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Japan news from Japan Times

• Europe's must boost defense, 'holiday is over': Finnish president

  Concern about the region's security has mounted after the severing of several subsea telecom and power cables in recent months.

• Bird flu cases surge as new year begins

  So far in January, as many as 13 bird flu cases have been confirmed at chicken farms across the country.

• Trump’s immigration crackdown will be swift and ugly. Here’s how.

  U.S. President-elect Trump plans major immigration crackdowns, focusing on deportations, birthright citizenship, and humanitarian programs, marking a significant shift in policy.

• Japan's most prestigious literary awards go to a trio of contemporary voices

  Jose Ando and Yui Suzuki take home Akutagawa honors, while Shin Iyohara nabs the Naoki Prize.

• Over half a million ‘TikTok refugees’ flock to China's RedNote app

  In only two days, more than 700,000 new users have reportedly joined Xiaohongshu, a popular networking app known for lifestyle content and product recommendations.

• Suzuki Motor eyes cow feces for biogas fuel in India

  The automaker is exploring means other than electric vehicles for realizing carbon neutrality.

• Over 40% of those content with sleep hours lack sleep, study shows

  Meanwhile, some 66% of people surveyed who complained about insomnia, including difficulty falling asleep, had no problem.

• With new regional party, Shinji Ishimaru touts rebirth

  The former mayor of Akitakata in Hiroshima Prefecture aims to field candidates in July's Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election.

Asia/Pacific news from Japan Times

• South Korean investigators question arrested President Yoon in insurrection probe

  Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested and questioned by authorities in relation to a criminal insurrection investigation on Wednesday, saying he was only cooperating with what he called an illegal probe to avoid violence.

• Crashed Jeju jet’s black box failure shows decadeslong gap in power rules

  The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board first recommended that cockpit voice recorders be fitted with an independent power source in the late 1990s.

• South Korea's investigators move in second bid to arrest president

  Investigators have been seeking Yoon Suk Yeol's custody after the president repeatedly defied summons in an insurrection probe.

• Earthquake shakes Tibetan monasteries; casualties among clergy unknown

  The magnitude 6.8 quake reduced to rubble roofs and walls at a monastery and a nunnery about 15 kilometers east of the epicenter in Tingri county.

• How China is erasing Tibetan culture, one child at a time

  Education, especially in minority areas, is a politically sensitive topic. Tibetans who oppose the boarding schools risk imprisonment if they protest.

• North Korea fires suspected short-range ballistic missiles

  The launches on Tuesday morning came a day after the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan held talks to reaffirm ties.

• South Korea to begin impeachment trial to decide Yoon’s fate

  Yoon Suk Yeol is facing a criminal investigation for alleged insurrection, the first case of its kind against a sitting South Korean president.

• Indian Hindu pilgrims take the plunge ahead of largest gathering

  Organizers expect up to 400 million pilgrims from India and beyond in the six weeks running from January 13 to February 26.

Culture news from Japan Times

• Japan's most prestigious literary awards go to a trio of contemporary voices

  Jose Ando and Yui Suzuki take home Akutagawa honors, while Shin Iyohara nabs the Naoki Prize.

• The unnervingly timed return of ‘Squid Game’

  The show’s themes of wealth disparity and exploitation of power resonate far beyond South Korea, tapping into a universal vein of unease about the unstable systems we live under.

• <i>Isekai</i> anime offers a key to understanding globalization

  The fantastical genre wherein characters are dropped into unlikely worlds — and sometimes bodies — can be read as an allegory for the structure of the contemporary anime industry.

• An explosive B’z set on ‘Kohaku’ hints at a strategy to win over viewers

  Japan’s best selling act delivered one of the biggest moments of the year-end music blowout and reinforced the importance of catering to a more middle-aged market.

• ‘Unbound’ breaks NHK period drama tradition with a hero of the common folk

  Public broadcaster NHK marks its 100th anniversary by flipping the script on its long-running period drama series.

• ‘The Solitary Gourmet’: Palatable movie adaptation may leave you wanting more

  Lead actor Yutaka Matsushige’s film directing debut offers ambient pleasure for fans of the long-running TV series.

• ‘Mending Cracks’: A muddled drama about brotherly discord

  Kazuki Nagaya’s directorial debut has its charms, but doesn’t offer enough substance to engage the audience.

• 'The Brutalist,' 'Emilia Perez' take home Golden Globes' top film honors

  The two films received the first major movie prizes of Hollywood's awards season on Sunday.

Sports news from Japan Times

• Wallabies great Michael Hooper set for comeback with Japan move

  The 33-year-old played the last of his 125 test matches in 2023 before being unceremoniously axed by then-coach Eddie Jones.

• Wide-open field has the New Year Basho looking like anyone's tourney

  There has still been enough shakiness among the top-rankers to preclude ruling out any kind of outcome in the year's first tournament.

• Osaka gets 'revenge' on Muchova in Australian Open fightback

  The Japanese star, who won in Melbourne in 2019 and 2021, dropped the first set against 20th seed Karolina Muchova before winning 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.

• 'Queen Wen' deposed in huge shock at Australian Open

  The normally ice cool Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen got hot under the collar as she was sent packing 7-6 (3), 6-3 by the world No. 97.

• Tiger Woods pledges support amid 'unimaginable loss' in Los Angeles

  Flames that razed the Pacific Palisades came uncomfortably close to The Riviera Country Club, which is slated to host the 2028 Olympic golf tournament.

• Klopp excited about Red Bull role as he dismisses return to management

  Klopp insisted he was happy to be away from the daily grind of club management after more than two decades working in a dugout.

• Law enforcement prepared for Super Bowl in New Orleans after attack, official says

  Tens of thousands of football fans are set to descend on the city next month, with the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, capping a weeklong celebration.

• Rams dominate Vikings in NFL playoff game moved because of LA fires

  "To come out here and play like we did in really all phases, I'm really proud of this group," said Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Life news from Japan Times

• Can aging Japan go digital without leaving anyone behind?

  Amid a push to digitalize, some experts believe citizens should have the right to stay offline.

• ‘Dorayaki’ creators say flavors trump the dessert’s murky origins

  More modern than you may think, filled ‘dorayaki’ pancakes have a past almost as sweet as the treat itself.

• The case for Japan-ifying everything you cook

  “Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style” coins the term “wafuing” — shorthand for bringing Japanese flavors into anything and everything.

• Can an international makeover help Tokyo salons meet foreign demand?

  Sozo Education aims to train Tokyo’s next crop of stylists not just in English vocabulary related to hairdressing but in the diverse needs of foreign hair types.

• American stationery nerds are fueling a Japanese notebook boom

  A Japanese-made paper planner from the 1980s has reblossomed in the post-COVID era.

• Japanese ski vocabulary: Hit the books before you hit the slopes

  Knowing some basic terms will help you graduate from that linguistic bunny slope in no time.

• Now in Osaka, Yannick Alleno wants ‘flavors people have never experienced’

  Opened in late October, Sushi L'Abysse Osaka is the Michelin-starred chef’s first outpost in Asia.

• Japan’s ‘quiet revolution’ of luxury travel nears fruition

  “The Japanese luxury travel scene has undergone quite the metamorphosis over the past decade,” says one industry insider.

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