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April 24, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
April 24, 2025
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Ukrainian service members fire a multiple rocket launch system toward Russian troops near the frontline town of Pokrovsk, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on April 19.
WORLD / Politics
Trump ramps up pressure on Zelenskyy to accept peace deal
By Alex Wickham, Alberto Nardelli and Daryna Krasnolutska
U.S. President Donald Trump ratcheted up pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept a peace deal that critics fear will favor Moscow.
Ukrainian service members fire a multiple rocket launch system toward Russian troops near the frontline town of Pokrovsk, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on April 19.
Japan is planning to implement by March 2029 a new online screening system in which foreign visitors who don’t need a visa apply for a certification before entering the country.
JAPAN
Japan brings forward deadline for electronic travel authorization system
By Yukana Inoue
In fiscal 2028, Japan aims to introduce the system for certifying foreign visitors who don't need a visa ahead of their arrival in the country.
An Apple store in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward in September. Prices for the newest iPhone models start at around ¥100,000 ($700) in Japan.
BUSINESS / Companies
Amid uncertain tariffs, is now the time to buy a new iPhone?
By Elizabeth Beattie
The tariffs add another layer of uncertainty for consumers already hesitating due to the yen's weakness and inflation.
Pope Francis' body is carried in a coffin to Saint Peter's Basilica, on the day of its translation, at the Vatican, on Wednesday.
WORLD
Thousands honor Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica
By Crispian Balmer and Joshua McElwee
Mourners flood the Vatican to bid farewell to the late Pope Francis, whose funeral will be held Saturday, with world leaders set to attend.
Wrestlers at a Yokozuna Deliberation Council practice in 2016. Although banzuke ranking positions aren’t at stake, the fact that the practice is so close to a real tournament ensures that most rikishi give it their all.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
More than just training: Sumo's open practices are intense — and entertaining
By John Gunning
The Yokozuna Deliberation Council practice is a rare — and, when open to the public, free — chance to see sumo's top wrestlers battle it out in the final days before a basho.
Wrestlers at a Yokozuna Deliberation Council practice in 2016. Although banzuke ranking positions aren’t at stake, the fact that the practice is so close to a real tournament ensures that most rikishi give it their all.

JAPAN

Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura says he hopes the prefecture's new rule prohibiting older people from using ATMs while talking on phones becomes widely known and eventually accepted as common sense.
Osaka to ban older people from using ATMs while on the phone to help stop scams
While the ban does not include penalties, the Osaka prefectural government hopes to build public consensus to help prevent scams.
A bereaved family member prays at a port in Shari, Hokkaido, to mourn the victims of the Kazu I boat sinking on its third anniversary on Wednesday.
Hokkaido fisher to hold memorial service for tour boat accident victims
Sakurai instantly decided to organize the offshore memorial service when he saw photos recovered from a 34-year-old Kazu I passenger's digital camera.
Improper alcohol and health checks on drivers found at 75% of Japan Post offices
Final H-IIA rocket to be launched in June
High levels of PFAS found in blood of Osaka factory workers
Japan plans to send foreign minister to pope's funeral

BUSINESS

New vehicles for sale at a Toyota dealership in El Centro, California. Toyota is planning to spend $88 million at an engine factory in West Virginia to widen its manufacturing footprint in the United States.
Toyota to invest ¥12.5 billion in West Virginia plant amid Trump tariff push
By Chester Dawson
The spending will secure the continued employment of some 2,000 workers at the factory, but a spokesman said it won’t result in any new jobs.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he is seeking a "fair deal with China."
Trump seeks 'fair deal' with China but pathway unclear
By Beiyi Seow
Trump told reporters his country would have a "fair deal with China," adding that "everything's active" when asked if Washington was talking to Beijing.
Regional lenders Daishi Hokuetsu, Gunma Bank agree to consolidate
By Taiga Uranaka
Japanese carmakers’ U.S. sales surge ahead of Trump tariffs
By Nicholas Takahashi
KDDI aims to use direct satellite link for drones
Steelmakers already short-staffed as Trump pushes for U.S. factory revival
By Timothy Aeppel

WORLD

South Korean prosecutors have indicted former President Moon Jae-in for alleged corruption.
South Korea prosecutors indict ex-president Moon Jae-in for corruption
By Kang Jin-kyu
The case is related to the appointment of his former son-in-law at a Thai airline.
A tourist sits on the banks of Dal Lake with her belongings as she waits for transport to leave for Srinagar airport, following a suspected militant attack near south Kashmir’s scenic Pahalgam, on Wednesday.
Kashmir killings shatter Modi's tourism success in troubled region
By Fayaz Bukhari and Krishna N. Das
Tuesday's attack by suspected militants has left panicked tourists seeking an early exit at the start of the busy summer season.
Who will be the next pope? Some hints to watch for
By Joshua McElwee
Trump's Cabinet ready to take back power with Musk stepping back, sources say
By Nandita Bose and Alexandra Alper
India downgrades ties with Pakistan after attack on Kashmir tourists kills 26
By Fayaz Bukhari, Sakshi Dayal and YP Rajesh
Vietnam village starts over with climate defenses after landslide
By Tran Thi Minh Ha and Lam Nguyen

Sports

Panathinaikos BC celebrates after winning the Euroleague title in Berlin on May, 26, 2024.
Euroleague CEO pushes back as NBA ponders new league in Europe
Motiejunas said the Euroleague is staunchly opposed to a new operator in the region.
Titans expected to take QB Cam Ward with top pick of NFL draft
Australians eye NFL draft in hopes of finding next Jordan Mailata
Celtics beat Magic in physical battle in Game 2
Norwegian athletes advised to avoid meat in China over doping fears

Opinion

Canada’s April 28 election presents a stark choice between globalist technocrat Mark Carney (right) and populist veteran Pierre Poilievre, with the outcome likely to shape not only domestic renewal but the country’s relevance in the world.
Will Canada find its path again after the election?
Stephen R. Nagy
This election has effectively become a binary choice between Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre and the unelected Prime Minister Mark Carney of the Liberal Party.
China’s catch-22: Rapid growth with tight social control
By Naoko Eto
Don't let governments break encryption
By Jessica Dickinson Goodman and Passeron Kitroser
The next pope will help decide the planet’s fate
By Mark Gongloff
All hail the rise of the humanoid robots
By Brad Glosserman

ENVIRONMENT

A photo taken from a Norwegian surveillance aircraft shows Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in international waters off the coast of Norway in October 2016.
Global warming is a security threat and armies must adapt, experts say
Defense departments have already underscored that a warming planet poses major national security challenges, and militaries need to adapt to respond to these evolving threats.
Indonesia food plan risks 'world's largest' deforestation
By Marchio Gorbiano and Sara Hussein
Tentative tree planting 'decades overdue' in sweltering Athens
By John HADOULIS
Big bets on speculative carbon capture tech ignore today’s solutions
By Michelle Ma and Dave Merrill
Clean streets versus business woes: Pollution charge divides Londoners
By Akshata Kapoor

CULTURE

An immature college student (Riku Hagiwara, left) is caught in the middle of a love triangle in “She Taught Me Serendipity.”
‘She Taught Me Serendipity’: A quiet reminder not to take people for granted
By Mark Schilling
While Akiko Ohku’s latest seems like a rom-com on its surface, the ensemble piece delves deeper into the importance of appreciating loved ones while you can.
Thumbelina's bedtime is before 8. Her exhibition runs till 5 a.m.
By Tomohiro Osaki
The floor is art: Takuro Tamayama transforms mundanity
By Kim Kahan
Japan wanted a cultural do-over. Ado gave it one.
By Patrick St. Michel
Kyotographie 2025 opts for laughter and levity in the face of global strife
By Thu-Huong Ha

LIFE

Kengo Kuma & Associates oversaw the construction of the Malaysia pavilion, which is encased in interwoven rows of bamboo that appear to ripple.
Built in a flash, Osaka Expo pavilions wrestle with sustainability
By Thu-Huong Ha
Architects of country pavilions speak on the challenges that shaped their design choices.
Craft Sake Week is back with its usual brand of cool
By Weiwen Lin
Thumbprint cookies with a tangy Japanese filling
By Simon Daly
Japan’s first Waldorf Astoria brings art deco luxury to Osaka
By Tan Pin Yen
Calling all Potterheads: ‘The Goblet of Fire’ comes to Tokyo
By Gendel Gento

COMMUNITY

Customers line up patiently for some early-afternoon baked goods outside Truffle, which is located close to Hiroo Station on the Hibiya Line.
How to spend the perfect day in Hiroo, Tokyo’s expat enclave
By Eric Margolis
A stroll through Hiroo reveals both the comforts of expat luxury and the quiet intrusions of a changing Tokyo.
Noriko Shakti: ‘Music reflects my journey and learnings’
By Miikka J. Lehtonen
Tokyo Humanities Cafe feeds hungry minds
By Jessica Kozuka
Montessori head educates Tokyo’s children for life
By Louise George Kittaka
How to navigate Japan’s e-commerce platforms and online flea markets
By Jessica Speed

Editors' Picks

BUSINESS
Japan weighs using U.S. rice imports as tariff negotiation tool with Trump
By Yukana Inoue
A restaurant owner pours California-grown Calrose rice into a rice cooker at his restaurant in Tokyo
JAPAN
Is Japan’s parliament ready to welcome more youth to its ranks?
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Lower House lawmaker Kai Odake in his Tokyo office on Wednesday
LIFE
Crow meat, goat tartare: Mauvaise Herbe raises its game
By Andrew Lee
Crow meat, shaped into a ball and attached to a foot of the bird, is one of the peculiar offerings of game at Mauvaise Herbe.
JAPAN
Cases of epidural use in labor rise in Japan alongside concerns
By Yukana Inoue
Of the 721,000 childbirths reported in 2024 in Japan, 13.8% involved the use of an epidural, according to the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
BASEBALL
Nothing sells like Shohei Ohtani, MLB’s marketing megastar
By Mai Yoshikawa
People walk past an advertisement featuring Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani outside Tokyo Dome on March 18.

Podcast

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

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.
By Tomoko Otake

JT Directory Service

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after
Smile! It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after

WHAT’S TRENDING

BUSINESS
Yen on the march as Plaza Accord 2.0 debate grows
By Kazuaki Nagata
The yen strengthened dramatically this month — hitting ¥139.9 to the dollar on Tuesday — and could become a topic of conversation in trade talks between the United States and Japan.
JAPAN
Social media helps fuel growing 'sex tourism' in Japan
By Caroline Gardin
People walk down a street in the red-light entertainment area of Kabukicho in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo on March 31.
BUSINESS
Japan must correct Trump’s false data for trade talks, says Kono
By Shery Ahn and Sakura Murakami
Former Foreign Minister Taro Kono
JAPAN
Jetstar Japan fined for failing to provide adequate cabin crew breaks
By Karin Kaneko
The logo of Jetstar Airways on an aircraft parked outside a maintenance hangar in Melbourne, Australia, on Feb. 27.
BUSINESS
Japan weighs using U.S. rice imports as tariff negotiation tool with Trump
By Yukana Inoue
A restaurant owner pours California-grown Calrose rice into a rice cooker at his restaurant in Tokyo