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Shohei Ohtani with then-interpreter Ippei Mizuhara during a news conference in Los Angeles in December
BASEBALL
Apr 12, 2024

Prosecutors say Ohtani’s interpreter stole $16 million from star

The account provided by authorities largely confirms what Ohtani told the public in late March.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, in December at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
BASEBALL
Apr 12, 2024

How Ippei Mizuhara allegedly wired millions from Shohei Ohtani’s account

Crucially for Ohtani, a U.S. investigation clearly paints him as a victim without any involvement in or knowledge of his interpreter's gambling woes.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrives for a tour of a new Toyota battery factory in Liberty, North Carolina, on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 13, 2024

Kishida touts U.S. visit success, saying snap election not on his mind

The prime minister, who is due to fly back on Saturday, will be hoping the diplomatic success can translate into a bump in his low approval ratings.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, attends an event in Seoul on Thursday. He is one of the most polarizing political figures in South Korea with a fervent base of supporters on the left and a large block of opponents in the conservative camp.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Apr 13, 2024

Indicted opposition leader is South Korea’s top contender for president in 2027

The victory of his party in Wednesday's parliamentary elections was quite a turnaround for Lee Jae-myung.
Noto Airport in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture
JAPAN
Apr 14, 2024

Japan to revise guidelines for airport operators in times of disaster

The BCP revisions come on the heels of the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture on Jan. 1.
The No. 6 and 7 reactors of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture
JAPAN
Apr 15, 2024

Tepco given OK to move fuel into Niigata reactor

Tepco is set to move fuel into the world's largest nuclear power plant, which has been idle since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
Leaders of intelligence agencies testify before a congressional committee about worldwide threats in Washington on March 11.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 15, 2024

Campaign puts Trump and the spy agencies on a collision course

Some former officials fear that Trump, if elected again, would try to weaken intelligence agencies or undermine their independence.
Armed French soldiers patrol Trocadero square near the Eiffel Tower Stadium, Champ de Mars Arena and Grand Palais Ephemere venues under construction for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in Paris on April 1.
WORLD / Society
Apr 16, 2024

Is fractious France ready for an Olympics party?

The buildup has been marred by rows that go to the heart of a bitter national debate about identity and race.
A direct military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities by the U.S. and its allies would likely only delay its program while risking regional war and increasing the likelihood of Tehran acquiring nuclear weapons in the long run.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 16, 2024

Iran hawks want to strike now. They're wrong.

One thing Iran hawks get right, starting with the contention that by attacking Israel directly on Saturday night, Iran changed rules of engagement.
Chinese runner He Jie, Ethiopian Dejene Hailu Bikila and Kenyans Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat take part in a half-marathon in Beijing on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Athletics
Apr 17, 2024

Did three African runners let a Chinese runner win a race in Beijing?

The results of a half-marathon are under investigation after footage of the finish led many to question whether three runners had deliberately slowed down.
Newly employed workers of government ministries and agencies listen to a video message by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a training session in Tokyo on April 3.
JAPAN / Society
Apr 17, 2024

Japanese students losing interest in civil service

Public-private job search timing affects student behavior, especially in new graduate hiring.
“Beyond the Fog” depicts the struggles of a family-run inn through the eyes of the proprietor’s 12-year-old daughter (Shuri Miyake, right, with Asami Mizukawa).
CULTURE / Film
Apr 18, 2024

‘Beyond the Fog’: Evocative mood piece leaves a dreamy impression

Daichi Murase’s understated drama about a dying community in rural Nara Prefecture benefits from Takeshi Dodo’s beautiful cinematography.
A Tokaido shinkansen. It is unclear whether the snake was venomous or how it ended up on the train, and there was no injury or panic among passengers.
JAPAN
Apr 17, 2024

Snake on a train: Discovery of serpent delays Tokyo-Nagoya shinkansen

Shinkansen customers can bring small dogs, cats and other animals, including pigeons on board — but not snakes.
Indonesia's Mount Ruang spews hot lava and smoke as seen from Sitaro, North Sulawesi, on Wednesday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 18, 2024

Thousands evacuated as Indonesia volcano erupts

Authorities said they were rushing to evacuate 11,000 residents from the nearby area that included the remote island of Tagulandang.
Real Madrid players celebrate during a penalty shootout against Manchester City on Wednesday.
SOCCER
Apr 18, 2024

Real Madrid exact revenge on Man City to reach Champions League semis

City's defense of the competition came to an end after Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic saw spot kicks saved by Madrid's unlikely hero Andriy Lunin.
As well as its successes through director Hayao Miyazaki (right), Studio Ghibli has been equally successful with its business and marketing acumen, which are led by producer Toshio Suzuki (left).
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Apr 18, 2024

