Category: Japan

Shohei Ohtani and Japan: It’s Much More Than Just Baseball

TOKYO—He’d paid about $80 for his ticket. He wore a Japan cap above a blue Los Angeles Angels jersey. And as he enthused about the sensation that is Shohei Ohtani, baseball fan Hotaru Shiromizo was talking about far more than sports. Shiromizu, 23, was part of the quilt of thousands of colorfully dressed fans outside…


LIVE NOW: India and the Future of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific: A Hudson Institute Event

Indian National Security strategy has drawn attention due to its stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. Does India want to be independent of China and the United States or align closely with its primary Quad partners—Japan and the United States? Shigeru Kitamura, the former secretary general of Japan’s National Security Secretariat, will share his perspectives at…


India and the Future of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific: A Hudson Institute Event

Indian National Security strategy has drawn attention due to its stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. Does India want to be independent of China and the United States or align closely with its primary Quad partners—Japan and the United States? Shigeru Kitamura, the former secretary general of Japan’s National Security Secretariat, will share his perspectives at…


Taiwanese Fishing Boat Capsizes Off Disputed Japan Islands, 6 Missing

A Taiwanese fishing boat reportedly capsized off the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands on Sunday, leaving one crew member dead and six others missing, according to Japanese authorities. Japan’s navy patrol spotted the “Hsin Chang Fa No. 88” vessel capsizing and drifting north of the disputed islands—also known by China as the Diaoyu Islands and Taiwan as…


Self-Destruct Command Issued After Liftoff for Japan’s New H3 Rocket

Japan said it has had to destroy its new medium-lift H3 rocket that it launched toward space on Tuesday. The self destruct command was issued after the vehicle’s second-stage engine failed to ignite after liftoff and it was determined that the mission could not succeed. The 57-metre (187 ft) tall H3 rocket lifted off from the Japan Aerospace Exploration…


South Korea Announces ‘Historic’ Plan to Compensate Victims of Wartime Forced Labor

South Korea’s government announced a plan on Sunday that aims to resolve a long-running dispute on compensating Koreans forced to work under Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula between 1910 and 1945. The move marks a step toward improving ties between the two nations and comes as South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol seeks to bolster relations with Japan…


Japan’s Inflation Hits 17-Month High, Fueling Continued Rise in Corporate Bankruptcies

In recent months, the prices of essential items in Japan have continued to rise due to the weakened Japanese yen and the impact of higher resource prices. Meanwhile, the number of corporate bankruptcies in Japan has risen for 10 consecutive months as companies struggle with rising costs. According to data released by Japan’s Ministry of…


Japan Selects Surgeon, World Bank Staffer as New Astronaut Candidates

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has chosen a surgeon and a World Bank staffer from over 4,000 applicants to become its new astronaut candidates amid plans to join NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration mission. The two candidates are Makoto Suwa, 46, a disaster prevention specialist at the World Bank, and Ayu Yoneda, 28, a surgeon…


Japan’s Factory Output Posts Biggest Fall in 8 Months on Weak Autos, Chips Sectors

  TOKYO—Japan’s factory output shrank at the fastest pace in eight months in January as declining overseas demand took a heavy toll on key industries such as auto and semiconductor equipment. In contrast, retail sales posted their fastest growth in nearly two years, separate data showed, highlighting the divergent paths between soft manufacturing and robust…


Man Spends 24 Hours With an 88-Year-Old, the Last Man Living Alone in Hidden Forest Village

A man who hiked for hours to spend a day with an elderly man, living alone in a remote Japanese mountain village, has shared his unique experience to keep the story of this long-deserted village alive. Japan enthusiast Norm Nakamura, 38, is a video creator, boat captain, and pilot in training who learned Japanese in…