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"It does exist as a card,” said Kato, speaking on a TV Tokyo program Friday, when asked if Japan’s stance of not selling U.S. Treasury holdings could be a negotiation tool.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 2, 2025

Japan’s Kato says U.S. Treasury holdings could be negotiation card

The comments come amid negotiations between Japan and the U.S. after President Donald Trump ramped up his global tariff campaign.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (far left), U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) and Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief tariff negotiator. The second round of tariff negotiations between Japan and the United States were held on Thursday in Washington.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 2, 2025

Second round of U.S.-Japan tariff talks ends inconclusively in Washington

Neither foreign exchange rates nor defense spending were discussed, said Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief tariff negotiator.
People take part in the European Defense Tech Hub hackathon in Amsterdam on March 28.
WORLD / Politics
May 2, 2025

Mission before money: How Europe's defense startups are luring AI talent

A sense of patriotism stirred by the war in Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump's upending of security alliances is a motivation for many.
Four Japanese automakers reported selling more new vehicles in the U.S. in April, driven by last-minute demand amid concerns car prices might rise due to additional tariffs.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 2, 2025

Four Japan automakers see higher U.S. sales on last-minute demand

Toyota, Honda Motor, Mazda Motor and Subaru all saw their sales rise in April.
The economic fallout from the U.S.-China confrontation may be giving new momentum to efforts to bring both sides to the negotiating table.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 2, 2025

China says it’s assessing U.S. talks, hinting at possible thaw

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said Chinese President Xi Jinping needs to contact him in order to begin tariff talks.
A carbon removal plant. Direct air capture and other technologies delivered less than 320,000 tons of carbon removal credits last year.
BUSINESS / Tech
May 2, 2025

Why investors are souring on this once red-hot climate tech

Venture capital funding of U.S.-based startups developing direct air capture (DAC) was down more than 60% in the first three months of 2025.
Donald Trump’s trade war and the dollar’s volatility are prompting Asia’s wealthy to reassess where they park their money, with Hong Kong and Singapore competing for capital as the U.S. loses its appeal as a financial haven.
COMMENTARY / World
May 2, 2025

Trump’s trade war shakes dollar’s haven status and opens door for Asian financial hubs

Trump’s trade policies, even if substantially reversed, have sent a loud message to the Asian affluent classes.
Time Out Market Osaka, located in the basement of Grand Green Osaka's South Building, is the London-based media and hospitality business' first Asian edition of their food market.
LIFE / Food & Drink
May 4, 2025

More than a food court: Time Out Market curates Osaka’s best flavors

After whetting appetites in cities like New York and Dubai, Time Out Market, the food event of the eponymous magazine and media group, has opened its first Asian edition in Osaka.
Japan climbed four positions from last year, with Reporters Without Borders noting that "the principles of media freedom and pluralism are generally respected" in the country.
JAPAN
May 3, 2025

Japan ranks 66th in press freedom, lowest among G7

Reporters Without Borders noted that "the principles of media freedom and pluralism are generally respected" in the country.
Former labor minister Kim Moon-soo arrives at the People Power Party's national convention in Goyang, South Korea, on Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 3, 2025

South Korea's conservatives pick hard-liner Kim Moon-soo as presidential candidate

Kim, 73, was a labor activist in his university days but later became a hard-line conservative.
Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's tariff envoy, speaks to members of the media at the Japanese Embassy in Washington on May 1.
BUSINESS
May 3, 2025

Japan's tariff envoy says Tokyo insisting on U.S. rethink

After arriving back in Japan, Ryosei Akazawa told reporters that the two sides "made progress" toward an agreement, but stressed Tokyo was insisting that all tariffs be reviewed.
People walk on the Grand Ring on the opening day of the Osaka Expo on April 13.
JAPAN
May 3, 2025

Organizers broadly agree to preserve part of Osaka Expo ring

A concrete plan to determine which section will be conserved is due to be finalized at a meeting next month.
The office building housing the headquarters of Berkshire Hathaway in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 4, 2025

Buffett vows long-term investment in Japanese traders

At an annual shareholders meeting of Berkshire held in Omaha, Nebraska, the same day, Buffett gave high marks to the five traders again.
U.S. President Donald Trump's 100th day rally in Warren, Michigan, on April 29
BUSINESS
May 4, 2025

Auto workers welcome Trump tariffs, no matter the fate of Wall Street

According to some autoworkers, the tariffs are their best chance of restoring American manufacturing might.
Japanese companies including Shiseido are stepping up their rejuvenation and antiaging research.
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 4, 2025

Japanese firms stepping up rejuvenation and anti-aging research

If technology and related products are developed, they can become powerful weapons to help people maintain health and regain their youth.
Dangami House is a 180-year-old former samurai residence of the Kato clan, who ruled over Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, until the Meiji Restoration.
JAPAN / Society / Longform
May 5, 2025

A house, a legacy and the quiet work of restoration in rural Japan

How one artist is using history, culture and community spirit to revive a fading samurai legacy — and possibly reshape rural Japan’s future.
Phillip Vincent (right), Japan CEO of Plug and Play, and Ma Jingqian, head of ventures, at Plug and Play's Tokyo office, last month
BUSINESS / Companies
May 5, 2025

Plug and Play wants to help Japanese startups go global

The Japanese government is aggressively supporting startups, and large companies are seeking more opportunities to bet on entrepreneurs.
A worker counts U.S. dollar banknotes at a currency exchange office in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2022.
BUSINESS / Markets
May 5, 2025

Dollar’s decline is fueling dislocations across Asian currencies

The volatility shows how an exodus from the world’s reserve currency can ripple through financial markets.
The Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles in 2024. U.S. President Donald Trump says the U.S. movie industry is dying a "very fast death" due to the incentives that other countries are offering to draw American filmmakers.
BUSINESS
May 5, 2025

Saying Hollywood is dying, Trump orders 100% tariff on non-U.S. movies to save it

No details were provided on how the tariffs would be implemented.
Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato (right) speaks during a news conference in Milan on Sunday.
BUSINESS
May 5, 2025

Finance chief Kato walks back idea of U.S. Treasury sales as trade chip

Japan held roughly $1.13 trillion in Treasury Securities at the end of February — making it the biggest overseas holder of U.S. debt.
Several Europe-based carmakers have withdrawn or cut guidance in response to the trade war, including Jeep-owner Stellantis, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz Group.
BUSINESS / Markets
May 5, 2025

European firms fare better than expected through early trade pain

Companies on the MSCI Europe index are averaging earnings growth of 3.8% so far, outpacing preseason estimates of a 1.4% decline.
With the June 1 reform of imprisonment penalties, Japan will shift the main objective of imprisonment from punishment to preventing repeat offenses.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 5, 2025

Japanese prisons prepare for imprisonment penalty reform

Japan will shift the main objective of imprisonment from punishment to preventing repeat offenses.
Victims of scam centers who were tricked or trafficked into working in Myanmar on the border with Thailand-Myanmar after a multinational crackdown on the compounds run by criminal gangs, operated by the Karen National Army in Myawaddy, Myanmar, on Feb. 26.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 6, 2025

U.S. puts sanctions on Myanmar warlord and militia linked to online scams

Saw Chit Thu is a central figure in a network of illicit and highly lucrative internet scam operations targeting Americans, the U.S. Treasury says.
The U.S. dollar weakened further on Monday against most major currencies, as pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs continued.
BUSINESS / Markets
May 6, 2025

Dollar’s fall in Asia stuns investors and spreads across globe

U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade talk has rattled macro markets, undermining the dollar’s traditional haven role in times of stress.
Japan's Rui Hachimura walks off the court after being disqualified for a second unsportsmanlike foul against France at the Paris Olympics in July last year.
BASKETBALL / B. League
May 6, 2025

Basketball bust-ups threaten ambitious Japan's hoop dreams

A row involving star player Rui Hachimura and disagreements over the domestic league's direction mean the path ahead is full of hurdles.
U.S. citizen Chrishan Wright from New York after an interview in Lisbon on April 9
WORLD / Politics
May 6, 2025

Fearing Trump's policies, some Americans start new lives in Europe

Relocation firms said there has been a spike in interest since Trump returned to the White House, with clients expressing concern over policy and social issues.
For Japan, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins indicated the possibility of asking for market-opening measures for agricultural products.
BUSINESS
May 6, 2025

U.S. agriculture secretary to visit Japan for trade talks

The U.S. agriculture secretary indicated the possibility of asking for market-opening measures for agricultural products.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint news conference at the White House in Washington in February.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 6, 2025

India offers zero-for-zero tariffs on auto parts and steel from U.S.

New Delhi has proposed zero tariffs on steel, auto components and pharmaceuticals on a reciprocal basis up to a certain quantity of imports in trade negotiations with Washington.
A potential offer for a stake in India’s Yes Bank will likely be determined by market prices, according to people familiar with the matter.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 6, 2025

SMFG in talks to buy minority stake in India’s Yes Bank

Japan’s aging population and slow growth have been encouraging companies to look elsewhere for expansion, leading to a surge in outbound transactions.
The U.S. dollar struggled to make headway as an unprecedented two-day surge in its Taiwanese counterpart spilled over to other regional peers.
BUSINESS / Markets
May 6, 2025

Dollar under pressure as Asian counterparts charge higher

The Taiwan dollar on Monday surged to a three-year high of 29.59 per dollar, having leapt 8% in two days.

Longform

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.
From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past