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January 07, 2025
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January 07, 2025
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2024 in review
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Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel sued the U.S. government Monday for blocking the merger of the two companies.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel sue U.S. government for blocking deal
By Francis Tang
The suit argues that the two companies were denied due process and that the $14.9 billion transaction was blocked for political reasons.

More coverage

Ishiba warns blocked U.S. Steel deal could impact investments
Rival CEO allegedly spread doubt about Nippon Steel deal to Wall Street
Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel sued the U.S. government Monday for blocking the merger of the two companies.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is shown around by South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul during a working luncheon at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Blinken fends off questions over U.S. stance on South Korea turmoil
By Jesse Johnson
The United States “has confidence in the resilience of South Korea’s democracy and the strength of its institutions,” the U.S. Secretary of State said in Seoul.
Children at a traditional festival in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Thursday. A forecast made by Tohoku University professor Hiroshi Yoshida estimates that Japan will be left with just one child on Jan. 5, 2720, based on current birthrate trends.
JAPAN / Society
2720 — the year when Japan is left with just one child
By Yukana Inoue
An expert on the graying of society has warned that the nation will be left with just one child age 14 and below in 695 years if its birthrate continues to decline.
Two people died and three others were missing after a fishing boat capsized off the coast of Ibaraki Prefecture early Monday.
JAPAN
Two dead, three missing after fishing boat capsizes off Ibaraki coast
The capsized vessel was carrying 20 crew members, including 15 Japanese citizens and five Indonesian nationals.
A pedestrian walks past air conditioning units in Tokyo in July. The year 2024 was the hottest for Japan since records began, the Meteorological Agency said.
JAPAN
Japan says 2024 hottest year on record
The average temperatures from January through December were 1.48 degrees Celsius higher than the 1991-2020 average, according to the Meteorological Agency.
A pedestrian walks past air conditioning units in Tokyo in July. The year 2024 was the hottest for Japan since records began, the Meteorological Agency said.

JAPAN

Nagoya University researchers used processed images of newts overlaid with snake scales to determine how long it took three Japanese macaques born in captivity to differentiate a scaled newt from snakes as they did to find a snake among such newts.
Primates’ fear of snakes may be linked to reptiles’ scales, study finds
Nagoya University researchers conclude that snakes’ scales, rather than their elongated bodies, are what trigger fear among humans and monkeys.
Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi addresses a meeting held at the Liberal Democratic Party's headquarters in Tokyo on Nov. 21.
Japan's LDP lawmakers seen actively forming new groups
Moves to create fresh groups and hold gatherings may be seen as a revival of the factional politics at the core of the money scandal.
In Shizuoka, plastic models are not just child's play
Japan government promotes laser forest terrain surveys
Japanese researchers develop method to break down PFAS 'forever chemicals'
Bird flu outbreaks strike Iwate Prefecture farms

BUSINESS

This undated handout picture courtesy of Blue Origin shows the New Glenn rocket during a successful integrated vehicle hotfire at Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Bezos' Blue Origin poised for first orbital launch
By Issam AHMED and Gregg Newton
The NG-1 mission will carry a prototype of Blue Ring, a Department of Defense-funded spacecraft envisioned as a versatile satellite deployment platform.
Dai-ichi Life Insurance sold about ¥500 billion of Japanese government notes, mainly 20- to 40-year bonds, in the fiscal first half that ended in September.
Dai-ichi Life takes ¥140 billion loss selling off long bonds
By Nao Sano
The insurer sold about ¥500 billion of Japanese government notes, mainly 20- to 40-year bonds, in the fiscal first half ended September.
Japan’s top LNG buyer creates think tank to watch market trends
By Tsuyoshi Inajima
JR Central to let pet dogs ride on shinkansen
Japan stocks look set for new highs in 2025 on earnings and reforms
By Aya Wagatsuma
Singapore hospital operator targets wealthy boomers in China
By Karoline Kan

WORLD

A man walks past a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing a ballistic missile, in Seoul on Monday.
North Korea fires off intermediate-range missile in first launch of 2025
By Jesse Johnson
The missile, thought to be an IRBM carrying a hypersonic warhead, flew some 1,100 kilometers (683 miles) before splashing down in waters outside Japan's EEZ.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at the federal Liberal caucus holiday party in Ottawa on Dec. 17.
Canada's Trudeau expected to announce resignation in coming days: report
Justin Trudeau has been under pressure from elected lawmakers in his party to quit for months.
Cyberattacks against Taiwan's government doubled in 2024, report says
By Yimou Lee
Taiwan says Chinese ship broke subsea cable in alleged sabotage
By Yian Lee
China enticing Taiwanese to live there stirs concern in Taipei
By Yian Lee
After year of big corruption crackdown, China promises more probes
By Ryan Woo

Sports

Hideki Matsuyama celebrates after winning The Sentry at the Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii, on Sunday
Hideki Matsuyama breaks PGA Tour scoring record on way to win at The Sentry
The win was the 11th for Matsuyama on the PGA Tour
Lions pull away from Vikings in second half to secure top seed in NFC
Naomi Osaka 'very optimistic' about playing at Australian Open
Pat Cummins expresses pride after Australia tops India to win 'everything'
Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz carry U.S. past Poland in United Cup final

Opinion

Hogwarts Castle at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California. There are influential American works of fantasy like “The Wizard of Oz” and “American Gods,” but they lack the cohesive, enduring impact of European counterparts such as the “Harry Potter” and “The Chronicles of Narnia” series.
America needs a 'Great American Fantasy'
Ross Douthat
There is a lack of a distinctly "Great American Fantasy" in literature and popular culture.
Can Biden’s green boom survive Trump’s wrecking ball?
By Liam Denning
Supporting Ukraine is in Trump’s interest
By Michael Froman and Charles A. Kupchan
The uphill battle against poverty
'Guernica' is always with us
By Annie Cohen-Solal

ENVIRONMENT

A maintenance worker inspects solar panels at a power plant in southern India.
Where the smart climate tech venture money is going in 2025
By Brian Kahn
The prospect of more trade wars is scrambling the economy in ways that will determine which climate tech sectors to bet on.
Great things can grow in small places
By Laura Pollacco
After a year of hard climate talks, ‘minilateralism’ is an alternative
By Aaron Clark
Japan’s weather in 2024: Record temperatures hurt people’s health and wallets
By Tomoko Otake
Is Japan finally ready to tap its abundant geothermal energy potential?
By Eric Johnston

CULTURE

"Shogun" actors (from left) Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Hiroyuki Sanada and Tadanobu Asano pose in the press room with the award for best drama television series during the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday.
'Shogun,' 'Hacks' win top TV honors at Golden Globes
By Danielle Broadway
FX's historical epic won four awards in total, including best actor and actress for Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai, respectively, and best supporting male actor for Tadanobu Asano.
'The Brutalist,' 'Emilia Perez' take home Golden Globes' top film honors
By Lisa Richwine, Danielle Broadway and Dawn Chmielewski
'Emilia Perez' heads into Golden Globes as strong favorite
By Romain FONSEGRIVES
Guitarist Marty Friedman goes to bat for J-pop in new autobiography
By Philip Brasor
The bond between the Japanese and animals as seen in ukiyo-e
By Aiko Imaizumi

LIFE

At the new L'Abysse Osaka, Yannick Alleno both pays homage to and casts aside the tradition around Japan's national dish.
Now in Osaka, Yannick Alleno wants ‘flavors people have never experienced’
By Melinda Joe
Opened in late October, Sushi L'Abysse Osaka is the Michelin-starred chef’s first outpost in Asia.
Japan’s ‘quiet revolution’ of luxury travel nears fruition
By Tan Pin Yen
Traveling for sake's sake: The emergence of brewery tourism in Japan
By Yukana Inoue
Start the new year with a fresh approach to teaching Japanese
By Yaeko Kabe
Shed your skin and reinvent yourself in the Year of the Snake
By Kathryn Wortley

