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March 07, 2026
 

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JAPAN

Newly elected Centrist Reform Alliance leader Junya Ogawa speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 13, 2026
Junya Ogawa elected leader of Centrist Reform Alliance
By Himari Semans
The former CDP lawmaker pledged to strengthen the CRA¡¯s internal structure as the party reels from its election defeat.
A government building in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward housing the fisheries agency
JAPAN
Feb 13, 2026
Japan seizes Chinese fishing vessel and arrests captain
By Hiroshi Hiyama
The incident happened inside Japan¡¯s exclusive economic zone off Nagasaki Prefecture, 165 kilometers south-southwest of the island of Meshima.
Kabukicho district in Shinjuku Ward. Tokyo police have referred two U.S. Marines to prosecutors for allegedly breaking into restaurants in the district and stealing cash.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Feb 13, 2026
Two U.S. Marines referred to prosecutors in Tokyo theft case
Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department sent papers on two U.S. Marines to public prosecutors on Friday, alleging that they broke into restaurants in Tokyo and stole cash, sources said.
The biennial comprehensive fee review is a major policy tool for the government, showing the direction of the nation¡¯s health care as the population ages and medical needs surge and diversify.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Feb 13, 2026
Japan health panel adopts medical fee changes to raise wages and cope with inflation
By Tomoko Otake
By tweaking fees here and there, the government seeks to keep health care costs relatively low while meeting new medical needs.
Nobuyasu Nikai, the Liberal Democratic Party's candidate for the October 2024 Lower House election, shakes hands with supporters in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture.
JAPAN / Politics / First person
Feb 13, 2026
Looking at politics from a different perspective
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Three campaigns in 15 months showed how fragile support can be ¡ª and how national power begins far from Tokyo.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi enters the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 13, 2026
Takaichi may visit South Korea in March
The leaders of Japan and South Korea are expected to confirm the stable development of bilateral relations, which have been improving.
Takeshi Hasuda, head of Jikei Hospital in the city of Kumamoto, speaks during a news conference in Kobe on Jan. 29.
JAPAN / Society
Feb 13, 2026
Experts raise alarm over women giving birth alone
Access to anonymous childbirth services ¡ª currently available in only two medical institutions nationwide ¡ª is essential for protecting both mothers and newborns, they say.
A former police employee in Saga Prefecture is suspected of not taking appropriate steps during investigations, such as neglecting to conduct tests to identify specific individuals despite human DNA having been detected.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Feb 13, 2026
Improper DNA analyses may have affected Saga police probes in 19 cases
A total of 643 cases handled by a former employee from 2015 to 2024 are currently being investigated by the NPA.

ASIA PACIFIC

Supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party celebrate unofficial news of Tarique Rahman's win in his constituency in the 13th general election near the party's Gulshan office in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Feb 13, 2026
Bangladesh's BNP wins historic parliamentary election
The election held on Thursday was Bangladesh's first vote since the 2024 Gen Z-driven uprising that toppled longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

WORLD

The Hotel Bayerischer Hof, the venue of the annual Munich Security Conference, in Munich, Germany
WORLD / Politics
Feb 13, 2026
Trump¡¯s upheaval of the Atlantic alliance to loom over Munich security forum
By Sarah Marsh and Andrew Gray
A year after Vice President JD Vance attacked EU allies, Washington's partners will be seeking to chart a more independent course, while preserving the basis of the alliance.
The Staten Island ferry makes its way through Upper Bay as the Manhattan skyline looms in the distance in New York.
WORLD
Feb 13, 2026
Mobsters and trash? New NYC mayor's rise stirs Staten Island ire
By Raphael HERMANO
Locals on the island are overwhelmingly against newly elected left-wing Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey told reporters Thursday that allies have pledged as much as $35 billion in new military aid to Ukraine.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 13, 2026
Ukraine gets $35 billion in military aid pledges after attacks
A series of massive Russian air strikes on energy infrastructure and civilian targets left millions of Ukrainians to endure winter without steady lighting and heat.
An honor guard from the Chinese People¡¯s Liberation Army shouts during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in November 2025.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 13, 2026
CIA makes new push to recruit Chinese military officers as informants
By Michael Martina
The spy agency rolled out ?a video depicting a disillusioned mid-level Chinese military officer, part of a U.S. campaign to ramp up human intelligence gathering on Beijing.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping talk as they leave after a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport, in Busan, South Korea, in October 2025.
WORLD
Feb 13, 2026
Trump pauses China tech bans ahead of Xi summit
By Alexandra Alper
The measures include a ban on China Telecom¡¯s U.S. operations and restrictions on sales of Chinese equipment for U.S. data centers.
A law enforcement officer uses a battering ram to force entry into a home during an immigration raid in St. Paul, Minnesota.
WORLD
Feb 13, 2026
Trump is ending deportation surge in Minnesota, White House border czar says
By Susan Heavey and Jonathan Allen
It was a rare retreat by the U.S. president that ?came after even some fellow Republicans raised questions about the operation.

