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Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 30, 2022

Brazilian soccer legend Pele dies at 82

Pele transcended soccer — like no player before or since — and became one of the first global icons of the 20th century.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / 2022 in Review
Dec 29, 2022

Kizuna AI's departure marked a new era for virtual stars in 2022

Fans were shocked when the pioneering digital character stepped down in February, but virtual YouTubers are still proving to be one of Japan's strongest pop culture exports.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Women at Work
Dec 27, 2022

Battling the odds to rise to the top: One woman's career in the IT sector

Yuki Shingu found taking a career break to help nurse her ailing father gave her a broader perspective on her rise through company ranks.
BUSINESS
Dec 27, 2022

Dissecting Japan's hit consumer products of 2022

The two items that topped Nikkei Marketing Journal's annual rankings were not products per se but product attributes reflecting consumers' response to inflation.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / 2022 in Review
Dec 23, 2022

The big J-pop hits of 2022? They came from TikTok and anime.

Acts such as Kaze Fujii and Sekai No Owari found success via viral trends, while artists like Ado and Aimer topped the charts thanks to anime collaborations.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 22, 2022

Steelers great Franco Harris, who caught 'Immaculate Reception,' dies at 72

Franco Harris, the Pittsburgh Steelers running back who caught what became known as the "Immaculate Reception," has died age 72, the Pro Football Hall of Fame said on Wednesday.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Dec 21, 2022

Culture in 2022: Good books, outdoor art and 'Tokyo Vice'

Culture editor Alyssa I. Smith talks to culture critic Thu-Huong Ha about the books they read, the festivals they went to and how Japanese stories are currently capturing Hollywood's attention.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 17, 2022

In COVID-hit Beijing, funeral homes with sick workers struggle to keep up

China's health authority last reported COVID-19 deaths on Dec. 3. The Chinese capital last reported a fatality on Nov. 23.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art / 2022 in Review
Dec 17, 2022

Art came alive in the great outdoors in 2022

Major art events returned to far-flung locales with tactile and communal experiences in nature.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 16, 2022

The unmasking of Xi

COVID-19 rules apply to China's masses but evidently not to so much to the country's powerful and elite.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Dec 15, 2022

FIFA heads back to drawing board to find format for 2026 World Cup

Having just delivered the most exciting group stage ever seen at a World Cup, with a tried and tested format that keeps hundreds of millions of fans enthralled, FIFA now faces the prospect of ripping it all up.
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Dec 12, 2022

With FIFA World Cup rights, Abema looks to score livestreaming win

The platform's purchase of broadcast rights for all games — possibly costing as much as u00a520 billion ($146 million) — is part of a strong push to grow its audience.
BUSINESS
Dec 9, 2022

Japan looks to boost protections for freelancers with new law

With business usually agreed on verbally, many freelancers experience issues with payment and disagreements over the expected work.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 7, 2022

Microsoft and Nintendo agree on 10-year Call of Duty deal

The agreement depends on Microsoft closing its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 6, 2022

Japan’s households spend more despite falling real wages

Spending in October climbed 1.2% from a year ago, more than the increase forecast by analysts.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 5, 2022

China’s COVID pivot accelerates as cities ease testing rules

The loosening comes as China enters a downswing in its latest outbreak curve, with 29,171 COVID-19 cases reported for Sunday, the lowest in nearly two weeks.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Dec 5, 2022

Forget 'Cool Japan,' just make it your Japan

'Cool Japan' ambassador and critic Benjamin Boas reimagines efforts to promote the nation's brand abroad in his new book, “From u2018Cool Japan' to u2018Your Japan.'”
SOCCER / World cup
Dec 4, 2022

How Japanese soccer evolved to produce world-beating warriors

The Samurai Blue's upset wins over Germany and Spain at the 2022 FIFA World Cup are a result of decades of effort to expand the sport's footprint across the country.
BUSINESS
Dec 2, 2022

World Cup stocks rise in Tokyo as Japan upsets Spain to advance

Shares of CyberAgent, which is broadcasting all the games for free in Japan on its Abema streaming service, jumped as much as 7.3%.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 30, 2022

China’s video game ambitions threaten to one-up Japan

Along with the EU, the world's second-largest economy, China, wants to use gaming to promote soft power. Japan should take that as a warning.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Nov 29, 2022

World Cup provides a $35 billion betting boon for bookmakers

While overall wagers on this World Cup are expected to rise 65% over the previous edition's, the tournament is only expected to generate limited activity in the United States.
BASEBALL
Nov 25, 2022

‘Mr. Baseball’ endures as go-to resource for players headed to Japan

Many who accept offers to play in Japan will surely prepare for the experience the same way those before them have for 30 years: by watching 'Mr. Baseball.”
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 25, 2022

Kah Wai Lim's ode to Japanese mini-theaters gets meta

The director's new film, 'Your Lovely Smile,' is a love letter to indie cinema that doubles as a plea for help to keep struggling theaters open.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 24, 2022

‘She Is Me, I Am Her’: A masterful portrayal of pandemic life

Actor Nahana delivers powerful performances as four different characters in Mayu Nakamura's omnibus film about the loneliness of the pandemic.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 22, 2022

Bob Iger returns to reshape Disney as giant faces biggest decline since 70s

Iger, who led the entertainment company from 2005 to 2020, will have to tackle growing losses in streaming and fraying cable-TV viewership.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 18, 2022

Tips on getting the most out of living in Japan

The third Expat Expo Tokyo is taking place on Nov. 25 (Fri.) and 26 (Sat.) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center’s Hamamatsucho-Kan. All international residents are welcome as there’s something for everyone.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Nov 15, 2022

Arab fans' World Cup fever cooled by Qatar costs

Despite the region's debut as host, many fans will watch from home, citing expensive flights and steep rates for accommodations.
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Nov 13, 2022

Johnny's departures signal growing pains

Though netizens speculated wildly after Johnny & Associates announced the departure of notable figures, the likely explanation is simply that the talent agency is in a moment of transition.

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