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October 22, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
October 22, 2025
Sanae Takaichi
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Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi reacts to applauding lawmakers after being elected prime minister at the Lower House on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Takaichi makes history as Japan’s first female prime minister
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Monday’s coalition agreement between the Liberal Democratic Party and Japan Innovation Party made her ascent to the nation's top post all but certain.

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 reacts to applauding lawmakers after being elected prime minister at the Lower House on Tuesday.
People watch a TV news report about North Korean short-range ballistic missile launches, at the main railway station in Seoul on Wednesday.
ASIA PACIFIC
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.
Minoru Kihara (second from left) attends a Lower House plenary session on Tuesday in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Who is Minoru Kihara, Takaichi’s new 'cool-headed' spokesman?
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
The former defense minister has many things in common with 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.
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi meets with Japan Innovation Party leader Hirofumi Yoshimura after signing a coalition agreement in Tokyo on Monday.
COMMENTARY / Japan
The winners and losers after Japan’s political shakeup
Michael MacArthur Bosack
The country’s ruling coalition has many issues to overcome before proving its long-term viability, but they have time before any national level elections to work through them.
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi meets with Japan Innovation Party leader Hirofumi Yoshimura after signing a coalition agreement in Tokyo on Monday.

JAPAN

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.
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.
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.
Keiichi Ichikawa named head of Japan's National Security Secretariat
Japanese pianist wins fourth prize in Chopin competition
Japan's 'first gentleman' vows to support Prime Minister Takaichi
Japanese man sentenced to eight years after rare public accusation of rape
By Natsuko Fukue

BUSINESS

A cyberattack on Askul, a seller of office supplies, is disrupting major Japanese retailers' e-commerce and logistics operations.
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.
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.
Japan’s exports advance for first time since April on chips
By Yoshiaki Nohara
OpenAI launches AI browser Atlas in latest challenge to Google
By Juby Babu and Krystal Hu
Japan warns Vietnam of job losses as Hanoi motorbike ban hits Honda
By Francesco Guarascio, Phuong Nguyen and Daniel Leussink
Instagram shows more 'eating disorder adjacent' content to vulnerable teens: Meta
By Jeff Horwitz

WORLD

U.S. President Donald Trump takes questions from reporters in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Tuesday.
Trump says he doesn't want 'wasted' meeting with Putin
Trump's reversal Tuesday came just days after he announced that he would meet Putin in the Hungarian capital within two weeks.
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.
Erdogan turns Trump's Gaza deal into a power play for Turkey
By Samia Nakhoul, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ece Toksabay
Trump's Colombia tariffs would flip U.S. policy on drugs and trade
By Patricia Zengerle and Nelson Bocanegra
Iran risks severe economic downturn and unrest as renewed U.N. sanctions bite
By Parisa Hafezi
Germany and France back China trade discussion at EU summit
By Arne Delfs and Jorge Valero

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.
Dodgers' Snell and Yamamoto to start World Series Games 1 and 2
LaLiga cancels plans for Barcelona-Villarreal match in Miami
WNBA players to receive 'big increase' in salaries, says NBA commissioner
Djokovic withdraws from Paris Masters

Opinion

Then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a policy speech during an ordinary session at the Lower House of parliament in Tokyo in January. Sanae Takaichi’s victory may result in fewer proportional seats in parliament, a shift that could hurt smaller parties. Bloomberg
How the LDP-JIP coalition could hurt smaller parties
Robert D. Eldridge
If the JIP’s proposal goes through unchanged, it would mean a reduction of 46 seats from the proportional representation districts.
Takaichi’s choice: revolution, reform or regression
By Stephen R. Nagy
This is what a real trade war looks like
By Brad Glosserman
Can the world handle having fewer moms?
By Abby McCloskey
This year’s economics Nobel holds a warning for the U.S
By Adrian Wooldridge

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
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
Driving in Japan isn’t hard. Getting the license is.
By Thu-Huong Ha and Mike Fu
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

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

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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
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.
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
JAPAN
Who is Minoru Kihara, Takaichi’s new 'cool-headed' spokesman?
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Minoru Kihara (second from left) attends a Lower House plenary session on Tuesday in Tokyo.