author

 
Menu
Search
 
September 16, 2025
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

Meta

Twitter

@jljzen

Jesse Johnson
U.S. President Donald Trump greeets Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the start of their bilateral meeting at the Group of 20 leaders summit in Osaka in June 2019.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Aug 16, 2025
Trump says Xi told him he wouldn’t invade Taiwan while U.S. leader is in office
But the U.S. president said Xi had also delivered an implicit warning about Taiwan’s future, telling him that he is “very patient, and China is very patient.”
Doves are released during a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, at the city's Peace Park on Saturday.
JAPAN
Aug 9, 2025
Nagasaki marks 80 years since atomic bombing as hibakusha numbers dwindle
The anniversary comes amid frustration among the dwindling number of survivors that their powerful calls for eradicating nuclear arms are falling on deaf ears.
On Monday, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba offered his views of U.S. President Donald Trump and the American leader’s negotiating tactics — colorful comments that were unusual for their candor but not widely reported in Japan.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 5, 2025
'Not a normal person’: Ishiba shoots from the hip when it comes to Trump
It is extremely unusual for a sitting prime minister to publicly speak about the leader of the U.S. in a manner that could be construed as criticism.
The Maritime Self-Defense Force's Mogami-class frigate Niyodo sails at an undisclosed location in this image released Tuesday.
JAPAN
Aug 5, 2025
Australia announces new warships will come from Japan
Canberra will purchase 11 Mogami-class frigates in what will be Tokyo’s biggest-ever defense contract — a breakthrough for Japan's defense industry.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (left) is escorted by Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya at the start of their meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 30, 2025
Japan-South Korea top diplomats’ meeting shows ties on solid footing
In an unusual move, Seoul’s foreign minister visited Tokyo before Washington, as the Asian neighbors emphasized the importance of maintaining stable relations.
Ground Self-Defense Force troops fire a Type-12 anti-ship missile as part of the RIMPAC 24 sinking exercise around the Hawaiian Islands in July last year.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 29, 2025
Japan eyes locations for deploying longer-range standoff missiles
The defense minister said that the location for the weapons, due to be deployed by next March, has yet to be decided — though reports called Kumamoto Prefecture a top candidate.
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani speaks to reporters during a visit to the Air Self-Defense Force's Space Situation Awareness radar in Sanyo-Onoda, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 29, 2025
‘Killer satellites’ beware: Japan unveils first space defense guidelines
The guidelines outline plans to protect Japanese satellites, while promoting cooperation between the public and private sectors on cutting-edge tech.
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, on June 30, 2019.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 29, 2025
North Korea says Trump must drop denuclearization policy if he wants to meet Kim
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea’s leader, called personal ties between Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump "not bad.”
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, attends wreath-laying ceremony at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi in March 2019.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 28, 2025
North Korea rejects South’s olive branch, saying it has ‘no interest’ in rapprochement
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea’s leader, said that “no matter what policy ... is made in Seoul, we have no interest in it.”
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures after signing executive orders in Washington on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 24, 2025
Trump says Tokyo agreed to buy U.S. defense gear, but questions remain
Touting the surprise trade agreement with Japan, the U.S. president claimed that Tokyo agreed to buy billions of dollars in defense equipment.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas attends a meeting in Brussels on July 14.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 23, 2025
China singled out at EU-Japan summit
The two sides reiterated their opposition to “any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion” in the East and South China seas.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shakes hands with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during a welcome ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 22, 2025
Philippine president and top U.S. officials vow to ramp up deterrence
Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met separately with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Elbridge Colby (center), then-nominee to be the Pentagon's undersecretary of defense for policy, is introduced by U.S. Vice President JD Vance (left), during a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing in Washington in March.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 16, 2025
