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A worker walks along the partially snowless slope at the William F. Rogers Ski Area at Massachusetts' Blue Hills in January.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Dec 17, 2024

Companies challenged by fewer weeks of winter

Warmer winters also impact everything from sports to drinking water and even seasonal allergies.
Most market players expect shareholder activism to be as frenetic, if not more, next year.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 17, 2024

Activist investors set record with $6.6 billion spree in Japan

Activists have taken stakes in at least 146 companies, successfully demanding disposal of real estate, changes in strategy and stock buybacks.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer
WORLD / Politics
Dec 17, 2024

Starmer’s China reset plans get undercut by royal access scandal

It has emerged in court documents that a Chinese man who acted as a business adviser to the Duke of York was banned from Britain on national security grounds in 2023.
A train passes over downtown Kuala Lumpur
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 26, 2024

ASEAN's second renaissance is now

The bloc’s economies, despite varying political landscapes, rank among the world’s most dynamic.
The flight deck of the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier during a stop at Changi Naval Base in Singapore in May 2019
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 17, 2024

With rare Asia carrier deployment, France seeks greater interoperability

“The Indo-Pacific is the world’s new center of gravity," Rear Adm. Guillaume Pinget told The Japan Times during a visit to Tokyo.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi (second from left) speaks at a ministerial meeting on foreign workers at the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Dec 17, 2024

Japan begins process to replace controversial foreign trainee program

An expert panel has been appointed to assist the government in drafting a system to replace the controversial Technical Intern Training Program.
Japan wants renewable energy to account for around 40% to 50% of its electricity mix by fiscal year 2040 with nuclear power taking up another 20%, according to a new energy plan released Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 17, 2024

Japan aims to expand nuclear power in break from Fukushima era

The nation set out a proposed new energy strategy which urges both nuclear and renewables to be utilized to maintain growth and help curb emissions.
Panthers captain Daichi Yamazaki gets thrown in the air after the Koshien Bowl at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Dec 17, 2024

Kanto misses out yet again as Ritsumeikan wins the Koshien Bowl

Panthers claim victory in thrilling contest, but challenges abound for Japanese gridiron.
A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Mogami-class frigate, featuring stealth capability, is anchored at the Yokosuka naval base in Kanagawa Prefecture in September 2022.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 17, 2024

Japan's security assistance does not match its ambitions

ODA remains central to Japan’s contribution to regional security, with a focus primarily on nonmilitary means, including providing nonlethal equipment to law enforcement.
A member of security inspecting a collapsed building in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila after a powerful earthquake hit the Pacific island on Tuesday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 17, 2024

Major quake crushes buildings in Vanuatu capital; bodies seen

The 7.3 magnitude quake struck at a depth of 57 kilometers at 12:47 pm, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Environmental activist Paul Watson waves after getting released from prison in Nuuk, Greenland, on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Dec 18, 2024

Japan 'regrets' release of anti-whaling activist Paul Watson

The 74-year-old Canadian-American activist was released after Copenhagen turned down Tokyo's request to bring him to Japan.
Makoto Uchida (left), chief executive officer of Nissan Motor, and Toshihiro Mibe, chief executive officer of Honda Motor, attend a joint news conference in Tokyo in August.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 18, 2024

Nissan and Honda consider merger to take on world's biggest carmaker

Such a deal would create an automotive rival to Toyota and would effectively consolidate the Japanese auto industry into two camps.
A rebel fighter stands in front of an abandoned tank in the town of Adra on the northeast outskirts of Damascus on Monday.
WORLD
Dec 18, 2024

Conflict in Syria 'has not ended,' U.N. warns

The U.N.'s special envoy for Syria has warned of "significant hostilities" already witnessed there between Turkish-backed and Kurdish fighters.
Real Madrid players train in Doha on Tuesday. The Spanish club is closely aligned with A22, which launched the Unify League on Tuesday.
SOCCER
Dec 18, 2024

European Super League promoters launch Unify League, call on UEFA to recognize it

It is the latest attempt by A22 to get the competition off the ground after the original European Super League collapsed in 2021.
Daishiro Yamagiwa, the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's group for semiconductors, says a project to develop a domestic manufacturer of next-generation semiconductors is a battle for the nation's survival.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 18, 2024

Japan to support Rapidus even if it delays goal, chip czar says

"We’ve carried out our semiconductor strategy with determination and the Rapidus project is a core part of the strategy,” Daishiro Yamagiwa said.
Protesters hold placards reading "Arrest Insurrectionist Yoon Suk Yeol!" during a demonstration near the presidential residence in Seoul on Tuesday.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 18, 2024

Yoon’s martial law order divides South Korea and may alter foreign policy direction

South Korea’s vibrant civil society also fuels a divided citizenry, evident in protests for and against Yoon’s declaration.
The U.S.-China relationship will be better served by collaboration, not acrimony. The moment for better ties could come next year when President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 17, 2024

The Trump-Xi bromance has a chance in 2025

It was a smart move by the U.S. president-elect to invite Xi to his inauguration, but future attempts need to be more than just empty gestures to make a real difference.
A Ukrainian tank is stationed near a sign that reads, "Pokrovsk," in the country's Donetsk region, on Thursday.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 17, 2024

Europe needs to swiftly fulfill its aid pledges to Ukraine

Europe has committed significant aid to Ukraine, but delays in delivery, especially in military support, are hindering Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
Kenichi Takito (left) and Non play literary nemeses working in close quarters in Yukihiko Tsutsumi’s lukewarm comedy, “The Hotel of My Dream.”
CULTURE / Film
Dec 19, 2024

‘The Hotel of My Dream’: A literary comedy that never really gels

Yukihiko Tsutsumi’s adaptation of Asako Yuzuki’s novel promises a festive treat, but casting and cadence prevent it from realizing its full potential.
A new — and severe — case of bird flu in the United States has raised alarms, with California declaring an emergency to ramp up its response.
WORLD / Science & Health
Dec 19, 2024

First severe bird flu case in U.S. sparks alarm

The new case brings the total number of infections in the United States during the current 2024 outbreak to 61.
A fire burns inside a Palestinian house in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip, on Wednesday.
WORLD
Dec 19, 2024

Gaza mediators intensify ceasefire efforts as Israeli strikes kill 20

A Palestinian official close to the negotiations said mediators had narrowed gaps on most of the agreement's clauses.
Looking for LGBTQ+ events this holiday season? Tokyo is chockful of a variety of ways to spread cheer in the way that suits you best.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 20, 2024

Make the Yuletide gay: Tokyo’s LGBTQ+ Christmas events

Drag shows and lip-sync karaoke may not be traditional holiday get-togethers, but they deck the halls just the same.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the National Caucus holiday party in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Tuesday
WORLD / Politics
Dec 19, 2024

Trudeau’s political crisis rips up playbook for trade fight with Trump

Canada's prime minister is now on the back foot after his finance minister resigned, a move that cast doubt on his preparation for a clash with the U.S.
Barclays has been a top target for British climate protestors in recent years because of the volume of its lending to the fossil-fuel industry.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 19, 2024

Why Barclays is one of the main targets of U.K. climate activists

Barclays has provided more bonds and loans to fossil fuel companies than any European rival over the past three years.
Rivers and canals meander through many of the townships in Ningbo, with some homes built close to the water.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 19, 2024

Can China shield the biggest uninsured economy from floods?

Only about 10% of Chinese families have a home insurance policy, compared to nearly 90% in the U.S.
Runako Onodera,who donated a book purchased at a bookstore to "Book Santa" on Nov. 25 in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward
JAPAN
Dec 19, 2024

Santa project to deliver donated books to children in Noto

1,868 bookstores joining the project across the country's 47 prefectures at present will continue to collect donations until Wednesday.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte (right) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake hands at the official residence of the NATO secretary-general in Brussels on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 19, 2024

Europe's conundrum: How to fund defense spending

All potential options come with their own challenges, such as fiscal pressures, political resistance or funding costs.
A customer leaves a luxury eyewear shop in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 19, 2024

As bitcoin soars, luxury brands consider accepting crypto payments

Luxury labels have long sought to cater to affluent shoppers from the tech industry.
A visitor takes pictures near models of military equipment and a giant screen displaying Chinese leader Xi Jinping, at an exhibition at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing in October 2022.
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 19, 2024

Graft scandals disrupt China military modernization, Pentagon report says

At least 15 high-ranking Chinese military officers and defense industry executives were removed between July and December 2023, the report says.
Lewis Hamilton greets fans during a farewell event with Mercedes in Kuala Lumpur, on Dec. 10.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Dec 19, 2024

Ferrari boss noncommittal about when Lewis Hamilton will make debut

Ferrari fans are eager for a first glimpse of the seven-time world champion driving for their team since his move from Mercedes.

Longform

Wealthier women in the prewar era had been the targets of various media-related health campaigns that mistakenly encouraged them to avoid everything from riding bicycles to reading novels when their monthly cycles came around.
Menstruation in Japan: Breaking the silence, slowly