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A mystery-solving event with clues embedded in constellations projected on a dome is held at a planetarium in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on June 7.
JAPAN
Jul 10, 2024

Japan's planetarium operators shoot for the stars with new events

The number of planetarium visitors in fiscal 2022 totaled 7.9 million, recovering to about 90% of the level before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games' opening ceremony, which will be held outside of a stadium for the first time in history, has attracted a lot of interest from Japanese fans.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 10, 2024

Japan fans shun pricey Olympics tickets even as top-tier packages sell out

Travel agencies report a noticeable drop in demand for Paris Olympics tours amid a weakening of the yen and the introduction of a new booking system.
George Clooney attends a premiere for the film "The Boys in the Boat" in Beverly Hills, California, on Dec. 11, 2023. Clooney, a lifelong Democrat who helped raised $30 million for U.S. President Joe Biden at an event last month, has now advocated for a new candidate.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 11, 2024

Hollywood turns against Biden as George Clooney warns ‘dam has broken’

Heavy hitters, including Netflix Chairman Reed Hastings and author Stephen King, have joined the chorus calling on Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid.
The members of Glay — (from left) Jiro, Teru, Takuro and Hisashi — are celebrating 30 years of rocking out as a band.
CULTURE / Music
Jul 12, 2024

Glay celebrates three decades of rock greatness

The band's 12-month-long Glay Expo takes the idea of a concert tour to the next level for the anniversary of its major label debut.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and others at a position of Ukrainian servicemen in the town of Kupiansk last November.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 13, 2024

Being Volodymyr Zelenskyy: How war has changed Ukraine's leader

His ambition when he was elected in 2019 had been to help Ukraine become a modern democracy, before that was shattered by Russia's invasion in 2022.
Fans celebrate BTS' 11th debut anniversary during 2024 FESTA, an event for fans of the K-pop boy band a day after band member Jin was discharged from the South Korean army after 18 months of military service, in Seoul on June 13.
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2024

TikTok sees K-culture spend doubling to $143 billion by 2030

In the U.S. and Southeast Asia, research has found that about 80% of social media users have found Korean culture through TikTok.
With 25 Emmy nominations, FX’s historical drama “Shogun” leads the competition with the most nods, including nominations for actors (from left) Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai and Tadanobu Asano.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jul 18, 2024

'Shogun' tops Emmy nominations with 25 nods

As well as a nomination for best drama, “Shogun” received nods for stars Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai in the lead drama actor and actress categories.
U.S. gymnast Simone Biles competes in the uneven bars during the U.S. Olympic trials in Minneapolis on June 30.
OLYMPICS
Jul 18, 2024

Paris Olympics marketing blitz powered by female athletes

While the Olympics has long been considered the pinnacle of women’s sports, increased attention has prompted more brands to feature female athletes.
The Sado Gold Mine, so heavily tapped that the mountain bearing it has been cleaved in two, is up for consideration for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
LIFE / Travel
Jul 20, 2024

Land of punishment, land of gold

The Sado Gold Mine may soon become Japan’s newest UNESCO World Heritage site, but the island’s history is much more complicated than a single tourist destination.
U.S. rugby player Ilona Maher poses for a portrait during the Team USA media summit ahead of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, at an event in New York on April 15.
BUSINESS
Jul 24, 2024

Athlete influencers compete for likes as well as medals in Paris

In years past, athletes might have needed a manager to negotiate deals with brands. Now, a company will reach out directly to strike a deal.
Nakazakicho may be just a few minutes outside the major commercial district of Umeda, but it certainly doesn't feel that way.
LIFE / Travel
Jul 27, 2024

The dancer keeping Osaka’s Nakazakicho indie

Nakazakicho’s transformation is more than the success story of a small neighborhood turning the tide against inner-city decay.
Actors Kento Kaku (left) and Ryoma Takeuchi star in Amazon Prime Video's new show "Like A Dragon: Yakuza," which is based on a hugely popular Sega video game series about Tokyo crime gangs.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Jul 29, 2024

Japan TV can catch 'Shogun' wave, says 'Like A Dragon' star

Kento Kaku says it is important for Japan to seize the opportunity to create more shows that are recognized internationally.
Kingdom Hearts-inspired action-adventure game Luminous Nights was one of many indie titles that had to fight for attention on an increasingly crowded show floor.
LIFE / Digital / ON: GAMES
Aug 3, 2024

Bigger than ever, BitSummit’s indie spirit wears thin

As the indie game show grows, the question looms as to whether its current trajectory continues to be true to its original spirit.
Many market followers believe the pillars that had underpinned gains for years — a series of key assumptions that investors across the world were banking on — have been shaken.
BUSINESS
Aug 6, 2024

$6.4 trillion stock wipeout has traders fearing ‘great unwind’ is just starting

Many market followers believe the pillars that had underpinned gains for years have been shaken.
Utagawa Hiroshige produced several highly successful series of landscape prints over the course of his career, including “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo” — the largest collection of his career.
CULTURE / Books
Aug 8, 2024

