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March 31, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
March 31, 2025
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Rescue teams work to evacuate residents trapped under the rubble of the collapsed Sky Villa Condominium development in Mandalay, Myanmar, on Sunday, after it collapsed in Friday's powerful earthquake.
ASIA PACIFIC
Myanmar military still bombing towns despite earthquake crisis, rebels say
The Karen National Union said that the junta "continues to carry out airstrikes targeting civilian areas, even as the population suffers tremendously from the earthquake."
Rescue teams work to evacuate residents trapped under the rubble of the collapsed Sky Villa Condominium development in Mandalay, Myanmar, on Sunday, after it collapsed in Friday's powerful earthquake.
U.S. President Donald Trump departs for Washington from West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Trump says he’s ‘not joking’ about seeking a third term in defiance of Constitution
By Erica L. Green
Any attempt to seek a third term would run afoul of the 22nd Amendment, which begins, 'No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice.'
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani (left) and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo ahead of their talks Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics
In Tokyo, Pentagon chief provides assurances that Japan-U.S. alliance remains robust
By Jesse Johnson
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth described Japan as an “indispensable partner” in confronting China and sought to dispel lingering unease in Tokyo.
Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto (left), South Korean Trade Industry and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun (center) and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao during a trilateral meeting in Seoul on Sunday
BUSINESS
Japan, South Korea and China vow to strengthen trade ties amid looming U.S. tariffs
By Francis Tang
The meeting came ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s expected announcement of a new round of tariffs on Wednesday.
Tsuyoshi Domoto in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on March 28. As an entrepreneur, Domoto experienced plenty of setbacks but maintains a positive attitude and continues to pursue his dreams.
BUSINESS / Tech
Tokyo tech failures lean into misfortune, mistakes and missteps
By Tim Hornyak
At a Tokyo Fail Club gathering, speakers share candid talks about ventures gone wrong, bankruptcy and depression, touting a message of persistence in the face of adversity.
Tsuyoshi Domoto in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on March 28. As an entrepreneur, Domoto experienced plenty of setbacks but maintains a positive attitude and continues to pursue his dreams.

JAPAN

Yoshiharu Kanai speaks during an interview in Fuchu, Hiroshima Prefecture, on March 6.
Son of soldier killed on Iwo Jima continues collecting remains
Yoshiharu Kanai, 80, has been working to collect remains for over 20 years, wishing to return them to mainland Japan swiftly.
Shinmoedake, a volcano located between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, in November 2019
Alert raised for volcano in southwestern Japan
The agency warned that large volcanic rocks could reach areas within 4 kilometers of the crater of the volcano, which is located between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures.
Cherry blossoms come into full bloom in Tokyo
CDP urged to continue talks over corporate donations
Lantern festival lights up skies in Taiwan with Japanese flair
By Shoko Miyake
Former sex worker records Tokyo's red-light history
By Caroline Gardin

BUSINESS

Oil pipelines in Alaska. U.S. President Donald Trump wants Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to join a $44 billion natural gas export project.
Alaska governor to brief Trump on Asia gas push as tariffs bite
By Tim Kelly and Katya Golubkova
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is winding up a trip through Asia where he has been seeking investors and long-term buyers.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s actions are rekindling long-simmering discussions about whether overseas governments will accelerate efforts to less reliance on the dollar.
Trump is eroding the dollar’s dominance in world markets
By Carter Johnson and Naomi Tajitsu
The U.S. president's escalating fusillade of tariffs and bid to roll back decades of globalization is shaking confidence in the U.S. currency.
Rapidus to launch pilot line for advanced chips on Tuesday
Musk’s xAI startup swallows up X social network in surprise deal
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance to merge with Aioi Nissay Dowa
Japan seeking securities disclosures before shareholders' meetings

WORLD

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a nuclear-powered submarine in Murmansk, Russia, on Thursday.
Trump threatens Russia oil penalties citing anger at Putin
By Skylar Woodhouse and Alex Longley
The U.S. president also raised the threat of bombing Iran until it signs a deal that renounces nuclear weapons.
A pagoda that was damaged after a strong earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, on Saturday.
A question in quake-wracked Myanmar: Does this augur the end of the junta?
By Hannah Beech
The earthquake, known to have killed at least 1,000 and probably many more than that, struck a day after Myanmar’s military regime celebrated the country’s 80th Armed Forces Day.
U.S. will not 'get' Greenland, island's new PM says
Trump threatens bombing if Iran does not make nuclear deal
By Doina Chiacu and David Ljunggren
German startup's space rocket explodes after takeoff from Norway
Massive quake is latest blow to Thai tourism hit by safety woes
By Pathom Sangwongwanich

Sports

Ilia Malinin celebrates after winning gold at the World Figure Skating Championships in Boston on Saturday.
Malinin retains world title as Kagiyama stumbles
With a dazzling performance, Malinin put the world on notice less than a year to go before the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Dodgers remain perfect on the back of powerful bats
Maeda goal tally for season hits 30 as Celtic bounces back against Hearts
'Special' to equal Ronaldo's Real Madrid goal record, says Mbappe
Yankees make MLB history with homers on first three pitches

Opinion

Palestinians take part in an anti-Hamas protest calling for an end to the war with Israel, in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday. 
Israel must not ignore the anti-Hamas protests in Gaza
Konstanty Gebert
Though still relatively small in scale, the anti-Hamas demonstrations in Gaza clearly indicate a shift in opinion.
Can the Jesus of history support the Christ of faith?
By Ross Douthat
In the EV race, China's BYD is leading the pack
Inside Turkey’s executive coup
By Umut Ozkırımlı
An Asian democracy collapse amid the new world order
By Joshua Kurlantzick

ENVIRONMENT

Fluffy, low-hanging clouds generally have a cooling influence. They are big and bright, blocking and bouncing back incoming sunlight.
Clouds changing as world warms, adding to climate uncertainty
By Nick Perry
Cloud behavior is notoriously complex to predict and remains a great unknown for scientists trying to accurately forecast future levels of climate change.
Trump can't stop 'sustainability revolution': Al Gore
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

CULTURE

A figurine of the character Link from the Nintendo video game series The Legend of Zelda is displayed inside the Nintendo Tokyo store in the Japanese capital in November 2019.
Nintendo announces Legend of Zelda film for 2027
Nintendo made the announcement on "Nintendo Today!", a new app for fans that was launched on Thursday.
Yuki Tejima's metamorphosis from bookworm to literary translator
By Kris Kosaka
Cherry blossom-themed art to see this weekend in Tokyo
By Zoria Petkoska
‘Ravens’: Tadanobu Asano plays troubled photographer with scapegrace charm
By Mark Schilling
‘Boy’: An ambitious portrait of alienated youth
By James Hadfield

LIFE

Hiroki Shimana pauses before entering a Shinjuku Ward apartment where the owner, a woman in her 80s, passed away alone. The door had been sealed with tape to prevent any odors from disturbing the neighbors.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan
By Johan Brooks
A growing industry quietly erases the final traces of those who die alone, exposing deep societal fractures.
The cold complexity of 'pure' Japanese cocktail ice
By Phoebe Amoroso
Feast your eyes on 'The Complete Illustrated Guide to Japanese Cooking'
By Simon Daly
Traveling the Three-Star Road, the tourist route made from thin air
By Owen Ziegler
'Better than real life': In China, virtual boyfriends are emotional aids
By Luna Lin

COMMUNITY

Shogo Yamaguchi shares his love of traditional Japanese culture with an audience of nearly 2 million YouTube subscribers.
Shogo Yamaguchi: ‘Traditional culture thrives in a peaceful society’
By Laura Pollacco
The Kyoto-based content creator shares travel tips and reminisces on the path that led him to where he is today.
How to navigate Japan’s e-commerce platforms and online flea markets
By Jessica Speed
A tawny Kai Ken discovers his courage
A community of stories: Making space for reflection and dialogue in Tokyo and beyond
By Megumi Koiwai
Edanoshin Katsura: ‘Rakugo and techno are both about rhythm and groove’
By Wakaba Oto

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.
CULTURE
Rise and shine with ‘The Wakey Show’
By Patrick St. Michel
“The Wakey Show” is NHK’s first new daily children’s program in three years, and it carries on the station’s storied past in youth-centric educational entertainment.
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.

Podcast

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

Longform

Hiroki Shimana pauses before entering a Shinjuku Ward apartment where the owner, a woman in her 80s, passed away alone. The door had been sealed with tape to prevent any odors from disturbing the neighbors.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan
By Johan Brooks

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Yamagata’s Zao Onsen Ski Resort is a classic beauty
Yamagata’s Zao Onsen Ski Resort is a classic beauty

WHAT’S TRENDING

JAPAN
Japan's biggest beef bowl chain Sukiya to shut nearly 2,000 stores after rat and bug contamination
Zensho Holdings, operator of fast-food chain Sukiya, said it will close all of its stores in Japan, except for a small number in shopping centers, between Monday and Friday following recent contamination incidents.
JAPAN
School-age suicides in Japan hit all-time high
By Jessica Speed
A volunteer handles an incoming call at the Tokyo Befrienders call center, a suicide hotline center in Japan's capital.
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.
JAPAN
In Tokyo, Pentagon chief provides assurances that Japan-U.S. alliance remains robust
By Jesse Johnson
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani (left) and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo ahead of their talks Sunday.
JAPAN
Alert raised for volcano in southwestern Japan
Shinmoedake, a volcano located between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, in November 2019