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July 24, 2026
 

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Thomas Black
SpaceX prepares a Starship rocket at Starbase in Texas on June 11.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 20, 2026
SpaceX¡¯s blow-it-up testing won¡¯t fly on Starship
This spending underscores the second obstacle. SpaceX is no longer a private company and has shareholders to please.
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket launches from the Space Force Station at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Sunday.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 24, 2026
It¡¯s up to SpaceX and Blue Origin to stick the moon landing
NASA is betting on SpaceX and Blue Origin to build lunar landers for the Artemis III mission next year, paving the way for the first mission back to the moon since 1972.
NASA's Artemis II rocket lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday, carrying four astronauts on the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years.
COMMENTARY
Apr 3, 2026
Is NASA¡¯s moon mission the end for legacy space firms?
The future belongs to the producers of reusable rockets, led by Elon Musk¡¯s SpaceX and with Jeff Bezos¡¯s Blue Origin scrambling to catch up.
Humanoid robots are making rapid progress, but their widespread deployment remains limited by safety, power and performance challenges.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 18, 2026
The era of humanoid robots is here: Governments must seize the moment
The reality is that most people overestimate what robots can do at this point in their development.
With new FAA rule changes allowing drone flights beyond visual line of sight, U.S. law enforcement agencies are expanding autonomous drone programs, raising both operational capabilities and privacy concerns.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 4, 2025
The future of drones is policing, not delivering packages
The ability to provide live, aerial views at the fraction of the cost of a helicopter also makes drones useful for law enforcement and firefighters.
A new Facebook data center is under construction in Eagle Mountain, Utah, in May 2019. Manufacturers and builders are reaping windfalls from the AI-driven data center surge.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 18, 2025
The AI building boom is bound to bust
For now, the boom has room to run. The introduction of artificial intelligence into the workplace and society will match the rollout of electricity and the internet.
A public clash between Donald Trump and Elon Musk exposed the national security risks of the U.S. government's heavy reliance on SpaceX, a private company controlled by a single individual.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 16, 2025
Washington divorcing SpaceX just isn¡¯t possible right now
The U.S. government depends on SpaceX for low-cost space launches while competitors lag behind.
Jared Isaacman (left), U.S. President Trump¡¯s nominee to head NASA, testifies during his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Bloomberg
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 13, 2025
NASA nominee should resist Musk¡¯s pull toward Mars
During a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Jared Isaacman, the nominee for NASA administrator, was ¡ª in a twist on the Will Smith ¡¯90s tune ¡ª gettin¡¯ squishy wit it.
Google new quantum computing chip Willow. Though the technology isn¡¯t yet ready for widespread use, the competition to build error-free quantum computers is heating up, promising significant breakthroughs in the near future.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 19, 2024
Google is pushing quantum computing closer to reality
The Willow chip should focus investor attention on an industry that has been quietly making great strides toward developing quantum machines with practical uses.
Despite current limitations, the progression toward practical humanoid robots is anticipated, driven by advancements in technology and artificial intelligence.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 1, 2024
The future of robots is coming on two legs
Unlike traditional robots, which have already transformed industries with their transport capabilities, bipedal robots are still in the early stages of deployment.
Green products must meet customer needs at competitive prices to succeed. If such technologies gain traction, both the planet and consumers will benefit.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 23, 2024
Going green doesn¡¯t have to be a giant money suck
Green products must meet customer needs at competitive prices to succeed. If such technologies gain traction, both the planet and consumers will benefit.
Artificial intelligence is transforming various business sectors and the economy. But concerns about humanoid robots replacing all jobs are unfounded, as human dexterity will remain essential for the foreseeable future.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 23, 2024
AI is making robots smarter. They¡¯ll need boundaries.
Where AI meets the physical world ¡ª and creates the potential for conflicts ¡ª is in manufacturing and logistics.
Executives were scrambling for seats for dinner with Xi or to be put on a waiting list, according to people familiar with the situation.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 15, 2023
Elon Musk among cadre of CEOs hoping to woo China¡¯s Xi
CEO summit on the sidelines of APEC will coincide with the most challenging trade climate in a generation.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 31, 2023
A George Jetson world will start with parcels ¡ª not people
Before air taxis start taking passengers, the technology will be tested in moving freight before the public accepts their everyday use.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 29, 2022
Robots are key to winning the productivity war
While machines do replace specific jobs, their adoption boosts salaries and raises living standards.
BUSINESS / Tech / FOCUS
Jul 14, 2019
New, more agile robots speed takeover of jobs once done only by humans
At a vast greenhouse in the central Danish city of Odense, a squad of robots move thin plastic pots of herbs for shipping without even putting a dent in them. For moviegoers used to seeing humanoid machines in action, that might not seem special ¡ª but in truth, it is a remarkable feat.
LIFE / Digital
Jun 6, 2014
Amazon¡¯s drone dream sparks race for better sensor
In the quest to build drones that can enable companies such as Amazon to make door-to-door deliveries, engineers are racing to overcome a fundamental challenge: helping unmanned, suitcase-sized aircraft see where they¡¯re going.
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.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
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.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
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.

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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