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Yukana Inoue
Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, leaves the courthouse in Santa Ana, California, on Thursday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Feb 7, 2025
Ohtani's ex-interpreter Mizuhara sentenced to nearly five years in prison
The case involved the illegal transfer of nearly $17 million from the star's account to pay off gambling debts.
Investigators pursue a criminal case in the town of Oshima in Tokyo in January.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Feb 6, 2025
Concern over crime grows in Japan as cases rise for third straight year
The most drastic increase was seen in the number of fraud cases, which numbered 57,324 — up 24.6% from the previous year and with a total of ¥307.5 billion in damages recorded.
Shukan Bunshun published an editorial from the editor-in-chief on Thursday apologizing for the inaccuracy in its reporting on the Masahiro Nakai scandal.
JAPAN / Media
Jan 30, 2025
Shukan Bunshun criticized by former Osaka governor for not being upfront about correction
Toru Hashimoto has been critical of how the magazine had not been upfront about the change, despite it being a core issue of the scandal.
Fuji TV adviser Hisashi Hieda in 2005
JAPAN / Media
Jan 29, 2025
Who are the key figures involved in the growing Fuji TV scandal?
Koichi Minato, who resigned as president of Fuji TV on Monday, will be one focus of a third-party probe, given his executive role when the incident occurred.
Members of the media raise their hands for questions as outgoing Fuji TV President Koichi Minato attends a news conference in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Explainer
Jan 28, 2025
What we learned at Fuji TV's marathon Nakai scandal news conference
Longtime executive of Fuji TV Hisashi Hieda, who has been dubbed the “emperor” of the broadcaster, was not present at the news conference and did not resign.
Fuji TV President Koichi Minato (left) and Chairman Shuji Kanoh, also chairman of the broadcaster's parent company Fuji Media Holdings, bow during a news conference in Tokyo on Monday. The two have announced their resignations.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 28, 2025
Fuji TV president resigns over handling of Masahiro Nakai scandal
Koichi Minato has been the target of criticism following the revelation that he became aware of the incident involving Nakai right after it occurred in June 2023.
Fuji Television's poor handling of sexual misconduct allegations against celebrity Masahiro Nakai has led to an exodus of sponsors from the broadcaster.
JAPAN / Media / FOCUS
Jan 24, 2025
What are the real issues behind the Fuji TV scandal?
Fuji TV's handling of sexual misconduct allegations against TV personality Masahiro Nakai led to a firestorm of public disapproval. Where did it go wrong?
TV star Masahiro Nakai abruptly announced his retirement Thursday as the fallout from sexual misconduct allegations against him continued to expand.
JAPAN
Jan 23, 2025
Ex-SMAP member Masahiro Nakai to retire amid sexual misconduct allegations
The 52-year-old former SMAP member said his contracts had been wound up, and that negotiations with sponsors were in progress.
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on Stargate, as Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman look on in the Roosevelt room at the White House.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 22, 2025
SoftBank to help fund and lead Trump-backed Stargate AI project, a $500 billion venture
The president said it will be the largest AI infrastructure ever built and that it will help counter technology threats from China and other countries.
Fuji TV President Koichi Minato speaks at a news conference on Friday in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Media
Jan 20, 2025
What went wrong at Fuji TV's news conference on allegations against Nakai?
The broadcaster, which imposed various restrictions for the event that included denying access to many media agencies, ended up worsening the scandal.
More Japanese students are reluctant to study abroad following the pandemic, when borders were closed for many countries.
JAPAN
Jan 17, 2025
Tokyo to offer financial aid to students studying abroad
Applicants need to be Japanese nationals who are either enrolled in or set to enter a university or technical college in Japan and whose parents reside in Tokyo.
A map of the hypocentral region of an anticipated Nankai Trough earthquake
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 16, 2025
Possibility of Nankai Trough megaquake now 80%, government panel reports
Last year, the likelihood of an earthquake in the zone had been projected at “between 70% and 80%.”
Tourists visit Fushimi Inari Shrine in the city of Kyoto on Monday.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 15, 2025
Kyoto to raise accommodation tax to a maximum ¥10,000 per night
The collected money under the new plan would be used to improve infrastructure in the city, such as increasing public transportation.
A mirror reflects a collapsed house in the city of Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Dec. 10, nearly one year after a major earthquake struck nearby on New Year's Day in 2024.
JAPAN / Explainer
Jan 14, 2025
Miyazaki quake falls short of triggering Nankai Trough megaquake advisory
Though Monday's temblor struck a similar area to one in August that sparked the first advisory, no such alert was issued.
A portion of the Grand Ring at the site of the Osaka Expo during a media tour late last month
JAPAN
Jan 10, 2025
Race circuit and resort among post-event proposals for Osaka Expo site
One proposal envisages an entertainment complex housing a circuit and a large arena.
A busy street in Tokyo on Dec. 30. The number of influenza patients per clinic, on average, in the final week of December was the highest since health ministry records began in 1999.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 10, 2025
Japan's health ministry reports record-high flu cases
In the week through Dec. 29, the total number of reported flu cases was nearly three times the number from the same period in 2023.
The Toyama City Library, designed by Kengo Kuma, in November. The library is part of a building called Toyama Kirari that also houses the Glass Art Museum.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 8, 2025
New York Times chooses Toyama and Osaka as top places to go in 2025
The city of Toyama was praised by the Times as a place where tourists could “enjoy cultural wonders and culinary delights while skipping the crowds.”
A subsidy for epidural childbirths was one of Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike's campaign promises when she ran for her position last year.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 7, 2025
Tokyo looks to ease the pain — both physical and financial — of childbirth
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is looking to begin offering a subsidy for epidural childbirths in fiscal 2025.
Many Japanese dating apps have ways to detail specific interests that can be as narrow as one particular TV show, game or an artist.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 7, 2025
Swiping in Japan: How Gen Z is changing the dating app game
The once-stigmatized apps are flourishing as a new normal for dating among Gen Z in Japan, albeit with a different approach to before.
Children at a traditional festival in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Thursday. A forecast made by Tohoku University professor Hiroshi Yoshida estimates that Japan will be left with just one child on Jan. 5, 2720, based on current birthrate trends.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 6, 2025
2720 — the year when Japan is left with just one child
An expert on the graying of society has warned that the nation will be left with just one child age 14 and below in 695 years if its birthrate continues to decline.

Longform

Eme-Ima Kitchen is one of over 10,000 kodomo shokudō in Japan. A term first used in 2012 to describe makeshift eateries offering free or cheap meals to disadvantaged kids, it now refers to a diverse range of individuals, groups and organizations working to provide not only food but a sense of belonging to both children and adults.
Japan’s ‘children’s cafeterias’ are booming — but is that a good thing?