Anyone following recent coverage of the worldwide plastic waste crisis may note a contradiction in the reporting on Japan's place in the discussion. On the one hand, Japan boasts a very high plastic recycling rate owing to local governments' sorting rules, which are some ...

The guests from the gala Group of 20 conference may be gone, but Osaka continues to garner attention in the media. Nishinari Ward, an arguably sordid section of the city perhaps best known for its large population of day laborers, is on the verge of ...

Some of the most popular users of social media platforms such as Twitter are expressing frustration with life online. Adult film star and media personality Makoto Toda joined Twitter in 2016 and quickly established a strong following that extended far beyond her profession.  By the start ...

The Railway Board has adopted a plan suggested by Mrs. Takahashi, Tokyo Station master, to connect special cars to the Shimonoseki express train that leaves Tokyo at 4 p.m. daily, exclusively for the use of female students who are going home for the summer ...

UNESCO decided Saturday to add to the World Heritage list two tumulus clusters in western Japan, which represent an ancient burial system and the hierarchy of society at the time. The sites, comprised of 49 tombs in Osaka Prefecture and collectively called Mozu-Furuichi tumulus clusters, ...

Japan is currently creating a legal framework to operate casinos via a system of integrated resorts, but concerns persist that they'll be prime targets for organized crime once they're finally up and running by 2024. "The yakuza have changed over the years, but one thing ...

Memorial services were held Saturday to mark the first anniversary of flooding and mudslides triggered by torrential rains in western Japan that claimed the lives of 275 people. The worst rain disaster in decades killed 137 people in Hiroshima Prefecture, 79 in Okayama Prefecture and ...

The ancient city of Babylon, first referenced in a clay tablet from the 23rd century B.C., was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site on Friday, after a vote that followed decades of lobbying by Iraq. The vote, at a UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in ...

North Korea appears to have appointed a longtime veteran of international diplomacy as point man in the new round of denuclearization talks with the United States, a diplomatic source in Seoul has confirmed. At last Sunday's surprise U.S.-North Korea summit at the demilitarized border between ...

A Kyodo News survey projects the ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition will secure half of the 124 seats up for grabs in the July 21 Upper House election.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is considering inviting North Korea's foreign minister as a special guest to an upcoming ASEAN-plus-three meeting of ministers and their counterparts from Japan, China and South Korea, ASEAN sources have said. The idea, floated by South Korea, has been ...

After customers were allegedly defrauded through unauthorized access, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry tells the operator of Seven-Eleven convenience stores that its mobile payment service is not secure enough.

Boris Johnson looks set for a landslide victory over rival Jeremy Hunt in the race to become Britain's next prime minister. According to a YouGov poll published in the Times newspaper, Johnson is backed by 74 percent of Conservative Party members with Hunt languishing on ...

A male junior high school student in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, was fatally stabbed and his suspected assailant, a 14-year-old student, has been arrested, police said Saturday. The suspect was held on suspicion of attempted murder after the victim, identified as 13-year-old Kotaro Hongo, was found ...

Big data is still pretty bad at figuring out your secrets. That's a relief, and a disappointment.

The art of dressing up as characters from anime, manga, video games or TV shows has evolved into a global phenomenon.

The first of a four-part series that focuses on traditional ways to mitigate the heat of a Japanese summer.

Kaiseki, the multicourse meal that is the height of refinement in Japanese cuisine is the modus operandi of Hitoshi Miyazawa, head chef for Ishizuka in Melbourne, Australia.

Japan's capital abounds with top-notch gelato spots to satisfy any sweet tooth. Just in time for summer, here's The Japan Times' guide on where to find the best scoops in the city.

When it first opened more than eight years ago, Ginzasa flew in the face of prevailing ramen orthodoxy.But, it's the noodles that really set Ginzasa apart. Or rather, the clear broth they bathe in.

Set back far enough from the sidewalk that most people give it barely a second look, this welcoming little izakaya tavern has the warm feel of a local watering hole, but it's near enough to the lights of Shibuya to reward a few minutes' ...

Investment in the local Kanazawa Prefecture market and a focus on the quality of the beer are the keys to success for Shonan Beer.

Green tea, lemon and Makoto Shinkai's film "Weathering With You"-themed fruit-flavored soda drinks all hit convenience stores shelves this month.

Time travel, yakuza, street photography and more feature in the best upcoming J-Lit releases for this summer (and beyond).

"The Last Train" is a fast-paced police procedural with well-crafted prose, but suffers from a series of minor research errors.

Set in 1970s Osaka, "Inhabitation" is a surrealist, symbolic novel about one man's attempt to run from his past and build his own future.

The score was enough for Urawa Reds to earn three points on Saturday, but the road there was hardly scenic. Urawa labored to a 1-0 win over Vegalta Sendai on Saturday, despite spending roughly 40 minutes with a man advantage. Although expected heavy rain for kickoff ...

Right-hander Keisuke Honda threw 7-1/3 solid innings Saturday as the Seibu Lions hammered the Chiba Lotte Marines 5-0 in the Pacific League. Honda (4-3) gave up seven hits and hit a batter, while striking out one at Zozo Marine Stadium. The fourth-year hurler did not ...

Rui Hachimura was raring to hit the court Friday on the eve of his debut with the Washington Wizards at NBA Summer League. The 203-cm forward joined teammates for a final practice session before they open their Summer League campaign in Las Vegas against the ...

Four-time defending Olympic wrestling champion Kaori Icho's bid for a fifth title took a severe hit on Saturday, when the 35-year-old failed to qualify for September's World Wrestling Championships. Icho lost her 57-kg qualification playoff against Rio de Janeiro Olympic 63-kg champ Risako Kawai, who ...