Search - 2023

 
 
An X90 Plus crossover — produced by Chinese automaker Jetour — sits ready for sale at a dealership in the Moscow Region on July 12.
BUSINESS
Jul 20, 2023

Made in Russia? Chinese cars drive a revival of Russia's auto factories

The rebirth of the Moskvich is a sign of China's growing sway over an important sector of Russia's economy.
The Central Business District on a rainy day in Beijing. Both U.S. and European companies with exposure to China could be hit by its sluggish growth as its post-COVID-19 momentum has faltered rapidly.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 21, 2023

China's sagging economy looms over quarterly results around the world

Both U.S. and European companies with exposure to China could be hit by that economy's sluggish growth as its post-COVID momentum has faltered rapidly.
A man stands atop a float holding a portable shrine at this year’s Sanja Festival in Tokyo.
PODCAST / deep dive
Jul 20, 2023

Why 2023 will be a deciding year for Japan’s iconic summer festivals

As the population gets older do we risk losing the summer festivals that make Japan unique?
Asia's best bartenders congregated in Hong Kong for the unveiling of the 2023 list of the continents top watering holes.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 21, 2023

Tokyo’s Ben Fiddich inches toward top of Asia’s 50 Best Bars

A total of 14 bars in Japan cracked the top 100 of this year’s continent-wide rankings.
Investors have scooped up yen debt from issuers outside Japan, fueling the busiest July since 2018.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jul 24, 2023

Global yen bond market emerges as oasis amid Japan volatility

Investors have scooped up yen debt from issuers outside Japan, fueling the busiest July since 2018.
Jonas Vingegaard celebrates with his bike after winning the Tour de France in Paris on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Cycling
Jul 24, 2023

Jonas Vingegaard secures second straight Tour de France title

Runner-up Tadej Pogacar, the 2020 and 2021 Tour champion, won the white jersey as the best under-25 rider for the fourth year in a row.
Haruki Hirao, second grader at Torikai Elementary School in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, attends a mathematics class in May as nurse Yoshimi Yoshiyama looks on from the back of the classroom.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jul 24, 2023

More children who need daily medical care attend regular schools since 2021 law

Since 2021, more children who require daily medical care have been able to attend regular schools, broadening their horizons and raising awareness of diversity in classroom.
Brian Harman poses with the Claret Jug after winning the British Open in Hoylake, England, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Jul 24, 2023

Unflappable Brian Harman wins British Open

Brian Harman, an avid hunter back home in Georgia, simply refused to allow himself to fall prey to the world's leading golfers as he showed nerves of steel to win the British Open on Sunday.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange is urging listed firms to place greater focus on stock prices and capital efficiency.
BUSINESS / Markets / FOCUS
Jul 24, 2023

Tokyo Stock Exchange urges more focus on stock prices and capital efficiency

Management teams of listed companies face the challenge of raising their awareness about the importance of how best to use funds raised from shareholders and banks.
Jamaica earned a historic draw against France in their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup opener in Sydney on Sunday.
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Jul 25, 2023

No more small teams? Women's World Cup minnows closing the gap

The tournament's growth reflects the growing interest in women's soccer around the world which has seen bumper crowds at club level and big attendances so far in Australia and New Zealand.
Brazil midfielder Ary Borges celebrates her hat trick during the team's 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup opener against Panama in Adelaide, Australia, on Monday.
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Jul 25, 2023

Brazil's Ary Borges outdoes Pele with emotional World Cup hat trick

The 23-year-old is the first Brazilian, man or woman, to score a hat trick in their World Cup debut, according to governing body FIFA.
Visitors crowd around a water fountain during a heat wave in Rome, Italy, on July 17.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Jul 25, 2023

Climate change role in July heat waves 'overwhelming,' scientists say

Extreme weather has caused havoc across the planet this month, with record-breaking temperatures causing forest fires, water shortages and more hospital admissions.
Japan attacker Mina Tanaka participates in a pre-match news conference ahead of the team's 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup group-stage game against Costa Rica in Dunedin, New Zealand, on Tuesday.
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Jul 25, 2023

Confident Nadeshiko Japan looks to raise its level against Costa Rica

Coach Futoshi Ikeda said Costa Rica had enough quality to punish Japan on the break if there were any lapses in concentration.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks in front of an intercontinental ballistic missile in this undated photo released in March 2022.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 25, 2023

From 'Young General' to 'Supreme Leader': The evolution of Kim Jong Un

North Korea's thinking on its relations with the U.S. has undergone dramatic changes, and Kim Jong Un's past evolution offers indications of where the country might be headed.
Philippines midfielder Sarina Bolden celebrates after scoring against New Zealand in their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup group-stage match in Wellington on Tuesday.
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Jul 25, 2023

Philippines stuns New Zealand for historic first World Cup win

The minnows stunned the Football Ferns thanks to a first-half Sarina Bolden header in front of 32,357 in Wellington.
Nissan Motor has finalized plans to invest in Renault’s electric-vehicle venture Ampere, capping months of negotiations to rebalance the troubled automotive alliance.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 26, 2023

Nissan to invest $663 million in Renault EV unit as alliance rejigged

The deal caps months of negotiations aimed at rebalancing the troubled automotive alliance.
International Monetary Fund chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 26, 2023

IMF urges BOJ to move away from yield control and prepare for future tightening

The remarks came ahead of the BOJ's meeting on Friday, where the board will release price forecasts and debate whether to adjust policy.
The ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with Japan at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta on July 13
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 26, 2023

Is ASEAN part of the 'Global South'?

Despite the effort put into its formation, the Group of 20’s failure to function as hoped may well have brought about the Global South narrative.
Hoshoryu (right), joined by Tatsunami stablemaster, participates in a news conference following his promotion to ozeki in Nagoya on Wednesday.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jul 27, 2023

Hoshoryu's Nagoya triumph shows enduring power of Mongolian rikishi

Kirishima and Hoshoryu’s promotions to ozeki have shown that the Mongolian era of sumo dominance isn’t close to concluding just yet.
Many obstacles stand in the way of effectively combating corruption globally. Reaching an agreement on international regulations would be a good starting point.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 6, 2023

A world engulfed in corruption and cronyism

In today’s interconnected world, the consequences of cronyism and corruption often extend beyond national borders.
The Angels' Shohei Ohtani is on track to become a free agent in the offseason.
BASEBALL / MLB / Sac Bunts
Jul 27, 2023

Angels would be taking major gamble by keeping Shohei Ohtani

The Angels have reportedly decided to not trade Shohei Ohtani, setting up the possibility of losing him for nothing in the offseason.
Cameron Lew, the 27-year-old behind the California-based music project Ginger Root, crafted a detailed city-pop-inspired universe with a 1980s idol storyline for last year’s “Nisemono” album.
CULTURE / Music
Jul 28, 2023

Ginger Root's modern spin on Showa nostalgia

The California-based project is set to bring its distinct interpretation of city pop to Fuji Rock Festival this weekend.
Staff at Youits by My Gakuya, a shop selling gender-free cosmetics that opened in Nagoya’s Sakae shopping district in April
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Jul 31, 2023

Cosmetics stores in Nagoya expand sales of gender-free makeup

Move reflects the recent trend of men becoming more conscious about grooming and the popularity of male K-pop idols wearing makeup.
A truck transports new Tesla cars at its factory in Shanghai in May 2021.
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
Jul 28, 2023

Global automakers scramble to reset China strategies as sales slow

Some German brands and General Motors are betting on new electric vehicles, while Toyota and others have shifted to cost-cutting mode.
Activists dressed as debt collectors call for finance action during a demonstration outside the IMF-World Bank headquarters in Washington in October 2021.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 28, 2023

The World Bank reflects our ambition

In an environment of intertwined challenges, such as an existential climate crisis, pandemic recovery and a crippling European war, the World Bank has never been more relevant.
U.S. President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and South Korean leader Yoon Suk-yeol greet each other ahead of a trilateral meeting during the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima on May 21.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 29, 2023

U.S. announces trilateral summit with Japan and South Korea

The leaders of the three countries will use the summit at the Camp David presidential retreat to expand trilateral cooperation “across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.”
France's Eugenie Le Sommer (second from right) celebrates scoring the team's first goal against Brazil during their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup group-stage game in Brisbane, Australia, on Saturday.
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Jul 30, 2023

France leaves it late to reboot WWC hopes as Jamaica make history

France captain Wendie Renard headed in the winner seven minutes from time to earn a vital three points and leave Brazil's World Cup in peril.
Nadeshiko Japan defender Moeka Minami (left) sees Monday's 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup group-stage finale against Spain as a key test for her team ahead of the knockout stage.
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Jul 30, 2023

Plenty of respect as Nadeshiko Japan prepares to face Spain

Japan and Spain have been two of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup's standout teams and both have already qualified for the last 16 out of Group C.
A memorial for Brodee Champlain Kingman on the corner of El Camino Real and Santa Fe Drive in Encinitas, California, on Thursday. The e-bike industry is booming, but many vehicles are not legal for teenagers, and accidents are on the rise.
WORLD / Society
Jul 30, 2023

‘A dangerous combination’: Teens’ accidents expose e-bike risks

The e-bike industry is booming, but a spate of fatal accidents has raised questions about how safe e-bikes are, especially for teenagers.
While the pace of deploying clean-energy solutions is faster than it has ever been, with climate change, the world overall is racing in the wrong direction.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 1, 2023

What the climate fight is really about

Now that a future of higher average global temperatures is inevitable, managing the problem well requires that we cut off the tail end of the extreme-weather distribution.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?