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JAPAN

A statue symbolizing former South Korean comfort women in Seoul
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2026
New Zealand officials reject statue remembering 91²Ö¿â comfort women
Thousands of women from Korea, China and southeast Asia are believed to have been forced or coerced into 91²Ö¿â wartime brothel system from 1932 until 1945.
An exhibition on the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki held at the United Nations' headquarters in New York on Monday
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2026
Atomic bombing exhibition opens at U.N. headquarters as NPT is under review
The exhibition, organized by the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations,?the 2024 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize,?will run until June 1.
A helicopter conducts firefighting operations as wildfires continue in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, on Sunday.
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2026
Iwate wildfire starting to be brought under control, authorities say
While the town lifted evacuation orders in most areas as the fire is being brought under control, there is still no clear timeline for full containment.
Shoshi Maekawa speaks to reporters Tuesday in the city of Fukui after filing a compensation claim at the Fukui District Court over the time he spent under detention following his conviction over a 1986 murder. He was acquitted in a retrial in August 2025.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 29, 2026
Man acquitted over 1986 murder seeks state compensation
Shoshi Maekawa, 60, was acquitted in a retrial in August 2025.
An experiment shows smoke being emitted by old lighting fixtures after fluorescent lamps were switched to LED lighting.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 29, 2026
Replace fixtures too when switching to LED lighting, safety watchdog urges
Over 50 cases reported to the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation in the 10 years until 2025 involved fires believed to have occurred due to aging fixtures.
Some are calling for the food tax rate to be set at 1% instead of fully shelving the tax, so that changes needed for cash register systems becomes easier and require less time.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Apr 29, 2026
Food tax rate of 1% pitched as industries push back on PM's campaign promise
Although the government aims to implement the two-year tax cut to 0% within fiscal 2026, it would take a year to make cash register systems compatible with such a rate.
A bill to revise the immigration control and refugee recognition law is approved at a Lower House plenary meeting on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 29, 2026
Japan to likely pass bill raising immigration fees
If the bill also clears the House of Councilors,?the new immigration fees would be implemented within this fiscal year, which ends next March.
About half of the sexual abuse cases occurred during one-on-one interactions between patients and staff.
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2026
Some 15% of hospitals in Japan report sexual abuse
The survey by the Children and Families Agency, the first of its kind, was conducted online between December 2025 and January 2026.
A tanker carrying U.S. crude oil sails in Tokyo Bay on Sunday.
JAPAN / Explainer
Apr 29, 2026
How the Iran crisis affects Japan
By Eric Johnston
With the Strait of Hormuz still closed, nearly a fifth of the world's oil exports are being kept from reaching their destinations.
The government is considering creating a Japanese language program for foreign people that would be a factor in residency screenings.
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2026
Japan considers making language programs a factor in residency screenings
This comes in response to calls from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party for measures to address problems between Japanese and foreign residents.

ASIA PACIFIC

A visitor walks past a mural featuring the name of Andrie Yunus, the deputy coordinator of the KontraS rights group who suffered serious injuries when two men on a scooter threw acid at him, at the Mural Exhibition "From Citizens for Andrie" in Jakarta on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Apr 29, 2026
Acid attack in Indonesia evokes brutality of Suharto era
By Richard C. Paddock and Muktita Suhartono
The brutal ambush of an outspoken military critic led to four arrests, but activists say that more were involved.
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / FOCUS
Apr 29, 2026
China-U.S. tensions build over Iran and AI before Trump meets Xi
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are headed toward a summit next month with a shared desire to stabilize ties. That calm is being tested as both leaders rush to shore up strategic vulnerabilities over Iranian oil and AI.
Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov (fourth from left) and Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin (fifth from left) clap as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the opening ceremony of a memorial museum honoring North Korean troops killed while fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine, in Pyongyang on Sunday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 29, 2026
North Korea¡¯s Ukraine war lessons reshaping calculus on Korean Peninsula
By Gabriel Dominguez
Pyongyang's battlefield experience, ability to project force overseas and increasingly rapid weapons development cycles are worrying trends, the head of U.S. Forces Korea says.

