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August 24, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
August 24, 2025
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Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda (second from left) walks with Fed Chair Jerome Powell (left), European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde (second from right) and Bank of England Gov. Andrew Bailey outside the Fed’s Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium on Friday.
BUSINESS / Economy
BOJ's Ueda expects tight labor market to keep upward pressure on wages
By Toru Fujioka and Amara Omeokwe
The remarks are likely to support growing speculation of another interest rate hike this year, although the BOJ governor didn’t directly discuss monetary policy in a presentation.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda (second from left) walks with Fed Chair Jerome Powell (left), European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde (second from right) and Bank of England Gov. Andrew Bailey outside the Fed’s Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium on Friday.
Hikers on a trail in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture. As extreme heat continues to grip Japan, a tectonic shift may be underway in the nation’s summer tourism scene as more people gravitate toward cooler destinations.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change / OUR PLANET
Are 'coolcations' the answer for Japan's heat-weary tourists?
By Tomoko Otake
Those in the travel industry are working to advertise cooler destinations, amid the prospect that the heat may prompt people to give up on traveling in the summer altogether.
A survey by Teikoku Databank found that the share of women in managerial positions at Japanese companies rose 0.2 percentage point from the previous year to 11.1% on average, growing for the 11th straight year.
BUSINESS / Companies
Share of female managers in Japan still short of government target
The survey found that the share of such women rose 0.2 percentage point from the previous year to 11.1% on average, growing for the 11th straight year.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba shake hands at joint press announcement after summit talks in Tokyo on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
At meeting rich in symbolism, Ishiba and South Korea's Lee agree to steadily build ties
By Jesse Johnson and Gabriele Ninivaggi
In the two countries' first joint document in 17 years, the leaders agreed to work together "to advance future-oriented and mutually beneficial common interests."
Shinji Mizutani opened Tanikoretani in August 2024, after converting a dilapidated shophouse in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa into a retro-look "izakaya" tavern.
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Behind Tanikoretani’s quiet facade, a lively world of sake-fueled food
By Robbie Swinnerton
A chance encounter with a two-story rental space led Shinji Mizutani to set up a vibrant tavern in Tokyo’s Kiyosumi-Shirakawa neighborhood.
Shinji Mizutani opened Tanikoretani in August 2024, after converting a dilapidated shophouse in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa into a retro-look "izakaya" tavern.

JAPAN

Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko strolled through a cabbage field in Ohinata settlement in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, on Saturday.
Emperor emeritus and empress emerita visit postwar settlement
The former Emperor and former Empress have frequently visited the settlement, developed by people who returned to Japan from Manchuria in northeastern China after World War II.
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani (right) and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (second from right) inspect the Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Kaga and receive an explanation about the SH-60K patrol helicopter in the hangar at the MSDF's Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture on Saturday.
Ishiba inspects MSDF de facto aircraft carrier and British vessel
The Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter carrier Kaga is undergoing refitting and training to make it a de facto aircraft carrier.
Man arrested in Kobe stabbing had been staying at hotel near victim’s home
Man arrested over deadly stabbing of woman in Kobe
Japan to launch new ISS resupply vehicle in October
Japan corrects number of potential megaquake evacuees

BUSINESS

Statues of bulls in Pudong's Lujiazui Financial District in Shanghai on Aug. 18
Bubble risks grow as China’s stock bull run defies economy angst
A deflationary spiral that’s eroded corporate pricing power in the world’s second-largest economy is one of the biggest reasons to doubt the sustainability of the current rally.
Tatsuaki Igarashi, mayor of Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, exits a ride-sharing vehicle at Tsukuba Station in January.
Japan to boost support for joint ride-hailing services
There is currently just one joint ride-hailing service in the country, despite 2,057 areas nationwide where transportation options are limited or unavailable.
Carney’s tariff shift helps business and creates a political headache
U.S. takes nearly 10% Intel stake, clinching unorthodox deal
U.S. Fed chair opens door to rate cut as Trump steps up pressure
EU pushes for reduced U.S. auto tariffs to apply retroactively from Aug. 1
By Andrea Shalal and David Lawder

