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A Ukrainian billboard encouraging people to enlist in the army, in Kostyantynivka, Ukraine.
WORLD
May 25, 2024

Ukraine starts freeing some prisoners to join its military

Nearly 350 inmates have been freed under a new law that allows them to serve in exchange for the possibility of parole, the country’s justice minister said.
Richard Grenell speaks at a Donald Trump rally in Florence, Arizona, on Jan. 15, 2022.  Grenell has a good chance of landing a top foreign policy job in a second Trump administration — if not as secretary of state, which requires Senate confirmation, then perhaps as national security adviser, which does not.
WORLD / Politics
May 26, 2024

He threw ‘spaghetti at the wall’ for Trump. Now he’s after a top job.

If Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidency, Richard Grenell hopes to be secretary of state. But his work raises questions, even from his former boss.
Kanoa Igarashi, who earned a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is excited to get another shot at gold at this year’s Summer Games.
MORE SPORTS / Surfing
May 31, 2024

Kanoa Igarashi ready to challenge Teahupo'o in search of gold at Paris Olympics

Igarashi earned the silver medal in the inaugural Olympic surfing competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Yayoi Kusama’s “Pumpkin,” once the victim of high waves that dragged it into the sea, sits at the end of a pier on the south side of Naoshima.
PODCAST / deep dive
Jun 6, 2024

The sweaty pleasure of Japan’s inconvenient art

This week, writer Thu-Huong Ha is our tour guide into the world of Japan’s inconvenient art movement.
A family marches into the newly opened Fantasy Springs section at Tokyo DisneySea on Thursday.
LIFE / Travel
Jun 9, 2024

Japan's theme parks are ramping up their offerings ahead of summer

You don't need to take the kids overseas when there are plenty of amusement parks at home to plan a summer vacation around.
Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura, speaking in the city of Osaka on Thursday, explains his plan to propose measures to protect people from fraud.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 28, 2024

Osaka governor eyes ban on mobile phone calls at ATMs

The proposal is part of an effort to protect elderly people from fraud.
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 2, 2024

U.S. Supreme Court finds Trump has broad immunity from prosecution

The Supreme Court ruling gave Donald Trump much of what he sought but stopped short of allowing absolute immunity for all official acts.
A medical technician selects eggs for an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure Paris in 2019.
WORLD / Society
Jul 25, 2024

IVF mistakes are opening a new front in the fight over reproductive rights

The $40 billion U.S. industry is expected to triple in size over the next decade as more people delay having babies until later in life.
A bulletin board shows the day's highest temperature in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, on July 29.
JAPAN / Boiling Point
Aug 8, 2024

From Naha to Nemuro, how Japan’s cities are responding to more heat

Municipalities are reaching for everything from automated misting systems to anime to help cool residents and educate them about the risks of heat.
Efforts to hold the Kremlin accountable for the war in Ukraine have begun, with the International Criminal Court already issuing arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and others for unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 16, 2024

The rule of law is coming for Putin

Though the ICC has jurisdiction over war crimes and genocide in Ukraine, it can't prosecute Russian leaders for aggression.
Hyogo Gov. Motohiko Saito holds a news conference on Aug. 7.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 20, 2024

Nearly 40% of employees knew of Hyogo governor’s alleged power harassment

Gov. Motohiko Saito has called the allegations — which were made by a prefectural government official who was found dead — “groundless."
A still image taken from drone footage on Wednesday shows what the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade "Oleksy Dovbusha" says are multiple launch rocket system strikes on Russian troops, in Novozhelanne, Donetsk Region, Ukraine.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 22, 2024

Ukraine says it hits pontoon bridges in Russia with U.S.-made weapons

A video shows strikes on several crossings in the Kursk region, where Russia has reported that Ukraine has destroyed at least three bridges over the Seym river.
Kyoto International High Shool's baseball team receives a champion flag after winning the Japanese High School Baseball Championship final at Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture on Aug. 23.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 31, 2024

A high school baseball championship and Japan-South Korea relations

The reactions to Kyoto International High School winning the National High School Baseball Championship, both in Japan and South Korea, were intriguing.
The Tokyo leg of Magical Mirai 2024, a gathering centered on a concert starring the aqua-haired Hatsune Miku and other avatars created by Sapporo-based company Crypton Future Media, kicked off on Aug. 30.
CULTURE / Music
Sep 9, 2024

Magical Mirai 2024 shows that the future is bright for Hatsune Miku

Thousands of visitors helped kick off the Tokyo leg of the gathering, which offers an immersive dive into every part of the aqua-haired anime avatar's world.
The U.S. team celebrates on the 18th green after clinching their victory over the European team to win the Solheim Cup in Gainesville, Virginia, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Sep 16, 2024

U.S. team savors Solheim Cup triumph after enduring long wait

Captain Stacy Lewis praised her players for their tenacity and fortitude in pressure-packed situations.
© TELL
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Oct 1, 2024

TELLing the story: Emotional wellness and integral wellbeing for those living in Japan

Despite Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's serious and studious personality, he is by nature a nonconformist and is less socially inclined compared to other politicians.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 3, 2024

The Shigeru Ishiba I personally know

Ishiba takes pride in his mottos and interests, remains steadfast in his beliefs and stays true to his path.
Canadian Ambassador to Japan Ian McKay, who is also his country's special envoy for the Indo-Pacific, takes part in an interview with The Japan Times last week.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 6, 2024

Canada eyes joint coast guard patrols with more Asian partners, envoy says

Canada is recognized as a leader in terms of its "Dark Vessel Detection" technology designed to identify vessels fishing illegally in protected maritime areas.
Chinese Finance Minister Lan Fo’an (center) during a news conference in Beijing on Saturday
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 14, 2024

China leaves economists wanting more action to defeat deflation

The supportive measures announced by Finance Minister Lan Fo'an over the weekend gave little indication Chinese authorities feel any urgency to boost consumption.
For Designart 2024, 130 (one thirty) is exhibiting its first furniture collection of 100% recyclable 3D-printed works at Issey Miyake Ginza.
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: DESIGN
Oct 19, 2024

117 creative exhibits take over Tokyo for Designart 2024

Designart’s official exhibitions at the World Kita -Aoyama Building in Minato Ward are always well-rounded displays of both established and up-and-coming designers.
A billboard depicting Hamas' slain leader Yahya Sinwar during a rally in Yemen's Huthi-controlled capital Sanaa
WORLD / Politics
Oct 20, 2024

U.S. ‘fusion cells’ assist in Israel’s hunt for Hamas leaders

Officials have insisted that the U.S. aren't directly supporting Israel on the ground in Gaza, but the search for Hamas leaders was different.
Xander Schauffele in action during the final round of The Presidents Cup gold tournament in Ile Bizard, Quebec, Canada, on Sept. 29.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Oct 22, 2024

Schauffele targets more success in Japan after major breakthroughs

The golfer has already tasted success in Japan, winning a pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympic gold in 2021.
The South Korean Coast Guard vessel Taepyongyang, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Waesche and the Japan Coast Guard vessel Wakasa patrol in formation during a trilateral exercise in the Sea of Japan in June.
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 23, 2024

With ramped-up activities, U.S. Coast Guard plots greater Indo-Pacific role

The move comes at a time when a growing number of coast guards in the region are becoming deeply involved in patrolling disputed waters.
The Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks to fans in English during a World Series victory celebration at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Nov 2, 2024

Dodgers celebrate World Series win with long-awaited parade

Shohei Ohtani brought his brown-and-white dog, Decoy — a fan favorite — in an Ohtani jersey, for the celebrations, with the slugger offering a rare address in English.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guides a military demonstration in North Korea on March 13.
WORLD
Nov 11, 2024

What would North Korean soldiers do in Ukraine?

Their presence alongside Russians fighting Ukraine raises tactical and military questions, leading some to wonder about their effectiveness and ultimate objectives.
Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal celebrates after closing out an inning during Detroit's playoff series with Cleveland last month.
BASEBALL / MLB
Nov 21, 2024

Braves' Chris Sale and Tigers' Tarik Skubal collect Cy Young honors

Both left-handers won the pitching Triple Crown and were the clear favorites in Cy Young Award voting.
Special Counsel Jack Smith speaks at a news conference in Washington on Aug. 1, 2023. Smith on Monday asked a federal judge in Washington to formally dismiss the indictment charging President-elect Donald Trump with plotting to subvert the 2020 election.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 26, 2024

Judge tosses Trump 2020 election case after prosecutors' request

The request stems from Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
The Moscow skyline. Heavy recruitment by the armed forces and defense industries has drawn workers away from civilian enterprises, as has emigration, pushing unemployment to a record low of 2.3%, data showed Wednesday.
WORLD / Society / ANALYSIS
Nov 29, 2024

Russia's labor shortage spreads as defense sector poaches staff

A growing labor shortage is affecting all areas of life since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili attends an opposition rally to protest after the government halted the EU application until 2028, in Tbilisi, on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 1, 2024

Georgian president pledges to stay on after violent clashes

Georgian police and special forces cleared protesters and barricades from the main street of Tbilisi.
French Prime Minister Michel Barnier removes his glasses after delivering a speech at the National Assembly in Paris on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 5, 2024

No-confidence vote throws France deeper into crisis

France's prime minister must now tender his resignation and that of his government to President Emmanuel Macron.

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