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March 28, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
March 28, 2025
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While car production helped transform Germany, Italy and France after World War II, its influence in East Asia has been even more profound.
BUSINESS / Economy / ANALYSIS
U.S. auto tariffs take aim at pillar of East Asian economies
By Hyunjoo Jin and Kantaro Komiya
Automakers form the nucleus of vast networks of group companies that impact almost every facet of working life in Japan and South Korea.

More coverage

Japan considers all possible options as Trump threatens new auto tariffs
Musk’s Tesla one of the only winners from Trump’s car tariffs
While car production helped transform Germany, Italy and France after World War II, its influence in East Asia has been even more profound.
Hisashi Hieda, a 41-year veteran of Fuji TV’s board of directors and dubbed the broadcaster’s “emperor,” has stepped down.
BUSINESS / Companies
In the wake of several scandals, Fuji TV ‘emperor’ Hieda steps down
By Yukana Inoue
Hieda, a 41-year veteran of Fuji TV’s board of directors, also plans to step down as chairman of the Fujisankei Communications Group, of which the broadcaster's parent is a part.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during a meeting of the Upper House Budget Committee on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Ishiba’s remarks on inflation relief measures draw ire as budget deadline looms
By Himari Semans
Confusing messages about an economic package to counter rising prices came as negotiations were heating up on when to hold a vote on the budget.
Kimio Hanawa (left), an honorary professor at Tohoku University and chair of the Meteorological Agency’s climate change advisory panel, expressed concern over rapid warming at a news conference on Wednesday in Tokyo.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Without new countermeasures, Japan’s temperature could rise 4.5 C by 2100
By Jessica Speed
The warmer surface temperature would lead to 17.5 more extremely hot days per year and 46.2 fewer winter days, according to the Meteorological Agency and other institutions.
The Hawks' Ryoya Kurihara fields a ball during spring camp in Miyazaki on March 7.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Incumbent Hawks face fresh challenge from rising Fighters in Pacific League
By Jason Coskrey
Flamboyant manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo and his up-and-coming Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters may finally be ready to pose a challenge for the favored Hawks.
The Hawks' Ryoya Kurihara fields a ball during spring camp in Miyazaki on March 7.

JAPAN

The banks are teaming up to combat the enduring challenge of a dwindling population.
Three Japanese banks form alliance to fight population slump
By Taiga Uranaka
Shizuoka Bank, Hachijuni Bank and Yamanashi Chuo Bank will work together to draw outside talent and funding into central Japan.
Iwao Hakamata, a wrongfully convicted death-row inmate who was acquitted last year through a retrial, and his sister Hideko after a news conference in Tokyo in November 2019. Hakamata won compensation from Japan this week.
Ex-judge fights Japan's 'unopenable door' retrial system
By Tomohiro Osaki
Hiroaki Murayama wants Japan's outdated retrial system to be fixed so that there will "be no more (Iwao) Hakamatas."
Data science helps sake break into wine-dominated market
Japanese regulators seek stricter rules on safe deposit boxes
Efforts to prevent election chaos descend into a cat-and-mouse game
Japan and others agree to cut saury catch quota by 10%

BUSINESS

While car production helped transform Germany, Italy and France after World War II, its influence in East Asia has been even more profound.
U.S. auto tariffs take aim at pillar of East Asian economies
By Hyunjoo Jin and Kantaro Komiya
Automakers form the nucleus of vast networks of group companies that impact almost every facet of working life in Japan and South Korea.
A survey of 12,817 companies by Shinkin Central Bank Research Institute found that only 51% committed to base wage hikes, the think tank announced on Thursday.
Japan’s wage growth isn’t as rosy as Rengo’s data indicate
By Erica Yokoyama
The broader picture for pay trends may not be as rosy as the union group expects, according to one think tank.
Japan FTC warns Chateraise over subcontract law breaches
Ishiba pledges measures to protect jobs from Trump’s car tariffs
By Yoshiaki Nohara
Japan advised to boost rice exports to 353,000 tons in 2030
Tokyo inflation exceeds forecasts, keeping BOJ on rate hike path
By Toru Fujioka and Yoshiaki Nohara

WORLD

A firefighting helicopter carries water during an operation as a wildfire burns in Yeongyang, South Korea, on Friday.
South Korea hopes to use break in weather to contain deadly wildfires
By Minwoo Park and Daewoung Kim
At least 28 people have died and more than 45,000 hectares of largely forest land in the country's southeast have been charred or are burning.
Palestinians protest against the Hamas militant group in northern Gaza on Wednesday.
Militants warn against helping Israel with Gaza protests
By Nidal al-Mughrabi
Hundreds of Palestinians have rallied in recent days in north and central Gaza, some chanting "Hamas out," in a rare show of opposition to the group.
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh fear U.S. aid cuts will deepen crisis
By Ruma Paul
Myanmar junta chief to make rare trip abroad to Bangkok
U.S. senators from both parties urge formal probe of Signal chat attack plan
By Patricia Zengerle
Europeans back strong Ukraine army, differ on future 'reassurance force'
By John Irish and Elizabeth Pineau

Sports

Miura and Kihara celebrate after winning the world pairs title on Thursday in Boston.
Miura and Kihara edge German pair to win second world figure skating title
The Japanese duo scored 219.79 points to capture the world crown by 0.71 of a point over Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin.
Ohtani and the Dodgers power past Tigers in Blake Snell's debut
Tsunoda and Lawson both have plenty to prove after swap
By Alan Baldwin
Tsunoda confirmed to replace Lawson at Red Bull from Japanese GP
By Alan Baldwin
LeBron buzzer-beater rescues Lakers to halt losing streak

