Menu
Search
 
December 25, 2024
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

JAPAN

Politics

Politics
Crime & Legal
Science & Health
Society
Explainer
History
Japanese imports of seafood are seen in a supermarket in Hong Kong in July 2023.
JAPAN / Politics
China and Japan expected to discuss seafood ban on Wednesday
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya's one-day visit to Beijing, on China's invitation, is his first since assuming his role in October.
JAPAN / Politics
Japan eyes regional revitalization and economic growth
A basic concept for the promotion of regional revitalization was drawn up to promote economic growth and address the issue of overcrowding in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics
Japan opposition parties submit bill for free school meals
The bill to revise the school lunch program law was submitted to the House of Representatives by the CDP, DPP and Nippon Ishin no Kai.
Elbridge Colby (center) speaks at the Threat and the Strategy panel during the Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, in September 2019.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 23, 2024
Trump's Pentagon policy pick pushed for Japan to spend 3% of GDP on defense
By Jesse Johnson
Elbridge Colby said in an interview earlier this year that Japan is moving at a leisurely pace on defense despite being under threat from China and North Korea.
Satoyo Kojika, who has run a barbershop inside the parliament building for more than half a century
JAPAN / Politics / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Dec 23, 2024
Woman who ran a parliament barbershop for half a century retires
The shop has been run by Satoyo Kojika, 85, a native of the village of Kawauchi in Fukushima Prefecture.
Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky delivers a speech during a handover ceremony of Self-Defense Force vehicles to Ukraine, at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo, in May last year.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 22, 2024
Zelenskyy to replace Ukraine ambassador to Japan
By Kathleen Benoza
Sergiy Korsunsky played a key role in galvanizing Tokyo’s support for Kyiv amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Self-Defense Force members march in formation at Camp Asaka, which straddles Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture, during a ceremony on Nov. 9.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 21, 2024
Japan ready to improve working conditions for SDF members
Improving working conditions for the members "is a serious challenge" for his administration, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told a meeting of relevant Cabinet ministers.
Three political parties' secretaries-general sign a confirmation letter in Tokyo on Friday regarding the tax-free income threshold.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 20, 2024
Ruling camp approves tax reform proposal
By Himari Semans
The ruling bloc agreed to “continue talks in good faith” with the DPP, which wants to further raise the tax-free income threshold.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters at the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 20, 2024
Ishiba may visit U.S. in mid-January for talks with Trump
Ishiba hopes to build a personal relationship of trust with the president-elect and confirm the significance of the Japan-U.S. alliance.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's government is strengthening cooperation with Middle East countries and diversifying its involvement in African nations, a Japanese government think tank said.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 18, 2024
China boosting influence over Global South, Japan think tank says
An annual report on China by the National Institute for Defense Studies says that Beijing's growing sway has the risk of destabilizing the region.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukraine's presidential adviser for sanctions policy, speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 18, 2024
Ukraine concerned over Japanese parts in Russian weapons
Vlasiuk submitted to Tokyo a list of Japan-made parts that were found in Russian and North Korean missiles and other weapons.
Dutch air force F-35 fighter jets take part in drills with NATO countries in March 2023.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 18, 2024
Dutch eyeing F-35 Indo-Pacific deployment in 2026, Japan envoy says
By Gabriel Dominguez
Rising geopolitical tensions are driving the Netherlands to work “more closely than ever before” with Indo-Pacific countries, particularly Japan.
A Lower House committee on political reform deliberates on a revision of the political funds law on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 17, 2024
Bill to abolish funds for political activities clears Lower House
By Eric Johnston
The bill will put a stop to the disbursement of such funds, criticized for their lack of transparency, by parties to their lawmakers.
Businessman George Glass has been selected by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to be the next ambassador to Japan.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 17, 2024
Trump picks businessman George Glass as Japan ambassador
By Jesse Johnson
Glass, who served as ambassador to Portugal during Trump's first administration, is known as one of the biggest fundraisers for his reelection bid.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (right) delivers remarks at a news conference alongside Howard Lutnik, his pick for commerce secretary, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 17, 2024
Trump says he's open to meeting Ishiba before inauguration
By Jesse Johnson
The U.S. president-elect says it's up to Tokyo to make the meeting happen.
The secretaries-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and the Democratic Party for the People have agreed to start raising the minimum taxable income level next year.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 16, 2024
DPP tax chief hints at termination of talks with Japan's ruling bloc
The DPP would have to consider axing the talks if the ruling coalition sticks to its proposal of raising the threshold to ¥1.23 million, Motohisa Furukawa said.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (left) and his wife, Melania (right), pose for a photo with Akie Abe, the widow of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday in this image posted on Melania Trump's X social media account.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 16, 2024
Akie Abe, widow of slain prime minister, meets with Trump
By Jesse Johnson
Her meeting has raised some eyebrows for coming before that of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who was unable to meet Trump last month despite numerous requests.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (right) shakes hands with Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone during an ASEAN summit closing ceremony to hand over the grouping's chairmanship to Kuala Lumpur at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, Laos, in October.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 16, 2024
Lowering tensions key priority for incoming ASEAN chair Malaysia
By Gabriel Dominguez
Kuala Lumpur will reach out to key players including Japan to try and jointly tackle the critical security issues affecting Southeast Asia, Malaysian envoy says.
George Glass in July 2017
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 15, 2024
Trump reportedly eyeing businessman George Glass as envoy to Japan
Glass, who served as ambassador to Portugal under Trump's first administration, is one of the biggest fund donors who supported his comeback as U.S. president.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi speaks with students from Okayama University about the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese citizens decades ago, in Tokyo on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 14, 2024
Japan ready to team up with Trump over North Korea abduction issue
In a symposium on the issue held by the Japanese government in Tokyo, Hayashi condemned North Korea, saying, "In essence, it is an infringement of national sovereignty."
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba takes part in an online meeting of Group of Seven leaders at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo early Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 14, 2024
Ishiba urges deeper G7 security cooperation as North Korea gets closer to Russia
By Kathleen Benoza
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said recent developments have a "direct impact" on security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba visits the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 14, 2024
Ishiba makes first visit as PM to crippled Fukushima No. 1 plant
The trip was apparently intended to demonstrate his administration's focus on revitalizing the disaster-hit Tohoku region.
Commuters in Tokyo in March 2023.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 13, 2024
Ruling bloc proposes ¥1.23 million minimum threshold for taxable income
Tax chiefs from the LDP, Komeito and DPP plan to meet again as early as Tuesday after the DPP, which seeks to raise the threshold to ¥1.78 million, opposed the proposal.

Is Japan ready for 60 million tourists?
Visitors to Kyoto walk along a street near Kiyomizu Temple in April. A popular tourist spot, Kyoto has seen what locals feel to be an overwhelming amount of tourists in 2024.
Honda-Nissan megamerger in the works
Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida (left), Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe (second from left) and Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, hold a news conference on merger talks on Monday in Tokyo.
Picturesque Japan hot spring town limits day trippers
Ginzan Onsen hot springs in Obanazawa, Yamagata Prefecture
Bankruptcies and suicides rise as Japanese struggle with mounting debt
Lawyers estimate that personal bankruptcies in Japan are on track to reach the highest since 2012 this year.
Japan accuses Google of violating antimonopoly law
The Japanese antitrust watchdog said that Google forced smartphone makers to preinstall its search app on their devices, sources say.
For baseball fans, 2024 brought The Summer of Shohei Ohtani
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts to a standing ovation from fans after hitting his 50th home run of the season, against the Marlins in Miami on Sept. 19.
Trump's Pentagon policy pick pushed for Japan to spend 3% of GDP on defense
Elbridge Colby (center) speaks at the Threat and the Strategy panel during the Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, in September 2019.
A brief history of ‘osechi ryōri,' Japan's edible tradition for the new year
Japan's traditional New Year cuisine has a long history, though modern developments have led to slight changes in the way things work.
Japan accuses Google of violating antimonopoly law
The Japanese antitrust watchdog said that Google forced smartphone makers to preinstall its search app on their devices, sources say.
Casual workouts, cool living, ‘complete’ food: Japan’s health trends of 2024
In 2024, efficiency trumped effort among Japan's fitness-focused aspirants.

Podcast

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

Longform

Visitors to Kyoto walk along a street near Kiyomizu Temple in April. A popular tourist spot, Kyoto has seen what locals feel to be an overwhelming amount of tourists in 2024.
Is Japan ready for 60 million tourists?
By Kathryn Wortley

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

SWCC keeps changing with keyword ‘new challenges’
SWCC keeps changing with keyword ‘new challenges’

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

Latest News

Japan aims for 60% emissions cut by 2035 in target seen as lax
11 hours ago
Japan selects two groups for third offshore wind power round
11 hours ago
Global hunger crisis deepens as major nations skimp on aid
How one man became a Ukrainian traitor and Russian spy
China and Japan expected to discuss seafood ban on Wednesday