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July 01, 2026
 

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IRAN

Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir (second from left) is greeted by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni upon his arrival in Tehran as part of ongoing mediation efforts between Iran and the United States.
WORLD
May 23, 2026
Pakistan Army chief in Tehran as Iran weighs U.S. peace offer
But disagreements between Tehran and Washington remain “deep and extensive,” an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
A test launch of the Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile at the Kapustin Yar test site in Russia's Astrakhan region in this screenshot taken from video released Thursday
WORLD
May 23, 2026
U.N. nuclear nonproliferation talks fail
Negotiators were reviewing the nuclear Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the cornerstone of nuclear weapons control, amid fears of a renewed arms race.
Ethylene is made from naphtha, which is derived from crude oil, and is used as a material for plastics and fibers.
BUSINESS
May 22, 2026
Ethylene plant operating rate hits record low in Japan
Ethylene, made from naphtha derived from crude oil, is used as a material for plastics and fibers.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday "we will never back down” in talks.
WORLD
May 22, 2026
Progress in Iran talks undercut over uranium and Strait of Hormuz tolls
Conflicting statements on key issues left it unclear if the U.S. and Iran were any closer to a deal after renewed threats of escalation in recent days.
A mixture of urea and ammonium sulfate fertilizer on a corn field in Glendora, Mississippi.
BUSINESS
May 22, 2026
Human urine becomes option for farmers in fertilizer supply crunch
From Yorkshire chicken muck to human urine-based products, a fertilizer crunch tied to the Iran war is accelerating demand for alternatives to conventional nitrogen inputs.
"I’ve been doing this for 40 years and it just keeps getting worse,” Bunyut Chaosamut said. "We are sea people; we can’t just quit and start growing rice or planting rubber trees.”
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
May 22, 2026
Southeast Asia’s fishermen are being pushed to the brink by fuel costs
High fuel prices linked to the Iran war are hitting Southeast Asia’s seafood industry hard, forcing boats to stay ashore and raising costs across the supply chai
India has appealed to citizens to drop overseas trips and avoid gold purchases to protect a rupee that is among the world's ​biggest losers since war in the Middle East reduced crude supplies.
BUSINESS / Markets / ANALYSIS
May 22, 2026
Asia’s currencies are flashing the oil shock alarm
Asia buys about 80% of oil shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, and stress in foreign exchange markets is one of the clearest signs of rising fuel prices starting to hurt growth.
The Strait of Hormuz crisis is exposing a new era of geopolitical coercion in which access to critical trade routes is selectively controlled, deepening economic insecurity in Asia and accelerating doubts about the reliability of the U.S.-led global order.
COMMENTARY / World
May 21, 2026
How China and U.S. navigate the Strait of Hormuz stranglehold
The Strait of Hormuz has evolved into a laboratory for a new form of geopolitical coercion where access itself becomes currency.
Former economics professor and Bank of Japan board member Junko Koeda is the second among members who voted in favor of holding settings steady at bank's last policy meeting to have since signaled the likelihood of rate hikes to come. But she has also hinted at caution, saying it’s important to assess the impact stemming from the Middle East conflict.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 21, 2026
BOJ should raise policy rate at appropriate pace, says board member Junko Koeda
Koeda was among those who voted with the majority in favor of holding settings steady at the last policy meeting on April 28.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump arrive at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14. Pool / via REUTERS
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 21, 2026
Why the Trump-Xi summit ended in an impasse
Given Xi’s reluctance to address Trump’s Iran concerns, he should be unsurprised that the U.S. has not fully endorsed his new framework for U.S.-China relations.
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on Monday. Only one repair vessel for cables, owned by United Arab Emirates-based e-Marine, is currently in the Persian Gulf.
WORLD / FOCUS
May 21, 2026
Iran’s threat to Strait of Hormuz submarine cables
Iran’s threat to impose “permits” on submarine fiber-optic cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz “calls international law into question,” said a former French naval officer.
Japan's trade balance in April was a ¥301.9 billion ($1.9 billion) surplus on an unadjusted basis, according to the Finance Ministry, remaining in the black unexpectedly on strong exports and a sharp drop in energy imports.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 21, 2026
Japan’s trade surplus remained in the black in April as energy imports plunged
Exports remained robust, with chip exports rising 44% amid strong demand for artificial intelligence-related products.
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.
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.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping greets U.S. President Donald Trump outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during their two-day summit on May 14.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 20, 2026
How will Japan react to Trump’s China pivot?
For Tokyo, the critical issue is whether the U.S. is fundamentally rethinking its approach toward China — and whether that shift could leave Japan dangerously exposed.
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.
A picture obtained from the media office of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant on Feb. 13, 2020, shows the power plant in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. A fire broke out following a drone strike on the plant on Sunday.
WORLD
May 20, 2026
UAE says drone that hit near its nuclear plant was launched from Iraq
Iraq is home to powerful Iranian-backed militia ​groups that have claimed attacks against “enemy bases ⁠in Iraq and the region” during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup exit
Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez reacts after the team's loss against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
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.
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.
Yen hits 40-year low against the dollar, breaking ¥162 level
Japan's currency broke ¥162 to the dollar on Tuesday in Tokyo.
Japan falls in gut-wrenching fashion as Brazil strikes late to win World Cup clash
Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli (right) shoots past Japan defenders Shogo Taniguchi (left) and Takehiro Tomiyasu to score in the second half of a match in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston on Monday.
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."
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.
‘The colors speak for themselves’: How Japan’s chroma bible went global
“A Dictionary of Color Combinations” is meant to function as a quick-reference guide for artists, designers and anyone with a passing interest in aesthetics as a quantifiable pursuit.

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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