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November 24, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
November 24, 2025
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Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (second from left) stands for a group photo with leaders including Chinese Premier Li Qiang (second from right) at the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Japan-China divide widens as fears of long-lasting chill in ties grow
By Jesse Johnson
The cavernous gap was on full display over the weekend as any contact between Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese Premier Li Qiang failed to materialize at a G20 summit.

More coverage

Top Chinese diplomat weighs in on Takaichi’s ‘shocking’ Taiwan remarks
Japan blasts China’s ‘entirely baseless’ claims after U.N. letter
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (second from left) stands for a group photo with leaders including Chinese Premier Li Qiang (second from right) at the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg on Saturday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) and Ukrainian Presidential Office Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak hold a news conference following their closed-door talks on a U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine at the U.S. Mission in Geneva on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
U.S., Ukraine say they have an 'updated and refined' peace framework
By Emma Farge and Olivia Le Poidevin
Work remains to be done on unresolved questions, including on the role of NATO, in the plan to end Ukraine's war with Russia.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (R), EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen (C) and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) wait for a family photo with other leaders at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
South Africa judges G20 summit a triumph of multilateralism despite U.S. no-show
By Nellie Peyton, Anathi Madubela and Sfundo Parakozov
Ramaphosa pushed through the declaration addressing challenges such as climate change despite objections from the U.S., which boycotted the event.
The administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will intervene more actively in the foreign exchange market, according to Takuji Aida, chief economist at Credit Agricole and a member of a new government panel in charge of discussing Japan's growth strategy.
BUSINESS / Economy
Takaichi to be proactive with yen intervention, panelist says
By Nicholas Takahashi
The threshold of 160 to the dollar is seen as a line in the sand.
Tokyo Maso is a Taiwanese Buddhist temple in the area that welcomes all visitors.
COMMUNITY / Issues / The Foreign Element
A perfect day in Shin-Okubo, more than just Tokyo’s Koreatown
By Eric Margolis
Long known as Tokyo’s Korean enclave, Shin-Okubo has grown even more multicultural over the years in everything from its restaurant options to its spiritual sites.
Tokyo Maso is a Taiwanese Buddhist temple in the area that welcomes all visitors.

JAPAN

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Johannesburg on Sunday
Takaichi and Modi agree to deepen Japan-India cooperation
The agreement came at a time when the security environment in the Indo-Pacific region is increasingly severe.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi speaks to reporters after inspecting the Ground Self-Defense Force garrison on Yonaguni Island, Okinawa Prefecture, on Sunday.
Japan on track to deploy missiles to island near Taiwan, Koizumi says
By Alastair Gale
Japan is planning to station medium-range surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni, about 110 kilometers east of Taiwan, as part of a broader military build-up.
Tokyo Deaflympics sign interpreter wants more to learn International Sign
Aichi Prefecture resident tells grandfather's WWII story in English
China boosting international campaign against Takaichi’s Taiwan remarks
Takaichi government to ramp up efforts for defense of Japan's southwest

BUSINESS

Labor unions in Japan have already made clear they will again demand bumper pay hikes, as real wage growth has remained negative despite hefty increases in recent years.
Early signs for 2026 wages bolster case for near-term BOJ rate hike
By Makiko Yamazaki and Leika Kihara
Sustained wage growth would underpin private consumption, giving Japan's central bank confidence to raise rates without derailing Japan's economic recovery.
On Sunday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang laid out at the G20 summit China’s rationale for its sweeping curbs of rare earths, then unveiled details of a global mining initiative with friendly nations.
China’s Li launches charm offensive on rare earths at G20
Critical minerals became a defining theme of Africa’s first G20 summit, with sessions dedicated to the topic as European leaders grappled with supply chain issues.
China’s grip on copper sets scene for make-or-break supply talks
How the Nexperia chip crisis upended auto supply chains — again
U.S. government pullback from climate science fuels boom for private data firms
By Katy Daigle and Simon Jessop
DHL bets on Saudi expansion with $150 million Riyadh hub
By Yassmin Jabri

WORLD

Billionaire Elon Musk, who initially led the Department of Government Efficiency, looks on during the day of a meeting with House Republicans to discuss the department on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 5.
With eight months left on its charter, DOGE no longer exists
By Courtney Rozen
Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor has confirmed that the Department of Government Efficiency is no longer a “centralized entity.”
Former press officer Roberto Fico during the final rally for the Campania regional elections in Naples. Fico is the front-running candidate of Italy's center-left alliance looking to unseat Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
An anti-Meloni coalition is coming together in Italy
By Donato Paolo Mancini
The alliance of parties with disparate political beliefs looks to rally behind single, strategically chosen candidates and consolidate the anti-Meloni vote.
Toxic mines put Southeast Asia's rivers, people at risk, study says
Israel says it killed Hezbollah chief of staff in Beirut strike
By Robin Millard and Nader Durgham
Trump’s attacks push India, Brazil and South Africa closer together
By Sudhi Ranjan Sen and Daniel Carvalho
Indian officials probe whether safety lapses led to children dying from cough syrup
By Katy Daigle, Simon Jessop, Krishna N. Das, Rishika Sadam and Praveen Paramasivam

Sports

Ukrainian sumo wrestler Aonishiki receives the Prime Minister's Cup from Takahiro Inoue, an adviser to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, on Sunday in Fukuoka after becoming the first from his nation to win a tournament in the traditional Japanese sport.
War refugee Aonishiki becomes first Ukrainian to win sumo tournament
The 21-year-old won the Kyushu tournament after a tie-breaking victory over grand champion Hoshoryu from Mongolia.
Italy beats Spain without Sinner to complete Davis Cup three-peat
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta heaps praise on Eberechi Eze after rout
Chris Paul to retire after current NBA season
Former greats slam England as 'brainless' after loss in first Ashes test

