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October 21, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
October 21, 2025
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Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi (center) looks on ahead of an extraordinary session of the Lower House on Tuesday in Tokyo, where she was elected Japan's first female prime minister.
JAPAN / Politics
Sanae Takaichi makes history as Japan’s first female prime minister
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Takaichi avoided a runoff by rolling to victory in a first round of voting in the Lower House, garnering a majority 237 votes.

More coverage

Takaichi government will likely spend less than expected
Japan's fractured politics could ensnarl Takaichi's economic plans
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi (center) looks on ahead of an extraordinary session of the Lower House on Tuesday in Tokyo, where she was elected Japan's first female prime minister.
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi, who was elected prime minister on Tuesday, holds up a policy agreement with Japan Innovation Party leader Hirofumi Yoshimura after signing the deal at parliament in Tokyo a day earlier.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
On defense policy, Japan's new ruling bloc packs a lot of punch
By Jesse Johnson
The LDP and Japan Innovation Party aim to revise key security documents while eliminating curbs on exporting lethal defense gear and building up Japan’s defense industrial base.
A cyberattack on Askul, a seller of office supplies, is disrupting major Japanese retailers' e-commerce and logistics operations.
BUSINESS / Companies
Japan retailers halt online sales after cyberattack cripples supplier operations
By Kanoko Matsuyama and Yui Hasebe
The disruption, coming weeks after one suffered by brewer Asahi Group Holdings, will raise questions about the vulnerability of Japan’s e-commerce infrastructure.
Emergency vehicles arrive at the JR Otsuka Station in Tokyo Monday following a report that a woman had allegedly injured passengers with pepper spray inside a train on the Yamanote Line.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Woman arrested for pepper spray assault on Yamanote Line
The alleged assault injured two men and resulted in train delays of up to 15 minutes.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Trump, Australia's Albanese sign critical minerals agreement to counter China
The U.S. president also backed the AUKUS strategic nuclear-powered submarine deal with Australia to bolster security in the Indo-Pacific.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington on Monday.

JAPAN

A rally held on Oct. 21, 1995, to protest the sexual assault of a young girl by U.S. military personnel, in the city of Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa marks 30 years since major rally over U.S. Marines assaulting a girl
On Sept. 4, 1995, three U.S. Marines abducted and sexually assaulted an elementary school girl on Okinawa's main island, sparking a protest that drew 85,000 participants.
Retired yakuza Mako Nishimura sorts fallen leaves during a clean-up activity at the Gifu Gokoku shrine in Gifu Prefecture on Sept. 28.
Rare female yakuza walks path to redemption in Japan
By Tomohiro Osaki
Heavily inked Mako Nishimura, 58, spends her days helping other retired gangsters reintegrate into society.
Japan needs quasi-permanent seat on U.N. Security Council, says ex-official
Trump confirms plan to visit Japan after trip to Malaysia
Tokyo nonprofit promotes dyslexia awareness to build a more inclusive society
Japan approves emergency contraceptive pill for over-the-counter sales

BUSINESS

Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, during the Bitcoin Asia conference in Hong Kong, China, in August. Japanese policymakers are taking a more positive view of crypto as U.S. President Donald Trump’s embrace of the assets bolsters the industry.
Japan's FSA may allow banks to invest in crypto assets if risks are managed
By Takashi Nakamichi
The Financial Services Agency is also considering allowing banking groups to apply for licenses to operate cryptoexchanges, according to a source.
Regulators are ratcheting up pressure on startups to gain more scale before debuting on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, warning that the TSE will seek to delist companies that fail to reach a market value of at least ¥10 billion within five years of going public.
Deals for startups reach record in Japan before listing curbs
By Min Jeong Lee and Natsuko Katsuki
Starting in 2030, the Tokyo Stock Exchange will seek to delist companies that fail to reach a market value of at least ¥10 billion within five years of going public.
Billionaire Kakao founder cleared in stock manipulation case
By Shinhye Kang and Yoolim Lee
'They can shut us down in two months': Carmakers race China's rare-earths curbs
By Nick Carey and Christina Amann
NASA opens SpaceX moon-lander contract to rival bids after Starship delays
By Joey Roulette
Nomura Asset’s new retirement solutions team consists of retirees themselves
By Nao Sano

