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Japan news from Japan Times

• P. United continues mission as para sports groups unite to face shared challenges

  P. United remains optimistic about its mission in Year 3.

• Seven & I proposes five new directors as part of board revamp

  The 7-Eleven convenience store operator plans to add five new directors to the board, four of whom will be from outside the company.

• SBI Holdings CEO to 'fight to the end' if Fuji Media resists leadership rethink

  Yoshitaka Kitao said he will increase SBI Holdings’ stake in Fuji Media Holdings depending on how the TV network responds.

• They sold their likeness to AI companies — and regretted it

  Scores have ended up with the unpleasant surprise of seeing themselves feature in deepfakes, dubious adverts or even political propaganda.

• CDP divisions over proposed tax cut pose headache for Yoshihiko Noda

  The nation’s largest opposition party is preparing for the Upper House poll in July, in which it hopes to win enough seats to make a CDP-led coalition government possible.

• Vietnam’s factory-based growth model at risk in global trade war

  For factory owners, what happens beyond a 90-day pause in tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump is a big question mark.

• Aichi man held over abandoning body possibly of a missing teen

  The man has admitted to the allegation of abandoning the body while hinting at committing murder, police said.

• Japan and the U.S. begin tariff talks on good terms, but without breakthroughs

  Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said there are still gaps between the respective stances of Japan and the U.S.

Asia/Pacific news from Japan Times

• Xi urges ‘Asian family’ unity as Trump seeks to confine China

  The Chinese president seeks to keep countries from cutting deals with the U.S. at the expense of his nation.

• Cambodia seeking China's financial support as Xi visits amid U.S. tariffs

  Phnom Penh is a close partner of China, which has invested billions of dollars in projects including roads and airports and is the country's largest creditor.

• Myanmar junta to free nearly 5,000 prisoners in amnesty

  The junta said 13 foreign nationals would also be pardoned and deported, without giving details of their identities or crimes.

• Hong Kong postal service halts U.S. parcels over tariff ‘bullying'

  The move comes as Trump’s tariff offensive on China increasingly affects the former British colony.

• China's Xi meets Malaysian leaders in diplomatic charm offensive

  Xi was welcomed by Malaysia's king, Sultan Ibrahim, in a colorful ceremony at the golden-domed Istana palace.

• Lessons in horror with Cambodia's Khmer Rouge tribunal

  A team led by a lawyer is traveling around Cambodia teaching schoolchildren about Pol Pot's brutal regime, sharing 20 years' worth of evidence and testimony from victims.

• Xi’s visit shows Vietnam’s balancing act amid looming U.S. tariffs

  Hanoi’s initial silence on the Chinese president's request to jointly oppose "unilateral bullying” shows its attempt to walk a tightrope between the two powers.

• Philippines and China accuse each other of dangerous moves in disputed South China Sea shoal

  China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, a vital waterway for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce.

Culture news from Japan Times

• Actor Hiroyuki Sanada among Time's 100 most influential people

  Contemporary artist Yoshitomo Nara and musician Yoshiki also made the list.

• ‘Ya Boy Kongming! The Movie’: J-pop spectacle goes heavy on performances

  Shuhei Shibue's film about the improbable musical career of a Chinese strategist reincarnated in modern-day Japan delivers J-pop high notes and history deep cuts.

• 'Bullet Train Explosion’: High-speed disaster movie doesn’t get the pulse racing

  Netflix’s most lavish Japanese movie to date whizzes by without doing much damage to the image of the high-speed rail it’s promoting.

• Music, revolution and Y2K: Coachella 2025 takeaways

  Highlights from the California music festival included an appearance from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and an increase in leather pants.

• Two members of K-pop group Blackpink go solo at Coachella festival

  Lisa and Jennie showcased their unique hip-hop styles at the outdoor music concert on its first weekend.

• Indonesia's horror movie industry rises from the grave

  Five of the top 10 films from 2024 were categorized as horror movies, a statistic that underscores just how popular the genre is.

• Digital divas: Can Japan's virtual YouTuber craze crack America?

  VTuber agency Cover Corp. recently opened a U.S. office to accelerate business in North America.

• 'Vanishing World': Sayaka Murata’s vision of a sex-hating society

  In Sayaka Murata’s latest book to come out in English, sex between married couples is considered taboo, and humans reproduce predominantly via IVF.  

Sports news from Japan Times

• P. United continues mission as para sports groups unite to face shared challenges

  P. United remains optimistic about its mission in Year 3.

• Shohei Ohtani homers as Dodgers win tight game to sweep Rockies

  Ohtani also had an RBI single in the first inning.

• Heat scorch Bulls in play-in contest; Mavericks rout Kings

  Herro led from the front in a wire-to-wire victory that eliminated Chicago from postseason contention.

• Japan coach Eddie Jones at peace after messy exit from Australia

  Jones oversaw Australia's worst Rugby World Cup performance at the 2023 tournament in France.

• World champion Alysa Liu feels best yet to come with Olympics on horizon

  The 19-year-old crowned her comeback with a dazzling win at the world championships in Boston a little less than three weeks ago.

• Canada reschedules political debate to avoid clash with Canadiens game

  The debate, initially set for Wednesday evening, was moved two hours earlier after federal party leaders raised concerns about viewership.

• Arsenal dethrones Real Madrid to reach Champions League semifinals

  Inter Milan advanced from the night's other quarterfinal, earning a 4-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich after an enthralling 2-2 draw in the second leg.

• Skating 'Quad God' Malinin ready for Olympic favorite tag

  The American, known as the "Quad God," for his dazzling arsenal of quadruple jumps, will be competing in Tokyo this week for the World Team Trophy.

Life news from Japan Times

• Dior shows fall fashion collection in gardens of ancient Kyoto temple

  Loose trousers, wide-sleeved jackets and airy dresses with glittering flower patterns featured among the clothing that was exhibited.

• A new tour of Tokyo’s most underground attraction

  From April, the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel will offer guided treks of areas previously inaccessible to the public.

• In California, a Nikkei vintner finds his heritage and purpose

  The discovery of a distant relative's wine legacy in California led winemaker Eiji Daniel Akaboshi to look at his vocation in a new light.

• As rice prices rise, a bit of tea adds needed luxury

  Add depth and your personal flair to fried rice with your favorite brand of tea.

• Heaven from hells: The sulfuric pleasure of Unzen Onsen

  Located deep within Kyushu’s Shimabara Peninsula, this hot spring town offers dramatic scenery worth the effort it takes to get there.

• Osaka Expo-bound? Take your pick of the city’s new luxury hotels.

  Increased capacity makes lodging a buyer’s market, as intense competition keeps prices down and encourages hotels to differentiate themselves from the pack.

• I’ve only just come back from Osaka, but I’m ready to hit the Expo

  The term “bakari” can be used in several different ways to emphasize and define the limit of a range.

• Why Japan is running out of rice — and farmers to grow it

  Outdated government policy, changing diets and even an earthquake scare have had an impact on the national food staple.

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