Opinion

If China can punish Japan — economically powerful, diplomatically influential and protected by a U.S. defense treaty — then no other country should imagine itself beyond Beijing's reach.
If China can bully Japan, it can bully anyone
Brahma Chellaney
Its willingness to target Japan — a historic great power and today the world’s third-largest economy — telegraphs how Beijing intends to deal with the rest of Asia.
Is America next after Canada to lose its measles elimination status?
By Lisa Jarvis
Bangladesh’s Hasina sentence: Justice or vengeance?
By Anand Kumar
China’s pressure campaign against Japan is a mistake
Seeking good relations with Xi’s CCP is a fool’s errand
By Edo Naito

ENVIRONMENT

COP30 President Andre Correa do Lago (center) hugs Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva after her speech at the COP30 U.N. climate change conference in Belem, Brazil, on Saturday.
COP30 climate deal a 'win' for global unity but fossil fuels untouched
Nearly 200 countries approved the deal by consensus after two weeks of exhaustive negotiations, with the notable absence of the U.S.
Pakistan says rooftop solar output to exceed grid demand in some hubs next year
By Sudarshan Varadhan
New tech could help COP30's Amazon rainforest protection goals
By Clar NiChonghaile and Rosalind Thacker
Preparing for a riskier world is becoming a bigger part of climate talks
By Olivia Rudgard
As COP30 discusses end of fossil fuels, are renewables ready?
By Clar NiChonghaile

CULTURE

“Totto” in “Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel” was the nickname young Tetsuko Kuroyanagi gave herself as a child, mispronouncing her first name.
TV icon Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's memoir paints a life of both war and glamour
By Ayako Nakano
“Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window, The Sequel,” TV personality Tetsuko Kuroyanagi’s second memoir, comes out more than 40 years after the first.
Eat, slurp, love: 'Tampopo' turns 40
By Weiwen Lin
'Rental Family' brings real-world insight to modern loneliness
By Adam Davidson
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

The miso ramen topped with salmon is a nod to "Tampopo" actress Nobuko Miyamoto's hometown of Otaru, which is known for Ishikari "nabe," a salmon-based hot pot dish.
From Otaru with love, a recipe for salmon-topped miso ramen
By Simon Daly
Pay homage to "Tampopo" actress Nobuko Miyamoto by putting together this simple, healthy bowl.
Tokyo’s western edge is a ramen wonderland
By Brian MacDuckston
‘Be bear aware’: Japan’s outdoor pros sound off on ursine risks
By Drew Damron
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

COMMUNITY

Tokyo Maso is a Taiwanese Buddhist temple in the area that welcomes all visitors.
A perfect day in Shin-Okubo, more than just Tokyo’s Koreatown
By Eric Margolis
Long known as Tokyo’s Korean enclave, Shin-Okubo has grown even more multicultural over the years in everything from its restaurant options to its spiritual sites.
Bilal Karakus: ‘Coming to Japan has broadened my palate’
By Patrick Parr
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

Editors' Picks

CULTURE
TV icon Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's memoir paints a life of both war and glamour
By Ayako Nakano
“Totto” in “Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel” was the nickname young Tetsuko Kuroyanagi gave herself as a child, mispronouncing her first name.
CULTURE
The secret to 'Last Samurai Standing'? Treating live action like anime.
By Patrick St. Michel
“Last Samurai Standing” centers on a mysterious fighting event in which participants must hack and slash their opponents apart to collect enough wooden tags to win a big-money prize.
LIFE
‘Tampopo’ lives on in bowls of ramen around the world
By Mike Fu
Juzo Itami's 1985 movie "Tampopo" has inspired many restaurateurs around the world to open their own ramen shop with the same name, such as this establishment in Auckland, New Zealand.
MORE SPORTS
All systems Go for upstart Machida Zelvia after landmark Emperor’s Cup triumph
By Sean Carroll
Machida manager Go Kuroda lifts the trophy as the club celebrates its victory over Vissel Kobe in the Emperor’s Cup final at National Stadium on Saturday.
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.

Podcast

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

Longform

Juzo Itami’s “Tampopo” was released Nov. 23, 1985, and though it wasn’t a hit at the time, it has gained a cult following in the years since.
Eat, slurp, love: 'Tampopo' turns 40
By Weiwen Lin

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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
Two men suspected of smuggling 1 ton of gold into Japan from South Korea
U.K. gold bullion bars and coins are displayed at Baird & Co. in Hatton Garden in London.
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.
SUMO
War refugee Aonishiki becomes first Ukrainian to win sumo tournament
Ukrainian sumo wrestler Aonishiki receives the Prime Minister's Cup from Takahiro Inoue, an adviser to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, on Sunday in Fukuoka after becoming the first from his nation to win a tournament in the traditional Japanese sport.
BUSINESS
Americans with four-year degrees now comprise a record 25% of unemployed workers
By Matthew Boesler
A job fair in Fletcher, North Carolina. The unemployment rate for bachelor’s degree-holders in the U.S. rose to 2.8% in September, up a half-percentage point from a year earlier.
JAPAN
Top Chinese diplomat weighs in on Takaichi’s ‘shocking’ Taiwan remarks
By Jesse Johnson
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the Lanting Forum in Beijing on Oct. 27.