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The Central Business District of Lagos. Japan is reasserting a commitment to do more business with Africa as it emerges from years during which its private sector was particularly risk-averse.
BUSINESS
May 31, 2025

Japan seeks to grow Africa investments to ease reliance on China

The country aims to do more business with Africa as it emerges from years during which its private sector was particularly risk-averse.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 31, 2025

Hegseth warns of Chinese threat to Taiwan, urging allies to upgrade defenses

In a speech to regional defense officials, U.S. defense chief Pete Hegseth also sought to ease concerns among those skeptical of America’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.
Rice from government stockpiles is sold at a store in Sendai on Saturday.
JAPAN
May 31, 2025

41% of Japanese rice farmers expect price drop in 2026

A share of 72.3% of farmers, however, expect prices for 2025 rice to be higher than for 2024 rice.
The defense chiefs of “the Squad” grouping, which brings together Japan, Australia, the U.S. and the Philippines, meet Saturday in Singapore for talks on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue regional security summit.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 31, 2025

‘Squad’ defense chiefs meet with eye on countering China

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the grouping the most “strategically positioned to manifest deterrence" amid “an unprecedented military buildup by China.”
Paris Saint-Germain players celebrate with the Champions League trophy after defeating Inter Milan in the final on Saturday in Munich.
SOCCER
Jun 1, 2025

Brilliant PSG demolishes Inter Milan to win first Champions League title

Teenager Desire Doue played a starring role in the win, scoring twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory.
Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Jun 1, 2025

Red Bull's Tsunoda baffled after qualifying last in Spain

The Japanese driver had received support in his struggles from team boss Christian Horner on Friday, but on Saturday hit a new low.
Vehicles of delegations leave the Omani Embassy after a fifth round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, in Rome on May 23.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 1, 2025

Damning IAEA report spells out past secret nuclear activities in Iran

The findings pave the way for a push to declare Tehran in violation of its non-proliferation obligations.
Maja Stark hits a chip shot during the first round of the U.S. Women's Open on Thursday.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Jun 1, 2025

Maja Stark takes one-shot lead entering final round of U.S. Women's Open

A trio from Japan — Rio Takeda, Hinako Shibuno and Mao Saigo — are tied for third at 5-under 211.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrives for a trilateral meeting between Japan, the U.S. and Australia at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 1, 2025

Hegseth to prioritize China and more allied spending in Asia — but questions remain

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made a clear statement of the United States' commitment to the region, but getting allies to spend more on their defense will be an uphill battle.
Eiichi Minagawa, the representative of a victim group of Niigata Minamata disease, speaks during a ceremony on Saturday to mark the 60th anniversary of the official recognition the disease.
JAPAN
Jun 1, 2025

Ceremony marks 60 years since Niigata Minamata disease recognition

At the ceremony, about 300 people observed a moment of silence for the victims.
A banner showing Lee Jae-myung (left), the South Korean presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, and Kim Moon-soo, the candidate for the conservative People Power Party, outside a polling station in Seoul on Friday
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 1, 2025

South Korean presidential election set to reshape diplomatic chessboard

Liberal front-runner Lee Jae-myung is projected to sail to a win that could shake up ties with Japan and the U.S. and kick-start talks with North Korea.
A woman walks past a store in Seoul's Daerim neighborhood, home to thousands of ethnic Chinese. China has displaced longtime foe and former colonial power Japan in many South Koreans' minds as the country's most distrusted neighbor in recent years.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 2, 2025

China displaces old foe Japan in South Koreans' minds ahead of vote

Analysts say that a series of clashes between Beijing and Seoul in recent years over history, territory and defense are the root cause of the schism.
Visitors at the 2025 Osaka Expo in May
JAPAN
Jun 2, 2025

Osaka Expo sees highest daily visitor number

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition expects a total of 28.2 million people to visit the event, which is set to run until Oct. 13.
Japan has enforced tougher rules on companies to protect workers from heat after 30 workplace deaths and roughly 1,200 injuries were reported last year that were associated with high temperatures.
JAPAN
Jun 2, 2025

Protect workers from heat waves or face fines, Japan tells firms

The revised legislation is a rare global example of a national-level policy on heat safety for employees.
Maja Stark holds up her championship trophy after winning the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament in Erin, Wisconsin, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Jun 2, 2025

Maja Stark beats out Rio Takeda to capture U.S. Women's Open

Takeda made an early double bogey in an otherwise solid round to stay close to the top of the leaderboard all day.
Australian defense chief Richard Marles speaks during the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore on Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 2, 2025

