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An employee organizes baby supplies at a store in Siheung, South Korea, on Tuesday. A lack of babies is speeding up the aging of South Korean society, generating concerns about the growing fiscal burden of public pensions and healthcare.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Feb 28, 2024

South Korea keeps shattering its own record for lowest fertility rate

The number of babies expected per woman in a lifetime fell to 0.72 last year from 0.78 in 2022.
While Tokyo and Washington have maintained strong ties under U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida amid intensifying concern over China’s regional ambitions, Japanese officials are still hedging their bets by sending out feelers in the event of another term under Donald Trump.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 28, 2024

Ex-senior Trump official reassures Tokyo over possible comeback

A former deputy assistant to the ex-president swatted away concerns, saying Trump's 2024 White House bid "is a very different effort than 2016."
Maurice Shelton (left) and his lawyer Motoki Taniguchi spoke about alleged racial bias on behalf of the police at a recent press conference.
COMMUNITY / Voices / Black Eye
Feb 29, 2024

Making Japanese history by being Black history

Three individuals have stepped up to try and make a difference in the country we live in. They should be applauded.
A poster for digital coupons at a store in the city of Fukushima
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Mar 11, 2024

Fukushima’s welfare coupon campaign highlights digital divide

A call center dedicated to the initiative received so many calls that telephone lines were overloaded.
Trucks are seen as Ukrainian hauliers take part in an round-the-clock counter-demonstration against the blockade of the border by Polish protesters on Feb. 20.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 1, 2024

Companies in Ukraine see problems pile up, but most tough it out

"The war has taught us to respond flexibly"
An MQ-9 Reaper drone stands on the runway at Naval Base Ventura County Sea Range, Point Mugu, near Oxnard, California. The Defense Ministry is considering purchasing the Reaper for intercepting foreign aircraft approaching Japanese airspace.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 1, 2024

New drone tech in spotlight as Japan eyes boosted capabilities

As Tokyo seeks to beef up its unmanned systems, inspiration could come from the latest tech displayed at this year's Singapore Airshow.
The Cabinet has agreed to new national security legislation on sensitive government- and private-sector information that lawmakers should pass.
EDITORIALS
Mar 1, 2024

Protecting information is the key to national security

In recent years, however, that landscape has shifted and new fields are now considered essential to a country’s security and prosperity.
Migrant workers harvest and package vegetables in a greenhouse in Gasan-myeon, South Korea, in December.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Mar 3, 2024

South Korea needs foreign workers, but often fails to protect them

Though a shrinking population makes imported labor vital, migrant workers routinely face predatory employers, inhumane conditions and other abuse.
France's Cyrena Samba-Mayela (left) and Bahamas' Devynne Charlton compete in the Women's 60-meters hurdles final during the world indoor athletics championships in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Athletics
Mar 4, 2024

Charlton lowers world record; Duplantis wins another global title

Charlton clocked 7.65 seconds to shave two-hundredths of a second off her previous record in the 60-meters hurdles.
What role should money from oil and gas — the very industry that’s the main contributor to global warming — have in funding the work of climate scientists?
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Mar 4, 2024

Two young climate scientists. Two visions of the solution.

The pair's biggest question: What role should money from oil and gas have in funding work like theirs?
Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during his Australian Open semifinal match against Italy's Jannik Sinner in Melbourne on Jan. 26.
TENNIS
Mar 5, 2024

Djokovic returns as Gauff hopes for a U.S. win at Indian Wells

Djokovic hasn't competed at the BNP Paribas Open since 2019 due to U.S. travel restrictions related to COVID-19.
Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia rides during preseason testing at Lusail International Circuit near Doha on Feb. 20.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Mar 6, 2024

'Elegant' Bagnaia on quest for third title as MotoGP turns 75

Unlike Formula One, there are multiple contenders for the title as MotoGP opens its season in Qatar.
Chai Wanrou at the Daming Palace National Heritage Park, in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China. The 28-year-old is part of a growing movement that envisions a future with no husband and no children.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Mar 7, 2024

More Chinese women choosing singledom as economy stutters

Chinese President Xi Jinping last year stressed the need to "cultivate a new culture of marriage and childbearing."
Google's cybersecurity center in Tokyo will focus on enhancing cybersecurity policy discussions, spearheading educational initiatives, developing resources and supporting research with Japanese institutions.
BUSINESS / Tech
Mar 7, 2024

Google opens Asia-Pacific cybersecurity research center in Tokyo

The center's launch comes as Japan endeavors to ramp up its online security systems following major cyberattacks.
Trevor Bauer has not pitched in MLB since the 2021 season.
BASEBALL / MLB
Mar 8, 2024

Trevor Bauer to return to Dodgers' facilities on quest for MLB comeback

Bauer's quest to return to the major leagues will take him through the Los Angeles Dodgers' facility in Glendale, Arizona.
French President Emmanuel Macron greets Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Feb. 26.
WORLD / Politics
Mar 9, 2024

