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December 27, 2024
The Independent Voice in Asia
December 27, 2024
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Osamu Suzuki, a former president of Suzuki Motor, in October 2016
Breaking News
BUSINESS / Companies
Osamu Suzuki, former president of Suzuki Motor, dies at 94
By Kanako Takahara
Suzuki is known for spearheading the carmaker’s entrance in the Indian market, starting manufacturing there in 1983.
Osamu Suzuki, a former president of Suzuki Motor, in October 2016
Authorities are calling for utmost vigilance as Japan heads into the New Year holiday season, when many people plan getaways.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Flu cases surge above ‘warning’ levels in much of Japan
By Tomoko Otake
An estimated 1.67 million people became sick and sought medical care from doctors in the week through last Sunday.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba shakes hands with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Nov. 15 during their meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Japan and China to continue delicate diplomatic dance in 2025
By Jesse Johnson
While Tokyo and Beijing have touted the importance of thawing ties, experts say a number of issues are likely to mean continued hedging by both sides.
International students and others participate in a disaster preparedness drill in Osaka City, where disaster information was conveyed in foreign languages.
JAPAN
Noto quake inspires more focus on getting disaster info to non-Japanese
The earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula on Jan. 1 highlighted the need to help foreign nationals who do not speak Japanese be more informed.
Han Duck-soo, South Korea's prime minister and acting president, speaks during a news conference after lawmakers passed a motion to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 14.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Impeachment looms for South Korea's acting president
By Joyce Lee and Jack Kim
The Constitutional Court meets Friday for its first hearing on suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law.
Han Duck-soo, South Korea's prime minister and acting president, speaks during a news conference after lawmakers passed a motion to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 14.

JAPAN

Takahiro Funamoto, deputy facility manager of elderly care facility Hyakuju-en in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, at the damaged facility building on Dec. 5
Toll probed as 15% of older evacuees in two prefectures died after Noto quake
Many local facilities including hospitals were left dysfunctional due to power and water outages and building damage.
Education costs for children who attend private schools from kindergarten through high school have hit a record high of approximately ¥19.76 million, according to a survey released by the education ministry.
Cost of private education through high school hits record high in Japan
By Kathleen Benoza
Total education costs for children who attend private schools from kindergarten through high school, including tuition and cram school fees, are approximately ¥19.76 million.
Ex-Olympus CEO Kaufmann gets suspended sentence over drugs
Japan sees record low competition rate for becoming school teachers
Japan to allow convenience stores to handle over-the-counter drugs
Top prosecutors office finds investigation of Hakamata insufficient

BUSINESS

Storage tanks at the BP Cherry Point Refinery near Blaine, Washington
Big Oil backtracks on renewables push as climate agenda falters
By Ron Bousso
The likes of BP and Shell this year sharply slowed their plans to spend billions on wind and solar power projects.
The latest sale plan of Japanese government bonds reflects the government's efforts to fill a huge hole left by the BOJ's diminishing presence in the JGB market.
Government plans to sell more JGBs for first time in four years, draft shows
By Takaya Yamaguchi
Much of the increase will be made in shorter-dated debt to tap demand from Japanese banks.
Some BOJ policymakers called for rate hike soon, December summary shows
By Leika Kihara
Inflation in Tokyo accelerates, keeps rate hike prospects intact
By Leika Kihara and Satoshi Sugiyama
Nippon Steel extends closing date for U.S. Steel acquisition
Prices of 1,380 food items set to rise in Japan in January

WORLD

The Finnish Border Guard's ship Turva and oil tanker Eagle S sail on the sea outside the Porkkalanniemi, Finland on Thursday
Finland boards vessel possibly behind power cable and internet outages
By Essi Lehto and Andrius Sytas
"From our side, we are investigating grave sabotage," said the director of the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation.
Emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday.
Russian air defenses downed Azerbaijan Airlines flight, sources say
By Nailia Bagirova and Gleb Stolyarov
Flight J2-8243 crashed on Wednesday in a ball of fire near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan after diverting from an area of southern Russia.
Manmohan Singh, India's reluctant prime minister, dies age 92
By Devjyot Ghoshal and Matthias Williams
Images show new Chinese military aircraft designs, experts say
By Gerry Doyle
Israel hits Houthis in Yemen in response to slow escalation
By Dan Williams and Alisa Odenheimer
Guatemala open to accepting Trump's Central American deportees: sources
By Sarah Kinosian

Sports

New Nadeshiko Japan coach Nils Nielsen (center) poses for photos with JFA President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (left) and Norio Sasaki, the JFA’s women’s soccer chair, during a news conference on Dec. 18.
JFA hopes Nils Nielsen's international focus leads Nadeshiko Japan back to glory
By Alex Bishop
Nils Nielsen was officially unveiled as the new Nadeshiko boss at a packed news conference in Tokyo on Dec. 18. 
Liverpool powers to seven-point lead in Premier League
Jets QB Aaron Rodgers deflects questions about future with Jets
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka hungry for more success in 2025
Chiefs secure AFC top seed with win over Steelers

Opinion

Greenpeace activists protest nuclear power in Berlin in April 2023, just as Germany was shutting down its three remaining nuclear power plants. 
It's time for Germany to admit its mistake on nuclear energy
Hoyer Katja
The main thing standing in the way of Germany rebuilding its nuclear sector is a stubborn insistence that it can’t be done.
When Russia fights the wrong enemy
By S.C.M. Paine
Why cultural heritage must be protected in wartime
By Karel Komarek
China’s economy has not peaked
By Nancy Qian
ASEAN's second renaissance is now
By Anwar Ibrahim