WORLD

French police officers stand in front of the Louvre museum in Paris on Sunday after a robbery.
French cops may nab Louvre thieves but they're unlikely to recover the loot
By Gabriel Stargardter, Juliette Jabkhiro and Elissa Darwish
Valuable jewels and gold can be quickly broken down into component parts and sold on.
Steam rises out of chimneys at the nuclear plant on Three Mile Island in Middletown, Pennsylvania, in March 2019.
U.S. starts furloughing nuclear weapons workers as shutdown standoff continues
By Frankie TAGGART
The United States has an arsenal of 5,177 nuclear warheads, with about 1,770 deployed, according to the global security nonprofit Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Appeals court allows Trump’s Portland troop deployment, for now
By Erik Larson
Peru's Gen Z lead movement against rampant crime and political paralysis
By Alba SANTANA
Kabul must rein in militants for ceasefire to hold, says Pakistan
By Asif Shahzad
Zelenskyy paints Trump meeting as a success, contrasting with earlier reports
By Andrea Shalal and Max Hunder

Sports

Blue Jays right fielder George Springer hits a three-run home run against the Mariners during Game 7 of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs in Toronto on Monday.
Springer's Game 7 blast sends Blue Jays past Mariners and into World Series
The Blue Jays will face the Dodgers in the World Series, hosting Game 1 on Friday.
Cape Verde captain getting to grips with World Cup qualification
By Remi BANET
F1 drivers' championship still in McLaren's hands, says Stella
By Alan Baldwin
Sinner opts out of Davis Cup, while Alcaraz is set to represent Spain
U.S. heads joint bid to host 2031 Women’s World Cup

Opinion

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announces the winners of the 2025 Nobel economics prize at a news conference in Stockholm on Oct. 13. The prize was awarded to Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt for their work on innovation-driven economic growth.
This year’s economics Nobel holds a warning for the U.S
Adrian Wooldridge
Between 1875 and 1926, 44% of the world’s breakthrough inventions took place in the U.S., with Britain, France and Germany hovering between 14% and 22%.
Can the world handle having fewer moms?
By Abby McCloskey
Vietnam’s rights suppression carries a heavy price
By Elaine Pearson
Will AI pay off the West’s debts?
By Kenneth Rogoff
Is Komeito’s split with the LDP really about political funding?
By Edo Naito

ENVIRONMENT

A flea market in Kyoto. Local governments in Japan have been urged to mediate between citizens and businesses to expand secondhand markets.
Japan pushes reuse market as new consumption model
The Environment Ministry plans to compile a road map by the end of March 2026 outlining medium- to long-term measures to further boost growth of the sector.
Climate change and population growth threaten to spark malaria resurgence
Bali grapples with flood reckoning as overdevelopment and waste take toll
By Marchio Gorbiano
U.S. sinks international deal on decarbonizing ships
Trump’s team weighs COP attendance, but influence looms either way
By David Sherfinski

CULTURE

Melissa Schriek portrays the city it as a safe place of emotional connection and play between people, influenced partially by her background in dance and gymnastics.
T3 Photo Festival reframes cityscape as nature
By John L. Tran
This year’s photography festival plants exhibitions all around central Tokyo with photos that showcase urban landscapes under the theme “City as Garden.”
Kiss lead guitarist Ace Frehley dies at 74
By Daniel Trotta
Indie singer Sam Fender wins U.K. Mercury Prize
Oscar-buzzy 'Hamnet' changed me, actress Jessie Buckley says
By Hanna Rantala
‘Transcending Dimensions’: A wild trip to enlightenment
By James Hadfield

