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October 03, 2025
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October 03, 2025
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A Lower House plenary session in November 2024. The next leader of the Liberal Democratic Party will need to make tough political compromises given the party needs opposition support to pass bills.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Host of tough compromises on policy issues await next LDP president
By Eric Johnston and Gabriele Ninivaggi
Just how much the ruling party needs to compromise will depend on which opposition party it intends to work closer with for any given issue, and the level of that cooperation.

More coverage

LDP presidential election could be turning point for Komeito
No matter who wins the LDP presidential race, prospects for change are dismal
A Lower House plenary session in November 2024. The next leader of the Liberal Democratic Party will need to make tough political compromises given the party needs opposition support to pass bills.
An owl cafe in Tokyo
JAPAN / Society
Investigation finds poor infection controls at some animal cafes in Japan
By Yukana Inoue
Through microbial examinations, investigators found a type of pathogenic E. coli in four of the stores and a type of salmonella bacteria in two.
Costumed revelers stand next to police officers controlling crowds at the scramble crossing in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on Oct. 31, 2022.
JAPAN / Society
Tokyo's Shibuya calls on foreign visitors not to have a ‘disruptive Halloween’
By Yukana Inoue
The ward, a hot spot for Halloween revelers, is taking a step back from its “don’t come” messaging of the recent past.
August’s unemployment figures showed a slight tempering of Japan's job market, but the data still points to overall firmness amid an ongoing labor shortage.
BUSINESS / Economy
Japan’s jobless rate edges up to highest in over a year
By Erica Yokoyama
August’s figures showed a slight tempering of the job market, but the data still points to overall firmness amid an ongoing labor shortage.
Kabuki has been trying for years to attract a new generation of fans. One way to do this has been to adapt manga and anime franchises, such as “Naruto,” for the stage. 
CULTURE / Stage
The summer kabuki came roaring back
By Kris Kosaka
A hit film and shifting demographics are drawing new audiences to kabuki, sparking hopes for a revitalized future.
Kabuki has been trying for years to attract a new generation of fans. One way to do this has been to adapt manga and anime franchises, such as “Naruto,” for the stage. 

JAPAN

Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, speaks to reporters in Tokyo on July 20.
CDP doesn’t rule out cooperation with LDP
By Erica Yokoyama and Akemi Terukina
Noda’s comments come as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party prepares to elect a new leader, who will need opposition support in order to govern.
With six people having been in a car that rolled over in Nabari, Mie Prefecture, the minivehicle may have exceeded its seating capacity of five when it crashed, according to the police.
Minivehicle rolls over in Mie Prefecture, killing five aboard
With six people having been in the car, the minivehicle may have exceeded its seating capacity of five when it crashed, according to the police.
Woman sentenced to 17 years for killing ex-boyfriend
Japan enters its second-earliest flu season in 20 years
Ruling bloc and Nippon Ishin affirm foreigners' tuition-free ineligibility
Ex-lawmaker Kameoka pleads not guilty over cash distribution

BUSINESS

Asahi's troubles carry outsized weight given Super Dry’s dominant market share and the cutthroat competition among Japan’s major brewers.
Asahi blames ransomware for crippling Japanese beer plants
By Koh Yoshida
The maker of Japan’s most popular beer warned that the perpetrators may have made off with data, though it’s investigating the extent of the infiltration.
AI chip giant Nvidia announced last week that it would invest $100 billion to help OpenAI, the front-runner in generative AI, build data centers.
Boom or bubble: How long can the AI investment craze last?
By Benjamin Legendre
AI-related spending is soaring worldwide, expected to reach approximately $1.5 trillion by 2025, research has shown.
Sumitomo Life takes unusual step to avoid marking JGB losses
By Nao Sano and Taiga Uranaka
Japan and U.S. business leaders call for transparency in trade and investment
Japan Fair Trade Commission to warn JR Central and others over bid-rigging
Sumitomo Life takes unusual step to avoid marking JGB losses
By Nao Sano and Taiga Uranaka

