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October 03, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
October 03, 2025
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Haruo Tsukamoto, a rank-and-file member of the Liberal Democratic Party and a rice farmer in Ibaraki Prefecture, questions if the party still stands for people like him.
JAPAN / Politics
The party that ruled Japan for decades is in danger of crumbling
By Yoshiaki Nohara
Long-time supporters are questioning if the Liberal Democratic Party still stands for them even as populist and far-right challengers make inroads.

More coverage

LDP presidential election could be turning point for Komeito
No matter who wins the LDP presidential race, prospects for change are dismal
Haruo Tsukamoto, a rank-and-file member of the Liberal Democratic Party and a rice farmer in Ibaraki Prefecture, questions if the party still stands for people like him.
Costumed revelers stand next to policemen controlling crowds at the scramble crossing in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on Oct. 31, 2022.
JAPAN / Society
Tokyo's Shibuya calls on foreign visitors not to have a ‘disruptive Halloween’
By Yukana Inoue
The ward, a hot spot for Halloween revelers, is taking a step back from its “don’t come” messaging of the recent past.
A protester holds a placard that reads "Free the Sumud Flotilla" during a protest to condemn Israel's interception of the vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla, at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Israeli military stops nearly all boats in aid flotilla, sparking global protests
The Global Sumud Flotilla, the organizer of the voyage to bring aid to the Gaza Strip, said that more than 450 volunteers had been detained.
DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, on Thursday. Overall international enrollment at the private Catholic university decreased by 755 students compared to last year.
WORLD
Fewer foreign students and fewer dollars make U.S. colleges feel the pinch
By Kaylee Kang, Jaimi Dowdell and Helen Coster
Dozens of schools in the U.S. have announced budget cuts in response to Trump administration policies that are upending higher education.
Smartphones help passengers pass the time on a train near Toyoake, an industrial suburb of Nagoya.
JAPAN
Can this city make residents put down their smartphones?
By Javier C. Hernandez and Hisako Ueno
The ordinance, which was approved in a 12-7 vote by the city assembly last week, is largely symbolic, but there is heavy social pressure in Japan to follow official guidelines.
Smartphones help passengers pass the time on a train near Toyoake, an industrial suburb of Nagoya.

JAPAN

The Nara District Court will deliver its verdict on the case against Tetsuya Yamagami, the man charged with the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, on Jan. 21, 2026.
Nara court set to deliver verdict on Abe shooter in January 2026
The Nara District Court has set Jan. 21 to deliver its verdict on Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, who is charged with the murder of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022.
A 38-year-old man in Aichi Prefecture has been arrested for allegedly fraudulently receiving refunds from a food delivery service by falsely claiming his orders never arrived.
Nagoya man suspected of placing 1,095 fraudulent food delivery orders
The 38-year-old is alleged to have signed up and then canceled membership for the Demae-can service repeatedly, making false claims to avoid payments totaling about ¥3.7 million.
Minivehicle tips over in Mie Prefecture, killing five aboard
Parents want son to atone for alleged killing of Tokyo woman
Unification Church reaches first settlements on donation refunds
What’s driving the far-right voters who shook Japanese politics
By Sakura Murakami and Akemi Terukina

BUSINESS

The U.S. government shutdown — while inconvenient and messy — is unlikely to leave a lasting imprint on the U.S. economy, itself.
U.S. government shutdowns raise uncertainty but rarely have lasting effect on economy
Even if a shutdown leaves policymakers and investors flying somewhat blind for an unknown stretch, it is unlikely to leave a lasting imprint on the U.S. economy, itself.
Isuzu Chairman Masanori Katayama (third from left) and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (center) attend a groundbreaking ceremony for the firm's vehicle plant in South Carolina on Wednesday.
Isuzu to build first independent U.S. plant
The Japanese commercial vehicle maker aims to ease the impact of high U.S. tariffs by expanding local production.
Japan Fair Trade Commission to warn JR Central and others over bid-rigging
Sumitomo Life takes unusual step to avoid marking JGB losses
By Nao Sano and Taiga Uranaka
Boom or bubble: How long can the AI investment craze last?
By Benjamin Legendre
MUFG is hiring more bankers in Japan wealth management push
By Taiga Uranaka and Hideki Suzuki

