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May 08, 2024
 

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Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction in Tokyo on Feb. 19.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Apr 4, 2024
Japan committed to long-term public-private aid to Ukraine
By bolstering assistance to Ukraine, Japan also aims to send a message to China, cautioning against unilateral attempts to change the status quo.
Ayuko Kato, minister for policies related to children, speaks at a parliament session on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Apr 2, 2024
One year on, Japan's children agency struggles to show leadership
The agency is facing challenges to demonstrate leadership, unable to move forward with unprecedented measures to combat the declining birthrate.
Baltimore workers and relatives attend a news conference to honor families and victims of last week's collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after it was struck by the container ship Dali, in Baltimore, Maryland, on Friday. The death of six Latino workers who were fixing potholes when a Baltimore bridge collapsed highlights the crucial role immigrants play in keeping America running, say advocates.
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Mar 31, 2024
Baltimore bridge highlights role of migrants in U.S. workforce
The tragedy comes as many Latinos feel under assault as the U.S. prepares for a bitter presidential election in November.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attend a meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's far eastern Amur region last September.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 31, 2024
What does Russia's veto on North Korea sanctions monitoring mean?
Ending the U.N.'s monitoring will provide North Korea's Kim Jong Un with a major win, experts say.
With emerging headwinds in the U.S. and Japan, U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will have their work cut out for them next month as they look to maintain the momentum driving change in the alliance between both countries.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 31, 2024
Kishida heads to U.S. with a mission — maintain alliance momentum amid challenges
Defense and security will likely top the agenda, though it is unclear how the PM will handle the issue of Ukraine assistance amid a split U.S. Congress.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at the Chavis Community Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 30, 2024
Kamala Harris pushes the envelope as Biden struggles with some Democrats
The U.S. vice president's new role is seen as part of a high-profile effort to persuade the fractious coalition of voters to give them a second term.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has expressed his eagerness to revise the political funds law in the current session of parliament, slated to end on June 23.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 29, 2024
Spotlight on political reform after budget clears Japan's parliament
Ruling and opposition parties are eager to outline a bolder plan for reform to raise their profile among voters amid growing political disenchantment.
Beijing-based Chinese influencer Chang Feifei has taken on many jobs to promote travel destinations in Japan, including from Universal Studios Japan and the Hankyu and Hanshin department stores.
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Mar 28, 2024
Influencers — Japan’s secret weapon to promote niche tourism spots
Followers' trust in — and reliance on — social media for travel info, even when the content is sponsored, is a key factor.
Rakuten Group's Rakuten Point is the most frequently used reward point service, according to a survey.
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Mar 25, 2024
Race to expand corporate economic blocs heats up in Japan
Corporate groups are enticing customers with a variety of services, often bolstered by reward points, primarily geared toward shopping purposes.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda (center) and Deputy Govs. Ryozo Himino (left) and Shinichi Uchida (right) attend a news conference at the bank headquarters in Tokyo in April 2023
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Mar 20, 2024
How the Bank of Japan's plan for a smooth stimulus exit unfolded
The decision was complicated by differences between BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda's two deputies, as well as the governor's wavering on the exit timing.
Masaaki Okawara (center) and other plaintiffs celebrate in December after the Tokyo District Court ruled that police and prosecutors had falsely accused them of illegally exporting spray dryers. But the civil suit continues as both sides have appealed the ruling.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / FOCUS
Mar 19, 2024
Japan's 'hostage justice system' faces renewed scrutiny
The long-criticized system has come under the spotlight as executives wrongly accused of a crime continue their legal battle.
Mercian's vineyard in Koshu, Yamanashi Prefecture
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Mar 18, 2024
Major Japanese beverage groups focusing more on sustainability
Initiatives have diversified to include water source preservation as well as winery tours under the theme of the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals.
Shun Otokita is the rarest of Nippon Ishin lawmakers: He was born and bred in Tokyo, where he got his start as a local politician.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 18, 2024
Can Nippon Ishin no Kai make inroads in Tokyo?
The Kansai-based party is aiming to broaden its support across Japan — starting with Tokyo's No. 15 district election next month.
Hezbollah members take part in the funeral of four members of one family killed by in an Israeli air raid in southern Lebanon, on March 11 in Blida, near the border with Israel.
