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January 27, 2025
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January 27, 2025
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Fuji TV President Koichi Minato (left) and Chairman Shuji Kanoh, also chairman of the broadcaster's parent company Fuji Media Holdings, bow during a news conference in Tokyo on Monday. The two have announced their resignations.
JAPAN / Society
Fuji TV president resigns over handling of Masahiro Nakai scandal
By Yukana Inoue and Karin Kaneko
Koichi Minato has been the target of criticism following the revelation that he became aware of the incident involving Nakai right after it occurred in June 2023.

More coverage

What are the real issues behind the Fuji TV scandal?
Fuji TV scandal sparks probes on exploitation within TV industry
Fuji TV President Koichi Minato (left) and Chairman Shuji Kanoh, also chairman of the broadcaster's parent company Fuji Media Holdings, bow during a news conference in Tokyo on Monday. The two have announced their resignations.
Constitutional Democratic Party head Yoshihiko Noda (right) at a plenary session in the Lower House in Tokyo on Monday
JAPAN / Politics
Constitutional Democratic Party head grills Ishiba on diplomacy with Trump
By Eric Johnston
The CDP leader raised concerns about the United States' decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization and the Paris agreement on climate change.
People pray for the victims of a deadly stabbing attack outside Nagano Station, on Sunday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nagano stabbing suspect sent to prosecutors after deadly attack
The apparently random stabbing follows two other similar attacks, including the high-profile killing of a teenage girl at a Kitakyushu McDonald's last month.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba enters the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Ishiba carefully considering release of war anniversary statement
Conservative members of the prime minister's ruling Liberal Democratic Party oppose releasing such a statement.
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.
JAPAN / History / Longform
Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick
By Alex K.T. Martin
Discover the hometown of the Yoshiwara publisher who helped shape Japan’s artistic legacy and inspired NHK’s latest period drama.
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.

JAPAN

An Asian black bear preys on a live deer caught in a trap in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, in May, in this image from video footage shot by researchers.
Black bear caught on camera attacking trapped deer in rare footage
The discovery suggests that if bears learn to associate traps with easy prey, the risk of encounters with humans could rise.
Fujitsu and the National Institute of Informatics have launched a full-scale industry-academia collaboration to curb the spread of disinformation, including deepfakes created through generative artificial intelligence.
Japan launches industry and academia tie-up to combat online disinformation
Nine companies and academic institutions aim to put an integrated system for combating false information into use by March 2026.
Survey to begin at western Japan site of 1942 undersea mine accident
Osaka bans street smoking ahead of Expo 2025
Towns near Fukushima plant struggle to attract families with children
Japan's young government officials to help municipalities as side gig

BUSINESS

Nissan’s latest crisis surfaced in November when it reported a 94% drop in first-half net income.
Nissan eyes cuts without resorting to plant closures, sources say
By Tsuyoshi Inajima and Masatsugu Horie
The carmaker will focus on reducing and consolidating existing production lines both in Japan and overseas to cut costs.
China's DeepSeek carries far-reaching implications for the global tech industry and supply chain.
Why is the AI world freaking out over China's DeepSeek?
By Saritha Rai and Newley Purnell
DeepSeek has far-reaching implications for the global tech industry, upending the widespread belief that the future of AI will require ever-increasing amounts of power.
Trump should uphold TikTok ban and allow Nippon Steel deal, Pence says
By Kate O'Keeffe
Nippon Life to revamp overseas business operations after acquisitions
By Nao Sano and Taiga Uranaka
Brookfield seeks to buy more property in Japan after $1.6 billion in deals
By Lisa Du
Ancora seeks U.S. Steel board revamp and end to Nippon Steel deal
By Crystal Tse and Joe Deaux

WORLD

Belarusian President and presidential candidate Alexander Lukashenko speaks at a press conference after casting his vote in the presidential election in Minsk, Belarus, on Sunday.
Putin ally Lukashenko called as winner of disputed Belarus election
By Mark Trevelyan
European politicians said the vote was neither free nor fair because independent media is banned in Belarus and opposition figures have either been jailed or forced to flee abroad.
South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Jan. 21.
South Korean President Yoon's indictment: What happens next?
By Kang Jin-kyu
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's indictment on Sunday makes him the country's first sitting head of state to face a criminal trial.
Egypt's new malpractice law could accelerate an exodus of doctors, medics warn
By Mohamed Ezz
Turkey bets on naval clout for edge in high-seas power play
By Patrick Sykes
Adopted without consent, a Greenlandic woman seeks justice
By Camille BAS-WOHLERT
Colombia caves on deportations after tariff threat tit-for-tat with Trump

