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JAPAN

Removing the limit on simultaneous drone use by one person is aimed at optimizing logistics and infrastructure inspections, and at making damage assessment and search operations more effective during disasters.
JAPAN
Jun 22, 2026
Japan lifts upper limit on drones operated by one pilot
Removing the limit is aimed at optimizing logistics and infrastructure inspections, and at making damage assessment and search operations more effective during disasters.
Health minister Kenichiro Ueno lays flowers during a ceremony held in Tokyo Monday to restore the honor of leprosy patients in Japan.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 22, 2026
Japan commemorates victims of discriminatory leprosy policy
A ceremony was held in Tokyo to restore the honor of leprosy patients in Japan, who had suffered severe discrimination based on a policy of forced isolation.
Employed people walk more than those without jobs, a study from the University of Tokyo found, suggesting factors beyond the environment also shape how much people walk.
JAPAN
Jun 22, 2026
Study finds large gap in daily steps people in Japan take, depending on area
The study from the University of Tokyo found average step counts tended to be higher in municipalities with environments more conducive to walking.
Flowers laid near Kamui bridge, the scene of a 17-year-old high school girl's death, in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, June 2024
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 22, 2026
Woman sentenced to 27 years over death of high school girl
Prosecutors had sought 27 years, arguing the ¡°extremely cruel and malicious¡± crime the woman had been the ringleader of had ¡°trampled on the victim¡¯s dignity.¡±
Although paper customs forms are still available?in many cases, it is no longer standard practice to hand them out on all flights.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 22, 2026
Japan to fully digitalize airport customs system by 2030
By Yukana Inoue
The phasing-out of paper customs declaration forms is among measures eyed by the Finance Ministry to handle the inbound movement of people and goods more efficiently.
Masami Ishizaka of the Sendai Probation Office (right) listens to a volunteer probation officer from Sendai about her activities during a meeting at the office in March.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Jun 22, 2026
Miyagi volunteer probation officers seek sustainable rehabilitation system
Japan is relying heavily on volunteer probation officers to support rehabilitation, but aging, shortages and safety fears are putting growing strain on the system.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at a Lower House budget committee session on Monday
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 22, 2026
Takaichi says consumption tax cut would last only two years
Asked if the cut would expire after two years even if the economy worsened, the prime minister said the measure is only ¡°a bridge¡± until a refundable tax credit program is created.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako with Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde at the Royal Castle of Ciergnon in Houyet, Belgium, on Sunday
JAPAN
Jun 22, 2026
Emperor and empress dine at a castle with Belgium¡¯s royal family
They enjoyed their meal at a garden of the Royal Castle of Ciergnon near the town of Ciergnon in the municipality of Houyet, southern Belgium, for about an hour and a half.
The Metropolitan Police Department's headquarters in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 22, 2026
Japan arrests man suspected of links to alleged scam syndicate Prince Group, media report
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department have arrested Hu Shi, a Cypriot national, on suspicion of falsifying documents.
While Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung have kept relations from sliding backward, experts say they have struggled to turn stability into concrete steps forward.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 22, 2026
Japan-South Korea detente persists ¡ª but breakthrough remains elusive
By Kenji Yoshida
Tokyo and Seoul have become better at preventing ties from fraying but have been less successful at turning stability into concrete gains.
Waste collected during decontamination work in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture, in February
JAPAN
Jun 22, 2026
Fukushima town contaminated following 2011 nuclear meltdown eases entry restrictions
Extensive decontamination work has been carried out in areas impacted by the 2011 nuclear disaster in order to enable registered residents to return to their original homes.
People working in human resources departments participate in a workshop in Tokyo in January. The participants played a card game in which they took on roles of people with various disabilities.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Jun 22, 2026
Japanese companies get serious about workplace DEI
Firms are stepping up their efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion in a bid to improve their management of human resources.

