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July 20, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
July 20, 2025
Japan elections
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Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba waves to voters on Friday in Yokohama.
JAPAN / Politics
Polls open for key Upper House election that could shake Japanese politics
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
A variety of scenarios await the country should the ruling coalition lose its majority in the Upper House — from an enlarged coalition to an opposition-led government.

More coverage

Ishiba's future in balance as polls hint at rout in Upper House election
Japanese markets brace for triple whammy if opposition wins big
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba waves to voters on Friday in Yokohama.
U.S. President Donald Trump steps on stage to deliver remarks at the Salute to America Celebration at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines on July 3.
BUSINESS / Economy
Trump aims tariff double whammy at industries and nations by Aug. 1
By Joe Deaux, Jenny Leonard, Alicia Diaz and Josh Wingrove
In addition to measures on copper, the U.S. has discussed making announcements on lumber, chips, critical minerals and drugs in that order, though this may change.
Visitors play Hades 2, an upcoming independent game for Nintendo's Switch 2, during the BitSummit indie gaming expo in the city of Kyoto on Friday.
BUSINESS / Tech / FOCUS
Indie game studios battle for piece of Switch 2 success
By Katie Forster
With Nintendo game sales long dominated by in-house franchises, it can be hard for outsiders to break through.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent before a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Friday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Ishiba and Bessent say 'good' trade agreement still possible
By Francis Tang
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba urged U.S. Treasury chief Scott Bessent to continue talks with Japan’s chief negotiator to achieve a win-win deal.
One of the entrances to Pao Compound, a nine-story Silk Road-inspired complex in Tokyo's Higashinakano neighborhood
LIFE / Lifestyle
Touring the Silk Road — without leaving Tokyo
By Kimberly Hughes
Located near Higashinakano Station, Pao Compound is an eclectic mix of restaurants, event spaces and an affinity for cultural exploration.
One of the entrances to Pao Compound, a nine-story Silk Road-inspired complex in Tokyo's Higashinakano neighborhood

JAPAN

People watch a campaign speech in Tokyo on July 13.
Record 21.45 million people vote early in Upper House poll
The figure represents 20.58% of all voters, with many people using the system given the long weekend.
Soil from the Fukushima No. 1 plant is delivered to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's office in Tokyo on Saturday.
Fukushima soil delivered to Ishiba's office for reuse
With few willing to take the contaminated earth, the government took it upon itself to reuse some of the soil to show it is not dangerous.
Amid searing summer heat, eel restaurants draw crowds on Day of Ox
Japan's minority government faces election snub as economic storm brews
Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence — and Zen?
By Michael Hoffman
As rice shortage hits donations, food banks urge politicians to tackle poverty

BUSINESS

The No. 2 (left) and No. 1 reactor buildings stand at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Ohi nuclear power station in Ohi Town, Fukui Prefecture.
Kansai Electric eyes next-generation reactor at plant in Fukui Prefecture
This is the first concrete move toward building a new reactor in the country since the March 2011 disaster.
South African Deputy Minister of Finance David Masondo (left), Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana (center) and South African Reserve Bank Gov. Lesetja Kganyago address a closing news conference on the last day of a meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in Durban, South Africa on Friday.
G20 communique delivers rare show of unity amid Trump trade war
U.S. tariffs have strained the G20’s multilateral foundations and complicated South Africa’s efforts — as this year’s rotating president — to keep the group’s agenda on course.
U.S. firms to develop Syria energy master plan after Trump lifts sanctions
By Timour Azhari
G20 communique delivers rare show of unity amid Trump trade war
Mizuho partners with SoftBank on AI to boost efficiency
Seven & I risks becoming buyout target again if turnaround fails
By Koh Yoshida

WORLD

Tribal and bedouin fighters cross al-Mazraa village in Syria's Sweida governorate as they mobilize amid clashes with Druze gunmen on Friday.
U.S. announces Syria-Israel truce as new clashes rock Druze heartland
At least 638 people have died since Sunday in violence between the Druze and Bedouins, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on June 27.
Trump sues Wall Street Journal over Epstein report, seeking $10 billion
The newspaper said that Trump in 2003 sent Jeffrey Epstein a birthday greeting that included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to secrets they shared.
Car plows into Los Angeles nightclub crowd, injuring 30
Sleepless in Kyiv: How Ukraine's capital copes with Russia's nighttime attacks
By Yurii Kovalenko, Anastasiia Malenko and Vladyslav Smilianets
'Frightening': Trump's historic power grab worries experts
By Frankie TAGGART
Defiant Bolsonaro says he is the one to stop Lula, China and Trump tariffs
By Luciana Magalhaes

Sports

Scottie Scheffler walks up the 17th fairway during the third round of the British Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland on Saturday.
Scottie Scheffler inches closer to victory at British Open
Scheffler is one round away from his fourth major championship in four years after opening up a four-stroke lead on Saturday.
Japan's O'Leary beats world No. 1 Dora to take first surfing tour win
Scottie Scheffler holds lead at midway point of British Open
Dominant Pogacar not in a giving mood as Tour lead swells
By Julien Pretot
Seiya Suzuki's three-run homer helps Cubs snap Red Sox's 10-game streak

