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Tokyo Weather 15¡æ
TOKYO
January 20, 2026
The Independent Voice in Asia
January 20, 2026
Lower House Election
Sanae Takaichi
Greenland
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Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announces her will to dissolve the Lower House in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
In calling a snap election this soon, Takaichi is making it personal
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
The prime minister enjoys a level of popularity that appears to be unrivalled by any other political leader.

More coverage

Snap election in February presents wintry challenges in Hokkaido
Prime Minister Takaichi¡¯s gambit: A test of leadership
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announces her will to dissolve the Lower House in Tokyo on Monday.
News reporters gather in front of the Nara District Court on Oct. 28, when the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, charged with fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, opened.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Shinzo Abe¡¯s assassin faces verdict
By Tomoko Otake
One of the key points in the trial is how the judges will weigh on Tetsuya Yamagami¡¯s troubled upbringing and motivations for fatally shooting the former prime minister.
Foreign visitors from the combined countries of Europe, the U.S. and Australia were up 22% year on year.
JAPAN
Japan saw record-high 40 million tourists visit in 2025
By Elizabeth Beattie
Tourists, including droves from Asia and the U.S., continued to visit, as tensions with China failed to put a damper on the numbers.
Asahikawa, Hokkaido, in 2013 after a major storm. Much of Japan, including Hokkaido, is forecast to receive heavy snows starting Wednesday.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Sea of Japan side of Honshu likely to be hit by heavy snowfall
By Francis Tang
Hokkaido and parts of Japan¡¯s Pacific coast could also be affected.
After a busy couple of weeks on the public lecture circuit, German-born physicist Albert Einstein took a few days of relaxation on Hiroshima Prefecture¡¯s Miyajima island.
JAPAN / History / Longform
When Einstein came to Hiroshima
By Patrick Parr
Einstein saw Hiroshima before it was history ¡ª not a symbol but a place, quiet and charming.
After a busy couple of weeks on the public lecture circuit, German-born physicist Albert Einstein took a few days of relaxation on Hiroshima Prefecture¡¯s Miyajima island.

JAPAN

The only remaining giant pandas in Japan, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei of Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, are scheduled to be transported by aircraft from Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture on the night of Jan. 27, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
Last two pandas in Japan to leave for China on Jan. 27
All giant pandas raised in Japan are on loan from China for breeding research purposes, with ownership remaining with China, including for pandas born in Japan.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at a news conference at the Prime Minister¡¯s Office on Monday.
Will Takaichi¡¯s carpe diem moment pay off?
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
The prime minister said the snap poll will essentially be a referendum on who leads the country ¡ª herself or an opposition chief.
Kabuki actor Nakamura Tsurumatsu arrested for alleged damage at Tokyo restaurant
Tepco to postpone restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear reactor
91²Ö¿â top government spokesman meets Sakie Yokota, mother of abductee Megumi
Man found guilty of sending student to Myanmar for fraud

BUSINESS

A refinery for a rare earth metal on the outskirts of Wuxi, China. Chinese exports of rare earth magnets to Japan in December fell 8% from November.
Chinese exports of rare earth magnets to Japan fell in December ahead of curbs
A diplomatic spat had left concerns about future shipments, and Beijing has since banned exports to Japan of some dual-use materials.
Japan¡¯s 40-year bond yield has reached 4%, the highest since its 2007 debut and the first time any Japanese government bond has hit this level in over 30 years.
Japan¡¯s 40-year yield hits 4% as Takaichi¡¯s tax plan sinks bonds
By Mia Glass
Investors have been dumping Japanese bonds amid speculation Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi¡¯s party will win more seats in a Feb. 8 vote, giving her a freer hand to boost stimulus.
Brookfield to move to Roppongi Hills in Japan office expansion
By Lisa Du
Japan Lower House dissolution to delay budget passage
Valentine's Day sales campaigns in Japan feature experiences
Consumer sentiment in Japan improves for two straight quarters