BUSINESS

Tatsuo Yamasaki, former vice finance minister for international affairs
BUSINESS / Markets
Feb 13, 2026
Japan¡¯s ex-FX chief sees yen firming as Takaichi¡¯s stance clears
By Toru Fujioka, Erica Yokoyama and Takashi Umekawa
Tatsuo Yamasaki also largely ruled out the likelihood of the United States helping Japan with joint currency intervention.
Naoki Tamura, a member of the Bank of Japan's policy board
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 13, 2026
BOJ hawk Tamura flags spring as possible timing for rate hike
By Toru Fujioka
Naoki Tamura's remarks suggest that Gov. Kazuo Ueda will probably face increased opposition if he decides to stand pat at the next policy meetings through April.
Hello Kitty designer Yuko Yamaguchi poses with a "Fairy Hello Kitty" at an exhibition during the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Japanese cartoon character in Hong Kong in 2005.
BUSINESS
Feb 13, 2026
Hello Kitty designer bows out after 40 years in charge
Yuko Yamaguchi has been responsible since 1980 for the design of Kitty, overseeing her rise to the epitome of 91²Ö¿â kawaii soft power.
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son (left) and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman attend an event in Tokyo in February 2025. SoftBank¡¯s investment gain on OpenAI stood at an estimated $19.8 billion as of December.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 13, 2026
SoftBank swings to profit on valuation boost from OpenAI bet
By Min Jeong Lee
As of December, SoftBank¡¯s investment gain on OpenAI stood at an estimated $19.8 billion.
U.S. President Donald Trump¡¯s aggressive moves to roll back emissions regulations and pour funding into the coal-power industry seem unlikely to boost the sector¡¯s long-term prospects.
BUSINESS
Feb 13, 2026
Coal will need more than the army to pull off a U.S. revival
By Will Wade, Ari Natter and Jennifer A Dlouhy
U.S. President Donald Trump is making another major bid to bolster the shrinking U.S. coal-power industry.
Vehicles parked at an Audi dealership in Shanghai. German exports to China fell 9.3% in 2025 ¡ª while Chinese exports to Germany have surged.
BUSINESS / Markets
Feb 13, 2026
¡®China shock¡¯: Germany struggles as key market turns into business rival
By Sam Reeves
Germany¡¯s annual trade deficit with China hit a record of around €89 billion ($106 billion) last year, according to preliminary official data.
PayPay's Nasdaq listing could be the largest ever by a Japanese company.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 13, 2026
PayPay files for U.S. IPO and Nasdaq listing
By Francis Tang
The biggest mobile payments service in Japan is also seeking to expand its business in the U.S.
Dai-ichi Life Holdings has become the latest of Japan's life insurers to reveal misconduct.
BUSINESS
Feb 13, 2026
Dai-ichi Life reports 1,155 unauthorized data transfers
The information taken from the insurance agents without permission included personal data of customers, Dai-ichi Life Holdings said.
Bank of Montreal has hired senior bankers Ryuta Higuchi and Makoto Ohkawara from Barclays as directors at its Tokyo securities subsidiary, aiming to expand its brokerage business and tap growing Japanese demand for overseas securities.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 13, 2026
Bank of Montreal expands Japan brokerage with ex-Barclays hires
By Takashi Nakamichi and Christine Dobby
The Canadian firm is betting that Japanese investors will continue to seek additional returns overseas even as rate hikes add to the allure of domestic debt.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and trade minister Ryosei Akazawa speak during Akazawa¡¯s trip to Washington to discuss Japan¡¯s $550 billion commitment.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 13, 2026
Japan¡¯s $550 billion capital commitment to the U.S. stuck in committee
By Francis Tang
Talks have been tough, and significant gaps remain on the fine details of the first deals.

ENVIRONMENT

The coal industry celebrated the announced U.S. reversal on climate action, saying it would help stave off retirements of aging coal-fired power plants.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Feb 13, 2026
Trump revokes basis of U.S. climate regulation and ends vehicle emission standards
By Valerie Volcovici and David Shepardson
It is the most sweeping climate policy rollback to date, after a string of regulatory cuts and other moves intended to unfetter fossil fuel development.

