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November 22, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
November 22, 2025
Sanae Takaichi
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U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo, on Oct. 28.
JAPAN / Politics
Japan set to lean on U.S. allies for support if China escalates
For now, Tokyo has stuck to its usual playbook: avoiding tit-for-tat retaliation, keeping communication channels open and hoping tensions cool over time.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo, on Oct. 28.
A general view of Nagasaki port. Chinese cruise ships are rerouting to avoid Japanese ports as Beijing and Tokyo engage in a diplomatic dispute.
ASIA PACIFIC
Chinese cruise ships look to steer clear of Japan amid diplomatic dispute
By Ju-min Park, Hyunjoo Jin and Heekyong Yang
Tour agents said tensions, sparked by recent remarks from Japan's new leader, could cause Chinese tourists to be redirected to South Korea from Japan.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Investors are worried that Japan may be spending beyond its means.
BUSINESS / Markets
Takaichi faces market tests from yen to stocks and bonds
By Hideyuki Sano, John Cheng and Momoka Yokoyama
Markets have lost their enthusiasm for Japan’s new prime minister, with about $127 billion wiped off the value of Tokyo-listed stocks over the past week.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture
JAPAN
Niigata approves restart of world’s largest nuclear power plant
By Yukana Inoue
The resumption of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant’s No. 6 reactor would be a major development for Japan as it re-embraces nuclear power and reduces reliance on fossil fuels.
Mari Yamamoto (left) stars alongside Brendan Fraser in “Rental Family,” a film about services that provide stand-in friends and family for hire.
CULTURE / Film
'Rental Family' brings real-world insight to modern loneliness
By Adam Davidson
Actor Mari Yamamoto drew on her journalist’s eye to bring authenticity to her role in a film about hired stand-in friends and family.
Mari Yamamoto (left) stars alongside Brendan Fraser in “Rental Family,” a film about services that provide stand-in friends and family for hire.

JAPAN

For Hokkaido, the most important inbound tourism markets are Taiwan, South Korea and China.
Japan’s dispute with China may impact Hokkaido tourism this winter
By Eric Johnston
As Japan and China continue their war of words, the potential impact on Hokkaido’s tourism industry this winter season has officials increasingly concerned.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (center) in the parliament building earlier this month. Takaichi took office on Oct. 21.
A month into her premiership, Takaichi's style proves to be double-edged sword
The prime minister's straight talk appears well received by the public, but other aspects of the way she works have caused a stir in other circles.
Moss spores can survive in space, Japan researchers say
Takaichi rejects China's demand to retract Taiwan remarks
By Alastair Gale — Ryotaro Nakamaru
Japan plans higher visa fees for foreign residents
By Himari Semans
LDP and JIP agree to submit bill outlining reduction of Lower House seats
By Gabriele Ninivaggi

BUSINESS

Nvidia's H200 chip, unveiled two years ago, has more high-bandwidth memory than its predecessor the H100, allowing it to process data more quickly.
U.S. mulls letting Nvidia sell H200 chips to China, sources say
By Alexandra Alper
The possibility signals a warmer approach to China, after U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to a trade truce last month.
SoftBank priced ¥46 billion in bonds on Friday, bringing its already record issuance this year to around ¥400 billion.
SoftBank prices ¥46 billion in bonds, extending record issuance
By Takahiko Hyuga
The offering comes amid a sharp rise in benchmark government bond yields, driven by concerns over fiscal expansion under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration.
Americans with four-year degrees now comprise a record 25% of unemployed workers
By Matthew Boesler
‘Sell-Japan’ trade takes a breather as verbal intervention dialed up slightly
By Francis Tang
Three major Japan life insurers see revenue growth in April-September
¥21.3 trillion stimulus package approved by Cabinet
By Kazuaki Nagata

WORLD

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife Olena attend a ceremony in Kyiv on Friday.
Ukraine faces 'difficult choice' as Trump demands acceptance of peace plan
U.S. President Donald Trump said he believed Thursday was an appropriate deadline for Kyiv to accept the plan.
U.S. President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani shake hands as they meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Friday.
Trump lavishes praise on New York's mayor-elect Mamdani at warm White House meeting
The opposites have clashed over everything from immigration to economic policy. But it was clear the two forged a rapport in their first encounter.
Indian Tejas fighter jet crashes in a ball of fire at Dubai Airshow, killing pilot
What's in the U.S. peace plan for ending the war in Ukraine?
By Andrew Osborn
Trump calls for sedition trial after Democrats urged troops to disobey orders
By Skylar Woodhouse
Livestream giant Twitch to ban under-16s in Australia

Sports

Curacao's Kenji Gorre (right) in action with Jamaica's Dexter Lembikisa in Kingston, Jamaica, on Tuesday
Veteran Curacao coach hails 'crazy' World Cup qualification
The oldest coach in World Cup finals history is set to take the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup into the competition.
England's Daly ready for aerial challenge against Argentina
By Julian Guyer
Rusty France face 'tired' Australia at end of torrid year
By Illtud DAFYDD
Italy to face Northern Ireland in 2026 World Cup playoffs
U.S. Olympic fencer Chamley-Watson to launch World Fencing League
By Eyk Henning and Vanessa Perdomo

Opinion

China is using threats, diplomatic pressure, economic measures and manufactured media narratives to attack new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and influence Japanese politics.
Seeking good relations with Xi’s CCP is a fool’s errand
Edo Naito
China has a history of favoring Japanese leaders, going back at least to Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka in the 1970s, who are inclined to comply with its "red lines."
Bangladesh’s Hasina sentence: Justice or vengeance?
By Anand Kumar
China’s pressure campaign against Japan is a mistake
The United Nations legitimizes Trump’s Gaza peace plan
By Ramesh Thakur
Pakistan will regret letting the army back in
By Mihir Sharma

ENVIRONMENT

Attendees during the COP30 climate summit in Belem, Para state, Brazil, on Nov. 10
Preparing for a riskier world is becoming a bigger part of climate talks
By Olivia Rudgard
As the COP30 climate summit draws to an end, negotiators are still struggling over an agreement over how to transition away from fossil fuel.
As COP30 discusses end of fossil fuels, are renewables ready?
By Clar NiChonghaile
Decades-long contracts chain Asia to coal-fired power
By Sudarshan Varadhan
Clamor for change builds inside the world's COP30 climate negotiations
By Kate Abnett, Simon Jessop and Lisandra Paraguassu
With more heat and storms, can COP30 boost front-line resilience?
By Clar NiChonghaile

CULTURE

Mari Yamamoto (left) stars alongside Brendan Fraser in “Rental Family,” a film about services that provide stand-in friends and family for hire.
'Rental Family' brings real-world insight to modern loneliness
By Adam Davidson
Actor Mari Yamamoto drew on her journalist’s eye to bring authenticity to her role in a film about hired stand-in friends and family.
Eat, slurp, love: 'Tampopo' turns 40
By Weiwen Lin
The secret to 'Last Samurai Standing'? Treating live action like anime.
By Patrick St. Michel
Theater beyond borders: Eriko Ogawa's tenure at the NNTT has a global vision
By Kris Kosaka
Mamoru Hosoda’s ‘Scarlet’ takes on ‘Hamlet’ with bold visual departure
By Matt Schley

LIFE

As bear attacks spike across northern Japan, the country's community of nature enthusiasts say that while the risk might be high now, enjoying the outdoors is still possible with the proper precautions.
‘Be bear aware’: Japan’s outdoor pros sound off on ursine risks
By Drew Damron
Japan’s nature researchers, hunters and trail runners reflect on how a spike in bear activity affects their professions and hobbies.
‘Tampopo’ lives on in bowls of ramen around the world
By Mike Fu
Old-man puns are getting a Gen Z glow-up as 'neo-dajare'
By Alyssa I. Smith
A dictionary revision illustrates how Japanese keeps on evolving
By Yaeko Kabe
Good fortune, wrapped in fried tofu
By Elizabeth Andoh

COMMUNITY

Bilal Karakus serves Turkish kebabs from his signature red truck in various locations around Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, as well as at festivals and events.
Bilal Karakus: ‘Coming to Japan has broadened my palate’
By Patrick Parr
The owner of a Turkish food truck shares how he came to Japan and started his own business specializing in kebabs.
Happy-go-lucky Omochi loves to make friends
Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan celebrates 80 years at the forefront of press freedom
By Gendel Gento
Jon Homewood: ‘There’s beauty in what we throw away’
By Joseph Tame
Young Indonesians in Japan find their political voice
By Nadila

Editors' Picks

JAPAN
First foreign president of Hosei University looks abroad for change
By Elizabeth Beattie
Hosei University President Diana Khor, who herself was an international student, aims to encourage students to look outward and cultivate a global mindset.
BUSINESS
Japanese companies advised to change mindset about investment in Africa
By Kazuaki Nagata
Bernard Laurendeau, chief of Enkopa Lab Japan, in Tokyo last month
BASEBALL
Munetaka Murakami headlines quartet looking to move to MLB via posting system
By Jason Coskrey
The Swallows' Munetaka Murakami has 246 career home runs in eight NPB seasons.
JAPAN
The reality of human trafficking in Japan
By Yukana Inoue
A view of Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward at night. Last year in Japan, 66 people were put in protective custody as victims of human trafficking. Among them, 58 — including all 41 minors — were Japanese nationals. International pressure to act on human trafficking led Japan to make efforts to crack down on the crime, such as a tightening of conditions in 2005 for entertainer visas.
CULTURE
Why we can’t get enough of the sham of the rental family
By Thu-Huong Ha
“Rental Family,” directed and co-written by the single-named Hikari, follows out-of-work actor Phillip (Brendan Fraser), who is hired as the “token white guy” at a Tokyo agency called Rental Family.

Podcast

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

Longform

An illustration features the Japanese signs for "ganbare" (good luck) and the Deaflympics, which will be held between Nov. 15 and 26.
A century of Deaf sport finds its moment in Tokyo
By Kathryn Wortley

JT Directory Service

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 6th annual Sustainable Japan Award.
We are pleased to announce the winners of the 6th annual Sustainable Japan Award.

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
Japanese court orders Cloudflare to pay ¥500 million over manga piracy
Cloudflare has been ordered to pay ¥500 million after four major publishing firms accused the firm of copyright infringement for its role in hosting sites that distribute pirated copies of manga titles.
JAPAN
The reality of human trafficking in Japan
By Yukana Inoue
A view of Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward at night. Last year in Japan, 66 people were put in protective custody as victims of human trafficking. Among them, 58 — including all 41 minors — were Japanese nationals. International pressure to act on human trafficking led Japan to make efforts to crack down on the crime, such as a tightening of conditions in 2005 for entertainer visas.
BUSINESS
¥21.3 trillion stimulus package approved by Cabinet
By Kazuaki Nagata
The Cabinet is expected to submit an extra budget bill to finance the package to parliament, which is in session until Dec. 17.
JAPAN
First foreign president of Hosei University looks abroad for change
By Elizabeth Beattie
Hosei University President Diana Khor, who herself was an international student, aims to encourage students to look outward and cultivate a global mindset.
JAPAN
Japan plans higher visa fees for foreign residents
By Himari Semans
Along with planned higher fees for foreign residents to stay, Japan is looking to raise the ¥3,000 single-entry visa fee for inbound tourists to Western standards in the next fiscal year.