Search - :https

 
 
Ichiro Suzuki became one of the best hitters in baseball history during his 19-year career in MLB.
BASEBALL
Nov 19, 2024

Ichiro makes debut on Hall of Fame ballot

The superstar outfielder is considered by many to be a lock to gain induction during his first year on the ballot.
Shuntaro Tanikawa
JAPAN
Nov 19, 2024

Poet Shuntaro Tanikawa dies at 92

Tanikawa, who is also known for translating the Snoopy and Charlie Brown comic strip “Peanuts” into Japanese, died of natural causes.
From left: Pakistani education activist and producer Malala Yousafzai, U.S. actress Jennifer Lawrence, producer Justine Ciarrocchi and director Sahra Mani attend the Los Angeles premiere of "Bread and Roses" on Nov. 14.
WORLD / Society
Nov 19, 2024

Phone documentary details Afghan women's struggle under Taliban rule

Exiled Afghan filmmaker Sahra Mani reached out to a dozen women after the fall of Kabul in 2021, tutoring them on how to film themselves for the purpose of the film.
People visit the "Dragon Ball Daimatsuri" event, to mark the 40th anniversary of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball franchise, at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center in Tokyo.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Nov 20, 2024

Japan's manga powerhouse 'Dragon Ball' turns 40

The anniversary comes months after the death of series creator Akira Toriyama.
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
JAPAN
Nov 20, 2024

Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project

The nations also reiterated their “unwavering commitment” to seeing the next-generation supersonic jet take to the sky by 2035.
Their trucks, sometimes driven by Someya herself, go around Tokyo collecting used cooking oil from restaurants and households.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability
Nov 27, 2024

Turning tempura oil into fuel: 30 years of environmental efforts by Tokyo entrepreneur

"Seeing all the used cooking oil being collected, I thought Tokyo is basically an oil field."
Japan Times
CULTURE
Nov 30, 2024

Anime-loving cartoonist from Sweden shares joys of Tokyo life

Her five-volume manga series humorously depicts the unique aspects of Japan that stand out to foreigners from a young foreign woman's perspective.
A Ukrainian soldier carries a shell to a field gun being fired at the advancing Russian Army, in the Donetsk Oblast on Nov. 16. As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth winter, a decision by the Biden administration now allows U.S. long-range missile strikes inside Russia.
WORLD
Nov 21, 2024

Ukraine fires U.K. cruise missiles into Russia, a day after using U.S. ATACMS

The strikes were widely reported by Russian war correspondents on Telegram and confirmed by an official on condition of anonymity.
Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal celebrates after closing out an inning during Detroit's playoff series with Cleveland last month.
BASEBALL / MLB
Nov 21, 2024

Braves' Chris Sale and Tigers' Tarik Skubal collect Cy Young honors

Both left-handers won the pitching Triple Crown and were the clear favorites in Cy Young Award voting.
Yokozuna Kitanofuji enters the ring during the May 1970 grand sumo tournament in Tokyo.
SUMO
Nov 21, 2024

Ex-yokozuna Kitanofuji dies at 82

After a stellar career, Kitanofuji remained popular in retirement for delivering witty comments during live sumo tournament broadcasts.
In Ko Shinjo's "Tokyo Swindlers," a group of con artists manipulates real estate giants into falsified deals within the highly competitive, quick market.
CULTURE / Books
Nov 21, 2024

'Tokyo Swindlers': Get deep into the minds of real estate con artists

Ko Shinjo’s novel, a bold exploration of the twisted psyches of criminals, is best appreciated as a companion work to the recent Netflix series of the same title.
A rocket is launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to put an experimental space plane into orbit for the U.S. military. Washington is adopting a multipronged strategy to address security threats in space.
COMMENTARY / World / Geoeconomic Briefing
Nov 21, 2024

Biden’s track record in boosting U.S. space security

Japan needs to keep working with the U.S. to ensure growing threats from China and Russia in the space domain are met with the necessary security measures.
Do Deuce with jockey Yutaka Take aboard wins the Emperor’s Cup (Autumn) at Tokyo Racecourse on Oct. 27.
MORE SPORTS / Horse Racing
Nov 22, 2024

Strong group of contenders set to compete for glory

Christmas comes early, as usual, for fans of horse racing in Japan. This Sunday once again sees the Group 1 Japan Cup run at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, just a short distance away from the hustle and bustle of the capital.
Blast Onepiece (center) wins the 63rd Arima Kinen on Dec. 23, 2018, at Nakayama Racecourse in Chiba Prefecture.
MORE SPORTS / Horse Racing
Nov 22, 2024

Making new lives for veteran racehorses

The future is expanding for retired racehorses. Generally speaking, there are not many racehorses who can transition to life as stallions or brood mares, passing on their blood to future generations. Some go on to second careers as riding horses, for example. But, in the end, thoroughbreds are basically...
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group is investigating the incident and consulting with the police.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nov 22, 2024

