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July 02, 2026
 

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MIDDLE EAST

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets with Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, at Downing Street in London on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
May 21, 2026
Britain clinches $5 billion Gulf trade deal in shadow of Iran war
The deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council comes after U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran prompted Iranian attacks on countries in the region, straining energy and food supplies.
Vessels sail through the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on Monday.
WORLD
May 21, 2026
Iran is consolidating control of Hormuz with checkpoints and diplomatic deals
With Iran now in de facto control of the strait, the system can involve intense vetting by the Iranian government and sometimes fees in exchange for safe passage.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was ready to resume attacks on Iran, but added that he could wait a few days to "get the right answers."
WORLD / Politics
May 21, 2026
Trump says willing to wait for a few days to get ‘right answer’ on Iran peace deal
The ceasefire has yielded little progress, and soaring gasoline prices continue to ​weigh on the president’s approval ratings.
Japan Tourism Agency chief Shigeki Murata has emphasized that the government will work on implementing "strategic promotions to attract visitors from more countries and regions."
JAPAN
May 20, 2026
Visitors to Japan down 5.5% in April
Visitors from eight Middle East nations dropped 21.4% to 22,300, reflecting flight cancellations and reductions.
The government doesn't plan to ask businesses and households to save electricity this summer despite fuel shortages arising from the war in the Middle East.
JAPAN
May 20, 2026
Japan says it has enough power to meet scorching summer demand
Households and businesses won’t be asked to conserve power, as all regions are expected to have ample supply, according to documents.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin take part in a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
May 20, 2026
Xi and Putin unite in criticism of U.S. on nuclear and security issues
At a summit, the leaders stressed the closeness of the Russia-China ties that they sealed in 2022 with the signing of a strategic partnership treaty.
Naphtha shortages and a shrinking labor force mean those buying a new air conditioning unit may pay more than last year and then be forced to wait up to a month to have it installed.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
May 20, 2026
Installation delays and price hikes hit air conditioners just before summer
Fears of naphtha shortages and a smaller labor force mean those buying a new air conditioner may pay more than last year and then be forced to wait up to a month for installation.
World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during an interview in Tokyo on Monday
BUSINESS
May 20, 2026
WTO chief urges Japan to lead the charge in reforming its rules
As an “important middle power,” Japan should take the lead in reforms for the World Trade Organization, said Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, its director-general.
Seiji Jige, president of the Development Bank of Japan, speaks during an interview in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward on Monday.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 20, 2026
DBJ to strengthen its investment operations
The state-backed lender announced a five-year medium-term management plan that includes supplying ¥3 trillion in risk capital, including through investments.
Ships and boats in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, on April 22
WORLD / Politics
May 20, 2026
NATO not drawing up plans for Hormuz mission, top commander says
Any decision to launch ​a mission would require the approval of all NATO’s 32 members and several have already signaled opposition.
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Japan is ready to take bold action in the FX market if needed.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 20, 2026
Japan’s finance chief pledges bold action for weak yen as needed
“We have understanding” from the G7 counterparts, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said. “We will take bold action as needed.”
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung pose for a photo during their meeting in Andong, South Korea, on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 19, 2026
At talks, Takaichi and South Korea’s Lee agree to bolster energy security
The move comes as concerns over energy supplies continue to rattle Asia amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
Only 29.2% of respondents in a recent survey said they liked the United States, apparently reflecting negative views of the Trump administration following U.S. strikes on Iran and the ensuing energy crisis.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
May 19, 2026
Japanese favorability toward U.S. falls below 30%, survey finds
Negative views of the Trump administration might have contributed to the decline, particularly following its military strikes on Iran and the resulting energy crisis.
Alexander De Croo, head of the U.N. Development Program, is interviewed in Tokyo on Monday.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 19, 2026
UNDP head warns of food shortages amid surging fertilizer prices
High energy prices, inflation and the resulting instability will persist “at least until the end of the year,” UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo also said in an interview in Tokyo.
Real gross domestic product rose 2.1% on an annualized basis in the first quarter, according to a Cabinet Office report on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 19, 2026
Faster economic growth supports BOJ’s case for hike
Real gross domestic product rose 2.1% on an annualized basis in the first quarter, according to a Cabinet Office report.
A man brings an empty liquefied petroleum gas canister to a depot in New Delhi on Monday. India is the second-largest importer of LPG in the world and is suffering acute shortages of the fuel, used in cooking gas and industrial processes.
BUSINESS / Markets
May 19, 2026
How India’s cooking fuel shortage is driving up California’s gas prices
Both symptoms of the worst-ever energy supply disruption, they are directly connected and evidence of the effects across the global economy of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
A street in Tehran on Monday. "Surrender is fundamentally incompatible with Iran's identity," one senior Iranian official said.
WORLD / Politics
May 19, 2026
Growing risk of fresh conflict in Middle East as deadlock and pain deepen
The concern among policymakers is not whether a deal is near, but how long tensions can persist before a miscalculation triggers renewed hostilities.
A tourist watches the MT Desert Kite oil tanker carrying Russian oil in the Arabian Sea, Gujarat, India, on March 11.
WORLD / Politics
May 19, 2026
U.S. extends sanctions waiver on Russian oil to aid vulnerable countries
The action marks the second time the Treasury has allowed the sanctions waiver to lapse and subsequently extended it.
A woman walks past an anti-U.S. billboard depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
May 19, 2026
Trump says he paused attack on Iran as negotiations continue
An Iranian source said the U.S. may agree to release some of Tehran’s frozen funds and show more flexibility toward peaceful nuclear activity under supervision of the IAEA.
ANA President and CEO Koji Shibata speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on April 30.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 18, 2026
Japanese firms post AI-driven rosy profits, but Iran woes remain
Many companies opted not to reflect the impact of the conflict in their earnings projections, as it could affect various aspects such as procurement, manufacturing and consumer sentiment.
More facilities in Japan placing sanitary bins in men’s restrooms
A sanitary bin with an awareness sticker placed in a men's restroom in the Nagasaki Municipal Government building
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
Life inside Japan’s largest prison for women
Western-style rooms spanning the size of four tatami mats with hardwood floors, a toilet and soft mattresses on bed frames are designated for foreign nationals and those with health conditions at Tochigi Prison.
India’s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi’s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family’s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Reform panel calls for easing data center building standards
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized that the government will promote reforms of regulations and systems that fit the artificial intelligence era.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Life inside Japan’s largest prison for women
Western-style rooms spanning the size of four tatami mats with hardwood floors, a toilet and soft mattresses on bed frames are designated for foreign nationals and those with health conditions at Tochigi Prison.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troublé, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.

Podcast

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

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

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