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JAPAN / Society
Oct 15, 2023

Ibaraki regains ignominious crown as least attractive prefecture

This marks the 12th time the prefecture ranked last since the survey began in 2009 — after being dethroned by Saga in 2022.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen attends the launching ceremony of Narwhal, its first domestically built submarine, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Sept. 28.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 16, 2023

Fearing China, South Korea targets Taiwan navy submarine contractors

Seoul has avoided arming the island, even as its companies ink weapons deals with other Asian neighbors.
Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, attends a plenary session in Moscow on Oct. 10.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 17, 2023

Russia set to revoke ratification of nuke test ban treaty, official says

Moscow would remain a signatory and would continue to cooperate with the test ban treaty organization and the global monitoring system.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 18, 2023

Upcoming by-elections first test of Kishida’s new Cabinet

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida faces his first electoral test after making Cabinet and Liberal Democratic Party leadership changes last month.
A young university grad (Kana Kita, right) is introduced to the world of "shunga" erotic art by an older academic (Seiyo Uchino) in “Picture of Spring.”
CULTURE / Film
Oct 19, 2023

‘Picture of Spring’: Smart, silly and lots of fun

Akihiko Shiota’s film about the world of Japanese erotic art feels like a crash course in “shunga” before veering into playfully risque territory.
JAPAN
Oct 18, 2023

Japan considers allowing exports of fighter jets to third nations

The government has clarified its position that it would be "desirable" to lift a ban in place on such exports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hugs U.S. President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport on Wednesday. Biden's visit to Israel represents a solidarity visit following Hamas attacks that have led to major Israeli reprisals.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 18, 2023

Biden in Israel says hospital blast appears done by ‘other team’

"I’m deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday," Biden said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes part in a welcoming ceremony upon his arrival in Pyongyang on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 19, 2023

Russian foreign minister pledges support for North Korea

The trip by Sergey Lavrov is part of a series of high-profile meetings between the neighbors that started in July.
Japan-based DJ and broadcaster Peter Barakan invites artists from around the world to perform at his two-day roots music festival, Peter Barakan’s Live Magic!.
CULTURE / Music
Oct 19, 2023

Peter Barakan’s Live Magic! festival celebrates 10th edition

The two-day roots music festival in Tokyo features sounds from around the world with acts such as Minyo Crusaders, Jon Cleary and Oreka TX.
This sweet and salty dish owes much to both early modern merchants and 20th century Tokyo University students.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Oct 22, 2023

Recipe: Deep-fried sweet (and salty) potatoes

Sweet potatoes are an iconic Japanese treat. Originally from Central America, they came through China in the 17th century to southern Kyushu.
The Bank of Japan intervened in the Japanese government bond (JGB) market on Friday for the fifth time this month after the 10-year yield rose to a fresh decade high.
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 20, 2023

Bank of Japan intervenes as 10-year JGB yield hits fresh decade peak

The benchmark JGB yield climbed to 0.845% right at the start of the trading day, its highest since July 2013, after revisiting peaks the previous day.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 20, 2023

Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke pleads guilty to assisting parents' suicides

“The feelings of regret, remorse and gratitude (to my supporters) are something I will carry for the rest of my life,” Ennosuke said.
PFAS substances can be found in firefighter foam, outdoor gear, artificial turf, medical equipment and countless other products.
WORLD
Oct 21, 2023

‘Forever chemical’ bans face hard truth: Many can’t be replaced

As lawmakers around the world weigh bans of "forever chemicals,” many manufacturers are pushing back, saying there often is no substitute.
An assembly engineer works on a TWINSCAN DUV lithography system at ASML in Veldhoven, Netherlands, in June.
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 21, 2023

The multimillion-dollar machines at the center of the U.S.-China rivalry

Complex lithography machines that print intricate circuitry on computer chips are at the heart of Washington's tough new measures on Beijing.
Palestinians hold a picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a protest in support of the people of Gaza, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on Friday.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 21, 2023

Putin plays for time in Ukraine with U.S. and EU focused on Mideast

The Kremlin is convinced developments are moving in Putin’s favor and that he’ll be able to hold on to territories in southern and eastern Ukraine.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Minister Melanie Joly during an event in Ottawa on Wednesday.
WORLD
Oct 21, 2023

Trudeau says many countries worried after India ousts Canada envoys

The diplomatic row is the latest escalation since Trudeau accused India of helping to orchestrate the killing of a Sikh separatist in Canada.
Smoke rises over buildings in the Gaza Strip on Saturday amid Israeli strikes.
WORLD
Oct 21, 2023

At Cairo summit, U.N. chief urges cease-fire to end Gaza 'nightmare'

Addressing a Cairo summit, Antonio Guterres said the Palestinian enclave of 2.4 million people was living through "a humanitarian catastrophe."
Journalists watch a large screen showing Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa addressing the International Peace Summit hosted by the Egyptian president in Cairo on Saturday amid the ongoing fighting between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 21, 2023

Japan FM urges redoubling of diplomacy to halt Israel-Hamas fighting

Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa joined a handful of leaders and officials for a meeting hosted by the Egyptian president in Cairo.
Ryoji Nagai holds Jazz the cat. The Nagais were going to get a dog when son, Yusuke, fell in love with the cat at the shelter.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / ADOPT ME!
Oct 22, 2023

Good looks, a loving heart and all this Jazz

Jazz, who was featured in the Adopt Me! column last year, has found a loving family to spend his life with.
The site of the al-Ahli Arab Hospital after a blast ripped through the facility on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 22, 2023

In global conflict zones, hospitals and doctors are no longer spared

Over the last two decades, medical facilities and staff have become casualties of war more frequently, in violation of international law.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida listens as Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan chief Kenta Izumi speaks in parliament in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 24, 2023

Tough questions for Kishida in parliament over spending plans

Japan’s main opposition party began its scrutiny of Kishida's economic stimulus package as the country struggles with inflation and stagnant wages.
A photo of Henry Li and his husband, Edgar Ng, hangs on a wall in their apartment at Ma On Shan in Hong Kong.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society / FOCUS
Oct 25, 2023

Hope and heartbreak after Hong Kong court decision on LGBTQ partnerships

The LGBTQ community has seen incremental legal victories, but same-sex marriage remains out of reach.
U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 18.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 25, 2023

Biden treads tightrope on Israel-Hamas cease-fire

The balancing act is becoming tougher by the day, with reports that Washington is concerned about Israel's plan of action for a Gaza invasion.
Two Air Self-Defense Force F-2 fighter jets (bottom) fly in formation with a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber as part of a joint exercise with the United States and South Korea in airspace near Kyushu on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 25, 2023

U.S., Japan and South Korea cooperation reaches new heights with aerial drill

While some view the move as signaling a "new era" in security ties, questions remain as to how long the current political momentum will hold
Munakata Shiko's "Oshira-sama: The Flying Silkworm Deities" (1968)
CULTURE / Art
Oct 26, 2023

Major retrospective traces hero's journey of 'Japan's van Gogh'

An exhibition of Shiko Munakata's works shows evidence of a charismatic character and a career that reflects Japan's changing relationship with the West.
A concierge-in-training (Natsumi Kawaida) learns the ins and outs of working at an upscale department store in “The Concierge.”
CULTURE / Film
Oct 26, 2023

‘The Concierge’: Frivolous fun with vintage charm

Yoshimi Itazu’s anime set in a department store for animal clientele offers a glittering experience with fluid animation and a vivid color palette.
Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebe speaks during an interview at his office on Oct. 19.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 26, 2023

Can Shibuya's mayor turn his ward into a global icon?

For Mayor Ken Hasebe, reining in Halloween revelers is just one step on the way to transforming Shibuya.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command released video footage that it said showed a Chinese J-11 fighter executing an "unsafe intercept” of a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber, such as the one seen above, which was "lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace.”
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 27, 2023

Dueling Chinese and U.S. videos show alleged provocations at sea

The rivals accused the other of provocative or unprofessional actions by military craft in and around the disputed South China Sea.
South African rugby supporters celebrate the team's World Cup triumph, in Johannesburg on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Oct 29, 2023

Ecstatic South Africans celebrate Rugby World Cup glory

Supporters of the national rugby team drank beers, waved flags and partied until the early hours in a wave of jubilation that swept the country.
Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh (left) and the former emir of Qatar arrive at a cornerstone-laying ceremony for the new Hamad residential neighborhood in Gaza in 2012.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 30, 2023

Israel-Hamas war escalation puts Qatar’s clout to the test

The nation has positioned itself as an key go-between, but has been criticized for housing Hamas leaders while maintaining channels to Israel.

Longform

Dangami House is a 180-year-old former samurai residence of the Kato clan, who ruled over Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, until the Meiji Restoration.
A house, a legacy and the quiet work of restoration in rural Japan