Experts use artificial intelligence to analyze data, plus thousands of crowdsourced photos, to forecast the prized flowers, which are a multibillion-dollar attraction.
Visitors gathered beneath cherry blossoms at Ueno Park in Tokyo last week.
During her first visit to the White House, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi drew praise from President Trump. But the war in the Middle East will test their relationship.
President Trump has urged China, Britain, France, Japan and South Korea to send warships to help reopen the waterway, even though they are not involved in the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran.
China and its neighbors scrambled to soften the blow of a disorderly trade war. Conflict in the Middle East now threatens to disrupt the oil imports that power their economies.
Countries that under the threat of tariffs made commitments like enormous investment pledges face the reality that they might have been better off waiting.
From earthquake warnings to bear attack alerts, Beijing is deploying a campaign of exaggeration and disinformation to punish Tokyo’s support for Taiwan.
A standoff over the security of Taiwan has led to a steep decline in the number of Chinese visitors to Japan, which is heavily dependent on the tourists.
Sanae Takaichi, who has proved popular as the first woman to lead Japan as prime minister, was on course for a sweeping mandate after a snap election on Sunday.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s handling of bilateral relations has become a campaign issue. Her earlier comments on Taiwan brought reprisals from Beijing.
The world’s biggest automaker has navigated the industry’s turbulent E.V. transition, but is looking to new leadership to manage intensifying geopolitical challenges.