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TOKYO
April 11, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
April 11, 2025
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Shigeru Ishiba
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U.S. President Donald Trump attends a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Trump tariff pause leaves CEOs asking: What happens in 90 days?
By Fedja Grulovic, Patricia Weiss and Jaspreet Singh
Trump's tariff flip spurs a stock rally but sows deeper confusion for companies bracing for long-term trade fallout.

More coverage

U.S. allies greet Trump’s tariff U-turn with relief and defiance
U.S. President Donald Trump attends a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington on Thursday.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda at a press conference in January. He has been in the top position for two years.
BUSINESS / Economy
After two years in top job, BOJ's Ueda faces his biggest challenge yet 
By Kazuaki Nagata
Communication will be more crucial from now on, as the economic outlook will be more uncertain than ever because of the U.S. tariffs.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House in February
JAPAN / Politics
Trump calls U.S.-Japan alliance ‘one-sided’ as nations prepare for tariff talks
By Gabriel Dominguez
The U.S. president's remarks rekindled fears that he might use the talks to ask Tokyo to pay more for hosting troops, buy more weapons or further boost defense spending.
Tokyo stocks tracked Wall Street lower as the United States and China hiked tariffs on imports from each other.
BUSINESS / Markets
Nikkei sinks over 1,800 points as tariff-fueled selling resumes
An increase in U.S. levies on China to 145% has reignited concerns about the global economy and corporate profits.
Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.
By Tomoko Otake
On a man-made island in Osaka Bay, Japan stages a grand vision of the future — and a quiet test of relevance.
Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.

JAPAN

The Osaka Prefectural Police headquarters in the city of Osaka
Japan Post employee arrested for mailing used condom to post office
According to the police, the envelope was addressed to a female employee working at the targeted branch.
The Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo's Minato Ward. A team from the university has successfully transplanted kidneys between rat fetuses.
Japanese research team succeeds in fetal rat kidney transplant
The success of the team at Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo marks a key step toward clinical studies involving cross-species organ transplantation.
Japan, U.S. to hold joint patrol after Okinawa sexual assaults
AI suitcase for visually impaired to be tested at expo
Abductee Megumi Yokota's classmates donate cherry trees to school
Japan defense force scrambled fighter jets 704 times in fiscal 2024

BUSINESS

Environmental, social and governance funds are increasingly looking to Japan, as efforts to boost diversity are coming amid a regulatory and government push for better corporate governance.
Trump’s DEI rollback gives Japan a chance to draw ESG inflows
By Alice French
Japanese firms have long lagged behind their Western peers on gender equality, but the U.S. crackdown on diversity may give them a chance to shine.
Trading indexes at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday. Bets worth millions of dollars placed on a rebound by unidentified options traders shortly before U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff pause are drawing scrutiny.
Well-timed option trades ahead of Trump's tariff pause draw questions
By Saqib Iqbal Ahmed
Some unidentified options traders placed bets worth millions of dollars on a rebound minutes before the U.S. president's social media post sent the stock market rallying.
A trip to remember: Japan answers the demand for curated luxury travel
By Elizabeth Beattie
From Daikin to Samsung, companies fight Modi over e-waste policy
By Aditya Kalra and Arpan Chaturvedi
Nintendo Switch 2 and Sony PS5 likely to get price hikes due to tariffs
By Vlad Savov
Japan readies task force for U.S. trade talks as tariff risks cloud economy
By Leika Kihara and Kentaro Sugiyama

WORLD

A rescue worker stands in front of a damaged building following a strong earthquake, in Mandalay, Myanmar, on April 3.
Making money out of a disaster: Fake news and the Myanmar quake
By Lin Taylor
Online schemes prey on the heightened fears and appetite for news that follow any disaster or outbreak of war.
Displaced Palestinians flee the Shejaiya district, east of Gaza City, on April 3.
Israel’s push into Gaza lays ground for full-scale occupation
By Ethan Bronner
The move would risk increasing the death toll in Gaza, siphoning more reserve soldiers away from an economy stifled by war and further isolating Israel.
In a first, Taiwan charges Chinese ship captain with damaging undersea cables
By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard
Jawbone from Taiwan shows geographic reach of enigmatic archaic humans
By Will Dunham
Ousted South Korean president set to leave official residence
By Jack Kim
Fighter pilots call on Israel to prioritize release of Gaza hostages

Sports

Shohei Ohtani slides into second during the third inning against the Tigers at Dodger Stadium on March 27.
Is Mookie Betts or Shohei Ohtani the Better Athlete? Dodgers teammates weigh in
By Ken Rosenthal
The beauty of the question is that even as baseball players, Ohtani and Betts are so different.
Liam Lawson reflects on 'crazy' start to season after being dropped by Red Bull
MLS to open second phase of study to explore major overhaul of season
Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. to have knee evaluated
Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. working as photographer at Masters

