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Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks about U.S. tariffs in Tokyo last week.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 25, 2025

Japan doubles down on stimulus to counter effects of Trump tariffs

The government will implement measures that build on ones announced earlier with the aim of boosting domestic spending and shoring up corporate balance sheets.
An investigation by World Rugby found that JRFU Chairman Kensuke Iwabuchi did not breach Asia Rugby's code of conduct.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Apr 25, 2025

Furious Japan seeks apology after 'no basis' found for chairman's Asia Rugby ban

World Rugby was called in to investigate in February when Asia Rugby banned Iwabuchi from its executive committee for a potential code of conduct breach.
Takuya Yokota, the leader of a group of families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea decades ago (left), asks people for signatures to seek their return during a campaign held in Tokyo on Saturday.
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2025

Family members of North Korea abductees hold Tokyo campaign to seek their return

Meanwhile, in Washington, 17 members of U.S. Congress sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to "prioritize" the return of the Japanese abductees.
Crown Prince Akishino attends the memorial mass for Pope Francis at St. Mary's Cathedral in Tokyo on Sunday.
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2025

Japan crown prince attends memorial mass for Pope Francis

The mass, hosted by the Apostolic Nunciature to Japan, was attended by about 1,000 people, including U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass.
The site of a cave-in incident in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, on Jan. 30
JAPAN
Apr 28, 2025

Over 20% of Japan's water pipes are past their service life

The proportion of pipes in operation for over 40 years is expected to reach around 70% by fiscal 2042.
A manhole card and a manhole cover featuring characters from "Sailor Moon," on Feb. 10. The cards were handed out by Tokyo's Minato Ward, where the series is set.
JAPAN
May 4, 2025

Manhole cover designs recognized as tourism assets in Japan

The initiative to create specially designed manhole covers began as a public relations campaign to improve the image of the sewage industry.
"Quiet quitting" is most common among the younger generation, with 46.7% of respondents to a survey in their 20s identifying with the practice, reflecting a less-motivated workforce more focused on work-life balance.
JAPAN / Society
Apr 28, 2025

Nearly half of workers in Japan engage in ‘quiet quitting’

Some 45% of full-time employees are doing just the bare minimum at work, according to a survey by job-matching company Mynavi.
Jera, the world's biggest liquefied natural gas buyer, sees U.S. President Donald Trump's pet project in Alaska one of the promising procurement sources.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 28, 2025

Japan’s top gas buyer mulls procuring LNG from Alaska export project

"We see Alaska as one of the promising procurement sources,” Naohiro Maekawa, an executive officer at Jera, said at a news conference on Monday.
Former Prime Minister Naoto Kan is among a list of 3,990 individuals recognized by the government in this year's spring honors.
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2025

Japan's spring honors to celebrate contributions of 3,990 people

Award ceremonies for grand cordons and orders with gold and silver stars will be held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on May 9.
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki (center) takes part in a joint patrol involving the U.S. military and the Okinawa Prefectural Police in the city of Okinawa on April 18.
JAPAN
Apr 30, 2025

U.S. forces and Okinawa officials to meet in May to address local concerns

The forum is designed to address a range of issues and improve community relations.
Trade minister Yoji Muto
BUSINESS
Apr 30, 2025

Japan keen to team up with ASEAN for free trade system

ASEAN said it will continue constructive dialogue with Washington while maintaining the rules-based multilateral trade system.
The Tomari nuclear power plant in Tomari, Hokkaido, in March 2024
JAPAN
Apr 30, 2025

Japan approves restart of nuclear reactor for first time in four years

The Nuclear Regulation Authority approved a preliminary report saying Hokkaido Electric Power’s Tomari No. 3 reactor meets post-Fukushima safety rules.
The focus of this summer's election will be whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition can secure a majority of 125 seats in the Upper House, including seats that are not up for grabs in the upcoming race.
JAPAN / Politics
May 1, 2025

315 people gearing up to run in Japan's Upper House race

The focus will be on whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition will secure an Upper House majority of 125 seats.
Hiroshi Kanamoto, a representative of Nihon Hidankyo, speaks at a preparatory meeting for the 2026 Review Conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in New York on Wednesday.
JAPAN
May 1, 2025

Hidankyo member calls for nuclear weapons to be eliminated

The previous two Nonproliferation Treaty review conferences ended in failure.
The café space at the Osaka Expo's British pavilion
JAPAN
May 2, 2025

Britain responds after Expo 2025 afternoon tea brews outrage

Earlier this week, a post deploring the overall quality of the pavilion's tea set — including "a tea bag stuck in a paper cup" — went viral on X.
Workers stand around a vehicle carrying the body of a person recovered from a sinkhole in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, on Friday.
JAPAN
May 2, 2025

Truck driver's body recovered from huge Japan sinkhole after three months

A road in the city of Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, caved in during morning rush hour in late January while the 74-year-old man was driving his truck on it.
Four Japanese automakers reported selling more new vehicles in the U.S. in April, driven by last-minute demand amid concerns car prices might rise due to additional tariffs.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 2, 2025

Four Japan automakers see higher U.S. sales on last-minute demand

Toyota, Honda Motor, Mazda Motor and Subaru all saw their sales rise in April.
The Bank of Japan signals rate-hike uncertainty and slashes growth forecasts amid rising trade and inflation concerns, as the central bank's earlier optimism is upended by U.S. President Trump's tariff moves.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 2, 2025

Bank of Japan will struggle to justify hikes after this

Few anticipated how dovish the BOJ would sound on the future direction of rates or how gloomy it would be on the near-term prospects for achieving the inflation goal.
Tetsuo Sato, a 105-year-old former soldier, talks about the Imphal Operation, in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, on March 30.
JAPAN
May 3, 2025

'War must never happen again': Former Japanese soldier recalls battle of Imphal

The Imphal operation during World War II is known as one of the most reckless battles waged by the Imperial Japanese Army.
A medical evacuation helicopter. The control rod is in the tail rotor section of a helicopter.
JAPAN
May 3, 2025

Control device found broken in April chopper crash in Japan

An investigation of an ambulance helicopter that crashed last month has found that a key component controlling the aircraft's body had been broken.
Japan climbed four positions from last year, with Reporters Without Borders noting that "the principles of media freedom and pluralism are generally respected" in the country.
JAPAN
May 3, 2025

Japan ranks 66th in press freedom, lowest among G7

Reporters Without Borders noted that "the principles of media freedom and pluralism are generally respected" in the country.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks in a video message on Saturday to a gathering of people in Tokyo who support revising the Constitution.
JAPAN / Society
May 4, 2025

Rallies held on Japan's Constitution Day

Citizens opposed to revising Japan's Constitution rallied in Koto Ward, while advocates of a constitutional amendment held an event in Chiyoda Ward.
Amid shortages, the price of a 5-kilogram bag of rice during the week of April 14 was ¥4,220.
JAPAN
May 4, 2025

Why are rice prices still high in Japan?

The average price of 5 kilograms of rice in mid-April was ¥4,220 — more than double what it cost around the same time last year.
Ahead of Children’s Day, a survey of kids entering elementary school in Japan found their top dream job was cake shop and bakery worker, followed by police officer and athlete.
JAPAN / Society
May 4, 2025

Cake shop workers and police officers high on dream job list in Japan

Cake shop and bakery worker topped the overall rankings covering both boys and girls, chosen by 11.7% of the respondents.
The health ministry and some municipalities are turning to spot workers to solve the labor shortage in the nursing care industry.
JAPAN / Society
May 5, 2025

More nursing care facilities in Japan embrace 'spot work' amid labor shortage

The demand for care providers is expected to rise to around 2.4 million by fiscal 2026 and about 2.72 million by fiscal 2040.
The proportion of children in Japan's overall population came to a record low of 11.1% as of April 1, dropping for 51 years in a row.
JAPAN / Society
May 4, 2025

Japan's child population falls for 44th straight year

The country's child population hit the lowest level since comparable data became available in 1950.
Takuya Yokota speaks during a news conference in Washington on Wednesday.
JAPAN
May 5, 2025

Relatives urge North Korea to release abductees

The news conference was held after members of the association returned from a trip to the United States.
For Japan, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins indicated the possibility of asking for market-opening measures for agricultural products.
BUSINESS
May 6, 2025

U.S. agriculture secretary to visit Japan for trade talks

The U.S. agriculture secretary indicated the possibility of asking for market-opening measures for agricultural products.
The Osaka city board of education organized classes in which elementary school students disassembled devices slated for disposal and learned about the recycling of the rare metals contained in them last November.
JAPAN / FOCUS
May 6, 2025

Disposal questions arise as student learning devices need replacing in Japan

The Osaka city board of education organized classes in which elementary school students disassembled devices slated for disposal.
The government is looking into measures to address a situation in which online advertisements with sexual content are posted on websites that may be accessible by children.
JAPAN / Media
May 7, 2025

Regulation of online ads with sexual content draws mixed views in Japan

While advocates seek measures to better protect children, critics worry they might infringe on freedom of expression.

Longform

Once smoky, male-dominated spaces, today's net cafes, like Kaikatsu Club, are working to make their operations more attractive to women customers.
The second life of Japan's net cafes