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January 01, 2026
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January 01, 2026
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Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Dec. 17.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Will tailwinds become headwinds for Takaichi in 2026?
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
This year the prime minister must show the electorate she can meet its expectations, with steady leadership and tangible answers to the country’s challenges.

More coverage

Takaichi vows to press ahead with reforms in New Year's message
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Dec. 17.
A customer looks at foods displayed for sale at a Lawson convenience store in Tokyo.
BUSINESS / Companies
Japan retailers racing to offer low-priced goods amid inflation
Companies are making efforts to keep the prices of their merchandise low by using cheap materials and ingredients.
Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter Princess Aiko converse while looking at traditional crafts featuring horses, the 2026 zodiac animal, on Dec. 23 at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
JAPAN
In New Year's message, emperor reflects anew on preciousness of peace
In the written message, Emperor Naruhito said it is "deeply painful" to see so many lives lost in conflicts around the world.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung walks with Cabinet members as he visits the National Cemetery in Seoul at the beginning of the new year on Thursday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
China seeks South Korean support on Japan and Taiwan before Lee’s visit
President Lee Jae Myung’s inaugural visit to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping comes as tensions simmer between China, Taiwan and Japan.
Members of the Chunichi Dragons pray at Atsuta Jingu in Nagoya ahead of the start of their season in March.
SPORTS
Gods and games: Rituals that kick off Japan’s sporting year
By Mai Yoshikawa
From hatsumōde to victory charms, many athletes have rituals that are rooted in the spiritual side of Japanese sport.
Members of the Chunichi Dragons pray at Atsuta Jingu in Nagoya ahead of the start of their season in March.

JAPAN

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shakes hands with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meeting in South Korea on Oct. 31.
Dangerous new equilibrium awaits Japan-China ties in 2026
By Jesse Johnson
The deterioration of ties after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on a possible Japanese military intervention in a Taiwan crisis will test both Tokyo and Beijing’s resolve.
Public housing under construction for victims of the 2024 Noto earthquake, on Dec. 24 in Anamizu, Ishikawa Prefecture
18,000 still in temporary housing two years after Noto earthquake
While infrastructure restoration is progressing in areas hit by the January 2024 quake, the road to reconstruction remains bumpy due to issues like population outflow and aging.
Female lawmakers call for more toilets in Japan's parliament building
By Hiroshi Hiyama
Japan says Chinese military exercises around Taiwan ‘increase tensions’
By Jesse Johnson
Critics within LDP hold fire on popular chief Takaichi
Japan begins studying law to prevent foreign entities from stealing information

BUSINESS

After breaking 50,000 in 2025, the Nikkei 2025 is not seen hitting 60,000 in 2026.
No 60,000 Nikkei 225 likely in 2026, unless the AI bubble remains extra bubbly
By Francis Tang
Analysts are looking for the benchmark index to reach the mid-50,000 range.
Following the release of minutes of the Federal Reserve's December meeting, the likelihood of a January cut based on federal funds futures contracts dropped slightly to about 15%.
Fed minutes show most officials expect additional rate cuts
The officials remain divided over when and how far to cut.
Delivery of the future begins in aspiring smart city Minami-Osawa
By Aiko Imaizumi
Japan CEOs halt annual trip to China for first time in 13 years
SoftBank lifts OpenAI stake to 11% with $41 billion investment
TSMC says it has started mass production of 'most advanced' 2nm chips

WORLD

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te delivers a New Year's Day speech at the Presidential Office in Taipei on Thursday.
Taiwan's Lai vows to defend sovereignty after China's military drill
The international community ​is watching to see whether the Taiwanese people possess the resolve to defend themselves, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said.
Members of the national guard outside of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles in June
Trump says pulling national guard from three cities — for now
Local leaders slammed the moves as authoritarian overreach and launched a string of successful legal challenges.
North Korea's Kim hails 'invincible alliance' with Russia in New Year's letter
World welcomes 2026 with fireworks after year of Trump and turmoil
China will push more proactive macro policies in 2026, Xi says
Pakistan has deadliest year in decade as Taliban ties worsen

Sports

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani jogs off the field prior to a game against the Cubs at Tokyo Dome on March 19. MLB opened its season in Japan, with Ohtani and Dodgers teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki taking on the Cubs, including slugger Seiya Suzuki and pitcher Shota Imanaga.
2025 in pictures: Sea change for sumo, Olympic do-over and Ohtani's star shines brighter
The emergence of three young stars shook up the world of sumo, while it was more of the same in MLB as Ohtani and the Dodgers continued their reign at the top.
Goalkeeper Zidane fast becoming Algeria favorite
By Mohamed Yossry
Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs facing strangulation and assault charges
Japan soccer legend 'King Kazu' signs for new team at 58
Noise complaints spark Vietnam pickleball wars
By Lam Nguyen and Ty McCormick

Opinion

China is turning its homegrown Kunming dog into a symbol and tool of its internal and international security strategy, using the breed to project control and shape security practices and norms in other countries.
Chinese diplomacy goes to the dogs — literally
Brad Glosserman
China is using its homegrown Kunming dog as a symbol to project control and influence security practices at home and abroad.
Building infrastructure for the AI age
By Diane Coyle
Five reasons the U.S. can be optimistic about the 2026 economy
By Allison Schrager
Give Ukraine back its future
By Chrystia Freeland
Turning the Monroe Doctrine into 'Donroe' is awful geopolitics
By Andreas Kluth

