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TOKYO
May 09, 2026
The Independent Voice in Asia
May 09, 2026
Iran war endgame
Sanae Takaichi
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Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda arrives for a news conference after a BOJ policy meeting in Tokyo last month.
BUSINESS / Economy / ANALYSIS
Japan bets on Washington and BOJ for extra punch in yen battle
By Leika Kihara and Makiko Yamazaki
The strategy is reliant on a small cast of heavyweights and is aimed less at a dramatic turnaround than at raising the cost of betting against the yen.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda arrives for a news conference after a BOJ policy meeting in Tokyo last month.
U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak about the Iran war at the White House last month.
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Trump's feuds and tensions with allies likely to outlast Iran war
By Matt Spetalnick and Andrea Shalal
Allies from Europe to the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific are once again fearful that the U.S. might be unreliable in a future crisis.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro (second from right) speak to soldiers during the Balikatan annual military exercises in Paoay, in the Philippines' Ilocos Norte province, on Wednesday.
JAPAN / FOCUS
From observer to contributor: Japan¡¯s growing military role in Philippine drills
By Gabriel Dominguez
Several of the drills were conducted in northern Philippine areas facing Taiwan and the South China Sea, locations increasingly seen as central to deterrence planning.
An unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) that resembles a football-shaped body is seen in this screenshot from video taken near Japan in 2024.
JAPAN
Pentagon UFO file trove includes sightings near Japan?
By Jesse Johnson
Two of the dozens of videos released by the U.S. Defense Department were taken near Japan, including one that shows an object "that resembles a football-shaped body."
Punch, a Japanese macaque known for clinging to a stuffed orangutan, looks on at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, in March.
JAPAN / Society
Punch, the lonely monkey, is growing up. He¡¯s still a star.
By Javier C. Hernandez and Hisako Ueno
Punch has handled the limelight better than most young stars. Since first hitting the headlines, he has slowly integrated into his troop and made friends.
Punch, a Japanese macaque known for clinging to a stuffed orangutan, looks on at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, in March.

JAPAN

Confiscated e-cigarettes known as ¡°nicopuff¡± displayed in Osaka on Saturday.
Despite curbs, 'nicopuff' e-cigarette use rises among young people in Japan
While the products can be imported for personal use, selling it in Japan violates the pharmaceutical and medical device law.
Members of the Hokkaido Ainu Association place returned remains in a cemetery at the national Ainu cultural facility and perform a memorial service on Friday in Shiraoi, Hokkaido.
Ainu indigenous group demands return of ancestors' remains
The group filed a lawsuit demanding that the remains of 279 Ainu ancestors held by a state facility be returned to their descendants.
Police renew call for vigilance against investment scams as stocks soar
Town assembly in Akita Prefecture removes unconscious mayor
Three years after COVID-19¡¯s reclassification, what¡¯s changed?
Microbus driver arrested after crash kills student in northeastern Japan

BUSINESS

A solar panel manufacturing plant in Ohio. Policy uncertainty is driving installers and insurers away from U.S. solar factories with China ties.
Trump¡¯s crackdown on China-linked solar firms stalls U.S. factory boom
By Nichola Groom
Policy uncertainty is driving installers and insurers away from U.S. solar factories with China ties.
A departure board showing canceled Spirit Airlines flights at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York, on May 2.
Spirit exit likely to lead to higher U.S. airfares, experts say
By Elodie MAZEIN
Spirit's shutdown has added to worries about higher airfares, as ticket prices already rise over soaring jet fuel costs due to the Middle East war.
Japanese stocks steady near historic highs as tech and war weigh on sentiment
By Kazuaki Nagata
Goldman-backed Go app seeks $1.3 billion valuation in Tokyo IPO
By Yatsutaka Tamura and Dave Sebastian
FSA to develop AI agent to help with customer service at regional banks
By Yukana Inoue
Toyota forecasts abrupt profit drop on Iran, shares fall
By Nicholas Takahashi

WORLD

Oil storage tanks in China. Days after the Strait of Hormuz was closed, China banned oil-product exports, squeezing Asian countries that rely on its refineries for jet fuel, gasoline and diesel.
War and energy shortages boost China¡¯s influence in Asia
By Alexandra Stevenson
The Iran war has deepened China's influence with its fuel-starved neighbors, allowing it to deal from a position of strength.
There are no approved vaccines or known cures for the hantavirus, which is usually spread from infected rodents and can cause respiratory and cardiac distress as well as hemorrhagic fever.
Hantavirus scare revives COVID-era conspiracy theories
By Bill MCCARTHY
The misinformation resurged even as the World Health Organization insisted there was minimal risk to the general public from passengers of the MV Hondius.
U.S. attack on Iran tankers sparks reprisals as deal hangs in balance
After months of wrangling, Taiwan lawmakers OK $25 billion defense spending bill
U.S. and Iran trade fire, threatening fragile truce
A small town in Germany braces for end to decades of life with U.S. troops
By Lisi Niesner

Sports

Yokozuna Hoshoryu will be in the spotlight as the favorite during the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.
Path to glory opens for Hoshoryu after injuries to rivals Onosato and Aonishiki
By John Gunning
Yokozuna Onosato and ozeki Aonishiki withdrew from the Summer Basho due to injuries.
Michael Carrick focused on strong finish for Manchester United amid questions about future
'Mr. Europa League' Unai Emery reaches sixth final as Aston Villa tops Nottingham Forest
Italian tennis chief calls for fifth major to break up Grand Slam 'monopoly'
Jannik Sinner says respect at core of players' demand for more money from French Open

Opinion

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi along with his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, inspect an honor guard during a welcome ceremony in Jakarta on Monday.
Indonesia-Japan defense pact reshapes Indo-Pacific security
Ronny P. Sasmita
The implications for the Indo-Pacific are significant. A more capable Indonesia could strengthen deterrence and help maintain open sea lanes, reinforcing regional stability.
The hantavirus outbreak is cause for caution, not panic
By Lisa Jarvis
Japan pulls out the stops to halt the yen¡¯s slide
OpenAI is so yesterday ¡ª even for SoftBank
By Shuli Ren
To counter China, the West must first understand its phobias
By Stephen R. Nagy

ENVIRONMENT

The nature guides and conservationists at Picchio Karuizawa focus on nonviolent interventions like collaring and tracking bears to keep the animals away from human settlements and oft-used hiking routes.
Rising bear encounters test Japan¡¯s approach to wildlife management
By Justin Randall
Government officials and nature guides say more countermeasures can reduce harm caused by rogue bears.
Iraq's historic marshes revive as water returns after years of drought
By Mohammed Aty
Asia heat waves spell double trouble for economies hit by oil shock
By Claire Jiao and Swati Pandey
Court case challenges New Zealand's 'magical thinking' climate plans
By Ben Strang
100 years on Earth: Iconic naturalist Attenborough to mark century
By Caroline TAIX

CULTURE

Demonstrators from Pussy Riot group held a protest at Venice Biennale's International Art Exhibition on May 7, 2026.
At the Venice Biennale, the anger isn¡¯t about the art
By James Tarmy
The mass resignation of the Biennale jury over Israel's and Russia's participation was followed by protests. The art is getting drowned out in the controversy.
In Japan, ¡®moms pull weight in ways that are superhuman¡¯
By Mishu Callan
¡®Kyoto Hippocrates¡¯: A genial look at medicine¡¯s early days in Japan
By Mark Schilling
¡®Cry Out¡¯: Misery without meaning
By James Hadfield
¡®Monarch: Legacy of Monsters¡¯ loses its human touch in sprawling second season
By Gabriella Geisinger

LIFE

Daniele Cason, the chef behind one of Tokyo's top pizzerias, says his pizza represents a largely Roman take on the dish.
Tokyo¡¯s top pizzaioli have raised the city to the upper crust
By Aarohi Narain
RistoPizza by Napoli Sta Ca and The Pizza Bar on 38th have dominated Asia's best-of pizza rankings.
No added sugar, no problem: A lattice tart held up by sweet beans
By Simon Daly
Charting Japan¡¯s emerging wine scene
By Abi Buller
New head chef at Maz explores Peruvian food through a Japanese lens
By Kyoko Nakayama
For tourists in Japan¡¯s outdoor sports scene, safety is not guaranteed
By Mai Yoshikawa

COMMUNITY

Muslims pray at Tokyo Camii in the Yoyogi-Uehara neighborhood. Though Muslims account for only 0.3% of Japan¡¯s population, rhetoric in online spaces and by conservative politicians has fomented social tensions.
Fujisawa flashpoint: A mosque project stokes nativist fears
By Simon Scott and Ben Stubbings
The planned construction of a mosque in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, had been quietly proceeding for years ¡ª until a YouTuber decided to run for office.
¡®Goofy fluffball¡¯ Gammo has a heart filled with joy
Italian creatives find their niche in Japan
By Agnese Dionisio
Counseling and community for foreign cancer patients in Japan
By Jason Bartashius
Please your palate with Tokyo¡¯s international grocery stores
By Mike Fu

Editors' Picks

ENVIRONMENT
Rising bear encounters test Japan¡¯s approach to wildlife management
By Justin Randall
The nature guides and conservationists at Picchio Karuizawa focus on nonviolent interventions like collaring and tracking bears to keep the animals away from human settlements and oft-used hiking routes.
SUMO
Path to glory opens for Hoshoryu after injuries to rivals Onosato and Aonishiki
By John Gunning
Yokozuna Hoshoryu will be in the spotlight as the favorite during the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.
LIFE
When it comes to their kids, Japanese mothers look beyond pink and blue
By Yuko Tamura
Sun hats, hoodies with built-in UV protection and parasols are on the must-have lists of Japanese moms this summer.
CULTURE
Poison Girl Friend was early. Now it makes sense.
By Patrick St. Michel
Noriko Sekiguchi launched Poison Girl Friend in the late 1980s, crafting melancholy, club-influenced pop with multilingual lyrics. Her music is now being rediscovered by younger listeners through streaming services and a renewed interest in ¡¯90s trip hop.
JAPAN
The weight of not knowing: Japan¡¯s long-missing children
By Mai Yoshikawa
A signboard urging people to call the police if they have information on the whereabouts of Kaori Nomura, who went missing in 1991 at the age of 8, is seen in Yokohama in early April.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

Projects like the BuddhaBot aim to re-create dialogue once lost to time, raising questions about whether AI can extend the teachings of Buddha or merely simulate them.
Can AI replace a priest? Japan¡¯s temples and shrines are testing the limits.
By Alex K.T. Martin

JT Directory Service

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COMFACTS

Kotozna Launches ¡°TocDex RAG¡± to Enhance Accuracy and Multilingual Capabilities in Generative AI
Kotozna Launches ¡°TocDex RAG¡± to Enhance Accuracy and Multilingual Capabilities in Generative AI
KOTOZNA, INC.

WHAT¡¯S TRENDING

JAPAN
The weight of not knowing: Japan¡¯s long-missing children
By Mai Yoshikawa
A signboard urging people to call the police if they have information on the whereabouts of Kaori Nomura, who went missing in 1991 at the age of 8, is seen in Yokohama in early April.
ASIA PACIFIC
South Korean judge who hiked ex-first lady's jail sentence found dead
South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee, wife of impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol, arrives at a court to attend a hearing to review her arrest warrant requested by special prosecutors at the Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul on Aug. 12, 2025.
JAPAN
Japan confirms year¡¯s first fatal bear attack
Japanese authorities confirmed Friday the first fatal bear attack of 2026, in which a 55-year-old woman died on April 21 in Iwate Prefecture, according to media reports.
JAPAN
¡®You¡¯re not my real dad!¡¯: Argument in car allegedly provoked murder in Kyoto case
Police vehicles, including one carrying Y¨±ki Adachi, are seen on April 28 in Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture, during an on-site investigation over the death of the 37-year-old man's adopted son.
WORLD
Health officials downplay pandemic risk from cruise hantavirus outbreak
By Charlotte Hughes-Morgan and Janice Kew
Hantavirus is a rare infection typically spread through contact with infected rodent droppings or inhaling contaminated dust. Symptoms can take weeks to appear, and severe cases can progress rapidly to respiratory failure.