Search - 2025

 
 
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 23, 2023

In policy speech, Kishida puts focus on child care and defense

Implementing all of the policies mentioned in the speech — from child care and defense spending to wage hikes — will be tough if Kishida lacks a stable political base.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 23, 2023

Japan's finance chief warns fiscal situation getting increasingly severe

Shunichi Suzuki's comments come as markets test whether the BOJ can keep interest rates ultralow, allowing the government to service its debt.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 20, 2023

Out of Nile, into tile: Young Egyptians battle plastic plague

Entrepreneurial young Egyptians are helping combat their country's huge plastic waste problem by recycling garbage that usually ends up in landfills or the Nile.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 19, 2023

New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern gives the world a lesson in humility

Jacinda Ardern's leadership stood in such stark contrast to many of her boorish male counterparts, and represented a different kind of politics.
JAPAN
Jan 18, 2023

U.S. and Japan lay foundation for new era of joint space exploration

A recent agreement appears to focus on increasing efficiencies between NASA and JAXA, particularly in the U.S.-led, multinational Artemis program.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Jan 18, 2023

Germany's new defense minister faces pressure on tanks and army upgrade

Taking over just a day before a major arms conference, Boris Pistorius succeeds Christine Lambrecht, who quit following a series of blunders.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 18, 2023

At long last, Japan’s startup scene may finally be ready to take big leap forward

The president of Cambridge Innovation Center Japan is among those feeling bullish that Japan’s startup scene is on the right track, thanks in part to new government initiatives.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 18, 2023

SpaceX prepares for a breakout year with Elon Musk focused on Twitter

While Tesla has withered since Musk embarked on his takeover of Twitter, SpaceX is flourishing.
COP28 president Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber is seen on a screen as he speaks during a high-level round table on COP energy and climate commitments organized by the International Energy Agency (IEA) at its headquarters in Paris on Tuesday. The world needs "trillions" of dollars to spur on the green transition and tackle global warming, the head of last year's COP28 climate talks said, warning that political momentum can evaporate without clear action.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Feb 22, 2024

Political momentum on climate could evaporate, warns COP28 president

COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber hailed progress made at U.N. negotiations last year in Dubai but the deal lacked important details, including on funding.
The Maritime Self-Defense Force's Aegis destroyer Chokai
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2024

Japan to add Tomahawk launch function to Aegis destroyer Chokai

Deployed at the MSDF's Sasebo base in Nagasaki Prefecture, the Chokai will be the first Japanese Aegis destroyer equipped with a counterstrike capability.
French Prime Minister Michel Barnier removes his glasses after delivering a speech at the National Assembly in Paris on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 5, 2024

No-confidence vote throws France deeper into crisis

France's prime minister must now tender his resignation and that of his government to President Emmanuel Macron.
A limited edition of PlayStation 5 (PS5) Pro video game console
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 20, 2024

Sony’s record climb makes investors more bullish on gaming boom

Sony Group’s long-awaited rise to record highs has emboldened bullish investors and analysts, who see gains extending into 2025 on a robust outlook for video games.
Ground Self-Defense Force members conduct a military drill next to an anti-ship missile unit on Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture in April 2022.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Dec 29, 2024

Japan defense spending goals hit by inflation, weak yen and political uncertainty

A slew of obstacles are jeopardizing Tokyo's pursuit of raising defense spending to 2% of gross domestic product by fiscal 2027.
Atsushi Mimura, vice minister of finance for international affairs, speaks during an interview at the ministry on Dec. 20.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 30, 2024

Japan sees G7 role increasing in divided world

"There are not many countries like Japan that can speak with the U.S. on equal terms," said top financial diplomat Atsushi Mimura.
Transparent Display installed at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
JAPAN / Society
Jan 31, 2025

Smoother communication breaking barriers in Tokyo with Transparent Display

The Transparent Display can translate and project the text in 32 different languages.
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy in action as he tees off on the eighth during the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic on Jan. 19.
MORE SPORTS
Jan 29, 2025

