Home page

 
Menu
Search
 
Menu
Search
Tokyo Weather 16℃
TOKYO
October 22, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
October 22, 2025
Sanae Takaichi
Nikkei
AI
Latest News
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access
Shinjiro Koizumi — son of a former prime minister and rival to the current one — was appointed defense chief after falling short in his bid for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency earlier this month.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
For three key Cabinet posts, Takaichi turns to an eclectic trio
By Jesse Johnson
The prime minister’s picks for Japan’s new defense, foreign and economic security ministers are not your typical stodgy line-up.

More coverage

Who is Minoru Kihara, Takaichi’s new 'cool-headed' spokesman?
In pictures: The moment Japan’s glass ceiling finally cracked
Shinjiro Koizumi — son of a former prime minister and rival to the current one — was appointed defense chief after falling short in his bid for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency earlier this month.
A recent cyberattack on brewer Asahi Group Holdings resulted in the company suspending shipments.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
AI-optimized cybercrime increasingly targeting Japan
By Elizabeth Beattie
Many of the attacks originate in China, using underground marketplaces that sell access and sensitive data to other cybercriminals.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in her inaugural news conference as Japanese leader late Tuesday, called South Korea an “important neighbor" and a “vital partner.”
JAPAN / Politics
Takaichi seeks to dispel fears Seoul-Tokyo ties could falter under her government
By Himari Semans
The prime minister has called South Korea an “important neighbor" and a “vital partner” in addressing challenges confronting the international community.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi poses with members of the newly formed Cabinet on Tuesday night.
JAPAN / Politics
Takaichi fails to boost female representation in her Cabinet
By Yukana Inoue
Takaichi appointed just two women to her 18-member Cabinet on Tuesday, despite promising high levels of female representation earlier.
The byzantine process for converting a foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one entails mountains of paperwork and significant stamina — unless you're a lucky license holder from a country or region where these requirements are waived.
COMMUNITY / Issues / Longform
Driving in Japan isn’t hard. Getting the license is.
By Thu-Huong Ha and Mike Fu
From the desperate and defeated to the blissful and breezy, readers share their experiences of getting a driver’s license in Japan.
The byzantine process for converting a foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one entails mountains of paperwork and significant stamina — unless you're a lucky license holder from a country or region where these requirements are waived.

JAPAN

Hokkaido Gov. Naomichi Suzuki attends a meeting to tackle bird flu held in Sapporo on Wednesday.
Bird flu season begins in Japan with infection confirmed at Hokkaido farm
The Hokkaido government has started to cull some 459,000 laying hens at the farm and imposed a ban on the transportation of hens within a 10-kilometer radius.
Former Lower House lawmaker Taku Yamamoto
Japan's 'first gentleman' vows to support Prime Minister Takaichi
Yamamoto, 73, said by phone that he is "relieved" that his wife was elected prime minister.
Mother of Abe's alleged killer to testify in court
Keiichi Ichikawa named head of Japan's National Security Secretariat
Japanese pianist wins fourth prize in Chopin competition
Japanese man sentenced to eight years after rare public accusation of rape
By Natsuko Fukue

BUSINESS

Ships and containers at a port in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, on Monday.
China’s $1 billion of daily U.S. exports show Xi bargaining power
Despite double-digit drops in the value of overall trade during the past half a year, some products have recently seen an increase from 2024.
Japan's exports gained 4.2% in September from a year earlier, with analysts noting the strong euro and China’s domestic demand-stimulating policies benefiting the country.
Japan’s exports advance for first time since April on chips
By Yoshiaki Nohara
Exports rose for the first time in five months as shipments of chips and electronic parts advanced, while goods destined for the U.S. continued to decline.
Novo's board bust-up to sharpen drugmaker's focus on U.S. consumers
By Maggie Fick and Bhanvi Satija
Nissan develops solar-powered electric minivehicle
SoftBank seeks $2 billion in bond sales as it chases AI bets
By Janice Huang
Newcomers shrug off China’s EV headwinds with bets on niche cars

