Search - about-us

 
 
Japan forward Aoba Fujino competes against the United States during the SheBelieves Cup in Nashville, Tennessee in February 2023.
SOCCER
Jan 20, 2024

Japan, Brazil and Canada to feature in SheBelieves Cup in U.S.

The U.S. will face Japan and Brazil will take on Canada at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the semifinal games in Atlanta on April 6.
A law making its way through the U.S. Congress would authorize the confiscation of billions of dollars in frozen assets owned by the Russian central bank, that would then be handed over to Ukraine as compensation for the war.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 24, 2024

Seizing Russia's central bank funds is illegal and unwise

A big question about giving Ukraine seized Russian funds is would such an asset grab break international law?
The U.S. push to undermine Beijing’s semiconductor ambitions has increasingly singled out ASML, drawing the ire of the Dutch company's outgoing head Peter Wennink and some local lawmakers.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 26, 2024

ASML’s China sales surged despite secret Dutch deal with U.S.

The deal, which hasn’t been reported before, stumbled as ASML turned to Beijing to compensate for weak demand elsewhere.
An arm of the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence is tapping companies and colleges to help harness rapidly developing AI technology that could provide an edge against global competitors like China. The challenge is ensuring it doesn’t open a backdoor into the nation’s top secrets or generate fake data.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 27, 2024

U.S. spies want AI as tool against China if tech can be trusted

The challenge is ensuring the rapidly developing tech doesn’t open a backdoor into the nation’s top secrets or generate fake data.
The Galaxy Leader cargo ship is escorted by Houthi boats in the Red Sea in this photo released Nov. 20.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jan 28, 2024

U.S.-China talks fall short in nudging Beijing toward Red Sea breakthrough

Top officials wrapped up two days of meetings on managing the rivals' relationship, but saw little progress on addressing the crisis in the waterway.
Ilia Malinin performs his free skate during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Figure skating
Jan 29, 2024

'Quad God' Ilia Malinin captures men's title at U.S. Figure Skating Championships

The 19-year-old dubbed the "Quad God" took a nearly 19-point lead into Sunday's decisive free skate in Columbus.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House in Washington in January 2023. Some Japanese businesses are keenly waiting for the results of the U.S. presidential election in November.
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Feb 1, 2024

Japanese firms seek political stability and stronger alliance: survey

A possible Taiwan contingency is just one of the issues on the minds of companies in the country.
A Chinese hacking group known as Volt Typhoon has alarmed intelligence officials, who say it is part of a larger effort to compromise Western critical infrastructure.
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Jan 31, 2024

What is Volt Typhoon, the alleged China-backed hacking group?

Intelligence officials say the group is part of a larger effort to compromise Western critical infrastructure.
Jason Citron, Evan Spiegel, Shou Zi Chew, Linda Yaccarino and Mark Zuckerberg are sworn in as they testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Tech
Feb 1, 2024

Senators slam social media CEOs on child online safety

"These companies must be reined in, or the worst is yet to come”
An Israeli mobile artillery unit fires toward Gaza on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war Cabinet have been under increasing pressure to bring home the hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 2, 2024

Gaza cease-fire negotiations advance as Israel-Hamas war grinds on

While talks are still in the early stages, sources said the proposal had a realistic chance of success and could lead to a longer-term cease-fire.
Houthi tribesmen gather to show defiance after U.S. and U.K. airstrikes on Houthi positions near Sanaa, Yemen, on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 5, 2024

U.S. promises more Mideast strikes while trying to avert wider war

Officials framed the U.S. strikes as a necessary and inevitable response to the killing of three U.S. soldiers in a drone strike in Jordan a week ago.
The People's Liberation Army's Academy of Military Sciences had used an open-source standard known as RISC-V to reduce malfunctions in chips for cloud computing and smart cars.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Feb 5, 2024

China bets on open-source chips as U.S. export controls mount

RISC-V is free to use and has a simpler outline, often leading to more energy-efficient chips, and users can build atop the framework to suit their needs.
Palm trees in strong winds as the second and more powerful of two atmospheric river storms arrives to Santa Barbara, California, on Sunday
WORLD / Society
Feb 6, 2024

Pacific storm batters California with high winds, flooding and mudslides

The storm system, caused by dense moisture from the subtropical waters around Hawaii, is affecting areas that are home to some 35 million people.
Shipments from China to the U.S. are increasingly making a pit stop in third countries such as Vietnam and Mexico.
BUSINESS
Feb 6, 2024

Biden wins U.S.-China trade war by Trump’s pet metric, but does it count?