Pentagon No. 3 praises Japan defense report, but vows to make alliance more 'equitable'
The Pentagon's top policy official Elbridge Colby labeled the defense white paper “an important, clear-eyed strategic assessment from our close ally."
Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura, chief of staff of the Air Self-Defense Force, attends a meeting at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, in April 2023.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 15, 2025
Japan taps ASDF chief as new top uniformed officer
The government has appointed current ASDF head, Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura, as the next chief of staff of the Defense Ministry's Joint Staff.
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.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 15, 2025
With China and Trump, Japan defense report says world entering ‘new era of crisis’
The annual defense white paper says that U.S. actions under Trump will “significantly impact” the Indo-Pacific region and “will require continued attention.”
A Ground Self-Defense Force member conducts a military drill with an anti-ship missiles unit, at the GSDF's base on Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture in April 2022.
JAPAN
Jul 14, 2025
U.S. urges clarity on Japan’s role in potential war over Taiwan, report says
The move reportedly caught Japanese officials off-guard, since the U.S. itself maintains a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on whether or not it would defend Taiwan.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting in Wonsan, North Korea, on Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 14, 2025
Ukraine denies North Korea planning to send 30,000 more troops to Russia
Kyiv's military intelligence agency said Pyongyang will instead send 6,000 personnel for reconstruction operations in batches of 1,500 to 3,000 personnel this month and next.
A Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber flies close to an Air Self-Defense Force YS-11EB intelligence-gathering surveillance aircraft over the high seas in the East China Sea on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jul 13, 2025
China says Japanese ‘harassment’ behind close encounter with ASDF spy plane
The Defense Ministry in Beijing said “close-in reconnaissance and harassment” by the Japanese side was “the root cause” of the latest incidents.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends the East Asia Summit foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 12, 2025
Trump tariffs not broached in two ASEAN-related meetings with U.S. officials
The lack of any mention of trade concerns was glaring amid reports that countries are looking at diversifying partnerships as a way to weather U.S. tariffs.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters during Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related meetings in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 11, 2025
Rubio says Japan defense spending hike less about money, more about capabilities
The comments echoed the view of Ishiba, who has repeatedly said that what is most important is the substance of strengthened defense capabilities — not arbitrary figures.
SDF spots China’s biggest aircraft carrier for first time
The Fujian aircraft carrier is seen in Shanghai in May 2024 as it leaves for its first sea trial.
Why more hotels in Japan are offering room-only service
Nipponia Hotel Ise Kawasaki Merchant Town in Ise, Mie Prefecture
Is America ready for Japanese-style 7-Elevens?
Convenience stores are a fixture of Japanese life and 7-Eleven, a chain that began in the U.S. in 1927, opened its first store in Japan in 1974 — and then became wholly Japanese-owned in 2005 through parent company Seven & I Holdings.
Final weeks of World Expo in Osaka likely to see large crowds
With one month left to go, crowds are expected to swell at the World Expo in Osaka during its final weeks.
Japan's elderly population down at around 36.2 million
The estimated number of people age 65 or older in Japan stands at 36.19 million as of Monday, accounting for record 29.4% of the country's total population, according to the internal affairs ministry.
Pole vault rivals in awe after Duplantis has another historic night in Tokyo
Sweden's Armand Duplantis competes in the men's pole fault final during the World Athletics Championships at National Stadium in Tokyo on Monday.
Japan's major art events converge this fall
Shinji Ohmaki’s “Tokinokage” exhibited at Fuji Textile Week 2021 shows the use of fabric as art.
Tara Davis-Woodhall leaps to gold and finds redemption at world championships
Tara Davis-Woodhall celebrates after winning the women's long jump final at the World Athletics Championships at Tokyo's National Stadium on Sunday night.
An aesthetic escape to Hakone’s art-drenched hills
Between traditional examples of fine art and sleek, modern exhibitions that blend with nature, Hakone offers a unique escape from Tokyo's urban sprawl.
Niinami’s ouster quick but not unusual as corporations protect reputation
Takeshi Niinami resigns as chairman and CEO of Suntory Holdings.

Podcast

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

Longform

Sumadori Bar on Shibuya Ward's main Center Gai street targets young customers who prefer low-alcohol drinks or abstain altogether.
Rethinking that second drink: Japan’s Gen Z gets ‘sober curious’
By Alex K.T. Martin

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.

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER