addresses supporters Thursday morning in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, as he opens his campaign for re-election in the April 8 poll, while former Miyagi Gov. Shiro Asano, considered his main contender, waves as he appears before voters in front of the metro government building in Shinjuku. KYODO, SATOKO KAWASAKI PHOTOS

News photo

The elections will be the first nationwide electoral challenge to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling bloc since he took office last September and are viewed as a prelude to the House of Councilors election in July.

Our Planet

A coral reef in Okinawa in July 2022. Some jurisdictions around the world have moved to ban certain sunscreens in a bid to protect coral reefs, but some say the impact on reefs is far from clear.
Japan’s top brands get tied up in the great sunscreen debate

Longform

In 2020, 38% of all households were single-person. That figure is projected to rise to 44.3% by 2050.
The rise of AI companionship in a lonely Japan