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Japan news from Japan Times

• China fires rockets during military exercises simulating Taiwan blockade

  The Chinese military held a second day of large-scale exercises on Tuesday focused on isolating the democratic island and deterring aid from Taipei’s partners.

• Japanese group calls for emergency portable toilets to meet its standards

  A nonprofit called Japan Toilet Labo has created a recommendation mark for emergency-use toilets that are compliant with its standards and encourages manufacturers to display it.

• For Japanese markets in 2025, it was politics, politics, more politics and AI

  Japan’s benchmark stock index had a rough start to the year but made a strong comeback.

• Multilateralism is not dead yet

  Electorates are far more aware than ever of the connection between what is happening in their local communities and what is happening globally.

• From the Andes to Darfur: Colombians lured to Sudan’s killing fields

  Hundreds were drawn in with the promise of Emirati paychecks. What many found instead was death in a faraway war marked by mass killing, rape, famine and child recruitment.

• Memo to liberal democracies: Beware ‘security autism’

  Japan’s variant is different but equally dangerous, a society so fragmented in its security perceptions that it cannot form coherent responses to existential threats.

• What exactly does ‘off the record’ mean in Japan?

  “Off the record” should be a tool for protecting sources, not a tool for maintaining cozy relations with those in power.

• India's water crunch brews risks for beverage giants

  The challenges for the brewers in Rajasthan mirror a wider crisis across India, which holds 17% of the world's population but just 4% of its freshwater.

Asia/Pacific news from Japan Times

• China fires rockets during military exercises simulating Taiwan blockade

  The Chinese military held a second day of large-scale exercises on Tuesday focused on isolating the democratic island and deterring aid from Taipei’s partners.

• Thai army accuses Cambodia of violating truce with over 250 drones

  The Southeast Asian neighbors had only just agreed to an “immediate” ceasefire on Saturday.

• Chinese homeschool students embrace freer youth in cutthroat market

  Despite China’s ban on homeschooling, the number of homeschoolers has increased annually by around 30% from 2013.

• Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, dies at 80

  After becoming prime minister in 1991, she went on to develop a bitter rivalry with Sheikh Hasina as they spent decades trading power.

• Police say Bondi Beach mass shooting suspects ‘acted alone’

  Sajid Akram and his son Naveed allegedly killed 15 people in an Islamic State group-inspired attack targeting a Jewish festival on Dec. 14.

• North Korea's Kim touts new rocket launchers that could target South

  Kim reportedly said the new weapons system would serve as his military's "main strike means."

• Filipinos master disaster readiness, one roll of the dice at a time

  Called Master of Disaster, one board game aims to boost lagging preparedness in the Philippines, which has been ranked the most disaster-prone on earth for four years running.

• Thailand and Cambodia agree to ‘consolidate ceasefire’ in China talks

  A statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not ​mention the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ role in facilitating the ceasefire.

Culture news from Japan Times

• Comedian Gianmarco counts on naughty 'Dragon Ball' words to help him in Tokyo

  The New York-based Gianmarco Soresi is hyped to see how his style of crowd work plays with audiences in Asia on his first tour to this side of the world.

• A year of plenty: Endless art shows, subtle curation of themes

  Japan’s art scene was bursting with public enthusiasm, overflowing exhibition halls and more art festivals vying for attention.

• Brigitte Bardot, sex symbol turned animal activist, dies age 91

  Bardot quit making movies at age 39, and she courted controversy with comments about marginalized members of society.

• From trash to treasure: How anime became a museum staple

  Anime- and manga-related art exhibitions are now one of the pillars propping up the industry.

• A night at the museum when dinosaurs come to life

  The Dino-A-Live show, made with lifelike animatronic dinosaurs, has partnered with the Tokyo National Museum for a performance steeped in traditional culture.

• Japanese screenwriter Makiko Uchidate dies at 77

  The drama scriptwriter died of acute left-side heart failure at a hospital in Tokyo on Dec. 17.

• In 2025, anime tightened its grip abroad — and played it safe at home

  As anime conquered overseas markets, the industry doubled down on known IP and left innovation on shakier ground.

• ‘Whoever Steals This Book’: A genre-hopping odyssey through literature

  Sometimes visually dazzling, sometimes dense with exposition, Kagokan’s first full-length feature shows what fewer cooks in the anime kitchen can achieve.

Sports news from Japan Times

• Who would win the 'Sumo Awards' for 2025?

  Rikishi of the year would naturally be the showpiece award, and for 2025 there's an obvious recipient.

• Falcons edge Rams on late field goal after blowing 21-point lead

  Bijan Robinson rushed for 195 yards and a touchdown while hauling in five catches for 34 yards and a score

• Nikola Jokic exits with knee injury as Heat handle Nuggets

  Jokic had his left knee hyperextend on impact, ‍and he went straight to the ground in pain before hobbling gingerly to Denver's locker room at intermission.

• Anthony Joshua 'stable' after fatal road accident in Nigeria

  Joshua's promoter said the boxer's "close friends and team members" Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele were killed and Joshua himself was taken to hospital.

• Malinin eyes three Olympic Games as Milano Cortina looms

  Earlier this month, Malinin won his third consecutive Grand Prix Final in record-setting fashion in Japan.

• Brock Purdy accounts for 5 TDs as 49ers hang on in shootout with Bears

  San Francisco can clinch the top seed in the NFC playoffs with a win against visiting Seattle in Week 18.

• Ronaldo confident of reaching 1,000 goals and keen to keep playing

  Ronaldo's double for Saudi side Al-Nassr on Saturday took his ‍tally to 956 goals for club and country.

• From injury woes to goal machine, Calvert-Lewin charts stunning revival at Leeds

  The English striker is on one of the hottest scoring streaks in the Premier League.

Life news from Japan Times

• Japan’s milestone birthdays: Why 60, 77, 80, 88 and 99 matter so much

  A look at Japan’s milestone birthdays, the traditions behind them and how the grammar pattern “ni totte” expresses their personal meaning.

• In 2025, Asia got tough on nuisance streamers. Japan did not.

  After years of leniency, Asian countries are imposing serious penalties on transgressive online personalities — with Japan lagging behind.

• A champagne with notes of peach, citrus and Takashi Murakami's flowers

  The Japanese artist has lent his floral motif to two limited-edition bottles of Dom Perignon — just the kind of hip bubblies you’ll want to pop at the year-end party.

• Japan’s original decluttering queen cleans up your new year

  Hideko Yamashita’s first book to be published in English has already sold 3 million copies in Japan.

• Tokyo dining in 2025 was defined by sushi and cutting-edge fare

  The city’s restaurant scene had no shortage of drama this year as culinary stars set up new shops, Italian stalwarts left and iconic establishments reemerged from their renovation.

• Ring in the New Year with beef sushi

  Give your traditional year-end “osechi ryōri” feast a modern twist with these ball-shaped treats.

• Will Japan's 'fire horse' curse strike again in 2026?

  In 1966, the stigma related to the Chinese sexagenary cycle caused birth rates to plummet.

• Designtide Tokyo 2025 closes this weekend with a creator-led marketplace

  After returning in 2025 following a 12-year break, the event finished with a chance for designers and buyers to meet face to face.

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