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November 2024
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JAPAN

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during a G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro on Nov. 18.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2024
Japan to lean heavily on extra tax revenue to cover costs of extra budget
The extra budget will partly be funded by ?3.83 trillion in higher-than-expected tax receipts and unused funds from the previous year.
The Ginza shopping district in Tokyo in August
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2024
Japan to overhaul tax exemption system for foreign visitors
The new system is expected to allow foreign visitors to receive tax refunds for products purchased at prices with the tax included when they leave the country.
High-rise buildings in Tokyo. Through faking documents and passports a criminal group conspired to pose as the owner of a real-estate plot and buildings in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward in 2017, defrauding Sekisui House of ?5.5 billion.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nov 28, 2024
Real-life ¡®Tokyo Swindlers¡¯ ordered to pay ?1 billion in damages
The Tokyo District Court ruled that the defendants knew they were engaging in a fraudulent scheme in their dealings with Sekisui House.
A fire broke out on the sixth floor of an apartment building where Upper House lawmaker Kuniko Inoguchi resides on Wednesday in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
Two dead after fire at Upper House lawmaker Kuniko Inoguchi¡¯s apartment
The lawmaker's husband and eldest daughter, who were captured on security camera footage entering the building earlier, remain unaccounted for.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to face intensified pressure from opposition parties after his ruling coalition lost its majority in the powerful House of Representatives in an election last month.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
Japan's parliament opens extraordinary session
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to face intensified pressure from opposition parties.
The Oita District Court sentenced a 23-year-old man to eight years in prison Thursday for causing a fatal crash in the city of Oita in 2021.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nov 28, 2024
Oita court sentences man to eight years in prison for dangerous driving
Initially filed as a case of negligent driving resulting in death, prosecutors later sought a dangerous driving charge, which carries harsher penalties.
The health ministry's free "catch-up vaccination" program for the human papillomavirus will be extended to March 2025 for the initial dose of the vaccine.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 28, 2024
Deadline for ¡®catch-up¡¯ HPV vaccination program extended until March
The revised timeline allows eligible women to receive their first dose by the end of March 2025 and complete the remaining two within the following year.
In 2022, the number of elderly people with dementia in Japan reached 4.43 million, according to data from the health ministry.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 28, 2024
Japan researchers develop a simple way to spot signs of Alzheimer's disease
The study?showed that Alzheimer's disease can be predicted by identifying?the "head-turning sign" in response to questions.
In last month¡¯s Lower House election, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who also serves as president of the Liberal Democratic Party, excluded members implicated in a slush funds scandal who refused to attend a Lower House ethics hearing earlier this year from the party¡¯s proportional representation candidates list.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
More scandal-hit LDP lawmakers to attend Upper House ethics hearing
The lawmakers could be at a disadvantage in next summer's Upper House election if they do not attend the hearing.
Check-in counters at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. The tourism industry expects the demand for China travel to increase as Beijing resumes its visa exemption for Japanese citizens.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2024
Travel firms optimistic China's resumption of visa waivers will boost demand
China decided to resume the exemption for Japanese citizens after requests by Tokyo and business leaders, and will extend the period for visa-free stays to 30 days.
Former Olympus Chief Executive Stefan Kaufmann was indicted over alleged violations of law concerning controlled substances.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nov 28, 2024
Former Olympus CEO indicted on suspected violation of drug laws
Stefan Kaufmann was forced to resign last month after the allegation surfaced that he bought illegal drugs.
Tokyo's Odaiba waterfront area will host a major international art festival called Tokyo Odaiba Triennale 2025 from October to December next year.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2024
Triennale aims to energize Tokyo's Odaiba area with art
The event will bring together works by famed Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama and other artists from Japan and abroad.
Nobuo Hara, the head of a group seeking to halt the No. 2 reactor at Tohoku Electric Power's Onagawa nuclear power plant, speaks at a news conference on Wednesday in Sendai after the Sendai High Court ruled against them.
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2024
Court rejects request to halt restarted Onagawa nuclear reactor
A judge said there was "no concrete proof" that an incident that could not be handled under an established evacuation plan would occur.
The European Union is considering stationing the equivalent of a defense attache with its delegation in Tokyo ¡ª a first for Brussels in Japan.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
EU considering stationing defense attache with Tokyo delegation
The adviser would provide military expertise within the EU delegation in Tokyo and interact with counterparts from the Self-Defense Forces, officials said.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova at a news conference in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, in June
JAPAN
Nov 28, 2024
Russia says it will respond if U.S. places missiles in Japan
A report on Sunday said that Japan and the U.S. aim to compile a joint military plan for a possible Taiwan emergency that includes deploying missiles.

ASIA PACIFIC

A police officer directs traffic in front of a court in Hanoi.
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Nov 28, 2024
Rights group says Vietnam's imprisonment of Khmer monks violated religious freedom
A court in the southern province of Long An condemned the men to prison terms between two and six years.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te speaks during the annual Taiwan-EU investment forum in Taipei on Nov. 18.
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 28, 2024
Taiwan president's plan to stop over in Hawaii and Guam angers Beijing
Lai Ching-te will depart Saturday for a visit to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau ¡ª the only Pacific island nations among Taiwan's 12 remaining allies.

WORLD

Russian President Vladimir Putin
WORLD
Nov 28, 2024
Putin warns Russia may strike Kyiv with new ballistic missiles
Russia has said it will strike back for recent Ukrainian attacks using U.S.-supplied ATACMS and U.K.-made Storm Shadow long-range missiles.
Trump faced a barrage of lawsuits that slowed down his ability to turn campaign promises into reality the last time he was in the White House, even if those challenges ultimately fell short.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
Trump agenda set to collide with slow pace of U.S. legal system
The stubborn realities of litigation stymied the president-elect¡¯s ability to carry out quick changes during his first term.
Fentanyl pills found by officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration in New York on Oct. 4, 2022
WORLD / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
Trump places high-risk, high-reward bet on tariffs to stem fentanyl
ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ president-elect has vowed to impose tariffs on China and Mexico unless they stem the flow of fentanyl and migrants across the U.S. border.
U.S. President Joe Biden leaves after delivering remarks from the White House Rose Garden in Washington on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
Biden readies $725 million arms aid package for Ukraine, sources say
The Biden administration plans to provide a variety of anti-tank weapons from U.S. stocks to blunt Russia's advancing troops.
A wafer on display at the Semicon China expo in Shanghai on March 20
WORLD / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
U.S. readies China chip curbs that stop short of earlier proposals
American chip equipment makers have warned that tougher measures would bring catastrophic harm to their business.
Keith Kellogg, then-national security adviser to then-U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, speaks during a press briefing on Sept. 22, 2020, in the White House in Washington.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
Trump picks Keith Kellogg as envoy for Ukraine and Russia
The retired general is a longtime adviser who¡¯s supported the president-elect's aims of ending the war swiftly, including by potentially cutting off military aid to Kyiv.
A man stands near a damaged house in Avivim, a community in northern Israel, on Wednesday, after a ceasefire was agreed to by Israel and Hezbollah.
WORLD
Nov 28, 2024
Northern Israel residents fume at ceasefire, still feel vulnerable to attack
Many residents of northern Israel fear Hezbollah may try to launch a ground assault, similar to the Hamas attack on Israel's south on Oct. 7, 2023.
Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, speaks at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Aug. 30.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
Russia says Trump Ukraine aid cut would be 'death sentence' for Kyiv's military
Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador said Moscow had repeatedly offered to negotiate but Ukraine and its Western backers have favored escalation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow last month.
WORLD / Politics
Nov 28, 2024
Nuclear attack unlikely despite Putin's warnings, U.S. intelligence says
ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ believes Russia will aim to match what it views as U.S. escalation, and that nuclear force is unlikely ¡ª though not out of the question.
Southern Lebanon near the country's border with Israel on Wednesday, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect
WORLD
Nov 28, 2024
Hezbollah faces long recovery, with thousands of fighters believed killed
One source said the Iran-backed group may have lost up to 4,000 people ¡ª well over 10 times the number killed in its monthlong 2006 war with Israel.

BUSINESS

A business district in Tokyo in 2020
BUSINESS
Nov 28, 2024
Share of female presidents at Japanese firms hits record 8.4%
The proportion of female presidents has been rising slowly but steadily since it stood at 4.5% in 1990, the oldest data available.
Masato Kanda, then the foreign ministry's vice minister for international affairs, speaks during a news conference in Sao Paulo in February.
BUSINESS
Nov 28, 2024
Former top Japanese currency diplomat Masato Kanda chosen as next ADB chief
Masato Kanda will be tasked to navigate the ADB through fresh challenges such as helping Asia reduce poverty and mitigate risks from climate change.
SoftBank is unhappy that Moody's continues to issue ratings on the company.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 28, 2024
SoftBank blasts Moody¡¯s for unsolicited ratings
It says it is considering legal action against the agency, which has continued to publish unsolicited ratings of the company over the past several years.
Toyota's global sales, including that of subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor and Hino Motors, rose 0.4% in October compared with last year, the first uptick in three months.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 28, 2024
Toyota¡¯s sales and output plateau on downturn in Japan and China
The world¡¯s biggest carmaker has seen sales and output fall throughout the year as Japanese carmakers struggle to compete in China.
Rengo President Tomoko Yoshino speaks at the organization's central committee meeting in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 28, 2024
Rengo to demand wage hike of 6% or more for smaller firms in 2025
Rengo set a higher goal for small and midsize businesses to rectify wage gaps with larger companies.
Motohisa Furukawa, Democratic Party for the People tax chief, says the Bank of Japan is unlikely to move so quickly in raising rates that the move would have a detrimental impact on public borrowing costs.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 28, 2024
BOJ rate hike unlikely to derail budget planning, DPP tax chief says
Democratic Party for the People tax chief Motohisa Furukawa says it is "unthinkable¡± that the Bank of Japan will hike rates rapidly.
The Yomiuri 333 index will offer a new benchmark for Japanese stock performance.
BUSINESS / Markets
Nov 28, 2024
New stock index ¡ª the Yomiuri 333 ¡ª coming to the Japanese market
The newspaper publisher said a distinguishing characteristic of the new index is that it will equally weight each stock in calculating the value.
A statue of Konosuke Matsushita in the grounds of the Konosuke Matsushita Museum in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 28, 2024
¡®God of management¡¯ comes back to life as an AI model
Panasonic icon Konosuke Matsushita is one of the most respected by the Japanese business community.
Workers install solar panels at the Khavda Renewable Energy Park of Adani Green Energy in the village of Khavda, in India, on April 12.
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 28, 2024
Adani allegations cast light on barriers to India's ambitious solar drive
India's states are unprepared for a rapid rise in renewable generating capacity, lack adequate transmission infrastructure and storage.
Refining sources in Asia and analysts have said they expect to see more Canadian and Mexican oil heading to Asia if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump imposes planned tariffs.
BUSINESS / Markets
Nov 28, 2024
Asia likely to benefit from cheaper Canadian and Mexican oil if Trump imposes tariffs
Two sources familiar with Trump's plan say that oil would not be exempted from potential tariff hikes on imports from Canada and Mexico.
In the United States, Temu has bid on keywords including "Walmart Black Friday deals," "Kohls Black Friday," and "Bed Bath Beyond." Shein has bid on keywords including "Walmart clothes," "Zara jeans," and "Mango dresses."
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 28, 2024
Online marketing costs jump amid bidding war by Temu and Shein
Both platforms' aggressive bids on search keywords used by competitors make it more costly for other retailers and brands to reach shoppers on Black Friday.
Vehicles pass in front of an Exxon service station in Bethesda, Maryland, on Monday. Material stolen from the company's critics in a hack-and-leak operation continues to be used today to counter litigation claiming the oil giant misled the public and its investors about the risks of climate change.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 28, 2024
Exxon lobbyist probed over hacked papers that disrupted climate lawsuits
The stolen material continues to be used today to counter litigation claiming the oil giant misled the public and its investors about the risks of climate change.
SoftBank Group will make a tender offer allowing OpenAI employees to cash in shares if they choose.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 28, 2024
SoftBank seeks to buy $1.5 billion OpenAI shares from employees
SoftBank will make a tender offer for the stock, allowing OpenAI employees to cash in shares if they choose.
Elliott Investment Management's stake in Tokyo Gas is centered around getting the utility to sell off its real estate holdings, including Shinjuku Park Tower, which houses the Park Hyatt Hotel Tokyo.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 28, 2024
Real estate worth ?25 trillion puts Japan companies in spotlight
The hidden value of property on corporate balance sheets is a theme behind some of the biggest activist campaigns and mergers and acquisitions in Japan.
BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda says that growing latent losses "would not hinder (the central bank's) ability to manage policy."
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 28, 2024
Bank of Japan's latent losses on JGBs hits record ?13.66 trillion
JGB prices fell after the central bank ended its negative interest rate policy in March and raised interest rates in July.
ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Federal Trade Commission is examining allegations that Microsoft is potentially abusing its market power in productivity software, sources have said.
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 28, 2024
Microsoft faces wide-ranging U.S. antitrust probe
The FTC is examining allegations the software giant is potentially abusing its market power in productivity software, sources have said.