WORLD

U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance meet Democratic Republic of the Congo Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner (far right) and Rwanda Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe (far left) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on June 27.
Trump’s count of wars he’s ‘settled’ remains a matter of dispute
By Eric Martin
Looking to bolster his legacy as a global peacemaker, Donald Trump has boasted often in recent days that he’s ended at least six wars.
A billboard displays an ad for the German armed forces in Berlin on Wednesday. The advertising slogan reads: "Standing up for our democracy. Every morning."
Germany is one step closer to reviving military conscription
A law headed for Cabinet approval on Wednesday seeks to boost Bundeswehr recruitment to help deter Russia and defend European allies.
Pentagon reportedly working on plans for military deployment in Chicago
North Korea test-fires two new air-defense missiles
Trump hails new Texas electoral map aimed at keeping grip on Congress
Taiwan voters reject lawmaker recalls, clouding defense budget

Sports

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce speaks during a news conference in Brussels on Thursday.
Fraser-Pryce aiming to end career in 'magnificent way' at Tokyo worlds
By Luke Phillips
While Fraser-Pryce has struggled this season to hit the speeds she once did, she is in a bullish mood about the Sept. 13-21 worlds.
'It's in my DNA': Venus Williams relishes U.S. Open return at 45
By Rob Woollard
Manchester City's troubles reappear as solid Spurs win again
By Kieran CANNING
Argentina stuns All Blacks with historic 29-23 upset win
Saudi Arabia and Olympic Council weigh moving Asian Winter Games
By Christine Burke and Zainab Fattah

Opinion

U.S. President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin as they meet in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15.
Peace in Ukraine is within reach — if the world holds firm
Peace prospects swing with Trump’s erratic diplomacy. Allies, including Japan, need to stress unity and rule of law as they prepare to fill gaps and stabilize support for Ukraine.
Was Trump’s Russia-Ukraine summit doomed from the beginning?
By Kuni Miyake
Ads ruined social media. Now they’re coming to AI.
By Parmy Olson
Why Jimmy Lai’s persecution should worry Japan
By Mark L. Clifford
Urban mining eases the critical minerals crunch 
By Brad Glosserman

ENVIRONMENT

Tourists from abroad get water mist sprayed on them to cool down on the street at Tsukiji Outer Market, a popular sightseeing spot, as the Japanese government issued a heatstroke alert in Tokyo and other prefectures due to a heat wave on Friday.
World’s climate change crisis has tourists seeking ‘coolcations’
By K. Oanh Ha
Record heat waves are transforming the world’s tourism industry as holidaymakers struggle to deal with the havoc wrought by climate change.
Is historically arid Beijing ready for a wetter future?
By Laurie Chen
As temperatures soar in London, regulations, not costs, put cooling beyond reach
By Olivia Rudgard
Tourism deal puts one of Egypt's last wild shores at risk
By Lobna Monieb
Mozambique's illegal miners reap risky rewards but land suffers
By Samuel Come

CULTURE

In what is billed as the first major production in English of Hisashi Inoue's "The Face of Jizo,” the Japanese play will have performances at the Seymour Centre in Sydney both in English and in Japanese.
'The Face of Jizo': Hisashi Inoue's play staged in Sydney commemorates WWII victims
By Kris Kosaka
Billed as the first major English-language production of the play, "The Face of Jizo" also increases the variety of roles for Japanese actors in Australia.
Healing Oshima Island's history of disease with a touch of art
By Uliana Dobrova
‘Happy Life’ brings dignity to family’s struggle with grief and poverty
By James Hadfield
‘Seaside Serendipity’: A pastel-soaked reverie on youthful creativity
By Mark Schilling
‘Fires on the Plain’: Haunting imagery in restored 1959 war film stands the test of time
By Mark Schilling

LIFE

A pop-up advertisement for the newly opened Chiikawa Park in Tokyo's Ikebukuro neighborhood demonstrates how the country is chockful of cute characters — to the detriment of trends like Labubu.
Character-crazed Japan has little appetite for Labubu
By Yuko Tamura
The monster dolls may be driving fans wild elsewhere, but Japan has long had plenty of its own domestically produced characters that know exactly what consumers want.
Expressing annoyance with work group chats in Japanese
By Yaeko Kabe
From a piquant paste to a crisp crust, sesame shines in many forms
By Simon Daly
In preserving Japanese hospitality, ‘details are everything’
By Melinda Joe
A seaside hotel built on competitive Japanese cycling
By Jessica Kozuka