WORLD

According to Meta's rules, advertisers who seek to run political ads in the United States have to undergo a special authorization process.
Deepfake political scam ads surge on Meta platforms, watchdog says
By Anuj Chopra
The ads have reached tens of thousands of the platforms' users.
A woman collects flour from the ground as Palestinians receive aid supplies from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the central Gaza Strip in August.
Aid after Gaza: What is the future of the humanitarian system?
By Emma Batha
"What's happening in Gaza sets an incredibly dangerous precedent for humanitarian crises globally," said Save the Children's global policy lead.
'It was love' — Philippine family mourns daughter who died saving kin in quake
By Adrian Portugal
Hopes dim for parents after Indonesia school collapse
By Johan Purnomo and Prasto Wardoyo
Babies' deaths in Cameroon show how U.S. aid cuts curtail malaria fight
By Amindeh Blaise Atabong, Robbie COREY-BOULET and Jennifer Rigby
Macron says 'shadow' tanker detention signals new plan to pressure Russia
By Alessandro Parodi and Nerijus Adomaitis

Sports

Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto celebrates after getting out of the sixth inning against the Reds during Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Dodgers sweep past Reds to set up NLDS showdown against Phillies
After sweeping the best-of-three NL Wild Card series, the Dodgers will visit the Philadelphia Phillies for Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday.
Cam Schlittler makes dazzling playoff debut as Yankees eliminate rival Red Sox
F1 leader Oscar Piastri vows to learn from 'tough lessons' in Baku
Gianni Infantino says FIFA must promote peace amid calls to ban Israel
Tennis stars take aim at sport's packed schedule

Opinion

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi (left), former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi (center) and agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi arrive at a news conference for the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election at the party's headquarters in Tokyo on Sept. 23. The three are the front-runners ahead of Saturday's vote.
No matter who wins the LDP presidential race, prospects for change are dismal
Kuni Miyake
The key for the LDP is whether the once-proud party can win back its traditional supporters who have abandoned it in recent elections and shifted to opposition parties.
The U.S. government shutdown fight has life-or-death consequences
By Lisa Jarvis
Too many scientific ‘discoveries’ get discredited
By F.D. Flam
Trump and America’s tech giants: Coexistence or collaboration?
By Makoto Shiono
Could the Trump factor be a wild card in the LDP race?
By Brad Glosserman

ENVIRONMENT

Jane Goodall spun her love of wildlife into a lifelong campaign that took her from a seaside English village to Africa and then across the globe in a quest to better understand chimpanzees.
Wildlife advocate and primate expert Jane Goodall dies at 91
By Susan Heavey
The scientist and global activist was a pioneer in her field, both as a female scientist in the 1960s and for her work studying the behavior of primates.
Swiss glaciers hit by light snowfall and heat wave, scientists say
By Cecile Mantovani and Denis Balibouse
Beijing takes the lead with new climate plans amid Washington’s denial
By Valerie Volcovici and Yukun Zhang
In bid to upend global energy policy, Trump denies climate change in U.N. speech
By Brian Kahn
The unexpected upside of Canada's wildfires 
By Ed White

CULTURE

Ari Bayuaji's artwork of the benevolent Bali god Barong is on display in a glass case on the ground floor of Hollywood Beauty Plaza.
Artist Ari Bayuaji materializes monsters from ocean plastic
By Thu-Huong Ha
From his series “Weaving the Ocean,” the demon Rangda is on display at Go for Kogei 2025, while the more benevolent Barong sits in a glass case in Roppongi.
Revamped Busan film festival turns 30 with expanded cinematic showcase
By Philip Brasor
Pieces fall perfectly into place in the reflective ‘The Last Blossom’
By Matt Schley
‘Brand New Landscape’ captures family dysfunction in a shimmering city
By Mark Schilling
Nodoka Okisawa is carrying the baton for Seiji Ozawa in Matsumoto
By Chiho Iuchi

