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August 19, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
August 19, 2025
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U.S. President Donald Trump greets Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, amid negotiations to end Russia's war in Ukraine, in Washington on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Trump pushes Putin-Zelenskyy meeting after talks with both
The move suggested that the leaders of Ukraine and top European nations had succeeded in convincing Trump to maintain their approach to possible talks with the Russian president.

More coverage

Zelenskyy and his allies turn on charm to keep Trump’s favor
Ishiba says Japan considering role in security guarantees for Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump greets Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, amid negotiations to end Russia's war in Ukraine, in Washington on Monday.
The Bank of Japan maintains a wait-and-see approach as calls grow for it to raise rates.
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Bank of Japan encouraged to increase rates soon, before it’s too late
By Kazuaki Nagata
Business and political leaders argue that inflation is too high and must be brought under control soon.
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and U.S. President Donald Trump. Son has promised to invest $100 billion in the United States.
BUSINESS / Companies
SoftBank buying about 2% of Intel for $2 billion
By Francis Tang
CEO Masayoshi Son earlier pledged to invest a total of $100 billion in the United States.
Tokyo stocks moved higher on Tuesday morning in uninspired trading.
BUSINESS / Markets
Tokyo stocks hit a fourth all-time high in six trading days
By Francis Tang
Nikkei 225 ekes out another record and then falls back to end the day down.
Workations were a burgeoning trend in the corporate world for years before the COVID-19 pandemic turbocharged it.
JAPAN / Society
Tokyo crowned No.1 'workation' spot
By Elizabeth Beattie
Japan’s capital topped the rankings for its “exceptional broadband speeds, transport infrastructure, safety, culture, and new digital nomad visa.”
Workations were a burgeoning trend in the corporate world for years before the COVID-19 pandemic turbocharged it.

JAPAN

Hideko Hakamata, sister of Iwao Hakamata, after his retrial reached a not-guilty verdict in September 2024 in the city of Shizuoka.
Hakamata, acquitted after 47-year jail term, to seek ¥600 million in damages
Lawyers for Iwao Hakamata said the damages claim covers lost income during his time in custody and care expenses after his release.
A third-party probe into the Fuji TV scandal had reported about a dinner hosted by an executive attended by “a powerful male cast member,” since revealed to be singer and actor Masaharu Fukuyama.
Masaharu Fukuyama admits to attending Fuji TV dinner
By Yukana Inoue
The singer-actor said he was the “powerful male cast member” referenced by a third-party panel investigating the broadcaster, but denied involvement in any harassment.
U.N. official Nakamitsu urges Japan to attend disarmament summit
Two firefighters killed in Osaka fire may have been trapped
Rice prices climbed in early August as stockpile release slowed, data shows
Two GSDF sergeants die during training exercise in Oita Prefecture

BUSINESS

Mark Hancock, national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, joins a picket line with striking Air Canada flight attendants at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, on Monday.
Air Canada strike talks resume as flight attendants defy back-to-work order
By Ben Simon
Canada's national carrier, which flies directly to 180 cities domestically and abroad, said the strike had forced cancellations impacting 500,000 people.
The operator of Don Quijote stores has set ¥400 billion ($2.7 billion) in tax-free sales as its 2035 goal.
Don Quijote operator plans 250 new stores in tourism bet
Pan Pacific International Holdings aims to drive tax-free visitor sales and expand in locations of key tourist travel routes.
U.S. spy chief Gabbard says U.K. will drop data 'backdoor' order for Apple
By Kanishka Singh
South Africa artisanal miners want stake in critical minerals boom
By Kim Harrisberg
Brazil pushes back against U.S. probe on its trade practices
By Martha Beck
Foxconn to operate SoftBank’s Stargate AI server site in Ohio
By Debby Wu

WORLD

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a signing ceremony at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, in 2018.
Modi hails ‘friend’ Putin and boosts China ties in tilt from U.S.
By Sudhi Ranjan Sen
The move is another sign the South Asian nation is tilting away from the U.S. in the face of Donald Trump’s tariff threats.
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) and Finnish President Alexander Stubb (right) look on as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with European leaders in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Monday.
Zelenskyy and his allies turn on charm to keep Trump’s favor
By Natalia Drozdiak and Josh Wingrove
Anxious to avoid another disastrous meeting, the Ukrainian leader repeatedly thanked Trump and wore a black jacket and buttoned-up black dress shirt. He also brought backup.
Survivors claw through rubble after deadly Pakistan cloudburst
By Zain Zaman Janjua
New Zealand posts slowest population growth in three years
By Tracy Withers
U.S. charity says halt in visitor visas for Gazans will harm wounded kids
By Kanishka Singh
Well-mannered White House welcome for Ukraine leaves many questions

Sports

Two boys pose with Pocari Sweat and Aquarius sports drinks in a park near Tokyo.
The great sports drink debate: What’s best for athletes?
By Mai Yoshikawa
When it comes to the classic debate of Pocari versus Aquari, fans on both sides have strong opinions about which sports drink reigns supreme.
Global soccer players' union urges India to revive top league
Shane Bieber to make Blue Jays debut on Friday in Miami
Javelin star Kitaguchi finds new home in small Czech town
By Jan FLEMR
Thompson out of sprint showdown with Lyles in Lausanne
By Trevor Stynes

Opinion

Russian and Chinese naval officers take part in a ceremony marking the start of joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan, following the arrival of Chinese military vessels in Vladivostok, Russia, on July 31.
Trump’s transactional policies threaten global stability
Anand Kumar
In Trump’s second term, economic protectionism now overrides strategic consistency, and trade wars are being used as tools of geopolitical leverage.
All is not quiet on the Western front
By Yuichi Hosoya
Demystifying the manufacturing success of China
By Zhang Jun
Ten ways to force Putin back to the bargaining table
By James Stavridis
The AI building boom is bound to bust
By Thomas Black