COMMUNITY

Seri Yanai and Daniel Wishes founded the shadow puppetry company Mochinosha in 2012 when they were students at the London School of Puppetry.
Seri Yanai: ‘We mix modern and analog to create something new’
By Ayako Nakano
The co-founder of Mochinosha, a shadow puppetry company based in Saitama Prefecture, talks about her journey to the stage and her artistic inspirations.
Carl J. Green, mentor to a generation of ‘Japan hands,’ dies at 85
By Matthew Goodman
Handsome cat looking for brighter days ahead
Solidarity with Tokyo’s homeless residents, one day at a time
By Shyam Bhardwa
Kindred spirits, kindergarten connections: From Buenos Aires to east Tokyo
By Francisco J. Villarreal

Editors' Picks

LIFE
Germany's first sakemaker offers a bold brew of ideas
By Weiwen Lin
Reigen, Germany's first sake brewery, makes a diverse, nontraditional range of sake that includes fruit-flavored sips and wine barrel-aged renditions.
CULTURE
Alicia Keys closed Summer Sonic, but J-pop owned it
By Patrick St. Michel
Summer Sonic’s 2025 lineup demonstrated its strength, showcasing the latest in J-pop, including “new kawaii” act Fruits Zipper.
JAPAN
Is the LDP’s catch-all approach to politics still effective?
By Eric Johnston
Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi visits Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Aug. 15. Political commentator Toru Hashimoto has suggested that Takaichi ought to lead a group of like-minded hawkish politicians out of the Liberal Democratic Party and form their own party.
LIFE
Fingers sore from too much phone time? You might have ‘sumaho yubi.’
By Mai Yoshikawa
A catch-all term for tendonitis and arthritis caused by excessive smartphone use, 'sumaho yubi' may be difficult to treat for gadget-crazy Japan.
JAPAN
As farm minister, Koizumi is held ‘hostage’ by Ishiba
By Himari Semans
Farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi (center) attends a Lower House session on Aug. 1. Locking Koizumi into the Cabinet is Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s way of turning a potential rival into a team player, according to one expert.

Podcast

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

Longform

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.
From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past
By Alex K.T. Martin

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after
Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after

COMFACTS

Tsunan Sake Brewery Launches Limited-Edition “Yukigesho Castella” Featuring Sake Lees at “Tsunan Sake Brewery Sunflower Festival 2025”
Tsunan Sake Brewery Launches Limited-Edition “Yukigesho Castella” Featuring Sake Lees at “Tsunan Sake Brewery Sunflower Festival 2025”
TSUNAN SAKE BREWERY

WHAT’S TRENDING

JAPAN
Japan to revise romanization rules for first time in 70 years
The Agency for Cultural Affairs is recommending replacing the government’s long-standing Kunrei system with more widely used Hepburn-style spellings.
ASIA PACIFIC
Women-only communities flourish in China
By Ludovic Ehret
Chen Yani (right), nicknamed "Keke," eats lunch with friends and guests in a female co-living space she founded called "Keke's Imaginative Space" in Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province, on July 14.
JAPAN
JR East cancels luxury train run over crew's boozing
East Japan Railway said Thursday that it will cancel one trip of a luxury overnight sleeper service, which was originally scheduled to depart from Ueno Station in Tokyo on Aug. 30, after crew members were found to have been drinking alcohol on duty.
JAPAN
Man arrested over deadly stabbing of woman in Kobe
Masashi Tanimoto, 35, the suspect in the deadly stabbing a 24-year-old woman, is taken into custody in Kobe on Friday night.
JAPAN
Japanese city proposes two-hour daily limit for smartphone use
The Toyoake Municipal Government in Aichi Prefecture is planning to enact an ordinance to urge all smartphone users in the city to limit screen time to two hours a day outside work or school.