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July 27, 2026
The Independent Voice in Asia
July 27, 2026
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Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a budget committee session at the Lower House in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
After a legislative sweep, Takaichi faces public confidence test
By Kenji Yoshida
A recent poll shows 71% of respondents disapproved of the government¡¯s response to rising living costs as talks remain stalled over a reduction of the consumption tax for food.

More coverage

Secondary capital bill passes after showdown at parliament
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a budget committee session at the Lower House in Tokyo on Monday.
The Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau in the capital's Shinagawa Ward in March. Japan's revised guidelines for permanent residency are set to be introduced as early as Oct. 1 and applied to applications filed from April 2027.
JAPAN
Tough new permanent residency measures trigger concern in Japan
By Jessica Speed
The draft guidelines would introduce clearer income, pension, language and integration requirements, as the government seeks to tighten immigration controls.
Novelist Keigo Higashino in Tokyo in 2014. Higashino died of colorectal cancer on Thursday at the age of 68.
CULTURE / Books
Japanese author Keigo Higashino, known for penning intricate mystery novels, dies at 68
By Elizabeth Beattie
Higashino, a prolific writer lauded for his creativity, died of cancer, his official X account said.
U.S. Forces Japan commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost (left) speaks with The Japan Times and other media outlets in an interview at the Japanese Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN
U.S. Forces Japan boosts personnel as transformation takes shape, commander says
By Jesse Johnson
Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost said that some 215 personnel had been added to the headquarters since last year, as a shift to give the command more authority entered a second phase.
In 2008, Nishiawakura announced a 100-year plan to promote forest health through measures including structured thinning of its artificially planted <i>sugi</i> and <i>hinoki</i> trees. Since then, it has earned nationwide recognition for its innovative forest health management initiatives.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability / OUR PLANET
The tiny Okayama village providing Japan with a blueprint for forest management
By Kimberly Hughes
Nishiawakura is prioritizing long-term forest health and biodiversity, while also strengthening the local economy.
In 2008, Nishiawakura announced a 100-year plan to promote forest health through measures including structured thinning of its artificially planted <i>sugi</i> and <i>hinoki</i> trees. Since then, it has earned nationwide recognition for its innovative forest health management initiatives.

JAPAN

Mauricio Ojeda (center) takes part in a flood prevention drill in Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, in June.
More foreign nationals joining fire brigades in Japan, but barriers remain
Volunteer fire brigade members of foreign nationality can only engage in activities within the scope of acts that do not constitute exercising public authority.
People lay flowers at the memorial monument inside the Tsukui Yamayuri-en residential facility on the 10th anniversary of the attack, in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Sunday.
Prayers offered for victims of Sagamihara care home attack
¡°The deep sorrow remains even after 10 long years,¡± said the head of the Tsukui Yamayuri-en residential facility for those with disabilities in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture.
Concerns increasing over radio for abductees in North Korea
Memorial at sea starts for late residents of Russia-held isles
Several dozen local bodies vie for disaster management agency¡¯s regional bases
Japan, Philippines and the U.S. complete exercises in South China Sea

BUSINESS

Portable air conditioners are selling well at a Big Camera store in Tokyo.
Portable air conditioner sales surge in Japan amid intense heat
Relatively low prices and the fact that such portable units do not require installation work make them popular.
Medical staff looks after patients in the Intensive Care Unit of the "Klinikum Darmstadt" clinic in Darmstadt, Germany, in 2021.
Germany¡¯s sick-note crackdown may be treating the symptoms, not the disease
Workers in Germany took an average of about 22 days of sick leave in 2024, among the highest levels internationally.
Instagram, Facebook ran AI ¡®nudify¡¯ ads from China, report says
By Newley Purnell
Online education CEO bets on Fukuoka for regional growth
Malaysia¡¯s resource anxiety tests Asia¡¯s fastest data center build-out
SoftBank¡¯s $40 billion loan for OpenAI stake gets 21 new lenders
By Kari Lindberg

WORLD

An Air Tractor AT-802F Fire Boss aircraft dumps water over a wildfire burning near San Martin de Valdeiglesias, about 70 kilometers west of Madrid, on Sunday.
Wildfires threaten Bordeaux as France and Spain battle blazes
By Manuel Ausloos and David Latona
The fires ?are the latest disasters linked to prolonged drought and successive heat waves that scientists say have been intensified by climate change.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa (right) receives U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the People&#039;s Palace in Damascus on Saturday.
Syrian president tells Al Jazeera his country seeks security deal with Israel
A deal ?could ?pave the way for comprehensive peace between both countries without ?compromising Syria¡¯s right to the Golan Heights, President ?Ahmad al-Sharaa says.
Ebola outbreak in Congo set to become second-largest on record after confirmed cases reach 3,200
By Jason Gale
Gaza teen triumphs in school despite war, loss and displacement
U.S. and Iran extend pause in strikes as Oman holds Hormuz talks
Rohingya schools in Malaysia face closures amid online surge in hate speech
By Rozanna Latiff

Sports

Tadej Pogacar wearing the leader&#039;s yellow jersey celebrates completing the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris on Sunday.
Tadej Pogacar matches record with fifth Tour de France crown
Belgium¡¯s Remco Evenepoel finished second overall, while Mexico¡¯s Isaac del Toro rounded out the overall podium in third.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso hails addition of Morgan Rogers as ¡®great signing¡¯
Malaysia steps in to host rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix
Anthony Joshua¡¯s close call does not dampen appetite for showdown with Tyson Fury
Munetaka Murakami homers twice to help power White Sox to win over Astros

Opinion

A woman walks past images of current supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei (right), his father, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (left), and the late Ruhollah Khomeini on her way to the Grand Mosalla in Tehran on July 5.
Why Iran¡¯s hardline regime won¡¯t change
Pegah Banihashemi
Iran¡¯s founding doctrine of uncompromising clerical rule and system?preserving repression ensures the regime survives, making outside pressure and internal unrest ineffective.
Nicaragua¡¯s dictatorship should be Marco Rubio¡¯s next problem
By Juan Pablo Spinetto
Games that allow athletes to use drugs that boost performance
By Peter Singer
Sagamihara survivor shows what inclusion can look like
By Michael Gillan Peckitt
Japan¡¯s wedding gifts are leaving couples deflated
By Gearoid Reidy

ENVIRONMENT

A drone view shows the cooling towers of the defunct Orlando Power Station, in Soweto, South Africa, on May 12, 2025. President Cyril Ramaphosa this month hailed the growth of data centers as essential for the country&#039;s security and its businesses.
South Africa¡¯s data center ¡®gold rush¡¯ risks resource crunch
By Kate Bartlett
South Africa boasts advanced digital infrastructure, including connections with international sub-sea cables, helping to make it home to 70% of the continent¡¯s data centers.
¡®Difficult night¡¯ as France and Spain fires intensify again
Spain and France continue to battle wildfires as intense heat grips Southern Europe
Investors see pollution plan silver lining in EU carbon overhaul
¡®Cruel, wasteful¡¯: Senegal port a hot spot for illegal shark fins
By Marchio Gorbiano and Becca MILFELD

CULTURE

Hayao Miyazaki lists books as direct sources for a number of his films including his latest, ¡°The Boy and the Heron.¡±
How Hayao Miyazaki¡¯s love of books influenced Studio Ghibli¡¯s stories
By Kris Kosaka
Hayao Miyazaki lists books as direct sources for a number of his films including his latest, ¡°The Boy and the Heron.¡±
Time-travel anime ¡®You, Fireworks, and Our Promise¡¯ is serviceable but lacks spark
By Matt Schley
The bittersweet nostalgia of the first season of ¡®Vivant¡¯
By Gabriella Geisinger
Japan¡¯s 100-year-old symphonic orchestra celebrates its milestone
By Junko Nonoyama
¡®Hush!¡¯ and ¡®All Around Us¡¯: Masterpieces from a pioneering gay director
By Mark Schilling

LIFE

Social media, streaming platforms and online communities have become major drivers of how Japanese slang spreads among young people.
J-pop idols are behind much of Japan¡¯s Gen Z slang
By Shaun McKenna
Japan¡¯s newest slang isn¡¯t new at all ¡ª it¡¯s a remix fueled by TikTok, fandoms and boy bands.
A symbol of summer, this Japanese dessert brings sweet relief
By Weiwen Lin
Heading to Yokohama¡¯s Chinatown? Here are the real local bites you¡¯re missing.
By Manami Tominaga
In the hills of Shimane, Japan¡¯s steelworking tradition forges on
By Louise George Kittaka
Kansai¡¯s first Michelin-selected sommelier knows how to read a room
By Weiwen Lin

COMMUNITY

Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan&#039;s relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
By Mai Yoshikawa
Japan¡¯s small but growing ranks of digital nomads have embraced the opportunity to embed themselves in a Japanese life ¡ª and take advantage of a weak yen.
This Shiba is a great dog for the right person
A friendly ¡®peaches-and-cream¡¯ fellow
Found on Jan. 1, Osechi is a New Year¡¯s darling
Japan needs caregivers. Young Indians are answering the call.
By Megha Wadhwa

Editors' Picks

COMMUNITY
How foreign workers became an essential part of Japan¡¯s ubiquitous konbini
By Yumi Wijers-Hasegawa
Myanmar national Nyan Linn, who works at a Lawson outlet in Tokyo¡¯s Shinagawa Ward, is one of over 110,000 foreign workers employed by Japan&#039;s three largest convenience store chains.
JAPAN
Out of the shadows: Japanese women building a life beyond motherhood
By Mai Yoshikawa
Miyako Kudo addresses an Osaka fertility clinic during a speaking engagement on understanding and supporting women without children.
CULTURE
How Hayao Miyazaki¡¯s love of books influenced Studio Ghibli¡¯s stories
By Kris Kosaka
Hayao Miyazaki lists books as direct sources for a number of his films including his latest, ¡°The Boy and the Heron.¡±
CULTURE
Inside Toho Archive¡¯s mission to save Japan¡¯s cinematic memory
By Sebastien Raineri
The goal of restoration is not to artificially upscale but to return the film to the condition it was in ¡°the very first day it appeared in the world,¡± says Nobushige Toshima, president and sales division manager of Toho Archive.
CULTURE
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
By Patrick St. Michel
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.

Podcast

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

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

JT Directory Service

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COMFACTS

Japanese Microalgae Meets American Formulation Science at Chicago¡¯s IFT FIRST
Japanese Microalgae Meets American Formulation Science at Chicago¡¯s IFT FIRST
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WHAT¡¯S TRENDING

JAPAN
Japan¡¯s average life expectancy rises in 2025
Compared with other countries, Japan ranked seventh in male life expectancy, following Sweden, Switzerland, Italy and others, while taking the top spot in female life expectancy.
WORLD
U.S. holds fire against Iran as reports emerge of stockpile concerns
Munitions sit on trolleys as military personnel work on a B?1B bomber at RAF Fairford airbase, which hosts United States Air Force personnel, in Fairford, Gloucestershire, Britain, on Saturday.
JAPAN
Extreme heat grips Japan for a record fifth straight day
People cross a street in Nagoya on Saturday as temperatures continued to soar across parts of Japan.
COMMUNITY
How foreign workers became an essential part of Japan¡¯s ubiquitous konbini
By Yumi Wijers-Hasegawa
Myanmar national Nyan Linn, who works at a Lawson outlet in Tokyo¡¯s Shinagawa Ward, is one of over 110,000 foreign workers employed by Japan&#039;s three largest convenience store chains.
JAPAN
Japan to impose tougher requirements for permanent residency, reports say
The government is planning to create stricter requirements for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in Japan.