Search - information

 
 
“Transfer to my Account” shows dozens of "furikomi" stubs from deposits that Yasuko Toyoshima made to her own bank accounts
CULTURE / Art
Jan 14, 2024

Yasuko Toyoshima creates delight from the quotidian

A new Tokyo exhibit of the conceptual artist’s works presents a cohesive worldview about the interaction between a life of rules and deviation.
JAPAN
Jan 14, 2024

Kishida makes first visit to Noto Peninsula after quake

Speaking to people at an evacuation center in Wajima, Kishida encouraged them to keep their hearts strong amid the difficult situation.
People watch a television screen showing  file footage of a North Korean missile test, at the main railway station in Seoul on Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 14, 2024

In first launch of 2024, North Korea tests intermediate-range missile

The South Korean military said the launch was of an IRBM-class weapon, which is believed to have a range of up to 5,000 kilometers.
The continued demand for and access to banned Nvidia chips underlines the lack of good alternatives for Chinese firms despite the nascent development of rival products from Huawei and others.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 15, 2024

China's military and government acquire Nvidia chips despite ban

The sales by largely unknown Chinese suppliers highlight the difficulties Washington faces.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 16, 2024

Abe faction's seven senior members won't be prosecuted, reports say

Proving a criminal conspiracy between them and the group's treasurer to not report excess income from fundraising parties has been deemed too difficult by investigators.
JAPAN
Jan 17, 2024

Korean Air plane 'strikes' Cathay aircraft in Japan; no injuries

The incident at New Chitose Airport serving Sapporo came two weeks after a near-catastrophic collision at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.
A video still shows current Fujitsu Services Director Paul Patterson giving evidence to a hearing of the Business and Trade Select Committee in the House of Commons, in London on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 17, 2024

Fujitsu says it will pay compensation in U.K. Post Office scandal

The firm said it has a "moral responsibility” to contribute to redress for sub-postmasters who suffered as a result of its faulty software.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 17, 2024

Johnny's abuse victims seek transparency on compensation criteria

Many are unable to prove past affiliations with the agency, with some alleging that the wrongdoings occurred before the signing of contracts.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange will require all companies listed on its prime section to publish key information simultaneously in English and Japanese.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jan 18, 2024

Tokyo bourse to make simultaneous English disclosure mandatory for top firms

A reform panel has cited foreign investors as saying that a lack of English disclosure is one of the reasons for staying away from Japan's stock market.
Executives at the World Economic Forum say they are grappling with how to turn early demos featuring artificial intelligence into money-makers.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 18, 2024

AI buzzes Davos, but CEOs wrestle with how to make it pay

The arrival of OpenAI's viral ChatGPT in late 2022 triggered a frenzy of venture investment and an abrupt change of course inside the world's biggest technology companies.
The Democratic Progressive Party's presidential candidate, Lai Ching-te, the eventual winner, casts his vote during the island's election in Tainan, Taiwan, on Saturday.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 18, 2024

Taiwan's election and its potential impact on East Asian politics

China tried to interfere in the Taiwanese elections through the systematic use of "cognitive warfare," but failed.
Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones dives for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in a 2024 NFC wild card game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 14.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Jan 19, 2024

The rise of the NFL’s 2-point conversion

The NFL playoffs have already delivered high-stakes moments around a simple decision: After a touchdown, should your team kick for 1 point, or go for 2?
Sudki Mansour is the 40-year-old owner of Bisan, one of Tokyo’s only Palestinian-style restaurants.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Jan 22, 2024

From restaurant roots, expat dreams up a Palestine in Yamanashi

Sudki Mansour is the owner of Bisan, one of Tokyo’s only Palestinian-style restaurants, and a Palestinian-influenced campsite in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Sakura takes a while to warm up to strangers, but she has a playful side just waiting to get out.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Jan 22, 2024

Sakura the cat needs a trusted friend

Sakura takes a while to warm up to strangers, but she has a playful side just waiting to get out.
Doubts about China’s official investment statistics — which measure spending on things like housing, factories and infrastructure — have been fueled by frequent revisions in recent years, and the latest data implies an unusually large adjustment.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 19, 2024

Did China’s economy really grow 5.2% in 2023? Not all agree

Doubts over Chinese data, particularly on investment, have resulted in alternative calculations that put its GDP growth last year at as low as 1.5%.
A mid-19th century ukiyo-e woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi depicts Xu Fu’s voyage in search of the elixir of life. He can be seen near the left side of the image, with what looks to be Penglai, or Mount Fuji, in the background.
JAPAN / History / Longform
Jan 20, 2024

Eternal pursuits: A history of Japanese quests for immortality

Whether it's a permanent state of meditation or feasting on mermaid, the quest for immortality in Japan isn't too far off from those in other cultures.
The Tsukuba Geo Museum is a hands-on exhibition facility.
ESG CONSORTIUM
Jan 22, 2024

New geopark museum, cycle park showcase Tsukuba’s attractions

The Ibaraki city of Tsukuba in November launched a new facility, Mt. Tsukuba Gate Park, that focuses on promoting the charms of the Mt. Tsukuba Area Geopark and supporting Japan’s cycling culture. City officials stationed there explained what the facility offers and how they aim to nurture the civic...
Ryoji Ikeda’s “mass,” a site-specific installation at Helsinki’s Amos Rex museum, presents a stroboscopic video of black concentric rings that fill a square on the floor by rapidly expanding outward.
CULTURE / Art
Jan 20, 2024

Ryoji Ikeda adds to his universe of data in Helsinki

The Japanese composer and multimedia artist’s exhibition in Finland features two new site-specific installations that take advantage of the museum's unique interior space.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 19, 2024

LDP turmoil continues as three major factions announce dissolution

Lawmakers from the 98-member political faction that was previously led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made the decision during a meeting Friday night.
U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli war Cabinet, as he visits Israel amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv on Oct. 18.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 20, 2024

Biden speaks with Netanyahu on Gaza attacks and Palestinian state

Biden's call with Netanyahu was the first in nearly a month, the White House said, noting the discussions focused on Israel's ongoing strikes in Gaza.
People gather near the site struck by a reported Israeli military strike in Damascus, Syria, on Saturday.
WORLD
Jan 20, 2024

Apparent Israeli strike on Damascus kills four Iranian Revolutionary Guards

Syrian state media said a likely Israeli attack had targeted a building in the Mazzeh neighborhood of Damascus, without giving further details.
Military cadets salute during a military funeral procession for Houthi fighters killed in recent U.S.-led strikes on Houthi targets, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 21, 2024

U.S. now pursuing ‘least bad’ option in confronting Houthis

Analysts and the Houthis themselves have said that the airstrikes won’t stop them — especially if the U.S. refuses to target the group’s main backer, Iran.
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.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jan. 10.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 23, 2024

India likely to keep close eye on Chinese research vessel in Maldives

A senior Indian security official has said that information gathered by China's research vessels can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
Toshiya Ikehata (center) helps prepare rice balls at a community kitchen in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Jan. 7. Ikehata runs a fine-dining restaurant in the city, which was among the hardest-hit areas in the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
JAPAN
Jan 23, 2024

Shattered lives, unbroken spirits: Chefs step up to serve Noto communities

Fine-dining chefs rise to the challenge of feeding disaster victims in the hardest-hit areas of Ishikawa Prefecture.
Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip
WORLD / Politics
Jan 24, 2024

One-month Gaza truce is the focus of intensive talks, sources say

Despite the difficulty of bridging the gap in positions, a source described the talks as intensive and said a deal could be agreed to "at any minute."
In Palworld, players can explore an open world and collectible Pokemon-esque creatures, some of whom utilize a variety of weaponry to defeat opponents.
LIFE / Digital
Jan 24, 2024

Overnight smash Palworld is much more than ‘Pokemon with guns’

Instead of “Pokemon with guns,” a more apt description for Palworld would be “Pokemon, but it grew up over the last 30 years.”
A man prays on July 19, 2019, outside the Kyoto Animation building where 36 people died in a fire caused by Shinji Aoba the previous day.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 24, 2024

Possible death penalty looms for Kyoto Animation arson suspect

The trial shed light on his upbringing, the emergence of his grudge against the studio and how he went ahead with his plan of attack despite some hesitation.
The market cap of Japan’s largest automaker reached ¥48.79 trillion ($330 billion) at the end of Tokyo stock trading on Tuesday, with Toyota shares having closed ¥9 higher at ¥2,991 after briefly reaching an all-time high of ¥3,034.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 24, 2024

Toyota’s market cap hits record high for a Japanese firm

Market participants are keeping a close eye on Japan’s top automaker amid expectations that it will post strong earnings.
JAPAN
Jan 24, 2024

Quake-hit Noto and Sea of Japan coast face heavy snowfall

Authorities have warned of possible road closures and the suspension of public transportation due to icy roads and snow.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji