U.S. and Iran set for new talks with with status of Hormuz in question ^41%

The Japan Times - By AFP-JIJI - 6/20/2026, 11:01 PM

Negativity Bias 32.8% - Optimism Bias 19.4% - Availability Heuristic 12.7%

Geneva – A new round of negotiations over the Middle East war was set to kick off Sunday, with Iranian negotiators arriving in the Swiss host city hours ahead of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, even as Tehran said it was closing the Strait of Hormuz again over Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Before boarding his flight to Europe, Vance told... more

Magnitude 6.2 quake shakes Hokkaido ^0.2%

The Japan Times - By AFP-JIJI - 4/26/2026, 11:09 PM

Availability Heuristic 30% - Post Hoc (False Cause) 30% - Unattributed Quote 30%

A strong earthquake rattled Hokkaido early Monday, the U.S. and Japanese meteorological agencies reported, the latest in a series of powerful tremors to hit the island nation. The 6.2 magnitude quake struck shortly before 5:30 a.m. in Hokkaido's southern region, at a depth of 83 kilometers, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported. The... more

Over 3,200 forced to evacuate as crews battle Iwate wildfires ^42.6%

The Japan Times - By AFP-JIJI - 4/25/2026, 5:10 AM

Otsuchi, Iwate Pref. – Hundreds of firefighters were battling wildfires in the forests of northern Japan on Saturday, as authorities urged more than 3,200 people to evacuate from their homes, government officials said. As of Saturday morning, blazes in the mountainous areas of Iwate region had burned about 700 hectares (1,730 acres)... more

Takaichi confirms release of more oil reserves next month ^0%

The Japan Times - By AFP-JIJI - 4/10/2026, 4:28 AM

Optimism Bias 20% - Framing Effect 13.5% - Appeal to Authority 13.5%

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Friday that officials would release an extra 20 days' worth of oil reserves from next month. The country began tapping its stockpiles in March as the government looked to temper a spike in prices caused by the hit to supply from the Middle East war. "To ensure the stable supply of crude oil, we will... more

Trump agrees to two-week ceasefire with Iran with reopening of Strait of Hormuz ^0%

The Japan Times - By REUTERS, AFP-JIJI - 4/8/2026, 7:31 AM

Post Hoc (False Cause) 68.5% - Availability Heuristic 38.9% - Negativity Bias 38.9%

WASHINGTON/DUBAI/CAIRO/TOKYO – The United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, reaching a deal less than two hours before President Donald Trump's deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face the wiping out of "a whole civilization." The announcement late Tuesday represented an abrupt turnaround from Trump's... more