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TOKYO
May 03, 2026
The Independent Voice in Asia
May 03, 2026
Fuel shock
Sanae Takaichi
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Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gives a speech in Hanoi on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Article 9 in focus as Takaichi pushes for revision of Constitution
By Himari Semans
Without explicitly mentioning Article 9, Takaichi said the charter ¡ª unchanged since 1947 ¡ª must be updated to reflect today's international environment and security realities.

More coverage

18 governors in Japan see need for constitutional revision
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gives a speech in Hanoi on Saturday.
An agrivoltaic crop, in which solar panels are raised about 3 meters off the ground so that agricultural machinery can freely operate on the crops underneath, in Sosa, Chiba Prefecture.
ENVIRONMENT / Energy / OUR PLANET
As Iran war sends oil prices soaring, some see fresh potential for solar in Japan
By Tomoko Otake
While megasolar projects are facing headwinds at the government level, some see renewed potential for solar sharing and smaller-scale, off-grid systems.
A hot spring facility in the city of Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture, has suspended the operation of its open-air baths since March.
JAPAN
Water shortages hit tourist spots in Japan during Golden Week
Sightseeing boats, operators of hot springs and other businesses have been forced to reduce service hours.
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama
BUSINESS / Markets
Finance minister declines to comment on yen intervention for now
By Erica Yokoyama
"As finance minister, at this stage I'm not in a position to comment," Katayama told reporters in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Traditional Japanese needlework has exploded in popularity, but a book from a third-generation artisan aims to bring more context to the craft's newfound popularity.
LIFE / Style & Design
¡®Sashiko¡¯ needlework artisan says craft is about 'the stories behind the stitching'
By Jessica Kozuka
In a new book, a third-generation craftsman explores how the origins of his art are at risk of being lost in an upswell of popularity.
Traditional Japanese needlework has exploded in popularity, but a book from a third-generation artisan aims to bring more context to the craft's newfound popularity.

JAPAN

Ships and boats in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on Friday
Tanker carrying Russian oil to arrive in Japan amid Hormuz closure
The oil comes from the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project in Russia's ear east, which is exempt from Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
The Fukushima March 11 Memorial Park opened on Saturday in an area straddling the towns of Namie and Futaba.
Memorial park opens 15 years after Fukushima disaster
The Fukushima March 11 Memorial Park was jointly established by the central government and the prefecture in an area straddling the towns of Namie and Futaba.
Aged people still cautioned against COVID-19 during Golden Week
Japan tells Iran of strong hope for peace deal with U.S.
Iwate town declares forest fire under control on 11th day
Takaichi pledges ¡®more proactive¡¯ role for Japan in Indo-Pacific strategy update
By Jesse Johnson

BUSINESS

The Nvidia logo and a Neura humanoid robot at the Dassault Systems SE booth at the Hannover Messe 2026 trade fair in Hannover, Germany, on April 20
Nvidia¡¯s push into physical AI sparks rally in Asian partners
By Abhishek Vishnoi
Nvidia-induced demand is shaping stock performance across Asia's technology supply chain.
A Spirit Airlines Airbus A321 aircraft is seen parked at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Carolina, Puerto Rico, on Monday.
Spirit ends operations after White House bailout collapses
All Spirit flights have been canceled and passengers have been advised not to go to the airport after the airline failed to secure a deal with the Trump administration for funding.
Japan prepares to launch trade talks with Mercosur
JBIC and commercial banks to lend 2.2B dollars for U.S. investment
CEO Greg Abel moves to assure Berkshire shareholders in a post-Buffett world
The world¡¯s central banks are wrestling with a gigantic problem
By Jeff SOMMER

WORLD

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te walks with Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini upon arriving in Eswatini on Saturday.
Taiwan president defiant as begins Eswatini trip; China calls him a 'rat'
Last ?month, Taiwan said China had forced three Indian Ocean countries to pull overflight permission for ?Lai's aircraft to travel to Eswatini.
Soldiers during an exercise at the the U.S. Army's training facilities in Hohenfels, Germany, on Thursday
Trump threatens deeper cuts for U.S. troop presence in Germany
Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with European nations, accusing them of ignoring his requests for help in the U.S. war with Iran and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel approves plan to buy F-35 and F-15IA fighter jets from Lockheed, Boeing
By Steven Scheer
Sri Lankan police arrest 37 Chinese at suspected scam center
Bangkok food vendor curbs push city staple from the streets
By Montira Rungjirajittranon
Trump says U.S. could restart Iran strikes 'if they misbehave'

Sports

Naoya Inoue (left) fights Junto Nakatani during their super bantamweight title fight at Tokyo Dome on Saturday.
Naoya 'Monster' Inoue gets past Junto Nakatani in Tokyo Dome superfight
By Andrew MCKIRDY
Inoue retained his undisputed super bantamweight titles and handed Nakatani the first loss of his career.
Old Shohei Ohtani rules spark fresh debate about their fairness
By Ken Rosenthal
City manager Pep Guardiola will not blame schedule if club fails to win title
LIV served purpose for Saudi Arabia, as kingdom reduces spending on sports
Connor McDavid faces tough questions about future after early playoff exit

Opinion

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ASEAN leaders pose during the 21st ASEAN-India Summit at the National Convention Centre, in Vientiane, Laos, in October 2024.
Asia¡¯s economic diplomacy for tumultuous times
Ashok Lavasa ¡ª Roli Asthana
In a volatile multipolar world, countries must drive their own development by balancing global engagement with strong domestic capacity, as shown by Asia's growth strategies.
Sustainability has left the AI chat
By Jerome Silla
Meta is making workers train their AI replacements
By Mark Gongloff
Why Beijing can¡¯t quit ¡®open¡¯ AI
By Catherine Thorbecke
Japan¡¯s space systems face growing cybersecurity threats
By Kota Umeda

ENVIRONMENT

Colombian President Gustavo Petro (right) and Colombian Environment Minister Irene Velez attend the International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta, Colombia, on Tuesday.
Nations urged to ¡®go further¡¯ as fossil fuel exit talks wrap in Colombia
By Nick Perry and Anna PELEGRI
Ministers and envoys from nearly 60 countries gathered in Colombia in the hope of speeding up the shift away from fossil fuels and breaking a stalemate at the U.N. climate talks.
Nations meet to discuss fossil fuel exit as Iran war drives up prices
By Kate Abnett
War hastens an Indonesian biofuels push that has global stakes
By Eko Listiyorini and Anuradha Raghu
G7 says nature talks a success as climate sidelined for U.S.
Warming El Nino set to return in mid-2026, U.N. says

CULTURE

In 2019, Saitama Arts Theater started permitting children under 3 to some of its shows. Previously, children under 4 were not permitted.
No longer shushed: Japan¡¯s cultural venues make room for children
By Kris Kosaka
From ballet to museums, cultural institutions are adapting to the needs of families with young children.
Conceptual art offers glimpse inside architects¡¯ minds
By Kim Kahan
Jury of Italy's Venice Biennale resigns en masse
By Ella IDE
¡®Into the Belly of the Beast¡¯: A stomach-churning thriller offers grisly surprises
By James Hadfield
91²Ö¿â wig masters bring the kabuki stage to life
By Natsuko Fukue

LIFE

Since taking over Maz last month, chef Yuya Nakamura has been gradually introducing more Japanese influences to the restaurant's innovative Peruvian cuisine.
New head chef at Maz explores Peruvian food through a Japanese lens
By Kyoko Nakayama
Fukuoka native Yuya Nakamura has big shoes to fill as he takes over from the talented Santiago Fernandez.
Gourmet capital Kyoto now has six three-Michelin-starred restaurants
By Weiwen Lin
The American chef reconnecting with Japan through a Kyoto restaurant
By Melinda Joe
Inkonbini: Slice-of-life, cozy gaming from Japan¡¯s convenience stores
By Gendel Gento
Girandole by Alain Ducasse is a stunning ode to brasserie fare
By Weiwen Lin

COMMUNITY

Simona Stanzani translates manga into Italian and English, working with localization companies in Japan and publishers in Italy and elsewhere.
Italian creatives find their niche in Japan
By Agnese Dionisio
Inspired by early encounters with Japanese culture, Tokyo-based translator Simona Stanzani and illustrator Luca Tieri have put creative dialogue at the forefront of their careers.
¡®Goofy fluffball¡¯ Gammo has a heart filled with joy
Counseling and community for foreign cancer patients in Japan
By Jason Bartashius
Please your palate with Tokyo¡¯s international grocery stores
By Mike Fu
In rural Japan, a consultant code-switches and connects
By Mishu Callan

Editors' Picks

LIFE
For tourists in Japan¡¯s outdoor sports scene, safety is not guaranteed
By Mai Yoshikawa
Each winter, countless tourists flock to Japan's famous snow-covered mountains, but a lack of top-down regulation on the country's outdoor sports industry can make certain activities unnecessarily risky.
LIFE
¡®Sashiko¡¯ needlework artisan says craft is about 'the stories behind the stitching'
By Jessica Kozuka
Traditional Japanese needlework has exploded in popularity, but a book from a third-generation artisan aims to bring more context to the craft's newfound popularity.
TENNIS
Tennis trailblazer Kei Nishikori announces his retirement
By Jason Coskrey
Kei Nishikori, who has won 12 titles on the ATP Tour and climbed as high as No. 4 in the world rankings, on Thursday announced his retirement.
LIFE
Japanese fried chicken with a Southern twist
By Simon Daly
A buttermilk-inspired marinade gives a rich umami flavor to your fried chicken.
CULTURE
Documentary captures the long echo of Fukushima's nuclear disaster
By Tomoko Otake
Toru Yamada¡¯s documentary ¡°At the Triangle Intersection,¡± which delves into the lingering impact of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, follows Tetsu (center), the matriarch of the Watanabe family, her son, Takemasa (right) and her daughter-in-law, Shigeko.

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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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

BUSINESS
Yen soars as Japan intervenes after issuing 'final' warning
Pedestrians walk past a stock quotation board showing the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen, outside a brokerage in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN
New Zealand officials reject statue remembering 91²Ö¿â comfort women
A statue symbolizing former South Korean comfort women in Seoul
BUSINESS
Japan secures enough petroleum-derived naphtha to last into 2027
By Eric Johnston
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a government meeting on the Middle East on Thursday at the Prime Minister's Office.
BUSINESS
Japan mum on yen intervention, heavy on jawboning, ahead of long holiday weekend
By Kazuaki Nagata
The yen was back in ?150-to-the-dollar territory after reports of intervention by the Japanese government.
JAPAN
Not even Japanese bathhouses are immune from shocks of Iran war
By River Akira Davis and Kiuko Notoya
The interior of Ume-no-yu, a public bathhouse in the city of Nagano. Soaring oil prices driven by the war in the Middle East are threatening to deal a final blow to a storied Japanese institution: the sento, or traditional public bathhouse.