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In the absence of a long-term revitalization strategy, the historic city of Venice will remain on the path to becoming a cultural mausoleum.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 1, 2024

Venice’s beauty curse

UNESCO’s World Heritage designation for Venice comprises the city in its entirety, rather than select buildings or neighborhoods.
The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo is a popular place to foster curiosity in the natural sciences.
JAPAN / Science & Health / Longform
Dec 2, 2024

Can Japan's scientific community rebound from a Nobel nosedive?

Shrinking funding and limited support spark fears for the country's scientific prowess moving forward.
Makoto Nakae, a researcher of swallowtail butterflies
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Dec 9, 2024

New museum set to bring butterflies of the world to Fukushima

The collection includes Japan’s only display of an extinct butterfly species native to South America.
Jannik Sinner celebrates with the trophy after Italy won the Davis Cup Finals, in Malaga, Spain, on Nov. 24.
TENNIS
Dec 3, 2024

Italy to host Davis Cup Final 8 from 2025

The 2025 tournament will be staged in Bologna.
War Tours co-founder Dmytro Nykyforov stands next to a destroyed Russian tank at a tank graveyard during a tour near Dmytrivka village, outside Kyiv, on Nov. 7.
WORLD
Dec 3, 2024

Ukraine sees influx of Western war tourists

Ukraine's destroyed Irpin brige, blown up to stop Russian troops in 2022, is now one of many hotspots for thrill-seeking tourists visiting the country.
The Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission said it recommended that the Financial Services Agency impose a fine on general contractor Yamaura for releasing false financial statements.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 4, 2024

General contractor Yamaura to be fined for false financial statements

A third-party investigation panel found the person in charge of preparing financial statements at Yamaura had illegally withdrawn about ¥2.6 billion.
Soldiers try to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul, after South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday evening.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 4, 2024

South Korea's Yoon backs down after parliament rejects martial law

The main opposition Democratic Party called for Yoon to resign or face impeachment, while the president's own party also criticized the move.
World Anti-Doping Agency Director-General Olivier Niggli speaks during the agency's symposium in Lausanne, Switzerland, in March.
OLYMPICS
Dec 4, 2024

Anti-doping agency froze out investigators who warned about China

The decision by WADA’s leaders to keep its own investigators in the dark raises new questions about WADA's response to possible doping by Chinese athletes.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike says she will continue to review work styles flexibly to ensure that women do not have to sacrifice their careers due to life events.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 4, 2024

Tokyo government to introduce four-day workweek to empower women

The capital is joining a growing number of local governments introducing similar measures to improve working conditions amid a labor shortage.
Japanese creatives, athletes and activists saw their efforts recognized on the world stage in various ways this year. At the Oscars (left) Takashi Yamazaki and his team took a prize for “Godzilla Minus One,” while later in the year Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada (center) took Emmys for their work in “Shogun.” Shohei Ohtani (right) was arguably the biggest Japanese star of the year.
CULTURE / 2024 in Review
Dec 4, 2024

Japan's soft power soared to new heights in 2024

From Oscars and Emmys to a Nobel Peace Prize, it was a year of awards and triumphs in key cultural fields.
Bitcoin has risen to $100,000 for the first time amid optimism in the market that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's administration will provide support to the digital-asset industry.
BUSINESS / Markets
Dec 5, 2024

Bitcoin hits $100,000 in highly anticipated crypto milestone

A price of $100,000 pushes the market value of Bitcoin to just shy of $2 trillion, making it a larger investment asset than all but a handful of public companies.
South Korea’s currency recovered while its stocks fell Wednesday as investors braced for prolonged political uncertainties following a brief decree of martial law by President Yoon Suk Yeol.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 5, 2024

Capitalism is the unsung hero of South Korean democracy

Capitalism, with its economic pressures and global integration, has been crucial in fostering democracy in South Korea.
Sake bottles are displayed at the 19th World Cultural Heritage Conference, as sake was added to UNESCO'S Intangible Cultural Heritage list, in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 5, 2024

Japanese sake brewing added to UNESCO intangible heritage list

Traditional sake brewing marks the 23rd Japanese entry on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list, joining other culturally significant arts such as washoku and kabuki.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, during an interview at the National Assembly in Seoul on Thursday
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 5, 2024

South Korea opposition chief says ousting Yoon will be difficult

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung said the situation remains in a "state of flux” ahead of a parliamentary vote on launching impeachment proceedings against Yoon.
While FromSoftware's Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a strong contender for game of the year, Black Myth: Wukong, the first AAA game made by a Chinese developer, offers some stiff competition.
LIFE / Digital / 2024 in Review
Dec 6, 2024

It’s Japan versus China for 2024’s game of the year

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Black Myth: Wukong both have a claim to the best game of 2024, a year marked by cultural scandals and lawsuits.
Amber Glenn of the U.S. performs during the women's short program at the ISU Grand Prix in Grenoble, France, on Thursday.
MORE SPORTS / Figure skating
Dec 6, 2024

American skater Amber Glenn tops Japanese rivals at ISU Grand Prix final

Glenn took a narrow lead over Japan's Mone Chiba in the short program.
Paul McCartney's new coin references the psychedelic "magic piano" featured in the 1967 "Magical Mystery Tour" film.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Dec 6, 2024

Beatles legend Paul McCartney stars in new U.K. coin collection

The 82-year-old musician helped design the coins, which nod to the psychedelic "magic piano" featured in the 1967 "Magical Mystery Tour" film.
Masato Kanda, former vice finance minister for international affairs, will start his role as Asian Development Bank's president in February.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 6, 2024

Incoming ADB chief Kanda keeping eye on U.S. policy as Trump return looms

Any changes in tariffs, taxes and immigration restrictions in the U.S. could have a major impact on Japan and other Asian economies, he notes.
Choi Sang-mok, South Korea's finance minister, during an interview in Seoul on Thursday
BUSINESS / Markets / ANALYSIS
Dec 6, 2024

In South Korea's crisis playbook, currency stability is paramount

In the four decades since South Korea was last under martial law, the nation has significantly evolved its systems to focus on ensuring economic stability.
Yuta Takahashi (back center) with Sunao Tsuboi, former co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo (front, center), in December 2017
JAPAN
Dec 6, 2024

Japanese youth carries on message of prominent atomic bomb survivor

In giving Nihon Hidankyo the Nobel Peace Prize, the committee noted that "new generations in Japan are carrying forward the experience and the message of the witnesses."
Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko pose for a commemorative photo with Turkish government officials and performers after watching performances at the Ataturk Cultural Center in Istanbul on Thursday.
JAPAN
Dec 6, 2024

Crown prince and crown princess mark Japan-Turkey diplomatic ties

The pair attended a ceremony in Istanbul on Thursday to mark the 100th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
People stand near a damaged vehicle, after rebels have sought to capitalize on their swift takeover of Aleppo in the north and Hama in west-central Syria by pressing onward to Homs, in Hama, Syria, on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 7, 2024

Syrian rebel assault widens as Assad races to defend Homs and Damascus

With the fall of Daraa, Assad's forces have surrendered four important centers to the insurgents in a week.
People gather at Umayyad Square in Damascus on Sunday. The Islamist-led rebels declared that they have taken the city.
WORLD
Dec 8, 2024

Syrian rebels topple President Assad; prime minister calls for free elections

Syrian rebels seized Damascus, ending President Bashar Assad's 13-year rule and raising uncertainty over a transition led by Islamist group HTS in a war-torn nation.
South Korea Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (left) and the ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon speak at a news conference after their meeting to discuss plans for President Yoon Suk Yeol's "orderly retreat" at the People Power Party headquarters in Seoul on Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 8, 2024

South Korea martial law fallout deepens as prosecutors close in

South Korea’s ruling People Power Party leader says Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will manage the nation’s affairs as the country struggles with the political crisis.
Ilia Malinin of the U.S. celebrates after winning the men's free skating at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Grenoble, France, on Saturday, alongside second-place finisher Yuma Kagiyama (left) and third-place finisher Shun Sato, both from Japan.
MORE SPORTS / Figure skating
Dec 8, 2024

U.S. skate stars Malinin and Glenn sweep Grand Prix Final titles

Madison Chock and Evan Bates claimed ice dance gold to make it a clean sweep for the United States on the closing day of competition in Grenoble.
A variety of rice cookers at a home appliance store
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Dec 16, 2024

Companies rush to high-end rice cookers as consumer tastes change

Appliance-makers are working with rice growers to boost demand, as well as debuting products that focus on flavor and features.
Destruction left in the wake of Russia's military invasion of Ukraine in the city of Hulyaipole, in the country's Zaporizhzhia region, in September 2022
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 9, 2024

Does a savage war of partition await Ukraine?

Donald Trump appears bent on striking a “peace” deal with Russia that involves Ukraine’s dismemberment.
The Liberal Democratic Party proposed abolishing the system of political activities funds — criticized as a hotbed for slush funds — and obligating party members to submit balance reports to a publicly accessible online database.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 9, 2024

LDP submits bill banning most political funding but leaves 'loophole'

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hopes to pass the bill this year, but that may not be possible with opposition parties holding out for a further ban on corporate donations.
A staff member wearing a "Squid Game" costume stands at an activation zone for the Netflix series at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Dec 9, 2024

'Squid Game' premieres in Seoul after martial law declaration

"Squid Game" showrunner Hwang Dong-hyuk called the political chaos "extremely unfortunate and infuriating" at a press event for the Netflix series.
Abed, an asylum-seeker from the Syrian city of Raqqa uses his mobile phone to talk to a relative at the arrival center in Berlin's Reinickendorf district in October 2023.
WORLD
Dec 10, 2024

European countries suspend Syrian asylum decisions after Assad's fall

While Berlin and others said they were watching developments in the war-ravaged nation, Austria signaled it would soon deport refugees back to Syria.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.