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Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya (left) and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meet at the U.S. State Department in Washington on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 2, 2025

Rubio urges Japan to beef up defenses, but leaves out spending target

Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said that no specific spending figure was broached in talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Workers take a break near a ship under construction at China State Shipbuilding Corp.'s Longxue Shipyard in Guangzhou, China, in November 2011.
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Jul 2, 2025

China’s shipyard dominance leads to geoeconomic risks

According to 2024 data from the Chinese government, the country ranks first worldwide in ship completions, new orders and order backlogs.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends tactical training by military special forces and a firing drill by tank units at an unknown location in North Korea on May 13.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 3, 2025

Russia could soon get up to 30,000 more North Korean troops, reports say

The addition would almost triple the total number of North Korean soldiers directly fighting alongside Russia in its war against Ukraine.
“Fani Mani” marks Kom_I’s return to music, after leaving the genre-bending J-pop outfit Suiyoubi no Campanella in 2021.
CULTURE / Music
Jul 4, 2025

‘Try first, figure it out later’: Kom_I and Foodman’s beautiful mess

Part philosophy and part performance, the musicians' “Fani Mani” is all party.
Karuizawa Distillers, which runs Komoro Distillery in Nagano Prefecture, has teamed up with the city of Furano and real estate developer Seibu Group to open a whisky distillery in Furano.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 4, 2025

Beyond the lavender fields in Furano, a whisky distillery emerges

The region has teamed up with Karuizawa Distillers and property developer Seibu Group to build a state-of-the-art facility to make single malts.
Supporters of candidates put up campaign posters on a bulletin board in Tokyo on Thursday, as the official campaigning for the July 20 Upper House election begins. 
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 4, 2025

The dilemma facing Japan’s rising (and falling) populist parties

A working relationship with ruling parties is key to achieving their policy goals, but at the risk of losing their populist brand and voters.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji