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July 24, 2026
 

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Colleen Howe
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) welcomes German Chancellor Friedrich Merz prior a meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 26, 2026
Germany¡¯s Merz hails China ties as he seeks reset with Beijing
Merz¡¯s visit, following visits by leaders from France, and the U.K., came as the EU looks to shore up relationships with Beijing as the rift with the U.S. widens.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits the Forbidden City in Beijing on Thursday
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jan 31, 2026
Visit by Britain¡¯s Starmer shows drawbacks of ¡®China pivot¡¯ in countering Trump
The deals the British leader brings back to London show the limits of the balancing act that middle powers may try to play.
A China Coast Guard vessel sails near a Japan Coast Guard vessel around a group of disputed islands called the Senkaku Islands in Japan, and known in China as Diaoyu Islands, on Sep.14.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jan 30, 2026
China coast guard patrolled Japan-held islands almost daily last year
China¡¯s coast guard patrolled the islands for 357 days last year, coast guard ?head Zhang Jianming said.
A worker installs battery packs into an electric vehicle chassis at the vehicle assembly lines of Geely Automobile's Zeekr Factory in Ningbo, China, in March. Chinese firms are on track for a 75% jump this year in global shipments of lithium-ion battery cells for energy storage, according to one estimate.
BUSINESS / Tech / ANALYSIS
Dec 22, 2025
China¡¯s power reforms and global data center buildout usher in battery boom
Chinese firms have exported more than $65 billion worth of storage and electric-vehicle batteries this year, cementing their dominance in the sector.
Workers carry solar panels to install them at a solar farm in the desert in Lingwu, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China, on April 14.
BUSINESS / Markets
Aug 4, 2025
China¡¯s solar giants quietly shed a third of their workforces last year
The trend shows how one of Beijing¡¯s hand-picked industries to drive economic growth struggled with overcapacity and tepid demand.
China slapped antidumping duties on imports of engineering plastic, including 35.5% duties on shipments from Japan.
BUSINESS
May 19, 2025
China slaps antidumping duties on plastics from U.S., EU, Japan and Taiwan
POM copolymers can partially replace metals such as copper and zinc and have various applications including in auto parts, electronics and medical equipment.
Chinese solar panel manufacturer Trina Solar's facility in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam, on Aug. 30
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 4, 2024
Chinese solar firms, ever-nimble, go where U.S. tariffs don¡¯t reach
Chinese solar firms have repeatedly sidestepped tariffs to dominate the global markets despite U.S. efforts over more than a decade to rein them in.
Power lines in the Yanqing district of Beijing in 2021
BUSINESS / Tech
Jul 5, 2024
China, struggling to exploit an energy storage boom, calls for more
The drive boosts home-grown battery giants but some experts say more must be done to address low utilization and losses for operators.
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.
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.

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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