Search - 2025

 
 
The National Police Agency noted in a special section of its fiscal 2025 report that the spread of social media has made it easy for loosely organized crime groups to contact regular citizens and commit crimes.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 29, 2025

NPA white paper highlights crimes surrounding social media

In 2024, the number of social media-linked investment and romance fraud cases police detected around the country exceeded 10,000, with victims defrauded of some ¥127.2 billion.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (left) moves the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (center) and center Rudy Gobert during the first half of a first-round playoff game at Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles on April 30.
BASKETBALL / NBA
Jul 29, 2025

Lakers' Luka Doncic shows off summer shred in Men's Health

The profile did not mention Doncic's current weight, but photographs showed off his slim look with greater muscle definition in his arms.
Ground Self-Defense Force troops fire a Type-12 anti-ship missile as part of the RIMPAC 24 sinking exercise around the Hawaiian Islands in July last year.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 29, 2025

Japan eyes locations for deploying longer-range standoff missiles

The defense minister said that the location for the weapons, due to be deployed by next March, has yet to be decided — though reports called Kumamoto Prefecture a top candidate.
Supporters of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba take part in a rally across the street from the Prime Minister's Office on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 29, 2025

Why Ishiba refuses to quit even amid intense pressure for him to go

With the U.S. tariff deal not yet implemented, a leadership change now would create a political vacuum and may put the agreement at risk.
The number of car accidents in Japan resulting in death or serious injury that were caused by foreign drivers in the first half of 2025 totaled 258, up by 19 from a year earlier and exceeding 250 for the first time since 2008, according to the National Police Agency.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 30, 2025

Ratio of serious car accidents caused by foreign drivers hits record 2.1%

A total of 258 of such accidents, which caused death or serious injury, occurred in the first half of 2025, according to National Police Agency data.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, also president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, speaks to reporters at the party's headquarters in Tokyo on Monday. The party’s loss in the July 20 Upper House election has become the defining factor for the yen.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jul 30, 2025

Yen option traders brace for more weakness ahead of BOJ decision

Analysts warn that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba may resort to populist spending to shore up support for his weakened coalition.
A bus belonging to the Think Outside Da Block gun violence prevention program is parked outside the organization’s office in Chicago, Illinois, on July 25.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 30, 2025

Trump administration slashed federal funding for gun violence prevention

The funding cuts threaten the sustainability of community violence intervention initiatives that have taken years to establish, advocates say.
New vehicles for sale at a Toyota dealership in California
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 30, 2025

Toyota logs record global sales despite Trump tariff turmoil

The carmaker’s sales were bolstered by a last-minute rush from customers to lock-in purchases before U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened 25% tariff on car imports.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addresses a news conference in Tokyo on Monday. He repeated his pledge to stay on to prevent a political vacuum from forming after his party's poor performance in the Upper House election.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 29, 2025

The LDP struggles to define its future after election flub

The public doesn’t know what it wants — other than “not this” — so indecision by the LDP and other parties is understandable.
The Bank of Japan kept the overnight call rate at 0.5% at the end of a two-day policy meeting in a unanimous vote, according to a statement Thursday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 31, 2025

BOJ keeps rates unchanged and lifts price view after U.S. trade deal

While the changes in the outlook suggested Gov. Kazuo Ueda’s board is closer to its next rate hike, the central bank also avoided dropping any clear hints as to the exact timing.
The National Personnel Authority plans to submit a proposal to raise bonus pay and the salaries for government employees to parliament and the Cabinet on Aug. 7.
JAPAN
Jul 31, 2025

Government employees in Japan to see higher bonus pay on top of salary raise

This will mark the fourth straight year of increase in both salaries and bonuses for government employees amid rising salaries in the private sector.
Fuji Media Holdings announced Thursday that it expects a consolidated operating loss of ¥12 billion for fiscal 2025, which would mark its first full-year loss since becoming a holding company in 2008.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 1, 2025

Fuji Media expects first annual operating loss since 2008

It expects a consolidated operating loss of ¥12 billion for the fiscal year ending March 2026 on a slower-than-expected recovery in advertising revenue.
A flying car produced by startup SkyDrive performs a demonstration flight for visitors at the World Exposition in the city of Osaka on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 1, 2025

SkyDrive demonstrates flying car at Osaka Expo

The Japanese startup will hold demonstration flights on a daily basis until Aug. 24.
A screenshot of a Chinese box office app showing info on the film "731"
JAPAN
Aug 1, 2025

Release of Unit 731-themed film delayed in China

"731" had been drawing attention in China even ahead of its planned release.
Emissions rise from a smokestack at the Conesville Power Plant in Conesville, Ohio.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Aug 1, 2025

How Trump-vetted scientists are trying to shred the climate consensus

A new report is part of an effort by the Trump administration to try to end the U.S. government’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases.
A synchronous speaker stands in a dubbing studio in Munich. The rise of AI raises the question of whether voice dubbing actors will be needed in the future.
BUSINESS / Tech
Aug 1, 2025

Voice actors push back as AI threatens dubbing industry

As AI-generated voices become more sophisticated and cost-effective, voice actor industry associations are calling for tighter regulations.
According to government data, bears attacked 85 people in the year ending March 2025, with three people killed.
JAPAN
Aug 1, 2025

Bear attacks woman outside disabled home in Akita

More and more wild bears have been spotted in residential areas in Japan in recent years, resulting in a rising number of attacks and deaths.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addresses the media at the vote-counting center in the Liberal Democratic Party’s headquarters in Tokyo on July 20.  
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 1, 2025

Is this the end of Japan's 'big tent' parties?

The big winners of the day in the Upper House election were newer conservative parties.

Longform

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