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TOKYO
April 04, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
April 04, 2025
Shigeru Ishiba
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South Korea's Constitutional Court on Friday will announce whether it will dismiss Yoon Suk Yeol over his declaration of martial law or reinstate him to office.
Breaking News
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
South Korea upholds Yoon impeachment, prompting snap election within 60 days
By Jesse Johnson
The move, while deepening a divide in South Korea between conservative and progressive voters, could also have broad implications for relations with neighboring Japan.
South Korea's Constitutional Court on Friday will announce whether it will dismiss Yoon Suk Yeol over his declaration of martial law or reinstate him to office.
Among those arrested, 1,011 were ringleaders or individuals who gave instructions. About 90% were perpetrators, including people who received defrauded money, and around 40% became involved in the crimes through recruitment via social media.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
New ‘tokuryū’ crime groups outpace yakuza in arrests
The term was coined by the National Police Agency to describe a new form of criminal group that has emerged as an alternative to traditional yakuza organizations.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba enters his office in Tokyo on Wednesday. The return of scandal-tainted Liberal Democratic Party members could make life tougher for Ishiba within the party.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Ishiba to face more political headaches with return of scandal-hit LDP members
By Eric Johnston
For an already-unpopular administration, the return of party members implicated in a slush funds scandal will create further political headaches.
People line up for food aid in Sagaing, Myanmar, on Wednesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Myanmar quake toll tops 3,000 as weather poses threat for rescuers
Rains will add to the challenges faced by aid and rescue groups, which have called for access to all affected areas despite the strife of civil war.
Though Haruki Murakami's trademark whiff of offbeat existentialism is threaded throughout NHK's "After the Quake," the final episode — conceived as a sequel to the story "Super-Frog Saves Tokyo" — is the most stylized, featuring an anthropomorphic talking frog (voiced by Non) and his erstwhile associate Katagiri (Koichi Sato).
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Haruki Murakami TV adaptation revisits 30 years of watershed moments
By Mike Fu
NHK's new four-episode miniseries, “After the Quake,” probes the ripple effects of past major disasters across Japanese society.
Though Haruki Murakami's trademark whiff of offbeat existentialism is threaded throughout NHK's "After the Quake," the final episode — conceived as a sequel to the story "Super-Frog Saves Tokyo" — is the most stylized, featuring an anthropomorphic talking frog (voiced by Non) and his erstwhile associate Katagiri (Koichi Sato).

JAPAN

People enjoy running and yoga, as Tokyo Expressway’s KK Line, a 2-kilometer elevated expressway cutting through the capital’s commercial Ginza district, was opened as a pedestrian space in May last year.
Tokyo’s KK Line to close for decadelong overhaul as public greenway
By Jessica Speed
The line will become a pedestrian-focused green space called “Tokyo Sky Corridor,” with sections opening in phases before its full relaunch in 2035.
A report by the U.K.-based Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative warns that ignoring climate-related financial threats could expose executives to lawsuits, regulatory scrutiny, and financial losses.
Japanese execs could face lawsuits for climate inaction: report
By Jessica Speed
Coauthored by legal scholars specializing in corporate governance, the study underscores the mounting financial and legal risks facing companies in Japan.
Japan's government warns Fuji TV over handling of scandal
Hakamata to sue central, prefectural governments in August
Papers on six Japanese comedians sent to prosecutors over online gambling
Japanese medical team arrives in quake-hit Myanmar

BUSINESS

Containers stacked up at the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port in Phnom Penh on Thursday. Southeast Asian countries with a significant trade surplus with the U.S. came in for harsh treatment from Trump's stinging tariffs.
Trump tariffs are a ‘disaster’ for world’s poorest countries
By Philip J. Heijmans and Antony Sguazzin
Poor nations' labor-intensive export industries face new risk in trade war.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with journalists onboard Air Force One en route to Miami on Thursday.
Trump open to tariff cuts in return for ‘phenomenal’ offers
By Annmarie Hordern
"The tariffs give us great power to negotiate,” Trump said, adding that "every country has called us.”
Japan’s household spending drops for first time in three months
By Toru Fujioka and Yoshiaki Nohara
S&P 500 suffers worst drop since COVID as tariffs rattle traders
By Jessica Menton
Japan retailers boost own-brand products amid inflation
Japan promises 'bold and speedy' response to Trump’s surprise 24% tariffs
By Francis Tang