Opinion

Japan needs a strong leader as it faces huge challenges. With Upper House and Tokyo gubernatorial elections coming up, the LDP needs to lay the groundwork for replacing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, whose polls have entered the danger zone.
The window to replace Japan's accidental prime minister is nigh
Edo Naito
Shigeru Ishiba isn't the right leader to weather Japan through the incoming storm. With Upper House elections this summer, it's time the LDP starts fielding his replacement.
Navigating the Trump storm
By Michael Spence
A conversation of the deaf after Trump’s tariffs
By Brad Glosserman
Le Pen ruling unleashes wave of hypocrisy on populist right
By Thomas O. Falk
Trump’s tariffs will accelerate America’s economic decline
By Kaushik Basu

ENVIRONMENT

A vandalized sign indicating an ultralow emission zone in west London.
Clean streets versus business woes: Pollution charge divides Londoners
By Akshata Kapoor
The plan in London requires motorists to switch to low-emission vehicles or face a daily charge.
AI surge to double data center electricity demand by 2030, report says
By Nathalie ALONSO
Once-dying Mexican river delta slowly nursed back to life by conservationists
By Daniel Rook
As Chile revs up lithium plans, Indigenous people demand more control
By Daina Beth Solomon
Global temperatures at near-historic highs in March, says EU monitor

CULTURE

Margot Magniere and Theo Poyer returned to Japan after pandemic-era restrictions were lifted and decided to stay for a while.
The band that turned a pandemic lockdown into a Tokyo dream
By Patrick St. Michel
On “Grand Voyage,” French pop act Tapeworms tap into Japanese cultural nostalgia and picopop.
‘The Brothers Kitaura’: A sordid tale of filial impropriety
By James Hadfield
‘Ghost Killer’: Spirited action and sharp humor make for deadly fun combo
By Mark Schilling
Online art scene eager to go offline, at least for the moment
By Zoria Petkoska
Sasami is in her pop era, and she’s not overthinking it
By Patrick St. Michel

LIFE

Signs advertising the upcoming World Expo in Osaka have proliferated in the city's different neighborhood for the past few years.
I’ve only just come back from Osaka, but I’m ready to hit the Expo
By Yuko Tamura
The term “bakari” can be used in several different ways to emphasize and define the limit of a range.
Why Japan is running out of rice — and farmers to grow it
By Alex K.T. Martin
‘Japanese pastry has matured into its own distinct identity’
By Haru Beaufort
In Los Angeles, Courtney Kaplan says sake is having a moment
By Melinda Joe
Can Japan's take on fandom help drive spending?
By Satoshi Sugiyama

COMMUNITY

Tokyo Humanities Cafe was launched in 2017 by Laurence Williams (left) and Alex Watson, professors at Sophia and Meiji Universities, respectively.
Tokyo Humanities Cafe feeds hungry minds
By Jessica Kozuka
A free quarterly event invites everyone to explore what it means to be human.
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
Shogo Yamaguchi: ‘Traditional culture thrives in a peaceful society’
By Laura Pollacco
A tawny Kai ken discovers his courage

Editors' Picks

JAPAN
How police are cracking down on 'scout' sex broker groups
By Karin Kaneko
The skyline during sunset in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Japan's new underground criminal groups operate under a highly organized and brutal system.
SUMO
Takayasu’s latest heartbreak makes sumo history
By John Gunning
Takayasu during the one-day Annual Sumo Tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Feb 9, 2020
JAPAN
Who is Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's tariffs negotiator?
By Eric Johnston
Economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa, who Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has appointed Japan's tariff negotiator, is one of his closest allies and busiest ministers.
JAPAN
After a tumultuous buildup, a first look at the Osaka Expo
By Joel Tansey and Tomoko Otake
A large statue of Osaka Expo mascot Myaku Myaku sits near the east entrance of the event's venue in Yumeshima island, Osaka, on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Japan gets a new U.S. ambassador — and he has his work cut out for him
By Jesse Johnson
George Glass, U.S. President Donald Trump's pick to be ambassador to Japan, attends a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing in Washington on March 13.

Podcast

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

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.
By Tomoko Otake

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WHAT’S TRENDING

SUMO
Takayasu’s latest heartbreak makes sumo history
By John Gunning
Takayasu during the one-day Annual Sumo Tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Feb 9, 2020
BUSINESS
Trump's tariff gambit leaves Asia stunned and scrambling
By Francis Tang
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he attends the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington on Tuesday. Trump allowed new tariffs — including a 24% levy on Japan — to go into effect as scheduled on Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Tokyo cheers Trump’s tariff U-turn with second-biggest market gain ever
By Francis Tang
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday in Washington.
JAPAN
Banks freeze withdrawals for foreign nationals upon expiration of visas
By Karin Kaneko
Foreign residents who fail to renew their residential statuses before their expiry may find that they won’t be able to withdraw cash from their bank accounts.
MORE SPORTS
Japanese badminton ace Shida blasts 'stalker' Chinese fans
Chiharu Shida of Japan in action during the bronze medal match with Nami Matsuyama against Pearly Tan and Muralitharan Thinaah of Malaysia at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France on Aug. 03, 2024