WORLD

U.S. President Donald Trump and Britain's King Charles III
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Apr 29, 2026
U.K.¡¯s split-screen moment lays bare struggle to adapt to Trump
By Brendan Scott
Managing ties with U.S. President Donald Trump's United States has come to consume the British state.
People look at an Iranian-designed HESA Shahed 136 (Geran-2) drone at an open-air exhibition of destroyed Russian military equipment on Mykhailivska Square in front of Saint Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral, in Kyiv on April 7.
WORLD
Apr 29, 2026
Inside Ukraine's drive to defeat the dreaded Shahed drone
By Max Hunder
The pioneering low-cost, long-range attack drones designed by Iran have become the scourge of Ukraine, with Russia unleashing thousands of them on its enemy every month.
Iranian women walk along a busy street in Tehran on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 29, 2026
As some hijabs come off in Iran, restrictions stay in place
Though enforcement of wearing hijab appears to have slackened, authorities can still summon women for not wearing the headscarf and shut down cafes for not upholding the rule.
U.S. forces patrol the Arabian Sea near the Touska cargo ship, on April 20.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 29, 2026
Trump tells aides to prep for lengthy Hormuz blockade, WSJ says
By Arsalan Shahla and Eltaf Najafizada
The decision suggests that the U.S. could be moving into a lengthy period with the fighting largely halted, but no durable resolution to the conflict.
Hungarian presidential election winner Peter Magyar speaks during a press conference in Budapest on April 20.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 29, 2026
People linked to top Orban aide were blocked trying to send funds abroad, Hungary's Magyar says
Peter Magyar is due to be sworn in as Orban's successor on May 9.
A woman holds a poster depicting Iran¡¯s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, during an anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rally in Tehran on March 26.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 29, 2026
Iran¡¯s Revolutionary Guard seizes wartime power, blunts supreme leader's role
By Samia Nakhoul, Parisa Hafezi and Asif Shahzad
Tehran no longer has a single, undisputed clerical arbiter at the pinnacle of power.
Russia's shadow fleet vessels wait in the unofficial anchorage area in the Gulf of Finland near Vaindloo, Estonia, on April 10.
WORLD
Apr 29, 2026
Russian 'shadow fleet' undeterred by Starmer's threat as nearly 100 ships cross U.K. waters
By Muvija M and Andrew MacAskill
Since the U.K. prime minister's remarks in March, the number of Russian ?vessels subject to sanctions transiting its waters was unchanged from previous months.
A woman walks past a billboard featuring an image of the late supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on a building in Tehran on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 29, 2026
U.S. spy agencies examine how Iran would react to Trump declaring victory
By Erin Banco and Gram Slattery
A quick de-escalation could ease political pressure on the U.S. president but also leave behind an emboldened Iran that could eventually threaten U.S. allies in the region.
Britain's King Charles III speaks during a joint address to Congress in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 29, 2026
King Charles urges U.S. to reject isolationism in landmark speech
By Ellen Milligan and Erik Wasson
Britain's King Charles III used his remarks to a joint session of Congress to also argue for preserving the alliance between the U.K. and U.S.
EU countries apply different legal definitions of rape, even among those that have ratified the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty designed to protect women that criminalizes rape based on the absence of consent.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 29, 2026
European Parliament backs EU-wide consent-based definition of rape
By Julia Payne
Legal definitions of rape differ by country, even among signatories of an international treaty that criminalizes rape based on the absence of consent.
A Ukrainian soldier prepares to launch an interceptor drone near the front line in Donetsk region, Ukraine on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 29, 2026
Drone diplomacy wins Ukraine valuable allies, but now it must deliver
By Daniel Flynn
This month alone, Ukraine has signed defense and drone deals in Germany, Norway and the Netherlands.
A farmer operates a combine during the start of the wheat harvesting campaign in a field near the town of Starobilsk in the Luhansk Region, a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine, last year.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 29, 2026
Ukraine in diplomatic tussle with Israel over grain Kyiv says 'stolen' by Russia
Ukraine summoned Israel's ambassador over what Kyiv described as Israeli inaction in allowing shipments of grain to enter the country from Russian-occupied Ukraine.

