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January 30, 2025

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January 30, 2025

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A U.S. soldier walks past a razor wire-topped fence at the "Camp X-Ray" detention facility at the U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2014.

WORLD / Politics

Trump to prepare facility at Guantanamo for 30,000 migrants

By Jeff Mason, Idrees Ali and Ted Hesson

U.S. border czar Tom Homan said the facility in Cuba would be used to hold the 'worst of the worst.'

A packed Fuji TV news conference on Monday in Tokyo

JAPAN / Media

Shukan Bunshun corrects article on scandal over former Fuji TV host

By Karin Kaneko

According to the correction, Masahiro Nakai was the one who invited the woman to the gathering, not the Fuji TV official.

JAPAN / Media

Who are the key figures involved in the growing Fuji TV scandal?

By Yukana Inoue

Koichi Minato, who resigned as president of Fuji TV on Monday, will be one focus of a third-party probe, given his executive role when the incident occurred.

A volunteer responds an incoming call at a suicide hotline center in Tokyo. While the number of people who killed themselves in Japan marked the second-lowest level since 2019, such deaths among elementary, junior high and high school students were at their highest level since records began in 1980.

JAPAN / Society

Suicides among school children in Japan at highest level since 1980

The total number of people who killed themselves in the country fell for the second straight year to the second-lowest level since 2019, the health ministry said.

Members of the popular Japanese pop group SMAP, including scandal-plagued Masahiro Nakai (right), perform in Beijing in September 2011.

COMMENTARY / Japan

A pop-star sex scandal shows the death throes of old Japan

Gearoid Reidy

As the leader of a now-defunct boy band SMAP, the 52-year-old Nakai has been a ubiquitous mainstay in Japanese life for decades.

Tokyo is expected to lead the season with its first cherry blossoms on March 21, followed by Fukuoka, Kochi and Hiroshima prefectures as well as the city of Yokohama on March 22.

Cherry blossom season predicted to begin in Tokyo on March 21

By Jessica Speed

This year’s cherry blossom season is expected to align with or slightly precede historical averages in western and eastern Japan.

Who are the key figures involved in the growing Fuji TV scandal?

By Yukana Inoue

Koichi Minato, who resigned as president of Fuji TV on Monday, will be one focus of a third-party probe, given his executive role when the incident occurred.

Hakamata seeks ¥217 million in state compensation after acquittal

Japan hits back at U.N. panel over imperial law review recommendation

'Doctor Yellow' train completes final shinkansen track inspection

Japan #MeToo survivor says media are failing in wake of Fuji TV scandal

By Katie Forster

Frustrated by policy uncertainty and modest stimulus, investors are shifting from long-term bets to short-term trades in China.

Growth engine or casino? Global investors rethink China playbook

By Tom Westbrook

Investor uncertainty and policy shifts have fundamentally changed how analysts and money managers view China’s markets.

Many workers at small companies continue to fall behind as wages fail to keep up with inflation.

Smaller Japanese companies unlikely to meet wage-increase target for 2025

By Kazuaki Nagata

For this year’s spring negotiations, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation set hike targets of more than 6% for smaller firms.

Why blocking China's DeepSeek from using AI made in U.S. may be difficult

By Stephen Nellis, Krystal Hu, Anna Tong, Katie Paul and Jeffrey Dastin

Japanese ministry opens door to taboo corporate takeovers

Japan begins feeling the pain of BOJ rate hikes more concretely

By Akemi Terukina and Erica Yokoyama

DeepSeek shows China playbook for even bigger U.S. shock on chips

By Gao Yuan and Vlad Savov

U.S. President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Monday.

Trump reverses spending freeze order that sparked chaos

By Riley Griffin, Skylar Woodhouse and Gregory Korte

The abrupt move — only two days after the freeze was first announced — quickly drew parallels to the chaotic policy rollouts that unfolded during Trump’s first administration.

Palestinians collect food aid packages from a UNRWA warehouse in Deir Al-balah, Gaza, on Jan. 23.

Israel defies U.N. and vows to cut ties with UNRWA, with U.S.' blessing

By Gregory WALTON

UNRWA's offices and staff in Israel play a major role in the provision of health care and education to Palestinians, including those living in Gaza.

Chinese online operation called for toppling Spain's government: report

Risk of violence escalates in Myanmar's civil war as election looms

By Shoon Naing and Devjyot Ghoshal

Syria's Sharaa declared president for transition, consolidating his power

By Timour Azhari and Tom Perry

LGBTQ+ Americans in crisis as Trump rolls back rights

By Lucy Middleton

Hoshoryu (front, second from left) celebrates after being promoted to yokozuna on Wednesday in Tokyo.