WORLD

Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan speaks as he attends a ceremony for the accession of Timor-Leste to the ASEAN charter in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 25.
ASEAN will not certify Myanmar election or send observers, Malaysia says
The election has been criticized by the ?United Nations, many Western countries and rights groups as a ploy to legitimize military rule through political proxies.
"We have to have it,¡± U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters late Monday night, referring to Greenland. The U.S. leader earlier linked his claims on the Danish territory to not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in a letter he sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
Trump plans Greenland talks in Davos, dominating agenda at global summit
By Josh Wingrove and Alan Wong
"We have to have it,¡± U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters late Monday night, referring to the Danish territory.
Australia set to pass tougher laws on guns and hate crimes after Bondi shooting
By Christine Chen
Global leaders gather in Switzerland to ponder the future of a messy world
By Farah Nayeri
Thailand's former prime minister seeks return as anti-scammer kingmaker
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat
Unable to access clinical care, Ghana's mentally ill turn to faith healing
By Winifred Lartey

Sports

Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu talks to reporters at National Stadium in Tokyo on Nov. 17.
Japan looks poised to take the next step at the World Cup. Its manager is not so sure.
By Sam Byford
Manager Hajime Moriyasu has repeatedly said that Samurai Blue is not a real threat to win it all, but some see momentum building toward a breakthrough.
Ski jumper Kobayashi aims for more medals at Milano-Cortina Olympics
By Jim Armstrong
'Timid' Keys makes shaky start to Australian Open title defense
Tobias Harris leads Pistons past Celtics in thriller
Guardiola shrugs off derby defeat as Man City boosts defense with Guehi

Opinion

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addresses a news conference at the Prime Minister's Office on Monday, where she explained her plans to dissolve parliament ahead of a snap election on Feb. 8.
Prime Minister Takaichi¡¯s gambit: A test of leadership
Michael MacArthur Bosack
Takaichi is seeking a fresh start, setting the conditions for her administration to lead the country effectively with a direct mandate from the people.
So what does it mean to be properly English?
By Rosa Prince
The cautionary tale of Yoon Suk Yeol and the ¡®abuse of power¡¯
By Michael MacArthur Bosack
This is not the way to make housing more affordable
By Conor Sen
Will Japan become the world¡¯s next leader in AI?
By Mickey Mikitani

ENVIRONMENT

A solar farm in Nakai, Kanagawa Prefecture, in March 2016. Japan gets about a tenth of its electricity from solar panels despite having nearly no domestic production of photovoltaics (PVs).
Beijing row highlights need for Japan to reduce cleantech dependence on China
By Nithin Coca
To reach net zero, Japan will need to rapidly expand renewables, but its solar manufacturing capacity is virtually non-existent despite it being a pioneer of the technology.
Scientists look toward ancient ice for clues on saving present-day glaciers
By Hiroshi Hiyama
Scientists confirm 2025 was third-hottest year on record
By Eric Roston
How Japan¡¯s warming seas are affecting livelihoods and culture
By Eric Margolis
Japan to draw up action plan to reduce clothing waste

CULTURE

¡°Ground,¡± an underground installation added to Museum SAN in 2025, was codesigned by architect Tadao Ando and sculptor Antony Gormley.
Tadao Ando's ongoing architecture dialogue with Museum SAN
By Yoko Haruhara
Since Museum SAN opened in 2013, Tadao Ando has returned three times to design additional buildings and spaces.
'Borderlines': A cacophony of dramatic personae unfolds a life of memories through 108 poems
By Kris Kosaka
¡®Vicissitude¡¯: A golden-hour reverie on childhood and lost wonder
By James Hadfield
¡®Mars Express¡¯ shows anime¡¯s influence has no borders
By Matt Schley
BTS set to return to Japan with world tour in April
By Hieun SHIN

