New IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) will defend their titles against Rocky Romero & YOH at NJPW New Beginning in Osaka on February 11. The challenge was issued, and accepted, backstage at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19. ( read original story ...)
Yoroku: 2025 a year to finally introduce a selective surname system in Japan
Sapporo residents Mana Sato, 37, and Kiyotaka Nishi, 32, a couple pushing Japan to adopt a selective surname system for married couples, welcomed the ... ( read original story ...)
A stranger in teeming Tokyo who only has nice things to say
A street entertainer who counts Tokyo’s Shibuya as his patch has only nice things to say to the people he meets. ( read original story ...)
Aryna Sabalenka signs with Evolve, representation agency founded by rival Naomi Osaka
In some surprising tennis business news, World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka has signed with the sports management company Evolve, which was founded by four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka and her ... ( read original story ...)
Why Japan Won’t Stop Trying to Invest in the U.S.
Japanese companies needing to grow have sought out American deals. Experts say that will not change even after Biden’s rejection of Nippon Steel’s takeover attempt. ( read original story ...)
Japan homes shrink to their smallest in 30 years
TOKYO -- Houses in Japan are getting smaller, with the average floor space falling to a 30-year low. Total area per house is about 92 square meters, a decline of 3 sq. meters from the peak year of ...
Osaka into first final since 2022 ahead of Australian Open
Former world number one Naomi Osaka reached her first final since 2022 on Saturday as she swept aside unseeded American Alycia Parks at the Auckland Classic. Osaka was contesting her first semi-final ... ( read original story ...)
US regulator warned banks on crypto but did not order halt to business
A U.S. bank regulator told banks to pause dabbling directly in crypto in 2022 and 2023, but did not order them to stop providing banking services to crypto companies contrary to industry complaints of ...
US regulator warned banks on crypto but did not order halt to business, documents show
A U.S. bank regulator told banks to pause dabbling directly in crypto in 2022 and 2023, but did not order them to stop providing banking services to crypto companies contrary to industry complaints of ...
Craft beer bliss in Japan’s Otaru: German malt meets soft water
SAPPORO, Japan -- Nestled along a picturesque canal in Otaru, a historic port town in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island, is a building with weathered brick walls and green-framed windows that ... ( read original story ...)
Biden blocks Japan’s Nippon Steel from buying US Steel
US President Joe Biden has formally blocked the takeover of US Steel by a bigger Japanese company, saying foreign ownership could pose risks for national security. The controversial decision comes a year after Nippon Steel first announced the $14.9bn (£12bn) deal, describing it as a lifeline for its smaller Pennsylvania-based rival. ( read original story ...
US approves $4.9b missile sale to Japan
WASHINGTON - The United States on Jan 3 announced the approval of a US$3.6 billion (S$4.9 billion) sale of up to 1,200 advanced air-to-air missiles and related equipment to Japan, one of Washington’s closest allies in Asia. ( read original story ...)
K-Arena Yokohama is ranked music venue with second-highest number of attendees in the world
K-Arena Yokohama opened its doors in September 2023 in Yokohama’s Minato Mirai entertainment district, part of an ambitious new Music Terrace complex situated right next to Yokohama Bay. The arena has ... ( read original story ...)
Yokohama named University of the Aftermarket lifetime trustee
SANTA ANA, Calif. — Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) has been named a lifetime trustee of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation (UAF), the company said. YTC President and CEO Jeff Barna also was named ... ( read original story ...)
The Dodgers’ latest signing is a reminder that MLB free agency isn’t always about money
The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly agreed to terms Friday with Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim. For those who weren't tracking the international free agent market ... ( read original story ...)
Through Birdwatching, Tokyo’s Black and Brown Residents Are Finding Community
In the city's green spaces, members of Flock Together discover Tokyo's fauna—and solidarity between Black and brown residents. ( read original story ...)