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Japan’s thunderbolt election: Takaichi resets politics, economics, and diplomacy
Japan’s first-ever female leader delivered the biggest win for her party since its creation 70 years ago, but big challenges lie ahead.
Global stocks reach record highs; BP annual profits slump 16%
Japan’s Nikkei jumps to new peak in extended rally after Sanae Takaichi’s party secures election victory; London-listed oil giant BP suspends share buyback
Japan's Takaichi to pursue conservative agenda after election landslide
Japan's first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, brought the ruling Liberal Democratic Party its biggest-ever electoral victory, fueling her ambitions to pursue to a political agenda which she says could "split public opinion."
Making science more visible
As he enters a laboratory with saltwater pools full of fish, Luka Žuvić explains how climate change is affecting the feeding ecology and reproductive biology of Atlantic bluefin tuna, and how the species is adapting.It is a topic that may seem remote to many people. But in a country where fishing and aquaculture are important to the economy and national identity, Žuvić’s research is at the intersection of science and society. “In Croatia, marine and environmental science are closely connected to people’s lives because fisheries, aquaculture, tourism and coastal development are a big part of our lives,” explains Žuvić, a doctoral student working at the Croatian Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in the Adriatic coastal city of Split. He also serves as one of Croatia’s ambassadors to Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a European Commission-funded project that aims to make scientific research more accessible, while inspiring young people to study the sciences. The project kicked off in Spilt on 20 January with a conference attended by partner institutions, community representatives, policymakers and scientists. Along with Split, Brest (in France) and Kiel (in Germany) will host a year of activities connecting scientists with the public.Žuvić, 31, is part of the Young Researchers' Career Development Project, a doctoral programme funded by the Croatian Science Foundation. His research on Atlantic bluefin tuna builds on a foundation-backed project focusing on the reproductive potential of farmed tuna, including their sexual maturation and spontaneous spawning in captivity, which has implications for the restoration of the Adriatic Sea's natural tuna populations. He also studies the tuna's feeding ecology through stomach-content analysis, using DNA metabarcoding and morphological approaches, and employs geometric morphometrics to improve the identification of juvenile tuna and related species. The research aims to enhance understanding of the tuna farming ecology, improve fish farm management and contribute to sustainable aquaculture and fisheries research.Engaging with local communitiesConnecting with the community is crucial for Žuvić’s research. Conversations with fishermen help him better understand the bluefin tuna's habits and how marine pollution affects the fish. “They are also curious about the biology and ecology of bluefin tuna,” he says of local fishermen, adding that sharing research with non-scientists benefits everyone. “Sometimes scientific research is invisible,” he explains. “That's why we as researchers need to go out from our institutions and labs to the public so that we can show them what we are working on. This helps create more trust in the scientists and their research.”Engaging the public also raises awareness about the anthropogenic changes to the marine environment resulting from human activities and pollution. Žuvić helps remove plastic and other rubbish from the Adriatic Sea that pose a direct threat to marine species. Predators, such as bluefin tuna, are especially vulnerable to ingesting waste churned up by fishing trawlers. “They are very opportunistic fish that follow trawlers and ingest everything,” he notes. To illustrate the impact, he has shown students the contents of bluefin tuna stomachs. “Finding a plastic bottle cap in the stomach of a bluefin tuna is concerning,” he says. "Science can be a powerful way to turn curiosity into practical solutions,” Žuvić adds, and sharing research outcomes “helps increase public awareness and improve understanding of human impacts on the marine environment.”The research also has implications for Croatia's economy. The Atlantic bluefin tuna’s rich, flavourful meat is highly valued for sushi and other raw fish dishes. However, overfishing nearly brought its population to collapse by the early 2000s. Although the species has made a comeback in the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions, catches continue to be managed through agreements with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. Croatia was a pioneer in developing commercial aquaculture as an alternative to open-sea fishing and accounts for about 10% of the EU’s farmed production of the bluefin tuna, with Japan being a key export market.A history of European collaborationCroatia has participated in Europe’s framework programmes for research and innovation since 2007, six years before officially joining the EU. Žuvić believes that EU funding and collaboration with other European researchers is vital for Croatian science. As part of the SCTT opening conference, the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, the University of Split and other local institutions were part of a science fair to showcase research on topics, such as robotics and an EU LIFE project on the protection of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean. “I hope that Science Comes to Town will help increase scientific literacy and curiosity among citizens, particularly students, and show that science is not something that is distant or abstract, but something that directly affects everyday life,” Žuvić concludes. “Ultimately, I hope that projects like it contribute to building a society that values knowledge and critical thinking, and that we can think about long-term sustainability using knowledge from science.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
From the sports desk: The agony and ecstasy of the Olympics
Team USA narrowly topped Japan to win gold in the figure skating team event. Earlier, Lindsey Vonn crashed during the women's downhill ski event, while Breezy Johnson won gold.
