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February 12, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
February 12, 2025
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U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on tariffs on aluminum imports in Washington on Monday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Trump sets 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, heightening trade war
The move would fulfill what the most extreme trade protectionists have sought for years.
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on tariffs on aluminum imports in Washington on Monday.
An unmanned Hamadori drone developed by Japanese company Space Entertainment Laboratory and equipped with various sensor options for surveys is displayed at the Japan Drone 2020 exhibition at Makuhari Messe in the city of Chiba in September 2020.
JAPAN
Japan exploring drone production capabilities for military aid program
By Gabriel Dominguez
Tokyo has begun asking local firms about their capabilities to determine which systems it could provide under the next tranche of security assistance in fiscal 2025 and beyond.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun
JAPAN / Politics
China removes buoy set up in Japan's EEZ off Senkakus
The removal of the buoy may be part of China's moves toward resolving issues between the two countries.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is hoping to realize a visit to China at an early date.
JAPAN / Politics
Visit to China by Ishiba from early May under consideration as ties warm
The Japanese prime minister hopes to hold his second meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to enhance momentum for improving Sino-Japanese relations.
"I hope skaters who train here will go on to shine on the world stage," Olympic silver medalist Mao Asada told the Japan Times at Mao Rink Tachikawa Tachihi, a skating rink in Tachikawa, Tokyo, whose establishment she was involved in, on Jan. 28.
MORE SPORTS / Figure skating
Mao Asada sets out to safeguard the future of Japanese skating
By Erika Yamazaki
Mao Rink Tachikawa Tachihi, a project that involved the three-time world champion, has become a dream destination for skaters.
"I hope skaters who train here will go on to shine on the world stage," Olympic silver medalist Mao Asada told the Japan Times at Mao Rink Tachikawa Tachihi, a skating rink in Tachikawa, Tokyo, whose establishment she was involved in, on Jan. 28.

JAPAN

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuya Endo (third from left) joins a tour of the BRP Melchora Aquino, the BRP Melchora Aquino, last May. The Philippine Coast Guard ship was provided to Manila under Japan's official development aid program.
Japan exploring more defense transfers to Philippines, envoy says
By Gabriel Dominguez
As Tokyo revises its export guidelines to ease defense equipment transfers, the partners expect more security cooperation on the horizon.
Giving out courtesy chocolates to coworkers on Valentine's Day is becoming obsolete.
How giving chocolates on Valentine’s Day is evolving in Japan
By Yukana Inoue
One change is fewer people are handing out chocolates to others at work, which had been a widespread practice over the past few decades.
In policy platform, Democratic Party for the People vows to boost take-home pay
Japan's ruling-opposition talks reach a critical point
Emperor Showa was cautious about Nixon's 1972 visit to China, document shows
Shinji Ishimaru faces criminal complaint over livestreamed campaign event

BUSINESS

SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son announces the Stargate Project, an artificial intelligence venture with OpenAI, during a news conference in Tokyo on Feb. 3.
SoftBank eyes debt-heavy financing for $500 billion AI push
By Min Jeong Lee and Shirin Ghaffary
SoftBank and OpenAI’s push to build out tens of gigawatts of datacenter capacity has the potential to be the biggest rollout of computing power ever.
Billionaire Elon Musk's bid is likely to ratchet up longstanding tensions with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over the future of the ChatGPT maker at the heart of a boom in generative AI technology.
Musk-led group makes $97.4 billion bid for control of OpenAI
By Arsheeya Bajwa, Anna Tong and Krystal Hu
The move was another salvo in billionaire Elon Musk's fight to block the AI startup from transitioning to a for-profit firm.
Tesla robotaxis by June? Musk turns to Texas for hands-off regulation
By Chris Kirkham and Abhirup Roy
Bain may not launch tender offer for Fuji Soft
France and EU promise to cut red tape on artificial intelligence technology
By Jeffrey Dastin, Elizabeth Howcroft and Florence Loeve
Kobayashi Pharma logs first net profit drop since 1999 listing

