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Jesse Kirkwood is part of a vibrant field of translators who have nurtured what might be called a “post-Murakami era of Japanese literature and translation,” one book at a time.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Aug 29, 2025

Jesse Kirkwood: ‘Languages are entire cultural universes with all sorts of baggage’

The Japanese-English literary translator reflects on catching the recent wave of “post-Murakami” fiction and how he balances reading for work versus pleasure.
Coco Gauff celebrates after defeating Elise Mertens in the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, California, on Wednesday.
TENNIS
Mar 14, 2024

Coco Gauff lays out future goals after celebrating birthday with victory

Gauff said her goals in tennis take priority over her goals in life at this stage in her career.
Lara Trump, the co-chair of the Republican National Committee, speaks on the second night of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 17, 2024

Daughter-in-law and party chief: Lara Trump’s dual roles

Lara Trump has become one of the campaign’s most visible defenders in the media, putting a smiling spin on some of the darkest aspects of Donald Trump's campaign.
The Japanese market for secondhand items is growing, with more consumers using flea market apps such as Mercari.
BUSINESS
Oct 4, 2024

Japan's used goods market is expanding, but that may hurt its GDP

The trend is seen as friendly to consumers and the environment, but it can have the undesirable consequence of pushing down the country's GDP.
New Yorker Kenny Colvin opened Sanita, an Italian American-style cocktail bar, in Tokyo’s Hatagaya neighborhood in 2020.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jan 24, 2025

Kenny Colvin: ‘Work hard, drink hard, eat hard … relax hard’

The owner of Sanita, a cozy cocktail bar in Hatagaya, shares his journey and inspirations.
As the founder of Z Rakugo, Edanoshin Katsura is introducing the traditional storytelling form to younger audiences by blending it with club visuals and electronic music.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Mar 22, 2025

Edanoshin Katsura: ‘Rakugo and techno are both about rhythm and groove’

A 23-year-old entertainer is redefining the Japanese comedic storytelling tradition for Gen Z by introducing elements of techno and underground youth culture.
Sky forward Angel Reese (center) reacts to a flagrant foul from Fever guard Caitlin Clark (left) during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Saturday.
BASKETBALL
May 20, 2025

Caitlin Clark and Fever players support investigation into fan behavior

A video allegedly showed a male fan sitting courtside and making high-pitched noises at a member of the opposing team.
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 7, 2023

Feeling anxious? Wastewater, heat and Japan’s year in climate

In a year that saw Japan release 24,000 tons of wastewater (so far) from Fukushima No. 1 as the planet smashed heat records, it’s no wonder climate anxiety is on the rise. Mara Budgen joins us to break down the year in environment news, where we could see hope, and what we should be worried about....
A co-production between Hiroshi Koike Bridge Project and the Grotowski Institute in Wroclaw, Poland, “N/Kosmos” features performers from Poland and Japan, each of whom mostly uses their native tongue.
CULTURE / Stage
Mar 21, 2024

‘N/Kosmos’ puts on a dazzling display of controlled chaos

Stage director Hiroshi Koike welcomes pandemonium in his latest genre-fluid production in collaboration with Polish electronic musician Waclaw Zimpel.
A pianist undergoing a crisis of confidence (Taiga Kyomoto, right) falls in love with a mysterious fellow student (Kotone Furukawa) in Hayato Kawai’s “Secret: A Hidden Score.”
CULTURE / Film
Jun 20, 2024

‘Secret: A Hidden Score:’ A romantic fantasia played far too straight

Japanese remake of Jay Chou’s 2007 hit love story is tighter, tidier and less fun.
Omar Nok arrived in Japan 250 days after leaving Egypt. He didn't use a plane for any part of his journey.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Nov 20, 2024

Omar Nok: 'There are good people everywhere'

Omar Nok says the hospitality he has received from locals at every stop on his journey from Egypt to Japan has been nothing short of inspirational.
Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe (center) takes his seat for the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester on March 9, 2025.
SOCCER
Mar 11, 2025

Ratcliffe slams 'not good enough' and 'overpaid' Man Utd flops

The British billionaire named Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, Casemiro, Jadon Sancho and Antony as the chief causes of his frustration.
Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
BASEBALL / Longform
Jul 26, 2025

With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear

Across his 28 seasons of professional baseball, Ichiro grew to become a superstar — first in Japan and then in North America — and then an icon.
Norman Cook, better known as Fatboy Slim, first came to Japan in 1990 as the bass player in Beats International. He says he shares a similar sense of silliness with Japanese people, and that is part of what keeps drawing him back to the country.
CULTURE / Music
Oct 13, 2023

Fatboy Slim: 'Let's just be stupid for one night'

The DJ shares his love of soccer and silliness with fans during his two-city Japan tour.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Philippines' president, speaks during an interview in Manila on Tuesday. Marcos said the threat to his nation from China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea is growing but argued that his government's efforts to assert sovereignty over disputed areas aren't meant to start a conflict by "poking the bear." 
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Mar 20, 2024

Marcos warns on China threat, says he’s not ‘poking the bear’

But since the threat has grown, Manila "must do more" to defend its territory, the Philippine president says.
Artisan Suzanne Ross says Japanese lacquerware is a "treasure that belongs to the world."
JAPAN / Society
Mar 20, 2024

Wajima artisan’s livelihood, four decades in the making, upended by disaster

Lacquerware artist Suzanne Ross' life was upended by a massive earthquake. Now, she's determined to keep her craft alive.
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (left) works against the Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert during the second quarter in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series in Denver on May 4.
BASKETBALL / NBA
May 9, 2024

Nuggets star Nikola Jokic named NBA MVP for third time in four seasons

Jokic is the ninth player to win the award three or more times.
Lawrence Wong will become Singapore's fourth prime minister on Wednesday. He will be tasked with steering the city-state into new territory as its economy slows down and its population ages rapidly.
COMMENTARY / World
May 13, 2024

New Singaporean PM faces some economic headwinds

Lawrence Wong will be sworn in as the city-state's fourth prime minister on Wednesday. Despite Singapore's strong economy, new challenges lie ahead.
England's Jos Buttler plays a reverse sweep during the second T20 match against Pakistan in Birmingham, England, on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS / Cricket
May 30, 2024

England will not use disrupted preparation as excuse at T20 World Cup

Mark Wood said his side is strong enough to cope with the curtailed preparations.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic stretches his knee during his men's singles round of sixteen match against Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo at the French Open in Paris on Monday.
TENNIS
Jun 4, 2024

Djokovic unsure about French Open quarterfinals after knee injury

The player had been experiencing slight discomfort in his right knee, which flared up as he played Francisco Cerundolo.
Scottie Scheffler pumps his fist after making a putt during the final round of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Jun 12, 2024

U.S. Open field chasing Scottie Scheffler's greatness

Rory McIlroy describes Scheffler as relentless, with the American having played 14 times with only one tournament finish outside the top 10.
Two friends bond over their shared love of art, but when tragedy strikes, one of them gets the chance to ask “what if” in Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s “Look Back.”
CULTURE / Film
Jun 26, 2024

‘Look Back’: A tale of self-discovery and tragedy told at a refreshing pace

A touching story that’s also a pleasure to look at thanks to director Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s springy, supple art style.
By windsurfing around the British Isles, Jonathan “Jono” Dunnett says he was rescued from disillusionment and depression.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Oct 10, 2024

Jonathan Dunnett: ‘The ocean is far bigger than we are, and it will humble us.’

With his bright orange sail, windsurfer Jonathan Dunnett is pretty visible out on the water. This means he draws attention from other boaters and the odd shark.
Jean-Pierre Charriton
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Dec 2, 2024

President of L’Oreal Japan leverages innovation

Entered L’Oreal in 1991, in charge of the Biotherme products. After a career path in many countries, he arrived in Japan in 2021.
Fans of K-pop boy band NCT sing one of their songs while holding light sticks, as they attend a protest rally calling for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 10, 2024

K-pop light sticks fire up impeachment protests in South Korea

Playlists of popular K-pop protest songs are also being shared on X, with one lawmaker in the opposition party also jumping on the trend.
A pedestrian shares the sidewalk with a food delivery robot in Los Angeles.
COMMENTARY / World / The Year Ahead
Dec 31, 2024

The world needs a pro-human AI agenda

It is both technically feasible and socially desirable to have AI that complements workers, improves our information ecosystem, and strengthens democracy.
Italy's head coach Luciano Spalletti leaves at the end of the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Moldova at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia, Italy on Monday.
SOCCER
Jun 10, 2025

Italy not in a good place for successor, says sacked Spalletti

Spalletti announced his own dismissal on the eve of the Moldova match, which comes after less than two years in the role and included a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign.
Japan has a deep rogues' gallery of age-old "yōkai" (spirits), but a museum on the island of Shodoshima has released a new book collecting yōkai that reflect the uncertainties of the modern world.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 14, 2025

'Rice swindler,' 'Face thief': Worried citizens invent new monsters

A decade-old contest for original "yōkai" art reflects what keeps people up at night in Japan.
Fluminense's Thiago Silva before the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal match against Al Hilal in Orlando, Florida, on Friday.
SOCCER
Jul 7, 2025

Youthful Chelsea ready for Thiago Silva reunion at Club World Cup

Silva initially made his name at Fluminense, and returned to the side upon leaving Chelsea.
The batsman’s place can be a lonely one — in the center of the field, surrounded by the opposition — but you can always look back to your pavilion for support.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / Longform
Jul 31, 2023

Sweat, stumps and solidarity on the cricket pitch

It's a hot day and the Yokohama Alpha Quashers are about to take on the Chiba Sharks, fighting for a chance to move higher in the Japan Cricket League.

Longform

Figure skater Akiko Suzuki was once told her ideal weight should be 47 kilograms, a number she now admits she “naively believed.” This led to her have a relationship with food that resulted in her suffering from anorexia.
The silent battle Japanese athletes fight with weight