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Kotonowaka (left) competes at the Spring Basho in Osaka in March. The grandson of former yokozuna Kotozakura has decided to take on the legend's ring name.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 2, 2024

Love of family behind return of historic sumo ring name

The tenure of ozeki Kotonowaka lasted just one tournament, with the wrestler changing from his father’s ring name to that of his late grandfather.
Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer (left), defender Ian Maatsen (center) and forward Donyell Malen celebrate their team's victory over Paris Saint-Germain in Paris on Tuesday.
SOCCER
May 8, 2024

Borussia Dortmund overcome the odds to return to Wembley

In the June 1 Champions League final, Dortmund will face either Bayern Munich or 14-time champions Real Madrid.
A Towa Bank employee's suicide in 2017 has been recognized as a work-related accident.
JAPAN / Society
May 8, 2024

Towa Bank employee suicide linked to overwork and harassment

Findings from the Labor Standards Inspection Office showed the man was under extreme stress due to unmanageable work pressures.
A monk practices "zazen" (seated meditation), a practice that the monk Dogen said would help one cast aside the world in service of the Way.
JAPAN / History / The Living Past
May 17, 2024

The joy of Zen — Part 1: Prose

The writings of the monks Eisai and Dogen sought to determine the proper way to live on this Earth, in harmony with the Way.
Red Square in Moscow on Oct. 17, 2022. Russian military intelligence, the G.R.U., is behind arson attacks aimed at undermining support for Ukraine’s war effort, security officials say.
WORLD / Politics
May 27, 2024

Russia steps up a covert sabotage campaign aimed at Europe

British and other European diplomats have been pressing countries to call out Russian covert operations more aggressively.
South Korea's Son Heung-min celebrates after his team's win over Singapore in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday in Singapore.
SOCCER
Jun 7, 2024

Son Heung-min urges South Korea to take time with coaching search

Son scored twice as South Korea booked its place in the final round of World Cup qualifying with a 7-0 thrashing away at Singapore on Thursday.
People wait for the main act to begin at Summer Sonic, which holds simultaneous music festivals for those in Tokyo and Osaka.
CULTURE / Music / Longform
Jun 9, 2024

Can Japan's summer music festivals adapt to a post-pandemic reality?

Soaring temperatures, the cheap yen and a dearth of headline options may require reshaping the outdoor concert formula.
Yuta Orisaka strips things back on his latest album, “Jumon,” though it still features a few explosive moments.
CULTURE / Music
Jun 28, 2024

Yuta Orisaka's folk style is far more than a throwback

The singer-songwriter wanted to make songs his grandmother could enjoy, but that doesn't mean he'll skimp on the electronic touches.
A demonstrator shows appreciation for U.S. President Joe Biden near the White House after Biden announced his exit from the election and endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 22, 2024

Biden finally shows true leadership by passing the torch

Better late than never. By dropping out of the November election, Biden has crowned five decades of public service and put the Democrats in a better position to win.
Canada's Evan Dunfee poses as he celebrates winning bronze in the men's 50-kilometer race walk at the World Athletics Championships in Doha on Sept. 29, 2019.
OLYMPICS
Jul 23, 2024

Chilled athletes embrace strategies to beat Paris heat

In a warming world, heat acclimatization has moved rapidly from the fringes of sports science into the mainstream.
Starbucks mobile app shows an error message on Friday. A botched software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike crashed countless Microsoft Windows computer systems globally.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 23, 2024

CrowdStrike meltdown and the price of real security

Catastrophic system failure isn’t part of the equation — until it happens. Which will be occurring with increasing frequency in our deeply interconnected world.
Smoke from a fires in the Pantanal, the world's largest wetland, in Corumba, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil, on June 12.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Jul 24, 2024

From floods to fire: On Brazil's climate front line

Brazil faces months of record wildfires, with devastation already under way and set to worsen in coming months as high heat and winds tear through the midwest.
American musician and visual artist Kim Gordon released her second solo album, “The Collective,” earlier this year, and it’s a bona fide banger.
CULTURE / Music
Jul 25, 2024

Ahead of her Fuji Rock set, Kim Gordon weighs in on punk and U.S. politics

The former Sonic Youth bassist, guitarist and vocalist is in Japan for the first time in over 10 years to promote her latest album, "The Collective."
Considering there is another full year left before the current term of the Lower House expires, Fumio Kishida’s announcement he is standing down as the Liberal Democratic Party's leader has many wondering why.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 15, 2024

With Kishida’s sudden departure, who will lead Japan?

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s unexpected decision to not seek reelection has prompted a leadership race within Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Scottie Scheffler plays his shot off the ninth tee during the final round of the Tour Championship golf tournament in Atlanta on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Sep 2, 2024

Scheffler crowns dominant season with FedEx Cup title

The player is the first to win seven PGA Tour events in a year since Tiger Woods in 2007.
When it comes to a career in cuisine, chef Andreas Fuchs thinks newcomers will know within three months whether they want to commit to it or not.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Sep 12, 2024

Andreas Fuchs: ‘I love that no two days are the same’

As the Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s executive chef, Andreas Fuchs is responsible for overseeing extensive menus across multiple venues.
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan presidential candidates Harumi Yoshida (far left), Kenta Izumi (center left), Yukio Edano (center right) and Yoshihiko Noda pose at a news conference in Tokyo on Sept. 7.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 20, 2024

CDP leader hopefuls must bridge internal and external differences

Once elected, the leader of the main opposition party must both unify the different groups within and choose who to work with to win the next general election.
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) in Guam in 2023. A team of U.S. military personnel has reached Israel to prepare an advanced THAAD air defense system that the Biden administration is sending to thwart more attacks by Iran and its allies.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 21, 2024

THAAD anti-missile system is 'in place' in Israel, U.S. says

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the system is ready to be put into operation "very quickly."
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits a training base at an undisclosed location in North Korea in a photo released on Oct. 4.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 24, 2024

U.S. says North Korean troops in Russia, possibly to fight in Ukraine war

But the U.S. defense chief and other officials said that it remained to be seen what exactly the North Korean troops would be doing in Russia.
Korey Kito, left, stands with his father Brian Kito in front of their confectionery, Fugetsu-Do, in Los Angeles.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Nov 4, 2024

How Fugetsu-Do survived the evolution of Little Tokyo in LA

In addition to selling mochi and other treats out of the storefront, Fugetsu-do also stocks other Japanese specialty food stores across California.
Akira Oishi (left) and Shinichi Okanobori have taken on the responsibility of surveying the flora and fauna of Mount Tenran and Mount Tonosu in Saitama Prefecture.
ENVIRONMENT / Wildlife / Longform
Nov 2, 2024

Inside Japan's 100-year project to monitor its deteriorating biodiversity

With researchers and an army of volunteers on its side, the Monitoring Sites 1,000 project aims to bring attention to our fragile ecosystems.
Royal Canadian Navy Commander Vice Adm. Angus Topshee inspects an honor guard with Maritime Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Adm. Akira Saito during a meeting at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN
Nov 4, 2024

Canada Navy chief sees more chances for multiservice exercises with Japan

Ottawa has been gradually boosting its military engagement with Asian partners since unveiling its Indo-Pacific Strategy in late 2022.
El Lequio is a unique watering hole on Naha's main Kokusai-dori street — which works both to its benefit and detriment.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 10, 2024

Is Okinawa ready for a bar like El Lequio?

The bar describes its vibe as “Nikkei Latino” (the name comes from the moniker given to Okinawa by Age of Exploration sailors from Spain), and it’s pleasantly disarming.
Mike Tyson (left) and Jake Paul faceoff during a news conference on Wednesday to promote their upcoming bout on Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
MORE SPORTS
Nov 14, 2024

Mike Tyson looking forward to fighting Youtuber Jake Paul as boxing world recoils

The Netflix-backed bout has drawn widespread condemnation from across the boxing world.
A screen displays trading information about the shares of Truth Social and Trump Media & Technology Group, outside the Nasdaq Market site in New York on March 26.
BUSINESS / Markets
Nov 18, 2024

Truth Social and late calls take over economists’ lives under Trump

The end goal for economists is to produce accurate forecasts to help traders, businesses and governments navigate the new chaotic world.
Unlike other social media platforms, including Threads, Twitter has a way of pushing you out of your comfort zone.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jul 20, 2023

Can Threads dethrone Twitter in Japan?

Netizens in Japan jumped onto the Threads bandwagon soon after its launch, but the honeymoon phase is beginning to end, experts say, with many Japanese users remaining on Twitter.
A cinema employee checks on a display showing a digital poster for Oscar-winning animator Hayao Miyazaki's latest film, "The Boy and the Heron," on the first day of its premiere in Tokyo on July 14.
CULTURE / Film
Jul 21, 2023

For his last movie, Hayao Miyazaki recycles himself

While visually and technically stunning, "The Boy and the Heron" might give some viewers an unsatisfying sense of deja vu.
On July 17, Jiyugaoka in western Tokyo held its summer Bon Odori Festival for the first time in four years. While the pandemic spelled the end of the road for some longstanding local events, others weathered the storm.
CULTURE / Longform
Jul 24, 2023

Fate of the fete: Japan’s matsuri fight to survive

While COVID-19 was the final nail in the coffin for many of the country's smaller festivals, others have clung on and are making a determined comeback this year.
Nigeria's players watch their penalty shootout against England during their 2023 FIFA World Cup round-of-16 game in Brisbane on Monday.
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Aug 8, 2023

Nigeria goes home with heads held high after agonizing exit

The Super Falcons created more than enough chances to beat European champion England in 120 minutes.
Visitors at the Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo on Aug. 25
JAPAN / Society
Sep 1, 2023

China banned seafood from Japan. Some tourists are eating it in Tokyo.

Travelers from China seem largely unfazed despite the ban, with many local seafood restaurants seeing little impact so far.

Longform

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