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JAPAN / Society
Mar 1, 2024

More than decade after 2011 quake, Japan still slow to compile evacuation plans

The nation has failed to make progress in crafting plans to help evacuate elderly people and people with disabilities in the event of natural disasters.
A man (Pierre Taki) who gives sea burials to cremated remains finds himself in hot water after a customer asks him to scatter the ashes of a murderer in “Horizon.”
CULTURE / Film
Mar 7, 2024

‘Horizon’: Ethical dilemma makes for muted drama

Katsuya Kobayashi gives his cast space to wade through murky moral decisions in his directorial debut, “Horizon.”
Barrels stored at the Energy Fuels White Mesa Mill uranium production facility in Utah
BUSINESS / Markets
Mar 11, 2024

Uranium firms revive forgotten mines as price of nuclear fuel soars

Mines were idled in the aftermath of Fukushima, when uranium prices crashed and countries like Germany and Japan initiated plans to phase out reactors.
A mural showing Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani is seen on the side of the Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo, downtown Los Angeles, on Thursday. The mural is by artist Robert Vargas and is 46 meters tall.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 1, 2024

Ohtani’s arrival brings hope and nostalgia home to Little Tokyo

In Los Angeles, home to one of the nation’s oldest Japanese American enclaves, rooting for the Dodgers is a cherished tradition.
The No. 6 and 7 reactors of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture
JAPAN
Apr 15, 2024

Tepco given OK to move fuel into Niigata reactor

Tepco is set to move fuel into the world's largest nuclear power plant, which has been idle since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (right), seen here meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, has made strengthening ties with Tokyo one of his foreign policy priorities.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 15, 2024

A humbled Yoon must future-proof Seoul’s alliances

Despite Yoon Suk-yeol's weak grip on South Korea's government after his electoral defeat, he can still do a lot to ensure his foreign policy lives on.
Children give a presentation on volcano studies during a workshop at Tairadate Elementary School in Hachimantai, Iwate Prefecture, in February.
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Apr 29, 2024

Raising awareness over Mount Iwate eruption urged as memories fade

Interest in preparing for possible volcanic eruptions is difficult to muster in a nation prone to other natural disasters.
Japanese people are exposed to less online disinformation compared to other countries, partly due to language barriers and inherent skepticism.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 9, 2024

Japan’s accidental resilience in the disinformation age

The Japanese are exposed to less online disinformation compared to other countries, partly due to language barriers and inherent skepticism.
A gawky high school senior (Hsu Kuang-han, right) falls for an older colleague (Kaya Kiyohara) who gives him life advice in “18×2 Beyond Youthful Days.”
CULTURE / Film
May 16, 2024

‘18×2 Beyond Youthful Days’: Formulaic tearjerker hits the road for true love

Though the leads lack chemistry, they nonetheless earn kudos for their performances in Michihito Fujii’s Japan-Taiwan co-production.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority holds a meeting in Tokyo on Friday to discuss whether the No. 2 unit at the Tsuruga nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture meets safety standards.
JAPAN
Jul 26, 2024

Tsuruga nuclear reactor fails to gain approval for restart

The No. 2 unit at the Tsuruga plant in Fukui Prefecture failed to meet stricter regulations imposed following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster.
Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings in Vientiane, Laos, on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 27, 2024

As foreign ministers meet, China says relations with Japan at 'critical stage'

The pair discussed thorny issues, including Japanese nationals detained in China, food import bans and semiconductor curbs.
An archival photo depicting a CWAJ board meeting from April 6, 1966
COMMUNITY / Issues / The Foreign Element
Aug 15, 2024

From the division of war, 75 years of intercultural aid

Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, the mission of the College Women’s Association of Japan remains straightforward yet ambitious: Women supporting women.
Waves crash ashore amid Typhoon Ampil on Tokyo's Hachijojima Island on Friday. The dangerous storm is brushing by the Kanto region but will not make landfall.
JAPAN
Aug 16, 2024

Typhoon Ampil lashes eastern Japan with heavy rain and wind

On Friday morning, Ampil had prompted storm and heavy rain warnings across the Kanto region as its outer bands moved over land.
Former International Energy Agency chief Nobuo Tanaka
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 6, 2024

LDP leadership race needs nuclear debate, ex-IEA chief says

Politicians fear stirring up public fears about nuclear catastrophes and hurting their chance of election, according to Nobuo Tanaka.
The street where a 10-year-old boy is said to have been stabbed with a knife last week in Shenzhen in southern China. The boy died the next day.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Sep 23, 2024

