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Japan news from Japan Times

• Heads of hibakusha groups urge Pope Leo to promote abolition of nukes

  They expressed hopes that the new pontiff will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Francis, who visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 2019.

• Panasonic targets 10,000 job cuts worldwide

  The cuts will focus on positions at consolidated companies — 5,000 in Japan and 5,000 overseas.

• Japan’s slam poetry scene is all about raw vulnerability

  Slam poetry is a rarity in Japan, but the scene is full of energy and potential that the poets have been bringing to the world slam poetry stage for 10 years now.

• Japan Airport Terminal's top execs step down amid corruption scandal

  The company said it accepted resignation offers from the two top executives the same day.

• Japan stuck at starting line in tariff talks with U.S. as U.K. inks deals

  The U.S. has warned that comparing Japan with the U.K. was apples and oranges, and that getting over the line with many countries will be a slow and arduous process.

• NTT announces ¥200 billion buyback in capital efficiency push

  The buyback from May 12 through March 31 is geared toward raising capital efficiency and boosting shareholder returns, the company said.

• Japan household spending slides 0.1% in FY2024

  The decrease reflects sustained inflation, which is making people more budget-minded on food.

• Former Tokyo Stock Exchange employee and father convicted of insider trading

  Keito Hosomichi, 27, passed along confidential corporate information to his father, who then profited by investing in the shares of three companies.

Asia/Pacific news from Japan Times

• Pakistan launched multiple attacks along India's western border, India says

  Pakistan's armed forces launched "multiple attacks" using drones and other munitions along India's western border on Thursday night and early Friday.

• Global militaries to study India-Pakistan fighter jet battle

  This week's dogfight is a rare opportunity for militaries to study the performance of pilots, fighter jets and air-to-air missiles in active combat.

• Pakistan hails role of Chinese jets in repelling India strikes

  Hostilities between India and Pakistan have escalated since an April 22 attack that killed 26 civilians in the Indian-controlled part of the territory.

• North Korea's Kim leads missile test, stresses nuclear force readiness

  The test also included an inspection of the operational reliability of its "nuclear trigger" system, state-run media said.

• Health care crisis follows Myanmar quake as junta drives medics underground

  After medics took a prominent role in the anti-junta movement that emerged after the coup, the military administration has sought to root out opponents to its rule.

• Indian industries swap polluted air with each other in health fix

  India's 1.4 billion people breathe air exceeding the World Health Organization's guidelines for particulate matter, which can cause severe health issues.

• North Korea fires off multiple short-range missiles from east coast

  One of the missiles had traveled 800 kilometers, Japan's Defense Ministry said, nearly falling inside the country's exclusive economic zone.

• India strikes Pakistan over Kashmir tourist killings

  Islamabad said it had shot down five Indian fighter jets in the worst fighting in more than two decades between the nuclear-armed enemies.

Culture news from Japan Times

• Japan’s slam poetry scene is all about raw vulnerability

  Slam poetry is a rarity in Japan, but the scene is full of energy and potential that the poets have been bringing to the world slam poetry stage for 10 years now.

• ‘My Edison’: Family-made sci-fi comedy is a real charmer

  Gaku Kawasaki’s feel-good indie flick with a touch of “Freaky Friday” is a heartfelt reminder that it’s never too late to live out your dreams.

• ‘Wash Away’ brightens dementia drama with sudsy spin

  Ikunosuke Okazaki’s comic yet tender film about a young woman looking after her ailing grandmother offers a positive look at caregiving for the ailing elderly.

• 'Jumbo': the animated Indonesian film smashing records

  A hit at home, Indonesian cinema watchers are hoping the family-friendly movie will appeal to neighboring countries and markets farther abroad.

• With a new Shibuya studio, Apple Music bets big on Japan

  Streaming numbers are up, world tours are growing, and now, Tokyo has a new studio aimed at amplifying Japan’s voice.

• J-pop group Arashi to disband after going on tour next spring

  Current fan club members will be given priority to purchase tickets for the last concert tour.

• 'Ukiyo-e in Play' showcases traditional art carved anew

  The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints keeps age-old methods alive by creating ukiyo-e prints in collaboration with artisans and contemporary artists.

• ‘Blank Canvas’: 'Tough love' of the past isn't so funny anymore

  Based on an autobiographical comic about the road to becoming a manga artist, the film missteps by excusing violence with sentimental nostalgia.

Sports news from Japan Times

• Timberwolves cruise past Stephen Curry-less Warriors in Game 2

  Anthony Edwards added 20 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota, which evened the best-of-seven series at 1-1.

• Paige Bueckers and Wings to measure success in terms of growth

  The UConn star and No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft could play a major role in revitalizing a Dallas franchise that missed the playoffs in 2024 with a 9-31 record.

• Hoshoryu dominates rivals in practice, but real test awaits at May Basho

  Sumo is a sport where practice results are unreliable if taken as a predictor of future success.

• Naomi Osaka takes inspiration from Andre Agassi as clay court season heats up

  Osaka said her decision to play in Saint-Malo was inspired by Agassi.

• LA28 announces venues for opening and closing ceremonies for LA Games

  The opening ceremony will be shared between the historic Coliseum and the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium in an unprecedented dual-venue celebration.

• Caitlin Clark entering second WNBA season with more experience and desire to win

  Clark said there's no comparison between her rookie year and the upcoming season.

• Chicago has one burning question for Pope Leo XIV: Cubs or White Sox?

  The Cubs and White Sox have both claimed the new pontiff as a fan.

• Luis Enrique believes PSG's mentality helped fuel run to Champions League final

  Enrique revealed that a turning point in PSG’s campaign came earlier in the season when results in the Champions League fell short of expectations.

Life news from Japan Times

• The world’s biggest natural wine festival returns to Tokyo

  After impressing the city’s wine buffs last year, Raw Wine is back with more than 80 natural wine producers from around the world.

• Trump once called it his favorite word. Now, the Japanese version is all over the news.

  Learning how to talk about tariffs, imports and exports is becoming increasingly necessary in everyday conversation.

• Kazuki Nagasawa's sustainable designs are rooted in tradition

  The recent SaloneSatellite Award-winner transforms a humble bark, long used by artisans to craft everyday objects, into ethereal works of contemporary design.

• Celebrating Japan’s defeat at Shimoda’s Black Ships Festival

  Held this year from May 16 to 18, an event to the south of Tokyo turns a historical episode of national humiliation into a plain old good time.

• ‘Drop the price’: Behind the pushback on Nintendo’s Switch 2

  Nintendo games have never been cheap, but the company seems to be nickel-and-diming more than ever with its new console.

• More than a food court: Time Out Market curates Osaka’s best flavors

  After whetting appetites in cities like New York and Dubai, Time Out Market, the food event of the eponymous magazine and media group, has opened its first Asian edition in Osaka.

• The sushi cone that changed everything

  Inspired by ice cream cones, Tokyo’s “temaki-zushi” made sushi handheld, affordable — and a quietly radical moment in Japanese dining.

• Japan’s ‘tabi’ sock mecca runs on thread and memories

  At their peak in the early-20th century, Gyoda’s artisans churned out more than 84 million pairs of socks each year.

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