WORLD

Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan speaks in New York in 2012.
WORLD
Jun 22, 2026
Alan Greenspan, longtime U.S. Federal Reserve chairman, dies at 100
By Howard Schneider and Jonathan Spicer
Greenspan died at his home from complications of Parkinson¡¯s Disease.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces the timeline for his resignation, outside No. 10 Downing Street, in London on Monday.
WORLD
Jun 22, 2026
Unloved and directionless, U.K.¡¯s Starmer quits after just two years
By Elizabeth Piper
Buffeted by competing Labour factions, lobbied by vested interests and misunderstood by wary voters, many came to hate what they saw as indecision.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech announcing his resignation outside No. 10 Downing St. in London on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 22, 2026
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he will resign
Less than two years after he won a landslide election victory that promised to end chaos in British ?politics, Starmer said it was clear that his party wanted him to go.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance (back right) looks on next to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner (back center), as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi shakes hands with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif before the start of a quadrilateral meeting between the U.S., Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict, at the Buergenstock resort near Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 22, 2026
U.S. and Iran make ¡®major progress¡¯ in talks aimed at lasting peace deal
Plenty of obstacles remain, however, including Israel¡¯s war in Lebanon against Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group.
Colombia's right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella gestures as he addresses supporters after the preliminary runoff results against leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda, in Barranquilla, Colombia, on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 22, 2026
De la Espriella win in Colombia cements Latin America¡¯s rightward shift
Colombia and Peru now join Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia and Panama in moving right.
Applicants for overseas domestic work train at Right Focus Training Center in Manila in March.
WORLD
Jun 22, 2026
Iran war puts $124 billion Persian Gulf remittance lifeline at risk
Migrant workers in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries sent an estimated $124 billion home in 2024, supporting families from Asia and the broader Middle East to Africa.
A satellite image shows fire and smoke rising from oil tanks, after what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said was an attack on an oil depot in the city of Kerch, Crimea, on Sunday.
WORLD
Jun 22, 2026
Ukrainian strikes on Russian-annexed Crimea kill four and pause fuel sales
Ukraine said it targeted military and energy facilities in Crimea ¡ª Moscow¡¯s key logistics base for its four-year military offensive.
Daniel Northover, 53, who moved from Britain to Spain to care for his mother after her husband's death, takes his mother Carole Bentley, 80, for a stroll in her wheelchair along a street in the village of Turre, Almeria, Spain, on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 22, 2026
In Spain, elderly U.K. expats struggle for care post-Brexit
By Victoria Waldersee
Spain¡¯s resident British population ¡ª the largest in the European Union at around 266,000, according to official statistics ¡ª is aging fast.
A supporter of Colombia's presidential candidate for the Defensores de la Patria movement, Abelardo de la Espriella, waves a national flag as she celebrates the early results of the presidential runoff election in Barranquilla, Colombia, on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 22, 2026
Trump-backed conservative leads in Colombia presidential runoff
By Andreina Itriago
If Abelardo de la Espriella can maintain his lead, the conservative lawyer¡¯s victory would make Colombia the latest Latin American country to align with?Trump.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk attends a summit of European Union leaders at the bloc's headquarters in Brussels, on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 22, 2026
Poland¡¯s Tusk warns of ¡®strategic mistake¡¯ in spat with Ukraine
By Agnieszka Barteczko
Tensions have grown with Poland over Ukraine¡¯s commemoration of controversial World War II fighters Warsaw has accused of genocide.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer walks as he visits a housing development in north London on Friday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 22, 2026
Starmer expected to set out resignation timetable within days
By Alex Wickham
A statement from Starmer conceding power could come as soon as Monday.

