Search - 2023

 
 
Displaced Palestinians carrying relief supplies return from an aid distribution center in the central Gaza Strip on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 2, 2025

Trump vowed to remake aid. Is Gaza the future?

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is distributing food through several hubs in the war-ravaged territory, with contracted U.S. security and Israeli troops.
Polish President-elect Karol Nawrocki in Warsaw on Sunday
WORLD / Politics
Jun 2, 2025

Pro-Trump nationalist wins Poland’s presidential election

Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian and former boxer, won 50.9%, while Rafal Trzaskowski took 49.1%, according to calculations based on electoral commission data.
A woman attends the World AI Conference in Shanghai in July 2023. Although AI models are showing more deceptive and self-protective behavior, some governments are scaling back safety efforts just as oversight is becoming most critical.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 2, 2025

AI sometimes deceives to survive. But is there anybody who cares?

AI is showing some bright red flags: behavior described by researchers as self-preserving and deceptive.
Takeshi Hakamada, founder and CEO of Ispace. The Resilience lunar lander could become the company's first to touch down on the moon on Friday.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jun 2, 2025

Japanese startup Ispace prepares for lunar lander to touch down on the moon

The goal is to achieve a soft landing near the Mare Frigoris, or Sea of Cold, in the moon’s northern hemisphere.
Cranes at the Port of Los Angeles on May 13. U.S. President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs will kick in on July 8 after 90-day pause.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 3, 2025

U.S. pushes countries for best offers as tariff deadline looms

It will evaluate the responses, to be submitted by Wednesday, within days and offer "a possible landing zone."
A mining machine at the Bayan Obo mine containing rare earth minerals in Inner Mongolia, China, in 2011
WORLD / Politics
Jun 3, 2025

China’s rare earths grip gives Xi leverage in U.S. trade duel

For years, Washington was believed to have the advantage over China in the fight for technological dominance thanks to its grip on semiconductor supply chains.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called for a parliamentary confidence vote in a bid to demonstrate continuing support for his pro-EU government, after nationalist Karol Nawrocki won the Polish presidential election.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 3, 2025

Tusk calls confidence vote after nationalist wins Polish presidential election

European far-right leaders welcomed the election of Karol Nawrocki, a fan of U.S. President Donald Trump who has said he will oppose the government's progressive agenda.
Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, speaks at the press briefing in New Delhi on Monday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 3, 2025

Trade barriers and plane delivery delays challenge global airline growth

More people are flying than ever before after a post-pandemic passenger market recovery, but airline growth is being hampered.
The Fighters' Franmil Reyes celebrates after hitting a walk-off home run against the Marines on Sunday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jun 3, 2025

What you need to know ahead of NPB interleague play resuming

Since 2005, one constant has been Pa League dominance.
A case in which two Japanese nationals were killed in China’s northeastern city of Dalian last month is still being investigated, with local police saying the incident arose from a business dispute between acquaintances.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 3, 2025

Two Japanese nationals killed in Dalian, China

Local police have told the Japanese consulate that the incident arose from a business dispute between acquaintances, and a Chinese national has been taken into custody.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles delivers an address during the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 3, 2025

Australian defense chief doubles down on trilateral ties but rules out Asia pact

A key factor behind the trilateralization push has been the speed at which Japan-Australia ties have been expanding.
Zheng Yanxiong, former director of China's Hong Kong Liaison Office, speaks during the National Security Education Day opening ceremony in Hong Kong on April 15, 2024.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 3, 2025

Hong Kong leader calls sudden removal of top China official 'normal'

No explanation by Beijing or Chinese state media was given for the change.
Zico, Brazilian soccer legend and current technical director for Kashima Antlers, poses following an interview at the Antlers's training ground in Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture, on May 28.
SOCCER
Jun 3, 2025

Zico warns Japanese players not to follow Brazilians into transfer trap

The 72-year-old says Japanese players looking beyond the J. League is a "positive" development — as long as they move at the right time.
The number of "zombie companies" in Japan, which do not make enough to cover their interest payments, was estimated to have grown some 228,000 in fiscal 2023, one of the highest in a decade.
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Jun 3, 2025

'Zombie company' apocalypse might be the point of Japan's minimum wage push

Government efforts to accelerate the pace of pay increases could lead to poorly performing companies going out of business.
Japanese trading companies' shares gained following comments from Warren Buffett at the Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting that he expects his company to hold the shares for 50 years or more.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 4, 2025

Buffett inspires retail investors to bet on Japan trading houses

Japanese trading companies shares gained following comments from Warren Buffett that he expects his company to hold the shares for 50 years or more.
The scene where a crumbling glacier partially collapsed and tumbled, at the village of Blatten, Switzerland, on Monday.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Jun 4, 2025

Swiss glacier collapse is a lesson on climate disaster management

The collapse of the glacier in the Swiss Alps was an expected disaster. When the first signs of instability started to appear, the town was evacuated.
A mother takes her child to kindergarten in Hanoi on Wednesday. Vietnam's birth rate fell from 2.11 children per woman in 2021 to 1.91 last year.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Jun 4, 2025

Vietnam scraps two-child limit as birth rate declines

The birth rate fell from 2.11 children per woman in 2021 to 1.91 last year, below replacement level.
The total number of births dropped to about 686,000, marking the first time the figure has fallen below 700,000, according to a health ministry release on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jun 4, 2025

Japan’s fertility rate hits record low despite government push

The new low underscores the immense challenge facing the government as it attempts to reverse the trend in one of the world’s most aged societies.
Palestinians move humanitarian aid collected from a distribution center in the Netzarim Corridor, central Gaza Strip, on May 29.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 4, 2025

Israel’s Gaza push spurs Europe leaders to turn on Netanyahu

The condemnation is symbolic of the shift in Europe and of Israel’s increasing isolation.
Akio Toyoda’s involvement in the $33 billion buyout of Toyota Industries signals a potential corporate comeback, and that’s a good thing despite criticism.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 4, 2025

For Toyota, more Akio Toyoda would be a good thing

This opposition is nonsensical. Akio turned Toyota into the biggest automaker in the world during a period of intense industry change.
Lawson plans to sell 1-kilogram and 2-kg bags of rice it bought from the government's stockpile at ¥360 ($2.50) and ¥700 respectively.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 4, 2025

Aging rice? Lawson prefers to call it 'vintage.'

As convenience stores prepare to sell government stockpiled rice from older harvests to consumers, Lawson says it will offer rice balls made of "vintage rice."
Bangladesh hoped to celebrate progress towards eradicating tuberculosis this year. Instead, it is reeling from a $48 million snap aid cut by U.S. President Donald Trump's government, which health workers say could rapidly unravel years of hard work and cause huge numbers of preventable deaths.
WORLD / Science & Health
Jun 4, 2025

From Nigeria to Pakistan, TB testing 'in a coma' after U.S. aid cuts

Moves by U.S. President Donald Trump have stalled vital research in South Africa and left TB survivors lacking support in India.
Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Friday. Suzuki said preparations for the changes that will focus more on rehabilitation are being actively made at each correctional facility.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / FOCUS
Jun 5, 2025

Japan’s prison reform focuses on rehabilitation

Prison labor is no longer mandatory, which allows more time for educational and rehabilitative programs aimed at reducing recidivism.
Detail of Takashi Murakami, “Rakuchu-Rakugai-zu Byobu: Iwasa Matabei RIP” (2023-25)
CULTURE / Art
Jun 5, 2025

New Naoshima museum bets on Asia, not the West

The Naoshima New Museum of Art is Tadao Ando’s 10th contribution to the popular art islands.
Toyota Industries' Nagakusa plant in Obu, Aichi Prefecture. Toyota group's tender offer to privatize Toyota Industries represents an 11.4% discount to its closing price before the plan was announced.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 5, 2025

Toyota Industries buyout hinges on squeezing minority investors

In order for the buyout to work, the ¥16,300 per share tender offer will need to attract enough minority shareholders to cross a 42% threshold.
Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph speaks during a rally held by U.S. President Donald Trump (right) at U.S. Steel Corporation-Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, on May 30.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Jun 5, 2025

Steelers respond to fans after QB Mason Rudolph attends Trump rally

The team reminded fans that the opinions of individual players "do not necessarily represent the view of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization."
Oilers center Leon Draisaitl celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, on Wednesday.
MORE SPORTS / Ice Hockey
Jun 5, 2025

Leon Draisaitl scores in overtime to lift Oilers in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final

Draisaitl's NHL record-tying third overtime goal of the playoffs gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series.
National Police Agency data showed a 24.1% increase in stalking-related arrests last year, with 1,341 individuals detained for violating the anti-stalking law, marking the highest figure since its revision in 2016.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 5, 2025

Stalking-related arrests surge by 24% in 2024 to record high

Restraining orders issued under the anti-stalking law also climbed 23% last year, according to the National Police Agency.
United Nations Security Council members vote on a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, at U.N. headquarters in New York on June Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 5, 2025

Anger as U.S. blocks Gaza ceasefire resolution at U.N. Security Council

It was the 15-member body's first vote on the situation since November, when the United States also blocked a text calling for an end to fighting.
Hideo Nakata, deputy mayor of Nagoya, waves the Olympic Council of Asia flag as Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura watches during the closing ceremony of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 8, 2023.
MORE SPORTS
Jun 5, 2025

Organizers to house athletes on 'floating village' during 2026 Asian Games

Organizers will lease a luxury cruise liner that will be docked at Nagoya's port.

Longform

Rock group The Yellow Monkey played K-Arena Yokohama in June as part of a nationwide tour. Concerts are increasingly popular in the age of social media as users value in-person experiences.
Inside Japan’s arena boom: Sports, sound and city-building