Home page

 
Menu
Search
 
Menu
Search
Tokyo Weather 33℃
TOKYO
September 12, 2024
The Independent Voice in Asia
September 12, 2024
Shohei Ohtani
LDP RACE
Special series: Boiling Point
Latest News
Deep Dive
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access
Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 43, is one of two contenders who have consistently outperformed other candidates in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership race in recent polls conducted both among the general public and LDP supporters.
JAPAN / Politics
Nine hopefuls vie for LDP presidency in complex election
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
The leadership race is the most crowded in the ruling party’s history and one of its most unpredictable in decades.
Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 43, is one of two contenders who have consistently outperformed other candidates in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership race in recent polls conducted both among the general public and LDP supporters.
Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, died Wednesday in Lima at age 86.
WORLD / Politics
Peruvian strongman Alberto Fujimori dies at age 86
By Eric Johnston
The disgraced former president had deep connections to Japan, where he lived for several years to avoid extradition back to his home country over corruption charges.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech in Pyongyang in a photo released Tuesday.
JAPAN
North Korea looks to keep itself on U.S. agenda with missile launches
By Jesse Johnson
The launches came just a day after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris assailed former President Donald Trump for his "love letters" with North Korea's Kim Jong Un.
Japan Freight Raiway's Kudara freight terminal in the city of Osaka
BUSINESS
JR Freight suspends operations over data tampering
Data on the pressure applied when fitting wheels onto trains’ axles was falsified for inspection records.
Participants chat in front of an electronic image of a soldier before the closing session of the Responsible AI in the Military Domain summit in Seoul on Tuesday.
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Global blueprint for regulating military AI proving elusive
By Gabriel Dominguez
The challenges of setting up guardrails against the misuse of the technology were highlighted during an AI summit in Seoul.
Participants chat in front of an electronic image of a soldier before the closing session of the Responsible AI in the Military Domain summit in Seoul on Tuesday.

JAPAN

In a survey conducted by rental housing operator Daito Trust Construction, residents praised the tranquility and safety of Daikanyama's, a neighborhood in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, as well as its accessibility to public transportation.
Daikanyama tops list of Tokyo neighborhoods in livability survey
By Himari Semans
Residents score the neighborhood highest in terms of how happy they are to live in the area and how much they wanted to continue living there.
Signs expressing opposition to the University of Tokyo's proposed tuition hikes are displayed at the university's Komaba campus in Tokyo in July.
University of Tokyo plans to raise tuition fees by 20% in 2025
By Francis Tang
The university expects to make the proposal official by the end of September, barring unforeseen issues.
Japan, China, South Korea set 40 million tourist target
To stay afloat, some Japanese saury fishers turn to tuna and squid
Over 40% of fatal child abuse victims under age of one, survey shows
Japan shows first commercial fin whale catch in 48 years
By Kyoko Hasegawa

BUSINESS

The total cost of cooking curry rice topped ¥300 for the 12th straight month and is expected to exceed ¥350 per serving in August, according to a survey.
Making a bowl of curry rice at home now costs over ¥300, survey says
By Himari Semans
The cost of the budget-friendly dish hit a record ¥342 in July, up ¥44 from the same period last year, according to a survey.
Shoppers outside an office building in Beijing in August. China's overall public spending — which includes local governments — is shrinking, not growing. It contracted about 2% in the first seven months of 2024.
China’s attempt to boost demand is stifled by wall of austerity
While finance chiefs in Beijing are testing new ways to boost the economy by encouraging demand, their counterparts in the provinces are in full belt-tightening mode.
Couche-Tard weighing higher price for 7-Eleven owner, sources say
By Dinesh Nair, Manuel Baigorri and Mathieu Dion
Seven & I takeover bid shows a shift in government, Suntory CEO says
By David Dolan and Rocky Swift
Sony prices PlayStation 5 Pro game console at a hefty $699.99
By Sam Byford
JR East unveils plans for driverless shinkansen by mid-2030s
By Yukana Inoue

WORLD

Part of the tail section of a North Korean Hwasong-11 short-range ballistic missile in Kyiv earlier this year.
North Korean missiles rain down on Ukraine despite sanctions
By John Ismay
The Hwasong missiles found in Ukraine used common commercially available electronic components made by Western nations as recently as last year.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (center) and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy meet in Kyiv on Wednesday.
U.S. and U.K. envoys mull Ukraine’s push for deep strikes into Russia
By Edward Wong
The visit to Ukraine came as the Biden administration struggles to curtail aid to Russia from Iran, North Korea and China.
U.S. supports two permanent U.N. Security Council seats for Africa
By Michelle Nichols
Canada's tourism continues to reel from threat of wildfires
By Anne-Marie PROVOST
A temporary truce as Harris, Trump and Biden mark 9/11
By Peter Baker
Floods wreak havoc on Vietnam as deaths mount after Yagi
By Nguyen Kieu Giang and Nguyen Dieu Tu Uyen

Sports

Kotozakura (left) defeats Tobizaru in a controversial finish to their bout on Day 3 of the Autumn Basho in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Thrilling bouts — and controversy — have Autumn Basho off to hot start
By John Gunning
Often the first three days of a sumo tournament see little more than jockeying for position, but not this tournament.
Rory McIlroy not trying to send any 'message' with exhibition against LIV Golf stars
Max Verstappen and Red Bull looking to get back on track at Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Christian Pulisic urges new U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino to change team culture
Tyreek Hill calls for officer involved in detainment to be fired

Opinion

Job-seekers take a Japanese class at an employment placement company in Hanoi in October 2022.
Is Japan an attractive option for foreign talent from Asia?
Takashi Kumon
The uptick in young foreign workers is driven by growing interest in Japanese society and culture and difficulty in finding jobs at home.
To hold Big Tech accountable, focus on the harms
By Catherine Thorbecke
A new ‘Cold War’ with China might be the best hope for the future
By Brad Glosserman
The choice confronting American voters
By Koichi Hamada
Pope Francis’ Asia trip is all about China
By KARISHMA VASWANI

ENVIRONMENT

A construction worker in Tokyo's Akasaka district on Aug. 21. With 886 cases, 54 of them fatal, during the period from 2019 to 2023, the construction industry leads Japan’s tally for occupational heatstroke.
Clocking off: Japan’s hotter summers put limit on outdoor work
By Annelise Giseburt
Climate change is forcing businesses to sacrifice productivity in the name of safety in industries ranging from construction to transportation.
Australian airports face the worst climate-change risks
By Angus Whitley
As the Amazon’s biggest champion approaches 100, he’s still fighting
By Olivia Rudgard
Taiwan workshop turns trash into sunglasses
By Angie Teo and Ann Wang
Kimchi no more? Climate change puts South Korea's beloved cabbage dish at risk
By Sebin Choi and Hyun Young Yi

CULTURE

J-pop superstar Hikaru Utada wore a resplendent rainbow dress while performing songs from their more recent albums “Hatsukoi” and “Bad Mode” during the second section of the Science Fiction tour.
Hikaru Utada celebrates 25 years of hits with a sold-out finale
By Alyssa I. Smith
The J-pop superstar wrapped up their nostalgia-laden 18-show tour in front of 18,000 people at Yokohama’s K-Arena.
‘All About Suomi’: The leading lady shines, but the film lacks sparkle
By James Hadfield
‘My Sunshine’ brings together realism and lyricism to a rare degree
By Mark Schilling
'Shogun' clinches record-breaking 14 Creative Arts Emmys
James Earl Jones, actor whose voice could menace or melt, dies at 93
By Robert D. McFadden