LIFE

Valentino Garavani waves as he arrives for the premiere of the movie "Valentino: The Last Emperor" in Venice on Aug. 28, 2008. The Italian fashion designer died Monday at 93.
Valentino, Italian haute couture 'emperor' who painted fashion red, dies at 93
By Giulia Segreti
From Hollywood glamour to Paris haute couture, Valentino built an empire on elegance, devotion to beauty and one unforgettable shade of red.
At the origin of the ¡®Mackerel Road,¡¯ this seaside town fed Kyoto
By Edward J. Taylor
The American bringing a Disney flair to Sega¡¯s nongaming push
By Gendel Gento
Just because you broke your resolution doesn¡¯t mean you failed
By Mishu Callan
At Driftwood, cocktails flow to the sounds of city pop
By Weiwen Lin

COMMUNITY

The Amtrak Cascades line provides service along the Pacific Northwest from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon.
Shinkansen vs. Amtrak and the lost art of small talk
By Daniel Traylor
After years steeped in the sacred silence of the shinkansen, a Japan Times staffer returns stateside and gets his sea legs with small talk aboard Amtrak.
Honey bunny Jaina is a sweet companion
Local radio connects Nishinomiya¡¯s foreign residents
By Sneha Nagesh
An affectionate Akita named Araki
Eleanor Loran: ¡®I believe in building empathy, tolerance and kindness¡¯
By Laura Pollacco

Editors' Picks

ENVIRONMENT
Beijing row highlights need for Japan to reduce cleantech dependence on China
By Nithin Coca
A solar farm in Nakai, Kanagawa Prefecture, in March 2016. Japan gets about a tenth of its electricity from solar panels despite having nearly no domestic production of photovoltaics (PVs).
COMMUNITY
Shinkansen vs. Amtrak and the lost art of small talk
By Daniel Traylor
The Amtrak Cascades line provides service along the Pacific Northwest from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon.
CULTURE
Tadao Ando's ongoing architecture dialogue with Museum SAN
By Yoko Haruhara
¡°Ground,¡± an underground installation added to Museum SAN in 2025, was codesigned by architect Tadao Ando and sculptor Antony Gormley.
OLYMPICS
Kaori Sakamoto motivated by gold ¡ª and her no-nonsense coach ¡ª ahead of final Olympics
By Joel Tansey
Kaori Sakamoto skates during a practice session at Sysmex Kobe Ice Campus on Friday.
LIFE
With a dose of old-world charm, Bacha Coffee brews its way to Tokyo
By Weiwen Lin
Bacha Coffee's outlet in Tokyo is the Singapore-based upscale coffee chain's first shop in Japan.

Podcast

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

Longform

After a busy couple of weeks on the public lecture circuit, German-born physicist Albert Einstein took a few days of relaxation on Hiroshima Prefecture¡¯s Miyajima island.
When Einstein came to Hiroshima
By Patrick Parr

JT Directory Service

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Kotozna Releases ¡°TPG 2.0¡±, a New Platform to Build High-Accuracy Generative AI Chatbots in Minutes
Kotozna Releases ¡°TPG 2.0¡±, a New Platform to Build High-Accuracy Generative AI Chatbots in Minutes
KOTOZNA, INC.

WHAT¡¯S TRENDING

COMMENTARY
China proves skeptics right about export controls
By Brad Glosserman
China¡¯s export restrictions on dual-use items to Japan illustrate how trade controls can be used as a coercive tool, putting dependent countries at risk.
JAPAN
Will Takaichi¡¯s carpe diem moment pay off?
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at a news conference at the Prime Minister¡¯s Office on Monday.
BUSINESS
EU set to halt U.S. trade deal over Trump¡¯s new tariff threat
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27.
BUSINESS
Carney rattles Canada auto firms in break with U.S. on Chinese EVs
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at Ritan Park, part of the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to China since 2017, in Beijing on Friday
JAPAN
Parties clash as they brace for a February snap election
By Himari Semans
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday