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May 15, 2025
 

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Russia's President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump walk during the G20 leaders summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019.
WORLD / Politics
May 15, 2025
Putin and Trump to skip Ukraine's peace talks that Russian leader proposed
The absence of the Russian and U.S. presidents lowers the expectations for a major breakthrough in the war Russia started in February 2022.
U.S. President Donald Trump talks to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on April 7.
WORLD / Politics
May 15, 2025
Bypassed by Trump, Israel dismayed but silent
Israel has maintained a diplomatic silence this week even as their assumptions about their standing with the U.S. were shaken by Trump's moves.
An Air Self-Defense Force T-4 training aircraft
JAPAN
May 14, 2025
Two crew feared dead after ASDF training jet crashes in Aichi
The T4 training aircraft, which seats two, crashed shortly after taking off. The crew's fate was not immediately clear.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (right) watches as U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday.
WORLD
May 14, 2025
Trump meets Syrian president and urges him to establish ties with Israel
Trump urged Ahmed al-Sharaa to join the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020.
Firefighters see off a vehicle carrying a body recovered from a sinkhole in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, on May 2.
JAPAN
May 14, 2025
Body in Saitama sinkhole identified as that of truck driver
The body was found on May 2 after the truck fell into the sinkhole created at the center of an intersection in the city of Yashio on Jan. 28.
A model of the proposed Roshn Stadium inside a Saudi Arabia World Cup bid exhibition in Riyadh on Dec. 11
WORLD
May 14, 2025
Human Rights Watch warns of migrant worker deaths in Saudi Arabia
The NGO, which has studied nearly 50 cases of deaths in Saudi Arabia, said Saudi authorities had "failed to adequately protect workers from preventable deaths."
Panasonic may be poised to benefit from having factories in the U.S. as Tesla and others seek to reduce their reliance on Chinese battery-makers.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 14, 2025
Panasonic CEO says battery plans align with slower EV demand
The supplier of lithium-ion batteries to Tesla is getting ready to start production at a second U.S.-based factory in Kansas, but has frozen plans for a third plant.
Aso serves as the head of the LDP's task force on Japan’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
JAPAN / Politics
May 14, 2025
Conservative heavyweights join forces in LDP panel on Indo-Pacific
The panel has prompted speculation it could serve as an occasion to coalesce support against the government in the upcoming months.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass eats California rice at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo on Tuesday along with Mitsuko Tsuchiya, vice president of retailer Aeon.
JAPAN
May 14, 2025
Japanese retailers turn to California rice for cheaper alternative
Major retailer Aeon announced Tuesday it will start selling the “Karoyaka” variety of California rice from June 6.
Cars on display at Nissan's headquarters in Yokohama on Tuesday. The automaker posted a massive annual net loss and confirmed that it plans to cut thousands of jobs worldwide.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 14, 2025
Japanese automakers looking at a ¥1 trillion hit from Trump tariffs 
No matter what happens, they expect the new levies to cost them a lot.
Bereaved family members observe a moment of silence on Wednesday at a memorial ceremony for a train collision that killed 42 people in the city of Koka, Shiga Prefecture.
JAPAN
May 14, 2025
34-year memorial held for victims of Shiga train collision
On May 14, 1991, an SKR train and a JR West train collided head-on in Shigaraki, now Koka, killing 42 people and injuring more than 600.
Japan ranked 14th out of 36 developed countries in the latest child well-being survey, improving from 20th place in the previous survey released in 2020, a report by a UNICEF research institute showed Wednesday.
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 14, 2025
Japan ranks 14th in UNICEF child well-being survey
Top positions in the latest overall rankings were held by the Netherlands, Denmark and other European countries.
An expected collaboration between Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and SoftBank will see the PayPay smartphone payment service being made available via the Olive general financial app provided by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 14, 2025
Sumitomo Mitsui and SoftBank to tie up on digital payment services
The PayPay smartphone payment service operated by a SoftBank affiliate will be made available in Sumitomo Mitsui Banking's Olive app under the partnership.
Thunder forward Jalen Williams (right) and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrate after a basket during Game 5 of Oklahoma City's series with the Nuggets.
BASKETBALL / NBA
May 14, 2025
Thunder storm past Nuggets late for 3-2 series lead
Down by nine with under nine minutes to go, the Thunder wound up outscoring the Nuggets 34-19 in the fourth quarter.
