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People visit the area near Sensoji Temple, a popular tourist destination, in Tokyo's Asakusa district on Sept. 7.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Sep 25, 2023

Japan's schools face double whammy of the flu and COVID-19

In the period between Sept. 11 and 17, the average national influenza case count rose to over 7.03 per medical institution from just 4.48 the week prior.
Singer Taylor Swift (right) watches the game with Donna Kelce, Travis’ mother, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Sep 28, 2023

Travis Kelce's celebrity hits new level after brush with Taylor Swift

A spokesperson for Fanatics, the NFL’s official retailer, said that sales of Kelce’s jersey had spiked by 400% as of Monday.
Soy farming has seldom been synonymous with sustainability, but more farmers in Brazil are working to regenerate depleted land instead of expanding the agricultural frontier.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability
Oct 5, 2023

Can Brazil's farmers grow more soy without deforestation?

Deforestation is fueling climate change impacts including harsher heat, drought and floods.
U.S. President Joe Biden joins members of the United Auto Workers union as they strike in Belleville, Michigan, on Sept. 26 to demand higher wages.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 8, 2023

Down on the Biden economy: Why Americans aren't happy

The U.S. economy is doing well. Why, then, are people not satisfied? The answer lies in their pockets.
The late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church, is depicted on a leaflet marking the first anniversary of his death in September 2012
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 16, 2023

Japan's media has to account for its failures, too

The Unification Church is set to be dissolved and Johnny & Associates is undergoing structural reforms. What role did the media play, or not play?
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 20, 2023

Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke pleads guilty to assisting parents' suicides

“The feelings of regret, remorse and gratitude (to my supporters) are something I will carry for the rest of my life,” Ennosuke said.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 26, 2023

Parliamentary Vice Minister Taro Yamada steps down over affair

The first Cabinet resignation since a mid-September reshuffle deals a blow to Kishida at a time when public support rates have plummeted.
While inaka sushi still uses dashi broth to flavor some ingredients, it's possible to make this sushi 100% vegan.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 29, 2023

Sushi sans fish: How rural traditions led to vegan-friendly rolls

Leave the salmon behind with “inaka sushi,” which trades raw fish for mushrooms, ginger and other fresh veggies.
Tokyo now boasts five different Quidditch teams, while universities in Osaka and Kyoto also play host to their own clubs.
COMMUNITY / Issues / The Foreign Element
Nov 4, 2023

'Accio broomstick!' Quidditch is back and open to everyone

From relatively humble beginnings, Quidditch has continued to grow in popularity across Japan.
Christopher Nolan's film about the creator of the atomic bomb, "Oppenheimer," was released in theaters worldwide this summer and received mostly strong reviews. However, distributors still have not announced whether the film will be shown in Japan's cinemas.
CULTURE / Film
Oct 28, 2023

Will Japan ever see 'Oppenheimer' screened in its cinemas?

Christopher Nolan’s film about the creator of the atomic bomb still doesn't have a Japan release date. There’s more than one possible reason for that.
The front entrance gate leading to the former Ashigakubo Elementary School in Yokose, Saitama Prefecture. The school, which was more than a century old, was forced to close in 2009.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 5, 2023

School's out forever in aging Japan

As the number of children in Japan decreases, public money has been made available to help municipalities repurpose old schools.
The words of encouragement that star player Shohei Ohtani gave his teammates before their final game against the United States during the World Baseball Classic in March were among those nominated on Thursday to be the buzzwords of the year.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 2, 2023

Japan's 2023 buzzwords reflect light and dark sides of the year

From the year's scandals to its champions, the annual list of buzzword candidates highlights the nation's hope, fears and diversions.
A stock board in Beijing last month. China’s benchmark CSI 300 has slumped 7.4% as a faltering economy dashed optimism over the nation’s reopening from COVID-19 restrictions.
BUSINESS / Markets
Nov 4, 2023

Japan’s fading rally drives some investors to cheap China shares

Japanese stocks have trounced their Chinese peers this year, but some investors are betting the tide is about to turn.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 9, 2023

Kishida rules out snap election amid record low popularity

The prime minister has once again ruled out a snap election as he faces record low popularity ratings and growing criticism from within his own party.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 10, 2023

Former Lower House speaker and LDP heavyweight Hiroyuki Hosoda dies

The seasoned lawmaker served in key posts in the government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including as chief Cabinet secretary.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nov 17, 2023

Ichikawa Ennosuke IV given suspended three-year prison term

The 47-year-old, whose real name is Takahiko Kinoshi, had been on trial over his role in a family suicide pact.
Taiwan People’s Party head Ko Wen-je speaks to the media in Taipei on Wednesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 18, 2023

Clock ticking as Taiwan opposition bicker over joint presidency bid

The two main opposition parties failed to agree on how to interpret opinion polls and decide who will stand for what position by a Saturday deadline.
A selection of injector pens for the Wegovy weight loss drug.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 21, 2023

New treatment for obesity to be covered by Japan's public insurance

The expansion of health care options comes amid concerns about the potential misuse of such drugs by healthy individuals for weight loss.
Tokyo Healthcare University professor Takayuki Mifune explains how he is trying to re-create bonito broth from 1,300 years ago.
JAPAN / Science & Health / Longform
Dec 4, 2023

The quest to re-create what the Japanese ate 1,300 years ago

Professor Takayuki Mifune and his team are hoping to understand, in minute detail, the culinary habits of our Japanese ancestors.
A pharmacist holds a box of Novo Nordisk A/S Wegovy brand semaglutide medication.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 7, 2023

Can Wegovy fight alcoholism? For Big Pharma, this isn’t a priority

Reluctance underscores reasons why no new treatment has been approved for alcoholism in nearly 20 years.
Actress Midori Suiren (center), filmmaker Kenzo Kaga (right) and cinematographer Shin Hayasaka attend a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 7, 2023

Actors say sexual abuse is a structural problem in Japan’s film industry

Despite the revelation of Johnny Kitagawa’s sexual abuse, the actors say their claims are being trivialized as personal relationship issues.
Senate Republicans voted unanimously to block an emergency spending bill to provide $110.5 billion in funds for Ukraine, Israel and other security needs.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 8, 2023

Prospects dim for new Ukraine aid in U.S. Congress

Senate Republicans voted unanimously to block the emergency spending bill to provide $110.5 billion in funds for Ukraine, Israel and other security needs.
Chinese influencer Li Ying used social media to help tell the world about last year’s protests in China. Now in exile, he has been threatened and lost his livelihood for his defiance.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 12, 2023

‘I have no future’: China’s rebel influencer is still paying a price

To some Chinese, painter and art school graduate Li Ying is a superhero who stood up to their authoritarian government and leader.
A story on the front page of The Japan Times on Jan. 4, 1924, focuses on a Tokyo attempting to recover from the Great Kanto Earthquake.
JAPAN / History / Japan Times Gone By
Jan 1, 2024

The Japan Times 1924: Tokyo greets 1924 in hope of better things

After a year in which the capital and its surroundings experienced a catastrophic earthquake, an article highlights the resolve of the people.
A filling, home-cooked Christmas dinner is within your reach — even among all the fried chicken and cramped kitchens throughout Japan.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 17, 2023

An oven-less Christmas ‘roast’ for your tiny Japanese kitchen

Forget fried chicken. Forget expensive meals out. Here’s how to cook your own filling meal no matter what kitchen appliances you have.
Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in this handout picture released on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 18, 2023

Israel opens aid crossing to Gaza while stepping up bombardment

Hopes flickered at news that Israel may have spoken with Qatar, one of the mediators of an earlier ceasefire.
A screenshot of the website for "The One Piece"
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Dec 19, 2023

'One Piece' series to be remade on Netflix

Titled "The One Piece," the show is set to be released on streaming services. The release date is yet to be determined.
Hitoshi Matsumoto (left) and his Downtown comedy partner, Masatoshi Hamada, at an event in 2014
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 27, 2023

Popular Japanese comedian denies sexual assault allegations

The talent agency of Hitoshi Matsumoto, one half of the duo Downtown, said it is considering legal action over the report.
According to Hitoshi Matsumoto’s lawyer, he is suing Bungei Shunju, the publisher of the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine over an article that was published in the magazine and online on Dec. 27.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 23, 2024

Comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto sues publisher over sexual assault article

The Downtown member is suing Bungei Shunju, the publisher of the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine, for defamation.
Israeli soldiers fire a mortar toward Gaza on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 24, 2024

Unmoved by Gaza carnage, Israel remains committed to war at any cost

There is an intensifying sense within Israel that the world is more focused on the response to Oct. 7 than on the original act of savagery itself.

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