ENVIRONMENT

The entrance of the Sodegaura LNG Terminal, operated by Tokyo Gas, in Sodegaura, Chiba Prefecture
Japan's draft climate strategy spurs calls for bolder cuts in carbon emissions
By Makiko Yamazaki and Ritsuko Shimizu
The government last month presented a draft plan to aim for a 60% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 from 2013 levels.
Is Japan finally ready to tap its abundant geothermal energy potential?
By Eric Johnston
The mighty Mekong River's growing plastic problem
By Anton L. Delgado
Japanese study links heavy Hokkaido snowfall in 2021 to climate change
By Tomoko Otake
Companies challenged by fewer weeks of winter
By Ethan M Steinberg

CULTURE

Tomoko Tabata brings verve and emotion as 11-year-old Renko in “Moving,” Shinji Somai’s forgotten classic from 1993.
‘Moving’: A profound, poetic coming-of-age masterpiece restored in 4K
By Mark Schilling
The 1993 film by Shinji Somai is rekindling interest in the late director as a generational talent.
Bling-Bang, baby: The J-pop soundtrack of 2024
By Patrick St. Michel
‘The War of the Rohirrim’: Striking visuals, insipid storytelling
By Matt Schley
Demand for Japanese content booms after 'Shogun' success
By Mathias Cena
A year of ruin and renewal for Japan’s art world in 2024
By Jennifer Pastore

LIFE

At each shrine and temple, priests create festive, decorative go-shuin stamps, and you can collect the marks of all seven of the lucky gods on one piece of paper (called a shikishi) to serve as a good-luck talisman.
Start the new year not with one temple visit, but seven
By Zoria Petkoska
The seven lucky gods pilgrimage is a less hurried alternative to the often-crowded first temple or shrine visit of the year.
True blue tradition: How Japan's coveted jeans are made
By Natsuko Fukue
Small letter, big impact: A little 'tsu' makes all the difference
By Peter Backhaus
'Don't mess with our mince pies,' some Brits plead
By Helen ROWE
The secret to living to 110? Bad record-keeping, says Ig Nobel Prize winner.
By Daniel Lawler

COMMUNITY

Writer Baye McNeil and his wife, Miki, host a Kwanzaa gathering in Yokohama together. The end of the year at the McNeil’s home is a mix of several different holiday traditions, including those of Kwanzaa.
A holiday season built on creativity and care
By Baye McNeil
Fusing African heritage with Japanese spirituality, our columnist crafted a holiday season that celebrates cultural understanding.
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
Kumiko Shichijo: ‘Living abroad helped me appreciate Japanese etiquette’
By Ansel Swindells

Editors' Picks

CULTURE
Step into ukiyo-e: A digital journey through Japan’s traditional art form
By Masaru Urano
"Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition" includes an installation of Katsushika Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa.”
JAPAN
High levels of PFAS found in water from 44 private suppliers across Japan
By Tomoko Otake
The Self-Defense Forces facilities are believed to have become sources of PFAS contamination because they used firefighting foam containing the toxic chemicals in the past.
BASEBALL
For baseball fans, 2024 brought The Summer of Shohei Ohtani
By Jason Coskrey
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts to a standing ovation from fans after hitting his 50th home run of the season, against the Marlins in Miami on Sept. 19.
JAPAN
Trump's Pentagon policy pick pushed for Japan to spend 3% of GDP on defense
By Jesse Johnson
Elbridge Colby (center) speaks at the Threat and the Strategy panel during the Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, in September 2019.
LIFE
A brief history of ‘osechi ryōri,' Japan's edible tradition for the new year
By Elizabeth Andoh
Japan's traditional New Year cuisine has a long history, though modern developments have led to slight changes in the way things work.

Podcast

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

Longform

Visitors to Kyoto walk along a street near Kiyomizu Temple in April. A popular tourist spot, Kyoto has seen what locals feel to be an overwhelming amount of tourists in 2024.
Is Japan ready for 60 million tourists?
By Kathryn Wortley

JT Directory Service

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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

JAPAN
Ex-PM Miyazawa aired doubts about China's democratization to Clinton in '93
Then-Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa (left) and then-U.S. President Bill Clinton meet for talks at the White House on April 16, 1993.
JAPAN
Human error caused JAL jet collision at Haneda Airport: safety board
By Kathleen Benoza
The wreckage of a Japan Airlines plane after a collision with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft, at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on Jan. 5, three days after the crash.
JAPAN
Noto quake inspires more focus on getting disaster info to non-Japanese
International students and others participate in a disaster preparedness drill in Osaka City, where disaster information was conveyed in foreign languages.
JAPAN
Japan Airlines reports cyberattack on system, impacting flights
By Yukana Inoue and Francis Tang
Japan Airlines jets at Tokyo's Haneda Airport in August. On Thursday, JAL announced its systems had been targeted in a cyberattack.
BUSINESS
Government plans to sell more JGBs for first time in four years, draft shows
By Takaya Yamaguchi
The latest sale plan of Japanese government bonds reflects the government's efforts to fill a huge hole left by the BOJ's diminishing presence in the JGB market.