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March 17, 2025
 

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There will be considerable consistency in U.S. policy regardless of who wins the presidential election, however, and, unfortunately, many of them will trouble allies and partners.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 5, 2024

Regardless of election results, U.S. foreign policy is sure to trouble allies

“Strategic competition between the United States and China is poised to intensify no matter who assumes the U.S. presidency in January 2025.”
The film character Godzilla poses on the red carpet during a ceremony to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California, in November 2004.  
COMMENTARY
Nov 6, 2024

After nearly three-quarters of a century, Godzilla’s monstrous empire is thriving

The famed Japanese monster went from serious metaphor for nuclear destruction to a kitschy pop culture icon.
The European Commission's executive vice president, Valdis Dombrovskis, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng finish a joint news conference following the 10th China-EU High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue in Beijing in September 2023.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 6, 2024

It's not just U.S. trade hawks. Europe fears China, too.

As China’s economic policies take hold, Europe's economic concerns may be just beginning.
Donald Trump is joined on stage by former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign event in Duluth, Georgia, on Oct. 23.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 5, 2024

When the leftists embrace the far right

Do these political migrations reflect a mere opportunistic betrayal of principles or is something more complicated going on?
The disparity in adoption of artificial intelligence will cause uneven economic growth, with AI-driven sectors becoming cheaper and more efficient while AI-resistant sectors may slow overall economic progress.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 6, 2024

AI’s effect on the U.S. economy will be wildly uneven

Businesses vulnerable to competition will face heavy pressure to adopt the new technology, but in government and education, adoption will be slower.
The Japan Pavilion at the Venice Biennale is located in the Giardini, a historic park in the Italian city.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 6, 2024

Venice Biennale: 70 years of bringing Japanese art to the world

The Venice Biennale has been an international showcase for Japanese art for over seven decades. This year, Yuko Mohri is representing Japan at the prestigious event.
A cruel twist of fate upends the life of Jin Ai-hsia (Sylvia Chang) in "Daughter's Daughter," director Huang Xi's meditation on maternal grief.
CULTURE / Film
Nov 6, 2024

Chinese ghosts and grief compete at Tokyo International Film Festival

A slate of evocative features at Tokyo's major film event showcased established and upcoming directors from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a news conference at the Presidential Office in Seoul on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 7, 2024

South Korean president says 'not ruling out' direct weapons to Ukraine

South Korea has a long-standing policy of not providing weapons to countries in conflict.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump managed to win the support of over 72 million Americans despite his history of trying to overturn elections, a lack of policy expertise and his authoritarian rhetoric.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 7, 2024

A Donald Trump victory: How did it come to this?

How did a convicted felon, who sought to overturn a presidential election that he decisively lost just four years ago, win the votes of more than 72 million Americans?
The outcome of the U.S. election may mark the beginning of the end of the era of “American exceptionalism” and should concern its allies such as Japan.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 7, 2024

What does Trump's victory mean for Japan?

The outcome of the U.S. presidential race is a reflection of the democratic will of the American people and the countries allies must adapt to this new reality.
One irony of the U.S. election outcome is that, on almost every issue that voters identified as a priority, Donald Trump’s proposals would likely make matters worse.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 7, 2024

Once again, America needs to deal with Donald Trump

Dealing with a reckless president is an exhausting job, but it can and must be done — and it’s a job for members of both parties.
Lawmakers and strategists looking for someone to blame for Tuesday's wipeout have so far been more likely to target U.S. President Joe Biden.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 8, 2024

Defeat to Trump prompts Democratic soul-searching

The election night disaster has proved to be a Rorschach test, with rival factions each offering reasons for the defeat informed by their particular brand of politics.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has aligned with Russia to bolster his nuclear weapons capabilities and gain military support, including sending troops to aid Russia. That partnership could provide Pyongyang with valuable combat experience while modernizing its military assets.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 8, 2024

Trump will walk into a new North Korean headache

Traditional methods of containment have not worked effectively and Trump’s past efforts to engage with Kim have failed to curb his nuclear ambitions.
Outgoing German Finance Minister Christian Lindner receives his dismissal certificate after being sacked by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, following a coalition crisis in the government, in Berlin on Thursday.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 8, 2024

Germany’s government puts itself out of its misery

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sacked his Finance Minister Christian Lindner over deep rifts within the government on how to revive Germany’s ailing economy.
People demonstrate in Sydney in March 2021 in response to the treatment of women in politics as part of the Women's March 4 Justice, a series of protest events.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 8, 2024

Entrenched sexism is very Australian. Let’s uproot it

Australia, despite its progressive history on women’s rights and high levels of female education, is slipping in global gender gap rankings.
The China-funded Sinamale bridge being built in Male, Maldives, in 2018. China's Belt and Road initiative has been critical in drawing small Indo-Pacific island states closer to Beijing.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 8, 2024

Small island states are turning to China — and then back again

To stop small island states in the Indo-Pacific from being wooed by Chinese promises of economic largesse, Japan, Australia and India must harmonize their policies.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda attends a commemorative ceremony at the BOJ's headquarters in Tokyo on July 3, the day new yen notes went into circulation.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 11, 2024

Japan needs tighter monetary policy to restore balance

Japan’s economy undoubtedly suffers when the yen is too strong; that is why some advocate for a more expansionary monetary policy.
Through a de facto partial suspension of democracy, French President Emmanuel Macron has kept the far right out of power and restored stability. Similar measures may prove necessary elsewhere.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 11, 2024

Saving democracy from Itself

Macron’s actions may seem undemocratic, but they were necessary to maintain stability and block the rise of the far-right.
The theft of £300,000 worth of top-grade British cheddar serves as a reminder of the quality and joy British cuisine offers, particularly through its artisanal products like cheese.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 11, 2024

The great British cheese heist gets personal

A slice of Brightwell Ash cheese serves as a reminder of the quality and joy British cuisine offers, particularly through its artisanal products like cheese.
Dating apps like Bumble and Hinge, with their reliance on basic algorithms, often lead to superficial connections, but AI could improve this by analyzing deeper data for more meaningful matches.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 11, 2024

AI dating might actually not be so bad

While still in development, these AI-driven match-making tools aim to reduce the fatigue of online dating and foster more genuine connections.
Donald Trump believes the U.S. should prioritize its own national interests like other countries rather than maintaining its traditional role as a global leader, signaling a dramatic shift in how the United States may engage with the world.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 12, 2024

Who will step up if Trump steps back?