Business Lookahead: Near, far, wherever markets are
STORY: From Japan's snap election to key U.S. data, these are the stories to watch in business and finance in the coming week. :: Japan votesJapan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is hoping for a stronger mandate as voters head to the polls on Sunday.The closely-watched lower house election is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in years.A strong showing by Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party would allow her to expand stimulus.That could heighten concerns about Japan's finances and push up government bond yields further in a selloff that could ripple out overseas.:: AI winners and losersCisco Systems and Germany's Siemens Energy report earnings on Wednesday.They've benefited from the AI boom in different ways, but now Barclays says that trade is "seeing extreme dispersion."That’s been evident in sliding software and data analytics stocks, which have plunged as traders focus on the existential threat posed by increasingly powerful AI models.AI enablers, companies contributing to the global AI data center build-out, meanwhile, have fared better. :: Delayed data dumpA double dose of major U.S. economic reports should give investors a critical view of the economy, following a delay by the recently ended three-day government shutdown.The January non-farm payrolls report, now due on Wednesday, is expected to show an increase of 70,000 jobs, according to a Reuters poll. Then, on Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release the January consumer price index, one of the most closely watched measures of inflation.
Analysis: FDR had the ‘Arsenal of Democracy.’ Hegseth has an ‘Arsenal of Freedom’
When Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted Americans to join the fight against the axis of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Imperial Japan in 1940, without actually entering the war, he called on Americans to pivot their economy to equip democracies around the world.
Japan's Itochu posts record 9-month profit on consumer business strength
Japan's Itochu on Friday posted a 4% rise in nine-month net profit through December 31 to 705.3 billion yen ($4.5 billion), a record for the period, boosted by strong consumer businesses, including food, textile and its convenience-store chain.
She’s Upending Japanese Politics With Two Words: ‘I’m Pregnant’
Hikaru Fujita, who’s running in Sunday’s parliamentary election, is a standout in a country where expectant mothers rarely enter national politics.
Newborn parties are scrambling Japanese politics
Though small, they have large megaphones
‘Saving Lives’: Comic book combines science & storytelling
How a collaboration between Belgian scientists and publishers put vaccination on the map at the World Expo in Japan
How MAGA-Inspired Politics Are Reshaping Japan and South Korea
A culture war playbook honed by American conservatives is finding new life in East Asia
Nintendo shares sink 10% as gaming giant faces memory shortage concerns
Nintendo fell over 10% in Asia trade as the gaming giant faces headwinds from an unprecedented memory shortage.
Political Realignment and the 2026 Japanese Election II | Council on Foreign Relations
This Sunday, Japanese voters will once again go to the polls. Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has called this snap election in the hopes of attracting sufficient votes to put her party, the LDP, back in the majority.
Inside Bad Bunny's restaurant, Gekko, in Miami: What I got for $164
Bad Bunny opened Gekko, a Japanese steakhouse in Miami, in 2022. Ahead of his Super Bowl appearance, I wanted to see if it was worth the hype.
Japan's top business lobby invites activist fund Elliott for governance talks
Japan's biggest business lobby, Keidanren, has invited activist investor Elliott Investment Management to a private meeting on March 5 to discuss issues of corporate governance, it told member firms in a notice seen by Reuters.
Daiwa Profit Beats Estimates on Equity Trading, Wealth Business
Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s profit beat estimates last quarter, as Japan’s stock market boom bolstered its equity trading and wealth management businesses.
Shohei Ohtani won’t pitch in World Baseball Classic
The last time Shohei Ohtani was in the World Baseball Classic, he struck out his then-Angels teammate Mike Trout to give Team Japan their third title in tournament history. Three years later, fans from around the world will only get to see half of the Ohtani experience. After a 22 month absence from pitching on […]
Giant Virus Discovered in Japanese Pond May Hint at Multicellular Life's Origins
Did viruses create us?
Investment and Statecraft: The International Politics of Sovereign Wealth Funds - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
In 1953, Kuwait established the world’s first sovereign wealth fund to invest the country’s oil revenues and generate returns that would reduce its reliance on a single resource. Since then, over 100 separate funds have been created to preserve national wealth and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. Today, they manage over $10 trillion in global assets. In this discussion with GJIA, political economist Kathryn Lavelle explains the increasingly novel dynamics that surround fund behavior and what the world can come to expect from their growing presence in international financial markets. GJIA: When it comes to the roles sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) play in global markets and politics, what would you say makes them unique? Kathryn Lavelle: Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) operate on behalf of governments as investors. That in itself is a strange relationship. Within them, a core contest takes place between the state’s interests (or sovereign) part of the dynamic, and the money interests (or wealth) part of it, and these two aspects are frequently in contradiction, serving fundamentally different goals. SWFs are also quite fascinating because when you talk to the people who manage these funds, they have an interest in convincing you that the decisions are made almost exclusively on a financial basis—they really will go to great lengths to differentiate their government owners and those who make the management decisions. At the same time, these people ultimately answer to someone in power. Therefore, for most SWFs, it remains deeply unclear who is actually making the investment decisions and for what purposes. Of course, it is not always clear how other vehicles, such as hedge funds and private equity make the decisions they do, but I think what a lot of people find particularly disconcerting about SWFs is that they seem to act on behalf of people who have a different identity from their own. People who could be trying to manipulate politics and markets in a way that would have a long-term effect on their own populations. Regular investors come and go at will, and they only share an interest in profit as far as most of us understand. However, SWFs have that extra “sovereign” part right behind them that obscures their true interest. GJIA: These funds can be found in countries all across the globe, in both authoritarian states and democracies. Would you say SWFs differ in their goals and structures between regime-type? KL: It is not necessarily regime type that makes the goals and structures of SWFs different. It has to do with their economies. Let’s look at a country like China. There’s going to be a debate about exactly how to characterize the regime, but it is a country with many different kinds of sovereign wealth funds, and a particularly opaque state connection to each. At one time, some of the state-owned Chinese oil companies created specialized investment vehicles listed outside Chinese markets that excluded parts of the firms that were more associated with human rights violations. At the same time, the China Investment Corporation (CIC)—China’s largest SWF—draws a lot of concern, not necessarily because of its investment activities, but because of the dynamics of global politics. So, I wouldn’t really tie differences to regime types themselves in a wholesale way, but rather to how such funds are perceived and how they are structured. Saudi Arabia’s SWF is getting all kinds of attention for its involvement in Hollywood, and this takes me right back to when I was a student in the 1980s, when people were concerned about Japanese investment entities buying assets in Hollywood. They aren’t quite the same in financial terms, but it’s the same kind of concern about foreign investment that drives people to be suspicious, and the whole idea that “foreigners are influencing Hollywood.” This holds true across industries, and it reflects where politics are in places like the United States right now. One metric we can try to look at is transparency, where all the funds will tell you, “we are transparent.” The problem you’ll keep running into with this approach is how you value things. When trying to do comparative studies of equity markets, you’ll find that every country doesn’t use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles like we do in the United States. A fund may appear opaque politically and not want people to show what they’re invested in or what their intent with that investment is, but they could also just not be able to report it because of the way it was purchased, or the kinds of shares they purchased. There are some assets out there that really are difficult to put a monetary value on. GJIA: To what extent do domestic politics shape SWF behavior in both the investing “home” country and the recipient “host” country? KL: This depends on the type of fund present and also on the extent to which voters’ political views are able to influence the fund. For example, in a democratic home state like Norway, the SWF doesn’t invest in nuclear weapons or tobacco because of social concerns, but there is a continuing debate over whether it should invest in oil, even though that’s where most of the money comes from. The degree to which Norway will continue to make those investments, and whether they contradict the government’s overall climate goals, is an open question in Norwegian politics. Because of the way the fund’s governance is structured, it may not be easy to resolve. On the other hand, some people consider pension funds, like the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) in Ohio, to be quasi-SWF. They have a very strict separation between the people who make up the management division and the fund owners. No teacher or professor would want to invest in things that may harm the future of their students. At the same time, a fund manager might see an opportunity in a diversified multinational corporation that offers a good return, despite it deriving part of its revenue from e-cigarettes. These contests are very apparent. Domestic politics can work in host countries too. A good example is Singapore’s SWF, Temasek, investing in Thailand’s telecommunications sector. If you study political economy, you already know that countries everywhere are uncomfortable with foreign ownership of their telecom sectors because a foreign entity could monitor or manipulate our communications with each other. In the case of Temasek, there was significant pushback from Thai citizens surrounding the deal, which went on to influence national political sentiment toward Singapore as a whole, underscoring the risks some SWFs may face with their investment choices. In this case, fund behavior led to the dissolution of the entire Thai government in 2006 and a subsequent coup d’état. GJIA: To address some of this unease, the Santiago Principles were established in 2009 to ostensibly promote trust and transparency. From your perspective, have these mechanisms actually changed fund behavior? KL: In international relations theory, we always like to have a clear set of norms and best practices—the orientation we want the proverbial ship to be going in. In that regard, the Santiago Principles at least got the discussion going about which direction SWFs should take at a time when people were very skittish about the growing size of these funds. Nobody wanted them to be out there and potentially destabilizing economies, so talks about disclosure, conditions for withdrawal, and the independence of managers were helpful when initiated. The biggest stumbling block was that there wasn’t exactly a good way to measure compliance with the Principles, let alone how to hold funds to them. If you read the Principles, they’re overall quite vague. In general, a fund doesn’t want to reveal how and why they make certain investment decisions because that information is proprietary—a fund makes money off of how and why it makes decisions—so how do you reconcile that with loosely-defined ideas of openness? Some decisions might have a political purpose. The bottom line is that trying to figure out and assign a score to compliance is not easy, and it is therefore the reason why the Santiago Principles never really got off the ground to the point where they could truly direct fund behavior. GJIA: Many emerging markets are looking to build their own SWFs from mineral and oil revenues. Historically, have funds shaped development trajectories in these countries? KL: I think the big story in international emerging markets investment is that the investment is increasingly no longer unidirectional. In the past multinational corporations of primarily Western background were the main form of foreign direct investment in a country. That has changed dramatically, to the point where you have companies from so-called “developing countries” taking over companies in the United States. Therefore, the landscape of international investment has changed, and I think SWFs are certainly a possibility to be the next step in the game. Historically, you didn’t need an entire financial vehicle to reinvest commodity revenues in your country, but as emerging markets get more financially sophisticated, their capacity to operate such funds has increased. SWFs would allow treasuries to move from relying on holding foreign exchange assets like cash or government bonds to having broader financial markets and targeted growth areas, while easing pressure on welfare