WORLD

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters while signing a variety of executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday. Trump said on Monday that he could cut aid to Jordan and Egypt if they refused his demand to permanently take in most Palestinians from Gaza, substantially increasing the pressure on key allies in the region to back his audacious proposal to relocate the entire population of the territory in order to redevelop it.
Trump says Hamas should free all hostages by Saturday or 'let hell break out'
By Steve Holland, Simon Lewis and Susan Heavey
Trump cautioned that Israel might want to override him on the issue and said he might speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold sails in the front of a formation with the Philippine Navy Jose Rizal-class frigate BRP Jose Rizal (center), the Royal Australian Navy Hobart-class air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart (left) and the Maritime Defense Force Akizuki-class destroyer Akizuki, during a multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity exercise in the South China Sea last Wednesday.
Calls grow louder for joint maritime patrols near Philippine hot spots
By Gabriel Dominguez
Some want Manila to consider joint coast guard and naval patrols near Chinese government vessels operating in disputed waters of the South China Sea.
U.S aid freeze risks handing influence to China in Beijing's backyard
By Poppy McPherson and Josh Smith
U.K.'s tougher immigration policy risks trapping victims in modern slavery
By Sachin Ravikumar
South Korea's Yoon blames 'malicious' opposition for martial law bid
In West Bank, Israeli army operation batters war-depleted economy
By Nazih Osseiran

Sports

"I hope skaters who train here will go on to shine on the world stage," Olympic silver medalist Mao Asada told the Japan Times at Mao Rink Tachikawa Tachihi, a skating rink in Tachikawa, Tokyo, whose establishment she was involved in, on Jan. 28.
Mao Asada sets out to safeguard the future of Japanese skating
By Erika Yamazaki
Mao Rink Tachikawa Tachihi, a project that involved the three-time world champion, has become a dream destination for skaters.
Trump order on transgender athletes clashes with international norms
Djokovic 'almost 100%' after injury, aiming for 100th title in Doha
Ronaldo reaches deal with Al Nassr to extend contract, official says
'Just not ready' — Tiger Woods pulls out of Torrey Pines tournament

Opinion

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping hold a bilateral meeting during the Group of 20 leaders summit in Osaka in June 2019.
Trump’s initial moves will benefit China
Joshua Kurlantzick
And while Trump has claimed that his policies will strengthen America, in reality, thus far, the biggest winner of many of his actions has actually been China.
Trump keeps up his ‘Sharpiegate’ attack on science
By Mark Gongloff
The Marquis de Sade’s guide to cancel culture
By Howard Chua-Eoan
Russia’s nostalgia machine works for strongman Putin
By Nina L. Khrushcheva
So far, so good for Ishiba — at least for now
By Kuni Miyake

ENVIRONMENT

A climate change demonstrator takes part in a protest to denounce the impact of U.S. politics on climate change, outside the U.S. Embassy in London on Jan. 11.
Top climate scientist declares 2 degrees Celsius climate goal 'dead'
A stark new analysis concludes that Earth's climate is more sensitive to rising greenhouse gas emissions than previously thought.
NOAA told to make list of climate-related grants, setting off fears
By Christopher Flavelle, Austyn Gaffney and Raymond Zhong
It’s ‘virtually certain’ the world has already breached 1.5 C
By Kendra Pierre-Louis
Trump’s freeze on climate money sows fear and confusion
By Zahra Hirji and Danielle Bochove
These roads aren’t built for wilder weather driven by climate change
By Kendra Pierre-Louis

CULTURE

“Light Court” (2024) is based on the “Lightcourt” space at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by metabolist architect Kisho Kurokawa (1934-2007).
Yuki Harada's contemplative artworks ponder vanishing
By Jennifer Pastore
The artist spent time researching Japanese migrants who left Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefectures for Hawaii, and the U.S. island state often features in his art.
Miniatures bring hidden worlds to life at Tokyo cultural site
By Sakurako Nakagawa
Kendrick Lamar promises 'storytelling' at Super Bowl show
‘Kisspeptin Chronicles’: Quirky rom-com dances through the pain of heartache
By Mark Schilling
Oscars frontrunner 'Emilia Perez' suffers awards season crash
By Adam PLOWRIGHT and Andrew Marszal

