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The number of vacant houses in Japan has surged to a record high of nine million – more than enough for each person in New York City – as the east Asian country continues to struggle with its ever-declining population. Abandoned houses are known in Japan as “akiya” – a term that usually refers to derelict residential homes tucked away in rural areas.

Official White House photos by Emily HigginsWEST MIFFLIN, Pennsylvania -- Flanked by a sea of steelworkers dressed in their orange safety jackets and hard hats, President Donald Trump was given a hero's welcome at the Mon Valley Irvin Works to mark the signing of the U.S. Steel-Nippon Steel deal, the largest investment in state history. "With the help from patriots like you, we are going to produce our own metal, make our own energy, secure our own future, build our country, control our own destiny, and we are once again going to put Pennsylvania steel into the backbone of America,"...

Space.com reported: “ISpace’s private Resilience Lander will attempt to touch down on the Mare Frigoris region of the moon’s surface on June 5, at 3:17 p.m. EDT (1817 GMT). […]

Japan has announced plans to roll out a stricter online screening system for foreign visitors in an effort to eliminate illegal immigration entirely. The system, modeled after the US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), will be operational by fiscal year 2028, according to Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki. At a news conference last week, Suzuki said “strong measures” were necessary to address increasing concerns over poor behavior by some foreign visitors. The new electronic screening system will apply to citizens from 71 countries currently exempt from visa requirements for short-term visits. . . . The Asahi Shimbun reported that Japan’s...

One of my favorite things about traveling is being able to see how laws and social taboos (what silly things they are) change across countries. Differences between Japan and the United States extend beyond simply bowing and taking off your shoes to enter places. The following ten things are not only rare in the United States, but most of them are also illegal. And so naturally, I feel compelled to do all of them whilst adventuring in the Land of the Rising Sun. Snip Buy Cigarettes from Vending Machines Japan has an interesting relationship with cigarettes. Should you need a...

Japan is reportedly planning to import nearly $7 billion worth of U.S.-made semiconductors in a move that could significantly benefit chipmakers like Nvidia Corporation amid ongoing trade negotiations with the Donald Trump administration. What Happened: Japan has proposed purchasing up to 1 trillion yen ($6.94 billion) in U.S. semiconductor products, reported Reuters via Asahi newspaper, which cited unidentified sources. The Japanese government would subsidize domestic companies that purchase the American chips, the report said. The plan is designed to help reduce the U.S.'s approximately 10 trillion yen trade deficit with Japan. Japan's chief tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, is expected to...

In a nation that has long been synonymous with working hard and showing unswerving loyalty to an employer, more and more Japanese people are "quiet quitting" their jobs. A growing number of Japanese are choosing to clock in at work exactly on time and leave as soon as they can. For 26-year-old Issei, the answer is straightforward: He wants more time to pursue the things he enjoys. "I don't hate my job and I know I have to work to pay my rent and bills, but I would much rather be meeting up with my friends, traveling or listening to...

President Donald Trump said Friday that U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel will form a “partnership,” after the Japanese steelmaker’s bid to acquire its U.S. rival had been blocked on national security grounds. U.S. Steel shares jumped more than 24%.

Japanese Minister Taku Etō has been forced to resign amid the ongoing rice crisis. For those unaware, Japan has been facing a severe rice shortage since 2024, which makes the US egg crisis look minuscule in comparison. Etō delivered a fatal blow to his career by saying that he does not need to worry about the price of rice since he receives it freely through donations. His comments were taken as a modern-day “Let them eat cake.” “I asked myself whether it is appropriate for me to stay at the helm [of the agriculture ministry] at a critical time for...

As we keep warning… a debt crisis is coming.The first round appears to be striking Japan, which is the grandfather of monetary insanity. Japan first introduced Zero Interest Rate Policy (ZIRP) and large-scale Quantitative Easing (QE) programs nearly a decade before the Fed or other major central banks introduced similar policies. As a result of its near-nonstop interventions running for 25+ years, Japan’s Debt to GDP is over 200% and its central bank’s balance sheet is equal to 90% of the country’s GDP.As I noted yesterday, Japan finally appears to be losing control of its debt markets. Yields on the...

