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November 22, 2025
 

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TAXES

The Cabinet is expected to submit an extra budget bill to finance the package to parliament, which is in session until Dec. 17.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 21, 2025
¥21.3 trillion stimulus package approved by Cabinet
Markets have been volatile amid concern about the plan, which includes ¥17.7 trillion of spending, ¥2.7 trillion in tax breaks and ¥900 billion in special account spending.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reportedly set to propose a stimulus package of about ¥17 trillion.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 18, 2025
Extra-big extra budget pushed by some Japanese lawmakers
Bonds and stocks sink as they ask for an additional $50 billion and say debt might be the answer.
Itsunori Onodera, chair of the Liberal Democratic Party's Tax System Research Commission said it is essential "to discuss the ideal form of our tax system from a perspective close to citizens, instead of presuming that tax increases are inevitable," at the party's headquarters in Nagatacho, Tokyo, on Monday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 18, 2025
LDP to consider adjustable income tax threshold
Itsunori Onodera, chair of the LDP's Tax System Research Commission, said it was "natural" to link the income tax threshold with consumer prices.
Japan's National Diet Building in Tokyo on Oct. 21. The Takaichi administration is set to finalize an economic stimulus package exceeding ¥17 trillion for Cabinet approval on Friday, according to a report.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 16, 2025
Japan's finance minister says stimulus package to exceed ¥17 trillion, Nikkei reports
Since taking office in October, Takaichi has pledged to compile a sizeable package of spending measures to cushion the economic blow from rising living costs.
Finance minister Satsuki Katayama answers questions from reporters in a group interview on Oct. 24.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 16, 2025
The challenges awaiting Japan’s new finance minister
Satsuki Katayama’s shattering of another glass ceiling last month puts her in charge of selling Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s “responsible and proactive fiscal policy.”
A plane takes off from Haneda Airport.
JAPAN
Nov 14, 2025
Japan may triple departure tax to tackle overtourism
The specific size of the increase will be discussed during fiscal 2026 tax system reform talks at the end of the year.
Officials of the six ruling and opposition parties attend a meeting to discuss scrapping the provisional gasoline tax surcharge, held at the parliament building on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 2025
Search for alternate funding after gas tax abolition to be delayed one year
Abolishing the provisional gasoline tax, which the ruling and opposition parties formally agreed to scrap on Dec. 31, is expected to generate a revenue drop of about ¥1.5 trillion.
Executives of six ruling and opposition parties discuss scrapping the add-on levy for gasoline during their meeting in the parliament building on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 2, 2025
Japan sees no stable funding for costly policy plans
Six ruling and opposition parties broadly agreed Friday to scrap the add-on levy for gasoline on Dec. 31 and for gas oil on April 1 next year.
"The aim is to address public anxiety and a sense of injustice, not to exclude foreigners," Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a news conference on Friday at the Prime Minister's Office.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 31, 2025
Japan's ministers likely to discuss policy for foreign nationals next week
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has made addressing issues related to foreign nationals one of her key policy agendas.
Itsunori Onodera, tax chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (right), and Kazuhiko Shigetoku, tax chief of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, speak to reporters in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Oct 30, 2025
Japan could scrap gasoline tax surcharge this year, LDP says
The ruling party had considered keeping the surcharge in place at least until mid-January in consideration of the gasoline industry.
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama is scheduled to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 24, 2025
Katayama talks taxes and debt without saying too much
In comments Friday, Japan's new finance minister steered clear of controversy and commitments.
AI’s potential to resolve advanced economies’ debt and growth issues is uncertain as it faces significant obstacles and may exacerbate political unrest, inequality and global conflicts.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 20, 2025
Will AI pay off the West’s debts?
To be sure, a wildly upbeat assessment of AI’s potential impact on economic growth has propelled asset markets higher over the last few years.
The city of Izumisano, in Osaka Prefecture, has successfully challenged a decision by the central government to cut special tax grants based on its revenues under the <i>furusato nōzei</i> (hometown tax donation) system.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 10, 2025
Government cuts to Izumisano's tax grants illegal, Osaka High Court rules
The city in Osaka Prefecture raised about ¥49.8 billion in donations in fiscal 2018, the most among the local governments under the hometown tax donation program.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has appointed Itsunori Onodera as chairman of its Research Commission on the Tax System.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 10, 2025
