The LDP was so desperate to restore popularity, they turned to a man they didn't fully understand. Shigeru Ishiba leaves the party, and the country, in a weaker spot than when he took over. The LDP must choose better this time. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Today is the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II -- and a decade since Shinzo Abe's landmark statement. It acknowledged the past, looked to the future, and blunted the use of history as a weapon. Ishiba should not undo it. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Between Superman, Fantastic Four and Jurassic Park, it's another summer of movie retreads. But in Japan, Demon Slayer, a property less than 10 years old, is crushing it at the box office. Hollywood needs to lay off the nostalgia and embrace risk. My latest: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Markets loved the Japan-US trade deal -- but it leaves a lot of unanswered questions. And who's going to buy all those massive American cars that won't fit on Japanese roads might be the least of them. It's too early to relax just yet. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

In the end, Shigeru Ishiba blinked. The trade deal is about as good as he could hope for. But it'll be his last major accomplishment as leader. He'll leave Japan weaker than he found it - and should go now, before more damage is done. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

A comic-book prophecy that warns of a massive tsunami has some in Japan bracing for disaster this weekend. Don't worry -- it probably won’t happen. But someday, something will. My latest on why even false prophecies can sometimes be useful, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Less than six months ago, Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba heralded a new “golden age” of US-Japan ties. Now, as trade talk drag on and gaps open between the two on defense spending and Iran, that era is already tarnishing fast. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Gamers online denounced the Switch 2 as "anti-consumer." That didn't stop Nintendo from selling 3.5 million in four days. Across business and politics, it’s vital to separate the signal of online outrage from the noise. My latest column, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Ten years after Japan's corporate governance code was introduced, the country's boardrooms are forever changed. But with activists circling, M&A surging, and the best firms up for grabs, not everyone likes the changes. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Sumo, Japan's national sport, is grappling with a generational shift. As the greatest wrestler of all time departs the game, can a newly crowned hometown hero lead sumo into a new era? My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

A famous voice actress warns Japan’s identity is being eroded by immigrants, threatened by "invasive species." It's a sign that concern over newcomers is growing -- and an issue authorities must stay ahead of to avoid the mistakes of the West. My latest, free read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

The soaring price of rice has toppled Japanese governments before. It could also be the making of a new leader. Like his father before him, Shinjiro Koizumi can use a battle against a powerful vested interest to tell a story of broader reform. My latest, free: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Akio Toyoda’s role in the $33 billion Toyota Industries buyout is up for debate. His leadership record isn’t. Despite the relentless hounding he gets from critics, investors should hand him the keys. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Stop the steel! Determination got Nippon Steel this far in its audacious US Steel bid. But now it’s looking like desperation: a golden share, a US-run board, and $14 billion more in spending. The Japanese firm is giving away too much. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Foreign buyers face zero barriers for property in Japan: no additional taxes, no limits, no residency needed. With Tokyo apartment prices soaring and locals starting to get priced out, it's time for a rethink. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Tell me more, tell me more... did he really say Greece? Japan is up in arms about an ex-minister's comments about rice. But PM Ishiba's comparison of the country’s finances to Athens are just as ill-advised - and potentially far more damaging. My latest, free: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

The “demon’s gate” is open again: Japan’s consumption tax debate is back. In the past it has derailed governments and triggered recessions. Now it risks distracting from bigger concerns. Japan can't afford to relitigate this argument. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Hollywood’s new blockbuster formula? Less spandex, more pixels With Minecraft a hit and audiences tiring of superhero flicks, it's clear videogames can be the next big IP well with studios finally learning the key to successful adaptations. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Want to invest like Warren Buffett? Try Japan. Buffett recently revealed not only what inspired him to buy Tokyo shares now worth $25 billion -- his largest overseas investment -- but also showed a view of Japan that's surprisingly bullish. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

The Bank of Japan painted a far gloomier picture of the economy and its chances of hitting the 2% inflation goal than anyone expected. Combined with the risk from Trump's tariffs, that means the hurdle just got higher to lift rates again. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

It finally time for my hay fever debut? That's how the onset of pollen allergies is often described in Tokyo, where it afflicts nearly 2 in every 3 people. I looked at the ailment that debilitates not just individuals, but the economy as a whole. Free to read! www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Japan's negotiators are headed to DC for trade talks, with the country the canary in the global tariff coal mine. If Tokyo can’t secure a good deal, there's little hope for others. But can it find common ground with an antagonistic ally? My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

After budget overruns, methane explosions and concerns over its many-eyed Lovecraftian mascot, Osaka's World Expo finally opens Sunday. But history suggests it'll do just fine despite the negativity - and show a changing Osaka to the world. My latest, free link: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

“They don’t take our cars, but we take MILLIONS of theirs!” Trump says to justify tariffs he's slapped on US ally Japan. But it's just not true. US cars don't sell because of barriers to entry, but because Japan's drivers just don't want them. My latest, free read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Nintendo’s Switch 2 presentation was bombshell after bombshell - a throwback to a more delightful age of tech announcement. But it saved the biggest until last: the hefty price, a two-tier pricing structure in Japan and $80 games. My take, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

For a moment, the internet was Ghibli. ChatGPT's drawing tool turned everything into warm, hand-drawn nostalgia -- until it all turned cringe. My latest on what the viral trend says about art, tech, and the world we want to live in, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Nintendo is about to lift the lid on Switch 2—and it’s crucial it gets this launch right. It’s the first major hardware refresh in 8 years, replacing the source of almost all Nintendo's revenue. With gorgeous dataviz by my colleague Taylor Tyson, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...