The definitive guide to Utagawa Hiroshige's masterwork is a feast for the eyes

Ukiyo-e expert Andreas Marks' new book is a rare compendium of the Japanese artist’s landscapes, even by local standards.  
A fan poses for photos next to a poster of trot singer Lim Young-woong before attending his concert in Seoul in May.
CULTURE / Music
Aug 9, 2024

Trotting ahead of K-pop? South Korean crooner Lim Young-woong rivals BTS

The traditional South Korean music genre of trot includes elements of jazz, swing and enka.
Produced by Toei Animation, “Girls Band Cry” follows five young women who form a band and navigate the Japanese rock landscape.
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Aug 17, 2024

Prepare for a new wave of anime-born bands

'Girls Band Cry' and its in-real-life band Togenashi Togeari offer the latest evolution of mixed-media music projects.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Aug 19, 2024

Singapore’s Wong hands out fresh perks ahead of election

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sought to reassure citizens their voices are being heard during his first and last National Day Rally before Singapore's general election.
A wall mural depicting Nintendo's Super Mario characters in an underground walkway in Kyoto. The company will open the Nintendo Museum in October.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 20, 2024

Nintendo to open museum showcasing video game history this fall

The museum in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, will feature vintage video games and an interactive shoot-em-up with Super Mario characters.
Former Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman will lead the committee searching for a successor to Disney CEO Bob Iger.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 22, 2024

Disney names James Gorman to lead CEO succession planning effort

Disney is weighing both internal and external candidates to succeed Bob Iger.
A cardboard cutout of the Monkey King character, or Sun Wukong, from the Chinese action role-playing game Black Myth: Wukong is displayed on the day of its launch in Beijing on Aug. 20.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 27, 2024

Black myth, Black samurai and gaming nationalism

While China has to date enjoyed success in mobile and PC gaming, those lucrative sectors carry relatively little prestige. That makes Wukong’s breakout a landmark event.
Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
WORLD / Politics
Aug 28, 2024

Trump adds former Democrats RFK Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard to transition team

Trump's move risks reinforcing criticism that he is embracing figures espousing fringe or extreme views in his bid to return to power.
Johnny's & Associates President Noriyuki Higashiyama (second from right), unveils Smile-Up as the new name for the talent agency during a news conference in Tokyo in October 2023. The agency decided on the name change after it acknowledged the abuse committed by its late founder and apologized to victims in September 2023.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Sep 4, 2024

Johnny’s victims group to disband one year after agency admitted abuse

The group says it will continue to help victims with unresolved cases — through consultation and other forms of support — despite the disbandment.
Elderly pachinko players at Day Service Las Vegas, a casino-themed day care service in Yokohama, in August
JAPAN / Society
Sep 11, 2024

Pachinko-style gambling is helping seniors’ brains in Japan

Bolstered by evidence that playing the pinball machines can help prevent dementia, some businesses are now tailoring services in a bid to revive growth.
Tamotsu Shiiki, 58, is accused of sexually assaulting a first-year junior high school girl at a karaoke parlor in Tokyo's Kabukicho entertainment district on Aug. 20. He has denied the charge.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Sep 11, 2024

Ex-lawmaker held over alleged sexual assault in Tokyo karaoke parlor

Tamotsu Shiiki, a former Lower House lawmaker of Nippon Ishin no Kai, denies sexually assaulting the first-year junior high school girl.
The PlayStation 5 Pro gaming console is priced at $699.99 in the United States, and ¥119,980 in Japan.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 11, 2024

Sony prices PlayStation 5 Pro game console at a hefty $699.99

In Japan, the midgeneration console is priced at ¥119,980, compared with the standard PlayStation 5 digital model's ¥72,980 price tag.
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.
Hiroyuki Sanada and the cast and crew of "Shogun" accept the award for best drama series at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Sep 16, 2024

‘Shogun’ and the painstaking art of ‘getting it right’

The Emmys-sweeping period drama went to great lengths to achieve historical accuracy — but that's just one piece of a bigger puzzle.
Sean "Diddy" Combs in 2017. Prosecutors have accused Combs of running a criminal enterprise to facilitate his exploitation of women, dating back at least 16 years.
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Sep 18, 2024

Sean 'Diddy' Combs pleads not guilty to sex trafficking; judge denies bail

Prosecutors said the rapper and producer used his fame to coerce women into demeaning sexual acts as part of a long-running scheme.
Japan might have created the PlayStation brand, but the cost of the latest generation of the console will exclude all but the most hardcore fans.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 18, 2024

PS5 Pro price is a sticker shock for the country that made the PlayStation

With even an entry-level PS5 now costing some ¥72,980 following the latest hike last month, an entire generation of Japanese could be cut off.

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