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July 24, 2026
 

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EDITORIALS

There is more at stake than the Strait of Hormuz
EDITORIALS
There is more at stake than the Strait of Hormuz
U.S.-Iran negotiations did not bear fruit. That comes as no surprise. The document was very general and subject to diverging interpretations and expectations.
EDITORIALS
China¡¯s missile test exposes Beijing¡¯s misdirection
Japan has called out Chinese behavior because it is threatening. That is the simple truth. Do not be distracted.
EDITORIALS
Little hope for a declining yen amid structural pressures
Ultimately, the value of the yen reflects faith in the Japanese economy¡¯s long-term prospects.
U.S. Marines and Japanese and Australian soldiers prepare to take part in Exercise Southern Jackaroo in northeast Australia on May 29. The U.S. military's participation falls under the recently renamed U.S. Pacific Command.
EDITORIALS
Jun 26, 2026
Indo-Pacific name change unnerves many
Names reveal strategic priorities. Even if the area of responsibility has not been altered.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders prepare for a family photograph during the Group of Seven summit in Evian, eastern France, on Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
Jun 19, 2026
An absence of drama means the G7 summit was a success
This year, the G7 once again muddled through. It avoided the worst outcome ¡ª a public display of disarray
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greets Chinese President Xi Jinping during a welcoming ceremony at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on Monday.
EDITORIALS
Jun 12, 2026
China-North Korea ties: New heights and new realities
While China is perhaps more powerful than at any time in its modern history, its leverage over North Korea is considerably diminished.
Japan¡¯s population decline continues to accelerate despite some modest positive signs, highlighting the need for broader social, economic and cultural changes to raise the birth rate.
EDITORIALS
Jun 5, 2026
A bleak prognosis for Japan¡¯s demographic future
The most recent government statistics show fertility rates hitting record lows ¡ª again.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during the National Defense Academy's graduation ceremony in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in March. The Japanese leader currently has the political and procedural leverage to pursue sweeping reforms, including the creation of an intelligence agency modeled on the CIA.
EDITORIALS
May 29, 2026
Long overdue, Japan updates its intelligence infrastructure
The government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is taking steps to improve that capability with passage of the National Intelligence Council Law.
Police on Thursday search the Yokohama apartment of Kaito Takemae, who is accused of directing four teenage boys in the robbery and murder of a 69-year-old woman in Kaminokawa, Tochigi Prefecture.
EDITORIALS
May 22, 2026
Defeating ³Ù´Ç°ì³Ü°ù²â¨± requires more than just better law enforcement
The problem of ³Ù´Ç°ì³Ü°ù²â¨±, or anonymous crime groups, was thrust back into headlines last week, after the robbery and murder of an elderly woman
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping visit the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing on Friday.
EDITORIALS
May 15, 2026
A sigh of relief as Trump visits Xi
Trump will declare the meeting a win for his diplomacy and credit his personal relationship with Xi. The Chinese leader will be less effusive.

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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