expenditures. GJIA: With their increasing financial weight, do you see the presence of SWFs being a factor in the political choices leaders will have to make with regard to domestic and foreign policy? KL: It will depend on just how big the funds get. One of the reasons people are already apprehensive is because of their scale, and if certain SWFs in certain countries achieve a large-enough size, the presence will absolutely be cause for concern. The other factor political leaders will have to consider are their objectives. It’s not always clear how to define a SWF, or even where its activity is concentrated, but it is certainly a worry from the perspective of national security of opaque external investment. More than that, I think one of the most interesting questions going forward is whether the United States, the home to the world’s largest financial markets, will develop its own fund, for which the Trump administration announced a plan. There have also been several proposals in Congress. Were it to come into being, it would have tremendous weight. At the same time, one of the hallmarks of U.S. capitalism is a lack of government ownership of shares, so it would not be clear how such a fund would be received in domestic politics, or which direction it would take. Given how politically fragmented the country is, a Democratic administration would likely be concerned about different sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, and want investment there, rather than a Republican administration, which might prefer defense industries. No investment vehicle could thrive under conditions of such instability. Moreover, it remains unclear where the money to fund a theoretical U.S. SWF would come from. It would be a fundamentally different entity depending on whether it is financed with debt, economic surplus, commodities, or the sale of state companies, as in the case of Singapore. If it is debt, or government borrowing of some form, then the fund would have to outperform whatever the cost of that debt is, which is not an easy thing to do. I think our political leaders have enough on their plate. Our system has worked well keeping political and investment functions generally separate. We have seen different forms of business rise and fall, and even the perception of different countries, all of which funds are tied to. Unless a major SWF either starts—like in the case of the United States—or collapses—an issue that concerns the Saudis, I don’t see any political tsunamis on the horizon. . . . Kathryn Lavelle is the Ellen and Dixon Long Professor of World Affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Her research explores the exchange between domestic and international and political institutions with a particular emphasis on political economy and multilateralism. Dr. Lavelle’s first book, The Politics of Equity Finance in Emerging Markets, explored the political circumstances that surround large issues of stock in the developing world. After being granted tenure at Case Western, she was awarded an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship and named the William A. Steiger fellow, a designation given to the most promising political scientist in her class of fellows. While in Washington during 2006-2007, she worked on the staff of the House Committee on Financial Services on issues related to domestic and international monetary policy. Dr. Lavelle holds a PhD in political science from Northwestern University; an M.A. in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia; and a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Georgetown University. She is a permanent member of the New York Council on Foreign Relations. This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Interview conducted by Sid Mehrotra. Image Credit: Jason Leung, Unsplash Content Licenses, via Unsplash
FX intervention justified if yen moves rapid, Japan business lobby head says
Currency intervention would be justified if it is aimed at arresting rapid moves in the yen, Yoshinobu Tsutsui, head of Japan's biggest business lobby Keidanren, said on Tuesday.
Japan Business Lobby Warns of Tariff Impact as Wage Talks Start
The head of Japan’s biggest business lobby warned that the impact of US tariffs on the nation’s industry needs to be carefully monitored, in comments signaling caution as formal wage negotiations between employers and labor unions get underway.
Yamamoto officially joins Japan's WBC roster, Ohtani's pitching role uncertain
Japan won the 2023 World Baseball Classic and is loaded again
Meet local power metal band 'Lords of the Trident'
MADISON, Wis. — For January's "Morning Notes," News 3 Now is highlighting a local power metal band that just released their 13th album, "Live From Japan."
Pokémon cards: The 'liquid asset' increasingly attracting criminals
Cards related to the popular Japanese animation franchise have soared in value over recent years.
Forza Horizon 6 Gameplay Trailer: 550 Cars, A Huge Japan Map, And Even Touge Battles
Forza Horizon 6 is promising the largest urban area in Horizon's history, a recreation of Daikoku PA, and 550 cars to choose from.
Forza Horizon 6: More Details on The Country, The Culture and The Cars of Playground Games’ Japan
Forza Horizon 6 is coming on May 19 - find out more about the cars and culture of Playground Games' Japan in our huge Developer_Direct interview.
David Rosen, 95, Dies; Video Game Visionary and Co-Founder of Sega
He transformed his Japanese photo booth business into a gaming industry game giant that created Mortal Kombat, Sonic the Hedgehog and more.
35th MLK Humanitarian Awards highlight tribute concert
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR COLORADO HOLIDAY COMMISSION Denver News: A charitable foundation that was founded in 1931 to address inequities for Black Americans, an Eaglecrest High School senior who plans to attend college in Japan and the Denver Police Department’s first female African American division chief were among those honored when the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Colorado […]
Sony to spin off TV business, form joint venture with China's TCL
Chinese TV maker to take 51% stake in JV that will operate under Japanese brand names
BOJ to signal more rate hikes as yen, politics fuel inflation risks
TOKYO, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan is expected to raise its growth forecast on Friday and signal its readiness to hike interest rates further, as recent yen falls and prospects of solid wage gains keep policymakers alert to containing inflationary pressure. But BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda is likely to offer few clues on how soon the central bank could resume rate hikes, a decision complicated by rising bond yields and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's announcement on Monday to call a snap
BOJ to signal more rate hikes as yen, politics fuel inflation risks
The Bank of Japan is expected to raise its growth forecast on Friday and signal its readiness to hike interest rates further, as recent yen falls and prospects of solid wage gains keep policymakers alert to containing inflationary pressure.