New research by a U.S. climate scientists’ group reveals that extreme heat has increased the risks of preterm births and other pregnancy complications in Japan, nearly doubling the number of days that are harmfully hot for pregnant women over the past five years.
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 14, 2025
Harmfully hot days for pregnant women in Japan nearly doubled over past five years
Heat stress can raise the risks of stillbirths, miscarriages, preterm births and low-weight births, as well as congenital abnormalities for the babies.
Masataka Yuhara, secretary-general of the Friends of Lee Teng Hui Association in Japan, which has been calling for "Taiwan" to be permitted as a place of origin in family registers.
JAPAN
May 14, 2025
Japan to recognize Taiwan as place of origin in family registration system
Residents of Taiwanese descent in Japan and their support groups have welcomed the change.
Onosato (left) battles Abi on Day 3 of the Summer Basho in Tokyo on Tuesday.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 14, 2025
Sumo title contenders already emerging in early stages of Tokyo meet
With Onosato looking untouchable during the summer meet’s opening stages, excitement is already building over his yokozuna bid.
Chinese military vehicles carrying DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles travel in Beijing's Tiananmen Square during a military parade in October 2019.
WORLD
May 14, 2025
U.S. warns of China missile threat ahead of 'Golden Dome' announcement
China may within a decade possess scores of orbiting missiles with nuclear payloads capable of quickly reaching the U.S., the Defense Intelligence Agency has said.
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on March 13.
WORLD / Politics
May 14, 2025
NATO is sketching out a plan to meet Trump's call for 5% of GDP on defense
Negotiators are making progress ahead of a NATO summit in The Hague in June on a path to hitting the spending goal by 2032.
South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung speaks in Goyang, South Korea, on April 27.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 14, 2025
South Korean think tank halves 2025 growth forecast to 0.8%
The revised outlook reflects the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign on the trade-reliant nation as its presidential race hits full swing.
A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker is tugged toward a thermal power station in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, in 2017.
BUSINESS
May 14, 2025
Japan under pressure from U.S. to invest in Alaska LNG pipeline
Doubts over the pipeline's profitability and viability leaves Japan's participation in the $44 billion (nearly ¥6.7 trillion) project uncertain.
Former Uruguayan President Jose Mujica reacts after receiving a tribute in Montevideo on March 26. Mujica, a former guerrilla fighter and icon of the left in Latin America, died at the age of 89 on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
May 14, 2025
Latin America mourns world's 'poorest president' Mujica, dead at 89
The iconic 89-year-old died of cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment.
Solar Park Kasso ApS's e-methanol production plant, located on the outskirts of Aabenraa in Denmark, on Monday
BUSINESS / Companies
May 14, 2025
Mitsui starts mass production of e-methanol with Danish firm
The amount of CO2 emitted from e-methanol production is up to 97% less than that from methanol produced using fossil fuels.
Transport ministry issues warning to Haneda Airport operator
The operator of Tokyo's Haneda Airport has been warned by the government over its inappropriate transactions.
Success of Chinese-made fighter jets against India raises alarm in Asia
Chinese J-10 fighter jets from the People's Liberation Army Air Force August 1st Aerobatics Team perform during a media demonstration at the Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, in November 2015.
One month on, Osaka Expo urged to boost heat and crowd control measures
A gate to the Osaka Expo site is crowded with visitors on Monday.
Xi defiance pays off as Trump meets most China trade demands
Then-Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visits a school in South Gate, California, in February 2012. Experts say Xi won big in his standoff with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Japanese retailers turn to California rice for cheaper alternative
U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass eats California rice at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo on Tuesday along with Mitsuko Tsuchiya, vice president of retailer Aeon.
Sculpted waves, sleek updos: Showa hairstyles are back in fashion
The larger-than-life hairstyles of Japan's Showa Era are unmistakable — and they're making a comeback.
Consumption tax set to dominate Upper House election debate
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba enters his office in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Japan should produce its own AI defense solutions, Sakana AI CEO says
Sakana AI CEO David Ha speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Nissan gets ‘wake-up call’ with $4.5 billion annual net loss
Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa in Tokyo as the company releases its results
Japan set for bigger role in Philippines after SDF’s debut in key drills
Philippine Army Brig. Gen. Michael Logico, who was involved in managing the latest iteration of the Balikatan U.S.-Philippine drills, told The Japan Times that he expects military ties with Japan to surge even further once Tokyo ratifies a key visiting-forces agreement with Manila.

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Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.
What comes after 100?
By Tomoko Otake