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Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Nov 21, 2022

Japanese carmakers face continuing risks in the Russian market

From county-based issues to reputational risks at home, automakers have had to tread carefully in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Oct 19, 2022

Japan rushes to rearm with eye on 2027 — and China's Taiwan ambitions

By pointing to 2027 as the moment when East Asia's power balance may tip in China's favor, Japan's government can rally support for greater defense spending, experts say.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Oct 11, 2022

Japan has much to learn from Taiwan's countering of China’s sharp power

A reserved manner and avoiding knee-jerk reactions has helped Taipei weather the latest storm regarding hostility from Beijing.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 30, 2022

Here’s who really needs the new COVID-19 booster

Instead of pushing everyone to get another COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC should be prioritizing older and unboosted people.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 25, 2022

Can the Japanese learn to love nuclear power again?

The Japanese government is backing the construction of new reactors for the first time since Fukushima. It will have to convince a skeptical public first.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 22, 2022

The prince of Wales and his discontents

Queen Elizabeth II has kept the monarchy popular — and the country united around it — by keeping her opinions to herself. Charles should master the discipline
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 24, 2022

Understanding the extent of Chinese public support for Russia

The Chinese public is purported to overwhelmingly be on Russia's side amid the invasion of Ukraine, but there is little appetite for China to play an active role.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
May 19, 2022

Climate-conscious independents could determine Australian election

Enraged by the lack of government action on climate change, the candidates are campaigning hard on environmental issues in the hope of appealing to moderate voters.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
May 4, 2022

Biden pledges to try to enshrine Roe into law if court strikes down landmark ruling

The Court's chief justice, John Roberts, said he had ordered the marshal of the court to investigate the source of the leak.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
May 3, 2022

What would the end of Roe v. Wade mean? Key questions and answers.

A leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn the Roe v. Wade legal precedent describes a United States not seen in half a century.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 8, 2022

Tokyo’s tough stand against Moscow comes at a cost

Tokyo's recent decision to line up with the West on sanctioning Russia is a serious shift for Japan, and one with the obvious cost of alienating Moscow in the Northern Territories dispute.
A supporter of the main opposition Kuomintang party shows their fingernails painted with the Taiwan flag, during the party's annual conference in New Taipei City, Taiwan, on July 23.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Aug 31, 2023

Taiwan parties spar for young vote as high-stakes elections loom

The outcome of the closely watched January 2024 vote will set the tone for Taipei's tumultuous relationship with Beijing.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (center) arrives for a trilateral summit at Camp David, Maryland, on Aug. 18.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 3, 2023

Deterrence is not enough in Northeast Asia

Forging closer ties with Japan is crucial for Yoon to achieve his foreign-policy goal of making South Korea a pivotal global player.
An activist in Seoul protests Japan’s plan to release treated wastewater from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.
PODCAST / deep dive
Sep 7, 2023

Anger at Fukushima’s wastewater; hope in its renewables

Good news and bad news out of Fukushima.
A screen shows an image of Chinese People's Liberation Army soldiers in Beijing in August last year. The PLA's newspaper recently explained to its readers how ChatGPT can be used for military purposes.
COMMENTARY / World / Geoeconomic Briefing
Sep 12, 2023

Will generative AI hold power in international relations?

The technology has the ability to create influential text and imagery, giving it power to potentially sway public opinion.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks at a news conference following the central bank's policy meeting on Oct. 31.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 9, 2023

BOJ debated groundwork for future easy-policy exit at meeting

The October discussions highlight how the central bank is looking to exit its decade-long accommodative regime.
Dutch driver Max Verstappen speaks to the press after the opening ceremony for the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Wednesday.
MORE SPORTS
Nov 16, 2023

Verstappen slams Las Vegas race as '99% show'

The Red Bull three-time world champion criticized the new street course and said Wednesday he had no interest in the razzmatazz around the event.
Taiwan's Vice President Lai Ching-te and his running mate Hsiao Bi-Khim arrive to register for the upcoming presidential election for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) at the Central Election Commission in Taipei, on Tuesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 22, 2023

Taiwan ruling party moves ahead with opposition mired in dispute

Taiwan cannot afford chaos or "experiments" when it comes to being president, the frontrunner to be the island's next leader said on Wednesday as the opposition remained mired in a bitter dispute on mounting a joint presidential challenge.
Ko Wen-je (right) and his running mate, Cynthia Wu, on Friday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 27, 2023

Taiwan’s latest poll shows outsider leading presidential race

Ko Wen-je, the Taiwan People’s Party’s nominee, had an approval rating of 31.9% versus 29.2% for Democratic Progressive Party’s Lai Ching-te.
Supporters of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi wear masks of his face at an election campaign rally in the city of Meerut, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on March 31.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 4, 2024

Modi could sweep away biggest opposition party in India election: survey

The opposition is struggling to stay united and its leaders are facing multiple corruption charges that they say are politically motivated.
Emperor Naruhito at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo on Tuesday
JAPAN
Apr 11, 2024

Japan to launch full-scale talks over shrinking imperial family

Japan's ruling and opposition parties are set to start talks on measures to address the shrinking number of imperial family members.
The world is waiting to see if tit-for-tat missile and drone strikes by Israel and Iran will end after one exchange or escalate into a wider war that threatens the region. 
EDITORIALS
Apr 19, 2024

Stop the slide toward catastrophe in the Middle East

Tensions mount as Israel and Iran trade strikes, threatening regional stability.
TikTok raised eyebrows last month when it mobilized users to petition against a potential ban, demonstrating its influence on Americans.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 30, 2024

TikTok and Tesla just the start of U.S.-China clash over Big Data

Data security is again taking center stage in the intensifying rivalry between the U.S. and China.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks during a news conference after a two-day monetary policy meeting at the BOJ headquarters in Tokyo on April 26.
BUSINESS
May 9, 2024

Many BOJ board members saw need for steady rate hikes in April, records show

Some saw the chance of a faster-than-expected pace of interest rate hikes on prospects of inflation durably staying or exceeding the bank's 2% target.
Over 70% of respondents in a survey do not support Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's handling of the high-profile slush fund scandal involving factions of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
JAPAN / Politics
May 16, 2024

Kishida Cabinet's support rate edges up, poll shows

The poll found that 72.9% of respondents do not support Kishida's handling of a high-profile slush fund scandal.
The Bank of Japan debated the chance of a near-term interest rate hike during its policy meeting in June.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 24, 2024

BOJ debated need for timely rate hike at June meeting, summary shows

One Bank of Japan policymaker called for an increase without delay to address risks of inflation overshooting expectations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands during a bilateral meeting at the Group of 20 leaders summit in Osaka in June 2019.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 10, 2024

U.S. intelligence official indicates Russia prefers Trump as election victor

The U.S. has not seen Russia shift on its preference from previous U.S. presidential elections on who it prefers to win this year.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington in April. Both leaders face an uphill battle to stay at the helm of their respective parties and countries.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 10, 2024

Japan too is wrestling with a flawed leader

Questions about election prospects plague Biden in the U.S. and Kishida in Japan, with both trying to hang on to their commanding positions despite growing discontent.

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear