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July 08, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
July 08, 2025
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a trade letter sent by the White House to Japan during a news conference at the White House in Washington on Monday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Trump announces new tariff rate on Japan — and extension of deadline to Aug. 1
By Francis Tang
The United States will raise its “reciprocal tariff” on Japan to 25% effective Aug. 1, President Donald Trump said in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a trade letter sent by the White House to Japan during a news conference at the White House in Washington on Monday.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a campaign speech next to a Liberal Democratic Party candidate for the Upper House (top center left) in Yokohama on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Foreign nationals' presence in Japan emerges as key issue in Upper House poll
By Eric Johnston
In their campaign promises, parties are offering different solutions to problems caused by the record number here to visit, work and invest in real estate.
Japanese households are struggling to keep up with price increases as salary growth lags.
BUSINESS / Economy
Real wages fall for fifth straight month in May
By Kazuaki Nagata
The 2.9% decline was the biggest fall in inflation-adjusted pay in Japan in almost two years.
A Lawson convenience store in Yachiyo, Chiba Prefecture. A new service from the company comes amid the rise in inbound tourists, making hotels and inns harder to book and more expensive.
JAPAN
Lawson to let visitors use larger parking lots as paid car campsites
By Yukana Inoue
The convenience store operator hopes to capitalize on demand from out-of-town visitors in places where overnight accommodations are limited.
Masaru Sato says the ossuary at Matsuoka Hoyoen must be preserved even after residents are gone from the sanatorium.
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Former Hansen’s disease patients shed light on history of discrimination
Although the prejudice against Hansen's disease patients brought on by past segregation policy persist, the memories of their hardships are now fading.
Masaru Sato says the ossuary at Matsuoka Hoyoen must be preserved even after residents are gone from the sanatorium.

JAPAN

The Maritime Self-Defense Force's Abukuma-class destroyer Chikuma (front) and the Australian Navy's Hobart-class guided-missile destroyer Brisbane sail in formation during a military exercise in the Pacific Ocean in November 2023.
Japan eyes used warship transfer to Philippines in bid to counter China
By Gabriel Dominguez
Sending the Abukuma-class vessels to Manila would mark Tokyo’s first export of an entire major naval platform in decades.
Utility poles in urban areas such as Tokyo have a high risk of collapsing in the event of a disaster.
Japan eyes new target for replacing utility poles with underground power cables
The main goal is to remove utility poles along urban-area emergency transport routes that have a high risk of collapsing in the event of a disaster.
Philanthropist Yoshiomi Tamai dies at 90
By Jessica Speed
Customer allegedly stabs girls bar manager and employee to death in Shizuoka
Use of diaper subscription expands at Hiroshima public day care centers
Two U.S. servicemen arrested in Okinawa over assaults

BUSINESS

Lei Jun introduces the Xiaomi YU7 sport utility vehicle during a launch event in Beijing on June 26.
Xiaomi founder’s bold EV bet is paying off where Apple’s failed
By Linda Lew
The tech firm's success in the EV space has burnished founder Lei Jun’s reputation, making it one of the most valuable companies in China.
Nissan plans to sell convertible bonds and use the proceeds to invest in new products and technologies such as electrification and software-defined vehicles.
Nissan to sell ¥150 billion of convertible bonds to fund turnaround
By Peter Vercoe and Momoka Yokoyama
Proceeds of the sale will be used to invest in new products and technologies such as electrification and software-defined vehicles.
Sanctions? No big deal, say middle-class Russian couple
By Victoria LOGUINOVA-YAKOVLEVA
Visa's 24/7 war room takes on global cybercriminals
By Alex PIGMAN
U.S. tariffs to kick in Aug. 1, barring trade deals
Butter’s global price surge hits croissants and kitchens alike
By Celia Bergin and Ben Westcott

WORLD

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during the BRICS summit, at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.
BRICS leaders condemn Gaza and Iran attacks, urging global reforms
With forums such as the G7 and G20 hamstrung by divisions and Trump's "America First" approach, the grouping has opened new space for diplomatic coordination.
Members from Texas Game Wardens of the Law Enforcement Divison works following flash flooding, in Kerrville, Texas, on Sunday.
Searchers scour Texas flood zone for dozens missing as 78 confirmed dead
By Sergio Flores and Evan Garcia
Search teams plodded through mud-laden riverbanks and flew aircraft over the flood-stricken landscape of central Texas for a fourth day on Monday, looking for dozens of people still missing from a disaster that has claimed at least 78 lives.
Contrary to political rhetoric, Ukrainian refugees boosting Poland's economy
By Bernard OSSER
Israel says it struck Houthi sites across Yemen
By Yomna Ehab and Mohamad Ghobari
South Korea investigators seek to arrest former president Yoon again
West Bank town becomes 'big prison' as Israel fences it in
By Alexander Cornwell and Ali Sawafta

Sports

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe scores his team's third goal during its win over Borussia Dortmund at the Club World Cup on Saturday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Mbappe on target as Real Madrid downs Dortmund to reach Club World Cup semis
By Andy Scott
Mbappe, who did not play during the group stage due to illness, will hope to be at full fitness when Real takes on Paris Saint-Germain, his old club.
Youthful Chelsea ready for Thiago Silva reunion at Club World Cup
By Andy Scott
Mexico beats United States 2-1 to win 10th Gold Cup title
Alcaraz finds magic touch at Wimbledon as Sabalenka heads to quarterfinals
By John WEAVER
Norris revels in emotional first home win
By Alan Baldwin