WORLD

The aunt of Lady Jane Ytang, 17, who died during the magnitude 6.9 quake, mourns over her coffin at a wake for victims in Bogo, Cebu, Philippines, on Thursday.
'It was love' — Philippine family mourns daughter who died saving kin in quake
By Adrian Portugal
Lady Jane, 17, died saving her family, one of at least 72 people killed in the quake that struck off the island of Cebu.
A woman collects flour from the ground as Palestinians receive aid supplies from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the central Gaza Strip in August.
Aid after Gaza: What is the future of the humanitarian system?
By Emma Batha
"What's happening in Gaza sets an incredibly dangerous precedent for humanitarian crises globally," said Save the Children's global policy lead.
U.K. police may have accidentally shot dead victim in synagogue attack
Myanmar's reclusive general turns jet-setter in quest for election backing
By Shoon Naing
Indonesia free meals program under fire after thousands sickened
By Marchio Gorbiano
Hopes dim for parents after Indonesia school collapse
By Johan Purnomo and Prasto Wardoyo

Sports

Yotaro Sato and Tomoka Sato perform during the artistic swimming mixed duet competition at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka on July 16, 2023.
Artistic swimming welcoming more men into pool ahead of LA Olympics
By Mai Yoshikawa
Yotaro Sato used to hide the fact that he’s an artistic swimmer. Now, he’s part of a growing number of men taking up a sport that was long exclusive to women.
PGA CEO to apologize to Rory McIlroy and European team over Ryder Cup abuse
Niners hold off Rams to win overtime thriller
Caitlin Clark voices support of Napheesa Collier's criticism of WNBA leadership
Broncos coach Sean Payton set for duel with Eagles defensive mastermind Vic Fangio

Opinion

Afghan soldiers stand guard at the gate of Bagram Air Base, Parwan province, Afghanistan, on July 2, 2021, the day the last American troops vacated the facility.
Will Trump strike Afghanistan over Bagram Air Base?
Imran Khalid
For Afghans, the cost of another military conflict with the U.S. would be ruinous.
Why the most oil-rich country can’t keep the lights on
By David Fickling
What Western media call insurrection at home, they call revolution abroad
By Brahma Chellaney
The U.S. government shutdown fight has life-or-death consequences
By Lisa Jarvis
Too many scientific ‘discoveries’ get discredited
By F.D. Flam

ENVIRONMENT

Jane Goodall spun her love of wildlife into a lifelong campaign that took her from a seaside English village to Africa and then across the globe in a quest to better understand chimpanzees.
Wildlife advocate and primate expert Jane Goodall dies at 91
By Susan Heavey
The scientist and global activist was a pioneer in her field, both as a female scientist in the 1960s and for her work studying the behavior of primates.
Swiss glaciers hit by light snowfall and heat wave, scientists say
By Cecile Mantovani and Denis Balibouse
Beijing takes the lead with new climate plans amid Washington’s denial
By Valerie Volcovici and Yukun Zhang
In bid to upend global energy policy, Trump denies climate change in U.N. speech
By Brian Kahn
The unexpected upside of Canada's wildfires 
By Ed White

CULTURE

Ari Bayuaji's artwork of the benevolent Bali god Barong is on display in a glass case on the ground floor of Hollywood Beauty Plaza.
Artist Ari Bayuaji materializes monsters from ocean plastic
By Thu-Huong Ha
From his series “Weaving the Ocean,” the demon Rangda is on display at Go for Kogei 2025, while the more benevolent Barong sits in a glass case in Roppongi.
Revamped Busan film festival turns 30 with expanded cinematic showcase
By Philip Brasor
Pieces fall perfectly into place in the reflective ‘The Last Blossom’
By Matt Schley
‘Brand New Landscape’ captures family dysfunction in a shimmering city
By Mark Schilling
Nodoka Okisawa is carrying the baton for Seiji Ozawa in Matsumoto
By Chiho Iuchi