Macron and Scholz, never close, spar over policy toward Ukraine and Russia

A fraught relationship has recently turned bitter, with insults and barbs threatening European unity at a critical moment.
Portugal's Democratic Alliance (AD) leader Luis Montenegro casts his ballot a polling station in Espinho, near Porto, during the legislative elections held on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Mar 11, 2024

Luis Montenegro, the unlikely champion of Portugal's right

Luis Montenegro is a seasoned parliamentarian with no government experience who is perceived as honest and competent despite a lack of flair.
Air Self-Defense Force F-35 stealth fighters are displayed at the U.S. military's Yokota Air Base in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 11, 2024

Japan's arms imports up 155% over last five years, report finds

The Asian nation was the sixth-largest weapons importer in the world, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Climate protesters interrupt a campaign event for former U.S. President Donald Trump in Indianola, Iowa, on Jan. 14.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 10, 2024

What would a Trump win mean for the climate?

Even if Trump wins and tries to take a wrecking ball to climate policies, he ultimately can't derail the renewables revolution gaining momentum in the U.S.
A flare burns at a gas plant near Orla, Texas. Production and use of fossil fuels put more than 120 million metric tons of methane into the atmosphere last year, a slight rise from 2022.
ENVIRONMENT / Energy
Mar 14, 2024

Methane emissions from energy sector rose in 2023 despite pledges

Production and use of fossil fuels put more than 120 million metric tons of methane into the atmosphere last year.
YouTuber and former Upper House member GaaSyy after his release on bail in September
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 14, 2024

YouTuber GaaSyy given suspended prison term for defaming celebrities

GaaSyy's acts seriously threatened the victims, the presiding judge said, causing them “enormous financial damage” through online hate.
Investors will be heaping ever more scrutiny on Japanese assets, with negative rates potentially relegated to history.
BUSINESS / Markets
Mar 15, 2024

BlackRock and Man Group reveal big Japan bets before BOJ decision

Snap up more Japanese stocks and keep buying the yen — these are some of the most popular calls from big-name money managers.
Women attend a protest in 2018 against the rape of three girls, an 8-year-old, an 11-year-old and a teenager, in different parts of India. The country experiences alarming rates of sexual violence against women.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 15, 2024

Why is India failing to protect its women?

India is plagued by sexual violence, with many horrific cases in the spotlight over the years. Despite reforms, cultural norms are hindering progress.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 15, 2024

Ai Fukuhara reaches custody settlement after abduction accusation

Although the physical custody of their son as well as their daughter will be with her ex-husband, the couple will continue to have joint custody over them.
Former FTX chief Sam Bankman-Fried leaves Manhattan federal court in New York on Jan. 3.
BUSINESS
Mar 16, 2024

Sam Bankman-Fried should get up to 50 years in prison, U.S. says

A sentence of 40 to 50 years is necessary for the "historic” crime involving more than 1 million victims and losses of over $10 billion, prosecutors say.
Members of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council stage a "menthol funeral" to draw attention to the annual toll of smoking-related deaths outside the White House in Washington on Jan. 18.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 16, 2024

Smokes and votes: Could menthol cigarette ban sway U.S. election?

A proposed ban from President Joe Biden's administration on the mint-flavored smokes has miffed some Black Americans, a key Democratic Party base.
Greece's Maria Sakkari hits a forehand return to American Coco Gauff during their semifinal match at Indian Wells on Friday.
TENNIS
Mar 16, 2024

Sakkari weathers Gauff storm to book Swiatek clash in Indian Wells final

World No. 1 Swiatek produced a near-flawless display in chilly, windy conditions to cruise past Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk.
A closed McDonald's in Tokyo on Friday after a tech issue forced outlets of the burger chain to shut around the world.
BUSINESS
Mar 16, 2024

Big Mac goes Big Tech — with a few hiccups

McDonald's reliance on tech backfired on Friday when an outage forced it to shut stores around the world.
To squeeze more energy out of the wind, turbines are getting bigger and bigger, which means that ships capable of installing them are in growing demand.
ENVIRONMENT
Mar 17, 2024

Offshore wind’s next big problem: Not enough ships

As economies go green and utilities retire fossil-fuel power stations, wind is emerging as one of the most popular forms of alternative energy.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is extending his nearly quarter-century rule into a fifth term at a time when his troops are on the offensive in Ukraine.
WORLD / Politics
Mar 18, 2024

Putin warns Russia won’t be stopped after record election win

Putin is extending his nearly quarter-century rule into a fifth term at a time when his troops are on the offensive in Ukraine.

Longform

Dangami House is a 180-year-old former samurai residence of the Kato clan, who ruled over Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, until the Meiji Restoration.
A house, a legacy and the quiet work of restoration in rural Japan