Opinion

Once seen as an unlikely prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba has struggled to deliver on promises, mishandled ties with U.S. President Donald Trump and now faces an election where the odds don’t look good for his party to come out victorious.
A trade deal fumble could be Ishiba’s last mistake
Gearoid Reidy
Ishiba already leads a coalition that lacks a majority in the Lower House, and another bad showing Sunday will likely mean Japan is looking for its third leader in as many years.
The 'Trump Doctrine' is wishful thinking
By Melanie W. Sisson
In Japanese politics, rice is the 'third rail'
By Edo Naito
Japan must be ready for an increasingly dangerous world
In uncertain times, Japan needs responsible leadership

ENVIRONMENT

A student leaves the secondary school building built by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Francis Kere, in Kere's home village of Gando, Burkina Faso, on June 3, 2022.
How schools are being built for extreme heat — without air conditioning
By Emma Batha
With techniques such as cross-ventilation and materials such as clay, architects around the world are adapting schools to climate change without the use of air conditioning.
Pakistan's quiet solar rush puts pressure on national grid
By Zain Zaman Janjua
World risks up to $39 trillion in losses from vanishing wetlands: report
By Duncan Miriri
How climate change is fueling wildfires in Europe
By Kate Abnett
When it’s this hot, ‘We are enduring, not living’
By Zia ur-Rehman

CULTURE

Mod's memoir “Things Become Other Things” chronicles his walking trips across the Kii Peninsula, surveying “a graceful end to a certain life cycle.”
Craig Mod's life in motion in a disappearing Japan
By James Hadfield
In “Things Become Other Things,” the longtime resident of Japan captures that grace that lingers in slowly vanishing countryside towns.
What to pack if you are heading to the Fuji Rock Festival
The self as a muse: Leonard Foujita's world in paintings and photos
By Jennifer Pastore
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

A man takes part in Tokyo’s Sanja Matsuri by helping to carry a "mikoshi" (portable shrine). Many Japanese festivals are open to foreign residents and tourists to participate in.
Dancers, festivals and one very useful Japanese grammar point
By Yaeko Kabe
From Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri to Tokyo’s Sumida fireworks, Japan’s summer festivals offer history, spectacle — and a chance to learn some vocabulary.
In microbes we trust: Embracing the nature of fermented food
By Simon Daly
In Gaza-made obi, Palestinian embroidery meets Japanese kimono
By Anna Sakamoto
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.
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
Japanese language is your gateway to seeing the world anew
By Damian Flanagan

Editors' Picks

JAPAN
Japan's rice farmers are confounded by Shinjiro Koizumi’s policies
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Kiyoshi Shibata stands in front of one of the rice paddies in Murayama, Yamagata Prefecture, where he produces the prefecture's signature rice brand Tsuyahime.
JAPAN
From stalking to death threats, female candidates still face harassment
By Himari Semans
Mayu Ushida, a former NHK newscaster running for election in the Tokyo electoral district on the Democratic Party for the People ticket, signs an autograph for a voter after a public rally at Shinjuku Station in Tokyo on Tuesday.
CULTURE
Kawaii Lab redefines idol pop for the TikTok generation
By Patrick St. Michel
Misa Kimura is the main producer for Kawaii Lab, a project by entertainment agency Asobisystem whose groups have found success by pairing a social media-first strategy with a fresh perspective on traditional idol-pop tropes.
CULTURE
Craig Mod's life in motion in a disappearing Japan
By James Hadfield
Mod's memoir “Things Become Other Things” chronicles his walking trips across the Kii Peninsula, surveying “a graceful end to a certain life cycle.”
JAPAN
With China and Trump, Japan defense report says world entering ‘new era of crisis’
By Jesse Johnson
A senior member of a Self-Defense Forces honor guard inspects a formation before the arrival of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba for a visit to the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on June 30.

Podcast

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

Longform

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

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Looking ahead to Yokohama’s Green × Expo 2027
Looking ahead to Yokohama’s Green × Expo 2027

WHAT’S TRENDING

BUSINESS
Japanese markets brace for triple whammy if opposition wins big
By Kazuaki Nagata
A Sanseito campaign van in Shinjuku. The populist party is gaining ground and challenging the more centrist parties.
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.
BUSINESS
Living conditions index hits lowest level in 15 years in Japan
The share of respondents to a Bank of Japan quarterly survey in June who said they have become worse off came to 61.0%, up 5.1 percentage points from the previous survey.
JAPAN
In Upper House race, younger voters in Tokyo turn to DPP for new direction
By Yukana Inoue
The Tokyo district has the highest number of candidates in the 2025 Upper House election with 32 people in the running for seven seats.
JAPAN
Concerns grow in Japan over possible Russian interference in Sunday’s election
By Yukana Inoue
A think tank researcher said anti-government propaganda by Russian bot accounts was what has made the small far-right party Sanseito so popular leading up to the Upper House election.