MUFG fires worker over ¥2 billion theft from clients’ safe deposit boxes

The theft by a front-line employee responsible for managing the safe deposit boxes took place at two branches in Tokyo over 4½ years.
Princess Yuriko waves during the New Year's public greeting at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in January 2019.
JAPAN
Nov 22, 2024

Japan will spend ¥325 million in government funds on Princess Yuriko's funeral

The total includes about ¥202 million for the "Renso-no-gi" main funeral ceremony to be held at the Toshimagaoka cemetery on Tuesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a televised address on Russia's launch of a hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile toward Ukraine on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 23, 2024

Putin sends a missile message to the West: 'Back off'

Russia fired a new hypersonic missile at Ukraine on Thursday in what Putin said was a direct response to Ukrainian strikes using Western missiles.
Former Amagasaki Mayor Kazumi Inamura speaks to her supporters after she lost her bid to become Hyogo governor, on Nov. 17 in Kobe.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 23, 2024

Failed Hyogo governor candidate's team questions X account suspension

According to the group supporting former Amagasaki Mayor Kazumi Inamura, it set up an X account on Nov. 5, but it was suspended the following day.
Vissel Kobe players celebrate with the trophy after the club knocked off Gamba Osaka on Saturday at National Stadium in Tokyo to secure the Emperor's Cup.
SOCCER
Nov 23, 2024

Paper tiger no more as Vissel Kobe collects another trophy

Over the years, Vissel made more headlines for signing aging European players, but now it's starting to accumulate trophies rather than stars.
Reiwa Shinsengumi leader Taro Yamamoto speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Oct. 27. The party tripled their Lower House seats to nine in last month's general election.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 25, 2024

How Reiwa Shinsengumi managed to overtake JCP in the Lower House

The younger party's focus on pocketbook issues attracted younger, independent left-leaning swing voters who might have voted for the older party in the past.
Taiwan celebrates with the trophy after beating Japan in the Premier12 final at Tokyo Dome on Sunday.
BASEBALL
Nov 25, 2024

Taiwan celebrates after team's victory over Japan in Premier12 final

Taiwan is not a global sporting powerhouse but baseball is hugely popular.
Kotozakura speaks during a news conference in Fukuoka on Monday
SUMO
Nov 25, 2024

Kotozakura unburdened by weight of history after claiming first title

Sumo's top-ranked ozeki has won his first Emperor’s Cup.
Japan's players watch from the dugout after their loss against Taiwan in the Premier12 final at Tokyo Dome on Sunday.
BASEBALL / Sac Bunts
Nov 25, 2024

Japan exits Premier12 with no need to panic but with adjustments to make

Japan lost in an international tournament for the first time since the 2019 Premier12.
Eriko Nakamura (left) and Ryo Narita play star-crossed lovers in Shinzo Katayama’s hallucinatory romp through past and present, dreams and reality.
CULTURE / Film
Nov 28, 2024

The mind-bending melancholy of ‘Lust in the Rain’

Shinzo Katayama’s hallucinatory film boldly explores both the absurdities of wartime violence and the erotic psyche.
Sanae Takaichi (left) celebrates Shigeru Ishiba’s victory in becoming the head of the Liberal Democratic Party along with then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo in September. Takaichi appears to be the only woman in any party who is close to breaking the glass ceiling to become the nation’s first female leader. 
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 26, 2024

The derailing of potential female prime ministers

Sanae Takaichi stands as the closest woman to breaking the glass ceiling and becoming Japan's first female prime minister.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump attends a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket, in Brownsville, Texas, on Nov. 19.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 27, 2024

Trump names trade envoy and top economic advisor to fill policy team

The U.S. president-elect named Jamieson Greer his trade representative and picked Kevin Hassett as his top economic adviser.
Daiju Sasaki scores the winning goal for Vissel Kobe on Tuesday.
SOCCER
Nov 27, 2024

Vissel Kobe retains top spot in Asian Champions League after goalkeeping error gifts win

Takayuki Yoshida's Kobe side leads the east Asian standings with 13 points from the first five league phase games.
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah at Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 27, 2024

Biden hopes to parlay Lebanon cease-fire into a broader regional peace

With a deal to end more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the U.S. leader turns his attention back to halting the war in Gaza before leaving office.
Ema Ryan Yamazaki’s “The Making of a Japanese” is an even-handed portrait of elementary school in Japan, where the citizens of tomorrow are forged.
CULTURE / Film
Dec 5, 2024

‘The Making of a Japanese’: A warm and engaging portrait of Japanese schoolchildren

Ema Ryan Yamazaki’s documentary is a candid and heartfelt glimpse of elementary school in Tokyo.
The health ministry's free "catch-up vaccination" program for the human papillomavirus will be extended to March 2025 for the initial dose of the vaccine.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 28, 2024

Deadline for ‘catch-up’ HPV vaccination program extended until March

The revised timeline allows eligible women to receive their first dose by the end of March 2025 and complete the remaining two within the following year.

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