ENVIRONMENT

Houses burned down by the Palisades Fire in Malibu, California. The widespread wildfires represented the most costly climate-linked disaster of 2025, in financial terms.
In 2025, climate policy was shoved aside even as extreme weather intensified
By Tomoko Otake
This year was not a good one for environmentalists or climate scientists as action against warming faced headwinds around the world.
How German engineers are building future-proof forests
By Joanna Gill
North Sea project promises to return carbon to exactly where it came from
Step aside fashion police, here comes fashion immigration
Hydrogen plays part in global warming, study says

CULTURE

Gianmarco Soresi is known online for his crowd work, asking audiences to dish out family drama, and sharing his love of musical theater.
Comedian Gianmarco counts on naughty 'Dragon Ball' words to help him in Tokyo
By Zoria Petkoska
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
By Jennifer Pastore, Thu-Huong Ha and Zoria Petkoska
Brigitte Bardot, sex symbol turned animal activist, dies age 91
From trash to treasure: How anime became a museum staple
By Matt Schley
A night at the museum when dinosaurs come to life
By Gendel Gento

LIFE

Since all 22 kilns in Suzu were destroyed in the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, many of the local potters came together for a joint firing in the municipal kiln.
Noto's Suzu ware reemerges from the earthquake rubble
By Jessica Kozuka
Two years after the 2024 earthquake and tsunami, Noto potters find purpose in carrying on their craft.
The enduring charm of Japan's oldest Edo Period amusement park
By Aiko Imaizumi
Japan’s milestone birthdays: Why 60, 77, 80, 88 and 99 matter so much
By Yaeko Kabe
In 2025, Asia got tough on nuisance streamers. Japan did not.
By Owen Ziegler
A Champagne with notes of peach, citrus and Takashi Murakami's flowers
By Melinda Joe

COMMUNITY

Anton (right) came to Japan in 1975 and, through her participation in the community, formed long-lasting relationships with her neighbors.
Making a home in Japan with holiday meals and memories
By Karen Hill Anton
An American writer reflects on Christmas cake, New Year’s food and the communities she has found in Japan over the course of 50 years.
Finding a balance between tradition and innovation in 2025
By Mike Fu, Carina Fushimi, Gendel Gento, Kris Kosaka, Jessica Kozuka, Miikka J. Lehtonen, Ayako Nakano, Naomi Oren, Wakaba Oto, Zoria Petkoska, Laura Pollacco, Samantha Seghers, Jessica Speed, Joseph Tame and Megha Wadhwa
Emery, an elusive and enchanting mixed-breed cat
Japan-raised Chinese children navigate complex cultural terrain
By Yang Xiong
Hector Herrera: ‘Tolerance means remaining in the conversation’
By Kimberly Hughes

Editors' Picks

JAPAN
Dangerous new equilibrium awaits Japan-China ties in 2026
By Jesse Johnson
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shakes hands with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meeting in South Korea on Oct. 31.
BUSINESS
No 60,000 Nikkei 225 likely in 2026, unless the AI bubble remains extra bubbly
By Francis Tang
After breaking 50,000 in 2025, the Nikkei 2025 is not seen hitting 60,000 in 2026.
SUMO
Who would win the 'Sumo Awards' for 2025?
By John Gunning
Onosato is presented with a ceremonial sash in the town of Ami in Ibaraki Prefecture on Friday.
BUSINESS
Amid uncertainty at home, tatami-makers find a new market: foreign buyers
By Elizabeth Beattie
Toshiyuki Namigai (left) shows tatami sheets of varying thickness to a client, Swedish entrepreneur Anton Wormann, at Namigai's store in Tokyo in December.
JAPAN
Komeito forced to chart new path after divorce from LDP
By Gabriele Ninivaggi
Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito says the party's rupture with the Liberal Democratic Party has given new life to its support base.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

As Japan’s population ages, fewer workers will be supporting more dependents, reshaping the country’s social and economic balance.
On to 2050: Life in a shrinking Japan
By Alex K.T. Martin

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A Ukrainian rises in the traditional world of sumo
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Tsunan Sake Brewery at the Uis’mas Party | Bridging Innovation & Terroir
TSUNAN SAKE BREWERY

WHAT’S TRENDING

JAPAN
On to 2050: Life in a shrinking Japan
By Alex K.T. Martin
As Japan’s population ages, fewer workers will be supporting more dependents, reshaping the country’s social and economic balance.
BUSINESS
Amid uncertainty at home, tatami-makers find a new market: foreign buyers
By Elizabeth Beattie
Toshiyuki Namigai (left) shows tatami sheets of varying thickness to a client, Swedish entrepreneur Anton Wormann, at Namigai's store in Tokyo in December.
JAPAN
China may have tested Japan and U.S. readiness in Pacific
At the time of the joint Chinese-Russian bomber exercise on Dec. 9, the U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington was conducting drills with the Maritime Self-Defense Force in waters south of the Kanto region.
JAPAN
Dangerous new equilibrium awaits Japan-China ties in 2026
By Jesse Johnson
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shakes hands with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meeting in South Korea on Oct. 31.
ASIA PACIFIC
India says its economy has overtaken Japan, and eyes Germany next
Buildings in Mumbai. India said continued growth reflects its "resilience amid persistent global trade uncertainties."