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July 22, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
July 22, 2025
Japan elections
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“As the first party in parliament, we have to fulfill our responsibility with the public so as to prevent politics from stagnating or drifting away,” Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at a news conference at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Ishiba clings to leadership after election setback
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
In the wake of another electoral setback, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s political capital has plunged.

More coverage

Foreign residents closely follow Japan's election and party pledges
CDP shows ‘modest’ outcome as Noda struggles to unite the opposition camp
“As the first party in parliament, we have to fulfill our responsibility with the public so as to prevent politics from stagnating or drifting away,” Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at a news conference at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo on Monday.
Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya in Tokyo on Sunday night
JAPAN / Politics
‘Japanese First’ Sanseito emerges as powerful force after Upper House poll
By Himari Semans
The small rightwing populist party led by firebrand Sohei Kamiya won 14 seats in Sunday’s Upper House election.
Upper House votes being counted on Sunday. The Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition lost its majority in the upper chamber of parliament, but could still be effective in thwarting the opposition.
BUSINESS / Economy
Consumption tax cut not a given even after Upper House election
By Kazuaki Nagata
Political and economic realities suggest that opposition policies will not skate through.
Ayaka Shiomura, running for an Upper House seat on a Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan ticket in the Tokyo district, was one of 42 women elected in Sunday's election.
JAPAN / Politics
Japan elects record number of women to Upper House
By Yukana Inoue
Female candidates won 42 of the 125 seats contested on Sunday, up from 35 seats in the last election in 2022.
Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, in Tokyo on Sunday. Smaller conservative parties such as the DPP gained in the election at the weekend, at the expense of the Liberal Democratic Party.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Conservatives win big in Japan — just not the Liberal Democratic Party
Michael MacArthur Bosack
Sunday's election marks the first time the once-proud party has lost a majority in both houses since its foundation in 1955.
Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, in Tokyo on Sunday. Smaller conservative parties such as the DPP gained in the election at the weekend, at the expense of the Liberal Democratic Party.

JAPAN

A police officer walks past posters of Liberal Democratic Party candidates, as well as one showing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, outside the party's headquarters in Tokyo on Sunday. As Japan’s foreign population continues to rise, one of the talking points during Sunday’s election was how the country should deal with the increase of international residents.
Foreign residents closely follow Japan's election and party pledges
By Jessica Speed
As electoral results could impact their lives, The Japan Times asked several foreign residents to weigh in.
In 2020, 38% of all households were single-person. That figure is projected to rise to 44.3% by 2050.
The rise of AI companionship in a lonely Japan
By Alex K.T. Martin
AI chatbots are becoming stand-ins for pets and partners — offering comfort, connection and raising new concerns.
Ex-residents of Japan-claimed isles hold memorial at sea
Temporary child protection facilities in major cities hit capacity as staff shortages deepen
47% turn to social media and videos for voting decisions: exit poll
Voter turnout rises to 58.51% in Japan's Upper House poll

BUSINESS

Chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa in Osaka on Saturday. On Monday, Akazawa flew to the United States for another round of tariff negotiations.
Akazawa jets to Washington for tariff talks after historic election
By Francis Tang
If an agreement with the U.S. can't be reached before Aug. 1, the "reciprocal" tariff rate imposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump rises to 25%.
A rare earth smelting workshop near the town of Damao in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 2010. China is the world's largest producer of such minerals.
China quietly issues 2025 rare earth quotas, sources say
The quotas serve as a barometer for the global supply of rare earths, a group of 17 elements used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, robots and missiles.
EU to prepare retaliation plan as U.S. trade stance hardens
By Alberto Nardelli
U.S. airlines reap rewards from premium travel strategy amid demand slump
By Rajesh Kumar Singh
Life atop China’s car market is starting to look shaky for BYD
By Danny Lee
Jensen Huang, AI visionary in a leather jacket
By Thomas URBAIN and Allison JACKSON

WORLD

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosts a drone demonstration at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on July 10.
Pentagon looks to unleash ‘military drone dominance’
By Gabriel Dominguez
U.S. defense chief Pete Hegseth has ordered the military to fast-track the adoption of a boosted number of small drones deployed across the force.
Ukrainian soldiers fire a howitzer near the Russian border in the Sumy region, Ukraine, on June 19.
U.K. urges ‘50-day drive’ to arm Ukraine and raise pressure on Putin
By Andrew Atkinson
The push comes after U.S. President Donald Trump promised more weapons for Ukraine and threatened 100% "secondary tariffs” on Russia unless it agrees to a ceasefire within 50 days.
Gaza civil defense says Israeli gunfire kills 93 aid seekers
Indigenous people in Canada challenge fast-track mine and energy projects
By Michael Koy
Thailand claims Cambodia planted land mines, escalating dispute
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat
China stops U.S. Department of Commerce worker from leaving country: reports

Sports

Oleksandr Usyk celebrates after winning his heavyweight title fight over Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday.
Usyk knocks out Dubois to become undisputed world heavyweight champion
By Julian Guyer
The victory saw Ukraine's Usyk extend his unbeaten professional record to 24 fights as the WBA, WBC and WBO champion added his British opponent's IBF belt to his collection.
New Zealand spoils Great Britain's party in SailGP showdown
England's Jess Carter receives racist abuse during Euro 2025
Tim Wellens wins Stage 15 as Team UAE continues to dominate Tour de France
Venus Williams prioritizing fun over results in return from long break