Onodera to head LDP's tax panel
Onodera will succeed Yoichi Miyazawa, who has served as chairman of the tax panel for a total of eight years since 2015.
The ruling and opposition parties hold talks at the parliament building on Sept. 5 over a proposal to scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge.
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Oct 1, 2025
Ruling-opposition talks on gasoline tax cut stall ahead of LDP election
The slowdown is widely attributed to the political lull caused by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election slated for Saturday.
The city of Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, used a crowdfunding-style hometown donation program to help fund fireworks during the Matsue Suigosai festival held in August.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Sep 29, 2025
Crowdfunding-style hometown donations gain traction in Japan
Such initiatives set clear fundraising targets and deadlines to solicit contributions to address specific local challenges.
The internal affairs ministry in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. The ministry has barred four municipalities from taking part in Japan's <i>furusato nōzei</i> hometown donation program for two years due to their excessive spending on the program.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 26, 2025
Four municipalities to be banned from hometown tax program after overspending
The municipalities affected are Soja in Okayama Prefecture, Unzen in Nagasaki Prefecture, Miyaki in Saga Prefecture and Yamato in Kumamoto Prefecture.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi speaks during an interview on Sept. 20 at parliament.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 26, 2025
LDP presidential candidate Hayashi sees need for backup of Tokyo
The idea has been championed by opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai, which is seeking to turn Osaka into a backup capital.
Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi has changed course on some economic issues.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 24, 2025
LDP presidential candidates get closer to opposition on some economic issues
They have to make more compromises as the ruling coalition no longer has the majority.
Agricultural minister Shinjiro Koizumi was the most favored candidate for the Liberal Democratic Party's next president, a Jiji survey found.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 18, 2025
Agriculture minister Koizumi most favored for LDP chief, poll finds
Koizumi was favored by 23.8% of respondents, while 21% backed former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi.
Japanese court orders Cloudflare to pay ¥500 million over manga piracy
Cloudflare has been ordered to pay ¥500 million after four major publishing firms accused the firm of copyright infringement for its role in hosting sites that distribute pirated copies of manga titles.
The reality of human trafficking in Japan
A view of Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward at night. Last year in Japan, 66 people were put in protective custody as victims of human trafficking. Among them, 58 — including all 41 minors — were Japanese nationals. International pressure to act on human trafficking led Japan to make efforts to crack down on the crime, such as a tightening of conditions in 2005 for entertainer visas.
First foreign president of Hosei University looks abroad for change
Hosei University President Diana Khor, who herself was an international student, aims to encourage students to look outward and cultivate a global mindset.
Yen and Japanese bonds continue to retreat as verbal intervention lacking
The yen has deepened recent lows against the dollar as the 'sell Japan' trade gains steam ahead of big fiscal stimulus.
A dictionary revision illustrates how Japanese keeps on evolving
The reference text A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar recently underwent a revision for the first time in nearly four decades.
First foreign president of Hosei University looks abroad for change
Hosei University President Diana Khor, who herself was an international student, aims to encourage students to look outward and cultivate a global mindset.
Japanese companies advised to change mindset about investment in Africa
Bernard Laurendeau, chief of Enkopa Lab Japan, in Tokyo last month
Munetaka Murakami headlines quartet looking to move to MLB via posting system
The Swallows' Munetaka Murakami has 246 career home runs in eight NPB seasons.
The reality of human trafficking in Japan
A view of Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward at night. Last year in Japan, 66 people were put in protective custody as victims of human trafficking. Among them, 58 — including all 41 minors — were Japanese nationals. International pressure to act on human trafficking led Japan to make efforts to crack down on the crime, such as a tightening of conditions in 2005 for entertainer visas.
Why we can’t get enough of the sham of the rental family
“Rental Family,” directed and co-written by the single-named Hikari, follows out-of-work actor Phillip (Brendan Fraser), who is hired as the “token white guy” at a Tokyo agency called Rental Family.

Podcast

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

Longform

An illustration features the Japanese signs for "ganbare" (good luck) and the Deaflympics, which will be held between Nov. 15 and 26.
A century of Deaf sport finds its moment in Tokyo
By Kathryn Wortley

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 6th annual Sustainable Japan Award.
We are pleased to announce the winners of the 6th annual Sustainable Japan Award.

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