July 8, 2025
Sydney 29

Japan’s ‘Twitter killer’ Takahiro Shiraishi hanged: Lured victims with ‘Let’s die together’; left body parts in cat-litter boxes

Shiraishi, 34, called himself the “hangman” on Twitter and offered to help people in pain has been executed (AP image) He called himself the “hangman” on Twitter and offered to help people in pain. But behind that twisted mask of sympathy was one of Japan’s most cold-blooded serial killers. On Friday, Takahiro Shiraishi, infamously dubbed […]

Japan’s Osaka Expo temporarily suspends water shows after high levels of bacteria detected

A view of Water Plaza at the site of the World Exposition in Osaka (AP) TOKYO: Popular daily fountain shows and a shallow pool area at Expo 2025 in Osaka have been temporarily suspended due to bacterial contamination that required cleaning and safety checks, the event organisers said on Monday. The aquatic show at the […]

Who is Japan’s ‘New Baba Vanga’ Ryo Tatsuki? The manga artist behind the July 2025 disaster prediction | World News

Who is Japan’s ‘New Baba Vanga’ Ryo Tatsuki A widely-circulated prophecy from a Japanese manga artist has led to a significant drop in travel bookings to Japan, particularly among East Asian tourists, as fears mount over a possible catastrophic natural disaster predicted for July 2025. Ryo Tatsuki, a little-known manga artist until recently, has been […]

Why Japan’s animation industry has embraced AI | World News

When the AI Studio Ghibli filter that turns photos and videos into the beloved style of Hayao Miyazaki‘s anime was released, it sparked a heated debate on artists’ copyrights.Even though Studio Ghibli didn’t directly react to the viral trend, a 2016 interview with the company’s co-founder also widely circulated. In it, Miyazaki said that he […]

Japan’s exports slow in April as Trump’s tariffs dent shipments to the US

Tokyo Container Terminal is seen in Tokyo (AP) TOKYO: Japan’s exports to the United States, its largest single trading partner, fell nearly 2% in April as tariff hikes imposed by President Donald Trump hit home. Globally, exports rose just 2% year-on-year, down from 4% in March, leaving a trade deficit for the first time in […]

Asian shares plunge as US markets reverse gains, Japan’s Nikkei down 5.6%: 10 things to know

NEW DELHI: Asian markets on Friday slumped with Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 nosediving over 5.6% in early trade, as investors reacted to mounting fears that the US-China trade war is spiralling out of control. The fresh jitters come a day after Wall Street erased much of its historic rally, triggered earlier in the week by President […]

AI tool aims to help conserve Japan’s cherry trees

Japan‘s famed cherry trees are getting old, but a new AI tool that assesses photos of the delicate pink and white flowers could help preserve them for future generations.The “sakura” season is feverishly anticipated by locals and visitors alike, with the profusion of the stunning blossoms marking the start of spring.But many of the trees […]