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Ryosei Akazawa, Japan’s chief tariff negotiator, leaves for Washington on Thursday for his seventh round of trade talks with the United States.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 1, 2025

Japan-U.S. trade negotiations stall as Trump fumes 

The two sides remain far apart, and no new talks are scheduled.
Pro-China supporters hold Chinese flags at an event celebrating the 28th anniversary of the former British colony's handover to Chinese rule, in Hong Kong, on Tuesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 1, 2025

Hong Kong rights record under fire as it marks China handover anniversary

Lee's government enacted a separate security law of its own in 2024 saying it was needed to restore order.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine "as soon as possible" as the two held their first known phone talks since 2022 on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 2, 2025

Macron and Putin discuss Iran and Ukraine in first talks since 2022

The two leaders also discussed Tehran's nuclear program, with French President Emmanuel Macron suggesting Moscow and Paris work together to de-escalate tensions.
A satellite image provided by NOAA shows Tropical Storm Florence (upper left) in the Atlantic Ocean on Sept. 11, 2018.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 2, 2025

NOAA budget cuts to gut U.S. climate research and slash jobs

Critics say the reductions will diminish the ability to predict weather and erode the quality of weather models.
A delivery driver takes a break in the shade during high temperatures in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 2024.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 2, 2025

How much does a heat wave cost? Insurers and CEOs want to know.

Some believe a new market for heat insurance — driven in part by artificial intelligence and the need to cool data centers — is around the corner.
The Asaichi-dori morning market street in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, was devastated by a fire following an earthquake on New Year's Day in 2024.
JAPAN
Jul 2, 2025

Noto quake-hit area sees biggest roadside land price drop

The roadside land price for a plot in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, plunged 16.7%, a stark contrast to a 4.5% decline in the previous year.
Bucks guard Damian Lillard (right) dribbles the ball while Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard defends during Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on April 22.
BASKETBALL / NBA
Jul 2, 2025

Bucks dump Damian Lillard and sign Myles Turner

The decision reportedly did not sit well with Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Rep. Jim McGovern, a Democrat from Massachusetts and ranking member of the House Rules Committee (center left) speaks during a hearing in Washington on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 2, 2025

Trump tax bill hits Republican resistance in House ahead of vote

Trump, the GOP’s most forceful whip, quickly turned his attention from the Senate to the House, putting public pressure on Republicans to back the bill.
A 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander at the Chicago Auto Show in 2023. Last month, Toyota sold 11,577 Grand Highlander SUVs, which its head of brand sales in the U.S. said was the "fastest-turning product in the lineup.”
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 2, 2025

Toyota delays EV plans to boost gas-fueled SUV output

The postponement comes amid softening demand for EVs in the U.S.
A worker stirs a vat of fermenting Thai rice and kōji mold, used for making awamori, at a distillery in Okinawa Prefecture in April 2021.
JAPAN
Jul 2, 2025

Okinawa city seeks special zone status for production of local distilled spirit

The city plans to send the special zone status application jointly with the Okinawa Prefectural Government to the central government.
The Central Disaster Prevention Council adopted a revised disaster-prevention plan that will encourage municipalities and logistics business associations to ensure there will be an emergency transportation system should a Nankai Trough earthquake occur, at the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Jul 2, 2025

Japan adopts target of reducing death toll by 80% in Nankai Trough quake

According to the latest estimate disclosed in March, the death toll from a Nankai Trough megaquake is expected to reach up to about 298,000.
Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (left), Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong (second from left), Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya (second from right) and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stand together at the start of a meeting of "the Quad" at the U.S. State Department in Washington on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 2, 2025

‘Quad’ nations announce critical minerals initiative amid China concerns

A joint statement was carefully crafted not to directly mention China, but the four Indo-Pacific countries made clear a goal of reducing dependence on Beijing.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (left) and his daughter Kim Ju Ae (front right) visiting the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area in Kangwon Province, North Korea, on June 24.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 2, 2025

North Korea opens massive beach resort, state media reports

The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area can accommodate nearly 20,000 people, according to Pyongyang.
Leafs forward Mitch Marner reacts after scoring against the Ottawa Senators during Game 1 of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on April 20.
MORE SPORTS / Ice hockey
Jul 2, 2025

Mitch Marner on Maple Leafs exit: 'Leaving isn't easy'

The Maple Leafs acquired forward Nicolas Roy from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Marner.
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
CULTURE / Film
Jul 2, 2025

Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made

A new show at Tokyo’s Azabudai Hills Gallery explores the painstaking process of the late “Grave of the Fireflies” and “Pom Poko” director.
F-35 aircraft on the deck of Britain's Prince of Wales aircraft carrier as it arrives at Marina Bay Cruise Center in Singapore on June 23
JAPAN
Jul 2, 2025

