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A young university grad (Kana Kita, right) is introduced to the world of "shunga" erotic art by an older academic (Seiyo Uchino) in “Picture of Spring.”
CULTURE / Film
Oct 19, 2023

‘Picture of Spring’: Smart, silly and lots of fun

Akihiko Shiota’s film about the world of Japanese erotic art feels like a crash course in “shunga” before veering into playfully risque territory.
A young man (Yuki Kura, left) who isn’t well-versed in wooing attempts to strike up a relationship with a convenience store clerk (Haruka Imou) he has a crush on in “How to Find a Lover.”
CULTURE / Film
Oct 19, 2023

‘How to Find a Lover’: Quirky rom-com is deeper than it seems

Koji Maeda keeps the film’s tone fun and offbeat while not shying away from the emotional wounds of its lead characters.
JAPAN
Oct 18, 2023

Japan considers allowing exports of fighter jets to third nations

The government has clarified its position that it would be "desirable" to lift a ban in place on such exports.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 18, 2023

Defense minister’s miscue is an opening for the opposition

Can a single statement by the defense minister really disrupt the Japanese political landscape? For better or worse, it can.
People gather at the site of the al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital in central Gaza on Wednesday in the aftermath of an overnight strike there.
WORLD
Oct 19, 2023

U.S. reports deal to restart aid to Gaza as protests rock Mideast

The region remained volatile in the aftermath of an explosion at a Gaza hospital, which Palestinian officials said killed 471 people.
Smoke billows over the northern Gaza Strip during Israeli bombardment on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Oct 19, 2023

Israel's endgame? No sign of postwar plan for Gaza

Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas, but it has no clear plan for how to govern the ravaged Palestinian enclave even if it triumphs on the battlefield.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent searches for migrants trying to enter the United States from the Mexico border, in a desert area in Sunland Park, New Mexico.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 19, 2023

Republicans use Israeli-Hamas war to push hard line on immigration

U.S. presidential hopefuls are attempting to link a foreign conflict to the domestic debate over immigration.
Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena hits against the Rangers during Game 3 of the ALCS in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Oct 19, 2023

Cristian Javier shines again as Astros beat Rangers in Game 3

Cristian Javier had another strong postseason performance to help the Astros win Game 3 of the ALCS.
An inspector from the International Atomic Energy Agency observes crates of fish to be taken as samples from Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, on Thursday.
JAPAN
Oct 19, 2023

IAEA inspectors test Fukushima fish

China and Russia have banned Japanese seafood imports since the discharge began but Japan says it is safe, a view backed by the IAEA.
The planet Mars as captured by the NASA Hubble Space Telescope in 2016
WORLD / Science & Health
Oct 19, 2023

Scientists surprised by source of largest quake detected on Mars

They first suspected a meteorite impact had caused the marsquake. But a search for an impact crater came up empty.
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 19, 2023

Japan's largest labor group aims for wage hikes of 5% or more

Rengo will finalize its stance in December ahead of next year's wage negotiations.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 19, 2023

Self-driving taxi service set to be launched in Tokyo in 2026

Honda, GM and the American automaker’s autonomous driving unit, Cruise, will establish a joint venture next year to prepare for the robotaxi service.
Tourists enjoy the sunset at Bali's Canggu beach in 2021.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability
Oct 19, 2023

In Bali, 'sea-sun-sand' tourists threaten ancient rainforest

The island seeks to limit visitors without scaring off too many job-creating visitors with exorbitant taxes.
Xi Jinping speaks during the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on Wednesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 19, 2023

Xi says green projects will anchor China’s overseas spending

Beijing is in a unique position to help mitigate climate change as the world’s largest producer of everything from solar panels to batteries.
Nurses and university students majoring in nursing hold up signs that read "Nurse act", during a protest against President Yoon Suk Yeol vetoing a nursing act that defines the roles and responsibilities of nurses, in Seoul on May 19.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 19, 2023

Why South Korea has so many protests, and what that means

Born during South Korea’s difficult march toward self-governance in the 1980s, protest rallies are a fixture of Asia’s most vibrant democracy.
Max Verstappen won his third straight Formula One title in Qatar on Oct. 8.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Oct 20, 2023

Max Verstappen keeping foot on gas with more milestones in sight

Max Verstappen will be racing for pride, points and records this weekend at the United States Grand Prix.
Former firefighter Yoshifumi Usui now guides tourists in search of active pursuits in and around the Aso caldera.
LIFE / Travel
Oct 21, 2023

In volcanic Aso, the land gives much more than it takes

Locals in Aso have a saying: “The land takes away, but it gives us something, too.”
Chef Stuart Brioza (left) of San Francisco’s State Bird Provisions explores the vineyard at Domaine Takahiko in Yoichi, together with his partner, Nicole Krasinski, and their son, Jasper.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 22, 2023

A California chef's quest across Hokkaido for umami

Acclaimed chef Stuart Brioza has been to Hokkaido many times — but never with a focus like this on the island’s stunning natural bounty.
Labyrinth organizer Russell Moench sparked controversy with transphobic tweets, leading booked artists to pull out of the highly regarded electronic music festival’s 2023 edition.
CULTURE / Music
Oct 20, 2023

Art and politics clash at Labyrinth 2023

A controversy surrounding the prestige electronic music festival sparks an old debate over separating art and the artist.
People react during the funeral of a Palestinian who was killed by Israeli forces, near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 20, 2023

West Bank a possible 'third front' for Israel

More than 70 Palestinians have been killed in West Bank violence since Oct. 7 and Israel has arrested more than 800 people.
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Carney
WORLD / Politics
Oct 20, 2023

U.S. intercepts missiles fired from Yemen 'potentially' at Israel

A Pentagon spokesperson said there were no U.S. casualties and that the intercepted missiles likely fell in open water, not over land.
Kanata Kimoto had his womb and ovaries removed in Thailand when he was 24, so he could have his legal gender status changed. Now he questions whether such an invasive and costly procedure was necessary.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 22, 2023

Calls grow to abolish Japan's surgery requirement for gender change

Between 2004 and 2022, a total of 11,919 people had their gender changed through the law in Japan.
In almost 30 years of fighting wildfire, Art Gonzales has seen blazes grow progressively bigger and stranger.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Oct 20, 2023

‘It’s all-consuming.’ Wildfire whispering is now a year-round job

What was once limited to certain months now encompasses an entire ‘fire year'
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 20, 2023

Former finance minister elected as Lower House speaker

The 79-year-old Fukushiro Nukaga, a 13-term Diet member and former finance minister, was chosen, replacing Hiroyuki Hosoda.
Super Bowl LVIII will take place at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, on Feb. 11, 2024. 
MORE SPORTS
Oct 20, 2023

Las Vegas rapidly moving from sports pariah to sports capital

"We are the sports capital of the world right now," said former mayor Oscar Goodman
Samples of The Japan Times winning news coverage, recognized by the World Association of News Publishers Asian Media Awards.
JAPAN
Oct 20, 2023

Japan Times wins awards for breaking news and feature reporting

The Japan Times receives gold awards for breaking news coverage and feature writing at the World Association of News Publishers Asian Media Awards.
The health ministry found that, following the reported death of a TV personality in May 2022, the number of excess suicides in Japan spiked for two or three weeks.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 20, 2023

Copycat suicides spiked in Japan after celebrity's 2022 death

A government report is calling for the media to ensure that coverage is in line with the World Health Organization’s suicide reporting guidelines.
Demonstrators march against the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians outside Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Oct. 14.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 20, 2023

Is silence on Israel support for Hamas?

One of the current problems with the Israel-Hamas debate is that a failure to condemn some wrongs is often taken as approval.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 20, 2023

Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke pleads guilty to assisting parents' suicides

“The feelings of regret, remorse and gratitude (to my supporters) are something I will carry for the rest of my life,” Ennosuke said.
U.S. Republican Rep. Jim Jordan speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington on Friday.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 21, 2023

New field of would-be U.S. House speakers takes shape

The GOP has dispensed with Jim Jordan as their nominee for the U.S. speakership and now several more representatives are preparing to enter the fray.

Longform

Atsuyoshi Koike, the president and CEO of Rapidus, says there is a “sense of urgency” when it comes to Japan’s efforts in manufacturing semiconductors. “We have to make sure we are successful,” he says.
Atsuyoshi Koike’s big game: Fourth down and 2 nanometers to go