Opinion

Despite perceptions of Russian weakness after Israel’s attack on Iran, that conflict has helped Vladimir Putin by diverting U.S. resources, eroding support for Ukraine and possibly setting the stage for the war to shift in his favor.
The U.S. bombing of Iran was a win for Putin
Marc Champion
The possibility of another war in the Middle East has sucked attention, energy and resources away from Ukraine.
Unchecked and unbalanced: The future of U.S. economic policymaking
By Paul Nadeau
RFK Jr. is playing with babies’ lives
By Mihir Sharma
Central Asia changes its playbook
By Djoomart Otorbaev and Brian Wong
China’s housing crisis is worse than it seems
By Yi Fuxian

ENVIRONMENT

A street in Suttsu, Hokkaido, with a sign put up by an anti-nuclear organization. The small community is considering hosting a facility that would hold nuclear waste.
Ainu land rights in crosshairs as Hokkaido communities debate nuclear waste
By Chermaine Lee
Some scholars and activists are raising concerns that Indigenous voices are not being heard amid the debate over whether to host nuclear waste storage facilities.
China leading BRICS clean-energy boom with shift into solar, report shows
Europe’s climate resolve faces big test as EU unveils 2040 goal
By John Ainger and Ewa Krukowska
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
By Anton L. Delgado
Europe bakes in summer's first heatwave as continent warms

CULTURE

The exhibition of Fujimoto’s architecture surveys his career to date, as well as looks ahead as shown in his proposal of a future floating city designed in collaboration with data scientist Hiroaki Miyata.
The future is bright inside the visionary mind of architect Sou Fujimoto
By Zoria Petkoska
From a model of the Grand Ring you can walk through to a futuristic city design, the architect’s exhibition at Mori Art Museum is an invitation to engage with architecture.
Queer-coded yakuza story wins prestigious U.K. crime writing award
By Thu-Huong Ha
‘Try first, figure it out later’: Kom_I and Foodman’s beautiful mess
By Patrick St. Michel
‘Virgin Punk: Clockwork Girl’: Beautiful, brutal and bringing back ’90s anime energy
By Matt Schley
‘I Am Kirishima’ peels back the mystery of a fugitive radical
By Mark Schilling

LIFE

Once a way to transport lumber from the mountains to the coast, log rafting is now Kitayama's biggest attraction.
A tiny mountain hamlet keeps traditional log rafting afloat
By Louise George Kittaka
Log rafting was once a means of transporting timber, but now it’s the tourist draw of a tiny Wakayama village.
Shintaro Awa appointed to head the kitchen of L’Ambroisie in Paris
By Kyoko Nakayama
What’s the first thing you think of when you think of a Japanese summer?
By Yuko Tamura
Beyond the lavender fields in Furano, a whisky distillery emerges
By Simon Daly
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
By Tan Pin Yen

COMMUNITY

Dog ownership may seem daunting in Japan, but with the right tools and logistical knowledge, you can ensure a healthy, happy life for your pet.
A furever friend: Tips for responsible dog ownership in Japan
By Kat Joplin
Owning a dog in Japan may seem daunting, but having these tools and tips in mind can ease your journey and bring you lots of joy.
Japanese language is your gateway to seeing the world anew
By Damian Flanagan
Miho Koshiba: ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if people looked forward to Mondays?’
By Carina Fushimi
Fine feline twosome on the hunt for a forever home
A singular ensemble: Indian food, science and Fukushima
By Trishit Banerjee

Editors' Picks

CULTURE
The future is bright inside the visionary mind of architect Sou Fujimoto
By Zoria Petkoska
The exhibition of Fujimoto’s architecture surveys his career to date, as well as looks ahead as shown in his proposal of a future floating city designed in collaboration with data scientist Hiroaki Miyata.
LIFE
A tiny mountain hamlet keeps traditional log rafting afloat
By Louise George Kittaka
Once a way to transport lumber from the mountains to the coast, log rafting is now Kitayama's biggest attraction.
COMMUNITY
A furever friend: Tips for responsible dog ownership in Japan
By Kat Joplin
Dog ownership may seem daunting in Japan, but with the right tools and logistical knowledge, you can ensure a healthy, happy life for your pet.
ENVIRONMENT
Ainu land rights in crosshairs as Hokkaido communities debate nuclear waste
By Chermaine Lee
A street in Suttsu, Hokkaido, with a sign put up by an anti-nuclear organization. The small community is considering hosting a facility that would hold nuclear waste.
CULTURE
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
By Thu-Huong Ha
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."

Podcast

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

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

JT Directory Service

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Ishii Iron Works remakes self for workers, new energy
Ishii Iron Works remakes self for workers, new energy

WHAT’S TRENDING

JAPAN
Heatstroke alert issued for 19 prefectures as Japan enters 'once-in-a-decade' heat wave
By Tomoko Otake
Japan will experience a heat wave through mid-July on a “level only seen once in a decade,” the Meteorological Agency said on June 30.
JAPAN
Japan braces for more quakes as authorities dismiss doomsday hype
Evacuees from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecuture, arrive at Kagoshima Port on Friday.
JAPAN
Foreign nationals' presence in Japan emerges as key issue in Upper House poll
By Eric Johnston
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a campaign speech next to a Liberal Democratic Party candidate for the Upper House (top center left) in Yokohama on Sunday.
JAPAN
Hidden AI prompts in academic papers spark concern about research integrity
By Tomoko Otake and Yukana Inoue
Waseda University is one of 14 institutions in eight countries found to have used hidden prompts in research papers.
COMMENTARY
China’s housing crisis is worse than it seems
By Yi Fuxian
Residential buildings under construction in Shanghai in July 2022. The Chinese government risks long-term decline by repeating Japan’s policy mistakes in handling its real estate and demographic crises.