British F-35B fighters could soon land on a Japanese carrier

The latest British carrier deployment could see jets from the Prince of Wales vessel touch down on one of Japan's own de facto aircraft carriers.
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 2, 2025

A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend

The Japan Meteorological Agency has taken to social media to caution that "any such predictions should be considered unreliable.”
Workers take a break near a ship under construction at China State Shipbuilding Corp.'s Longxue Shipyard in Guangzhou, China, in November 2011.
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Jul 2, 2025

China’s shipyard dominance leads to geoeconomic risks

According to 2024 data from the Chinese government, the country ranks first worldwide in ship completions, new orders and order backlogs.
Fiji's Albert Tuisue celebrates at the end of the match against Australia at World Cup 2023 in France.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Jul 2, 2025

Fiji looks to soften up Wallabies before Lions series

Fiji's Australian coach Mick Byrne has brought a strong squad for Sunday's test in Newcastle, the hosts' last warmup before facing the British and Irish Lions.
Dog ownership may seem daunting in Japan, but with the right tools and logistical knowledge, you can ensure a healthy, happy life for your pet.
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Jul 7, 2025

A furever friend: Tips for responsible dog ownership in Japan

Owning a dog in Japan may seem daunting, but having these tools and tips in mind can ease your journey and bring you lots of joy.
Police in Australia said Tuesday they had arrested and charged in May a 26-year-old child care worker from the state of Victoria with offenses relating child sex abuse involving eight victims between the ages of five months and two years.
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Jul 2, 2025

Australia vows tougher child care laws after worker charged with sex offenses

Australia's Education Minister Jason Clare has asked his department to urgently draft new laws on child care centers.
In adapting Masataka Matsuda’s 1998 play “On Summer Sand” to film, director Shinya Tamada decided to age up the central character, played by Joe Odagiri (left), by 10 years to bring out a deeper sense of despondency and grief.
CULTURE / Film
Jul 1, 2025

From stage to screen, a story of quiet connection in the still heat of Nagasaki

Director Shinya Tamada adapts "On Summer Sand" for film by filling the silences between scenes with heartbreak and slow healing.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, he has softened Washington's position toward Russia and raised doubts about future U.S. military support for Kyiv.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 3, 2025

Ukraine voices concern as U.S. halts some missile shipments

Ukraine said it had called in the acting U.S. envoy to Kyiv to underline the importance of military aid from Washington continuing.
A port near Shanghai. Beijing has often responded to actions it opposes with targeted trade measures.
BUSINESS
Jul 3, 2025

Beijing braces for U.S. trade deals that aim to shut out China

China is becoming increasingly wary of U.S. efforts to forge deals that could isolate Chinese firms from global supply chains.
Data compiled by the Japan Department Stores Association shows that tax-free inbound sales at over 80 department stores across the country fell by 41% in May from a year earlier.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 3, 2025

Japan’s department store shares lag as tourist splurge slows

Tax-free inbound sales at over 80 department stores across the country fell by 41% in May from a year earlier.
Toyota only lifted prices on some models by a few hundred dollars in the U.S. market in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 3, 2025

Japan’s carmakers absorbing tariffs may bolster Trump's position

Just three of Japan’s six major automakers have raised prices in the U.S., and only Subaru’s hike has come close to the 25% tariff imposed on imported vehicles.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a meeting in Ilam, Iran, on June 12. Pezeshkian formally enacted the suspension of Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 3, 2025

Iran ends cooperation with U.N. nuclear watchdog after Israel and U.S. strikes

Washington has described the decision as "unacceptable."
A demonstrator carrying the Israeli flag walks past a portrait of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an anti-government protest in front of the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv on June 7.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 3, 2025

Netanyahu vows to uproot Hamas as ceasefire proposals are discussed

The Israeli leader had yet to comment on U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Israel had backed a plan for a 60-day truce in its offensive against Hamas.
Microsoft’s gaming division began cutting hundreds of employees on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jul 3, 2025

Microsoft makes deep Xbox job cuts and cancels games

Microsoft announced Wednesday that it’s eliminating 9,000 workers companywide in its second wave of layoffs this year.
Recent preprint research suggests students who use ChatGPT to write essays engage in less critical thinking, with different areas of their brains connecting less often.
WORLD / Society
Jul 3, 2025

'Writing is thinking': Brain study prompts debate on ChatGPT use in education

The recent preprint research suggests students who use ChatGPT to write essays engage in less critical thinking, with different areas of their brains connecting less often.

Longform

Sumadori Bar on Shibuya Ward's main Center Gai street targets young customers who prefer low-alcohol drinks or abstain altogether.
Rethinking that second drink: Japan’s Gen Z gets ‘sober curious’