This Week’s Japanese Game Releases: Arknights: Endfield, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade for Xbox Series and Switch 2, more
Arknights: Endfield for PlayStation 5, PC, iOS, and Android, and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade for Xbox Series and Switch 2 are the highlights of this week’s Japanese video game release…
Nintendo reveals Japan's best-selling digital games for December 2025 - Metroid Prime 4 in top 10 for Switch 2, but absent on Switch 1
Nintendo recently shared new data revealing the best-selling games on the Japanese Switch 2 and Switch eShops for December 2025. December brought along a couple of notable games, including Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – it hits #8 on Nintendo Switch 2, but isn’t in the top 20 on Switch. Metroid hasn’t been a particularly popular franchise in Japan and Beyond...
Legendary Entertainment Sells $150 Million Minority Stake to Tokyo Broadcasting System
The move is part of a non-exclusive agreement to source and develop Japanese IP.
Legendary Sells $150 Million Stake to Japanese Broadcast Giant TBS in Strategic Tie-Up
The broadcaster and 'Alice in Borderland' producer has ambitions to adapt Japanese IP for global audiences.
Legendary Entertainment Enters Strategic Partnership With Tokyo Broadcasting System
Tokyo Broadcasting System and Legendary Entertainment have entered into a non-exclusive agreement to source and develop Japanese IP.
Legendary Entertainment Enters Strategic Partnership With Tokyo Broadcasting System
Tokyo Broadcasting System and Legendary Entertainment have entered into a non-exclusive agreement to source and develop Japanese IP. As part of the agreement, TBS has acquired $150 million of equity from the company and existing shareholders of Legendary, representing a small minority ownership stake in Legendary. Following the transaction, the remaining equity continues to be owned by Legendary …
Just released, and already Japan's best-selling camera – leaving 100MP flagship far behind
Fujifilm and Sony's latest releases storm Japan's sales charts, flipping the rankings almost overnight
Japan Politics Matter More Than Fed, CPI - 3-Minute MLIV
Anna Edwards, Guy Johnson, Tom Mackenzie and Skylar Montgomery Koning break down today's key themes for analysts and investors on "Bloomberg: The Opening Trade." (Source: Bloomberg)
Japan’s new PM Takaichi eyes parliament dissolution for snap polls: Report
Country's first female prime minister hopes a bigger majority will help her implement her political and fiscal agenda.
Former Navy sailor sentenced to 16 years for selling information about ships to Chinese intelligence
A former US Navy sailor convicted of selling technical and operating manuals for ships and operating systems to an intelligence officer working for China was sentenced Monday to more than 16 years in prison, prosecutors said.
Yen Tumbles Following Report Japan PM Plans Snap Poll
The yen dropped to its weakest level against the dollar since July 2024, as losses accelerated following speculation that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may soon call a snap election.
This Week’s Japanese Game Releases: Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, CASSETTE BOY, more
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is the highlight of this week’s Japanese game releases. It is the week’s only retail release.
Japan Science and Technology Agency Develops NVIDIA-Powered Moonshot Robot for Elderly Care
Using NVIDIA Isaac Sim and RTX GPUs, humanoid robot research will automate cooking, cleaning, repositioning and other caregiving tasks.
The newest Fujifilm compact camera “time-travels” with an Eras Dial and a Super-8-inspired design. But, there’s a catch
The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema has a dial to replicate looks from different decades, but it's only been announced in Japan
Japanese startup Ludens AI brought two very adorable robots to CES 2026
Japanese startup Ludens AI is showing off two extremely adorable robot companions at CES 2026: Cocomo and Inu.
Yomiuri: Fujitsu CEO Hopes to See Defense Business Playing Role in Intl Security
Fujitsu Ltd. CEO Takahito Tokita expressed enthusiasm for expanding the company's defense-related business, saying, "We are very pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the security of Japan and the world," during an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun.
Takaichi’s short term populist politics no cure for Japan’s structural malaise
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is seeking to emulate the economic policies of her mentor Shinzo Abe, but this agenda is ill-suited for Japan's current circumstances
Japan’s politics will face further pressure in 2026
In 2026, Japan’s fragmented Diet will have less room to govern as economic pressures, demographic decline and regional uncertainties sharpen policy trade-offs
Today Only: Assassin’s Creed Shadows for PS5 and Xbox Series X Is Nearly 60% Off
This feudal Japan open world epic is seeing a massive one-day price drop.
Friday Bird Droppings: The Orioles didn’t get Imai
The Japanese righty signed with the Astros, taking another SP candidate off the board for the Birds.
Astros land star Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai with uncommon contract
The Astros agreed to a deal with Imai that could be worth up to $63 million over three years
Japan business chiefs hope for stronger yen as import costs rise
Keidanren leader, others anticipate wage hikes, moderate economic growth in 2026
Japan business lobby chiefs urge government to tackle weak yen, media reports
Two major Japanese business lobbying groups called on the government to address the yen's weakness, which is inflating import costs and weighing on households and businesses, their chiefs told domestic media in separate interviews.
Did one line in a Leonardo codex anticipate yakisugi?
The Japanese technique of burning wood surfaces creates a protective carbonized layer in bioarchitecture.
Japan’s Viral Horse-Racing Video Game Has Players Flocking to Real-Life Stables
With more than 30 million downloads, Umamusume: Pretty Derby has generated anime adaptations, live concerts and a new legion of racetrack fans.
