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TOKYO
April 11, 2026
The Independent Voice in Asia
April 11, 2026
Iran war
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Sanae Takaichi
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U.S. Vice President JD Vance walks alongside Pakistani Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar after arriving for talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
U.S. and Iran teams arrive in Pakistan for peace talks amid doubts over possible deal
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon threatened to complicate negotiations.

More coverage

Revamped Iranian leadership wary as U.S.?peace talks set to begin
Vance emerges as Trump¡¯s Iran closer, a task fraught with risk
U.S. Vice President JD Vance walks alongside Pakistani Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar after arriving for talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad on Saturday.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi raises her hand to answer questions regarding the situation in the Middle East at an Upper House Budget Committee session at parliament in Tokyo on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Confusion over naphtha supply hits industries and households
Japan relies on the Middle East for about 40% of its naphtha consumption. Additionally, about 40% of domestically produced naphtha is refined from crude oil mainly from the region.
Blocks with symbols and atomic numbers of rare earth elements
BUSINESS
EU and U.S. near critical minerals deal to combat Chinese control
By Alberto Nardelli and Joe Deaux
The potential deal would create incentives, such as minimum prices, that could advantage non-Chinese suppliers, according to a draft of an "action plan."
A woman holds a handheld fan bearing the image of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's wedding photo, during an election campaign event in Tokyo on Feb. 7.
JAPAN / Society
Debt-laden Japan should review spending on gender equality, survey finds
By Erica Yokoyama
The results come from a taskforce, set up in an effort to emulate the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency, seeking cost-cutting suggestions from the public.
The Artemis II crew capsule splashes down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday in this screenshot from a livestreamed video.
WORLD / Science & Health
Splashdown of Artemis II astronauts concludes 10-day moon mission
The splashdown capped the first voyage by humans to the vicinity of the moon in over half a century.
The Artemis II crew capsule splashes down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday in this screenshot from a livestreamed video.

JAPAN

Japanese Ambassador Shigeo Yamada (fifth from right) and others plant a cherry tree in Washington on Friday.
Japan gifts 250 cherry trees to U.S. to mark 250th birthday
About 3,000 cherry trees donated in 1912 by Tokyo line the Potomac River in Washington.
The Rihga Royal Hotel in Tokyo on Saturday after a stabbing incident left two people injured.
Woman arrested after two people stabbed at Tokyo hotel
One victim sustained injuries to her right eye and both shoulders that are expected to require about two weeks of treatment, while the other suffered minor injuries.
Japan group eyes pactical use of smart contact lens in 2030
Nihon Hidankyo urges investment ban on makers of nuclear weapons
LDP's new vision says constitutional revision 'critically needed'
Japan takes U.S. Futenma base's delayed relocation 'seriously'

BUSINESS

A worker harvests rice in Vietnam's Dong Thap province on March 25.
Fuel shortages from Iran war threaten Asia¡¯s biggest food staple
Across Southeast Asia, tens of millions are struggling to find affordable crop nutrients as well as the diesel needed for operating machinery.
A Tesla Model 3 is shown driving on the highway with FSD 14.2.2.3 self-driving supervised software in Irvine, California, in January.
Tesla's supervised self-driving software gets Dutch okay, first in Europe
The electric car maker hopes to see similar action from the rest of the European Union soon.
Japan bets ?632 billion to propel startup Rapidus into AI chips
By Mari Kiyohara
Bank of Japan wary of inflation pressure amid war in Middle East
Iran war leaves crisis-scarred countries counting the cost
By Marc Jones, Uditha Jayasinghe and Ariba Shahid
Producer prices in Japan rise 2.6% in March

WORLD

Iran cannot locate all of the mines it laid in the Strait of Hormuz and lacks the capability to remove them, the U.S. says, one reason Tehran has not been able to quickly comply with the Trump administration¡¯s admonitions to let more traffic pass through the waterway.
Iran unable to find mines in Strait of Hormuz, U.S. says
By Julian E. Barnes
The development is one reason Iran has not been able to quickly comply with the Trump administration's admonitions to let more traffic pass through the strait.
Peru presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, of the Fuerza Popular party, speaks during an interview at party headquarters in Lima on Friday.
Peru front-runner vows to expel migrants, further Latin America's rightward tilt
Fujimori pledged a military-tinged effort to "restore order" to crime-hit Peru in her first 100 days in office.
Man arrested for throwing Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO's home
South Korea president clashes with Israel on rights and disinformation claims
Artemis II lunar mission draws flood of conspiracy theories
'Howl at the moon': NASA's bid to boost space enthusiasm
By Maggy Donaldson

Sports

A woman walks past an advertisement for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Nagoya. The Japanese Olympic Committee plans to fight back against online abuse of athletes during the upcoming event.
You're being watched: Japan battles online abuse of athletes
By Andrew MCKIRDY
Japanese Olympic Committee officials tried to combat online abuse against athletes during the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics and plan to do so again at the Asian Games.
Mariners' Ichiro statue breaks during unveiling in Seattle
Lin Yu-ting targets Asian Games after gender controversy at Paris Olympics
Tyson Fury focused on task at hand despite allure of potential fight with Anthony Joshua
Former Japan star Keisuke Honda signs with club in Singapore Premier League at age 39

Opinion

A Trident II D5 missile is test-launched from the Ohio-class U.S. ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska off the coast of California in March 2018.
How soon would ¡®friendly¡¯ proliferation become unfriendly?
Brad Glosserman
If the U.S. wouldn't mind if some allies, like Japan or South Korea, make the nuclear leap, then why shouldn't others?
How the Islamabad Accord allowed Trump to save face in Iran
By Ronny P. Sasmita
A ceasefire in Iran offers the world little hope
Should Tokyo apologize for an SDF officer¡¯s break-in to the Chinese Embassy?
By Kuni Miyake
The Indo-Pacific price of a hasty war with Tehran
By Stephen R. Nagy

ENVIRONMENT

Beth Gutzler views air quality data on the AirWatchSTL website on a laptop in Florissant, Missouri, in February. Last year, metro St. Louis residents had "good" air to breathe during only one-third of the days of the year.
How the AI boom derailed clean?air efforts in one of America's most polluted cities
By Valerie Volcovici and Tim McLaughlin
Trump's environmental rollbacks in support of AI mark ?a reversal in U.S. policy and have proven painful for America's clean air activists.
Renewables grew to almost 50% of global electricity capacity in 2025
By Susanna Twidale
A decade of global climate caution is sealed by India¡¯s wary goals
By Akshat Rathi
Arctic sea ice at lowest level ever this winter
U.S.-Israeli war on Iran pushes consumers to reconsider fossil fuel alternatives
By Todd Woody

CULTURE

The Sphere in Las Vegas lights up after an earnings report in 2024. SBI Holdings is exploring a similar idea for a venue in Tokyo.
Tokyo¡¯s concert scene searches for its next act
By Patrick St. Michel
Tokyo's live music future is coming into focus ¡ª and it looks more domestic, and possibly more immersive.
¡®One Last Love Letter¡¯: A wistful throwback to romance in the age of texts
By Mark Schilling
¡®WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3¡¯: The franchise¡¯s melancholy, noir outlier
By Matt Schley
¡®Burn¡¯ lights up Kabukicho¡¯s darkness with a bold vision
By James Hadfield
New Tanizaki collection illuminates ¡®In Praise of Shadows¡¯ origin
By Steve John Powell and Angeles Marin Cabello

LIFE

The recently concluded Sake Park invited younger brewers to make sake more approachable for attendees in their 20s and 30s.
Tokyo¡¯s sake calendar is filled to the brim
By Aarohi Narain
Large-scale sake festivals are taking over the city next weekend. We find out why and help you decide which one to attend.
¡®If you walk, you will see¡¯: National parks bet on trekking tourists
By Eric Margolis
A smarter stay near Tokyo Disneyland ¡ª if you don¡¯t need the extras
By Owen Ziegler
How to make better batter for tempura
By Simon Daly
Cookies, miso and milk make a pie for all seasons
By Simon Daly

COMMUNITY

Islamic Yokocho in Shin-Okubo is home to a plethora of grocery stores specializing in halal food and fresh produce, among other goods and services.
Please your palate with Tokyo¡¯s international grocery stores
By Mike Fu
The capital has a surfeit of specialty supermarkets with ingredients from all over the world ¡ª if you know where to look.
In rural Japan, a consultant code-switches and connects
By Mishu Callan
Cool cat Coulis waiting for a second lucky break
Women in Law Japan marks 10 years amid persistent gender gap in the profession
By Louise George Kittaka
Sundae, a spry and special dog, wants a walking companion

Editors' Picks

JAPAN
Japan¡¯s tighter immigration controls yielding results
By Jessica Speed
An immigration control passport stamp issued in Japan. A surge in arrivals from overseas has coincided with a tightening of immigration controls under a government initiative aimed at reducing overstayers.
CULTURE
At 80, Yoshio Suzuki keeps chasing the possibilities of jazz
By Akane Hayashi
Members of jazz ensemble The Blend ¡ª (from left) pianist Hakuei Kim, trumpeter Keisuke Nakamura, bassist Yoshio Suzuki, drummer Tamaya Honda and saxophonist Kosuke Mine ¡ª performed at Billboard Live Yokohama last month to celebrate Suzuki¡¯s 80th birthday.
SUMO
Sumo creates unity on an island famed for division
By John Gunning
Jonathon Templeton (second from right) with members of Sumo na hEireann
JAPAN
Pokemon store stabbing spotlights importance of treatment for stalkers
By Yukana Inoue
Police investigate the scene where a staff member of a Pokemon store was fatally stabbed, in Tokyo's Toshima Ward on March 26.
COMMUNITY
Please your palate with Tokyo¡¯s international grocery stores
By Mike Fu
Islamic Yokocho in Shin-Okubo is home to a plethora of grocery stores specializing in halal food and fresh produce, among other goods and services.

Podcast

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

Longform

Participants at the Kinrin Utakai discuss tanka at the group¡¯s gathering last month in Tokyo¡¯s Ogikubo neighborhood.
Why tanka poetry is clicking with a new generation
By Zoria Petkoska

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WHAT¡¯S TRENDING

JAPAN
Japan team discovers why cats leave meals unfinished
An Iwate University team said it has confirmed that cats' appetites wane once they get used to the smell of their food.
JAPAN
Young people in Japan express lowest hopes for themselves and their country in poll
By Yukana Inoue
In a survey of young people in six nations, only around 16% of Japanese respondents were optimistic about the future of their country.
BUSINESS
Chinese payment apps raise questions in Japan
By Francis Tang
Alipay has been mentioned by legislators in discussions about the use of foreign payment apps in Japan.
JAPAN
Japan¡¯s tighter immigration controls yielding results
By Jessica Speed
An immigration control passport stamp issued in Japan. A surge in arrivals from overseas has coincided with a tightening of immigration controls under a government initiative aimed at reducing overstayers.
JAPAN
Pakistani man arrested on suspicion of smuggling 270kg of stimulants into Japan
Bags containing methamphetamine within a shipping container. A 53-year-old Pakistani used-car dealer has been arrested by Tokyo police on suspicion of concealing stimulants in 18 of 742 bags of white powder used as a cosmetic that were found in a container from the United Arab Emirates.