LIFE

Intrigued by Japanese wines, Burgundy winemaker Etienne de Montille decided to explore Hokkaido's wine scene, eventually setting up his outpost in Hakodate in 2017.
Japan’s first foreign wine investor plants its roots in Hokkaido
By Weiwen Lin
Burgundy’s Domaine de Montille has opened a winery in Hakodate — a vote of confidence in the region’s terroir.
Don’t poke the bear: Learn how to sort your garbage the right way
By Yuko Tamura
Tokyo's newest stationery store sells 'a slower, more human rhythm'
By Gendel Gento
Autumn eggplants offer a juicy start to the season
By Makiko Itoh
Tokyo retains Michelin crown with 160 starred restaurants for 2026
By Weiwen Lin

COMMUNITY

The Kyoto International Entrepreneur Community brings together local and global professionals from a range of industries, backgrounds and ages and collaborates with government-sponsored entities and nonprofit organizations.
Stirred, not shaken: Kyoto business platform blends local and global
By Samantha Seghers
Since its launch in 2018, the Kyoto International Entrepreneur Community has amassed a diverse membership and built solid relationships with local organizations.
Scaredy-cat Kashata is searching for a friend
Linda Joyce: ‘We hope people recognize the benefits of exploring rural areas’
By Louise George Kittaka
Tax-advantaged investments no lost cause for U.S. residents of Japan
By Gendel Gento
The journey of Peru’s Nikkei: Finding identity in Japan
By Christoph Sponsel

Editors' Picks

JAPAN
Tea ceremony experts see matcha boom as a big opportunity
By Jessica Speed
Atsuko Mori, founder and director of Kyoto-based tea salon Camellia Tea Ceremony, prepares matcha during a tea ceremony in Kyoto.
JAPAN
Japan's far-right party courts Trump allies and vows not to get 'wacky'
By John Geddie, Tim Kelly and Nathan Layne
Sanseito party leader Sohei Kamiya speaks during an interview in Tokyo on Sept. 25.
BASEBALL
How Ohtani has boosted Japan's soft power and made LA even more baseball-obsessed
By Laura Studarus
Fans at Dodger Stadium pose in front of a mural highlighting the Dodgers' Japanese stars from past and present during a game earlier this year.
ENVIRONMENT
Japan faces fresh energy challenge as it seeks to expand power-hungry data centers
By Eric Margolis
Data storage tapes at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center facility in Berkeley, California. Data centers consume massive amounts of electricity and water, and that will only rise as generative artificial intelligence takes off in earnest.
CULTURE
Architecture art exhibition highlights unsung industry artists
By Zoria Petkoska
Yuanhui Li's illustration is one of the awardees in the student category of the American Society of Architectural Illustrators' annual award for artists.

Podcast

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

Longform

Growing families are being priced out of Tokyo’s condo market, forced to choose between downtown convenience and suburban space.
Is living in central Tokyo still affordable?
By Alex K.T. Martin

JT Directory Service

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Maruhachi never sleeps in quest for better futons
Maruhachi never sleeps in quest for better futons
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WHAT’S TRENDING

ASIA PACIFIC
A secret no more: Russia and North Korea's battle against Ukraine is celebrated in Moscow exhibit
By Andrew Osborn
A woman visits an exhibition of North Korean art at a museum in Moscow on Monday.
BUSINESS
Prices to rise for 3,024 food products in Japan in October
A wide range of products will see higher prices due to rising material and labor costs.
JAPAN
Koizumi and Takaichi continue to lead in LDP presidential race, polls show
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (right) reacts as former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during the Liberal Democratic Party Presidential Election Candidate Debate at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, on Sept. 24. Koizumi and Takaichi remain head-to-head in the race, media polls show.
JAPAN
The party that ruled Japan for decades is in danger of crumbling
By Yoshiaki Nohara
Haruo Tsukamoto, a rank-and-file member of the Liberal Democratic Party and a rice farmer in Ibaraki Prefecture, questions if the party still stands for people like him.
JAPAN
8,432 foreign children in Japan seen not attending school
The total number of foreign children registered in Japan as residents eligible for education at elementary or junior high schools stood at 163,358, up by 12,663.