LIFE

What’s worse, waking up to find a bear going through your trash or getting an earful from your neighbor on garbage separation?
Don’t poke the bear: Learn how to sort your garbage the right way
By Yuko Tamura
Bears are increasingly wandering into towns and cities looking for food. Make sure you don’t tempt them with your leftovers.
Tokyo's newest stationery store sells 'a slower, more human rhythm'
By Gendel Gento
Autumn eggplants offer a juicy start to the season
By Makiko Itoh
Tokyo retains Michelin crown with 160 starred restaurants for 2026
By Weiwen Lin
Myaku-Myaku gets the Labubu treatment at the Osaka Expo
By Alyssa I. Smith

COMMUNITY

The Kyoto International Entrepreneur Community brings together local and global professionals from a range of industries, backgrounds and ages and collaborates with government-sponsored entities and nonprofit organizations.
Stirred, not shaken: Kyoto business platform blends local and global
By Samantha Seghers
Since its launch in 2018, the Kyoto International Entrepreneur Community has amassed a diverse membership and built solid relationships with local organizations.
Scaredy-cat Kashata is searching for a friend
Linda Joyce: ‘We hope people recognize the benefits of exploring rural areas’
By Louise George Kittaka
Tax-advantaged investments no lost cause for U.S. residents of Japan
By Gendel Gento
The journey of Peru’s Nikkei: Finding identity in Japan
By Christoph Sponsel

Editors' Picks

JAPAN
Tea ceremony experts see matcha hype as a big opportunity
By Jessica Speed
Atsuko Mori, founder and director of Kyoto-based tea salon Camellia Tea Ceremony, prepares matcha during a tea ceremony in Kyoto.
JAPAN
Japan's far-right party courts Trump allies and vows not to get 'wacky'
By John Geddie, Tim Kelly and Nathan Layne
Sanseito party leader Sohei Kamiya speaks during an interview in Tokyo on Sept. 25.
BASEBALL
How Ohtani has boosted Japan's soft power and made LA even more baseball-obsessed
By Laura Studarus
Fans at Dodger Stadium pose in front of a mural highlighting the Dodgers' Japanese stars from past and present during a game earlier this year.
ENVIRONMENT
Japan faces fresh energy challenge as it seeks to expand power-hungry data centers
By Eric Margolis
Data storage tapes at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center facility in Berkeley, California. Data centers consume massive amounts of electricity and water, and that will only rise as generative artificial intelligence takes off in earnest.
CULTURE
Architecture art exhibition highlights unsung industry artists
By Zoria Petkoska
Yuanhui Li's illustration is one of the awardees in the student category of the American Society of Architectural Illustrators' annual award for artists.

Podcast

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

Longform

Growing families are being priced out of Tokyo’s condo market, forced to choose between downtown convenience and suburban space.
Is living in central Tokyo still affordable?
By Alex K.T. Martin

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.
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WHAT’S TRENDING

ASIA PACIFIC
A secret no more: Russia and North Korea's battle against Ukraine is celebrated in Moscow exhibit
By Andrew Osborn
A woman visits an exhibition of North Korean art at a museum in Moscow on Monday.
BUSINESS
Prices to rise for 3,024 food products in Japan in October
A wide range of products will see higher prices due to rising material and labor costs.
JAPAN
Koizumi and Takaichi continue to lead in LDP presidential race, polls show
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (right) reacts as former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during the Liberal Democratic Party Presidential Election Candidate Debate at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, on Sept. 24. Koizumi and Takaichi remain head-to-head in the race, media polls show.
JAPAN
The party that ruled Japan for decades is in danger of crumbling
By Yoshiaki Nohara
Haruo Tsukamoto, a rank-and-file member of the Liberal Democratic Party and a rice farmer in Ibaraki Prefecture, questions if the party still stands for people like him.
BUSINESS
U.S. federal shutdown affects Americans in Japan and diplomatic talks
By Francis Tang
The U.S. government shut down on Wednesday, though essential services are still being offered.