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Japan news from Japan Times

• AI’s race to transform the world before the money runs out

  Assumptions about future profits are driving the AI rush, but economists say there is little evidence to suggest the technology is sure to deliver.

• Taiwanese foreign minister to visit Arizona to deepen economic ties

  Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung is expected to arrive in Phoenix on Saturday evening, following his visits to Belize and Guatemala.

• Police search Toyama City Hall over census inflation claims

  The internal affairs ministry said that Toyama's population had been padded by at least 2,000, and that city staff members may have been involved.

• Asian carmakers besting U.S. rivals at home, China poised to strike

  U.S. President Donald Trump has floated the idea of allowing Chinese firms to enter the U.S. market, worrying U.S. carmakers.

• Chinese work gathering pace on Antelope Reef in South China Sea

  Satellite images reviewed by reporters show grading work, piles of gravel and concrete, and compaction cranes in operation to build a full-scale runway.

• Russia’s spending plans show Putin preparing for years of war

  The shift offers one of the clearest indications yet of how deeply embedded conflict has become in Russian President Vladimir Putin's priorities.

• Tennessee execution survivor Christa Pike unconscious on ventilator, lawyers say

  It was the state's second botched execution this year, prompting the governor to halt any further executions for the rest of 2026.

• Boeing 737 Max glitch poses no safety concern, FAA says

  The outcome is a positive one for the U.S. planemaker as it seeks regulatory approval for the largest variant of the popular narrowbody family.

Asia/Pacific news from Japan Times

• Taiwanese foreign minister to visit Arizona to deepen economic ties

  Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung is expected to arrive in Phoenix on Saturday evening, following his visits to Belize and Guatemala.

• Chinese work gathering pace on Antelope Reef in South China Sea

  Satellite images reviewed by reporters show grading work, piles of gravel and concrete, and compaction cranes in operation to build a full-scale runway.

• Taiwan’s first two F-16V fighter jets arrive to bolster defenses against China

  The long-delayed delivery comes amid growing concern in Taiwan about Washington's commitment to arming Taipei.

• New islands appear after Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano erupts

  The islands were spotted in satellite images of the water-filled caldera in which Anak Krakatau stands.

• South Korea warns ‘further measures’ if Ukraine refuses public apology

  Seoul has taken a hard stance on Ukraine disclosing the transfer of North Korean soldiers to South Korea, warning their families could be targeted.

• South Korea’s Lee strips power from prosecutors who indicted him

  South Korea's prosecutors have long been accused of exercising excessive power, but the move has raised concerns it may leave crime victims worse off.

• Nepal’s grim DNA puzzle to identify flood dead

  At Nepal's two forensic laboratories, experts are working to profile samples and build a database on a scale they have never handled before.

• Indonesia’s neighbors powerless as smoke from monthlong wildfires shuts schools

  Respiratory complaints have been skyrocketing, but existing legal frameworks offer little recourse to tackles transboundary air pollution.

Culture news from Japan Times

• In Maebashi, the city-making is the art

  The inaugural art festival is the cherry on top of the town's decade-long revitalization efforts which include new buildings and renovations.

• After ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi,’ ‘Mitani’ tells a different sushi story in San Sebastian

  The film moves beyond sushi's polished international image to explore the man, philosophy and discipline behind the craft.

• Poetry, history and performance entwine in Daisydoze’s immersive spectacle

  Since 2018, Daisydoze has been creating site-specific theater productions that explore local history and memory like "Cat Town," now showing in Shimokitazawa.

• From FX trading to plant people, fall anime gets weird

  Our critic sifts through 60-plus series to spotlight five unconventional newcomers worth adding to your watchlist.

• Smile-Up’s president announces he will step down

  Masayuki Yamada, Smile-Up's chief compliance officer, will succeed Noriyuki Higashiyama as president.

• Anime’s boom finally pays off — for some

  A labor shortage, rising standards and a global audience are reshaping the industry — but not everyone is benefiting equally.

• Japanese film ‘Muyou no Hito’ wins International Critics Award

  The film "Muyou no Hito" will be released in Japan next January.

• ‘Shadow Work’ plumbs the depths of domestic violence — and vengeance

  Ryuhei Yoshino's "Shadow Work" is a morally fraught revenge thriller about victims of domestic abuse who dare to fight back.

Sports news from Japan Times

• Lin wins ‘monumental’ Asian Games gold two years after gender row

  Lin Yu-ting considered retiring after winning gold at Paris 2024 but wanted to carry on fighting in part to defy those who questioned her eligibility.

• Browns snuff out Rodgers fightback to beat Steelers 27-24

  A fifth straight home win against their local rivals meant the largely unheralded Browns moved to 3-1, while the Steelers sank to 2-2.

• Virtual taekwondo makes Asian Games debut

  Taekwondo officials have billed the event as "real-world martial arts meets cutting-edge virtual technology."

• India to clash with Pakistan as Eala suffers Asian Games heartbreak

  Neighbors India and Pakistan only meet in international tournaments because of political tensions and players have recently refused to shake hands.

• Chinese judoka accused of biting as home hope wins Asian Games gold

  Maeda was awarded victory in the quarterfinal bout in Nagoya when Tang Jing was disqualified just over a minute into the contest.

• Nishikori bows out for final time in Tokyo as crowd salutes Japanese trailblazer

  The 36-year-old was the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final, at the 2014 U.S. Open.

• Franco Colapinto takes full blame for Baku crash amid backlash on social media

  The incident occurred after a safety car restart in Baku, with Colapinto locking up at Turn 1 before plowing into Pierre Gasly in a crash that also collected reigning Formula One champion Lando Norris.

• Japan’s Kondo siblings capture gold in judo at Asian Games

  Adding to Japan's ever-growing gold medal haul at the quadrennial sporting event, Sorato Anraku stood atop the men's boulder podium in sport climbing.

Life news from Japan Times

• FamilyMart’s sock became a prized souvenir. Now there are 47.

  Modeled after each region's official flower, the commemorative socks expand on the convenience store chain's popular line of casual wear.

• One bolt, ¥400,000: Why Japan’s Oshima ‘tsumugi’ silk costs a pretty penny

  Prized for its rich blackness and stately designs, the fabric is a staple in the world of high-class kimono.

• ‘Like a jewel’: Japan’s luxury ice revered by bars worldwide

  The luxury product, believed to melt more slowly than regular ice, is painstakingly shaped by craftsmen in Kanazawa.

• ‘Silent Hill: Townfall’ cements series’ return from the proverbial grave

  Once stuck in perpetual dormancy, the horror franchise has proven it still has scares aplenty with its latest entry.

• As temperatures rise, Japan’s sake rice is feeling the heat

  Scorching summers are changing the way sake rice performs in the brewery. Are new heat-resistant breeds the answer?

• Waste not, want not with a banana peel-boosted side dish

  "Tsukudani" is already a sweet treat, so adding byproducts of the fruit is a match made in heaven.

• To craft a Buddhist bell, ‘you have to find peace within yourself first’

  Yoshinori Shimatani, a fourth-generation "orin" (standing bell) master craftsman, views his process as equal parts physical and spiritual.

• When tourists do the ‘Nagoya skip,’ do they know what they’re skipping?

  Despite historical, cultural and culinary draws, only 10% of overseas visitors set foot in Aichi and Gifu prefectures.

 

 Singapore news from Today:

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