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April 22, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
April 22, 2025
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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.
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Yen on the march as Plaza Accord 2.0 debate grows
By Kazuaki Nagata
The U.S. has claimed that Japan's currency is undervalued, with some in the administration of President Donald Trump calling for a Plaza Accord 2.0.

More coverage

Tokyo insists defense issues and tariff talks must remain separate
Speculative traders boost bullish yen bets to a record on tariffs
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.
Pope Francis waves to the crowd during his trip to Nagasaki Prefecture in November 2019.
JAPAN / Society
Japan joins world in mourning death of Pope Francis
By Francis Tang
Leaders commended the pontiff’s lifelong efforts in delivering the message of peace, which included a trip to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba receives a gift from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the start of their meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Monday.
BUSINESS / Tech
Nvidia CEO urges LDP to build up Japan’s AI infrastructure
By Himari Semans
Japan has pledged to increase government and corporate funding in AI to over ¥50 trillion ($350 billion) in the next 10 years.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi walks as he receives U.S. Vice President JD Vance, his wife, Usha Vance, along with their children, before Vance and Modi's meeting in New Delhi on Monday.
BUSINESS / Economy / ANALYSIS
As U.S. VP visits India, all eyes on New Delhi’s tariff strategy
By Gabriel Dominguez
Experts warn that India’s response — even if successful — might not offer a blueprint for others since each has a unique relationship with the U.S.
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.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Cases of epidural use in labor rise in Japan alongside concerns
By Yukana Inoue
More demand for epidurals may place a strain on the nation's anesthesiologists, who are already facing staffing shortages.
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.

JAPAN

The logo of Jetstar Airways on an aircraft parked outside a maintenance hangar in Melbourne, Australia, on Feb. 27.
Jetstar Japan fined for failing to provide adequate cabin crew breaks
By Karin Kaneko
This is the first time a ruling has been handed down in Japan regarding flight attendants' rest time, according to the plaintiffs.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during a government meeting on crime prevention measures at the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday.
In fight against fraud, Japan seeks new weapon: undercover bank accounts
By Yukana Inoue
The government is looking to allow the police to set up bank accounts under false names to track the movement of funds obtained by fraudsters.
Ishiba to launch program to cut gasoline prices by ¥10
Imperial couple hosts spring garden party
Tokyo police arrest three believed to have been laundering money for 'Luffy'
Japan's SDF ends disaster relief operations in Myanmar

BUSINESS

Takeshi Niinami, chairman and CEO of Suntory, says U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs are "really killing the appetite from the world” for investment in the U.S.
Trump tariffs are killing investment appetite, Suntory CEO says
President Trump’s efforts to reshape international trade have led to wild swings in global markets and raised concerns the U.S. economy could enter a recession.
In the 12 months to March 31, the average price of new condominiums in Tokyo's 23 wards rose 11.2% year on year to ¥116.32 million ($824,500), hitting a record high for the fourth consecutive year.
Central Tokyo condo price tops ¥100 million for second straight year
Prices averaged ¥116.32 million ($824,500) in fiscal 2024, up 11.2% from the previous year.
Toyota and Daimler near merger of truck units, report says
Japan's Finance Ministry maintains economic view while warning of risk
Sumitomo and SBI Holdings to take stakes in Vietnam’s FPT AI unit
By Nguyen Xuan Quynh
U.K. AI startup Wayve makes Japan debut after Nissan partnership
By Nicholas Takahashi

WORLD

China had accounted for the biggest international student body in the U.S. for 15 years until it was overtaken by India last year.
Trump visa cuts and tariff hikes turn Chinese students away from American Dream
By Liz Lee and Larissa Liao
A growing number of Chinese students are exploring other destinations.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to reporters during the 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Monday.
'Disruptor' Hegseth's unsettled Pentagon starts turning against him
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali
U.S. defense chief Pete Hegseth accused former advisers of turning against him following news he texted sensitive U.S. military plans to his wife, brother, attorney and others.
Trump helps inflame anti-LGBTQ+ feeling from Hungary to Romania
By Ani SANDU, Geza MOLNAR and Petra VRABLICOVA
China ramps up charm offensive toward Taiwan alongside pressure, study shows
By Yimou Lee
Always 'the enemy' — Trump steps up media assault in first 100 days
By Andrea BAMBINO
Trump's threats shift Quebec's views on independence ahead of Canada vote
By Marion Thibaut

Sports

St. James' Park, home of Newcastle United, stands in the center of Newcastle, England — neither hidden away on a retail park nor tucked into a neighborhood, fenced in by neat rows of red brick terraced houses.
A soccer field can be sacred
By Rory Smith
For many, the pitch is anticipation and thrill and hope, but it is also familiarity, and comfort, and belonging.
He revolutionized bats not with a new shape but a new kind of wood
By Zack Meisel
The NBA looks set to embrace the AI revolution
By Thomas URBAIN
Biles 'not so sure' about competing at Los Angeles Olympics
'I don't miss tennis,' says Nadal

Opinion

Members of the clergy celebrate Mass in memory of Pope Francis, following the death of the pontiff, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, in La Paz, Bolivia, on Monday.
A conclave to test Pope Francis’ legacy
Howard Chua-Eoan
Francis unraveled many knots after his elevation in March 2013, leaving the question of whether he did enough to secure his legacy now that he’s passed.
All hail the rise of the humanoid robots
By Brad Glosserman
Google’s money-printing machine can be easily dismantled
By Dave Lee
The ambiguity of Japan’s message on nuclear weapons
By Ellis S. Krauss
Did I fall victim to Japan’s stealth productivity killer?
By Gearoid Reidy

ENVIRONMENT

The Northern Lights Carbon Capture and Storage facility in Bergen, Norway.
Big bets on speculative carbon capture tech ignore today’s solutions
By Michelle Ma and Dave Merrill
Companies from Occidental Petroleum to Microsoft are among the investors throwing billions at carbon capture startups.
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
Clean streets versus business woes: Pollution charge divides Londoners
By Akshata Kapoor
AI surge to double data center electricity demand by 2030, report says
By Nathalie ALONSO

CULTURE

Takuro Tamayama’s sculpture “Models (Pair, 6 sets, 12 rings)” comes with a mathematical formation that scales it for different spaces.
The floor is art: Takuro Tamayama transforms mundanity
By Kim Kahan
With “Takuro Tamayama: Floor,” the artist, at 34, has become the youngest person to ever hold a solo show at the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
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
Actor Hiroyuki Sanada among Time's 100 most influential people
‘Ya Boy Kongming! The Movie’: J-pop spectacle goes heavy on performances
By Mark Schilling

LIFE

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.
Crow meat, goat tartare: Mauvaise Herbe raises its game
By Andrew Lee
Taking an unconventional approach to sourcing, chef Keiji Ojima is out to showcase the little-known wild flavors of Okinawa in his French-inspired Okinawan fare.
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
Voicing intentions and a peek into a traditional Japanese engagement ceremony
By Yaeko Kabe
Dior shows fall fashion collection in gardens of ancient Kyoto temple
By Irene Wang

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

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
CULTURE
The floor is art: Takuro Tamayama transforms mundanity
By Kim Kahan
Takuro Tamayama’s sculpture “Models (Pair, 6 sets, 12 rings)” comes with a mathematical formation that scales it for different spaces.
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.
LIFE
Calling all Potterheads: ‘The Goblet of Fire’ comes to Tokyo
By Gendel Gento
The Tokyo version of the globe-trotting exhibition features a Ministry of Magic set, which includes an imposing replica of the Magic Is Might monument representing magical fascism.
BUSINESS
Tokyo stock picker advises Trump-proofing portfolios with Godzilla creator Toho
By Kazuaki Nagata
The head of Godzilla, a Japanese monster movie character, is seen on a building of Toho Cinema in Tokyo. Toho is one tariff-defensive stock being recommended by brokers.

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

BOARDING & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL DAY 2025 (Sunday, April 20)
BOARDING & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL DAY 2025 (Sunday, April 20)

WHAT’S TRENDING

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.
WORLD
Pope Francis, radical leader who broke the papal mold, dies at 88
Pope Francis blesses the faithful during the weekly general audience at the Vatican in August 2023.
BUSINESS
Japan mulls reviewing car safety rules to strike deal with Trump
By Hideyuki Sano
Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's Economic Revitalization Minister and top tariff negotiator with the U.S., speaks to the press upon his arrival at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on Friday.
BUSINESS
Japan tariff negotiator rules out quick U.S. deal despite push by Trump
Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's top tariff negotiator with the U.S., speaks to reporters upon his arrival at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Friday, a day after talks in Washington.
BASEBALL
Shohei Ohtani announces birth of daughter
By Jason Coskrey
Shohei Ohtani and his wife Mamiko Tanaka attend a Lakers game in Los Angeles on Dec. 8, 2024.