COMMUNITY

For the 20 Questions column this year, writers asked their interview subjects about everything from their lives in Japan to their thoughts on news topics.
There were plenty of hot topics to opine on in 2024
By Gendel Gento, Kimberly Hughes, Ora Margolis, David McElhinney, Zoria Petkoska, Justin Randall, Himari Semans, Patrick St. Michel and Ansel Swindells
We take a look back at some of the best answers that our interviewees gave for 20 Questions from throughout the year.
A holiday season built on creativity and care
By Baye McNeil
From the stage to the streets, make a difference this holiday season
By Kimberly Hughes
Yurie Collins: ‘Everyone seems sedated, fed-up … that’s why they turn to comedy’
By Zoria Petkoska
Seven strangers and an algorithm: Can this new dinner app help you make friends?
By Phoebe Amoroso

Editors' Picks

CULTURE
‘Fracture’ dissects 100 years of Japanese graphic design
By Ray Masaki
Ian Lynam's "Fracture" is the result of 15 years of research and production and excavates 100 years of Japanese graphic design history from the Meiji (1868-1912) to Showa eras (1926-89).
CULTURE
'Shogun,' 'Hacks' win top TV honors at Golden Globes
By Danielle Broadway
"Shogun" actors (from left) Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Hiroyuki Sanada and Tadanobu Asano pose in the press room with the award for best drama television series during the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday.
JAPAN
Taking a page from Ukraine war, SDF carves out growing role for drones
By Gabriel Dominguez
An Air Self-Defense Force airman sets up a drone during a bilateral live fire exercise at Draughon Range, near Misawa Air Base, in Aomori Prefecture in July 2023.
BUSINESS
Brooklyn brewers take on sake, America's new hip tipple
By Elizabeth Beattie
A brewer stirs the mix for making sake at a brewery in Tokyo.
MORE SPORTS
Tokyo falconers keep ancient traditions soaring
By Jessica Speed
A falconer during the Suwa Falconry Preservation Society's event in Tokyo on Friday. Falconry predates recorded history, originating, scholars believe, when nomadic herders observed birds of prey hunting and recognized their potential as partners.

Podcast

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

Longform

A man offers prayers at Hebikubo Shrine in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward. The shrine is one of several across the country dedicated to the snake.
Shed your skin and reinvent yourself in the Year of the Snake
By Kathryn Wortley

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Challenging spirit and teamwork keep ANA flying high
Challenging spirit and teamwork keep ANA flying high

WHAT’S TRENDING

ASIA PACIFIC
The real-life violence that inspired South Korea's 'Squid Game'
By Claire Lee
Riot police march in front of the main building of Ssangyong Motor in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 6, 2009.
WORLD
Canada's Trudeau expected to announce resignation in coming days: report
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at the federal Liberal caucus holiday party in Ottawa on Dec. 17.
JAPAN
Japanese researchers develop method to break down PFAS 'forever chemicals'
Ritsumeikan University researchers succeeded in completely breaking down PFAS compounds, often called "forever chemicals" for their persistence in the environment.
BUSINESS
Biden’s decision on Nippon Steel deal followed divide in his orbit
By Joe Deaux and Josh Wingrove
U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson Steel Works in Braddock, Pennsylvania, in December 2019. The Biden administration blocked the $14 billion takeover of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel on Friday, citing grounds that the sale posed a threat to national security.
JAPAN
Bluefin tuna fetches ¥207 million at Toyosu's first auction of the year
A bluefin tuna from Oma, Aomori Prefecture, was sold for ¥207 million during the first auction of the year at Tokyo's Toyosu Fish Market on Sunday.