ENVIRONMENT

Villagers pan for gold in Bombana district of Indonesia's Southeast Sulawesi province in 2009.
Indonesia grapples with small-scale illegal gold mining
Local authorities face the challenge of encouraging villagers to keep to less-destructive ways of making money, such as sustainable agriculture.
Tough U.S. stance casts gloom over plastics pollution deal after Geneva flop
By Olivia Le Poidevin and Emma Farge
A startup is tapping underground parking garages for clean energy
Tough U.S. stance casts gloom over plastics pollution deal after Geneva flop
By Olivia Le Poidevin and Emma Farge
'Bad actors' blamed as plastic pollution treaty talks end again without deal
By Robin Millard

CULTURE

The inverted cone, one of Atsushi Kitagawara’s six signature elements in architecture, is a key feature of the Nakamura Keith Haring Collection museum building.
Atsushi Kitagawara’s exhibition finds poetry in architecture
By Gendel Gento
Award-winning architect Kitagawara's work is displayed at the Nakamura Keith Haring Collection museum he designed, making it both a venue and a centerpiece of the exhibition.
'Kokuho' rakes in over ¥10 billion at the box office
Sho Miyake's 'Tabi to Hibi' wins top prize at Locarno Film Festival
Osaka Asian Film Festival gets an expo boost
By Matt Schley
Samansa bets on commuter cinema
By Ryne Hisada

LIFE

Beniya Mukayu, a traditional "ryokan" inn located in Ishikawa Prefecture, considers itself at "the heart of onsen towns, local residents, farmers, fishermen, sake brewers and artisans" — all of which need new, sustainable methods of serving visitors to survive into the future.
In preserving Japanese hospitality, ‘details are everything’
By Melinda Joe
As part of a new UNESCO initiative, the elite Relais & Chateau hospitality group will empower its Japan-based members to preserve the country’s “omotenashi” culture.
From a piquant paste to a crisp crust, sesame shines in many forms
By Simon Daly
Reading the Japanese clock: Are times a-changin'?
By Peter Backhaus
In a coffee-mad neighborhood, a gin distillery is a clear alternative
By Melinda Joe
A walk through Kokura, the city spared nuclear destruction
By Edward J. Taylor

COMMUNITY

Kinga Skiers (left) co-founded the Tokyo chapter of Food Not Bombs in 2023. The organization aims to provide the capital’s homeless population with food and other essentials.
Solidarity with Tokyo’s homeless residents, one day at a time
By Shyam Bhardwa
Since 2023, the Tokyo chapter of Food Not Bombs has been supplying vegetarian meals and everyday goods to homeless people across the city.
Kindred spirits, kindergarten connections: From Buenos Aires to east Tokyo
By Francisco J. Villarreal
A campaign to preserve Hiroshima’s historic trees for another 1,000 years
By Patrick Parr
Briton brings artistic view to Japanese buildings
By Louise George Kittaka
The international artists supporting Japan’s craft legacy
By Laura Pollacco

Editors' Picks

BASEBALL
Candidates preparing to make final pitches for Sawamura Award
By Jason Coskrey
Hawks pitcher Livan Moinelo has a 1.13 ERA in 19 starts this season.
JAPAN
Winning warship bid gives Japan confidence boost as Tokyo eyes more exports
By Gabriel Dominguez
Australia’s decision to select Japan's upgraded Mogami-class warship, seen in this computer-generated image, has been “well received across Japanese industry," a Defense Ministry official said.
LIFE
In Paris, chefs Chizuko Kimura and Kei Kobayashi make their mark
By Kyoko Nakayama
Chef Kei Kobayashi is France's only Japanese chef with three Michelin stars.
LIFE
In preserving Japanese hospitality, ‘details are everything’
By Melinda Joe
Beniya Mukayu, a traditional "ryokan" inn located in Ishikawa Prefecture, considers itself at "the heart of onsen towns, local residents, farmers, fishermen, sake brewers and artisans" — all of which need new, sustainable methods of serving visitors to survive into the future.
LIFE
A seaside hotel built on competitive Japanese cycling
By Jessica Kozuka
In a region more associated with art, Keirin Hotel 10 takes a decidedly more athletic approach to attracting tourists.

Podcast

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

Longform

Members of the nonprofit group Japan Youth Memorial Association search for the remains of dead soldiers in a cave in Okinawa Prefecture in February.
The long search for Japan’s lost soldiers
By Tomoko Otake

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

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
Winning warship bid gives Japan confidence boost as Tokyo eyes more exports
By Gabriel Dominguez
Australia’s decision to select Japan's upgraded Mogami-class warship, seen in this computer-generated image, has been “well received across Japanese industry," a Defense Ministry official said.
JAPAN
Two Japanese nationals shot dead in Manila
Commuters cross the street through traffic in Manila.
JAPAN
Osaka fire kills two firefighters and leaves four injured
Firefighters work at the scene of a fire in the Dotonbori district in the city of Osaka on Monday.
WORLD
Trump’s peace-deal demands leave Ukraine's Zelenskyy with only bad options
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a joint news conference with the European Commission president in Brussels on Sunday.
JAPAN
Japan watches nervously as Trump ramps up pressure on Zelenskyy
By Jesse Johnson
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba takes part in an online meeting focused on Ukraine, with leaders from the "coalition of the willing," a group of nations that have pledged support for Kyiv against Russian aggression, late Sunday.