BUSINESS

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks at a news conference on Dec. 10, 2025.
BUSINESS
Apr 29, 2026
Jerome Powell: Fed chair who stood up to Trump set to finish tenure on top
By Beiyi Seow
All eyes are on Powell to see if he will choose to continue on the Fed's board past his time as chair.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addresses a May Day event in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Apr 29, 2026
Takaichi vows support for wage hikes at May Day event
The prime minister also called for cooperation to achieve "sustained wage hikes that outpace inflation."
The OPEC headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on April 5
BUSINESS / Markets
Apr 29, 2026
UAE exit blindsides OPEC and threatens to shake its grip on oil
For OPEC and its partners, the departure will dilute their ability to manage oil prices by adjusting supply.
Residential buildings in New Delhi. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group is seeking to deepen its presence in India¡¯s real estate market, which has attracted global investors.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 29, 2026
MUFG to foray into real estate and expand forex derivatives in India
By Saikat Das and Siddhi Nayak
91²Ö¿â biggest bank is seeking to deepen its presence in the world's fastest-growing major economy.
Applied Materials, which has significant business supplying China, is among those believed to ?have received a letter from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 29, 2026
U.S. orders chip equipment companies to halt some shipments to China's Hua Hong
By Karen Freifeld
The move is the latest U.S. action to slow China's development of advanced chips, two people familiar with the matter said.
A soldier from Ukraine¡¯s Taifun unmanned aerial vehicle unit holds a new model Marsianin attack drone on April 7 in Kharkiv region, Ukraine.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 29, 2026
Japan¡¯s Terra Drone expands investment in Ukraine drone sector
By Alastair Gale
The Tokyo-based company looks to bring battlefield-tested technology back to Japan to tap into a multibillion-dollar defense budget for unmanned systems.
Biobanks store masses of biomedical data such as clinical records, genome sequences and other long-term health metrics that research and drug development depend on.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 29, 2026
China races to build record biobank to rival U.S. drugs research
By Karoline Kan and Amber Tong
For Chinese scientists, access to homegrown biobanks could accelerate the advance of biotechnology companies and cement the country's place as a global innovation powerhouse.
A gasoline tanker truck at an Idemitsu Kosan gas station in Tokyo. The supertanker is listed as being operated by the tanker arm of the Japanese energy conglomerate.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 29, 2026
Japanese crude supertanker may have exited Strait of Hormuz in war first
By Weilun Soon
The supertanker linked to Japan is carrying 2 million barrels of crude, which was loaded from Saudi Arabia's Juaymah terminal in early March.
Toyota's parts suppliers are grappling with rising raw material costs, shortages of basic supplies and ongoing logistical turmoil.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 29, 2026
Toyota suppliers start to feel strain of supply chain disruptions due to Iran conflict
By Tsuyoshi Inajima
Toyota's parts suppliers are grappling with rising raw material costs, shortages of basic supplies and ongoing logistical turmoil.
Through much of 2025, a U.S. special agent had been looking into claims that some Meta employees and contractors could see the content of encrypted WhatsApp messages. The investigation was just abruptly closed.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 29, 2026
U.S. ends investigation into claims WhatsApp chats aren¡¯t private
By JAKE BLEIBERG
The abrupt closure ends a law enforcement inquiry into claims that challenge how the company markets the chat service's privacy.
The Samsung dynasty¡¯s wealth doubled to $45 billion in just one year, making them Asia's third-richest family.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 29, 2026
Samsung dynasty¡¯s wealth doubles to $45 billion in just one year
By Filipe Pacheco and Denny Thomas
Faced with crisis, speculation grew that the family might lose control of the conglomerate. Instead, they made a massive financial comeback.