LIFE

Ryu Hayabusa, the iconic ninja at the center of the Ninja Gaiden franchise, shares the spotlight with a newcomer in the latest entry to the series.
Ninja Gaiden 4 revives series with kinetic carnage, clumsy platforming
By Gendel Gento
Known for high-speed and occasionally punishingly difficult combat, the Ninja Gaiden series gets an update in mechanics thanks to a new developer.
Tokyo's best Sunday roasts and all their trimmings
By Shyam Bhardwa
How Japan’s greatest psychological horror game came home
By Gendel Gento
Mass-produced AI podcasts disrupt a fragile industry
By Thomas URBAIN
Pokemon brushes up decades-old formula with Legends: Z-A

COMMUNITY

Chris Glenn (right) will play Oda Nobunaga, known as one of Japan’s three great unifiers, in the 71st annual Nagoya Festival on Oct. 18 and 19.
A samurai-loving radio host prepares to become Oda Nobunaga for a day
By Gendel Gento
Nagoya-based radio host Chris Glenn will portray warlord Oda Nobunaga, becoming the first non-Japanese to join the city’s historic parade.
Beauty in slowness: Life lessons from Japanese embroidery
By Cassie Xu
Shrunali Ranade: ‘Stepping back isn’t failure but another form of strength’
By Megha Wadhwa
Student groups nurture Japan-South Korea dialogue and cultural ties
By Moe Shimizu
Linda Joyce: ‘We hope people recognize the benefits of exploring rural areas’
By Louise George Kittaka

Editors' Picks

BUSINESS
Japan leads in in-depth AI awareness, new global study finds
By Elizabeth Beattie
In Japan, 55% were “equally concerned and excited” about the rise of AI in daily life, while 28% were “more concerned than excited.”
LIFE
What does Jimbocho think of its unexpected ‘cool’ status?
By Phoebe Amoroso
Tokyo's Jimbocho neighborhood is a haven for book lovers, its rows of secondhand bookstores spilling over with printed materials.
CULTURE
What you need to see at this year's Tokyo film festival
By James Hadfield, Mark Schilling and Matt Schley
Chloe Zhao’s "Hamnet"
BASEBALL
New film explores how Japan and the U.S. found common ground through baseball
By Jason Coskrey
Masanori Murakami became the first MLB player from Japan when he made his debut with the Giants on Sept 1, 1964.
JAPAN
As they wrestle for power, Japan’s political parties must remember their base
By Eric Johnston
Rengo's head Tomoko Yoshino speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Oct. 8.

Podcast

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

Longform

Rock group The Yellow Monkey played K-Arena Yokohama in June as part of a nationwide tour. Concerts are increasingly popular in the age of social media as users value in-person experiences.
Inside Japan’s arena boom: Sports, sound and city-building
By Patrick St. Michel

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Foreign wrestlers have a long history in sumo
Foreign wrestlers have a long history in sumo

COMFACTS

New Food Products Utilizing Tsunan Sake Brewery’s Sake Lees Unveiled at “TORANOMON JUST RIGHT NEW FOOD” Tasting Event
New Food Products Utilizing Tsunan Sake Brewery’s Sake Lees Unveiled at “TORANOMON JUST RIGHT NEW FOOD” Tasting Event
TSUNAN SAKE BREWERY

WHAT’S TRENDING

COMMENTARY
Why I chose Japanese citizenship over permanent residency
By Jon Heese
Jon Heese (second left) takes part in a 2024 New Year's nihonshu barrel opening ceremony.
JAPAN
Path clears for Takaichi to become PM as LDP and JIP agree to form coalition
By Himari Semans, Gabriele Ninivaggi and Kanako Takahara
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi (right) reaches out to shake hands with Japan Innovation Party leader Hirofumi Yoshimura after signing a coalition deal Monday evening in Tokyo.
BUSINESS
EV battery race heats up among Japanese automakers
Japanese EV production is focusing on batteries as automakers compete for the lightest, most durable models and the longest driving range.
JAPAN
LDP and Nippon Ishin no Kai to form coalition government, report says
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Nippon Ishin no Kai have agreed to form a coalition, paving the way for the country's first female prime minister, Kyodo reports.
BUSINESS
Suntory and Sapporo to halt gift beer sales after cyberattack against Asahi
Suntory will gradually suspend the sale of 13 beer sets for winter gifts, including a set of Chinese zodiac-themed cans of The Premium Malt's.