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Art

Polka dots, infinity rooms and phallic sculptures: Yayoi Kusama’s art in pictures

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Japan

Russia test-fires missiles on disputed islands as Japan blasts drills

The Pacific Fleet conducted a Bastion missile test just days after Putin's visit to the islands prompted Tokyo to summon Russia's ambassador to Japan and drew a US statement of support for Japanese sovereignty.

Culture news

Johannes Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' goes on rare overseas trip to Japan

Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' is on display in Osaka for five weeks, marking its first international trip in more than a decade. The masterpiece has been loaned by the Mauritshuis in the Netherlands while the museum undergoes renovation.

Japan

Express train hits and kills four workers at railway station in Japan

Railway officials said it was unclear why the workers did not leave the site when the train was approaching, or what the lookout people were doing.

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Neon lights and lanterns glow in new Hikari area at Tivoli, Denmark

Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen opens Hikari, a Japanese-inspired district with neon lights, art, a new ride and views of the historic Japanese Tower.

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South Korea

Asian allies stress 'critical' US alliance as Trump cuts Korea drills

Trump made the surprise announcement about the troop drawdown in a social media post just before US and South Korean soldiers began Monday's annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises.

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Tokyo festival turns streets into a giant water fight

Crowds drench mikoshi bearers with buckets, hoses and water pistols during Tokyo's triennial Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri on 16 August 2026.

Economy

Japan's 10-year bond yield hits 30-year high as growth data misses

Japan's 10-year government bond yield climbed to its highest level since 1996 on Monday as fresh data showed the world's fourth-largest economy grew far more slowly than expected in the second quarter.

Japan

US backs Japanese sovereignty over disputed islands after Putin visit

The US ambassador said Washington was "unwavering" in recognising Japanese sovereignty, after Putin's visit to the four islands occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945 prompted Japan to summon Moscow's ambassador and consider tightening sanctions against Russia.

Culture news

Brussels square transformed into massive Japan-inspired flower carpet

Inspired by Hokusai’s 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa,' the carpet features more than 700,000 flowers and measures approximately 70 metres long and 24 metres wide.

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Unprecedented rainfall in Japan leaves at least four dead in Chiba prefecture

Unprecedented rainfall battered Japan on Thursday, leaving at least four people dead and flooding parts of Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo. Authorities issued the region’s highest-level rain warning for the first time, while landslide alerts and power cuts affected thousands of residents.

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Brussels unveils giant flower carpet inspired by Hokusai masterpiece

Brussels has transformed its historic Grand Place into a giant floral version of Japan’s Great Wave off Kanagawa, using around 500,000 dahlias laid out over 1,300 square metres of cobblestones.

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Putin watches Russian navy drills off Russia's Sakhalin Island

Russia's President Vladimir Putin observed naval exercises off Sakhalin Island on Thursday before travelling to the disputed Kuril Islands, prompting a strong protest from Japan.

Japan

Tokyo slams Putin for visiting disputed islands near Japan

The four islands, occupied by Russia during World War II, have gained importance since the war's end, providing the Kremlin with strategic military bases.

Australia

Australian PM under fire for 'melons' gag about Japanese leader

Asked whether he would say sorry for his "disrespectful behaviour" in parliament on Tuesday, the Australian leader said: "I reject the assertion in the question."

Japan

Nagasaki 81st anniversary sparks debate over nuclear deterrence

Nagasaki marked on Sunday the 81st anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the southwestern city, as the mayor called nuclear weapons “absolute evil,” denounced growing support for nuclear deterrence, and called on the Japanese government to adhere to its three postwar non-nuclear principles.

North Korea

North Korea fires ballistic missile, South Korea's military says

North Korea has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear state since leader Kim Jong- un's 2019 summit with US President Donald Trump collapsed over the scope of denuclearisation and sanctions relief.