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February 26, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
February 26, 2025
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (far right), Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (second from right), Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics (left) and Finland President Alexander Stubb (second from left) gather on the day of a news conference after the Support Ukraine summit, marking the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, in Kyiv on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
European leaders in Kyiv to mark three years of war, but top U.S. officials stay away
By Tom Balmforth, Max Hunder and Yuliia Dysa
Trump's rush to end the war has stoked fears of an undermined Kyiv and an altered geopolitical landscape.

More coverage

Japan urges G7 to avoid 'wrong lessons' in Ukraine peace process
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (far right), Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (second from right), Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics (left) and Finland President Alexander Stubb (second from left) gather on the day of a news conference after the Support Ukraine summit, marking the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, in Kyiv on Monday.
Nippon Ishin no Kai co-leader Seiji Maehara speaks at the party's executive meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Ruling coalition clinches budget deal with Nippon Ishin
By Himari Semans and Gabriele Ninivaggi
The agreement is expected to lead to an increase in government spending on public and private education from April.
Kusatsu Onsen resort, a popular tourist destination in Gunma Prefecture, on Dec. 26, 2022
JAPAN / Society
Gunma ranks top among city dwellers eyeing countryside, survey shows
By Francis Tang
Respondents picked the prefecture for its child-friendly environment, rich natural surroundings and proximity to the Tokyo metropolitan area.
The weak yen is often cited as one reason why many Japanese don't go abroad.
JAPAN / Society
Only 17% of Japanese people own passports, Foreign Ministry says
By Yukana Inoue
Around 3.7 million passports were issued domestically in 2024, a 8.8% increase from the year before but down 15.2% from prepandemic numbers in 2019.
Amid rising global defense spending, U.S. President Donald Trump's push for 5% of GDP on military budgets poses a challenge for American allies, including Japan, which is already struggling to meet its 2% target.
COMMENTARY / Japan
U.S. defense spending demands could transform global security
Brad Glosserman
The level of spending the U.S. is demanding could spark an arms race as adversaries try to match NATO and America's Asian allies.
Amid rising global defense spending, U.S. President Donald Trump's push for 5% of GDP on military budgets poses a challenge for American allies, including Japan, which is already struggling to meet its 2% target.

JAPAN

Visitors line up to take photos in front of a convenience store with Mount Fuji in the background at the town of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, on Jan. 29.
Japan’s ‘hidden gems’ overwhelmed as social media drives influx of tourists
Local stakeholders struggle to cope with the surge in visitor numbers whenever a location suddenly goes viral.
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition said that the same-day tickets for the Osaka Expo will be sold every day in front of the entrance gate.
Same-day tickets to be introduced for Osaka Expo: Ishiba
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition said that the same-day tickets will be sold every day in front of the entrance gate.
14 years later, fight to preserve ruins of 3/11 continues
Japan's FTC to advise Bic Camera not to underpay subcontractors
Ex-Japan envoy concerned over Trump's foreign aid cuts
DPP's Tamaki meets Taiwanese President Lai

BUSINESS

The Chinese embrace of DeepSeek comes as governments from South Korea to Italy remove the Chiense AI from national app stores, citing privacy concerns.
DeepSeek rushes to launch new AI model as China goes all in
By Eduardo Baptista, Julie Zhu and Fanny Potkin
Deepseek had planned to release R2 in early May but now wants it out as early as possible.
Daiwa Securities has stationed "inheritance consultants" at its headquarters and all branch offices to advise clients on inheritance tax planning and the importance of having a will.
Japan's traditional brokers shift focus to inheritance business
As the population ages, a growing number of individuals are concerned about end-of-life planning.
Suzuki Motor unit opens first new India plant in eight years
By Alisha Sachdev
South Korea political turmoil pushes companies to take tariff matters into their own hands
By Hyunjoo Jin
Nippon Steel sticks with U.S. Steel takeover after investment call
By Shoko Oda
ANA to buy at least 77 jets from Boeing, Airbus and Embraer
By Danny Lee, Siddharth Philip and Julie Johnsson

WORLD

U.S. President Donald Trump's officials recently met with their Japanese and Dutch counterparts about restricting Tokyo Electron and ASML engineers from maintaining semiconductor gear in China, according to people familiar with the matter.
Trump team seeks to toughen Biden’s chip controls over China
By Mackenzie Hawkins, Cagan Koc and Jenny Leonard
The move is an early indication the new U.S. president plans to expand efforts that began under Joe Biden to limit Beijing’s technological prowess.
A woman fits her wedding dress at a bridal shop in Luliang, northern China's Shanxi province, on Feb. 11.
China adviser pushes to lower legal marriage age to 18 to boost birthrate
The comments comments come ahead of China’s annual parliamentary meeting, where officials are expected to announce measures to offset the country's declining population.
Taiwan detains Chinese-crewed ship after subsea cable cut
By Amber Wang
Macron and Trump rekindle Le Bromance with a touch of tension
By Danny Kemp
What happens next in South Korea as Yoon's impeachment trial wraps up?
By Hieun SHIN
'All eyes on Arctic' as Canada boosts its northern force
By Marion Thibaut

Sports

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton at a Formula One launch event in London on Feb. 18
Hamilton’s move to Ferrari opens new possibilities
By Luke Smith
The driver is hopeful that an eighth world championship will be within his sights once again.
Japan seeks answers after Asia Rugby suspends vice president
Australia mulls Asian Cup as Central Asian nations launch joint bid
By Ian Ransom
Tanaka scores in Leeds' late-show win over Sheffield United
Dominant Ducati enters MotoGP with two former champions

Opinion

While Osaka’s 2025 World Expo may strengthen Japan’s global ties through diplomatic engagements, its success will depend on fostering long-term innovation, economic cooperation and international collaboration beyond visitor numbers.
Will Expo 2025 in Osaka be a success?
Maximilien Xavier Rehm
Osaka has hosted the Expo twice before, in 1970 and 1990, with the 1970 affair in particular occupying a special place in many local residents’ hearts.
Ukraine is just a pawn in a Russian reset
By Marc Champion
Germany needs an economic miracle. Merz's odds don’t look good.
By Chris Bryant
Men, media and MAGA deepen South Korea’s split
By Abhishek Sharma
The age of multipolarization
By Tobias Bunde and Sophie Eisentraut

ENVIRONMENT

Asian seabass are bred at the Songkhla Coastal Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Research and Development Center in southern Thailand.
Japan looks to save seafood and seaweed farming from warming oceans
By Joel Tansey
Projects at home and in Thailand are seeking to address challenges stemming from climate change as well as sustainability concerns.
Trump creates uncertainty for world’s most cited climate report
By Eric Roston and Sheryl Tian Tong Lee
Nations at odds over major U.N. climate science report
By Kelly Macnamara
'What would you have us do?': The plastic credits problem
By Sara Hussein
Shipyards of Bangladesh brace as heavy emitting ships near end of life
By Md. Tahmid Zami

CULTURE

From her early love for "Cardcaptor Sakura" and "YuYu Hakusho" to her rise on "RuPaul’s Drag Race," Rock M. Sakura’s anime inspirations are central to her drag persona.
When anime meets drag: The manga-inspired world of Rock M. Sakura
By Kat Joplin
A drag queen who merges manga, anime and queer culture, Rock M. Sakura's persona resonates deeply with fans worldwide.
Vatican thriller 'Conclave' wins top prize in SAG Awards upset
By Andrew Marszal
Japanese movies win accolades at Berlin International Film Festival
'A Hundred Years and a Day': Short stories unfold through the lives of structures and spaces
By Thu-Huong Ha
Fuji Rock’s biggest lineup surprise? The debut of Tatsuro Yamashita.
By Patrick St. Michel

LIFE

Tokoro Ruins Museum Director Yuuki Nakamura says that 'most Japanese people don’t know' the history of the Okhotsk culture, but he and others are betting that travelers might be intrigued enough to visit and find out more.
Bear skulls and pit dwellings: Hokkaido aims to sell ancient history
By Justin Randall
The Okhostk culture thrived in northern Hokkaido from the fifth to ninth centuries and may have provided the Ainu with some of their best-known rituals.
Cold with a chance of kimchi meatballs
By Simon Daly
Shimane and Tottori to bewitch tourists with supernatural charms
By Zoria Petkoska
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

COMMUNITY

David Moreton, a former professor at Tokushima University, originally came to Japan as a missionary in 1988. He is now one of the world’s foremost experts on the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage.
How a Canadian missionary found spiritual transformation in Shikoku
By Suzanne Kamata
David Moreton has devoted decades to researching southern Japan’s famed 88-temple pilgrimage, established by influential monk Kobo Daishi.
Mike Sunda: ‘Creative production comes with a bigger responsibility than ever before’
By Mike Fu
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

Editors' Picks

ENVIRONMENT
Japan looks to save seafood and seaweed farming from warming oceans
By Joel Tansey
Asian seabass are bred at the Songkhla Coastal Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Research and Development Center in southern Thailand.
LIFE
Japan struggles to fend off a world without enough matcha
By Cat Kerr
Once a boon to tea farmers' bottom lines, the global matcha craze is now pushing producers and distributors to their limits with few options to adequately meet demand.
JAPAN
As Ukraine rift emerges, Kyiv's envoy says Japan must take on bigger global role
By Jesse Johnson and Gabriel Dominguez
Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky speaks during an interview at the Ukrainian Embassy in Tokyo on Monday.
LIFE
Attempting the classics: Deciphering impermanence in ‘Hojoki’
By Eric Margolis
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.
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.

Podcast

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

Longform

The building of new high-rise residential buildings has some alarmed that they could empty and fall into disrepair as Japan's population shrinks.
The high cost of letting Japan's condos crumble
By Tomoko Otake

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WHAT’S TRENDING

LIFE
Japan struggles to fend off a world without enough matcha
By Cat Kerr
Once a boon to tea farmers' bottom lines, the global matcha craze is now pushing producers and distributors to their limits with few options to adequately meet demand.
BUSINESS
Yen volatility nears six-week high as Tokyo inflation gauge eyed
By George Lei
Samples of newly-designed Japanese yen banknotes at the National Printing Bureau Tokyo plant in June 2024.
BUSINESS
SoftBank among eFishery investors facing near wipeout
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In all, global investors plowed around $315 million into eFishery’s preferred shares over five funding rounds.
COMMENTARY
Men, media and MAGA deepen South Korea’s split
By Abhishek Sharma
A rally in support of South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Jan. 18. Young men have emerged as a key demographic that has come out in support of Yoon, in contrast to the many young women participating in protests opposing him.
WORLD
Xi hails Russia's 'positive efforts to defuse Ukraine crisis'
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Chinese President Xi Jinping during an official welcoming ceremony for delegations' heads at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.