Late June is peak season for annual shareholders' meetings in Japan, with many firms closing their books at the end of March. Activist shareholders are making their presence increasingly felt, and this year's gatherings are likely to see executives under pressure to improve business performance and stock value.
A report by human rights watchdog Myanmar Witness says more than 130 schools and universities have come under attack in the three years since the military coup. It says teachers and students are increasingly victims of the drawn-out battle between the junta and resistance forces.
For almost seven decades, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, Nihon Hidankyo, has been a consistent ― and persistent ― voice for the survivors of the atomic bombs that struck Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The group's education and lobbying efforts have been recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize for 2024. Two of NHK's senior commentators, Kiyonaga Satoshi and Kamoshida Go, explain the significance of the win.
Raymond Greene is Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, which makes him the de facto US ambassador to Taiwan. Before his appointment in July, he put in nearly 30 years as a career diplomat in the Indo-Pacific region, working in Japan, Taiwan, China and the Philippines. NEWSROOM TOKYO anchor Yoshioka Takuma sat down with him on October 23 for the first exclusive interview Greene has given to an international media outlet. They covered US policy on Taiwan and the possible impact of the upcoming US presidential election. This is the transcript of their conversation, edited for clarity.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) say they are fed up with passengers abusing their staff and making unreasonable demands. The country's two leading carriers have released a joint set of guidelines on behavior they will no longer tolerate.
The number of coronavirus infections is on the rise in Japan, prompting experts to encourage preventative measures during the summer holiday season.
People learning Japanese often struggle to find native speakers to practice with. One company is bridging that gap by enlisting older Japanese volunteers to help with online sessions.
Japan's eye-catching yellow Shinkansen, affectionately known as "Doctor Yellow," will be retired in coming years due to their age and condition.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured his third term in office with a promise to ensure all students have an opportunity to pursue high-quality school education. But for many families in poverty-stricken rural India, their children's education seems more of a far-fetched dream. NHK World's Hirayama Akihide visited Bihar state to see the struggle firsthand.
Anime has captured the hearts of fans and critics worldwide. Every year, the Japanese industry racks up billions in profits and countless awards. But the gulf between the polished product on the screen and life at the coalface for the creators couldn't be greater. So tough are the conditions for most young animators that they can barely afford food. One CG animator who got tired of seeing his fellow workers quit decided to do something about it. Ten years ago, he opened a subsidized dorm for young animators where they can sharpen their skills and bond with fellow strugglers.
It's fair to say the worlds of cosplay and credit unions don't appear to have a lot in common. But a trail-blazing businesswoman in western Japan has a way to link the two in a mission to reenergize her community with creative young talent.
Manga is a 14 billion-dollar industry for Japan, but it would be even bigger if it weren't for online sites offering stolen versions of the comics. A Tokyo start-up hopes artificial intelligence will ride to the rescue. Its specialized AI system can translate manga into multiple languages in just days, getting the latest volumes into fans' hands quickly and providing a powerful weapon to fight the pirates.
The surge in visitors to Japan over the past decade has made the tourism industry an outsize success story for an otherwise laggard economy. So attractive has Japan become as a destination for travelers around the world that international airlines are clamoring to add more routes and services. But they face a problem: Japan's dwindling oil refineries can't supply enough jet fuel to get all of the planes back again.
Sho Igawa Atias was born in Japan and now works as a high school teacher in Tel Aviv. Outside of his main profession, he co-produces graphic novels which he hopes will help build bridges between the two countries where he has roots.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hasn't even turned 40, but he may have already picked his young daughter as his successor. Here, former NHK World Editor-in-Chief Ikehata Shuhei explains why the appearance of a white horse at a recent parade suggests she's the "chosen one". Ikehata currently serves as a director at a Japan-based think tank.
The total fertility rate in Japan has been in decline for eight consecutive years – a statistic that has profound implications for the country's future. NHK World’s Shimada Yukiko speaks to new and would-be parents about what is holding them back.
People across the Noto Peninsula were slowly recovering from January's magnitude-7.5 earthquake when a second disaster struck―in September, record rain caused extensive flooding across the region. Thousands are still living in evacuation facilities and temporary housing, unsure when they can go home. For many, the ordeal has been made a little easier with the support of Syrian refugee Salim Mazen, who has been driven to help by his own experience of upheaval.
The idea that digital hobbies spell the end for their analog forebears no longer holds true. Vinyl LPs and film cameras are cases in point. Sales have soared across the world on the back of a newfound appreciation for music and photos you can hold in your hands. In South Korea, there's a similar resurgence in the realm of good old-fashioned books.
Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus has a new challenge: The political novice took the helm of an interim Bangladeshi government after a surge of student protests culminated in the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In an exclusive interview with NHK World's Mitamura Taro in New York, Yunus shared his vision for his country's future. This is the full transcript of the interview.
Perry Link is a leading sinologist with a deep knowledge of Chinese language and culture, and more than half a century of expertise in US-China relations. During the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, he helped shelter a prominent Chinese intellectual at the US embassy in Beijing. Although he has been banned from entering China, Link has kept in touch with many of the country’s activists and intellectuals. He sat down with NHK World's Yoshioka Takuma to talk about the goals of the Chinese Communist Party, and the importance of engagement outside of politics and business. The interview has been edited for clarity.