Opinion

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba takes part in a campaign event in Yokohama on July 6. Japan faces deep structural challenges but lacks bold political vision and leaders willing to take risks for transformative change.
Performative ‘elections’ expose a sad lack of vision
Stephen R. Nagy
Political parties jostle for position and trade barbs but offer no clear plan for Japan’s growing structural challenges.
Scientists can’t stay in their ivory tower
By Yuko Kakazu
Why there isn’t a best chef in the world
By Howard Chua-Eoan
The Middle Ages are making a political comeback
By Adrian Wooldridge
The 'Trump Doctrine' is wishful thinking
By Melanie W. Sisson

ENVIRONMENT

A coral reef in Okinawa in July 2022. Some jurisdictions around the world have moved to ban certain sunscreens in a bid to protect coral reefs, but some say the impact on reefs is far from clear.
Japan’s top brands get tied up in the great sunscreen debate
By Tomoko Otake
The debate over the damage sunscreens cause to the marine environment is heating up as some regions ban certain chemical ingredients.
Restoring sea floor after mining may not be possible, researchers warn
By Amelie Bottollier-Depois
Pakistan's quiet solar rush puts pressure on national grid
By Zain Zaman Janjua
How schools are being built for extreme heat — without air conditioning
By Emma Batha
World risks up to $39 trillion in losses from vanishing wetlands: report
By Duncan Miriri

CULTURE

One of Leonard Foujita’s biggest muses was himself. He painted self-portraits, often with a cat on his side, looking back at the viewer. He posed for photographers throughout his life, the displayed photos showing he retained his signature bowl cut and round glasses.
The self as a muse: Leonard Foujita's world in paintings and photos
By Jennifer Pastore
“Foujita: Painting and Photography” at Tokyo Station Gallery is being billed as the first exploration of the artist as a photographer and has been a decade in the making.
What to pack if you are heading to the Fuji Rock Festival
Kawaii Lab redefines idol pop for the TikTok generation
By Patrick St. Michel
Akutagawa and Naoki award decision marks rare absence of literary prizewinners
By Alyssa I. Smith
‘Love Doesn't Matter to Me’: Romance takes a backseat to female friendship
By Mark Schilling

LIFE

You don't need an oven to make Kenji Morimoto's easy and delicious Miso Sticky Toffee Crepe Cake.
In microbes we trust: Embracing the nature of fermented food
By Simon Daly
With simple, fuss-free recipes, Kenji Morimoto's debut cookbook effortlessly guides home cooks into the unpredictable but rewarding world of fermentation.
In Gaza-made obi, Palestinian embroidery meets Japanese kimono
By Anna Sakamoto
Dancers, festivals and one very useful Japanese grammar point
By Yaeko Kabe
Cool to be square: A block of tofu with veggies to chill your summer
By Elizabeth Andoh
Sega’s first Japan store signals ‘immersive entertainment’ push
By Gendel Gento

COMMUNITY

After pandemic-era border regulations eased, Indian migrants began returning to Japan. Their population now stands at more than 50,000 across the country.
How remote work is rewriting the migrant experience in Japan
By Megha Wadhwa
Remote work is reshaping how Indian professionals navigate life, family and identity in a post-pandemic Japan.
The mothers holding up Japan's Vietnamese community
By Nguyen Bao Anh
Lilimi settles into a new life
Tobias Bieker: ‘A good interviewer helps the guest shine’
By Gendel Gento
A furever friend: Tips for responsible dog ownership in Japan
By Kat Joplin

Editors' Picks

ENVIRONMENT
Japan’s top brands get tied up in the great sunscreen debate
By Tomoko Otake
A coral reef in Okinawa in July 2022. Some jurisdictions around the world have moved to ban certain sunscreens in a bid to protect coral reefs, but some say the impact on reefs is far from clear.
WORLD
Pentagon looks to unleash ‘military drone dominance’
By Gabriel Dominguez
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosts a drone demonstration at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on July 10.
CULTURE
‘Noto Democracy’ and the slow work of civic change
By Moe Shimizu
Yukio Iokibe’s “Noto Democracy" centers on Motoyuki Takii, a former junior high school teacher who publishes a handwritten newspaper every month to encourage the residents of Anamizu, Ishikawa Prefecture, to engage in local politics.
LIFE
In microbes we trust: Embracing the nature of fermented food
By Simon Daly
You don't need an oven to make Kenji Morimoto's easy and delicious Miso Sticky Toffee Crepe Cake.
LIFE
Touring the Silk Road — without leaving Tokyo
By Kimberly Hughes
One of the entrances to Pao Compound, a nine-story Silk Road-inspired complex in Tokyo's Higashinakano neighborhood

Podcast

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

Longform

In 2020, 38% of all households were single-person. That figure is projected to rise to 44.3% by 2050.
The rise of AI companionship in a lonely Japan
By Alex K.T. Martin

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WHAT’S TRENDING

JAPAN
Japan ruling bloc loses majority in Upper House after election drubbing
By Kanako Takahara, Gabriele Ninivaggi and Francis Tang
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who serves concurrently as president of the Liberal Democratic Party, leaves at the party's headquarters following announcement of Upper House election result projections in Tokyo early Monday.
JAPAN
Polls open for key Upper House election that could shake Japanese politics
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
People vote during Japan's Upper House election at a polling station in Tokyo on Sunday.
JAPAN
Sunken WWII Japanese warship Teruzuki found off Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands. A team from the U.S. nonprofit Ocean Exploration Trust has discovered the Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer Teruzuki on the deep seabed off the Solomon Islands as the 80th anniversary of the war's end approaches.
JAPAN
‘Japanese First’ Sanseito emerges as powerful force after Upper House poll
By Himari Semans
Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya in Tokyo on Sunday night
JAPAN
Japan team finds ancient ocean full of squids
The ancient ocean was full of squids, whose population exceeded that of fish or ammonites, a Japanese research team mainly from Hokkaido University has found through a new method using technology.