Japan

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New Player in US-Japan Talks: The Ford F-150
'Go Out and Buy a Toyota':
Trump Deploys Car Diplomacy
the rundown
Oct 28, 2025 11:05 AM CDT

'Go Out and Buy a Toyota': Trump Deploys Car Diplomacy

Japanese prime minister displays a Ford F-150 as Trump urges US troops to buy Toyotas

(Newser) - President Trump met with new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday, but Reuters notes that another American figure has emerged as a symbol of international trade talks—the Ford F-150. Coverage:
  • Takaichi made a point to have a shiny F-150 parked in the courtyard of Akasaka Palace, where the
...

Shinzo Abe's Killer Confesses
Shinzo Abe's Killer Confesses
Oct 28, 2025 8:59 AM CDT

Shinzo Abe's Killer Confesses

Tetsuya Yamagami admits to 2022 assassination, will challenge firearms violation

(Newser) - The man accused of assassinating Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe pleaded guilty to murder on Tuesday, nearly three years after the shocking daylight killing rocked a nation unaccustomed to gun violence. "Everything is true," Tetsuya Yamagami declared in a Nara courtroom at the start of his...

Trump Praises Ultraconservative Japan PM

Two nations hail 'golden age' of alliance, cooperation

(Newser) - President Trump began one of his busiest days of his Asia trip on Tuesday by warmly greeting Japan's new, ultraconservative prime minister , with plans to later speak to US troops aboard an aircraft carrier and mingle with business leaders, the AP reports. Although Trump is visiting one of America'...

Japan Might Use Military to Cull Bears

Bear attacks have killed a record 9 people this year

(Newser) - A surge in bear attacks has pushed Japan's Akita prefecture to consider an unusual step: calling in the military to cull bears. Gov. Kenta Suzuki announced on social media that he plans to request military assistance as early as Tuesday, citing the "exhaustion" of local responders. The move...

On Trump's Trip, One Longshot Is a Meeting With Kim Jong Un

President leaves for Asia on Friday night

(Newser) - President Trump leaves for a high-profile tour of Asia on Friday night, his first visit to the region since returning to office. The big event is an expected meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, though Reuters notes that much uncertainty exists over how substantive it will be. Meanwhile, speculation is...

5 Things to Know About Japan's First Female Prime Minister

Sanae Takaichi is conservative, and also a heavy-metal drummer

(Newser) - Japan has its first-ever female prime minister after the nation's parliament elected 64-year-old Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday. A few highlights about her from various outlets:
  • Takaichi is nicknamed the "Iron Lady" of Japan because of her admiration of the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, reports the BBC
...

Japan Has Its First Female Prime Minister

Parliament elects ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi

(Newser) - Japan's parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi, new leader of the country's long-governing conservative Liberal Democratic Party , as the country's first female prime minister Tuesday, a day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner expected to pull her governing bloc further to the...

The Countries With the Most American Expats

Mexico tops the list of nations hosting the most Americans

(Newser) - Millions of Americans live outside of the United States, according to the Association of Americans Resident Overseas, which recently updated its stats to see which countries host the most former residents of the USA. AARO's analysis used census data culled by the UN and from the US Census Bureau,...

In Japan, a Bear Does His Grocery Shopping

And recent attacks highlight rising bear encounters in rural Japan

(Newser) - Arizona isn't alone with its bold ursine population : A bear wandered into a grocery store in Numata, Japan, on Tuesday, causing panic and leaving two men with minor injuries. The 4.5-foot animal, likely agitated and confused, entered through the front door and spent about four minutes inside,...

Japan's Likely New PM Is a Margaret Thatcher Fan

Hard-line conservative Sanae Takaichi, set to lead governing party, would be nation's first female PM

(Newser) - Japan's governing party on Saturday elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, a hard-line ultra-conservative and China hawk, as its new leader, making her likely to become the country's first female prime minister. In a country that ranks poorly internationally for gender equality, the 64-year-old Takaichi makes history...

Japan Braces for Shortage of Its Favorite Beer

Cyberattack has halted Asahi's operations

(Newser) - A major cyberattack has brought Asahi's Japanese operations to a halt, leaving convenience stores and supermarkets across the country bracing for a shortage of the nation's best-selling beer and bottled tea. The cyberattack hit ordering and delivery systems, forcing Asahi Group, the nation's largest brewer and...

Japanese City Tries to Curb Phone Use With New Law

Toyoake residents are encouraged to cap leisure use of their phones at 2 hours a day

(Newser) - Japan's Toyoake is trying to get its citizen off its screens by legislating it into reality. An ordinance that went into effect on Wednesday tasks the city's 68,000 residents with keeping recreational screen time (meaning excluding work and school use) to under two hours per day....

China's Robot Army Is Coming Along Nicely

Nation leads the world with 2M factory bots, outpacing every other country combined

(Newser) - China now leads the world in factory robots, outpacing every other country combined, according to a new report from the International Federation of Robotics. More than 2 million robots toiled in Chinese factories in 2024, with nearly 300,000 newly installed—far surpassing the 34,000 added in the...

His Last Meet Here Was 'Super Weird.' This Time, a Record

Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis sets 14th world record for pole vaulting in Tokyo by clearing 6.30 meters

(Newser) - Armand "Mondo" Duplantis traded handshakes and hugs with the pole vaulters he'd just beaten to capture his third world championship. He took a leisurely walk toward the stands to talk to his parents, his brother, and his fiancee. Then, like any great performer in a jam-packed stadium, he...

After Losses and Tariff 'Crisis,' Japan's Prime Minister Resigns
Japan's Prime Minister Resigns
Sep 7, 2025 1:00 PM CDT

Japan's Prime Minister Resigns

Shigeru Ishiba says he has to take responsibility for coalition's loss of majorities in parliament

(Newser) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on Sunday after a series of election losses, pushing world's fourth-largest economy into political uncertainty just as it clinched a trade deal with the US. Ishiba, 68, said he must take responsibility after his ruling coalition lost its majorities in...

He Said He Was Stuck in Space, So She Opened Her Wallet
He Said He Was Stuck in Space,
So She Opened Her Wallet
in case you missed it
Sep 6, 2025 4:01 PM CDT

He Said He Was Stuck in Space, So She Opened Her Wallet

Scammer fools elderly Japanese woman with wild story, nabs nearly $7K

(Newser) - And you thought the AI-generated Brad Pitt scam was unbelievable. In a new case, an elderly Japanese woman was tricked out of thousands of dollars by a scammer claiming to be an astronaut stranded in space. The "romance scam" began in July when the two connected on social...

How Jet Lag Factored Into This CEO's Downfall

Supplements probe forces out one of Japan's most high-profile CEOs

(Newser) - A quest to ease jet lag has toppled one of Japan's most prominent CEOs. Takeshi Niinami, the high-profile CEO of Suntory Holdings—the force behind Jim Beam since 2014—resigned Tuesday after a police investigation tied to supplements that he was set to receive. The 66-year-old executive elaborated...

Japan's Fuji Eruption Simulation Causes Unease

It hasn't erupted since 1707, but the government is urging Tokyo residents to be ready

(Newser) - Mount Fuji hasn't erupted since 1707. But for Volcanic Disaster Preparedness Day, Japanese officials have released computer- and AI-generated videos showing a simulation of a potential violent eruption of the active volcano. The videos , released this week, are meant to prepare the 37 million residents in the greater Tokyo...

Outcry Follows Town's Proposed Phone Use Limit

Residents in Toyoake, Japan, object to 2-hour daily cap designed to address health concerns

(Newser) - In a bold bid to combat online addiction and sleepless nights, one Japanese town is urging its residents to limit leisurely smartphone use to just two hours a day. Toyoake, a city in the Aichi prefecture, is floating the proposal that would apply to everyone—kids, teens, and parents...

Wife of Man Who Died After Wrongful Arrest: 'I Will Never Forgive'

Top Japanese officials from police, prosecutor's office apologize to Shizuo Aishima's family at grave

(Newser) - An unusual graveside visit went down this week in Japan, after a businessman there who was wrongfully arrested died after his illegal detention. CBS News notes that Shizuo Aishima, a former consultant for the Ohkawara Kakohki machinery company, was one of three execs unlawfully detained and indicted in March 2020...

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