Sports

Kirishima points to his name in the <i>š­³ú±ð°ìŸ±</i> section of the newly released <i>banzuke</i> rankings at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Monday.
SUMO / Inside Sumo
Apr 29, 2026
Kirishima back at š­³ú±ð°ìŸ± in sumo¡¯s latest banzuke rankings
By John Gunning
The latest rankings also reflect a broader reshuffling as new contenders edge closer to the top.
Paris Saint-Germain&#039;s Ousmane Dembele (bottom) celebrates with teammates after scoring his team&#039;s fifth goal against Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Tuesday.
SOCCER
Apr 29, 2026
PSG edges Bayern in nine-goal Champions League semifinal epic
By Andy Scott
It was the highest-scoring match ever at this stage of the competition.
Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts after a pitch in the fifth inning against the Marlins at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 29, 2026
Janson Junk outduels Shohei Ohtani as Marlins edge Dodgers
Without Ohtani in ?the batting order ?for the second time in five starts ?on the mound, the Dodgers struggled on offense.
Blue Jays starting pitcher Trey Yesavage throws a pitch against the Red Sox during the first inning at Rogers Centre on Tuesday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 29, 2026
World Series star Trey Yesavage rejoins Blue Jays in win over Red Sox
Vladimir ?Guerrero Jr. had two hits and an RBI while ?Kazuma Okamoto ?had a two-run single to help the Blue ?Jays end Boston's three-game winning streak.
Hailey Baptiste in action during her quarterfinal match against Aryna Sabalenka in Madrid on Tuesday
TENNIS
Apr 29, 2026
Baptiste stuns Sabalenka to end Madrid title defense
The American saved six match points before she handed Sabalenka just her second defeat of the year, and her first since the Australian Open final three months ago.
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers warms up before the AFC wild card game against the Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Jan 12.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Apr 29, 2026
Steelers place rare contract tender on Aaron Rodgers
If Aaron Rodgers plays another season, the Steelers want to ?make sure it's with Pittsburgh.
New Zealand officials reject statue remembering 91²Ö¿â comfort women
A statue symbolizing former South Korean comfort women in Seoul
Head of U.S. military in South Korea calls for ¡®kill web¡¯ linking Seoul, Tokyo and Manila
U.S. Army Gen. Xavier Brunson (center), commander of U.S. Forces Korea, walks on a pontoon bridge with U.S. and South Korean Army soldiers during a U.S.-South Korea joint river-crossing exercise, part of the annual Freedom Shield joint military training, near the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, in Yeoncheon, South Korea, on March 14.
Japan considers making language programs a factor in residency screenings
The government is considering creating a Japanese language program for foreign people that would be a factor in residency screenings.
'RikuRyu' signs off in emotional farewell
Figure skating pair Riku Miura (left) and Ryuichi Kihara pose for photos at a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday. The pair have announced their retirement from competitive skating.
Police search for Tokyo man on the run after hammer attack on students
Tokyo Metropolitan Police officers stand guard outside the home where suspect Teruyuki Takabayashi temporarily took refuge in Fussa, Tokyo, on Wednesday.
Head of U.S. military in South Korea calls for ¡®kill web¡¯ linking Seoul, Tokyo and Manila
U.S. Army Gen. Xavier Brunson (center), commander of U.S. Forces Korea, walks on a pontoon bridge with U.S. and South Korean Army soldiers during a U.S.-South Korea joint river-crossing exercise, part of the annual Freedom Shield joint military training, near the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, in Yeoncheon, South Korea, on March 14.
The Japanese dietitian who keeps the Blue Jays¡¯ engines running
Sports dietitian Yuka Sanui works behind the scenes to ensure Blue Jays players get the most out of their bodies when they step on the field.
The American chef reconnecting with Japan through a Kyoto restaurant
SoNoMa chef partner Kyle Connaughton (right) and chef de cuisine Keita Tominaga both have ties to Sonoma County in Northern California, the restaurant¡¯s namesake. Connaughton rose to prominence there with SingleThread, while Tominaga¡¯s father ran a Japanese restaurant in the region.
Inkonbini: Slice-of-life, cozy gaming from Japan¡¯s convenience stores
Alongside the simplified management of a convenience store, Inkonbini asks players to help a small cast of regular shoppers with not only their shopping but problems in their personal lives.
Japanese developers worry over construction supply shortages amid Iran war
Paul Nikel, President of West Canada Homes, with an increasingly rare supply of plastic foam

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

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