U.S demands Australia increase defense spending to 3.5% of GDP

Officials in Tokyo are closely watching how U.S.-Australia defense spending talks unfold, with U.S. President Donald Trump thought to be pushing Japan to also spend more.
Plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit seeking welfare benefit cuts to be revoked and their lawyers walk to the Supreme Court in Tokyo on May 27.
JAPAN
Jun 2, 2025

Welfare benefit reductions totaled about ¥300 billion between 2013 and 2018

The government decided to reduce welfare benefits during that time period based on factors such as the cost-of-living falling.
Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 2, 2025

Philippines vague on U.S. missile deployments, but clear on one thing

Manila has already secured the funds to buy its own midrange missiles, according to Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.
The small village of Blatten in the Swiss Alps was destroyed by a landslide after part of a glacier collapsed last week.
ENVIRONMENT / Earth science
Jun 2, 2025

How Switzerland's Birch glacier collapsed

There are strong theories on the causes, and to what degree it is linked to climate change — but these are yet to be confirmed by scientific analysis.
The Eagle S oil tanker is seen near a Finnish border guard ship and tugboat off the Porkkalanniemi Peninsula in the Gulf of Finland in December. Finland seized the Russian-linked vessel on suspicion it damaged undersea cables amid growing concerns over sanctions evasion and maritime security.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 2, 2025

Braving the storm: It’s time to board Russia’s shadow fleet

European sanctions against the Kremlin’s oil vessels are futile without actual enforcement.
Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws a pitch against the Yankees during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on Sunday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Jun 2, 2025

Yamamoto struggles as Yankees shut down Dodgers to avoid sweep

Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up four runs while tying a career high with seven hits allowed in 3 2/3 innings as he gave up three walks.
Investigators inspect a construction site in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward on May 28 after an explosion occurred there a day earlier.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 2, 2025

Tokyo construction site blast caused by gas cylinder buried in the ground

The gas cylinder "may have been illegally dumped a long time ago" at the site, which was a paved parking lot for about 40 years.
The Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 launch event in Seoul in 2023. Studies have shown connections between social media use and eating disorders.
WORLD / Society
Jun 2, 2025

How social media can 'trigger' eating disorders in young people

The glorification of thinness and promotion of fake, dangerous advice about diet and nutrition push the vulnerable toward developing eating disorders.
Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's  candidate in South Korea's presidential election, speaks during his final campaign event in Seoul on Monday night ahead of Tuesday's vote.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 3, 2025

Lee Jae-myung projected to win South Korean presidential election

Lee, the front-runner in the race since campaigning began, secured 51.7% of the vote — a 12.4 percentage point lead over conservative rival Kim Moon-soo — according to exit polls.
Russian delegation head and presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky speaks to the press after a meeting at Ciragan Palace during the second round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 3, 2025

Russia sets out punitive terms at peace talks with Ukraine

The terms highlighted Moscow's refusal to compromise on its longstanding war goals despite calls by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the "bloodbath" in Ukraine.
A resident in Uchinada, Ishikawa Prefecture, points to a boundary of his property with his neighbor which shifted due to liquefaction following the massive earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula in January 2024.
JAPAN
Jun 3, 2025

Noto quake liquefaction hampers land boundary redrawing

Liquefaction during the Noto quake caused a lateral flow of up to 3 meters along a prefectural road running north to south through Uchinada and Kahoku.
Trump hopes increased levies on aluminum and steel will protect margins for domestic mills and spur investment in new production capacity.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jun 3, 2025

U.S. aluminum and steel prices surge as Trump doubles tariffs

U.S. buyers could end up paying about 50% more than international competitors to get hold of aluminum.
Daiwa Securities CEO Akihiko Ogino says mergers and acquisition deals are harder to come by this year due to uncertainties over U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policy.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 3, 2025

Daiwa pauses M&A hiring as tariff uncertainty chokes deal pipeline

The assessment from Japan’s second-largest brokerage indicates how changes in global trade policy are rippling through spending activity.
Volcanic steam rises from Mount Etna, as seen from Milo, Italy, on Monday.
WORLD
Jun 3, 2025

Italy's Mount Etna erupts, spewing ash, gas and rock

Sicily's Mount Etna has been active recently but Monday's eruption was the most dramatic, with experts warning that such activity could continue for weeks.
Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene speaks at the parliament in Ulaanbaatar on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 3, 2025

Mongolia prime minister resigns after losing confidence vote among lawmakers

Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene will remain as caretaker prime minister until his successor is appointed within 30 days.

Longform

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.
From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past