Top Japanese and Chinese officials hold talks in wake of deadly stabbing

Japan's state minister for foreign affairs, Yoshifumi Tsuge, urged China on Monday to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals.
Employees of the Tokai village government in Ibaraki Prefecture offers a moment of silence on Monday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of a criticality accident that occurred at a facility of nuclear fuel-processing company JCO.
JAPAN / Society
Sep 30, 2024

Ex-mayor raps government for lack of preparedness for nuclear disasters

Tatsuya Murakami, who dealt with a 1999 nuclear accident as a village chief, warns against the pursuit of nuclear power without weighing its risks.
Newly appointed industry minister Yoji Muto says there is no change to a government plan to safely restart nuclear power plants.
JAPAN
Oct 3, 2024

Japan to keep nuclear and boost renewables, new industry minister says

Yoji Muto says securing energy will be "the most important part of Japan's growth."
A board for election posters in Tokyo's Chuo Ward on Monday
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 15, 2024

Election to test Ishiba's ability to build a strong political base

The PM must mitigate the reputational damage caused by the LDP's recent funds scandal and persuade voters that the party is still their best choice.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 22, 2024

China tension highlights risk of Taiwan’s nuclear phase-out plan

Public opinion had turned sharply in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan, prompting the government to halt construction on all projects.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, speaks with voters in Tokyo on Saturday ahead of Sunday's general election.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 27, 2024

Japan party heads travel 84,000 km to campaign for general election

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, clocked 14,387 kilometers, longer than any other party leaders over the 12 days.
Japanese exporters could be hit by higher U.S. tariffs.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 11, 2024

Trump tariffs could have a significant impact on Japanese exports

The U.S. president-elect has promised 10% to 20% duties on all goods coming into the United States.
The Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi Prefecture. Tohoku Electric expects to resume power generation using the reactor within this week and says no changes will be made to its plan to restart commercial operation next month.
JAPAN
Nov 13, 2024

Onagawa nuclear reactor in northeastern Japan restarted after issue

Tohoku Electric Power expects to resume power generation using the reactor within this week.
Administrative Reform Minister Masaaki Taira at an autumn review session for national programs on Thursday in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 14, 2024

Reform minister says Japan will monitor Musk's approach to government efficiency

"We will closely follow the approach and incorporate it into our administrative reform efforts," Administrative Reform Minister Masaaki Taira noted.
Tokyo Metro will soon have a role in the running of London's Elizabeth Line, a major train route serving the U.K.’s capital city and environs.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 21, 2024

Tokyo Metro’s overseas efforts begin in earnest with London deal

The award of a contract to operate London’s Elizabeth Line to a consortium that includes the firm could help address concerns about its domestic growth potential.
Nobuo Hara, the head of a group seeking to halt the No. 2 reactor at Tohoku Electric Power's Onagawa nuclear power plant, speaks at a news conference on Wednesday in Sendai after the Sendai High Court ruled against them.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2024

Court rejects request to halt restarted Onagawa nuclear reactor

A judge said there was "no concrete proof" that an incident that could not be handled under an established evacuation plan would occur.
Greenpeace activists protest next to a fake whale's tail in front of the Japanese Embassy in Berlin in 2010. The real motivation behind Japan's whaling may lie in asserting its maritime sovereignty, as the country defends its exclusive economic zone amid territorial disputes.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 19, 2024

For Japan, whaling is intertwined with maritime sovereignty

While Japan has an undeniable culture surrounding seafood, the current generation of people do not show much interest in whale meat.
Solar panels, which typically last 20 to 30 years, will begin to reach the end of their service life in the next decade.
JAPAN
Jan 5, 2025

Disposal of used solar panels emerging as challenge in Japan

The annual amount of solar panels discarded as waste is seen peaking at some 500,000 tons in the early 2040s, putting a major strain on industrial waste treatment facilities.
The government has made a shift toward nuclear amid predictions of higher electricity demand stemming from semiconductor production and data centers for AI in the decades to come.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 18, 2025

Japan backs nuclear power in climate plan criticized as insufficient

The government is targeting emissions cuts of 60% by fiscal 2035, but environmental groups and businesses have called for more ambition.
Japan’s biggest nuclear power plant, the Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, is ready to restart but needs a green light from the local governor.
JAPAN
Feb 21, 2025

The revival of Japan’s biggest nuclear plant faces its last hurdle

If the restart is approved, the nuclear power plant could start producing power within the following month.
The Hayabusa (left) and Komachi bullet trains seen making an emergency stop in Tokyo's Arakawa Ward on March 6 after becoming unfastened
JAPAN
Mar 12, 2025

Tohoku Shinkansen to resume coupled train operations on Friday

JR East suspended operating coupled trains after two bullet trains suddenly came unfastened last week.

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Growing families are being priced out of Tokyo’s condo market, forced to choose between downtown convenience and suburban space.
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