Opinion

According to a recent survey by Child Fund Japan, a nonprofit, one in eight minors in Japan have experienced online requests from strangers to meet or for sexual photos. Despite the potential harms of social media, strong regulations are lacking.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 28, 2024
Japan doesn't need a social media ban, but it must protect children
Short of stopping minors from using social media, Japan needs to beef up its response to an evermore perilous online environment. One that adults often struggle to grasp.
While the economic benefits of Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel are clear, concerns remain about sustaining U.S. domestic steel production, preserving national security interests and addressing union concerns.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 28, 2024
Nippon Steel endgame: Resistance or renaissance for the U.S. steel industry
The endgame for Nippon Steel¡¯s bid for U.S. Steel appears near and the results could have a significant impact on U.S.-Japan relations, depending on the outcome.

Sports

Liverpool's Cody Gakpo (center) celebrates scoring his team's second goal, alongside Virgil van Dijk (left) and Ibrahima Konate, in Liverpool, England, on Wednesday.
SOCCER
Nov 28, 2024
Mbappe misses penalty as Liverpool exacts revenge on Real Madrid
Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo scored the goals in the second half as the Reds maintained their perfect record to return to the top of the table.
Yokohama's Takuma Nishimura goes on the attack during his team's Asian Champions League Elite win over Pohang Steelers on Wednesday in Yokohama.
SOCCER
Nov 28, 2024
Yokohama tops Pohang as Gwangju stays second in Asian Champions League
Goals from Yan Matheus and Anderson Lopes were enough for Yokohama as the club moved up to third in the standings.
Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting battles Julia Szeremeta of Poland in the final of the women's 57-kilogram division at the Paris Olympics in August.
MORE SPORTS / Boxing
Nov 28, 2024
Taiwan Olympic boxing champion quits event after gender questions
Lin, who was embroiled in a gender row at the Paris Olympics, was due to compete in the World Boxing Cup Finals in Sheffield starting Wednesday.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates with his team after clinching the Formula One world drivers' title on Saturday in Las Vegas.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Nov 28, 2024
Verstappen switches focus to reboot defense of F1 teams' title
Just days after clinching the title with a measured drive to fifth in Las Vegas, the 27-year-old will return to the track hoping he can repeat his triumph from last year.

LIFE

Cafe N¡ã_5's take on the Dubai chocolate craze that has been circulating on social media over the past few months is a mix of bitter and sweet.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 28, 2024
Tokyo¡¯s take on that viral chocolate from Dubai
Scarce and pricey, Dubai chocolate is winning over Japanese fans thanks to a few flavor modifications.

CULTURE

Keiichi Kaburagi (Ryusei Yokohama) goes on the run after being sentenced to death for a triple murder he insists he didn¡¯t commit in Michihito Fujii¡¯s ¡°Faceless.¡±
CULTURE / Film
Nov 28, 2024
¡®Faceless¡¯: Fugitive thriller turns a blind eye to hard truths
Michihiro Fujii¡¯s latest offers stylistic flourishes while treading the familiar terrain of the fugitive film.
Eriko Nakamura (left) and Ryo Narita play star-crossed lovers in Shinzo Katayama¡¯s hallucinatory romp through past and present, dreams and reality.
CULTURE / Film
Nov 28, 2024
The mind-bending melancholy of ¡®Lust in the Rain¡¯
Shinzo Katayama¡¯s hallucinatory film boldly explores both the absurdities of wartime violence and the erotic psyche.

Longform

People in cities across Japan will pop into their local convenience store for any number of products they believe will help them with a night of drinking.
Hangover cures are everywhere in Japan ¡ª but do they work?

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN