Search - 2023

 
 
Flames reach upward along the edge of a wildfire near Mistissini, Quebec, in June.
ENVIRONMENT
Aug 23, 2023

As wildfires multiply, a new era of air pollution

The average American had already been exposed to 450 micrograms of smoke per cubic meter by early July, worse than from 2006-2022.
Former U.S. President and 2024 Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump walks off stage after speaking at an event in Las Vegas on July 8.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 23, 2023

Trump set to upstage Republican rivals despite debate no-show

Five months ahead of the start of primary elections to choose the party's flag-bearer, the runaway front-runner's grassroots support is as strong as ever.
BUSINESS
Aug 23, 2023

Goldman, KKR and Blackstone join investor rush for Japan hotels

Compared with before the pandemic, visitors to Japan are spending more, with most of that money going on lodgings and hospitality.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 23, 2023

A closer look at sumo's 'hot hand' after Hokutofuji's Nagoya run

Hokutofuji’s career best 12-win outing in July not only came out of the blue, but was his first winning record of any kind since the previous September.
Artificial intelligence is likely to help Big Tech companies cement their industry dominance as they are the ones with the resources to develop and maintain the most powerful AI models.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 23, 2023

Unlocking AI’s potential for everyone

The tech industry’s dominant players are now deploying artificial-intelligence models to reinforce their positions in the market.
England's Mary Earps won the Golden Glove as the top goalkeeper of the 2023 Women's World Cup
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Aug 24, 2023

England goalkeeper Mary Earps hits back at Nike over statement

England goalkeeper Mary Earps has questioned a Nike statement regarding the unavailability of her replica jersey during the recent Women's World Cup.
People visit Semicon China, a trade fair for semiconductor technology, in Shanghai in 2021
BUSINESS
Aug 24, 2023

China quietly hires overseas chip talent as U.S. tightens curbs

The revamped recruitment drive is said to offer perks including home-purchase subsidies and typical signing bonuses of $420,000 to $700,000.
A promotional poster for the film "Barbie" in Tokyo on Aug. 3
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 23, 2023

Why is the ‘Barbie’ movie bombing in Japanese theaters?

The fact that the movie's female empowerment theme won’t have a positive, lasting impact in Japan is a shame.
JAPAN
Aug 24, 2023

Local governments tap big data on spending by foreign visitors

Such data allows authorities to analyze consumption trends in detail, "visualize" markets and place targeted advertisements.
JAPAN / Explainer
Aug 24, 2023

A closer look at the Fukushima water discharge plan

The IAEA, the Japanese government and many nuclear experts say this process is safe and consistent with what other countries are doing.
Russian businessman and co-founder of Alfa Group Mikhail Fridman (left) attends a conference in Moscow in September 2019.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 24, 2023

Sympathy for the oligarch

As private actors sought to navigate the collapse of the Soviet economy, they ended up shaping it into something far more functional and prosperous.
New Zealand coach Ian Foster is not concerned about former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen helping Australia prepare for the Rugby World Cup.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Aug 24, 2023

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has no issues with Steve Hansen helping Australia

New Zealand head coach Ian Foster insisted Wednesday he had known for a month that predecessor Steve Hansen had agreed to help rival Australia prepare for the Rugby World Cup.
Solar panels at a proof-of-concept site for green hydrogen production in Vredendal, South Africa
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 25, 2023

The key to greening heavy industry

If the world’s vast ocean resources can be tapped directly to produce hydrogen, there will be no holding back the green transition.
The Netherlands' Femke Bol (left) and Shamier Little of the U.S. compete during the women's 400-meter hurdles at the world championships in Budapest on Thursday.
MORE SPORTS / Athletics
Aug 25, 2023

Femke Bol captures long-awaited gold in 400-meter hurdles at worlds

Bol's win helped her put last week's crushing relay heartbreak behind her.
Investors stand in front of an electronic board showing stock information on the first trading day after the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday at a brokerage house in Shanghai.
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Aug 26, 2023

China’s market rescue is failing as Xi holds back on stimulus

China’s regulators face a losing battle convincing global funds to invest in the nation’s stocks without stronger stimulus packages.
President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales announces he will not quit after his kiss on the lips of a star player sparked outrage.
SOCCER
Aug 27, 2023