Japan retailers impose purchase limits as 16GB RTX 5060 Ti and RX 9600 XT stock tightens
High VRAM GPU restocks look shaky in Japan as memory costs rise A report from ITMedia claims that a Japanese retailer has started restricting graphics
Here Are Japan's Best-Selling Switch and Switch 2 eShop Games For 2025
Mario Kart World and Pokémon top the list
Scientists Make Material That Can Morph Into Anything With the Pull of a String
Inspired by kirigami, a type of Japanese paper art, researchers have created a new material that transforms from a grid into any 3D structure you'd like.
Atlus 2026 Aspirations Tease Upcoming Persona 30th Anniversary Announcements
4Gamer has published their annual feature for 2026 aspirations of Japanese game developers, including 7 from Atlus.
Dear Mirror Flower for Switch launches April 30, 2026 in Japan
The Switch version of Japanese-style fantasy visual novel Dear Mirror Flower will launch on April 30, 2026, developer Kogado Studio announced.
Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky to be delisted on January 1, 2026 for PS4 in Japan, January 5 for PS Vita
Spike Chunsoft will delist the digital version of tri-Ace-developed RPG Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky for PlayStation 4 on January 1, 2026 at 00:00 JST in Japan, and for PS Vita on Janua…
Japan brewer Sapporo to sell real estate business to KKR-PAG group for $2.6 billion, NHK reports
Japan's Sapporo Holdings will sell its real estate business to an investor group made up of private equity firms KKR and PAG for more than 400 billion yen ($2.57 billion), public broadcaster NHK said on Wednesday.
Japan's former emperor turns 92 as heart condition stabilizes after health concerns
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s beloved former Emperor Akihito marked his 92nd birthday Tuesday as his heart condition stabilized, palace officials said, following health concerns earlier this year.
Japan's former emperor turns 92 as heart condition stabilizes after health concerns
Japan’s beloved former Emperor Akihito is marking his 92nd birthday as his heart condition stabilizes, palace officials say, following health concerns earlier this year
Japanese star Munetaka Murakami agrees to 2-year, $34M deal with White Sox
The latest Japanese star to enter MLB has found his team.
Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami signs with White Sox, CBS Sports confirms
NPB slugger Munetaka Murakami signing with White Sox on two-year deal, per report
Murakami was the top power hitter in Japan, despite strikeout problems
Trump’s Assault On Health Care, Seen From a Country That Does Health Care Better
Japan is a showcase for universal health care, and what we’re losing in GOP attacks on the Affordable Care Act.
Massive Japanese-Style Entertainment Center Officially Opens At Formers Sears In Houston
Round1 Bowling & Arcade has officially opened in the space at Willowbrook Mall in Houston formerly occupied by SEARS.
Science news this week: Japan laser weapon trial, comet 3I/ATLAS bids farewell, and AI solves 'impossible' math problems
Dec. 20, 2025: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.
Apple Seen Moving From AI Laggard To Leader In 2026
Morgan Stanley sees Apple becoming an AI leader in 2026, starting with a new Siri digital assistant. Apple stock is in a tight pattern.
Diageo to sell Kenyan drinks business to Japan’s Asahi in $2.3bn deal
Spirits group will offload its 65% stake in EABL as it seeks to reduce debt
Myanmar regime claims Aung San Suu Kyi ‘in good health’ despite son’s fears
Noble laureate's son says military must 'prove' Suu Kyi is healthy after years in detention following military coup.
Resonac CEO on Business Outlook
Hidehito Takahashi, President and CEO of Resonac, discusses his outlook for demand and business growth for the Japanese semiconductor materials supplier, and says the company will seek to procure rare earths from Australia and Europe. He speaks with Annabelle Droulers and Avril Hong on "Bloomberg: The Asia Trade". (Source: Bloomberg)
I visited Japan for a week. From missed experiences to money mistakes, I should've done these 6 things differently.
After spending a week traveling around Japan and Tokyo for the first time as an American, I have regrets about how I planned my trip and spent money.
Police in Japan arrest a suspect in stabbing at an entertainment complex
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese police said Monday they arrested a man in connection with the alleged stabbing of two people at an entertainment complex housing the female pop music group HKT48 in the southern city of Fukuoka. Both had non-life-threatening injuries.
Police in Japan arrest a suspect in stabbing at an entertainment complex
Japanese police say they arrested a man in connection with the alleged stabbing of two people at an entertainment complex housing the female pop music group HKT48 in Fukuoka. Both had...
Japan business mood hits 4-year high
TOKYO >> Big Japanese manufacturers’ business sentiment hit a four-year high in the three months to December, a closely watched survey showed on Monday, reinforcing market expectations the central bank will raise interest rates this week.
2 stabbed at entertainment complex in southern Japan, police arrest a 30-year-old suspect
Fukuoka police said they arrested a 30-year-old suspect for allegedly stabbing a 44-year-old man in the chest at the facility on Sunday with what appeared to be a kitchen knife.
2 stabbed at entertainment complex in southern Japan, police arrest a 30-year-old suspect
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese police said Monday they arrested a man in connection with the alleged stabbing of two people at an entertainment complex housing the female pop music group HKT48 in the southern city of Fukuoka, leaving them with non-life-threatening injuries.
2 stabbed at entertainment complex in southern Japan, police arrest a 30-year-old suspect
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese police said Monday they arrested a man in connection with the alleged stabbing of two people at an entertainment complex housing the female pop music group HKT48 in the southern city of Fukuoka, leaving them with non-life-threatening injuries.