Opinion

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addresses a news conference at her ruling party's headquarters in Tokyo on Monday, a day after the Liberal Democratic Party won a landslide victory in the Lower House election.
EDITORIALS
Feb 13, 2026
After another historic victory, Takaichi takes command
Not only is she the country's first female prime minister and a symbol of a new Japan, her career also marks a break from traditional politics.
The resignation of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer¡¯s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, exposes Labour¡¯s leadership and ideological vacuum.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 13, 2026
Britain needs so much more than a new prime minister
By Adrian Wooldridge
Britain has had four failed prime ministers since the Brexit referendum in 2016 not counting Starmer.
Some historians say Donald Trump¡¯s narcissism, impulsiveness, and disregard for international norms closely resemble those of German Kaiser Wilhelm II, creating risks for global stability and undermining the pillars of international order.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 13, 2026
Trump is a lot like Kaiser Wilhelm: vanity itself
By Max Hastings
Donald Trump¡¯s extraordinary performance in Davos, littered with falsehoods, insults and explosions of grandiloquence, closely resembled one of the Kaiser¡¯s public performances.
Yoshihiko Noda, co-leader of the Centrist Reform Alliance, waves during a campaign event in Osaka on Feb. 3. The alliance suffered a crushing defeat in the Feb. 8 election.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 13, 2026
Nothing ¡®unexpected¡¯ about the left¡¯s election blowout
By Kuni Miyake
The dominance of conservative parties reflects a longer-term shift in Japan¡¯s political center of gravity.
Then-U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, exchange signed copies of the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty in Prague, Czech Republic, on April 8, 2010.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 13, 2026
Why the U.S. let the New START arms control treaty die
By Stephen Holmes
The lapse of New START makes one thing clear: U.S. President Donald Trump¡¯s willingness to break commitments is a problem for the entire planet.

Sports

Arsenal's Declan Rice prepares to take a corner kick against Brentford in London on Thursday.
SOCCER
Feb 13, 2026
Declan Rice says Arsenal must block out noise in title race
Arsenal is?aiming to end a 22-year wait to win the title.
The Phillies released outfielder Nick Castellanos on Thursday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Feb 13, 2026
Phillies release Nick Castellanos; player admits bringing beer into dugout
The Phillies still owe the 33-year-old $20 million.
Max Verstappen drives during preseason testing at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on Wednesday.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Feb 13, 2026
Max Verstappen labels new F1 car as 'not much fun to drive'
Formula One is starting a new engine era along with significant changes to the aerodynamics and chassis this season, with the electrical component ?increased.
Kaori Sakamoto is hoping to complete her collection of Olympic medals with a gold at the Milano Cortina Games.
OLYMPICS / Figure skating
Feb 13, 2026
Kaori Sakamoto wants 'no regrets' as gold beckons in Olympic finale
The 25-year-old from Kobe will retire after the Olympics.
Ilia Malinin performs a backflip during the men's short program at the Milano Cortina Olympics in Milan on Tuesday.
OLYMPICS / Figure skating
Feb 13, 2026
Superstar skater Ilia Malinin set to reach new heights at Milano Cortina Games
The American leads Yuma Kagiyama by a comfortable 5.09-point margin in the men's figure skating competition.
The Czech Republic's Martin Necas takes a shot against Canada goalie Jordan Binnington during their game at the Milano Cortina Olympics in Milan on Thursday.
OLYMPICS
Feb 13, 2026
Canada and United States make winning starts on Olympic ice in Milan
Canada's Jordan Binnington turned away all 26 shots he faced, as 19-year-old prodigy Macklin Celebrini ?scored in the first period.
Freestyle skier Kokone Kondo skis during a training session in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 4.
OLYMPICS
Feb 13, 2026
Japanese skier hits back at trolls and brings attention to online abuse at Olympics
By Mai Yoshikawa
For Kokone Kondo, cyber bullying has only deepened the heartbreak of being unable to compete in back-to-back Winter Games due to injury.
Federica Brignone of Italy celebrates with her team after winning gold in the super-G event at the Milano Cortina Olympics in Belluno, Italy, on Thursday,
OLYMPICS / Alpine skiing
Feb 13, 2026
Italy's Federica Brignone roars to super-G gold 10 months after breaking leg
At 35 years old, Brignone became the oldest gold medalist, man or woman, in the history of her sport.
Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych is seen during a training session in Cortina d'Ampezzo on Tuesday wearing a helmet depicting Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia's invasion of the nation.
OLYMPICS / Skeleton
Feb 13, 2026
Volodymyr Zelenskyy blasts IOC after Ukrainian banned for helmet honoring war victims
The International Olympic Committee said Heraskevych had failed "to adhere to the IOC athlete expression guidelines."
Gold medalist Gaon Choi of South Korea celebrates on the podium after winning the women's snowboard halfpipe on Thursday in Livigno, Italy.
OLYMPICS / Snowboarding
Feb 13, 2026
South Korea's Choi dethrones halfpipe star Kim as Ono takes bronze
By Joel Tansey
Choi bounced back from a brutal fall in her first run to triumph over the two-time defending Olympic champion.

LIFE

Experts say emotional bonds with AI are often shaped by prior experiences ¡ª or disappointments ¡ª in human relationships.
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Feb 13, 2026
Love, engineered in the age of AI
By Elizabeth Beattie
As chatbots grow more sophisticated, some people are forming romantic bonds ¡ª and even marriages ¡ª with artificial partners.
A mother and daughter take part in a buffet of sweets and desserts ¡ª a perfect way for many to spend Valentine¡¯s Day this year.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 13, 2026
In Japan, Valentine¡¯s Day has become a personal luxury
By Yuko Tamura
Valentine¡¯s Day in Japan is shifting from obligation to indulgence, as people embrace life¡¯s small luxuries for themselves.

CULTURE

A visitor snaps pictures of art pieces exhibited at the Academy Museum's 'Ponyo' media preview in Los Angeles on Thursday.
CULTURE / Art
Feb 13, 2026
Oscars museum dives into world of Miyazaki's 'Ponyo'
Dozens of drawings, storyboards and other elements created for the film and gifted to the Los Angeles institution by Miyazaki's world-famous Studio Ghibli are going on display.
In the first season of ¡°Drops of God,¡± Camille and Issei competed to inherit the wine legacy of Alexandre Leger.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Feb 13, 2026
Season Two of 'Drops of God' serves a dark swirl of sibling drama
By Gabriella Geisinger
In its second season, ¡°Drops of God¡± shows that characters don¡¯t need to be likable to be compelling.
College students Jun Kim (left) and Rihito Mizoguchi are the co-founders of Login.jp, a project launched in February 2025 to ¡°archive the Japanese experience through music.¡±
CULTURE / Music
Feb 13, 2026
Login.jp spotlights everyday Japan, one DJ set at a time
By Patrick St. Michel
The student-led project brings club sounds into fish markets, barbershops and corner stores, reframing everyday Japan through music.
Drones and missiles: U.S. Marines in Okinawa evolve for sea-denial role
Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, commanding general of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, speaks to marines and sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America at Naval Base White Beach in Okinawa Prefecture on Aug. 10.
Japan¡¯s national museums to implement dual-pricing system
Admission fees for the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo and 11 other state-run museums are set to increase for visitors from outside Japan.
Three arrested over illegal hiring of Vietnamese workers in Japan
The Metropolitan Police Department has arrested three men over alleged involvement in employing Vietnamese nationals without work permits in Fukuroi, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Violence in sumo provokes anger but little surprise
Terunofuji pictured at Isegahama stable on Jan. 29, 2024
Netflix deal shuts out Japan¡¯s sports bars from freely showing WBC
Fans watching from Tokyo react after Japan beat the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic in March 2023.
Cherry blossom season set to begin up to a week earlier than usual
Cherry blossoms are expected to bloom earlier than usual this year, with flowering forecast to begin in Nagoya on March 17 and in Tokyo on March 19, according to Japan Meteorological Corp.
Taiwan¡¯s FM calls for Taipei to be part of 'first island chain' security framework
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung speaks during an interview last week in Taipei. Lin has called on Japan and other partners to step up cooperation in areas such as intelligence-sharing, joint exercises, defense-industry tie-ups, data links and dealing with hybrid threats such as China¡¯s gray-zone activities.
Netflix deal shuts out Japan¡¯s sports bars from freely showing WBC
Fans watching from Tokyo react after Japan beat the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic in March 2023.
¡®My hope has fear inside it¡¯: Iranians in Japan react to attacks back home
Somayyeh Mehri speaks in an interview on Monday in Tokyo. The psychological weight of watching events unfold from Japan is gut-wrenching for Mehri.
Shohei Ohtani returns to Japan as the center of attention ahead of WBC
Shohei Ohtani is back with Samurai Japan for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Ohtani was the MVP of the 2023 tournament.

Podcast

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

Longform

As Japan accelerates AI adoption, policymakers and corporations frame the technology as essential to offsetting a projected labor shortfall of 11 million workers by 2040.
Japan is betting big on AI. Few workers have used it.
By Eric Margolis

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