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Seven & I Holdings, operator of the 7-Eleven convenience store chain, said on Friday it has rejected Alimentation Couche-Tard's takeover bid as not being in the interest of shareholders.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 6, 2024

Seven & I pans value of offer as it rejects Canadian takeover bid

Seven & I said that Alimentation Couche-Tard had “grossly” undervalued the target company and that the takeover attempt was timed “opportunistically.”
Onosato will have his sights set on sumo's second-highest rank as the Autumn Basho gets underway Sunday.
SUMO
Sep 6, 2024

Onosato poised to shine at Autumn Basho with ozeki rank in sight

The fact that nine wins in Onosato's sekiwake debut in July was seen by some as disappointing tells you all you need to know about sumo’s hottest wrestler.
James Earl Jones in the Broadway revival of "Gore Vidal’s The Best Man” at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater in New York in March 2012. Jones, once a stuttering farm child who became a voice of rolling thunder as one of America’s most versatile actors in a stage, film and television career that plumbed race relations, Shakespeare’s rhapsodic tragedies and the faceless menace of Darth Vader, died on Monday at his home in Dutchess County, New York. He was 93.
CULTURE / Film
Sep 10, 2024

James Earl Jones, actor whose voice could menace or melt, dies at 93

He gave life to characters like Darth Vader in “Star Wars” and Mufasa in “The Lion King,” and went on to collect Tonys, Golden Globes, Emmys and an honorary Oscar.
Russian-British political activist, journalist, author, filmmaker and former political prisoner Vladimir Kara-Murza poses during a photo session in Paris on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Sep 10, 2024

Freed Kremlin opponent urges against 'face-saving exit' from Ukraine for Putin

In an interview in Paris, Vladimir Kara-Murza predicted that he would be able to return to his homeland as the Russian president's "regime" would not last.
The Tokyo Ballet’s 60th anniversary program includes Maurice Bejart’s famous shorts, such as “Bolero.”
CULTURE / Stage
Sep 13, 2024

The Tokyo Ballet marks year of rebirth with tributes to history and innovation

Long-time collaborator Bejart Ballet Lausanne brings masterworks to Japan for The Tokyo Ballet's 60th anniversary celebrations.
Japanese media's lack of critical engagement and depth in covering debates can be attributed to Japan's Broadcasting Law, which mandates political impartiality in news coverage.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 12, 2024

How Japanese and U.S. election coverage differs

Japanese media's coverage of U.S. debates tends to be more superficial and uniform, often merely reflecting U.S. media content.
Japan's new speed limit on narrow roads in residential areas will be set at 30 kph in September 2026.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Sep 17, 2024

Raising awareness key to Japan's new residential road speed limit

Violations of the speed limits will be punished by up to six months' imprisonment or a fine not exceeding ¥100,000.
“Patlabor: The Movie” keeps the fun and irreverence of the small-screen series while adding a more contemplative touch.
CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle
Sep 20, 2024

At 35, ‘Patlabor’ now looks awfully prescient

The robot-centric film is back in theaters across Japan in celebration of its 35th anniversary, and the future it paints looks mighty familiar.
People inspect the site of an Israeli strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday.
WORLD
Sep 21, 2024

Top Hezbollah commander among 14 killed in Israeli strike on Beirut

Ibrahim Aqil was killed with other senior members of an elite Hezbollah unit, sharply escalating the yearlong conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed group.
Yurin Fujii was among the Japanese athletes to compete at X Games Chiba over the weekend at Makuhari Messe.
MORE SPORTS
Sep 23, 2024

Japan to remain in X Games mix for ‘foreseeable future’

Japanese athletes likely hope the X Games continue to come to Japan, as the event has become special for many.
Japan's flag flies at half mast at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on Thursday after a Japanese schoolboy was stabbed to death in the southern city of Shenzhen.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 24, 2024

The death of a Japanese school student: Is this just a tip of an iceberg?

Despite the fact that an innocent 10-year-old boy was brutally murdered, the reaction of the Japanese government and media was predictably restrained.
Takakeisho during a one-day tournament at Kokugikan in Tokyo in February 2020
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Sep 25, 2024

As Onosato dominates the spotlight, former sumo stars exit the stage

Takakeisho, who announced his retirement last week, was must-watch TV for virtually all of his 6½ years in sumo's top division.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a drone production facility of the the Special Technology Center in St. Petersburg on Sept. 19.
WORLD
Sep 26, 2024

Russia has a secret war drones project in China, intel sources say

Both Russia and Ukraine are racing to ramp up their production of drones, which have emerged as highly effective weapons in the war.
Tokyo Game Show opens to the public on Sept. 28 full of cosplayers promoting a full slate of new and upcoming titles.
LIFE / Digital
Sep 26, 2024

Tokyo Game Show 2024 stacked with big returns and hyped announcements

PlayStation returns to Tokyo Game Show for the first time since 2019 as Japan's biggest gaming show opens to the public on Sept. 29 and 29.
Cucina Salve's wild herb salad is a example of chef Hiroshi Tsubouchi's commitment to creating dishes with as little artificial additives as possible.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Sep 29, 2024

