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Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 26, 2022

As Japan takes to rental e-scooters, some see changes to cities ahead

Services such as Luup could shift the nation's train station-centric urban layouts, but they have attracted controversy over drunken driving.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 24, 2022

China’s leader now wields formidable power. Who will say no to him?

Xi Jinping has created a new ruling elite packed with loyalist officials primed to elevate his agenda of bolstering national security and of turning China into a technological great power.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan / Geoeconomic Briefing
Oct 11, 2022

Japan has much to learn from Taiwan's countering of China’s sharp power

A reserved manner and avoiding knee-jerk reactions has helped Taipei weather the latest storm regarding hostility from Beijing.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 25, 2022

Bank of Japan chief would hold easing policy even if inflation hits 3%, survey shows

Most analysts said that a further acceleration to 3%, the highest since 1991 excluding tax-hike years, wouldn't increase the likelihood of policy change before Kuroda's term ends in April.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 8, 2022

Kishida Cabinet’s approval rating falls as headwinds mount

Rising COVID-19 cases have started to weigh on the prime minister's popularity, while links between the LDP and the Unification Church are also having an impact.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Jul 31, 2022

Elon Musk’s antics turn owners and would-be buyers against Tesla

Dennis Levitt got his first Tesla, a blue Model S, in 2013, and loved it. "It was so much better than any car I've ever driven,” the 73-year-old self-storage company executive says.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 26, 2022

Implementation, not innovation, is the key to economic success

Innovation has been the main driver of long-term economic growth since the Industrial Revolution. But in today's day and age, diffusion of new technologies separates winners from losers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
May 25, 2022

Why isn’t new technology making us more productive?

The growth in productivity since the pandemic hit now stands at about 1% annually, in line with the meager rate since 2010 — and far below the last stretch of robust improvement.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
May 11, 2022

Fed confronts why it may have acted too slowly on inflation

Some Federal Reserve officials have begun to acknowledge that they were too slow to respond to rapid inflation last year.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 27, 2022

How Europe’s decisions shape the tech world

The EU plays a defining role in regulating big tech globally as many companies adopt European standards for their businesses, even if they don't operate in that market.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 28, 2022

As key goods grow more expensive, 'demand destruction' threatens global recession

Prices for some of the world's most pivotal products — foods, fuels, plastics and metals — are rising beyond what many buyers can afford. That's forcing consumers to cut back.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Feb 9, 2022

The rise and fall of Japan's ski industry

Japan Times contributor Francesco Basetti joins Deep Dive to discuss the rise and fall of the Japanese ski industry, and how resorts are faring with so few people able to enjoy them.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Nov 28, 2021

Boris Johnson courts edgy MPs who may one day end his career

Johnson has been hosting weekly drinks and canapes for Tory MPs, divided into groups according to the years they entered Parliament, to try to soothe nerves.
Japan Times
North Rhine-Westphalia report 2021
Oct 25, 2021

Contributing to European society through science and technology

An interview with Shima­dzu Europe’s new Mana­ging Director Juergen Semmler.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Oct 8, 2021

Why is the Nobel Prize so elusive for Haruki Murakami?

Over the years, critics have cited a number of possible reasons, with the most prominent being the lack of political statements in his work.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
May 14, 2021

U.S. audiences can’t get enough of Japanese action shows and anime

Have you seen 'Yasuke' yet? How about 'Alice in Borderland'? If you're in the United States, according to Netflix, it's increasingly likely that you have.
The Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo
BUSINESS / Economy
May 17, 2024

BOJ could raise rates as soon as June, ex-chief economist says

An increasing number of analysts have flagged the risk of a summer hike as the sinking yen raises the risks of the price trend moving higher.
Several examples of rare and expensive fruits at Melissa’s Produce in Los Angeles on May 22.
BUSINESS
Jul 3, 2024

The world of luxury fruit: Does a $156 melon taste sweeter?

The United States is developing an appetite for luxury fruits long known in countries like Japan and South Korea.
As investors look for opportunities in the new environment created by the Bank of Japan and the resulting market turmoil, there is broad consensus that they will have to reevaluate what they thought they knew about the country.
BUSINESS / Markets
Aug 7, 2024

Japan morphs into the center of worry for global investors

In less than a week, Japan has completely upended the world’s expectations for its markets and economy.
Apple CEO Tim Cook unveils the iPhone 16 at the Steve Jobs Theater on the company's campus in Cupertino, California, on Monday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 10, 2024

iPhone 16 to land in Japan without Apple Intelligence 

The new feature, which uses generative artificial intelligence to analyze text and photos, will only be activated in 2025 in several markets, including Japan.
Managers, in their effort to avoid appearing sexist, often provide women with insincere or inconsistent feedback during performance reviews.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 15, 2024

Women don’t always get the candid feedback they deserve

Managers, in their effort to avoid appearing sexist, often provide women with insincere or inconsistent feedback during performance reviews.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike speaks to a reporter on Sept. 27. Aggressive acts toward front-line workers, dubbed "customer harassment," have become a growing problem.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 4, 2024

Tokyo passes nation's first customer harassment ordinance

The ordinance, however, does not include any criminal punishment for those accused of harassment.
Suspects in a badger game scheme allegedly forced victims to pay money by threatening them, locking them up, assaulting them and pursuing them via consumer credit companies.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nov 14, 2024

Tokyo police arrest nine people over alleged badger scheme

The individuals were arrested on charges for extorting about ¥2 million in cash from four male customers in their 20s to 40s between April and July.
People in cities across Japan will pop into their local convenience store for any number of products they believe will help them with a night of drinking.
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Dec 6, 2024

Hangover cures are everywhere in Japan — but do they work?

Japan’s suspect remedies make up 20% of the world’s market for hangover cures, but their success lies more in marketing than science.
A poster depicting the characters of "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" in Tokyo's Shibuya Station in 2023.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 28, 2024

Sony's Crunchyroll finds its early lead in anime under attack

Netflix, Walt Disney and Amazon are all digging into their deep pockets to license shows, making it more expensive for anime-steaming site to compete.
With the continued wage and price hikes, the Japanese economy will likely grow steadily in fiscal 2025 that will start in April, according to some private think tanks.
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Jan 2, 2025

Economists see continued rise in Japan's wages and prices in fiscal '25

Uncertainty surrounding the impact of policies under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump are seen as a key risk factor.
Japanese nominal wages rose at the fastest pace in nearly three decades according to data out this month, and GDP figures showed Japan’s economy outperformed forecasts.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 27, 2025

Yen traders raise focus on Japanese data as economy shifts gears

The news marks a mindset change since the Bank of Japan ended its negative-rates policy last March.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stands with him aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington on Sunday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 10, 2025

Trump declines to rule out recession in U.S. this year

The U.S. president's on-again, off-again tariff threats have roiled financial markets and stoked unease among consumers.

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan