Features
You can take on sumo wrestlers and drink all the whiskey you want at Tokyo’s new sumo restaurant
Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood is the most traditional part of the city, so if you’re spending a day there odds are you want to eat some traditional Japanese food, like sukiyaki or tempura. But what if you want to further immerse yourself in the classical culture of Japan, partaking of Japanese cuisine and… Read
Is 'Nagoya skipping' a cause of the exodus of young people from the city?
It wasn’t that long ago that the concept of “Hiroshima skipping,” which refers to major musical artists skipping over Hiroshima in favor of other regional cities, was drawing lots of attention on the Japanese news. This time, there’s been renewed interest in the “skipping” phenomenon after television network TV Aichi… Read
WHO calls for immediate action as report shows 10% rise in child TB infections in European region
Tuberculosis (TB) infections among children in the European region rose 10% in 2023, indicating ongoing transmission and the need for immediate public health measures to control the spread, the World Health Organization said on Monday. WHO's European region, which comprises 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia, reported more than… Read
Kumamoto’s Tatsuda Nature Park: A lost world filled with spirits
Kumamoto’s Tatsuda Nature Park is a little-known treasure; an off-the-beaten-track destination. It is a pleasant green space with well-groomed paths, yet the lack of crowds and its various remnants of the past leave visitors with a sense that they have entered a lost world. And, in a way, they have.… Read
What is the rules-based order? How this global system has shifted from ‘liberal’ origins − and where it could be heading next
The phrase “international rules-based order” has long been a fixture in global politics. Western leaders often use it to describe a framework of rules, norms and institutions designed to guide state behavior. Advocates argue that this framework has provided the foundation for decades of stability and prosperity, while critics question… Read
Race to name creatures of the deep as mining interest grows
In the cold, lightless Pacific Ocean deep, the seabed is scattered with metal-rich rocks coveted by miners -- and huge numbers of strange and rare animals almost entirely unknown to science. Researchers are scrambling to name thousands of these newly discovered species. The mining industry is pushing regulators to finalize… Read
New high-alcohol version of Japan’s low-alcohol canned cocktails on the way
The ready-to-drink cocktail sector of the Japanese beverage industry, as well as the corresponding cooler cases at Japanese convenience stores, can get pretty crowded. Suntory has carved out a nice little niche for its Horoyoi line of canned cocktails, though, which is that they’re low-alcohol, delivering fruity flavor with a kick,… Read
Mister Donut makes matcha lovers swoon with new Gion Tsujiri collection
As the nation’s top-selling doughnut chain, Mister Donut knows how to keep its fans happy, and one thing customers keep coming back for is matcha doughnuts by esteemed green tea specialists Gion Tsujiri. Gion Tsujiri sources its matcha from Uji, where the company was founded over 150 years ago and which is now the country’s… Read
Young Chinese women find virtual love in 'Deepspace'
Rafayel's girlfriends went all out to celebrate their lover's birthday, renting malls across China for parties, decorating high-speed trains with his photos, and even staging a dazzling drone show. But the birthday boy was absent from every event -- he's a virtual character in the romantic mobile game "Love and… Read
Japan's nursing care system on verge of breakdown
Desperation stalks the care industry. More and more people need care. Fewer and fewer can give it. It’s an impossible situation. It can’t continue. Something will have to happen. What? When? Nobody seems to know. Once every nine days a care recipient is murdered by an exhausted caregiver, sometimes a family… Read
