Home page

 
Menu
Search
 
Menu
Search
Tokyo Weather 4℃
TOKYO
February 22, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
February 22, 2025
Ukraine
Trade wars
AI
Latest News
Deep Dive
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in parliament on Friday
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
LDP and opposition lock horns over Japan budget
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Mindful of how much the ruling coalition needs their support, Nippon Ishin no Kai and the Democratic Party for the People are digging their heels in.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in parliament on Friday
Multinational victims of scam centers, who were allegedly trafficked into working in Myanmar and were sent to Thailand on Feb. 12 amid a mounting crackdown on scam centers operating along a porous border, queue to get food at a shelter in Tak province, Thailand, on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Japanese nationals returned from Myanmar as scam probe continues
By Yukana Inoue
The Japanese nationals are among hundreds of thousands of people who police say have been coerced into engaging in online scams.
Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky speaks during an interview at the Ukrainian Embassy in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
As Ukraine rift emerges, Kyiv's envoy says Japan must take on bigger global role
By Jesse Johnson and Gabriel Dominguez
The remarks by Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky came amid what appears to be a dramatic reversal in years of U.S. support for Ukraine since Russia's invasion.
Former death row inmate Iwao Hakamata (left) and his sister, Hideko, attend a gathering of his supporters after his acquittal in a retrial over a 1966 murder case was finalized in October last year.
JAPAN / Society
Over 80% of Japanese say death penalty system is 'unavoidable'
By Francis Tang
The Cabinet Office survey, which is conducted every five years, found that 16.5% of respondents believe the death penalty should be abolished.
Cat-related sweets sold by 7-Eleven in Tokyo. Employees of 7-Eleven have helped develop 23 types of cat-related products this year, compared with just five last year.
BUSINESS / Economy
Japan's Cat Day sees companies capitalize on 'a-meow-zing' economic boon
This year, products and services related to cats are estimated to generate ¥414.50 billion more than last year.
Cat-related sweets sold by 7-Eleven in Tokyo. Employees of 7-Eleven have helped develop 23 types of cat-related products this year, compared with just five last year.

JAPAN

Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture. As the flames move dangerously close to residential neighborhoods, officials from the city issued evacuation orders late Thursday.
Wildfire rages in Iwate as firefighters struggle to contain blaze
By Jessica Speed
No injuries or property damage from the wildfire have been reported so far.
A bear that appeared in the city of Sapporo in June 2021
Japan to approve shooting of wild bears that wander into town
After the amended law is enacted, brown and black bears will be designated as "dangerous animals" along with wild boars under a government ordinance.
Special website created 30 years after Tokyo subway sarin attack
Japan's Prince Hisahito to hold first news conference on March 3
War book for students gaining attention in Japan
Japanese panel seeks to tighten screening of new universities

BUSINESS

Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks to reporters on Thursday in Tokyo.
Japan yields fall as Ueda warns BOJ can step in to smooth market
By Toru Fujioka
Bond yields fell and the yen weakened following Ueda’s comments.
People shop in a supermarket as inflation affected consumer prices in Manhattan, New York City, in June 2022.
'Stagflation' fears haunt U.S. markets despite Trump's pro-growth agenda
By Suzanne McGee and Davide Barbuscia
The dreaded scenario has crept back as a key risk for investors in recent weeks.
Japan reportedly to court Tesla on Nissan investment
Japan’s inflation speeds up, keeping BOJ on rate hike path
By Toru Fujioka
Luxury cruise ship Asuka III to enter into service in July
Japan's domestic paper shipments hit 39-year low in 2024

WORLD

A marketplace amid the rubble in Jabaliya, in northern Gaza, on Feb. 13.
Arab leaders scramble to counter Trump’s Gaza plans
By Ismaeel Naar
The meeting in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, is in preparation for a broader Arab League summit in Egypt on March 4.
Lo Kin-hei (center), chairman of Hong Kong's Democratic Party, along with other senior leaders, announced Thursday that it will start preparations to wind down operations.
Hong Kong's oldest pro-democracy party prepares to shut down
The Democratic Party's fortunes declined after Beijing tightened its grip and imposed a national security law.
Multiple bus explosions in Israel put country on terrorism alert
By Ephrat Livni
White House says FDA memo banning 'woman' and 'disabled' made in error
By Rachael Levy
Underage social media users show large Australian breaches
By Angus Whitley
Trump tightens grip on independent agencies, testing limits of presidential power
By Trevor Hunnicutt, Tom Hals and Jody Godoy

Sports

Swallows mascot Tsubakuro performs during a game at Jingu Stadium in June 2023.
Swallows employee who portrayed popular mascot Tsubakuro dies
By Jason Coskrey
Tsubakuro became a ubiquitous presence at Jingu Stadium after his debut in 1994.
Canada beats U.S. to win 4 Nations tournament filled with political tension
Victor Wembanyama expected to miss remainder of regular season with blood clot
Mina Tanaka scores twice as Japan crushes Australia in SheBelieves Cup opener
WTA stars express concern after Emma Raducanu's incident with 'fixated' fan

Opinion

Many Japanese companies like Toto have quietly shifted from consumer-facing products like toilets to specialized, high-value industries such as semiconductor materials, proving that Japan's innovation remains strong despite its lower global visibility.
Japan’s toilet jokes are on you. Innovation is flourishing.
Gearoid Reidy
One of the most surprising stories in corporate Japan in recent months has been the emergence of semiconductor materials as a significant profit driver at Toto.
What Trump’s return could mean for Afghanistan
By Sadiq Amini
America's allies get a rude awakening
What is Trump’s foreign policy strategy, if there is one?
By Kuni Miyake
The new face of global protests
By Slavoj Zizek

ENVIRONMENT

The Chip Mong Insee cement factory in Kampot province, Cambodia, on Jan. 9. An investigation has shown that the plastic credits sector relies heavily on the polluting cement industry to burn collected waste, despite concerns about health risks and carbon emissions.
'What would you have us do?': The plastic credits problem
By Sara Hussein
Credits place no obligations on buyers to stop producing or using unrecyclable plastic that ends up in the environment.
Shipyards of Bangladesh brace as heavy emitting ships near end of life
By Md. Tahmid Zami
Sky not the only limit for JAL and ANA’s climate goals
By Chris Russell
NOAA told to make list of climate-related grants, setting off fears
By Christopher Flavelle, Austyn Gaffney and Raymond Zhong
It’s ‘virtually certain’ the world has already breached 1.5 C
By Kendra Pierre-Louis

CULTURE

Yamanote Jijosha has a long history of staging Shakespeare plays, and in celebration of its 40th anniversary, the company will present “Othello” and “Macbeth.” Previously, it toured productions like “Titus Andronicus,” which premiered in Tokyo in 1999, saw multiple revivals and had a homecoming in 2015.
Directing is never a monologue at the experimental Yamanote Jijosha theater company
By Kris Kosaka
To mark its four decades of existence, the company stages two Shakespearean tragedies for a triumph.
Fuji Rock’s biggest lineup surprise? The debut of Tatsuro Yamashita.
By Patrick St. Michel
‘Hypnosismic — Division Rap Battle — Movie' lets viewers remix the narrative
By Matt Schley
South Korean blockbuster 'Joint Security Area' strikes a chord 25 years on
By Claire Lee
‘Offline Love’ ditches digital dating and puts old-school romance to the test
By Patrick St. Michel

LIFE

The poet and essayist Kamo no Chomei wrote “Hojoki” in 1212 after bearing witness to a series of natural and man-made disasters. His experiences caused him to withdraw into a hermetic lifestyle.
Attempting the classics: Deciphering impermanence in ‘Hojoki’
By Eric Margolis
With modern-day aids, this 13th-century piece of text isn't as challenging as you may think.
Fresh off awards, Japanese cheese seeks a taste ‘unique to this land’
By Phoebe Amoroso
Chewing on race, culture and 'okonomiyaki' quesadillas
By Simon Daly
Cut and dried daikon: A time-tested frugal treat
By Makiko Itoh
Alpha Takahashi: ‘The world of video games was tied to my upbringing’
By Samantha Low

