IJR News

UK Signals Openness to Germany Joining GCAP — 6hOn his first Berlin visit as PM, Burnham told Merz the UK is open to Germany joining GCAP, the UK-Italy-Japan sixth-generation fighter project.

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Bridgeman’s 63 Leads PGA Tour’s Japan Stop — 7hJacob Bridgeman opened the Baycurrent Classic in Japan with a bogey-free 8-under 63 to lead Jordan Smith by one stroke, despite saying he felt rusty after a break following the Presidents Cup. The PGA Tour event features several recent Presidents Cup players; Smith shot 64, while Max Homa and others were two shots back.

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Kagan, Soai Win Chemistry Nobel for Autocatalysis — 1dHenri B. Kagan of France and Kenso Soai of Japan won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. Their work shed light on how chemical reactions favor one mirror-image form of a molecule over another.

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Alcaraz, Lehecka Set for Japan Open Final — 2dCarlos Alcaraz beat Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to defend the Japan Open, first man to do so since Sampras in 1994 and his first title since a wrist injury.

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Priya Raman Lehecka pushed in the first set but Alcaraz stayed consistent to close it out.

AirTrunk plans A$43 billion Japan data-centre expansion amid AI surge — 1dAirTrunk plans to invest up to A$43 billion (about US$30 billion) in Japan over five years, more than doubling its data-center capacity to over 1 gigawatt as demand for AI and cloud computing grows. An additional US$1 billion investment at its Inzai campus will support liquid cooling and high-density AI workloads.

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Most Influential Women in World HistoryYourlist — RankingFrom ancient queens who ruled empires to modern activists who changed laws, these women left indelible marks on politics, science, and culture. Vote for who you think shaped history most profoundly.

Japan Services Growth Slows After Quake Disruption — 3dJapan's services PMI fell to 51.3 from 52.5 as new export business posted its second-sharpest decline since January 2021.

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Nicole Hardy Weaker export business on top of the quake could drag growth longer than people expect if demand stays soft.

Asian Games Close in Japan, Qatar Receives Flag — 4dThe 20th Asian Games closed Oct. 4, 2026 in Nagoya as Qatar received the OCA flag; the Philippines won 29 medals, its biggest haul since 1966.

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Sam Okafor The Philippines hitting 29 medals is their strongest showing in years and a sign their training programs are paying off.

Takaichi Unveils Growth Plan, Vows Debt Oversight — 3dJapan's 30-year JGB yield hit a record 4.235% on Oct. 5, 2026, as PM Takaichi opened a Diet session; public debt is twice the economy, with a food tax cut slated from April.

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Maya Lindstrom Balancing public investment with tax reviews is the right approach, though it risks slowing the economy if cuts go too deep.

Japan Services Prices Rise at Fastest Pace Since June 2024 — Sep 28, 2026Japan’s services producer price index rose 3.7% year over year in August, its fastest pace since June 2024, as freight, advertising and rental costs increased. The broadening price pressures support expectations that the Bank of Japan may raise interest rates further.

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Elena Vasquez Rising service costs from freight and rents will squeeze smaller firms, so the Bank of Japan should move slowly on any rate hike.

Amro Warns Asia Faces AI Correction Risks — 3dAMRO's Oct. 5, 2026 report warns Southeast Asia, China, Japan and South Korea face AI correction risks after driving two-thirds of global AI-related trade growth; 2026 growth held at 4.1%.

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Marcus Bell Those countries need to diversify now instead of counting on continued AI export gains.

IHG to Debut Noted Collection Brand in Tokyo With Two Hotels — Sep 28, 2026IHG will bring its Noted Collection to Japan with two Tokyo hotels: a 207-room Shinjuku property to be renovated and opened in 2027, and an 81-room new-build in Ginza scheduled for 2029. The signings mark the brand’s first entry into Japan and East Asia-Pacific, pairing hotels’ distinct local identities with IHG’s global network and loyalty program.

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Chris Dalton Ginza getting an 81-room property in 2029 feels like a smart long-term move for IHG to build loyalty with travelers who want local character plus points.

New York Pizza vs Chicago Deep DishYourlist — VS BattleThe foldable slice versus the fork-and-knife casserole — America's longest-running food fight.

Japan's PM tells press to leave during meeting with Trump — Sep 23, 2026Meme Wars: trending on the Right today.

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Dana Whitfield Abe wants real talks with Trump without media spinning things right away.

Taylor Captains All Blacks as Frizell Returns for Bledisloe — Sep 29, 2026Codie Taylor will captain the All Blacks' 34-man Bledisloe Cup squad after Ardie Savea's shoulder surgery, with Shannon Frizell back from Japan and Scott Barrett returning from back surgery.

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Dana Whitfield Frizell back from Japan adds real experience to the loose forwards, and Barrett's return helps the lock depth.

Two North Korean Delegates Reportedly Seek Japan Asylum — Sep 22, 2026Two members of North Korea's 180-person delegation at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are reportedly seeking asylum in Japan, though their identities and whether they have filed formal applications remain unconfirmed. The reports, citing Japanese intelligence via sources linked to Chongryon, come as Tokyo granted an exception to entry for the Games and mark the largest North Korean delegation to Japan in 41 years.

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Priya Raman A delegation this big after so many years and two want out already says a lot about who gets picked to travel abroad from North Korea.

Pandora Opens $150 Million Vietnam Factory — Oct 1, 2026Pandora has opened a $150 million factory in Vietnam, its first production site outside Thailand, aiming to increase manufacturing capacity by about 50% and diversify its supply chain as it pursues growth in Asia. The company sees opportunities in Japan and a possible China recovery, while expanding its focus on more affordable, lower-emissions lab-grown diamonds.

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Nicole Hardy Pandora expanding to Vietnam should help them meet demand in Asia and avoid putting all their eggs in Thailand.

Can you actually read a map?Quizie — QuizFifteen world-geography questions. Most people miss at least three — the AI grades you and names your traveler rank.

Starbucks considers majority stake sale in Japan business — Sep 16, 2026Starbucks is considering a majority stake sale in its 1,883-store Japan business that could value the operation at about $3 billion.

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Chris Dalton A three billion dollar valuation for the Japan unit shows how much value they built there, but selling majority control risks losing the local edge.

Tourist hotspots fuel Japan's land price gains for fifth year — Sep 15, 2026Japan’s land prices rose 1.5% for a fifth year as Furano residential land jumped 32% and Hakuba commercial land rose 35.6%.