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August 25, 2025
 

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Shoko Oda
A liquefied natural gas tanker is tugged toward a thermal power station in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, in November 2017
BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2023
Japan’s dwindling LNG inventories could prompt new purchases
Storage held by Japan’s power suppliers fell to 1.62 million tons as of Sept. 17, according to data compiled by the trade ministry.
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway in June raised its stake in Japan's five major trading firms. All of them beat net-income estimates for the first quarter of the fiscal year.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 4, 2023
Buffett’s favored Japan trading firms post solid earnings
The five major trading firms all beat net-income estimates for the first quarter of the fiscal year in reports issued this week.
A Toyo Safety Industrial helmet with a built-in fan is showcased at Extreme Heat Countermeasures Exhibition in Tokyo in July.
BUSINESS
Jul 31, 2023
Fan-cooled beds and baby carriers among new gadgets to beat heat
At Tokyo’s annual trade show last week the focus was on how to keep workers in high-temperature environments cool and reduce the risk of heatstroke.
A wind turbine stands next to solar panels at a Banpu Power solar plant in Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture.
ENVIRONMENT / Energy
Jul 25, 2023
Wind, solar and EVs offer Japan cheapest net zero climate path
In contrast to its G7 peers, Japan is still considering climate policies that extend the life of coal and gas-fired plants.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 6, 2023
Seafood and beauty exports at risk over Fukushima waste disposal plan
China and Hong Kong, both major importers of Japanese goods, have reiterated concerns over the plan even after the International Atomic Energy Agency said the disposal strategy is safe.
JAPAN
Jul 3, 2023
Japan set to release Fukushima water into Pacific, angering China
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Director-General Rafael Grossi will visit Japan from Tuesday to deliver a final report on the safety of the process.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 28, 2023
A small Japanese town sets new precedent for women in politics
Among the country’s city councils and assemblies, men held more than 80% of the total seats as of 2021. But in Ebetsu, more than 40% of the city council members are women.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 10, 2023
Japan says no decision yet on chip export restrictions
Many U.S. allies are struggling to balance Washington’s concerns about China’s access to leading-edge technology with their reliance on the world’s biggest manufacturer.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 8, 2023
Hold the mayo as Japan egg shortage hits McDonald’s to 7-Eleven
McDonald’s Japan’s Teritama Muffin — a breakfast sandwich that combines egg, sausage and teriyaki sauce — is now off the menu.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 6, 2023
Nuclear power revival reaches Japan, home of the last meltdown
Faced with rising heating bills this winter after a sweltering summer spent worrying about blackouts, more people are now reappraising the benefits of cheaper and more stable energy.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 24, 2023
Ski resorts in Japan another victim of surging energy costs
While Japan has so far escaped a significant falloff in snow, rising costs mean many of the country’s smaller resorts are walking an economic tightrope.
JAPAN
Jan 20, 2023
Power conservation may lead to higher mortality risk, study claims
Researchers estimated that about 7,710 people died prematurely in Japan each year during energy savings campaigns in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
JAPAN
Jan 11, 2023
Samurai swords and ancient scrolls hit by global energy crisis
The Tokyo National Museum expects utility costs to more than double the budget allocated for this year ending in March.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 16, 2022
Coal’s surge won’t stop Idemitsu selling Australian mine stake
The firm is in talks with several entities interested in acquiring its 85% stake in the Ensham mine in Queensland, said President Shunichi Kito.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 2, 2022
Energy-poor Japan could set up liquefied natural gas reserve
The government will propose a plan to secure a so-called strategic buffer LNG, with authorities supporting local companies to buy excess supply for energy security.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 21, 2022
Global LNG supplies are ‘sold out’ for years, Japan ministry warns
Countries around the world are scrambling to secure shipments of the power plant and heating fuel from major exporters like Qatar and the United States.
BUSINESS
Nov 18, 2022
Investors wary of greenwashing in Japan’s $140 billion bond plan
The ambiguous name and a lack of details over what the proceeds would be used for are sparking concerns among investors.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 13, 2022
Japan’s top refiner is gearing up for the oil industry’s decline
Eneos Holdings has an outline for fusing operations but is still discussing which of its refineries to shutter when, the firm's president has said.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 2, 2022
Energy crunch pushes Japan into era of uncharted coal power
Electricity supply is expected to remain tight this winter and experts say extreme weather like this summer's heatwave is becoming more common.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 9, 2022
Tokyo taxi fares set for rare hike as inflation pressures mount
The hikes are needed in order to improve the wages and working environment of drivers, as well as to cover for rising fuel costs, the transport ministry said.
Japan to revise romanization rules for first time in 70 years
The Agency for Cultural Affairs is recommending replacing the government’s long-standing Kunrei system with more widely used Hepburn-style spellings.
Character-crazed Japan has little appetite for Labubu
A pop-up advertisement for the newly opened Chiikawa Park in Tokyo's Ikebukuro neighborhood demonstrates how the country is chockful of cute characters — to the detriment of trends like Labubu.
At meeting rich in symbolism, Ishiba and South Korea's Lee agree to steadily build ties
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba shake hands at joint press announcement after summit talks in Tokyo on Saturday.
Are 'coolcations' the answer for Japan's heat-weary tourists?
Hikers on a trail in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture. As extreme heat continues to grip Japan, a tectonic shift may be underway in the nation’s summer tourism scene as more people gravitate toward cooler destinations.
Japan to boost support for joint ride-hailing services
Tatsuaki Igarashi, mayor of Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, exits a ride-sharing vehicle at Tsukuba Station in January.
Germany's first sakemaker offers a bold brew of ideas
Reigen, Germany's first sake brewery, makes a diverse, nontraditional range of sake that includes fruit-flavored sips and wine barrel-aged renditions.
Alicia Keys closed Summer Sonic, but J-pop owned it
Summer Sonic’s 2025 lineup demonstrated its strength, showcasing the latest in J-pop, including “new kawaii” act Fruits Zipper.
Is the LDP’s catch-all approach to politics still effective?
Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi visits Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Aug. 15. Political commentator Toru Hashimoto has suggested that Takaichi ought to lead a group of like-minded hawkish politicians out of the Liberal Democratic Party and form their own party.
Fingers sore from too much phone time? You might have ‘sumaho yubi.’
A catch-all term for tendonitis and arthritis caused by excessive smartphone use, 'sumaho yubi' may be difficult to treat for gadget-crazy Japan.
As farm minister, Koizumi is held ‘hostage’ by Ishiba
Farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi (center) attends a Lower House session on Aug. 1. Locking Koizumi into the Cabinet is Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s way of turning a potential rival into a team player, according to one expert.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.
From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past
By Alex K.T. Martin

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