WORLD

Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, speaks at the Human Rights Council at the U.N. European headquarters in Geneva on Sept. 8.
China and Russia repeatedly tried to defund U.N. human rights work: report
By Emma Farge
The attempts, while unsuccessful, raise concern at a time when the world body is suffering from a financial crisis and as the U.S. steps back from multilateralism.
People watch a TV news report about North Korean short-range ballistic missile launches, at the main railway station in Seoul on Wednesday.
North Korea fires off ballistic missiles one day after Takaichi named PM
By Jesse Johnson
Pyongyang's launch of several short-range ballistic missiles provided new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi with an early test just a day after she took office.
U.N. cybercrime pact to be signed in Hanoi raises hopes and concerns
By Francesco Guarascio
Bolivia's new president rekindles cautious hope for stalled lithium dreams
By Daina Beth Solomon
After a year of rallies and no revolution, Georgia's protesters still defiant
By Irakli METREVELI
Erdogan turns Trump's Gaza deal into a power play for Turkey
By Samia Nakhoul, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ece Toksabay

Sports

With the recent sumo jaunt to London being essentially a goodwill exercise, <i>rikishi</i> were far more outgoing and relaxed than normal.
London exhibition perhaps sumo's most successful trip abroad
By John Gunning
Over the course of the tournament, sumo received wall-to-wall coverage in mainstream British media.
Russians and Belarusians not allowed to ski as neutrals at Winter Games
PSG scores seven as Champions League rains goals
By Andy Scott
Dodgers' Snell and Yamamoto to start World Series Games 1 and 2
LaLiga cancels plans for Barcelona-Villarreal match in Miami

Opinion

Sanae Takaichi's new Cabinet poses for a group photo at the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday.
Breaking down Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet picks
Michael MacArthur Bosack
Takaichi only appointed two women in the Cabinet, which was identical to the previous Shigeru Ishiba administration.
Supply-chain economics beat tariff politics
By Jun Du
The secret to Takaichi’s success in the Indo-Pacific
By Simon Hutagalung
Japan’s new 'Iron Lady' can play 'heavy metal' politics
By Gearoid Reidy
How the LDP-JIP coalition could hurt smaller parties
By Robert D. Eldridge

ENVIRONMENT

King Bubaraye Dakolo of the Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State, southern Nigeria, poses for a photograph in Lagos on Oct. 13.
'What is the value of a human life?' In Nigeria, oil giant Shell may find out.
By Susan Njanji
Bubaraye Dakolo, the monarch of Ekpetiama in Nigeria, is suing a global oil giant over one of the largest corporate environmental liabilities in history.
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
Mass-produced AI podcasts disrupt a fragile industry
By Thomas URBAIN
Pokemon brushes up decades-old formula with Legends: Z-A
The what, where and when of Japan’s autumn leaves
By Eric Margolis

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.
Lovely listener Jimena just needs time and care
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

Editors' Picks

LIFE
Nakatsu keeps its cool as gentrification looms
By Edward Hewes
Shunsuke Takahashi, owner of the cafe Hood by Vargas, says the Osaka neighborhood of Nakatsu feels brighter and calmer with the influx of new businesses.
LIFE
How Japan’s greatest psychological horror game came home
By Gendel Gento
Series composer Akira Yamaoka and writer Ryukishi07 were integral figures in helping one of Japan's greatest horror gaming franchises land a Japanese setting.
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"

Podcast

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

Longform

The byzantine process for converting a foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one entails mountains of paperwork and significant stamina — unless you're a lucky license holder from a country or region where these requirements are waived.
Driving in Japan isn’t hard. Getting the license is.
By Thu-Huong Ha and Mike Fu

JT Directory Service

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

Ex.Portal By Synergy Media Specialists

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Maruhachi never sleeps in quest for better futons
Maruhachi never sleeps in quest for better futons

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

JAPAN
Takaichi makes history as Japan’s first female prime minister
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi reacts to applauding lawmakers after being elected prime minister at the Lower House on Tuesday.
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.
JAPAN
Rare female yakuza walks path to redemption in Japan
By Tomohiro Osaki
Retired yakuza Mako Nishimura sorts fallen leaves during a clean-up activity at the Gifu Gokoku shrine in Gifu Prefecture on Sept. 28.
JAPAN
Japanese man sentenced to eight years after rare public accusation of rape
By Natsuko Fukue
Riho Fukuyama (center) and her husband Yoshiki Fukuyama (left) speak to the media with their lawyer (right) outside the Toyama District Court in Toyama on Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Takaichi government will likely spend less than expected
By Kazuaki Nagata
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi at the National Diet Building in Tokyo on Monday