WORLD / FOCUS
Mar 16, 2024
Hezbollah tells Iran it would fight alone in any war with Israel
Hezbollah, a sworn enemy of Israel, has shown support for Hamas in the form of limited volleys of rockets fired across Israel's northern border.
Members of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council stage a "menthol funeral" to draw attention to the annual toll of smoking-related deaths outside the White House in Washington on Jan. 18.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 16, 2024
Smokes and votes: Could menthol cigarette ban sway U.S. election?
A proposed ban from President Joe Biden's administration on the mint-flavored smokes has miffed some Black Americans, a key Democratic Party base.
Relations between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi (left) and LDP Vice President Taro Aso (right) have been strained since January, when the prime minister announced that he was dissolving his own faction, which took both of them by surprise.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 15, 2024
How can Kishida punish lawmakers involved in the slush funds scandal?
Next month's by-elections and party polls later this year put the prime minister in a tough spot.
Hokuriku Electric Power's Shika nuclear power plant in Ishikawa Prefecture. After the Noto Peninsula earthquake, data from at least 18 monitoring posts to measure radiation levels around the Shika plant became unavailable.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 10, 2024
Nuclear power policy to be major focus in parliament after Ishikawa quake
The New Year's Day earthquake occurred near Hokuriku Electric Power's Shika nuclear power station, raising concerns over another nuclear disaster.
Rescuers clear debris from a multistory building heavily damaged following a drone strike, in Odessa, Ukraine, on March 3.
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Mar 10, 2024
The $1 trillion race to rebuild Ukraine is slowly getting going
Firms are boosting their presence in Ukraine, in anticipation of the conflict's end — and the biggest investment opportunity since at least World War II.
A man looks at electronic boards displaying stock prices of companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo on Monday. The benchmark 225-issue Nikkei average has surged at an unexpected pace of about 20% this year
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Mar 8, 2024
A stock rally but sluggish growth: What’s the deal with Japan’s economy?
The Nikkei is benefiting from companies' strong earnings, but wider economic indicators are much less positive.
The Netherland's Prime Minister Mark Rutte waves as he walks past NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg during a summit at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels in June 2021.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 6, 2024
‘A safe pair of hands’: Dutch PM emerges as NATO chief front-runner
Although the top contender, Mark Rutte may still have to win over about a third of the alliance’s 31-member states.
Tokuryū, a new crime menace in Japan, emerges from the shadows
The National Police Agency coined the term "tokuryū" to classify individuals involved in dark part time jobs and quasi-gangsters, using the words "tokumei" (anonymous) and "ryūdo" (fluid) to reflect their characteristics.
Is Modi’s party heading for a stunning election loss?
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign tactics have escalated, including anti-Muslim rhetoric and fearmongering, reflecting his ruling party's desperation.
Japan's labor crunch persists despite slight improvement
Over 300 companies went out of business in fiscal 2023 due to labor shortages, according to Teikoku Databank.
Excitement returns to tourist spots in Japan one year on
On May 2, the streets of Arashiyama, a well-known tourist destination in Kyoto, were filled with tourists, including many from abroad, ahead of the four-day weekend.
After blockbuster boxing victory, what next for ‘Monster’ Inoue?
Naoya Inoue celebrates his victory over Luis Nery in their IBF-WBA-WBC-WBO super bantamweight title boxing match at Tokyo Dome on Monday.
After blockbuster boxing victory, what next for ‘Monster’ Inoue?
Naoya Inoue celebrates his victory over Luis Nery in their IBF-WBA-WBC-WBO super bantamweight title boxing match at Tokyo Dome on Monday.
Xi bristles as Macron and von der Leyen urge China to do more on Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen walk after their meeting in Paris on Monday.
How a Japanese scientist is turning the climate crisis into music
A screencap of a performance of Hiroto Nagai's “String Quartet No. 1 ‘Polar Energy Budget’” by the PRT Quartet
Japan’s tween skateboarders get head start on preparations for 2028 Olympics
Ibuki Matsumoto competes at an event in Osaka on April 21.
Pentagon reveals drone types for Replicator program to counter China
A U.S. Naval Special Warfare Operator fires a Switchblade 300 loitering munition during training exercises in Fallon, Nevada, last July. The U.S. Defense Department plans to use small drones — known in the Pentagon as “all-domain attritable autonomous systems” — to help counter Chinese military systems and tactics.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces
By Stephen Mansfield

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