BUSINESS

Nomura Holdings CEO Kentaro Okuda¡¯s compensation rose to ?1.6 billion ($10 million) in the year that ended on March 31.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 22, 2026
Nomura raises CEO pay to $10 million after profit hits a record
By Takashi Nakamichi and Ryo Horiuchi
Under Kentaro Okuda¡¯s leadership, Japan¡¯s biggest brokerage generated a second straight year of record net income.
The yen is near 39-year lows again and has been trading above ?160 to the dollar for about a week.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 22, 2026
Yen continues to test fresh lows as Nikkei 225 hits new highs
By Kazuaki Nagata
Verbal intervention in the currency market has been more tempered than in the past.
China¡¯s designation prohibits these U.S. companies from access to items that can be used for both commercial and military purposes.
BUSINESS
Jun 22, 2026
China targets U.S. rare earths firms in response to Pentagon list
China¡¯s designation prohibits these U.S. companies from access to items that can be used for both commercial and military purposes.
A new round of tariffs is taking shape after the Supreme Court blocked U.S. President Donald Trump's earlier measures, with countries from the Philippines to Singapore facing very different outcomes.
BUSINESS
Jun 22, 2026
Trump builds a new U.S. tariff wall in shakeup of winners and losers
By Alicia Diaz
A new round of Trump tariffs is taking shape after the Supreme Court blocked his earlier measures, with countries from the Philippines to Singapore facing very different outcomes.
While Japanese government bonds saw yields rise to multiyear highs in May, the attractiveness has been offset by concerns that the Bank of Japan is unlikely to tighten monetary policy quickly enough to contain inflation.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 22, 2026
Japanese insurers sold domestic superlong bonds as yields soared
By Mia Glass and Masaki Kondo
Local insurers sold a net ?201.2 billion ($1.25 billion) of Japanese sovereign debt due in more than 10 years, according to the latest Japan Securities Dealers Association data.
Stacks of aluminum ingots at a stockyard in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, China
BUSINESS / Markets
Jun 22, 2026
Aluminum¡¯s war shock blunted by dark transits and Chinese supply
By Mark Burton
Indonesia has also been instrumental in keeping the global market in check as buyers wait for exports to rebound.
A man harvests sugarcane in a field in the Kolhapur district in the western state of Maharashtra, India, on Feb. 17.
BUSINESS
Jun 22, 2026
India likely won¡¯t export sugar for years as El Nino and ethanol squeeze supply
By Rajendra Jadhav
The two challenges could keep millions of tons of sugar off the world market, tightening supplies for importers across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Toichiro Asada disagreed with his peers on the biggest risks facing the economy as he voted against the Bank of Japan¡¯s most recent interest rate hike.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 22, 2026
Dissent by Takaichi¡¯s BOJ pick hints at case for faster hikes
By Toru Fujioka
Toichiro Asada, the first policy board member appointed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, left little doubt about his commitment to monetary stimulus.
Danone, the maker of Oikos Pro yogurt, accused Chobani of copying its product and misleading consumers to improve sales, allegations Chobani dismissed.
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Jun 22, 2026
Yogurt wars: Danone-Chobani clash underscores wider protein battle
By Alexander Marrow
The battle for protein supremacy is particularly important in the United States, where growing numbers of GLP-1 weight loss drug users seek it out to combat muscle wastage.
Choushimaru President Ken Ishii speaks during an interview in the city of Chiba on June 5.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 22, 2026
Sushi chain Choushimaru to expand U.S. business
The firm plans to increase Sushi Nigiriba brand outlets in the U.S. under its joint venture with Japanese restaurant chain operator Royal Holdings and Japanese trader Sojitz.
Nissan's plant in Kaminokawa, Tochigi Prefecture. Renault, which owns roughly 36% of Nissan but can only exercise 15% of voting rights, plans to abstain from voting for the reappointment of Motoo Nagai, an influential outside director, as the firm is concerned about his independence.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 22, 2026
Renault pushback on Nissan board picks targets creditor Mizuho
By Masatsugu Horie and Albertina Torsoli
Renault, which owns roughly 36% of Nissan, plans to abstain from voting for two board members who have ties to Mizuho Financial Group, Nissan¡¯s biggest creditor.
A closeup of a semiconductor wafer used as an example at the Linx booth at Semicon at the Nangang Exhibition center in Taipei in 2025.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jun 22, 2026
Taiwanese brothers amass $1 billion from boom in display chips
Biing-seng Wu and Jordan Wu own 24% of Himax, whose U.S.-listed shares have more than doubled in value this year.

ENVIRONMENT

A woman cools off under a mist sprayer during the annual Fete de la Musique street music festival, during a heat wave in Bordeaux, southwestern France, on Sunday.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Jun 22, 2026
Schools closed, trains canceled as Europe heat wave set to intensify
French forecasters say the current heatwave could end up being as serious as the one in August 2003 that claimed the lives of nearly 15,000 in France.

Opinion

The J-20S (right) and J-35A stealth fighter jets are exhibited at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, China, in November 2024.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 22, 2026
In selling arms, China is still no superpower
By Juliana Liu
In fact, China¡¯s strategy of avoiding military entanglements and binding security commitments is one of the reasons why it struggles to break through in the export market.
Visitors at a park in Budapest watch a traditional Japanese fencing demonstration by a classical samurai sword school during Japanese Cultural Program Day in July 2021.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 22, 2026
Is Cool Japan really the secret to soft-power success?
By Waka Ikeda
The part of Europe where Japanese culture is growing fastest is also where Japan has invested least.
U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance attend a Memorial Day event at Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery on May 25.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 22, 2026
Trump¡¯s Iran deal comes with great risk ¡ª for JD Vance
By Nia-Malika Henderson
For Vance, it is too late to ¡°be careful.¡± He largely owes his political career to Trump, and his political future largely depends on his defense of him and his policies.

Sports

Japan's Ko Itakura clears the ball during the first half against Tunisia during a Group F match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Monterrey, Mexico, on Saturday.
SOCCER / World cup
Jun 22, 2026
Japan¡¯s World Cup picture comes into focus after rout of Tunisia
By Sam Byford
Japan can book its place in the knockout round with a win over Sweden.
Iran's Mohammad Mohebbi (left), Mehdi Ghayedi (center) and Iran's defender Ali Nemati celebrate after their draw against Belgium at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles.
SOCCER
Jun 22, 2026
Iran coach praises players¡¯ resilience after draw with Belgium
Iran has faced the strain of considerable visa and travel restrictions in the United States during the World Cup.
Spain's Lamine Yamal controls the ball against Saudi Arabia during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Atlanta on Sunday.
SOCCER
Jun 22, 2026
Lamine Yamal-inspired Spain cruises past Saudi Arabia
Spain leads the group with?four points in the standings while Saudi Arabia has one.
Cape Verde's Helio Varela celebrates with teammates after scoring against Uruguay during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Sunday.
SOCCER / World cup
Jun 22, 2026
Cape Verde dreaming of spot in knockout round after fairy-tale start to World Cup
Cape Verde, ranked 63rd in the world, will head into its final Group H game against Saudi Arabia knowing that victory will secure passage into the next round.
Hakuoh University's Rento Saito attempts a shot during an Asian University Basketball League contest.
BASKETBALL
Jun 22, 2026
Heading into its second year, AUBL aims to get Japan more involved
By Jason Coskrey
While China and the Philippines are regional basketball hotbeds, Asian University Basketball League stakeholders are working to gain traction in Japan.
Serena Williams hits a shot during a doubles match at the Berlin Open in Berlin on June 16.
TENNIS
Jun 22, 2026
Serena Williams to return to singles competition at Wimbledon
The announcement that the 44-year-old mother of two will ?play singles will provide a massive storyline for the Grand Slam.
Wyndham Clark celebrates after winning the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS
Jun 22, 2026
Wyndham Clark hangs on in final round for wire-to-wire win at U.S. Open
Clark became only the ninth true wire-to-wire U.S. Open winner as he kept the outright lead following all four rounds to pick up the title for a second time.

LIFE

Recent years have seen "nattš­" (fermented soybeans) join a series of fermented foods, from kimchi to kombucha, that have surged in popularity worldwide as Americans in particular seek better digestive health following the COVID-19 pandemic.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 22, 2026
¡®A little funky¡¯: Japanese ¡®nattš­¡¯ disgusts and delights the world
By Tomohiro Osaki & Sarah Lai
Aside from its supposed health benefits, ¡®nattš­¡¯?has long been loved in Japan for its stunning affordability ¡ª charms the rest of the world seems to be warming up to.

COMMUNITY

American author Hannah Kirshner recently opened Mokkei as a hub for local knowledge-sharing and a retreat for tourists. Kirshner had spotted the century-old farmhouse years ago and dreamed of making it a ¡°lifelong art project.¡±
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Jun 22, 2026
How a U.S. author found ¡ª and helped build ¡ª community in a Japanese hot spring town
By Michele Laudig
With a new home base, Hannah Kirshner hopes to build even deeper community and cultural connections in rural Ishikawa Prefecture.
Japan to raise visa fees for foreign nationals in first revision in 48 years
Tourists from abroad wearing kimonos pose for a souvenir photo with cherry blossoms in the city of Kyoto in March.
Japan to allow local governments to ban private lodging
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in March. Various cities around the world have cracked down on private lodgings, such as in Barcelona where the city is attempting to eradicate all short-stay apartments by 2028.
Beyond crabs and dinos: Japan¡¯s least-touristed region rethinks its appeal
Fukui Prefecture is home to 80% of Japan¡¯s dinosaur fossil discoveries, yet it is routinely one of the least-visited regions in the country.
Japanese companies get serious about workplace DEI
People working in human resources departments participate in a workshop in Tokyo in January. The participants played a card game in which they took on roles of people with various disabilities.
Japan¡¯s AI goldrush faces backlash as data centers sprout up in urban areas
Erin and Munekazu Tanikawa look out from their balcony at the construction site of a planned 52-meter-tall data center that would dominate their surroundings, in the city of Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, last month.
How a U.S. author found ¡ª and helped build ¡ª community in a Japanese hot spring town
American author Hannah Kirshner recently opened Mokkei as a hub for local knowledge-sharing and a retreat for tourists. Kirshner had spotted the century-old farmhouse years ago and dreamed of making it a ¡°lifelong art project.¡±
Japan¡¯s AI goldrush faces backlash as data centers sprout up in urban areas
Erin and Munekazu Tanikawa look out from their balcony at the construction site of a planned 52-meter-tall data center that would dominate their surroundings, in the city of Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, last month.
Distracted walkers in Japan are a real safety risk. My mother knows firsthand.
In Tokyo and other major Japanese cities, <i>aruki-sumaho</i> ¡ª walking while using a smartphone ¡ª has become a persistent safety concern as commuters navigate crowded stations and sidewalks while focused on their devices.
Can automation offset Japan¡¯s military workforce shortage?
A Ground Self-Defense Force uncrewed ground vehicle takes part in a live-fire military exercise at the Higashi Fuji Training Field in Shizuoka Prefecture on May 7.
Japan¡¯s World Cup picture comes into focus after rout of Tunisia
Japan&#039;s Ko Itakura clears the ball during the first half against Tunisia during a Group F match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Monterrey, Mexico, on Saturday.

Podcast

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

Longform

Social camouflaging can help neurodivergent people navigate social situations, but researchers say the effort often comes with significant emotional and mental strain.
The challenge of being neurodivergent in Japan¡¯s culture of conformity
By Tomoko Otake

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