New Delhi: A genetic study has found that Indians are the ancestors of the Chinese and other East Asian populations. The study, a joint project of 10 Asian countries, found that India received a wave of migration from Africa 60,000-70,000 years ago and these early humans subsequently moved to East and Southeast Asia. The earlier belief was that humans from Africa reached India and East and Southeast Asia separately. The study has important implications, especially in the understanding of human migratory patterns and in the investigation of genetics and disease. The findings of the five-year study -- conducted by a...

Three men have been arrested in Japan for attempting to smuggle hermit crabs out of the country. The suspects, aged 24, 26 and 27, and widely identified in Japanese media as being Chinese nationals, were detained on Amami, a southerly island where the spiral-shelled crustaceans are a protected species. Authorities were alerted to the men's live cargo when hotel staff, who had been asked to look after their luggage, noticed the suitcases making a "rustling noise", police told local media. Officers subsequently discovered "thousands" of hermit crabs, weighing around 95kg. The third man was found to have a further 65kg...

White House NEC Director Kevin Hassett gives an update on the current status of trade negotiations around the world. After finishing a CNBC interview (also linked below) Director Hassett noted that Asia was likely to be the next place for an announcement following the completion of the United Kingdom deal. Hassett outlines that approximately “two dozen” bilateral free trade agreements are completed within the reciprocity framework, and the sequencing of announcements is up to President Trump. Japan, South Korea and ASEAN nations would be candidates for the next deal as announced. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and USTR Jamieson Greer are...

As President Trump brings manufacturing back to the US — and closes in on trade deals with India, Japan, and South Korea — China’s days as “the world’s factory floor” are numbered. And Beijing is furious. In a move harking back to the Cultural Revolution, Chinese schoolchildren are again being taught to hate the US. Class time is devoted to shouting anti-American slogans like “China must win the China-US trade war!” ... But it turns out that — in secret — Beijing has been quietly retreating as fast as it can. Trump divulged in a Time magazine interview on April...

https://x.com/DeptofDefense/status/1918999055566614571May 4, 2025 · 253.3K Views

Finance minister Katsunobu Kato hints that country’s more than $1tn in Treasuries gives it leverage in negotiations Japan’s finance minister has publicly identified the country’s more than $1tn holdings of US Treasuries as a “card” in its trade negotiations with the Trump administration, in a rare baring of teeth by America’s closest ally in Asia. Speaking during a television interview on Friday, Katsunobu Kato was asked whether Japan would use its traditional stance as a non-seller of Treasuries as a tool in trade talks with Washington. “It does exist as a card,” said Kato, adding that “whether or not we...

The moves are part of the Trump administration's maximum pressure campaign on Iran to help weaken its terrorist activities in the Middle East, including through its use of proxy forces. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the United States will impose secondary sanctions on all countries or individuals that purchase oil or petrochemicals from Iran. The announcement comes a day after the State Department sanctioned seven entities it accused of trading Iranian oil and petrochemical products. The president confirmed the new secondary sanctions in a post on Truth Social, warning countries they would not be allowed to do business with...

It looks as though trade progress is being made with Japan, as concessions about automobiles were reported on this weekend, signaling that Trump administration could be heading towards a revised agreement with the key ally nation. Japan may loosen auto safety rules for U.S. imports to address President Trump’s concerns over the low number of American cars sold there, Nikkei reports. With differing safety standards between the two countries, Tokyo is eyeing crash test regulations as a possible trade concession, according to Nikkei. During a White House meeting, Trump criticized Japan’s trade surplus and poor U.S. auto sales. Cabinet-level talks...

The spread of Chinese overseas police service stations around the world raises concerns among human rights campaigners. The Chinese government is opening illegal police posts all over the world. China claims that these posts are capable of cracking down on global and multinational crimes. These checkpoints have been opened in many countries around the world including developed countries like Canada and Ireland. According to local media reports, Fuzhou has established informal police service stations affiliated with the Public Security Bureau (PSB) across Canada. At least three of these stations are located in the Greater Toronto Area only. Chinese Police Station...

The Doolittle Raid wasn't just an operation of the Army Air Force. The Navy made its own plans, took its own risks, and has its own story that deserves to be remembered. Beyond Doolittle: The Navy Role in the Doolittle Raid | 15:16 The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered | 1.53M subscribers | 55,154 views | April 18, 2025