Opinion

There is concern about a severe decline in democracy in Asia, with many former success stories now backsliding.
An Asian democracy collapse amid the new world order
Joshua Kurlantzick
By the monitoring organization Freedom House's calculations, for 19 years, democracy has eroded around the world.
Hegseth’s Asia tour won’t fix U.S. credibility crisis
By KARISHMA VASWANI
U.S. allies get a Signal chat’s worth of red flags
By Marc Champion
Entrance exam wars: A pressure cooker for South Korean youth
By Waka Ikeda
Japan-Europe: The security alliance the world needs now
By Lionel Laurent and Gearoid Reidy

ENVIRONMENT

Ice is seen on the Pastoruri glacier in the Peruvian Andes, Peru, in May 2024.
World's glaciers are losing record ice as global temperatures climb, U.N. says
By Alexander Villegas
Glaciers are disappearing faster than ever, with the last three-year period seeing the largest glacial mass loss on record.
Without new countermeasures, Japan’s temperature could rise 4.5 C by 2100
By Jessica Speed
Why we should worry when whales stop singing
By Todd Woody
What the $660 million Greenpeace verdict means for U.S. activism
By Olivia Raimonde and Zahra Hirji
In the remote Amazon, midwives care for women stranded by drought
By Pilar Olivares and Manuela Andreoni

CULTURE

AMKK’s latest exhibition, “X-Ray Flowers,” is the culmination of seven years of work aided by CT technologists, who help with the highly specialized imaging techniques.
Avant-garde botanists AMKK illuminate the inner worlds of flowers
By Kim Kahan
The punk florists' latest exhibition immerses visitors in darkness, bathed only in the glow of X-rays and CT scans of plants and flowers.
Rise and shine with ‘The Wakey Show’
By Patrick St. Michel
‘Ravens’: Tadanobu Asano plays troubled photographer with scapegrace charm
By Mark Schilling
‘Boy’: An ambitious portrait of alienated youth
By James Hadfield
'One Hundred Flowers': A moving exploration of loss, love and living with dementia
By Kris Kosaka

LIFE

Brooklyn Kura's Catskills, a "junmai daiginjō" (sake with rice polished down to at least 50%), is made with water from the New York region of the same name.
New York's Brooklyn Kura becomes first U.S. sake exporter to Japan
By Weiwen Lin
The brewer’s initial exports are “relatively small,” but it hopes drinkers in Japan are "open to trying" American-made sake.
11 in Japan win Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant honors, but Gaggan is tops
By Robbie Swinnerton
The art of taking a pause: Discover the 1,000-year-old meditation technique of zazen in Tokyo's temples
By Laura Pollacco
World’s first public bonsai museum reopens after renovations
By Erik Augustin Palm
Now is the time to discover this Japanese mountain vegetable
By Elizabeth Andoh

COMMUNITY

Megumi Koiwai (left) found refuge in writing and storytelling that allowed her to reconcile with her heritage and upbringing.
A community of stories: Making space for reflection and dialogue in Tokyo and beyond
By Megumi Koiwai
Through conversations with an international writing workshop, a writer of mixed heritage finds steadier footing and a sense of self.
Edanoshin Katsura: ‘Rakugo and techno are both about rhythm and groove’
By Wakaba Oto
A shy cat looking for a new start
From abandoned houses to ‘creative communities’: An Ishinomaki entrepreneur's vision for rural Japan
By Florentyna Leow
A shy Shiba mix is ready to bloom

Editors' Picks

JAPAN
Recent spate of wildfires in Japan and South Korea linked to climate change
By Tomoko Otake
Smoke and flames rise from a wildfire in Andong, South Korea, on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Hanami season to have record ¥1.39 trillion economic impact on Japan
By Yukana Inoue
Cherry blossoms along a road in Tokyo on Tuesday. The 2025 cherry blossom season is expected to have an economic impact of around ¥1.39 trillion on Japan.
BASEBALL
Tokyo Series proves to be big business for MLB — and Japanese companies
By Sam Byford
An advertisement featuring Shohei Ohtani in Tokyo.
JAPAN
New SDF command will be key for contingency planning, Australian commander says
By Gabriel Dominguez
A Maritime Self-Defense Force SH-60K "Super Auk" from JS Shiranui prepares to land on HMAS Brisbane during Exercise Malabar 2023 while off the coast of New South Wales, Australia.
BUSINESS
Japanese wages likely to rise more than 5% again this year
By Kazuaki Nagata
Wages are set for another big increase this year as annual negotiations secure generous agreements.

Podcast

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

Longform

The sun shines from behind a waving Philippine flag at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.
Eighty years after the Battle of Manila, old foes forge new ties
By Anton L. Delgado

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WHAT’S TRENDING

JAPAN
Yellow sand blankets cities across Japan
By Francis Tang
The Meteorological Agency forecast the yellow sand to move away from eastern Honshu by 6 p.m. on Wednesday. But it will continue to cover parts of western Honshu and Shikoku until Thursday morning, it said.
BUSINESS
Japan considers all possible options as Trump threatens new auto tariffs
By Francis Tang
Subaru cars awaiting export at a port in Yokohama on Thursday.
BUSINESS
JR's 'futuristic' Takanawa Gateway complex set to open in Tokyo
By Jessica Speed
The Gateway Park at Takanawa Gateway City on Tuesday
JAPAN
Hanami season to have record ¥1.39 trillion economic impact on Japan
By Yukana Inoue
Cherry blossoms along a road in Tokyo on Tuesday. The 2025 cherry blossom season is expected to have an economic impact of around ¥1.39 trillion on Japan.
BUSINESS
Trump says he’ll hit auto imports with 25% tariff in trade fight
By Jennifer A Dlouhy, Josh Wingrove, Joe Deaux and Gabrielle Coppola
Stocks slid Wednesday following an initial report that Trump planned to make an auto tariff announcement.