Rory McIlroy continues 'pivotal' year at Pebble Beach

Not only does McIlroy have his first TGL experience under his belt, he also began his season with a T4 finish at the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour.
Trump started his term on Jan. 20 by issuing an executive order "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism," which declared the government will only recognize two sexes — male and female.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 30, 2025

LGBTQ+ Americans in crisis as Trump rolls back rights

Nine organizations supporting LGBTQ+ people said they had a surge in use of their crisis services and calls to their helplines on Trump's first day in office.
Tokyo Koon stands at the forefront of tackling the so-called 2025 issue, also known as the “Magnetic Tape Alert.”
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Feb 17, 2025

The race to save 20th-century history

Analog recordings are at risk of disappearing as old tech breaks down and spare parts run out.
A man places a sign outside a Tesla dealership during a protest against its CEO Elon Musk, in Los Angeles, California, last month.
BUSINESS / Companies / ANALYSIS
Apr 4, 2025

Tesla investors brace for further sales decline as Musk backlash grows

Protests in many countries against Musk's involvement in the Trump administration and far-right politics in Europe have tarnished the image of the once-leading EV brand.
Microsoft signage in New York on Oct. 25, 2024. Microsoft’s sudden decision to pause work on some data centers suggests cloud computing providers may be reevaluating expenditures.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 29, 2025

Big Tech’s earnings problem is estimates may be way too high

There’s little expectation executives will be able to give estimates with any degree of confidence, given the high level of macroeconomic uncertainty.
The World Health Organization is struggling financially due to the departure of its biggest donor, the United States.
WORLD / Science & Health
May 28, 2025

WHO restructures and cuts budget after U.S. withdrawal

Hit by the withdrawal of its biggest donor, the United States, the WHO trimmed its already smaller 2026-2027 budget from $5.3 billion to $4.2 billion.
A woman attends the World AI Conference in Shanghai in July 2023. Although AI models are showing more deceptive and self-protective behavior, some governments are scaling back safety efforts just as oversight is becoming most critical.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 2, 2025

AI sometimes deceives to survive. But is there anybody who cares?

AI is showing some bright red flags: behavior described by researchers as self-preserving and deceptive.
OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann delivers a speech at OECD headquarters in Paris on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 3, 2025

Trade war cuts global economic growth outlook: OECD

After 3.3% growth last year, the world economy is now expected to expand by a "modest" 2.9% in 2025 and 2026, the OECD said.
Part of Osaka Art and Design 2025, Maki Takato’s “Yokai Unity” is a collaboration with a Zen-Buddhist monk from Nara, whose hands in prayer were 3D-scanned for an inflatable sculpture.
CULTURE / Art
Jun 14, 2025

Osaka wants to show off its artistic talents

With the expo underway, the city is buzzing with people. The art scene is trying to catch some of that attention with a variety of events and initiatives this summer.
Nissan Motor has raised $4.5 billion through a junk bond sale in U.S. dollars and euros, part of which carries a record-high coupon rate.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 11, 2025

Nissan clinches $4.5 billion bond deal after orders soar

The automaker is offering a record-high coupon on at least one part of its dollar- and euro-denominated junk bond sale to drum up demand.
Many of the entrepreneurs who’ve become superwealthy are now seeking to manage and transfer riches to their descendants in Asia. That’s resulting in a surge in family office demand.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 31, 2023

Asia’s richest families fuel race for lucrative finance jobs

Many of Asia's superwealthy are now seeking help managing their estates just as old-money families in the West have done for decades.
JAPAN / Science & Health / ANALYSIS
Sep 7, 2023

In new space race, Japan ups ante with launch of two key missions

The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon and X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission were both launched Thursday following several postponements.
JAPAN
Sep 29, 2023

Japan universities split over new IT section on entrance exam

Universities in Japan are divided in their responses to a new subject — covering the basics of programming, information and communications networks, and databases — on the standard university entrance examination to be held beginning in January 2025.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin welcomes Defense Minister Minoru Kihara to the Pentagon in Washington on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 5, 2023

Japan expedites purchase of Tomahawks as security concerns grow

In light of the increasingly challenging Asian security environment, Japan will acquire the cruise missiles a year earlier than initially planned.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji