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The typical priority seat section on a Japanese train will be well marked in numerous languages.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 8, 2023

The priority seats: Are they fair game on an empty train?

Japan is a society with many unspoken rules. Are you aware of the norms that govern your place of business?
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends what state media report was a launching ceremony for a new tactical nuclear attack submarine in North Korea, in this picture released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on Friday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 8, 2023

North Korea holds ceremony for new ‘tactical nuclear’ submarine

The country’s state media released photos Friday of a ceremony for the vessel, which appeared to have 10 missile tubes, attended by leader Kim Jong Un.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meet ahead of the Group of 20 leaders' summit in New Delhi on Saturday.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 11, 2023

Will India’s name go the way of Turkey?

If India changes its name to Bharat, it will stumble on the same hurdles that Turkey has faced in getting its new appellation, Turkiye, to stick.
Fukuoka, known for its outdoor food stalls, is a popular destination for Japanese tourists, but now it's starting to draw more international travelers, too.
LIFE / Travel
Sep 9, 2023

Beyond its yatai, Fukuoka hosts travel pleasures aplenty

Tourists come for the city’s lauded cuisine, its casual atmosphere, vibrant arts and nightlife scenes and temperate climate.tk
Former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales' forced kiss on player Jenni Hermoso drew global protests from women's rights advocates.
SOCCER
Sep 12, 2023

Luis Rubiales quits, but women’s soccer in Spain is still troubled

Even after the federation chief's resignation over his forcible kiss of a player, pay disputes are threatening to disrupt domestic leagues.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 12, 2023

More companies move away from Johnny’s over sex abuse scandal

Many firms say they won't work with the agency again until it hears how Johnny's will help the victims and prevent further incidents.
Olive producers check a tree surrounded by a living cover crop in an olive grove in Santiesteban del Puerto, near Jaen, Spain.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability
Sep 15, 2023

In climate fight, Europe's farmers turn to tech and tradition

Spain and Italy are the world's top producers of olive oil, but the industry is under threat from desertification and drought.
A car is buried in rubble and debris in the aftermath of a devastating flood in al-Bayda, Libya, on Saturday.
WORLD / Science & Health / FOCUS
Sep 17, 2023

'They knew': Warnings went unheeded before deadly Libya flood

Many Libyans are angry that warnings were ignored that could have possibly prevented the worst disaster in the country's modern history.
A man in a business suit walks past activists during Climate Week in the Financial District of New York on Monday.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Sep 20, 2023

In New York, investors fill gaps left by inaction on climate change

Wealthy nations have famously dragged their feet on meeting a pledge of contributing $100 billion per year to developing nations, now four years overdue.
Yuki Tsunoda takes part in a practice session on Day 1 of the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, on Friday.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Sep 22, 2023

Tsunoda races into Suzuka as his F1 career reaches critical stage

The driver's homecoming to a track he knows all too well comes as his long-term future at the pinnacle of motorsport remains uncertain.
The city of Tamura, Fukushima Prefecture, is known as a haven for insects such as rhinoceros beetles.
JAPAN
Sep 28, 2023

'Insect tourism' launched in rural Fukushima city

Tamura, located in the center of the Abukuma plateau, is known as a haven for insects such as rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles.
Rupert Murdoch in his office in New York in 2007. Murdoch's decision to step down from the boards of News Corp. and Fox Corp. marks the end of a decadeslong media career.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 25, 2023

Rupert Murdoch, the last of the press barons

No living person has influenced the media landscape like Rupert Murdoch. Should we view his career in a favorable light, or is his legacy one of darkness?
Kamila Valieva's doping case has divided the figure skating community since it first came to light during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
MORE SPORTS / Figure skating
Sep 26, 2023

Top sports court to hear Russian skater Kamila Valieva's doping case

Tuesday's hearing follows Valieva's exoneration by Russia's anti-doping agency, which ruled that she bore "no fault or negligence" for the positive test.
The Brave Blossoms train at Ernest-Wallon Stadium in Toulouse, France, ahead of their Rugby World Cup game against Samoa on Tuesday.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Sep 27, 2023

Stakes high for Brave Blossoms as crucial Samoa clash looms

The scene is now set for the tussle in Toulouse, a city where rugby is baked into every terracotta tile and coral-colored shopfront.
Jessica Gerrity says kyūdō is for everyone. It's just a matter of finding a dojo that fits you best.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Sep 30, 2023

‘Archery gives me a chance to decompress from a busy life’