Sports

The mural that artist Jonas Never painted during Kobe Bryant's last NBA season is seen on Jan. 19.
Kobe Bryant still reigns over Los Angeles on hundreds of murals
By Emmanuel Morgan and Matt Stevens
Artists behind some of the murals say that they illustrate how Bryant captivated everyday people.
Police investigating threats against Premier League referee Michael Oliver
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim defends stance on Marcus Rashford
Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley propel Eagles into Super Bowl
Lara Gut-Behrami wins super-G in Garmisch; Lindsey Vonn 13th

Opinion

Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda attends a news conference after the central bank's policy meeting in Tokyo on Friday. The BOJ raised its rate by a quarter-point to 0.5% that day.
Japan’s central bank drops the drama and wins on rates
Daniel Moss and Gearoid Reidy
The quarter-point increase, which took the main rate to 0.5%, was probably the most telegraphed this century.
The Davos ‘vibe shift’ is no surprise
By Beth Kowitt
I spent Trump’s inauguration in Ukraine. This is what I saw.
By M. Gessen
Putin’s war is fueling Russian stagflation
By Anders Aslund
Why a recent pig kidney transplant is a major advance
By Lisa Jarvis

ENVIRONMENT

A pipe for transporting carbon dioxide to removal equipment at a carbon capture and storage (CCS) test site in Tomakomai, Hokkaido.
How Japan is looking deep underground to solve its carbon problem
By Annelise Giseburt
Japan is investing billions of yen to get carbon capture and storage off the ground, but the technology is dogged by high costs and uncertainty.
Rubbish roads: Nepal explores paving with plastic
By Paavan MATHEMA
South Africa's patchwork climate plans risk widening inequality
By Kim Harrisberg
China’s surging power demand creates a climate conundrum
Mega-iceberg drifts toward Antarctic penguin island

CULTURE

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

LIFE

With abundant rains and formidable humidity in summer, Japan does not seem to be an ideal land for wine, but winegrowers in Yamanashi Prefecture have gradually been able to adapt.
Of sake and spirits: Indulging in Yamanashi’s best
By Kimberly Hughes
Visits to Grace Wine’s vineyard and the Suntory Hakushu Distillery turn a tour of the mountainous prefecture into a gourmet treat.
Where to begin when it comes to Japanese wine
By Weiwen Lin
Global tourism is back to pre-COVID highs
By Daniel Silva
Annoyed? Unfairly treated? Express yourself in Japanese with the passive voice
By Yaeko Kabe
Japan-made games part of a rising tide of indie greatness
By Samantha Low

COMMUNITY

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

Editors' Picks

ENVIRONMENT
How Japan is looking deep underground to solve its carbon problem
By Annelise Giseburt
A pipe for transporting carbon dioxide to removal equipment at a carbon capture and storage (CCS) test site in Tomakomai, Hokkaido.
SUMO
Hoshoryu overcomes rank-and-file wrestlers to put yokozuna promotion in sight
By John Gunning
Hoshoryu dispatches Oho in a playoff to clinch the Emperor's Cup on the final day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday in Tokyo.
LIFE
Of sake and spirits: Indulging in Yamanashi’s best
By Kimberly Hughes
With abundant rains and formidable humidity in summer, Japan does not seem to be an ideal land for wine, but winegrowers in Yamanashi Prefecture have gradually been able to adapt.
LIFE
Japan’s love affair with Dragon Quest spreads worldwide
By Oliver Jia
Upon the release of Dragon Quest VII in 2000, hundreds of customers lined up outside stores in Tokyo to secure a copy of the new game. With a remake of a 1988 title, the rest of the world is understanding why Japanese gamers love the series so much.
LIFE
Why tatami is going from the floor to the dining table
By Phoebe Amoroso
At several high-end restaurants in Tokyo, tatami is becoming a part of the dining experience — not underfoot but as a tabletop place mat for phones.

Podcast

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

Longform

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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WHAT’S TRENDING

COMMENTARY
Japan and South Korea were stable U.S. allies. Not anymore.
By KARISHMA VASWANI
Supporters of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol protest in Seoul on Tuesday. The previous leaders of the U.S. and Japan, along with Yoon, focused on strengthening alliances and regional stability through cooperation whereas newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to foreign policy may prioritize transactional relationships.
ASIA PACIFIC
South Korean president indicted as 'ringleader of an insurrection'
Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (pictured on poster) attend a rally on a road near the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Thursday.
JAPAN
Police arrest suspect in deadly Nagano stabbings
A Nagano Prefectural Police official speaks during a news conference in the city of Nagano on Sunday following the arrest of a suspect in a deadly stabbing days earlier.
SUMO
Hoshoryu overcomes rank-and-file wrestlers to put yokozuna promotion in sight
By John Gunning
Hoshoryu dispatches Oho in a playoff to clinch the Emperor's Cup on the final day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday in Tokyo.
ASIA PACIFIC
Seoul court rejects second request to extend Yoon detention
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a hearing for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Thursday.