FIFA suspends Spanish soccer chief over World Cup kiss

The outrage began after Rubiales celebrated Spain’s victory by kissing Jennifer Hermoso on the lips.
Noah Lyles celebrates after the U.S. won the men's 4x100 meter relay final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS / Athletics
Aug 27, 2023

Gold rush for Noah Lyles and Faith Kipyegon at world championships

On an enthralling night's action Armand "Mondo" Duplantis and Sha'Carri Richardson also rubberstamped their authority in their events.
A new Russian textbook for high school students on general world and national history
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 27, 2023

Putin’s history lessons fail to heed the lessons of history

Putin seems to have forgotten is that rewriting history to serve the interests of those in power tends to invite dissent and often backfires.
Three MV-22B tilt-rotor Ospreys fly in formation above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Sydney in June 2017. A U.S. Marine Osprey crashed on a remote island north of Australia's mainland while taking part in military exercises on Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 28, 2023

Three U.S. Marines die in Osprey crash during Australia drills

Australian personnel were not involved in the crash that occurred during Exercise Predator's Run 2023.
Members of the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, and U.S. armed forces carry national flags during the opening ceremony of joint military exercises in Taguig, Philippines, in October 2022.
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Aug 27, 2023

How Japan can make the most of its latest diplomatic tool

Japan recently decided to establish a policy of Official Security Assistance. But how can it ensure its success?
Anti-World Bank protestors gather outside where the International Monetary and Financial Committee’s plenary session was being held in Washington in mid-April. 
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 28, 2023

The global order’s triple policy challenge and the tasks ahead

With public and private debt at record levels, political leaders face the monumental task of allocating resources to address critical global challenges.
A Mazda MX-30 at a dealership in the city of Hiroshima. The MX-30 is the only electric vehicle model Mazda currently sells in Japan.
BUSINESS / Companies / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
Aug 28, 2023

Mazda accelerates EV shift in China, reshaping ties with suppliers

Mazda’s sales in China in the year from April 2022 halved from the previous year to 84,000 units due to a thin lineup of EVs.
A concept model of the Global Combat Air Programme's fighter jet is displayed at the DSEI Japan defense show at Makuhari Messe in Chiba in March.
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Aug 31, 2023

What the trilateral fighter jet program means for Japan

The program, also involving the U.K. and Italy, is the first such project with countries other than the U.S.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Aug 28, 2023

Car thefts on the rise in Japan as vehicle prices remain high

Cases of car theft increased last year for the first time in almost a decade, with Aichi the most affected prefecture, and are still rising rapidly.
In its quake damage estimates updated last year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government expects that 4.53 million people will be unable to return home in the aftermath of a massive quake hitting the capital.
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2023

Over-concentration in Tokyo raising risks from possible quake

The government estimate that up to 23,000 people would be killed if a massive quake hits the capital.
France's scrum-half Antoine Dupont warms up ahead of a match between France and Australia near Paris on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Aug 30, 2023

Now or never for favorites France as Rugby World Cup hosts

France might be below Ireland and the Springboks in the world rankings but they have seldom been in such good form before a Rugby World Cup.
Korean writer-director Kim Sung Hwan's "Iron Mask" took one of the two top awards at this year's Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) in South Korea.
CULTURE / Film / CULTURE SMASH
Aug 30, 2023

Does South Korea now have the edge over Japan when it comes to film?

While Korean cinema tackles universal topics, Japanese studios are content to navel-gaze.
Kotonowaka surely has his eyes on eventually emulating his grandfather, former grand champion Kotozakura.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 30, 2023

New sumo ranks highlight rise of next generation

Ahead of the autumn tournament in Tokyo, it's the up-and-coming wrestlers who are making waves.
Artificial intelligence may well enable the automation of many tasks and the replacement of some workers. But AI tools are still fallible and are unlikely to replace humans any time soon.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 30, 2023

AI and the productivity imperative

The global economic outlook for the next decade appears grim. But a surge in productivity — fueled by artificial intelligence — could change that picture.
Japan center Dylan Riley (left) escapes from Italy's center Luca Morisi during a match on Aug. 26.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Aug 31, 2023

Japan ready to shake off COVID-19 legacy at Rugby World Cup

The Brave Blossoms beat Ireland and Scotland to reach the quarterfinals for the first time four years ago, sparking rugby-mania across the nation.

Longform

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