Gerrity is trained in several forms of traditional Japanese martial arts and works to promote Japanese culture as a tourism ambassador.
A video grab shows the acting President of Myanmar's National Unity Government, Duwa Lashi La, speaking during an interview from an undisclosed location in Myanmar, in November 2022.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 2, 2023

Myanmar resistance leader claims majority control over territory

Violence has intensified as the military dictatorship faces a crumbling economy, growing dissent and a multi-front conflict.
The PayPay app now seeks to keep its pace of double-digit growth with help from other SoftBank portfolio companies.
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 5, 2023

SoftBank’s PayPay app showcases Masayoshi Son’s clout in Japan

Seen to be next in SoftBank’s initial public offering pipeline, the startup now holds two-thirds’ share in QR-code payments in Japan.
In principle, children can be admitted to children's homes if they are at least 1 year old and can stay in the facilities until the end of the fiscal year in which they turn 22 years old.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 10, 2023

Japan to scrap upper age limit for use of children's homes

Currently, residents are required to move out of the facilities by the end of the fiscal year in which they turn 22 years old.
Fire and smoke rises above buildings during an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, in the Gaza Strip, on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 8, 2023

Israel security forces face questions over intel after Hamas attack

Israel's security apparatus appeared to break down as a force of Hamas gunmen estimated in the hundreds broke through security fences.
A woman takes her meal alone in Tokyo's Yanaka neighborhood. As the country ages, Japan's average caloric intake has been shrinking.
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Oct 9, 2023

Downsizing dinner: Aging Japan is eating less

As older citizens' shrinking appetites lead to less on the plate, businesses are having to adjust to a new market.
Israeli flags flutter at Ofer Park in Petah Tikva, Israel.
BUSINESS / Tech / FOCUS
Oct 11, 2023

War threatens funding recovery in Israel's vital tech industry

A global slowdown and the Israeli government's divisive judicial reforms had prompted a sharp drop in funding earlier this year.
Argentina players celebrate after their 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal win over Wales in Marseille, France, on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Oct 15, 2023

Argentina surges into semis with battling comeback win over Wales

The Pumas will play New Zealand in Paris next week.
Booking.com has issued a statement on their website apologizing for “updates to their payment system” that are causing issues for some of their partners, including many hotels in Japan.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 15, 2023

Japanese hotel owners plan to sue Booking.com over payment failure

Hotel owners say that over the past few months, Booking.com has failed to promptly transfer customer payments to hotels.
Samples of The Japan Times winning news coverage, recognized by the World Association of News Publishers Asian Media Awards.
JAPAN
Oct 20, 2023

Japan Times wins awards for breaking news and feature reporting

The Japan Times receives gold awards for breaking news coverage and feature writing at the World Association of News Publishers Asian Media Awards.
AI software is being used to detect cognitive decline in older Japanese drivers in order to help prevent accidents.
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 22, 2023

AI startup helps insurers spot cognitive decline in elderly drivers

Once reliant on a driver's age and model of car, some insurers now rely on AI to expedite settlements and craft more precise risk assessments.
There are a lot of reasons for why the Pacific saury is becoming scarcer, including overfishing in international waters and changing ocean conditions.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Longform
Oct 23, 2023

A saury state: How the price of 'autumn's fish' skyrocketed

A fish so cheap and abundant that even the cats would ignore it, the Pacific saury is becoming a sought-after dish as stocks dwindle.
South Africa flyhalf Handre Pollard (left) is tackled by England's Dan Cole (center) and George Martin during their Rugby World Cup semifinal in Paris on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Oct 23, 2023

Springboks have work to do ahead of RWC final against All Blacks

This year's Rugby World Cup final will be a rematch of the 1995 title game between South Africa and New Zealand.
New Zealand's All Blacks will be looking to get off to a fast start against the Springboks in Saturday's Rugby World Cup final.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Oct 24, 2023

Early scores may be secret to settling outcome of World Cup final

All Blacks defense coach Scott McLeod believes the first 20 minutes of Saturday's final in Paris will determine the destination of the Webb Ellis Cup.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida listens as Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan chief Kenta Izumi speaks in parliament in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 24, 2023

Tough questions for Kishida in parliament over spending plans

Japan’s main opposition party began its scrutiny of Kishida's economic stimulus package as the country struggles with inflation and stagnant wages.
Great Wall Motor's Ora Good Cat electric vehicles are charged at the company's charging station at Siam Square in Bangkok
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 27, 2023

Thailand bets on EVs to draw trillion baht in investment

The country has set up a "special operation” center to catch what its investment board head calls the "big fish” of the EV industry.

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