Japan and the EU have much in common - symbols of US-led post-war reconstruction, now forced to contemplate the prospect of life without Washington's security umbrella. Perhaps they can find solace in one another? My JV w/ @lionellaurent.bsky.social, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Shigeru Ishiba was named leader of the LDP to help the party recover from a funding scandal. Instead, he's embroiled in a new one. His $670 gifts to lawmakers might seem small stakes, but it's a big threat to his premiership. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Baseball's golden boy, Shohei Ohtani, is making a triumphant return to Japanese shores for MLB's Opening Day in Tokyo. A year on from the biggest wobble of his career, I wrote about how Shotime is the role model Japan needs right now. Free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

The geopolitical policy of Trump 2.0 is upending assumptions all across the world. For Japan, that could be a good thing. Ishiba should use Trump as a bogeyman to scare the country into getting serious about defending itself. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Japan has a revenue shortfall and a lot of things it needs to spend money on. And at the same time, it is dealing with an unstoppable surge of tourists. The solution: charge tourists more. Maybe a lot more. My latest on taxing tourists, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

The focus in the business press on Couche-Tard's bid for Seven & i has been on the watershed nature of the deal. But the advantages of the deal itself seem as thin as the filling in a conbini sandwich. The Japanese firm must reject it outright. My latest, free read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

The latest Marvel movie has a plotline that involves a commodity-related conflict between the US and an Asian power. But it's not China -- it's Japan. Even for a superhero flick, that’s outlandish. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

"Anthony Mackie feels right at home wielding the Captain’s protective shield and metallic wings"

Japan's anime, manga and games are bigger than ever. But increasing competition threatens not just an export industry, but also Japanese soft power. For our Weekend Edition, I wrote about how Japan needs to make staying cool a national priority. Free to read: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

Is Japanese manufacturing in the toilet? Far from it -- in fact, the pivot by one maker of commodes to high-margin chip materials shows how the country is flush with innovation. Japan's brands are less visible, but they're more vital. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Starbucks reached the milestone of 2,000 stores in Japan yesterday. It's in Ginza, the same area as the first store the coffee chain opened in 1996. www.yomiuri.co.jp/economy/2025...

Roses are red Cocoa prices soar Giri-choco in the office? Not as sweet as before. My latest, for Valentine's Day 💘 www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

The last time core CPI fell in Japan was July 2021 -- so long ago, the country was still in a Covid state of emergency. So why is Japan still fighting a battle against deflation that's already been comprehensively won? My latest with @Moss_Eco, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

For all the talk of a new “Golden Age” of relations, Japanese PM Ishiba will be playing for a tie when he meets Trump. The unpopular Ishiba wants to show Japan is a "good client for Trump Inc.", and must avoid rubbing Trump the wrong way. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Yacchae Nissan! The $60 billion combination of two of Japan's most storied automakers appears on the verge of a breakdown over Nissan's insistence on a merger of equals. It needs to swallow its pride and call for assistance. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Shigeru Ishiba is finally set to meet Donald Trump, months after the election. And unlike Abe's mad dash to make friends in 2016, Ishiba has instead been moving his "Little Japan" closer to China by cozying up to Xi Jinping. It's a risky game. My latest, free read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

The scandal involving Japanese pop star Masahiro Nakai moved swiftly from the tabloids to the business pages -- and from incompetent crisis communications to the involvement of foreign investors, shows a changing corporate Japan. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

60 million tourists to Japan a year? 🎌Let's go! I'm tired of the sniffy commentary about the downsides of tourism - and we have all the evidence we need that the tourist strategy is working. There's 100 billion reasons why in my latest - free to read! www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Finally, we know what Nintendo’s Switch 2 will look like. But the most important thing about Thursday’s announcement was what it didn’t show: the games. Here, Nintendo holds all the cards. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

It’s official: Japan saw more tourists in 2024 than ever before. 36.9 million foreigners visited Japanese shores, almost 16% above the pre-Covid record in 2019.

What happens when a city stops being the future ? I don’t know but maybe we can ask someone who doesn’t admit in the very first paragraph they can’t speak a word of the local language after nearly a decade living here. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Biden's blocking of the Nippon Steel takeover of US Steel was not just hamfisted in execution. It was an insult to maybe its most vital ally -- and with a China-curious prime minister in Tokyo, couldn't have come at a worse time. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Biden's blocking of the Nippon Steel takeover of US Steel was not just hamfisted in execution. It was an insult to maybe its most vital ally -- and with a China-curious prime minister in Tokyo, couldn't have come at a worse time. My latest, free to read: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...