Figures due Wednesday are set to show the U.S. deficit in goods trade with China in 2023 at its lowest annual level since 2010.
Workers install components on a RAV4 hybrid sport utility vehicle at the Toyota manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 7, 2024

Toyota boosts spending on EV production in U.S. by $1.3 billion

The automaker said the added spending is earmarked for its first U.S.-made EV and other unspecified battery-powered models.
Japan is the only country with a law requiring married couples to adopt the same surname. In 95% of cases, it is women who take their husband's name.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 7, 2024

The land where single surnames are the only option

The business lobby recently joined calls for Japan to accept separate surnames after marriage. What, then, is standing in the way of change? Politics.
U.S. Senators raced on Thursday to revive a sweeping emergency national security aid bill for Ukraine and Israel that has stalled yet again on Capitol Hill amid Republican resistance.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 9, 2024

U.S. Senate votes to start work on Ukraine aid in shock turnaround

The procedural vote to at least consider the bill marked a stunning about-face by Senate Republicans.
Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa (left), South Korea's then-Foreign Minister Park Jin (center) and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrive for a trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Busan, South Korea, in November.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 9, 2024

Japan, China and South Korea still out of step over summit

Despite their foreign ministers agreeing to convene a meeting of top leaders promptly, no concrete scheduling has emerged.
Michelin guides are published yearly, but there are only a handful of Black chefs whose restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 9, 2024

Black chefs are scoring with new Michelin stars; but they deserve more

Michelin stars were recently announced for restaurants in the U.K. and Ireland: The number of Black chefs increased, but the pace is still too slow.
For the first time in 16 years, Taiwan will have a minority government when Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party is sworn in on May 20.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 9, 2024

To Taiwan’s president-elect, here is a proposal for your consideration

For the first time in 16 years, Taiwan will have a minority government when Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party is sworn in on May 20.
Copies of the Apple Daily newspaper, published by Next Digital Ltd., at the company's printing facility in Hong Kong on Nov. 5, 2020.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 12, 2024

In Trump-Biden rematch, the only sure loser is China

Trump’s rhetoric may pressure Biden to take harsher measures in the run-up to election day — bad news for China’s economy and slumping stock market.
Police respond after shots were fired at the Chiefs' Super Bowl victory celebration in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Feb 15, 2024

Shooting at Chiefs' Super Bowl parade leaves one dead and 21 injured

Police said an investigation into the motive of the shooting was underway and that three people have been detained.
Shanghai's financial district under heavy rain. China's economy has slowed down, with some pointing to a possible balance sheet recession.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 15, 2024

Mr. Xi, only change will help China weather the storm

How does Xi Jinping plan to address China's growing economic woes? Only openness to change will allow the global power to survive these turbulent times.
Donald Trump's recent remarks on defense spending by allies, which were highly criticized, highlight the complexities of U.S. foreign policy.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 16, 2024

Trump's defense spending critiques: Valid concerns or political rhetoric?

Do U.S. allies need to step up defense spending? What do the numbers really say?
French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a news conference at the presidential Elysee Palace in Paris on Friday after signing a bilateral security agreement.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Feb 17, 2024

Bilateral accords offer Ukraine a way to shore up security

New agreements with Germany and France deal with both current military support for Ukraine and its future defense against Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 18, 2024

‘Dictators do not go on vacation,’ Zelenskyy warns Washington and Europe

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on world leaders not to abandon his country saying that Russia would continue to test the international order.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Feb 19, 2024

North Korea eyes well-worn playbook with Japan summit hints

Pyongyang's offer of repairing ties with Japan may be concealing what may be a more likely motivation — to drive a wedge between Tokyo and its partners.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal is flanked by security personnel as he arrives at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan for a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 20, 2024

Ukrainian PM cautions of war’s spillover as he looks to tamp down fatigue fears

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal warned in Tokyo that a Russian victory would prompt more conflicts across the globe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday
WORLD / Politics
Feb 21, 2024

Russia may launch nuclear weapon into space this year, U.S. tells allies

Moscow is said to be developing a space-based capability to knock out satellites using a nuclear warhead, in violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
Corey Morrison (back center) and Siggy Sauer (front, center) at Asakayama stable. While pathways into ōzumo have become more streamlined in recent years, stables are still remarkably willing to let amateurs show up and train with the superstars of the sport.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Feb 21, 2024

Texan newcomer helps dispel the myth that sumo is a closed world

While pathways into sumo have become more streamlined in recent years, stables are still remarkably willing to let amateurs show up and train superstars.

Longform

Once smoky, male-dominated spaces, today's net cafes, like Kaikatsu Club, are working to make their operations more attractive to women customers.
The second life of Japan's net cafes