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July 24, 2026
 

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CHINESE ZODIAC

Crying horse plush toys sit on display ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, at Yiwu International Trade City in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, China, on Jan. 21.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 26, 2026
Accidental ¡®crying horse¡¯ toy wins hearts in China
A manufacturing mistake turned into a viral bestseller for a small shop in Yiwu.
With double fire in play, 2026 favors visibility, creativity and breakthroughs ¡ª but demands balance to avoid burnout.
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 2, 2026
Running hot in 2026: What¡¯s in store for the Year of the Fire Horse
2026¡¯s Fire Horse brings speed, passion and opportunity ¡ª but astrologers warn that without restraint, momentum can tip into burnout.
Nintendo¡¯s upcoming film, Super Mario Galaxy Movie, is positioned as a major 2026 soft-power moment for Japan, with expectations it could replicate the franchise¡¯s 2023 $1.36 billion box office success.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 29, 2025
Takaichi, Mario, baseball and the Year of the Fire Horse
2026 marks the Year of the Horse in Japan. It¡¯s one demographers have been awaiting for decades ¡ª the return of the Fire Horse.
While making it to 100 is cause for a celebration, there are a few other ages that get you an extra piece of cake in Japan.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 28, 2025
Japan¡¯s milestone birthdays: Why 60, 77, 80, 88 and 99 matter so much
A look at Japan¡¯s milestone birthdays, the traditions behind them and how the grammar pattern ¡°ni totte¡± expresses their personal meaning.
Although the Year of the Wood Snake promised subtlety and adaptation, the U.S., China and Japan delivered strategic blundering, authoritarian overreach and geopolitical instability instead.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 26, 2025
Good riddance to the year of the serpent that roared
As 2025 comes to a close, the Indo-Pacific¡¯s three great powers have delivered the exact opposite: strategic blundering, diplomatic bombast and economic turbulence.
Like clockwork, the Year of the Fire Horse has depressed birth rates in Japan due to a stigma associated with girls born in the year.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Dec 20, 2025
Will Japan¡¯s ¡®fire horse¡¯ curse strike again in 2026?
In 1966, the stigma related to the Chinese sexagenary cycle caused birth rates to plummet.
Takashimaya will sell ?20,260 lucky bags through a lottery that allow customers to experience as if they are a horse owner throughout the year.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 10, 2025
Horse-themed lucky bags to hit Japan during 2026 New Year¡¯s sales
Next year¡¯s bags include those providing customers an opportunity to interact with horses as consumers are increasingly prioritizing experiences over goods.
A man offers prayers at Hebikubo Shrine in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward. The shrine is one of several across the country dedicated to the snake.
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 1, 2025
Shed your skin and reinvent yourself in the Year of the Snake
The Year of the Snake is characterized by wisdom, calm and steady progress. It urges introspection, calculated moves and a journey of reinvention.
One Japanese idiom goes, "the drawn dragon is missing an eye." It means that something lacks that crucial finishing touch.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 4, 2024
The Year of the Dragon has arrived along with a slew of idioms
Japanese sayings that involve dragons tend to invoke the powerful characteristics of the mythical creature.
2024 marks the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac, with the year predicted to be a good time for fresh starts.
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 2, 2024
Opportunities await the bold in the Year of the Wood Dragon
From February, you can expect a rush of creativity, passion, courage and confidence with the arrival of the Wood Dragon, say astrologers.
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jan 1, 2023
What to expect in the Year of the Rabbit
If 2022 felt a little hectic, the next 12 months could offer opportunities for relaxation, quietness and contemplation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language
Jan 29, 2018
In dog-loving Japan, a year for the mutts among us to make our marks
Canine-lovers have plenty to celebrate, what with this year being Inu-doshi, the Year of the Dog).
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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