Cannes announces honorary Palme d’Or for Studio Ghibli

This marks the first time the honorary award is going to a group instead of an individual.
Makoto Hasebe in action during a Europa League game in December 2021
SOCCER
Apr 18, 2024

Frankfurt's Japanese veteran Makoto Hasebe to retire at age 40

Hasebe made his international debut in 2006 and featured in 114 games for Japan while serving as captain from 2010 to 2018.
Countries in Southeast Asia have implemented a range of counterterrorism policies and measures, each with their strengths and challenges. However, the effectiveness of such policies remains a subject of debate.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 18, 2024

Southeast Asia needs to step up its counterterrorism game

While Islamic State and al-Qaeda have lost ground in the region, they are still capable of recruiting and inspiring local groups to join extremist causes.
Iran is now enriching uranium to up to 60% purity and has enough material enriched to that level, if enriched further, for two nuclear weapons, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency's theoretical definition.
WORLD / Politics / EXPLAINER
Apr 19, 2024

As the 2015 nuclear deal crumbles, how close is Iran to weaponization?

With the possibility of Israel retaliating, a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander said the nation might review its "nuclear doctrine."
Josh Rawitch, president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, holds a baseball thrown by former Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo during a no-hitter in 1996 while seated next to a Dodgers uniform used by Shohei Ohtani this season during a news conference at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Tokyo
BASEBALL
Apr 19, 2024

Baseball Hall of Fame to highlight history of Japan-U.S. ties in new exhibition

The exhibition, "Yakyu/Baseball: The Transpacific Exchange of the Game between Japan and the United States," is slated to open in July 2025.
Protesters react as a man holds up a sign demanding that soldiers from the United States Army leave Niger without negotiation during a demonstration in the capital, Niamey, on April 13.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 20, 2024

U.S. to withdraw military personnel from Niger

There were a little over 1,000 U.S. troops in Niger as of last year, where the U.S. military operated out of two bases, including a drone base.
From left: Willy Mnangat, Robert Keter, He Jie and Dejene Hailu Bikila cross the finish line in the Beijing half-marathon on April 14. He crossed first but the top three were later disqualified after it appeared they let He win.
MORE SPORTS / Athletics
Apr 21, 2024

Beijing half-marathon runners stripped of medals after controversial finish

A Chinese runner crossed the line first in a bizarre finish after three others seemed to deliberately allow him to win.
Toshihiro Kinjo (center), a research support technician at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, inspects an audio recording device in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, on April 3 as Masako Ogasawara, a research support specialist at OIST, looks on.
ENVIRONMENT / Wildlife / OUR PLANET
Apr 21, 2024

Hearing the impact of climate change in Okinawa, one bird call at a time

From Okinawa to Australia, “passive acoustic monitoring” projects are feeding scientists with data about changes to ecosystems and biodiversity.
Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk gets in a Tesla car as he leaves a hotel in Beijing in May last year.
BUSINESS / Tech / ANALYSIS
Apr 22, 2024

Elon Musk’s robotaxi dreams plunge Tesla into chaos

The idea of creating an autonomous taxi service has been kicking around Tesla for at least eight years.
A robotics company’s research and development center in Shenzhen. Chinese firms struggle to attract the private equity and venture capital funds that U.S. companies enjoy.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 22, 2024

China needs a better innovation ecosystem

Chinese firms struggle to attract the private equity and venture capital funds that U.S. companies enjoy, putting a damper on their ability to innovate.
A computer-generated image shows redevelopment plans for the former site of the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 22, 2024

Tsukiji 2030s: A stadium, culinary center and transportation hub

Massive redevelopment plans for the former site of Japan's world-famous fish market aim to turn the waterfront land into the new face of Tokyo.
Shohei Ohtani has been appointed as the new technology ambassador for Rapsodo, the company announced Monday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 22, 2024

Shohei Ohtani signs deal with sports technology company Rapsodo

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has signed a deal to become the technology ambassador for Rapsodo, the company announced on Monday.
The start of the 2023 edition of the Mount Fuji 100
MORE SPORTS
Apr 23, 2024

Iconic Mount Fuji 100 enters new era with World Trail Majors

The race — perhaps now more than ever — is a bucket list event for countless runners around the world.
Protesters outside the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices hear arguments in a legal fight over homelessness and a bid by Grants Pass, Oregon, to enforce local laws against people camping on public property
WORLD / Politics
Apr 23, 2024

U.S. Supreme Court scrutinizes laws used against the homeless

The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case about whether a city in Oregon banning camping outside on public streets and parks violates the Constitution.
A monument for the Great Kanto Earthquake on the premises of the education ministry in Tokyo
JAPAN
Apr 23, 2024

Use of disaster monument symbols expanding five years after launch

As of March, the number of these symbols put on maps maintained by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan has surpassed 2,000 nationwide.

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A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami