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Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, attends a plenary session in Moscow on Oct. 10.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 17, 2023

Russia set to revoke ratification of nuke test ban treaty, official says

Moscow would remain a signatory and would continue to cooperate with the test ban treaty organization and the global monitoring system.
About 9 million sets of customer information have been leaked from an NTT West subsidiary.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 18, 2023

NTT unit says around 9 million sets of customer information leaked

The former worker illegally downloaded customer information between around July 2013 and January this year.
A Palestinian with dual citizenship waits outside the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the hope of getting permission to leave Gaza, on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics / EXPLAINER
Oct 18, 2023

What is the Rafah border crossing and why is Egypt keeping it shut?

The crossing is the sole route for aid to enter Gaza directly from outside Israel and the only exit that does not lead to Israeli territory.
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.
The Bank of Japan intervened in the Japanese government bond (JGB) market on Friday for the fifth time this month after the 10-year yield rose to a fresh decade high.
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 20, 2023

Bank of Japan intervenes as 10-year JGB yield hits fresh decade peak

The benchmark JGB yield climbed to 0.845% right at the start of the trading day, its highest since July 2013, after revisiting peaks the previous day.
Vagaries in Japanese law mean single mothers are sometimes left without financial support from their former partners.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Oct 23, 2023

Documentary shines a spotlight on Japan’s single mothers

"The Ones Left Behind" explores the successes and struggles of single mothers in modern Japan.
A festivalgoer walks along the water near Kyotophonie’s Beach Stage. Despite rain on the second day of the festival, attendees and musicians maintained a lively atmosphere until the nighttime finale.
CULTURE / Music
Oct 21, 2023

An intimate bazaar of music and magic at Kyotophonie

The biannual music festival brought soulful sounds to Amanohashidate, a sandbar famed for having one of Japan’s three most beautiful views.
Delegates arrive for the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum to mark the initiatives 10th anniversary in Beijing on Wednesday.
EDITORIALS
Oct 20, 2023

China aims to remake the world with its Belt and Road initiative

Infrastructure is key to the success of the developing world and the failure to help emerging economies meet this vital need will rightly tar the West.
In recent years, China has arrested dozens of Chinese and foreign nationals on suspicion of espionage.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 22, 2023

China says it uncovered another U.S. spy

In recent years, China has arrested dozens of Chinese and foreign nationals on suspicion of espionage.
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo's new contract will give him the option to remain with the club through the 2027-28 season.
BASKETBALL / NBA
Oct 24, 2023

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo agrees on contract extension

The Greek star has spent the entirety of his NBA career with Milwaukee since being drafted by the franchise in 2013.
A fledgling film director (Mayu Matsuoka, center) returns home to make a film about her dysfunctional family in “Masked Hearts.”
CULTURE / Film
Oct 26, 2023

‘Masked Hearts’: Catharsis comes out of familial discord

Yuya Ishii returns to his indie roots with a comedy-drama that comes from a personal and painfully real place.
A banner at the entrance to Shibuya’s Center Street makes it clear this is no place for a party.
PODCAST / deep dive
Oct 26, 2023

The specter of Itaewon has Shibuya spooked

One year on, Elizabeth Beattie joins us to discuss where Itaewon stands after its Halloween disaster, and what its legacy means for celebrations in Japan.
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo speaks to the media prior to the start of the World Series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Thursday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Oct 27, 2023

'It's real': Diamondbacks ready to silence critics, Lovullo says

Arizona reached the post-season as a sixth-seed wild card and defied the odds to reach Major League Baseball's biggest stage.
Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh (left) and the former emir of Qatar arrive at a cornerstone-laying ceremony for the new Hamad residential neighborhood in Gaza in 2012.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 30, 2023

Israel-Hamas war escalation puts Qatar’s clout to the test

The nation has positioned itself as an key go-between, but has been criticized for housing Hamas leaders while maintaining channels to Israel.
People wearing sun protection gear amid a heat wave walk on a street in Beijing in July.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Nov 3, 2023

Climate's 'Catch-22': Cutting pollution heats up the planet

The removal of air pollution may have had a greater effect on temperatures in some Chinese cities than the warming from greenhouse gases.
The Self-Defense Forces face numerous obstacles in meeting their recruitment targets: Demographics, private-sector competition and image and morale issues.
EDITORIALS
Nov 3, 2023

The SDF has a big problem: Filling its ranks

The Japanese government needs to take steps to address SDF recruitment challenges that put the nation's security at risk.
Members of the international press gather on a hill in Sderot, Israel, with a view of the Gaza Strip, on Oct. 28.
WORLD
Nov 4, 2023

In Israel-Hamas war, recycled images from past conflicts can undercut true toll

Videos and photos of the conflict are competing with misappropriated depictions of unrelated tragedies.
A stock board in Beijing last month. China’s benchmark CSI 300 has slumped 7.4% as a faltering economy dashed optimism over the nation’s reopening from COVID-19 restrictions.
BUSINESS / Markets
Nov 4, 2023

Japan’s fading rally drives some investors to cheap China shares

Japanese stocks have trounced their Chinese peers this year, but some investors are betting the tide is about to turn.
In some cases, it's up to individual foreign residents to understand the unique tax implications of their home countries and Japan in order to avoid a penny-pinching retirement.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / Age Wise
Nov 5, 2023

Retiring in Japan? Be prepared to foot your own bills.

“In an ideal world, everyone should have retirement planning on their radar as soon as possible when working life begins.”
Buffaloes pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 14 in a complete-game victory over the Tigers in Game 6 of the Japan Series at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Saturday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Nov 4, 2023

Ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto helps Buffaloes force Game 7 in Japan Series

The Buffaloes beat the Tigers to send the Japan Series to Game 7.
A woman and her children at the Minnanouen Kitakagaya community garden in Osaka's Suminoe Ward
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change / OUR PLANET
Nov 5, 2023

How simple steps can help alleviate climate anxiety

From gardening to flood-proofing your home, experts say there are simple ways you can ease some of your concern.
Shipping containers near the train station near the China–Laos border in Boten, Laos, on June 29. The Global Times, a newspaper backed by the China’s Communist Party, said the railway “connects hearts” and promotes development.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 7, 2023

China revamps lending to Global South as U.S. narrows spending gap

Beijing is moving away from the big bilateral deals in favor of collaborative lending that reduces its exposure to financial risk, a new report says.
Plumes of smoke rise from a new isle after a recent volcano on Iwo Jima on Nov. 3.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 7, 2023

New isle emerges after underwater volcano erupts south of Tokyo

A recent undersea volcanic eruption has led to the formation of a new isle off the coast of Iwo Jima, about 1,200 kilometers south of Tokyo.
Seoul-based American physician John Linton — Korean name Ihn Yohan — speaks during a meeting in Seoul on Nov. 3
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Nov 7, 2023

'Blue-eyed Korean' tasked with shaking up Seoul politics

Born in rural Jeolla province, John Linton is nicknamed the "blue-eyed Korean" and speaks the language perfectly, albeit with a strong regional accent.
A man dressed as Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Sanders jumps into the Dotonbori River in Osaka after the Hanshin Tigers won the Japan Series.
PODCAST / deep dive
Nov 9, 2023

Japan’s 'four-eyed tax hiker' and the curse of Colonel Sanders

Baseball writer Jason Coskrey and editor Joel Tansey discuss the Hanshin Tigers’ Japan Series victory; Gabriele Ninivaggi explains how the prime minister hopes to get a home run with his tax plan.
Naomi Osaka, seen during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, will make her return to the WTA Tour at the Brisbane International.
TENNIS
Nov 10, 2023

Naomi Osaka to make return at Brisbane International

The four-time Grand Slam winner made her last appearance in a WTA tournament at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in late September 2022.
Port Plus is a training and education facility in Yokohama built by and for general contractor Obayashi, a storied Japanese builder that traces its roots back to 1892.
BUSINESS
Nov 16, 2023

Wooden high-rise in Yokohama grows Japan’s timber ambitions

Port Plus, which was finished last year, is composed mainly of 540 wooden rigid cross-joints.
Japanese state-backed fund INCJ has sold all but a token portion of its stake in semiconductor manufacturer Renesas Electronics.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 10, 2023

Japan fund INCJ sells ¥279 billion of Renesas shares

The shares have primarily been sold to overseas institutional investors, INCJ said.
U.S., Japanese and South Korean navy destroyers take part in joint missile defense exercises in international waters between South Korea and Japan in April.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Nov 13, 2023

Japan, U.S. South Korea to share missile-warning data

Following talks between the countries' defense chiefs, the three sides said the mechanism is now "in the final stages of testing."
State Minister of Finance Kenji Kanda (left) and Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki attend an Upper House session in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 13, 2023

State minister of finance resigns in further blow to Kishida

Kenji Kanda submitted his resignation after admitting that his firm had failed to pay fixed asset taxes.

Longform

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