WORLD

U.S. President Donald Trump walks in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on Wednesday, the day of his remarks on tariffs.
For Trump, tariff gamble brings political risk
By Jeff Mason and Andrea Shalal
If his promises to recast the economy don't work out, it could cause political headwinds for his party and economic pain for his constituents.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers meeting at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels on Thursday.
U.S. to remain in NATO, Rubio says, but higher defense spending needed
By Gabriel Dominguez
Rubio said Washington’s goal is for member states to prioritize defense spending to enable the alliance to become “stronger and more viable.”
Trump's global trade war may defeat U.S. strategic goals on China
By Laurie Chen, Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom
Israeli leader Netanyahu applauds Hungary's ICC exit on Budapest visit
By Anita Komuves and Maayan Lubell
Trump presidency a key concern for Southeast Asia, survey shows
By Philip J. Heijmans
With U.S. absent, China steps in for earthquake-hit Myanmar
By Poppy McPherson and Antoni Slodkowski

Sports

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda speaks during a news conference for the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, on Thursday.
Yuki Tsunoda feeling relaxed ahead of blockbuster Red Bull debut 
By Joel Tansey
The veteran of 89 Formula One races appeared at ease in his new colors, exuding the quiet confidence that he’s had since making his debut in the series in 2021.
Dodgers look almost unbeatable after latest heroics from Shohei Ohtani
Five drivers to watch at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix
By Joel Tansey
Alex Ovechkin moves within two goals of Wayne Gretzky's record
Manchester City's Jack Grealish dedicates long-awaited goal to late brother

Opinion

DOGE, the U.S. government reform project, embodies America's brash, fast-paced approach to change, while Japan’s cultural norms emphasize slower, more deliberate decision-making rooted in consensus.
The DOGE solution? 'No thanks,' says Japan, with reason
Brad Glosserman
I can’t imagine a DOGE-like beast in Japan. No one can. It is utterly alien to every tradition, precedent or cultural inclination in this country.
Will the real Pete Hegseth please stand up?
By Kuni Miyake
Le Pen’s MAGA-style martyrdom is new risk in France
By Lionel Laurent
For a brief moment, everything was Ghibli
By Gearoid Reidy
Asia must unite to survive Trump 2.0
By Lee Jong-wha

ENVIRONMENT

Fluffy, low-hanging clouds generally have a cooling influence. They are big and bright, blocking and bouncing back incoming sunlight.
Clouds changing as world warms, adding to climate uncertainty
By Nick Perry
Cloud behavior is notoriously complex to predict and remains a great unknown for scientists trying to accurately forecast future levels of climate change.
Trump can't stop 'sustainability revolution': Al Gore
Without new countermeasures, Japan’s temperature could rise 4.5 C by 2100
By Jessica Speed
Why we should worry when whales stop singing
By Todd Woody
What the $660 million Greenpeace verdict means for U.S. activism
By Olivia Raimonde and Zahra Hirji

CULTURE

Though Haruki Murakami's trademark whiff of offbeat existentialism is threaded throughout NHK's "After the Quake," the final episode — conceived as a sequel to the story "Super-Frog Saves Tokyo" — is the most stylized, featuring an anthropomorphic talking frog (voiced by Non) and his erstwhile associate Katagiri (Koichi Sato).
Haruki Murakami TV adaptation revisits 30 years of watershed moments
By Mike Fu
NHK's new four-episode miniseries, “After the Quake,” probes the ripple effects of past major disasters across Japanese society.
Authors hold London protest against Meta for 'stealing' work to train AI
By James PHEBY
‘Unreachable’: An attractive but half-baked fantasy
By James Hadfield
AI may be coming for anime, but Hayao Miyazaki is irreplaceable, son says
By Natsuko Fukue
‘Let’s Meet at Angie’s Bar’: A granny like none other
By Mark Schilling