LIFE

Together, Shinsuke Yamagai (right) and his younger brother, Ryota, have elevated the cuisine at Shintaku, putting it on the map as one of Niigata Prefecture’s premier gastronomic destinations.
Brothers’ local focus lifts Shintaku to Niigata’s highest rank
By Robbie Swinnerton
From the ashes of a devastating 2005 fire, Shinsuke and Ryota Yamagai have remade their family’s historic Niigata restaurant into a beacon of Japanese gastronomy.
DEI, woke and 'forest bathing': When a direct translation just won't cut it
By Yuko Tamura
Some traditional Japanese culinary rules are meant to be broken
By Simon Daly
Hay fever beauty: The aesthetics behind Japan’s allergy products
By Carol R.H. Malasig
Making sense of Nintendo’s tight-lipped Switch 2 reveal
By Owen Ziegler

COMMUNITY

After starting out as a games journalist, John Davis found opportunities in marketing and consulting that led him to work in the Japanese gaming industry.
John Davis: ‘At its core, indie is about creative freedom’
By Gendel Gento
The co-founder of BitSummit, Japan’s biggest indie gaming showcase, shares how he pivoted from journalism to gaming after moving here.
Home away from home: My first time at a Tet festival in Japan
By Nguyen Bao Anh
Ken Rodgers, a fixture of the Kyoto literary scene, dies at 72
By Eric Johnston
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

Editors' Picks

JAPAN
Ishiba builds inroads with Trump, but challenges still loom
By Jesse Johnson and Francis Tang
U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to the White House in Washington on Friday.
JAPAN
How giving chocolates on Valentine’s Day is evolving in Japan
By Yukana Inoue
Giving out courtesy chocolates to coworkers on Valentine's Day is becoming obsolete.
CULTURE
‘The Hot Spot’: Close encounters of the mundane kind
By Patrick St. Michel
The new Nippon TV series “The Hot Spot” follows an alien superhero navigating rural Japanese life but focuses more on dialogue than splashy, action-packed plot points.
CULTURE
Yuki Harada's contemplative artworks ponder vanishing
By Jennifer Pastore
“Light Court” (2024) is based on the “Lightcourt” space at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by metabolist architect Kisho Kurokawa (1934-2007).
JAPAN
A 'joyful' Japan? Ishiba's choice of slogan sparks the opposite feelings
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Ishiba eats a mikan tangerine at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Jan. 22.

Podcast

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

Longform

Eme-Ima Kitchen is one of over 10,000 kodomo shokudō in Japan. A term first used in 2012 to describe makeshift eateries offering free or cheap meals to disadvantaged kids, it now refers to a diverse range of individuals, groups and organizations working to provide not only food but a sense of belonging to both children and adults.
Japan’s ‘children’s cafeterias’ are booming — but is that a good thing?
By Alex K.T. Martin

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

mission sustainability vol.14 : Unicharm Corp.Unicharm recycles diapers back into diapers
mission sustainability vol.14 : Unicharm Corp.Unicharm recycles diapers back into diapers

WHAT’S TRENDING

BUSINESS
Nippon Steel goes quiet after U.S. Steel deal seemingly nixed for good
By Kazuaki Nagata
On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that U.S. Steel would remain American.
MORE SPORTS
Mao Asada sets out to safeguard the future of Japanese skating
By Erika Yamazaki
"I hope skaters who train here will go on to shine on the world stage," Olympic silver medalist Mao Asada told the Japan Times at Mao Rink Tachikawa Tachihi, a skating rink in Tachikawa, Tokyo, whose establishment she was involved in, on Jan. 28.
BUSINESS
Trump sets 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, heightening trade war
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on tariffs on aluminum imports in Washington on Monday.
JAPAN
How giving chocolates on Valentine’s Day is evolving in Japan
By Yukana Inoue
Giving out courtesy chocolates to coworkers on Valentine's Day is becoming obsolete.
JAPAN
Japan exploring drone production capabilities for military aid program
By Gabriel Dominguez
An unmanned Hamadori drone developed by Japanese company Space Entertainment Laboratory and equipped with various sensor options for surveys is displayed at the Japan Drone 2020 exhibition at Makuhari Messe in the city of Chiba in September 2020.