at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to bridge the deep U.S.-China trade divide, with the discord meaning no joint declaration was issued for the first ...
19 mins ago

Business / Economy

Japan logs goods trade deficit in October as energy imports surge

Japan posted a goods trade deficit in October as rising energy costs led imports to rise at the fastest pace in nearly five years, government data showed Monday. The country's goods ...
1 hour ago

National / Social Issues

Restraints used on nearly half of dementia patients in regular hospitals in Japan, survey finds

Nearly half of those with dementia who have been hospitalized in Japan were physically restrained at some point to prevent them from harming themselves, according to a survey published Sunday. The ...
55 mins ago

National / Crime & Legal

South Korea's Supreme Court set to rule on Mitsubishi Heavy's wartime forced labor case on Nov. 29

South Korea's Supreme Court has said it will rule on a forced labor case involving Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. on Nov. 29, following a top court ruling last month that ...
30 mins ago

Entertainment News

Saitama city's Kaparu beats out organized voting to win grand prix title at annual mascot contest

Kaparu from Shiki, a city in Saitama Prefecture, won the 2018 Yuru-kyara Grand Prix (Soft Character Grand Prix) title in the regional division on Sunday. With the motif of the mythical kappa, or water goblin, ...
Asia Pacific / Social Issues

In Australia, refugees ditch overcrowded cities to live a slower paced life in small outback towns

A Hazara refugee who now calls the Australian outback home, Ali named his new venture the Afghan Friendship Restaurant, a tribute to the warm welcome he says he received after moving to the town ...
Asia Pacific / Politics | ANALYSIS

Two years after Philippines 'divorced' U.S., President Rodrigo Duterte still waiting on China dividend

by Karen Lema and Martin Petty

Two years after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced a divorce with old ally the United States in return for bumper business ties with China, he doesn't have much to show for it. Duterte left Beijing ...
Business | Deep Dive

Japan's IT firms enthusiastically open doors to overseas tech workers

by Kazuaki Nagata

The dozens of young Chinese engineers looked nervous, but eager, as they presented their work in English during a hack-athon in September at the high-rise Roppongi Hills complex in Tokyo. But while the event hosted ...
Asia Pacific

China extends censorship campaign to Twitter, carrying out 'silent slaughter'

Despite being blocked in China, Twitter and other overseas social media sites have long been used freely by activists and government critics to address subjects that are censored in domestic forums — until now. As ...

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Business / Economy

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Asia Pacific

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Asia Pacific

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Asia Pacific

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World

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JAPAN NEWS

National

Last thing quake-prone Japan needed was the KYB data rigging scandal

by Magdalena Osumi

In disaster-prone Japan, earthquake resistance is vital to prevent buildings from collapsing when a powerful temblor hits, and builders and seismic reinforcement providers have repeatedly given assurances about the safety of their structures. So when quake damper producer KYB Corp. admitted in October to falsifying ...

WORLD NEWS

Asia Pacific / Politics

U.S. vice president's sharp China attacks fuel Asia's fears of a new Cold War

by Jason Scott, Dandan Li and Isabel Reynolds

Since the Soviet Union fell in the early 1990s, Southeast Asia has sought to avoid getting caught in a fight between major powers. The Trump administration is making that position look increasingly untenable. Vice President Mike Pence sharpened U.S. attacks on China during a week ...

BUSINESS NEWS

<I>Sōgō shōsha</I>: Understanding Japan's super suppliers and distributors

Business | INSIDER REPORT

Sōgō shōsha: Understanding Japan's super suppliers and distributors

by Patrick Ryan

As mentioned before, the sōgō shōsha have two fundamental business models: Their traditional, core business model as trader, supplier, wholesaler and distributor of a vast array of goods and materials upstream and downstream in the supply or value chain, and as an organizer of ...

MULTIMEDIA

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SPORTS

More Sports / Tennis

Alexander Zverev upsets Novak Djokovic to win ATP Finals

Despite beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets to win the ATP Finals at only 21, Alexander Zverev knows keeping pace with the Serb isn't going to be easy. Zverev claimed the biggest title of his career with a 6-4, 6-3 upset on Sunday, becoming the ...

COMMUNITY

General

A pair of events centered on non-Japanese artists are helping to build bridges into Japan's manga market

by Gianni Simone

The Japanese market for manga is worth hundreds of billions of yen and is a crowded field for many young Japanese illustrators to break into. And if you're coming from overseas, there are even more obstacles. Fredric Toutlemonde, however, has been successful in tackling those ...

LIFE

Digital | ON: TECH

Crowdfunding crowd pleasers

by Chiho Komoriya

In the past, crowdfunding sites were primarily platforms for startups and individuals short of development funds. Now larger companies are seeing the benefits of allowing consumers to participate in the research and development of new products. Here are a couple of crowdfunded ideas that ...