LIFE

At Japan's top cocktail bars, ice is as important an ingredient as any bottle you'll see on the shelf.
The cold complexity of 'pure' Japanese cocktail ice
By Phoebe Amoroso
To some Japanese bartenders, the secret to a great cocktail lies not just in the mixologist's skills but also the quality of the ice.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan
By Johan Brooks
Feast your eyes on 'The Complete Illustrated Guide to Japanese Cooking'
By Simon Daly
Traveling the Three-Star Road, the tourist route made from thin air
By Owen Ziegler
'Better than real life': In China, virtual boyfriends are emotional aids
By Luna Lin

COMMUNITY

Shogo Yamaguchi shares his love of traditional Japanese culture with an audience of nearly 2 million YouTube subscribers.
Shogo Yamaguchi: ‘Traditional culture thrives in a peaceful society’
By Laura Pollacco
The Kyoto-based content creator shares travel tips and reminisces on the path that led him to where he is today.
Montessori head educates Tokyo’s children for life
By Louise George Kittaka
How to navigate Japan’s e-commerce platforms and online flea markets
By Jessica Speed
A tawny Kai Ken discovers his courage
A community of stories: Making space for reflection and dialogue in Tokyo and beyond
By Megumi Koiwai

Editors' Picks

LIFE
Nintendo to launch the Switch 2 on June 5
By Sam Byford
The controllers for the Switch 2 will attach to the console magnetically rather than sliding on rails as with the original device.
JAPAN
A new human trafficking trend emerges from Myanmar scam centers
By Yukana Inoue
Victims of scam centers who were tricked or trafficked into working in Myanmar gather at a compound inside KK Park, a fraud center on the country's border with Thailand, after a multinational crackdown in February.
JAPAN
Meiji says sayonara to bottled milk, a staple of Japan's bathhouses
By Jessica Speed
Meiji bottled milk lined up in a fridge at Kosugiyu, a bathhouse in Tokyo. The sticker urges patrons to enjoy the milk one last time before it’s gone.
BUSINESS
A Canadian made a weekend trip to Costco a Japanese pastime
By Elizabeth Beattie
Under the watchful eye of Ken Theriault, Costco representative director and Japan country manager, the American membership-model wholesaler has flourished in Japan.
JAPAN
On defense, Japan may avoid Trump's worst impulses — for now
By Jesse Johnson
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth chat after reviewing an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Sunday.

Podcast

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

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan
By Johan Brooks

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

BOARDING & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL DAY 2025 (Sunday, April 20)
BOARDING & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL DAY 2025 (Sunday, April 20)

WHAT’S TRENDING

BUSINESS
As ‘Buy Canadian’ grows, more U.S. firms say retailers turning away products
Empty shelves with "Buy Canadian Instead" signs are seen in the American Whiskey section of the BC Liquor in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 10.
JAPAN
U.S. tourist arrested after bringing a handgun into Japan
Hyogo police believe the handgun a U.S. tourist inadvertently brought into Japan slipped through security procedures at Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture.
BUSINESS
Trump unveils 10% global tariff, with Japan levy set at 24%
Trump tosses a MAGA hat to the crowd during an event in which he unveiled new tariffs in the White House on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Meiji says sayonara to bottled milk, a staple of Japan's bathhouses
By Jessica Speed
Meiji bottled milk lined up in a fridge at Kosugiyu, a bathhouse in Tokyo. The sticker urges patrons to enjoy the milk one last time before it’s gone.
COMMENTARY
Japan’s leader didn’t read the job description
By Gearoid Reidy
Prime Minister and ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader Shigeru Ishiba is facing a political funding scandal that has damaged his reputation and sparked speculation that internal efforts to remove him are underway.