Sumo’s newest yokozuna is all smiles — but major challenges await

By John Gunning

For all the feel-good energy that has surrounded Hoshoryu the past few days, the Mongolian will need to take his sumo to another level if he is to last in the rank.

Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain stay alive in Champions League

NFL enhances Super Bowl security after New Year's Day attack in New Orleans

Kirsty Coventry hopes to make waves in IOC presidential race

By Pirate IRWIN

Absent champions, fresh venues in focus as surfing's world tour begins

By Lincoln Feast

With China's growing military threat against Taiwan, experts argue that real deterrence — such as increased training ties with Japan, the U.S. and other nations — may be necessary to prevent an invasion and protect regional stability.

How to secure Taiwan as drumbeats of a looming invasion grow louder

Edo Naito

It is high time to get creative for real deterrence to protect the democratic island.

New era for U.S.-Japan depends on adapting to Trump’s America

By Joshua W. Walker

When big countries wave their big economic sticks

By Brad Glosserman

The Bank of Japan’s communication challenges

By Sayuri Shirai

Deepseek shows Silicon Valley’s huge blindspot on AI

By Parmy Olson

Though vegan restaurants have been on the upswing since 2017, Japanese vegans still lack a wide variety of options.

In meat- and fish-loving Japan, veganism is making a comeback

By Sachi Kitajima Mulkey and Joseph Winters

Tourism, climate goals and animal rights concerns are sparking a plant-based renaissance in a country famous for sushi and pork ramen.

Dead Sea an 'ecological disaster,' but no one can agree how to fix it

By Ruth EGLASH

Oceans are warming faster and faster as the Earth traps more energy

By Danielle Bochove

Rubbish roads: Nepal explores paving with plastic

By Paavan MATHEMA

South Africa's patchwork climate plans risk widening inequality

By Kim Harrisberg

Aside from purely aesthetics, the flowers in Mika Ninagawa’s art carry deep cultural and spiritual meaning.

Mika Ninagawa transforms the Kyocera Museum into a vibrant dreamworld

By Erik Augustin Palm

The artist’s most expansive exhibition in the Kansai region to date is an experience that straddles the boundaries of photography, film and installation art.

The cartoon chaos of ‘Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi’ was ahead of its time

By Patrick St. Michel

'Emilia Perez' tops Oscar nominations in fire-hit Hollywood

By Paula Ramon and Andrew Marszal

‘Missing Child Videotape’: Subtle chiller may leave J-horror fans underwhelmed

By James Hadfield

‘Teki Cometh’ slides in and out of a hypnotic dreamworld

By Mark Schilling

Yellowtail caught during the coldest period of the year is delicious enough — but paired with a classic method of marinade and pan-searing, it's divine.

For two weeks only, cold-water yellowtail can give you chills

By Elizabeth Andoh

According to Japan’s hyperseasonal calendar, January brings with it the chance for yellowtail at the peak of flavor.

Of sake and spirits: Indulging in Yamanashi’s best

By Kimberly Hughes

Where to begin when it comes to Japanese wine

By Weiwen Lin

Japan’s love affair with Dragon Quest spreads worldwide

By Oliver Jia

Why tatami is going from the floor to the dining table

By Phoebe Amoroso

Rodgers (right) was a longtime managing editor of Kyoto Journal and, alongside colleagues like Susan Pavloska (left) and John Einarsen (center), helped make it one of Japan’s leading English-language publications.

Ken Rodgers, a fixture of the Kyoto literary scene, dies at 72

By Eric Johnston

Hailing from Australia, Rodgers made a home and community for himself in Japan’s ancient capital across more than four decades.

Kenny Colvin: ‘Work hard, drink hard, eat hard … relax hard’

By Mike Fu

Namnam reborn: A queer, anarchist space resettles in Tokyo's Koenji

By Aku Owaka-Haigh

Due north: Foreign-born guides introduce Hokkaido’s unique charms

By Justin Randall

Kaz Shiomi: ‘I want to show people … how to color outside the lines’

By Laura Pollacco

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Ayumi Matsuki, a priestess at Yoshiwara Shrine, shows off some "o-mamori" charms. She says visitors to the shrine have increased since the NHK drama “Unbound” began airing this month.

Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick

By Alex K.T. Martin

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