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Descendents of the original "Gonin Byakushō" families are the only vendors allowed inside the gates of Kotohira Shrine, where they sell "kamiyoame," a golden-hued, yuzu-flavored candy meant for good fortune.
LIFE / Travel
Jun 7, 2025

At a mountainside shrine, yuzu candy made by imperial decree

Located in the mountains of western Kagawa Prefecture, Kotohira has yet to suffer — or benefit — from Japan’s overtourism rush.
Cantonese opera actor Lung Koon-tin, portraying U.S. President Donald Trump, performs on stage in "Trump, The Twins President" in Hong Kong, on Thursday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Jun 6, 2025

Trump-inspired Cantonese opera in Hong Kong aims to bring love and peace

"Trump, The Twins President" has been through several iterations since its 2019 debut, with the latest version featuring the attempted assassination of the U.S. president.
The Tsuruga nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture. Under an amended law, nuclear plants' operating period may be extended beyond 60 years to compensate for stoppages caused by "unforeseeable circumstances."
JAPAN
Jun 6, 2025

Japan law comes into force to extend nuclear plant lifespans

Under the amended law, nuclear plants' operating period may be extended beyond 60 years to compensate for stoppages caused by "unforeseeable circumstances."
At the 2025 Osaka Expo, the Italian pavilion has a weekly rotating menu of regional dishes curated by Italian retail and dining chain Eataly.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 8, 2025

From Belgian waffles to Nordic sushi: What to eat at the 2025 Osaka Expo

With food diplomacy at stake, countries at the Expo are flaunting their culinary chops to win over attendees.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Anji Khad bridge, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge, during its inauguration as part of a new Kashmir rail link.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 6, 2025

India's Modi opens strategic railway in contested 'crown jewel' Kashmir

With 36 tunnels and 943 bridges, the new railway runs for 272 kilometers and connects Udhampur, Srinagar and Baramulla in the disputed region.
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 summit in Osaka in June 2019.
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Jun 7, 2025

Xi bets Trump detente leads to future wins on chips and tariffs

The Chinese leader hopes for tangible wins in the weeks and months ahead, including tariff reductions, an easing of export controls and a generally more civil tone.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during a Lower House Budget Committee meeting on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 7, 2025

Japan to hold WWII panel discussions after summer Upper House election

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's administration was considering setting up the panel as early as April.
Novak Djokovic waves to the crowd after his semifinal defeat at the French Open in Paris on Friday.
TENNIS
Jun 7, 2025

'Honoured' Djokovic hints at possible Roland Garros farewell after semifinal loss

Following his loss to Sinner, Djokovic stopped briefly on his way off Court Philippe Chatrier and took a moment to "show his gratitude" to the Paris crowd.
Coco Gauff from the U.S. celebrates after winning the French Open women's singles final match against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on Saturday.
TENNIS
Jun 8, 2025

Gauff continues American renaissance by stunning Sabalenka for French Open glory

The 21-year-old's victory helped her become the first American to capture the singles trophy in Paris since Serena Williams in 2015.
Lee Sang-il’s "Kokuho" stars Ryo Yoshizawa as an orphan from a yakuza clan who rises through the world of kabuki to become a star performer.
CULTURE / Film
Jun 8, 2025

‘Kokuho’ finds riveting drama on and off the kabuki stage

Ryo Yoshizawa and Ryusei Yokohama deliver stage performances that are both convincing as kabuki and arresting as drama in Lee Sang-il’s ambitious film.
For Isamu Tatsuno, the founder and CEO of outdoor gear maker Montbell, his youth was all about reaching the pinnacle. Today, he’s far more interested in enjoying the journey.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 9, 2025

Montbell founder went from a feeble boy to a renowned mountaineer

Drawing on his experience as a climber, Isamu Tatsuno planned ahead for the survival of his outdoor gear and clothing company. It paid off.
Goldman Sachs Asset Management Japan is expanding its business as Japanese institutional investors are increasingly willing to hire third parties to help oversee their trillions of dollars in assets.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 9, 2025

Goldman CIO service suddenly catches on in Japan after 10 years

The return of inflation after two decades has added pressure on Japan’s pensions and insurance companies to seek higher returns.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes warms up before Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans last February. Flag football is set to debut at the 2028 Olympics — but if the NFL wants the sport to thrive globally, it should resist overshadowing it with high-profile pro players.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 8, 2025

NFL stars don’t belong on the Olympics' flag football field

If the NFL is really serious about growing football’s global footprint, it and its players should sit the Olympics out.
Gen. Jennie Carignan, Canada’s Chief of the Defense Staff, attends an interview with The Japan Times on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
JAPAN
Jun 10, 2025

Japan ‘priority’ as Canada eyes bigger Asian footprint, military chief says

Ottawa's concerns about what it sees as growing challenges to the current world order are driving its Asia push.
A plastic bottle lies on the sand at Maccarese beach in Italy in 2018.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability
Jun 10, 2025

Development banks to invest €3 billion in ocean plastics fight

Plastic waste entering the water could triple to up to 37 million metric tons per year by 2040, from around 11 million tons in 2021, the U.N. estimates.
A worker cleans the floor next of a BYD dealership in Sandton, South Africa, on June 5.
BUSINESS / Tech / FOCUS
Jun 10, 2025