2 stabbed at entertainment complex in southern Japan, police arrest a 30-year-old suspect
Japanese police say they arrested a man in connection with the alleged stabbing of two people at an entertainment complex housing the female pop music group HKT48 in the southern city of Fukuoka, leaving them with non-life-threatening injuries
2 stabbed at entertainment complex in southern Japan, police arrest a 30-year-old suspect
Japanese police say they arrested a man in connection with the alleged stabbing of two people at an entertainment complex housing the female pop music group HKT48 in the southern city of Fukuoka,...
2 stabbed at entertainment complex in southern Japan, police arrest a 30-year-old suspect
2 stabbed at entertainment complex in southern Japan, police arrest a 30-year-old suspect
2 stabbed at entertainment complex in southern Japan, police arrest a 30-year-old suspect
Japan’s retreat from global health funding hands China diplomatic opening
Tokyo’s over 52 per cent funding cut to a global body fighting Aids and malaria risks damaging its hard-won reputation as a ‘peace nation’.
Linux 6.19-rc1 Released From Japan
The Linux 6.19-rc1 kernel is out to cap off the Linux 6.19 merge window
K-pop events in China disrupted as Beijing-Tokyo tensions affect entertainment sector
Growing tensions between China and Japan are apparently affecting Korea's K-pop industry, with recent events involving groups with Japanese singers...
Japan: Promote Safe Sports by Ending Abuse, Discrimination
The Japanese government’s Japan Sports Agency (JSA) should adopt policies to promote safe sports in Japan by ending abuses and discrimination against athletes, 12 nongovernmental organizations and individuals said in a joint letter to Junichi Kawai, the JSA’s commissioner.
The New WHO Pandemic Treaty and Global Health Governance: Incorporating Common but Differentiated Responsibilities into PABS - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
On May 20, 2025, the World Health Assembly unanimously adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, an international treaty designed to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The product of three years of arduous negotiations, the treaty marks a new era of global cooperation in public health. However, core aspects of the agreement remain unresolved—notably the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System, which is intended to ensure equitable access to pandemic-related materials and benefits. To support the successful implementation of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Introduction For the first time, an international treaty has enshrined the principle of “One Health,” the compelling idea that the health of animals, humans, and the environment all contribute to pandemic risks. SARS (2003), H1N1 (2009–10), Ebola (2014–16), and COVID-19 all emerged through zoonotic spillover from animal hosts—respectively, civets, hogs, and bats. Together, they underscore the need for a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach. The Pandemic Agreement responds to this call, requiring state parties to acknowledge the ecological interplay and commit to a comprehensive “One Health” strategy. Specifically, Article 5 charges governments to address “the drivers of pandemics and the emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease at the human-animal-environment interface,” including wild animal markets, deforestation, and antibiotic overuse. Yet the effectiveness of this “One Health” vision depends equally on the free flow of scientific information and data among countries and institutions. Just as environmental and animal health factors have been neglected in past global frameworks, so too has data sharing been marginalized, despite its centrality to timely detection and response. The Pandemic Agreement takes an important step by requiring governments to enhance data collection and cooperate with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these provisions will remain aspirational without a robust Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex. The PABS system will determine whether countries and researchers can rapidly exchange pathogen samples and genetic data while ensuring equitable access to resulting research and development, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Without such mechanisms, the treaty’s promise to operationalize “One Health” and strengthen global preparedness will risk becoming largely symbolic, echoing earlier failures to translate shared principles into coordinated action. Equity Concerns When the 2025 Health Assembly adopted the Pandemic Agreement, it left the difficult question of access to pathogens and the sharing of resulting benefits to be addressed in a separate agreement. Negotiations on this separate agreement, PABS, are now underway in Geneva. Yet governments remain divided over fundamental questions of equity between the countries that primarily contribute to the system and those that primarily draw from it—and consequently benefit. For example, wildlife in countries bordering the equator is likely to produce PABS materials, but companies in Europe are likely to use them to develop lucrative products. The most likely contributor countries are likely to be those biodiverse countries around the equator, such as Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia, where the number of human-mammalian viral host interactions is large. Conversely, countries most likely to benefit from this material are those with the technology, investors, and infrastructure to capitalize on genomic data, such as the United States, EU member states, and Japan. This imbalance reflects a broader pattern seen in prior international frameworks. Now, as in the past, the wealthiest countries in the world (a useful heuristic is membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)) disproportionately benefit from systems in which pathogens and genomic sequencing data are contributed to a common source. Under the International Agreement on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the “Plant Treaty” or “Seed Treaty”) and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, companies from Europe and North America disproportionately withdraw biological samples and data for development into lucrative medical products. Their governments and companies have both statutory and contractual claims to the products that those companies correspondingly produce. PABS appears poised to follow the same pattern. The text calls for strong language on access to pathogens and associated data, but the corresponding benefits that should flow to poorer countries are couched in equivocal or non-binding language. Common but Differentiated Responsibilities To address these inequities, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Common but differentiated responsibilities are often a feature of climate change negotiations. The basic principle is that, even though all countries should reduce carbon emissions, governments that became rich and powerful through massive carbon emissions (e.g., France, the United Kingdom, the United States) should have a greater obligation to address the resulting crises. Applied to PABS, it would require that governments hosting and supporting companies developing lucrative products carry greater obligations toward the cost of running the PABS system; share benefits or final medical products; and transfer technology to help countries worldwide develop their own capacities to innovate and manufacture vaccines during an emergency. For example, an annex could mandate that any company based in an OECD country that withdraws PABS material would be obligated to donate the resulting diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines to the WHO during a public health emergency or pandemic. Questions remain about how robust those donations would be, but the principle is that they should deliver highly significant lifesaving benefits to be equitably shared. Theoretically, this approach mirrors the PIP Framework, in which companies withdrawing influenza samples are required to pay half of the operating costs. In practice, however, the framework has fallen short. The PIP Framework Secretariat has struggled to secure payments from companies, with companies often disagreeing over how much is owed. Additionally, without another pandemic influenza to test the strength of the agreement during a public health emergency, corporate compliance with sharing mechanisms remains unknown. Even if these limitations did not characterize the PIP Framework, partially paying for operating expenses does not address the inequity in access to genetic data and pathogen samples that left less developed countries last in line for COVID-19 vaccines (and, before them, H1N1). Common but differentiated responsibilities would go further, addressing governments’ legitimate grievances regarding information sharing. It would make withdrawals of PABS material and resulting products more transparent, building trust across the board. Enforcement and Enduring Success A key implication of this approach is that the governing mechanism of the PABS must have real enforcement authority. The WHO Pandemic Agreement delegates its core governance responsibilities to a Conference of the Parties (COP)—a governing body composed of one representative from each participating government, similar to those established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement COP is charged with oversight functions but ultimately possesses no real authority to compel a government to take any action it does not wish to take. The text does not give the COP the ability to, for example, sanction a party that does not comply with either textual obligations or PABS provisions. In other words, there are no effective mechanisms in place to ensure compliance. Perhaps just as significant, establishing a meaningful enforcement mechanism within the PABS system would strengthen the WHO’s credibility and its ability to ensure compliance across global health governance. By setting a precedent for accountability, such a mechanism could enhance the organization’s authority not only within the Pandemic Agreement but also in enforcing the revised International Health Regulations and other frameworks for public health emergencies. Conclusion The PABS annex can—and should—be different. It should establish clear responsibilities for funding as well as for sharing the diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines that result from contributions to the system. The system, in turn, must include a dedicated body empowered to hold governments and the corporations they sponsor accountable for their responsibilities before, during, and after pandemics. Doing so would restore trust in the broader agreement, which was eroded as commitments were repeatedly diluted while parties scrambled to meet their own self-imposed deadlines during the Pandemic Agreement negotiations. A robust PABS Annex would cement a grand social bargain. Wealthier countries and their corporations would gain unimpeded access to scientific information essential for developing and manufacturing lifesaving medical products. As such, they would stand to gain considerable economic benefit. Yet that privilege must be matched with responsibility. The grand bargain must include not only the right to innovate, but also the duty to ensure that innovation serves all. As medical products are developed and produced through collective contributions, every person must have equal access. All human beings deserve an equitable chance to survive—to save their own life, the lives of their families, and the well-being of their communities. … Sam Halabi, JD, MPhil, is the Bette Jacobs Endowed Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Health and the Director of the Center for Transformational Health Law at Georgetown Law. He serves as the co-lead for the WHO’s Working Group on Regulatory Consideration on AI and Health’s training workstream. He earned his JD from Harvard, his MPhil from Oxford, and undergraduate degrees from Kansas State University. Lawrence Gostin, LLD (Hon.), JD, BA, is University Distinguished Professor and Founding Director and Timothy and Linda O’Neill Professor of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. He is the author of Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future (Harvard University Press, 2021); Global Health Law (Harvard University Press, 2014); Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2016); Public Health Law and Ethics: A Reader (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2018); Law and the Health System (Foundation Press, 2014); Principles of Mental Health Law & Practice (Oxford University Press, 2010). He also directs the WHO Collaborating Center at Georgetown University. Image Credit: United States Mission Geneva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Can Japan get more female business leaders?
The country lags behind when it comes to women in leadership positions.
Dear Pete Hegseth, I’m Grateful the Japanese Navy Spared My Grandfather’s Life
My grandfather's ship was attacked by the Japanese during World War II. There was no follow-up attack on the defenseless survivors.
New Lancet series blends social science with medicine to tackle global health inequities
Can doctors in California learn from a patient who was bounced from one specialist to another in Japan? Can clinicians in London take lessons from a patient seeking asylum while suffering a medical emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border? Can doctors treating refugees in Africa inform health policy around the world?
Producers Andrea Bucko & Motoko Kimura Launch Yume Entertainment, First Up Is Genre Movie ‘The Red Room’ Based On Japanese Urban Legend
EXCLUSIVE: Producers Andrea Bucko (Deadman’s Wire) and Motoko Kimura (LDK) have launched film and TV production and finance company Yume Entertainment, which will look to bridge the Hollywood and Asian film industries. Yume (由夢), meaning “born from a dream” in Japanese, will look to champion emerging creators such as Yumiko Fujiwara, whose drama The Fire Outside was featured …
Producers Andrea Bucko & Motoko Kimura Launch Yume Entertainment, First Up Is Genre Movie ‘The Red Room’ Based On Japanese Urban Legend
Yume also has an upcoming project with Dark Horse Comics, whose comics have included Hellboy and The Umbrella Academy.