COMMUNITY

Mike Sunda at a concert in Haikou, China
Mike Sunda: ‘Creative production comes with a bigger responsibility than ever before’
By Mike Fu
Creative strategist Mike Sunda talks about his influences and the filming of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Mamushi” music video.
Black History Month in 2025: The boundaries between 'us' and 'them'
By Baye McNeil
John Davis: ‘At its core, indie is about creative freedom’
By Gendel Gento
Home away from home: My first time at a Tet festival in Japan
By Nguyen Bao Anh
Ken Rodgers, a fixture of the Kyoto literary scene, dies at 72
By Eric Johnston

Editors' Picks

CULTURE
Japan release of Shiori Ito's documentary in limbo
By Yukana Inoue
Shiori Ito, who won a civil suit over a rape case against a TV reporter, in 2018. Her former lawyers claim her documentary includes footage used without the consent of sources.
MORE SPORTS
Abdul Hakim Sani Brown ready to sprint past Paris disappointment
By Mai Yoshikawa
Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (center) runs during a 100-meter heat at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 3, 2024.
SUMO
What is the ceiling for sumo’s newest yokozuna?
By John Gunning
Newly promoted grand champion Hoshoryu (center) performs a dedication ceremony at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo on Jan. 31.
CULTURE
‘Yasuko, Songs of Days Past’ puts overlooked star in the spotlight
By Mark Schilling
“Yasuko, Songs of Days Past” centers on a real-life love triangle between poet Chuya Nakahara (Taisei Kido, left), actor Yasuko Hasegawa (Suzu Hirose, center) and literary critic Hideo Kobayashi (Masaki Okada).
COMMENTARY
Japan’s English-language education doesn’t pass the test
By Yuko Tamura
One-third of elementary school students in Japan do not like learning English, according to a 2021 poll, an 8% rise since 2013. The pressure of taking proficiency tests is eroding children's engagement with studying English and its benefits.

Podcast

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

Longform

Tokyo Koon stands at the forefront of tackling the so-called 2025 issue, also known as the “Magnetic Tape Alert.”
The race to save 20th-century history
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.14 : Unicharm Corp.Unicharm recycles diapers back into diapers
mission sustainability vol.14 : Unicharm Corp.Unicharm recycles diapers back into diapers

WHAT’S TRENDING

BUSINESS
Yen advances past ¥150 per dollar as BOJ rate-hike bets ramp up
By Mia Glass and Vassilis Karamanis
The Japanese currency climbed as much as 1% to ¥149.95 against the dollar on Thursday, a level it hasn’t touched since Dec. 9.
CULTURE
Japan release of Shiori Ito's documentary in limbo
By Yukana Inoue
Shiori Ito, who won a civil suit over a rape case against a TV reporter, in 2018. Her former lawyers claim her documentary includes footage used without the consent of sources.
BUSINESS
Record percentage of Japanese firms plan wage hikes, survey shows
By Erica Yokoyama
Some 61.9% of over 11,000 surveyed companies intend to pledge pay increases as part of annual wage negotiations culminating in March, according to a survey by Teikoku Databank.
BUSINESS
Japan’s inflation speeds up, keeping BOJ on rate hike path
By Toru Fujioka
A customer visits a store along the Togoshi Ginza shopping street in Tokyo on Jan. 23. Rising fresh food prices contributed to the acceleration in overall inflation in January, as vegetable prices, including cabbage, soared.
BASKETBALL
Victor Wembanyama expected to miss remainder of regular season with blood clot
Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (right) is expected to miss the rest of the NBA season, the team announced on Thursday.