LIFE

Elementary school students in Japan are often assigned roles like "class helper" as a way of instilling a sense of responsibility.
From kanji to math, what does a day at a Japanese elementary school look like?
By Yuko Tamura
Head back to school with this week's language lesson and learn the basics of what's heard in a classroom, as well as the activities in between.
'Dream men': Female cosplayers in China fulfill fantasies for young women
By Rita Qian
From People’s Park to Ikea, Shanghai’s seniors look for love
By Alexandra Stevenson
Ditch labor-intensive ice cream for this whisked-together parfait
By Simon Daly
From Godzilla to martyrs, Hakata doll-making knows no bounds
By Erik Augustin Palm

COMMUNITY

When it comes to a career in cuisine, chef Andreas Fuchs thinks newcomers will know within three months whether they want to commit to it or not.
Andreas Fuchs: ‘I love that no two days are the same’
By Louise George Kittaka
As the Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s executive chef, Andreas Fuchs is responsible for overseeing extensive menus across multiple venues.
Philippine envoy highlights climate and smart farms
By Louise George Kittaka
Over half a century, seeds of change grow at a Tochigi farm
By Madeleine Cuckson
Verdi is looking for a home as affectionate as him
Adrian Bianco: ‘Leaving your comfort zone keeps you alive’
By Ora Margolis

Editors' Picks

BUSINESS
iPhone 16 to land in Japan without Apple Intelligence 
By Sam Byford
Apple CEO Tim Cook unveils the iPhone 16 at the Steve Jobs Theater on the company's campus in Cupertino, California, on Monday.
JAPAN
Small Hokkaido town ranked most comfortable place to live in Japan
By Jessica Speed
Asahidake in Daisetsuzan is located in the town of Higashikawa, Hokkaido, which ranked as the most comfortable municipality in 2024.
JAPAN
Updated Meiji Jingu Gaien redevelopment plan to keep more trees
By Yukana Inoue
Redevelopment of the Meiji Jingu Gaien district has trees in the area marked according to their status — trees marked in red were to be cut down in the original plan while those in blue were to be transplanted. In the updated plan, trees marked in red will no longer be felled, and those in blue will remain where they are.
JAPAN
U.K. envoy to Japan pushes back on Indo-Pacific disengagement concerns
By Gabriel Dominguez
U.K. Ambassador to Japan Julia Longbottom says the Indo-Pacific region offers a unique opportunity to not only tackle shared security concerns but also to generate new sources of economic growth.
LIFE
‘When I die, I would like to come back as a rice ball’
By Florentyna Leow
Few in Japan may be more passionate about the 'onigiri' (rice ball) than Yumiko Ukon, owner of an onigiri specialty shop in Tokyo's Otsuka neighborhood.

Podcast

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

Longform

A store clerk tries to cool things down in front of their shop by spraying a hose.
Is extreme weather changing the way Japan shops?
By Alex K.T. Martin

JT Directory Service

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

Ex.Portal By Synergy Media Specialists

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world
mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

WHAT’S TRENDING

BUSINESS
iPhone 16 to land in Japan without Apple Intelligence 
By Sam Byford
Apple CEO Tim Cook unveils the iPhone 16 at the Steve Jobs Theater on the company's campus in Cupertino, California, on Monday.
SOCCER
Japan coach slams Bahrain fans after World Cup qualifying rout
Japan's Koki Ogawa shoots at the Bahrain goal during a World Cup qualifying match in Riffa, Bahrain, on Tuesday.
WORLD
Harris rattles Trump in combative U.S. presidential debate
U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris shakes hands with former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Nine hopefuls vie for LDP presidency in complex election
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 43, is one of two contenders who have consistently outperformed other candidates in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership race in recent polls conducted both among the general public and LDP supporters.
JAPAN
Ex-lawmaker held over alleged sexual assault in Tokyo karaoke parlor
Tamotsu Shiiki, 58, is accused of sexually assaulting a first-year junior high school girl at a karaoke parlor in Tokyo's Kabukicho entertainment district on Aug. 20. He has denied the charge.