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is indifferent to the global order and may adopt a foreign policy approach that reshapes the global balance of power.
While equity investors are optimistic about tax cuts and deregulation, concerns are emerging in the bond and currency markets, which are signaling fears of higher inflation due to Donald Trump’s economic proposals.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 12, 2024

Trump’s market honeymoon won't last much longer

Stocks grab all the headlines, but bond and currency markets show where trouble might be brewing.
Youth leaders at the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, which started on Monday and runs until Nov. 22. Youth participation is key to the success of climate diplomacy as the international community strives to limit global warming.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 13, 2024

A blueprint for youth inclusion in climate diplomacy

Youth participation is vital to keeping the 1.5 degrees Celsius target within reach, one under discussion at the ongoing COP29 climate change conference in Azerbaijan.
The Democrats focused on issues like racial and gender inequality and overlooked the economic and social struggles of the working class, allowing Donald Trump to tap into this resentment.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 12, 2024

Voters to elites: Ignore the working class at your own peril

The redistribution of respect saw those who climbed the academic ladder celebrated with accolades, while those who didn’t were rendered invisible.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and other Cabinet members and lawmakers attend a session of the Lower House of parliament in Tokyo on Monday.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 13, 2024

Trump return leaves Japan’s leader with no time to snooze

The prime minister drew headlines for a moment after he was caught napping in parliament during proceedings for his own nomination as Japanese leader.
Then-U.S. President Donald Trump meets with NATO leaders at a plenary session of their summit in Watford, England, in December 2019. 
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 13, 2024

Living in Trump’s world

Europe’s response to Trump’s return will require creativity, resilience and an unshakable commitment to defending its own interests.
Activists wearing masks depicting then-U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau take part in a protest outside the COP25 U.N. climate change conference in Madrid in December 2019.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 13, 2024

What does Trump’s victory mean for climate change?

Trump already levied a 25% tariff during his first presidency and it did nothing to help U.S. automakers prepare for the electric future.
Then-Chinese Vice Premier Liu He presents a letter from his boss, Xi Jinping, to then-U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House following trade negotiations in October 2019.
COMMENTARY
Nov 14, 2024

Trump’s tariffs and inflation fatigue are a toxic brew

Key to Trump's logic is the idea that the U.S. has all the leverage, and that just isn’t true in the current macroeconomic environment.
Taxes on U.S. citizens working abroad aren’t excessive so much as excessively complicated.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 14, 2024

Trump is right: Expat taxes are too complicated

Taxes on U.S. citizens working abroad aren’t excessive so much as excessively complicated.
A Ukrainian flag flies over the site of the former monument to Russian Empress Catherine the Great in Odesa, Ukraine.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 15, 2024

Ukraine’s post-colonial future

If the Ukrainians are truly fighting for us, it is because they are fighting the last battle against European imperialism.
U.S. designated South Korea a 'sensitive' country amid talk of nuclear weapons
Then-U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol attend an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework event at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco in November 2023.
Canada has a new prime minister with a very hard first assignment
Mark Carney, Canada's incoming prime minister (center), during a swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Friday. Carney has been sworn in as Canada's 24th prime minister, bringing the former central banker to power in the middle of an explosive trade war with the U.S.
Unification Church faces dissolution in Japan
The logo of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, better known as the Unification Church, is seen at the entrance of its Japan branch headquarters in Tokyo in October 2023.
Tigers shut out the Cubs as Seiya Suzuki receives warm welcome in Tokyo
Tigers players walk off the field while carrying Cubs caps during a rare exhibition game between NPB and MLB clubs.
Despite tough talk, economic woes may force Iran to bargain with Trump
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei looks on during a meeting with students in Tehran on Wednesday.
As pollen season peaks, Japan's allergy struggle emerges from hibernation
Urbanization is amplifying pollen-related allergies as grasslands and soft soil give way to concrete and asphalt.
Japan to get tough on businesses not taking heatstroke countermeasures
A construction site in Tokyo in July 2018. Businesses failing to take measures to prevent severe heatstroke among employees will be subjected to criminal punishment from June.
In a sea of Dodger Blue, Japanese superfan ready to cheer on the Cubs
Takuya “Moby” Okamoto after Game 5 of the 2016 World Series, which the Cubs went on to win in seven games to snap a 108-year drought
Drones, budgets and infighting: Taiwan's daunting defense challenges
Officials from Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR), the Ministry of National Defense’s research arm, say the lessons from the Ukraine conflict are clear for the democratic island: drones and other autonomous systems are crucial for its defense.
How Upper House pressure led to Ishiba's stunning reversal on medical cost caps
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba attends an Upper House Budget Committee session in Tokyo on Monday.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Wealthier women in the prewar era had been the targets of various media-related health campaigns that mistakenly encouraged them to avoid everything from riding bicycles to reading novels when their monthly cycles came around.
Menstruation in Japan: Breaking the silence, slowly
By Tomoko Otake

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