Why China's auto and tech giants threaten Tesla’s self-driving future

More Chinese auto and tech companies are offering affordable electric vehicles with advanced technology for a relative pittance.
Senegal players celebrate at the end of the match against England at the City Ground stadium in Nottingham on Tuesday.
SOCCER
Jun 11, 2025

Senegal becomes first African team to beat England with 3-1 win

England's loss was its first defeat in four games under new manager Thomas Tuchel.
U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard (second from right) poses with U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass (third from left) and U.S. Marines during a visit to the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture on June 4.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 11, 2025

U.S. intel chief warns ‘warmongers’ fomenting nuclear war after Hiroshima visit

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s unusual remarks seemed to echo Russian talking points on the war in Ukraine.
Solar panels in Dunhuang, China. In April alone, China installed about 45 gigawatts of solar power, more than triple the amount in the same month last year.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jun 11, 2025

China’s solar industry gathers as gloom deepens over demand

The solar industry’s record growth in China masks some brutal economics confronting equipment-makers.
In “Dollhouse,” a grieving mother (Masami Nagasawa) finds comfort in an old doll that resembles her deceased child, until the toy starts wreaking havoc on her family.
CULTURE / Film
Jun 12, 2025

Parental grief and spiritual terror collide in ‘Dollhouse’

Previously known for feel-good comedies, Shinobu Yaguchi turns to delivering creeping unease in his mysterious film.
The Japan Fair Trade Commission said that moves by Nippon Professional Baseball could violate the antimonopoly law, and urged the organization to prevent any recurrence.
JAPAN
Jun 11, 2025

Japan Fair Trade Commission warns NPB over Fuji TV media pass denial

The antitrust watchdog said that such moves could violate the antimonopoly law, urging NPB to prevent any recurrence.
U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng shake hands at Lancaster House in London on Monday.
BUSINESS
Jun 12, 2025

Deal to get U.S.-China trade truce back on track is done, Trump says

The deal removes Chinese export restrictions on rare earth minerals and allows Chinese students access to U.S. universities.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is one penalty point away from a suspension.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Jun 12, 2025

Max Verstappen heads into Canadian GP hoping to win and stay out of trouble

If Verstappen collects one more penalty point on his racing license he will automatically miss the Austrian Grand Prix later this month.
WADA President Witold Banka attends the World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium in Lausanne, Switzerland, on March 12, 2024.
MORE SPORTS
Jun 12, 2025

WADA calls on U.S. to stop Enhanced Games from taking place

The first Enhanced Games will be staged in Las Vegas in May 2026, with athletes participating in three sports — athletics, swimming and weightlifting.
India’s potential participation in the Japan-U.K.-Italy fighter jet project GCAP makes strategic sense but should be postponed until the core partners solidify the program to avoid delays, conflict and operational risk.
COMMENTARY
Jun 12, 2025

India should join the Global Combat Air Program — but not just yet

GCAP is more than just a weapons platform. It is a statement of strategic autonomy, industrial innovation and trilateral cooperation among democracies.
Japan has a deep rogues' gallery of age-old "yōkai" (spirits), but a museum on the island of Shodoshima has released a new book collecting yōkai that reflect the uncertainties of the modern world.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 14, 2025

'Rice swindler,' 'Face thief': Worried citizens invent new monsters

A decade-old contest for original "yōkai" art reflects what keeps people up at night in Japan.
J.J. Spaun hits his shot on the 10th tee during the first round of the U.S. Open in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, on Thursday.
MORE SPORTS
Jun 13, 2025

Unheralded J.J. Spaun grabs U.S. Open lead as stars struggle at Oakmont

Much of the talk this week has been about how the notoriously challenging course would keep scores in check.
U.S. President Donald Trump's tactics, which may work with Elon Musk, are unlikely to succeed with China, where strategic leverage and national security concerns make such coercive methods ineffective.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 13, 2025

Donald Trump’s antics may work with Elon Musk, but not with China

Trump’s tactics may work against Elon Musk given that his administration has leverage over Musk’s critical business activities. But with China, it does not.
At modern French restaurant Crony, sommelier Kazutaka Ozawa impresses guests with his thoughtful wine pairings.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Kanpai Culture
Jun 15, 2025

Kazutaka Ozawa: ‘The best wine is the one that brings you joy'

The oenophile, who recently earned the title of Asia’s Best Sommelier, shares his thoughts on domestic sips and Tokyo’s vino trends.
To ensure no damage occurs to the historic Nelson Stair, the delicate washi paper clouds are made to weigh only about half a kilogram each.
CULTURE / Art
Jun 15, 2025

A multisensory exhibition of washi paper unfolds at London Design Biennale

In the exhibition “Paper Clouds: Materiality in Empty Space,” washi paper clouds float on golden threads in the historic Somerset House.

Longform

An illustration features the Japanese signs for "ganbare" (good luck) and the Deaflympics, which will be held between Nov. 15 and 26.
A century of Deaf sport finds its moment in Tokyo