Search - 2022

 
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attend a meeting in Harbin, China, on May 17.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 21, 2024

Russia and China find workarounds as the U.S. sanctions net widens

One workaround involves smaller, regional banks that can, for the time being, fly below the U.S. sanctions radar.
JJ Redick looks on before Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 14.
BASKETBALL / NBA
Jun 21, 2024

Lakers reportedly set to hire JJ Redick as next coach

Redick was offered a four-year contract on Thursday morning, according to ESPN. Financial terms were not yet known.
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a report released Thursday that it has placed Japan, which runs a large trade surplus with the United States, back on its monitoring list over currency practices.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jun 21, 2024

U.S. adds Japan to currency watchlist amid struggles with weak yen

Japan spent a record ¥9.8 trillion ($62 billion) earlier this year to prop up the yen.
A test is conducted using a dummy to replicate an accident in which the leg of a child riding on the back seat of a bicycle strikes a pole.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 21, 2024

Accidents involving children in rear bicycle seats on the rise

They can easily injure themselves on utility poles or guard rails that they can’t see because of the adult sitting in front of them, Japan's consumer watchdog warns.
The Cabinet Office's latest white paper on Japan's aging society predicts that the percentage of people age 65 and above will reach 38.7% of the country's population by 2070.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 21, 2024

More of Japan’s elderly are lonely and have fewer friends, white paper says

Less than half of respondents age 65 years and above polled in 2023 said they had at least an average number of friends, compared with 72.2% in 2018.
The Supreme Court in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward
JAPAN / Society
Jun 21, 2024

Japan's Supreme Court recognizes transgender woman as parent

It was the first decision by the top court on whether to recognize a parent-child relationship in a case in which a biological father had a child after transitioning.
The administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday approved this year's honebuto economic and fiscal policy guidelines.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 21, 2024

Japanese government restores 2025 primary budget surplus target

In its economic blueprint, the Kishida administration has pledged a balanced budget other than interest payments by fiscal 2025.
Renho announces her campaign pledges for the Tokyo gubernatorial election, in the capital on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 21, 2024

The campaigners that Tokyo hopeful Renho doesn't want you to know about

The candidate for governor has kept quiet about Japanese Communist Party activities in support of her — ties that could alienate some voters.
The energy transition in coal-dependent emerging nations like the Philippines will determine the success of global efforts to hit net zero targets and curb the worst impacts of climate change.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Jun 22, 2024

Philippines emerges as Southeast Asia renewable power pacesetter

The energy transition in coal-dependent emerging nations like the Philippines will determine the success of global efforts to hit net zero targets.
An employee at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The greatest heat-related labor losses are born by outdoor industries such as construction, mining and agriculture.
BUSINESS
Jun 22, 2024

When hot weather arrives, worker productivity is at risk

Exposure to high temperatures can diminish cognitive performance and have other lingering affects on one's health.
France's Antoine Griezmann fires toward the Dutch goal during the two teams' group stage match on Friday.
SOCCER
Jun 22, 2024

Mbappe-less France draw with Dutch at Euro 2024 as Ukraine wins

Mbappe watched from the bench after breaking his nose in France's opening game of the tournament.
Portraits of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (right) and Russian President Vladimir Putin during a welcome ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jun 22, 2024

Japan conveys concerns to Russia over closer ties with North Korea

The fact that a meeting was realized between both sides shows that Russia is willing to maintain a certain level of dialogue with Japan.
Britain's Reform U.K. party leader Nigel Farage attends an interview in London.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 22, 2024

U.K.'s Nigel Farage says the West provoked Putin's invasion of Ukraine

The remarks, made in an interview with the BBC aired late on Friday, drew strong criticism across the British political spectrum.
Japan head coach Eddie Jones said he saw promising signs on Saturday as he tries to instill a high-tempo playing style in his new team.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Jun 23, 2024

Japan's Jones positive despite England defeat

An inexperienced Japan side featuring four debutants in the starting lineup conceded eight tries but scored two of its own in a stirring finish to the game.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive at their hotel in London on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 23, 2024

Imperial couple arrive for three-day state visit to U.K.

The highlight will be a state banquet that may include an appearance by Prince William's wife Kate, who is undergoing cancer treatment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vietnam President To Lam during a reception in Hanoi on Thursday
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 23, 2024

Putin came to Asia to disrupt, and he succeeded

After stops in Pyongyang, North Korea, and Hanoi, Vietnam, last week that were draped in communist red, Putin left behind a redrawn map of risk in Asia.
Caeleb Dressel dives into the pool during the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Thursday.
OLYMPICS / Swimming
Jun 23, 2024

Resurgent Caeleb Dressel has new take on young swimming rivals

Dressel's five golds at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games included individual triumphs in the 50 and 100 free and the 100 butterfly.
The headquarters of Russia's Ministry of Defense in Moscow on Sept. 10, 2022.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 24, 2024

Russia blames U.S. for deadly Ukrainian attack on beach in Crimea

U.S. specialists had set the missiles' flight coordinates, meaning Washington was directly responsible, Russia's Defense Ministry said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin inspects a military exercise, which tests the country's ability to deliver a massive retaliatory nuclear strike by land, sea and air, via a video link from Moscow on Oct. 25, 2023.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 24, 2024

Russia could reduce decision time for use of nuclear weapons, lawmaker says

Putin said again last week that the nuclear doctrine might have to be changed because Russia's adversaries were developing ultralow-yield nuclear devices.
Israelis protest for the release of hostages held in Gaza and against the government in Tel Aviv on June 1.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 24, 2024

Israel tech leaders, irked by Netanyahu, eye moves into politics

The war against Hamas is straining Israel's economy, with the central bank projecting costs of around $67 billion through 2025, nearly 15% of the annual GDP.
Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, greets supporters at the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters during election night in New Delhi, India on June 4.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 24, 2024

Some of Modi’s agenda could disappear in India’s fractured Parliament

A new Parliament taking office in India may give some hint of whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s domestic policies are now in doubt.
For Japan, carbon credits are seen as important as the nation waits for its climate technology bets to pay off.
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Jun 24, 2024

Japan makes a late play on under-fire carbon credit trading

The government and Japanese companies see carbon offsets as important as they wait for their climate tech bets to pay off.
A wind farm in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture. For Japan's future energy roadmap to center on clean sources, the government should reform the institutions overseeing energy policy to avoid vested interests from slowing the transition down.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 24, 2024

It’s time for Japan to set up a climate change agency

The government is currently reviewing Japan's Strategic Energy Plan. But who's shaping this key document for the future? It's mostly older men with vested interests.
Naoto Ohtake, president-elect of the Institute of Science Tokyo, said it aims to have international students make up 30% of all undergraduate science and engineering majors by 2050.
JAPAN
Jun 24, 2024

Institute of Science Tokyo will reapply for grant from ¥10 trillion fund

Tokyo Institute of Technology and Tokyo Medical and Dental University, which will merge to form the new university, had jointly applied before but failed.
Michael Brinegar in action at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha on Feb. 8
MORE SPORTS / Swimming
Jun 25, 2024

Former U.S. Olympian Brinegar hit with four-year doping ban

American swimmer Michael Brinegar, who competed in the 800 and 1,500 meters events at the Tokyo Olympics, has been handed a four-year suspension for blood doping, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said on Monday.
Katie Ledecky competes in the women's 400 freestyle swim during preliminaries for the Olympic Swimming Trials in Indianapolis, Indiana, on June 15.
OLYMPICS
Jun 25, 2024

Dressel and Ledecky lead U.S. Olympic swim team with eyes on Australia

The intense nine days of the U.S. trials concluded Sunday and produced a team of 46 swimmers.
The U.S. Supreme Court opened the way for states to ban or strictly limit abortion in 2022
WORLD / Politics
Jun 25, 2024

U.S. Republican push to limit abortion access falters two years after Dobbs

Pro-abortion groups are easily finding support for ballot initiatives, highlighting strong momentum to restore abortion rights.
People holds a banner saying "Protect children from joint custody after divorce" during a rally outside the parliament building in Tokyo in March.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Jun 25, 2024

Gender gap fuels disputes as Japan gets joint custody

The change has proved polarizing in a country where campaigners say sole custody acts as a bulwark against forms of domestic abuse.
The investigation into the Chinese telcos is the latest effort by Washington to prevent Beijing from exploiting Chinese firms' access to U.S. data to harm U.S. companies, Americans or its national security as part of a deepening tech war between the geopolitical rivals.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jun 25, 2024

U.S. probing Chinese telcos over internet and cloud risks

Their cloud services and routing of wholesale U.S. internet traffic raise concerns that they could exploit access to American data by providing it to Beijing.
Cindy Dyer, Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, delivers remarks during the release of the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report at the State Department in Washington on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 25, 2024

U.S. upgrades Vietnam in human-trafficking report despite concerns

The prior human-trafficking report downgrades, which can lead to sanctions, had added an awkward note to U.S.-Vietnam relations.

Longform

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