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July 24, 2026
 

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Mark Burton
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
Indonesia has also been instrumental in keeping the global market in check as buyers wait for exports to rebound.
UK gold bullion bars are stacked at Baird & Co in Hatton Garden in London on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 9, 2025
Gold¡¯s spectacular three-year rally is breaking all the records
Bullion has shaken off its reputation as a barbarous relic and muscled its way back toward the center of the global monetary system.
Trump hopes increased levies on aluminum and steel will protect margins for domestic mills and spur investment in new production capacity.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jun 3, 2025
U.S. aluminum and steel prices surge as Trump doubles tariffs
U.S. buyers could end up paying about 50% more than international competitors to get hold of aluminum.
A brine pool at an SQM lithium mine on the Atacama salt flat in the Atacama Desert, Chile. The industry that deals with one of the world¡¯s most important commodities is asking whether it's doomed to repeat a boom and bust cycle again and again.
BUSINESS / Markets
Apr 12, 2024
Lithium industry braces for long-term oversupply after price instability
Those involved with the commodity are asking whether they¡¯re doomed to repeat a boom and bust cycle again and again.
Mining magnate Dan Gertler in Congo in 2012
BUSINESS / Tech
Feb 20, 2024
China¡¯s dominance of EV metals prompts U.S. to revisit stockpile ¡®panic button¡¯
Budget cuts have shrunk U.S. strategic reserves to record lows, leaving it facing shortages of the raw materials needed to execute an energy transition.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Sep 2, 2022
The next big battery material squeeze is old batteries
Old EV batteries will eventually start rolling in to scrap yards, but recycling companies will have to survive until they do.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Jun 14, 2022
Red-hot lithium boom pits Wall Street against the wonks
Lithium is a vital component of electric-vehicle batteries, which means the outlook for supply, demand and pricing is increasingly consequential.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 6, 2022
Metals industry still buying needed supplies from Russia, for now
Firms are weighing the stigma of war against their own commercial interests and the fact that vital metals like aluminum and copper were in short supply even before the invasion of Ukraine.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 22, 2021
The $5 billion hoard of metal the world wants but can¡¯t have
The interest in the aluminum stockpile in Vietnam reflects the metal¡¯s watershed moment as an era of oversupply gives way to shortfalls because of Chinese curbs on production.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 1, 2021
Silicon¡¯s 300% surge throws another price shock at the world
One of our most diverse building blocks, silicon is used to make semiconductors, solar panels, medical implants and more. Such a drmatic price spike could shift markets.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
Intervention is the word after yen moves beyond ?163 and sits there
The government could prop up the yen at any moment, though its signaling is hard to read.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.
Summer has arrived in Japan and so have hot sleepless nights
Amid the heat and humidity in Japan, a good night¡¯s sleep is growing increasingly elusive without the heavy use of air conditioning.
Maya Ongaku¡¯s DIY dream is getting bigger
The members of Maya Ongaku ¡ª (from left) Tsutomu Sonoda, Shoei Ikeda and Ryota Takano ¡ª grew up on the Shonan Coast south of Tokyo and have been friends since their school days.

Podcast

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

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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