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Japan news from Japan Times

• World absorbs historic Iran war oil supply loss, but depleted stocks bring risks

  Replenishing oil stocks, never cheap, has likely been made more expensive by the war.

• Japan-linked ships escaping Hormuz in convoy through Iran route

  The vessels include five supertankers, each capable of hauling 2 million barrels of crude, two chemical tankers and a car carrier.

• Kenporen seeks medical insurance reform talks

  Japan should engage in discussions involving all stakeholders on whether and how to revise its public medical insurance system, deputy head Takashi Yonekawa said.

• Japan’s NATO envoy highlights importance of European stability

  Japan's ambassador to NATO also said the organization's unity, based on collective defense, is unwavering, while adding that the alliance is "rock-solid."

• Victims mourned 8 years after western Japan rain disaster

  Residents across the Chugoku region on Monday mourned over 300 people who lost their lives in the incident that hit the area in 2018.

• Fighting yen psychology is a losing battle

  Turning the currency around, never easy at the best times, has just become harder given the renewed embrace of the greenback.

• King Charles just got a lot more treasure

  Charles' mother Queen Elizabeth II began paying tax only after a public outcry at the government's decision to pay for expensive repairs to Windsor Castle after a fire in 1992.

• Number of people who have tried cocaine reaches new high in Japan, study shows

  Those found in possession of the drug also hit a record high of 804 arrests in 2025, according to the National Police Agency.

Asia/Pacific news from Japan Times

• Prior to launch, Japan ‘strongly urged’ China to reconsider missile test in Pacific

  The Chinese Navy successfully conducted the test launch of a "strategic missile" by a nuclear submarine into the Pacific Ocean on Monday.

• Sara Duterte faces impeachment trial with Philippine presidential dream at stake

  The trial could deepen political turmoil in the Philippines, where growth has stuttered after revelations of graft led to a slump in consumer and investor confidence.

• Taiwanese film hunters rescue aging reels from bygone era

  Ranging from popular operas to romance dramas, the films resonated with many Taiwanese who had been educated during Japan's colonial rule and had limited Mandarin skills.

• Australia signs defense alliance with Pacific nation Fiji

  Canberra is bolstering ties with its South Pacific island neighbor as it seeks to outmaneuver China in the region.

• How drug gangs use social media to recruit Thai air crew as couriers

  Early in the morning on June 18, a message from an unknown account slipped into the TikTok inbox of a flight attendant in Bangkok with a series of questions: "Are you flying to Australia? Do ​you do carry-for-hire? What is your rate?"

• North Korea’s Kim oversees latest naval weapons tests

  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw weapons tests last week of the 5,000-ton destroyer Kang Kon, including cruise missile launches and "electronic warfare means," state media reported Sunday.

• Inside Taiwan’s nightmare scenario: Chinese blockade, earthquake, sabotage and invasion

  It was a nightmare scenario for Taiwan: a Chinese blockade, a strong earthquake seized on by Beijing to sow chaos, hijacked television broadcasts, sabotaged infrastructure, a run on banks, civil unrest — and then a full-scale invasion.

• China launches coast guard patrol east of Taiwan despite international pushback

  China has begun using its coast guard to enforce its territorial claims in ⁠what Taiwan calls "lawfare" to claim a legal basis for Chinese actions.

Culture news from Japan Times

• Japanese dancers win ballet prizes in Moscow

  Ryoma Hudzeleu won gold in the senior men's solo category at the International Ballet Competition. Sakura Nagai received the bronze medal in the girls' solo category.

• Sachiko Kazama’s art bites back at a cruel society

  Sachiko Kazama has made a name for herself as a sharp satirist. Her art from spanning a nearly four-decade long career is now on display in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture.

• NU Festival tests Takanawa Gateway City complex’s culture cred

  JR East has been positioning the sprawling new Takanawa Gateway City as a cultural hub since before it even opened. The music, art and tech NU Festival put that claim to the test.

• Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are married, as pair hosts New York celebration

  "JUST&T MARRIED," flashed on giant screens on the exterior of the Manhattan sports arena.

• Tujiko Noriko’s new album is a feline tour de force

  On tour in Japan this month, the France-based artist talks about channeling her "crazy cat woman" energy into musical creation and finding harmony in dissonance.

• Murakami says his novels are ‘different’ from AI literature

  When he is deeply focused on writing a story, characters suddenly show up, and "that's not something that comes out from analogy," he said, adding "AI probably can't do that."

• ‘Human Vapor’ brings blockbuster energy to the small screen

  Striking visuals and solid performances make the Netflix limited-series adaptation of a classic 1960 sci-fi movie well worth a watch.

• ‘Piccola Felicita’: From formulaic drama to fever dream

  Directed by Yutaka Mizutani, the four-part omnibus looks at love and loneliness in the big city, with some unexpected twists and turns.

Sports news from Japan Times

• Summer McIntosh breaks last women’s ‘supersuit’ world record

  ​McIntosh broke Liu Zige's long-standing record (2:01.81) at China's National Games in October 2009.

• 10-man England outlasts Mexico to advance to World Cup quarterfinals

  The result set up a last-eight clash with Norway, ​which shocked Brazil 2-1 earlier on Sunday.

• Norway coach praises team and fans for rowing together after win over Brazil

  Erling Haaland struck both goals in a sensational 2-1 win to dump the Brazilians out ​of the tournament

• English-language takeover of Tour de France forces even French riders to adapt

  English has increasingly replaced French — and also Italian, Flemish and Spanish — as the language of the peloton.

• FIFA reverses course on suspension for U.S. star Folarin Balogun after call from Donald Trump

  The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was "astonished" by FIFA's decision, pointing to the ‌rule book while it investigated all potential options.

• Charles Leclerc shut out negative noise to get winning feeling back at British GP

  Leclerc has come under fire this year, particularly after he crashed twice in Monaco. He also crashed in Spain and said he felt ashamed.

• Naomi Osaka powers past No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to reach quarterfinals at Wimbledon

  Osaka reached the quarterfinal round at Wimbledon for the first time with the victory.

• Kylian Mbappe says France can get its ‘hands dirty’ too after scrappy win over Paraguay

  "They thought we'd turn up in tuxedos, that we'd just come to pull off some spectacular moves," Mbappe said after the match.

Life news from Japan Times

• Stripped of Michelin stars, Sezanne embraces a changing of the guard

  Once awarded three stars, the restaurant now holds none. But new executive chef Steven Lancaster sees the sudden change as a golden opportunity.

• La & Le brings a slice of Paris cafe culture to Tokyo

  After 20 years at the French capital's iconic Cafe de Flore, Tetsuya Yamashita returned to Tokyo to open a restaurant that captures the spirit of traditional Parisian cafes.

• Japanese nail salons are tourists’ new obsession

  A combination of more affordable pricing, faster service and attention to detail is drawing more and more tourists to Tokyo's nail salons.

• Japan’s first standalone ramen shop reopens in Asakusa

  Fifty years after it closed its doors, Asakusa Rairaiken is now back to court a new generation of ramen lovers with the shoyu-seasoned broth it created in 1910.

• Fender opens a second, more unplugged Shimokitazawa cafe

  Open from July 3, the Fender Cafe Shimokitazawa seeks to sit alongside the neighborhood's reputation as a hotbed of Japan's indie music scene.

• Sony to end video game disc production in January 2028

  The gaming giant says the move toward digital-only games aligns the company with consumer trends toward online marketplaces.

• In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination

  Drawn by the quality of Kanoya's local produce, chef Yasuhiko Uchida relocated to the Osumi Peninsula. Now, his restaurant is a shining example of Kagoshima's culinary appeal.

• Smash tacos with bear-approved veggies

  Alpine leeks are a forageable example of the "sansai" (wild edible plants) that make springtime a bounty of flavors across Japan's countryside — for humans and bear-kind alike.

 

 Singapore news from Today:

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