Neither allergies nor ADHD could stop chef Hiroshi Tsubouchi

A childhood of hardships led this Chichibu-based chef to embrace an organic philosophy for all his dishes.
People chant slogans as they participate in a protest marking one month since the rape and murder of a trainee medic at a government-run hospital, in Kolkata, India, on Sept. 8.
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Sep 27, 2024

India cuts target for fast-track sex crime courts as states fall short

India's strained judicial system has a backlog of tens of millions of cases.
A Tokyo Electric Power Company employee uses a Geiger counter to check for radiation near storage tanks holding contaminated water at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in the towns of Okuma and Futaba in January 2020.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 27, 2024

Tepco's Fukushima decommissioning effort is challenging — but making progress

Tepco believes that diligent monitoring by it and the IAEA over the past year supports the conclusion that water discharges from the Fukushima No. 1 plant are safe.
An employee works on the production line of Nio electric vehicles at a JAC-NIO manufacturing plant in Hefei, Anhui province, in China in 2022.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 30, 2024

China's factory and service sectors skid as stimulus calls grow

The data showed China's manufacturing industry remains a pain point for policymakers, who acknowledged the economy faces "new problems."
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting via videoconference in Moscow on Sept. 30.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 1, 2024

Putin orders conscription of 133,000 servicemen in autumn draft

Head of Russia's conscription office says new conscripts will not be sent to Ukraine
The Israeli success against Hezbollah and Hamas forces presents an opportunity for political change in the region, particularly if Israel can translate its military victories into diplomatic solutions. 
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 9, 2024

Capitalizing on the weakening of Hezbollah and Hamas

The significant setbacks for Hezbollah and Hamas — and the weakening of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance” — needs to be seen in strategic terms.
Japan Sword Co. is a regular exhibitor at the Antique Dealers’ Fair & Exhibition in Tokyo. Its booth at a previous event in 2021 featured more than a few treasures.
CULTURE / Art
Oct 10, 2024

Hold history in your hands at this triennial antiques fair in Tokyo

Open to the public, the Antique Dealers’ Fair & Exhibition will allow visitors to see pieces up close, which might just spur a purchase.
People inspect the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday.
WORLD
Oct 12, 2024

After heavy Israeli blows, Hezbollah forges new command for crucial ground war

Friends and foes alike are now watching how effectively the Iran-backed group resists Israeli troops that have crossed into Lebanon.
Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto (right) talks with the country's outgoing leader, Joko Widodo, after the latter delivered the annual State of the Nation Address in Jakarta on Aug. 16.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 16, 2024

Indonesia’s new president will keep the world guessing

Eliminating hunger is one thing — ensuring the economy is able to provide enough jobs for young people as they graduate from school and university is quite another.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (from left), U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron pose for a family photo at the Chancellery in Berlin on Friday.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 19, 2024

Biden and allies in Berlin vow no let-up in support for Ukraine

In a joint statement, the leaders "reiterated their resolve to continue supporting Ukraine in its efforts to secure a just and lasting peace."
A South Korean drone recovered by North Korean authorities is seen in this image released Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 19, 2024

Pyongyang says recovered remains of South Korean drone

The North released Images of the South Korean military drone that crashed in the capital, with some analysts confirming it was South Korean.
A collage made of undated handout pictures released by the Yamagata University Institute of Nasca shows 10 of 303 new geoglyphs discovered by scientists at the university in Japan.
JAPAN / Science & Health / Longform
Oct 21, 2024

The Japanese researcher uncovering the mystery of Peru’s Nazca Lines

Masato Sakai has dedicated his career to the collection of desert etchings. AI is starting to make his work much easier.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrives for his inauguration ceremony in Jakarta on Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 21, 2024

What to expect in the first 100 days of Prabowo’s rule in Indonesia

The former general has set an ambitious 8% growth target for Indonesia in the next two to three years.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his government has intelligence that 10,000 troops from North Korea are being prepared to link up with Russian forces fighting Ukraine, warning that such a move would be “the first step to a world war.”
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 21, 2024

Zelenskyy seeks 'strong reaction' to North Korean involvement in Ukraine war

The Ukrainian leader has urged partners to take measures in response to claims Pyongyang is sending thousands of troops to fight beside Russia on the front lines.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba poses for a photo with other members of the Liberal Democratic Party at the party's headquarters in Tokyo on Sunday night after polls closed in the 2024 general election.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 28, 2024

Success and scandals: the Liberal Democratic Party

The LDP remains associated with the postwar economic miracle, said Tomoaki Iwai of Nihon University.
Yoshihiko Noda, head of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, walks past a monitor displaying a live news broadcast showing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics / EXPLAINER
Oct 29, 2024

Without an LDP-Komeito majority, will Ishiba stay prime minister?

Opposition parties could band together and vote Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan chief Yoshihiko Noda into power, but this remains an unlikely scenario.

Longform

A small shrine perched atop rocks braves the waves hitting the shoreline during a storm in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The area is under threat of a possible 31-meter-high tsunami if an earthquake strikes the nearby Nankai Trough.
If the 'Big One' hits, this city could face a 31-meter-high tsunami