Leaders of 21 Asia-Pacific Rim nations wrapped up their annual summit with a statement underscoring regional economic cooperation, just days after the presidents of the United States and China agreed to dial down their trade war.
  
After two days of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the South Korean city of Gyeongju, APEC leaders issued a joint statement pledging greater cooperation to overcome shared challenges in a global economy hit hard by trade tensions between the U.S. and China, the world’s two largest economies.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping — who met on the sidelines of the APEC summit — dialed back earlier steps and agreed to de-escalate trade tensions.

Trump, known for his dismissal of multilateralism, quickly left South Korea after the agreement with Xi, allowing the Chinese president to steal the limelight at the summit.


APEC leaders call for greater cooperation

The joint statement declared that the APEC leaders "acknowledge the global trading system continues to face significant challenge.”

“We reaffirm our shared recognition that robust trade and investment are vital to the growth and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region,” it says.

Jeonghun Min, a professor at South Korea’s National Diplomatic Academy, said the statement avoided direct language supporting “free and open trade,” but still managed to endorse economic cooperation and multilateralism, which embody “the very purpose of free trade

"It wasn’t possible to leave that out entirely,” said Min.
The joint declaration also said that APEC members remain committed to the Putrajaya Vision 2040, a new 20-year growth vision adopted in 2020 that calls for a trade environment that’s “free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable.”


Xi takes center stage

On Friday, Xi told the summit that China would support global free trade and supply chain stability — an apparent effort to position his country as an alternative to Trump’s protectionist policies. In written remarks sent to a CEO summit held in conjunction with APEC, Xi said that “investing in China is investing in the future.”

Xi also met with his Japanese, Canadian and Thai counterparts bilaterally on Friday and was to meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday for one-on-one talks that Seoul officials said would touch on efforts to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

That agenda has apparently angered North Korea, a non-APEC member. North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Pak Myong Ho on Saturday slammed South Korea for talking about “its daydream” of realizing North Korea’s denuclearization.

He said North Korea will show how such a push is "a pipedream" that can never be realized. Park's statement was seen as applying pressure ahead of the Xi-Lee meeting.

Lee, an advocate of reconciliation with North Korea, said Saturday he would take “more active preemptive steps” to lower military tensions with the North, stressing that peace on the Korean Peninsula is essential to prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.

Trump earlier repeatedly expressed his desire to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to South Korea, but North Korea did not respond. Trump and Kim met three times in 2018-19, but their nuclear diplomacy eventually collapsed.

North Korea has since vowed not to place its advancing nuclear program on a negotiating table, but experts say the North would aim for winning extensive sanctions relief in return for a partial surrender of its advancing nuclear program.


APEC meeting also talks AI and demographic issues

While the summit focused on ways to boost trade and investment on Friday, Saturday's meeting had cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence, demographic challenges and cultural industries on its agenda.

APEC leaders also issued two separate statements on Saturday. One called for a coordinated approach to the changes brought on by AI, which they described as a potential economic catalyst that also poses challenges in rapidly evolving digital environments.

The other urged for cooperation to address declining birth rates, aging populations and accelerated urbanization.

Established in 1989, APEC champions free and open trade and investment to promote regional economic integration. But the region now faces challenges such as the U.S.-China rivalry, supply chain disruptions, aging populations and the impact of AI on jobs.

The U.S. strategy recently shifted to economic competition with China rather than cooperation, with Trump’s tariff hikes and “America first” agenda shaking markets and threatening decades of globalization and multinationalism.
 
 

Saturday marks one month since the start of the US government shutdown. Lawmakers remain deadlocked over a spending bill, and the impasse has stalled a range of federal services. It could soon stop vital food assistance.

The shutdown is the second-longest in US history, behind the one during President Donald Trump's first term in 2018. That shutdown lasted 35 days.

National parks and museums are closed, and the Trump administration has been using the shutdown to reduce the federal workforce. It has sent layoff notices to more than 4,000 government employees. The US Congressional Budget Office says around 650,000 have been placed on unpaid leave.

Organizers of food banks rallied at the Department of Agriculture on Thursday, demanding food assistance be continued.

Department officials have warned that "the well has run dry," and no benefits will be issued from November 1. They say that during last fiscal year, more than 40 million Americans relied on the program each month. That accounts for about one-eighth of the population.

Anna Culbertson, a food drive organizer, said she and her colleagues cannot keep up without government support.

She said, "Even though we're doing a lot here today to raise food and funds for local community food banks, there's no way that the community can fill in the gaps."

Twenty-five states, including Massachusetts and California, as well as the District of Columbia, have sued the department. They argue that suspending the benefits is "unlawful."
 
 

Japan's staple rice production is forecast to total 7.11 million tons in 2026, down 370,000 tons from 2025, the agriculture ministry said Friday.

The estimate, used by farmers as a reference for rice planting, was submitted to the day's meeting of a subgroup of a ministry panel on agriculture policies.

The forecast was based on factors including an increase in the number of foreign visitors to the country.

Agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki, who assumed the post under the administration of new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, launched Oct. 21, has vowed to reverse the previous government's policy to increase rice production.

Suzuki has emphasized the importance of "demand-based production" to prevent rice price falls reflecting an excess in supply over demand.
 
 

The Japanese government plans to recruit hunters to cull bears, as anxiety grows in the country over a sharp rise in bear attacks.

The environment ministry said on Thursday that it would set aside funds to hire licenced hunters and other personnel to tackle bears that have been wandering into residential areas and attacking people.

The move is among measures proposed on Thursday, after the country held a high-level meeting to address the country's growing bear problem.

Twelve people have died in bear attacks this year - the highest the country has recorded since it started tracking cases in the 2000s.

They include a man who had been delivering newspapers in Hokkaido and a 67-year-old man found dead in his garden in Iwate.

The government, which have described bears as a serious threat to public safety, is also considering allowing police officers to shoot bears with their rifles. Officials have until mid-November to finalise the slate of counter-measures to the rising bear attacks.

Bears have been spotted breaking into supermarkets and high schools, and attacking residents going about their daily lives.

There are two types of bears in Japan: the Japanese black bear and the larger, typically more aggressive, brown bear found on the island of Hokkaido.

More than 100 people have been injured by bears this year, including at least one foreigner who was attacked near a bus-stop at a popular tourist site.

The problem is especially pronounced in Akita prefecture, home to large mountain ranges in northern Japan, which have the highest number of casualties.

Authorities announced this week that Japan's self-defence forces would be deployed help the Akita government capture and repel bears.

 

"The lives and livelihoods of people are under threat," defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on Tuesday, Kyodo reported.

Under current laws the troops are prohibited from shooting bears - but they can help bear hunters with trapping and transporting dead bears.

Akita governor Kenta Suzuki said that the people tackling the bear problem on the ground have become "exhausted".

Japan's hunters are ageing, and their numbers are declining - in line with the dwindling popularity of hunting the mammal, once sought-after for their fur and bile.

This has left populations more vulnerable to attacks as bears increasingly wander into human habitats. Experts say the scarcity of beech nuts because of climate change could be driving hungry animals into people's residences.

Declining populations in residential areas have also been cited as a factor.
In September, Japan relaxed its gun rules to make it easier for people to shoot bears in residential areas.
 
 

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told U.S. President Donald Trump during their first summit on Tuesday that Japan intends to keep importing Russian liquefied natural gas for the time being, a Japanese government source said Wednesday.

The United States had been urging Japan to end Russian energy imports to reinforce sanctions on Moscow over its full-scale war against Ukraine that began in 2022.

At the meeting with Trump in Tokyo, Takaichi, who took office on Oct 21, stressed the necessity of buying Russian-produced LNG, citing the risk of domestic power shortages if imports were stopped , the source said.

In 2024, Russian LNG accounted for 8.6 percent of Japan's total imports of the energy source, which is mainly used for thermal power generation and city gas.

The gas comes from the Sakhalin 2 energy project in the Russian Far East, in which two Japanese firms continue to hold stakes even after British oil major Shell PLC withdrew following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Tokyo has faced criticism that payments for Russian LNG help fund Moscow's war effort, while the European Union is set to fully suspend such purchases by the end of 2026.

Takaichi, a staunch conservative, is known for sharing hawkish views on diplomacy and security with Japan's longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in 2022.

Abe, who pursued dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, met him 27 times during his tenure through 2020 in a bid to resolve a territorial dispute but made no progress.

Takaichi has inherited the same unresolved issue over the Russian-held, Japanese-claimed islands off Hokkaido -- known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia -- which continues to prevent the signing of a postwar peace treaty.
 
 

Japan’s space agency successfully launched Sunday its most powerful flagship H3 rocket, carrying a newly developed unmanned cargo spacecraft for its first mission to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said the HTV-X1 spacecraft successfully lifted off atop the No. 7 H3 rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center in the country’s south and confirmed it entered targeted orbit 14 minutes after liftoff.

The spacecraft was separated and placed into a planned orbit, JAXA said. If everything goes smoothly, it is expected to arrive at the ISS in a few days to deliver supplies. Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, currently at the ISS, is set to catch the craft with a robot arm in the early hours of Thursday.

The HTV-X is the successor to JAXA’s unmanned H-II Transfer Vehicle, known as Kounotori, or stork in Japanese, which flew nine missions to the ISS between 2009 and 2020.

The new freighter can carry a bigger payload and supply power during flight, enabling the transport of lab samples that require storage at low temperatures.

The HTV-X is designed to be connected to the ISS for up to six months to deliver supplies and retrieve waste from the ISS, then conduct technical missions while making an orbital flight after leaving the station, this time for three months.

Sunday’s launch also marks a successful debut for H3 rocket’s most powerful version, with four rocket boosters and a bigger fairing, a top compartment for payloads, officials said.

JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa called Sunday’s launch “a major step forward” that demonstrated Japan’s capability of delivering supplies to space, which serves as “the basis of autonomous space activity.”

Iwao Igarashi, head of the Space Business Department at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, responsible for developing H3 with JAXA and operating rocket launches, said Japan’s track record of on-time launch and accuracy in delivering payloads and the newly modified rocket prove they can accommodate a range of customer needs. He said his company plans to expand its launch facility.

H3 rocket replaces Japan’s long-beloved mainstay H-2A rocket, which made its final flight in June, as a new flagship model designed to be more cost-competitive in the global space market. The H3 has so far made six consecutive successful flights after a failed debut attempt in 2023, when the rocket had to be destroyed with its payload.

Japan sees a stable, commercially competitive space transport capability as key to its space program and national security.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi left Tokyo for South Korea on Thursday to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit and hold bilateral talks with East Asian neighbors, with the focus on her hawkish approach to regional issues.

During her three-day trip to the city of Gyeongju in the southeast of South Korea, Takaichi, who became Japan's first female prime minister on Oct. 21, will join the two-day summit starting Friday to discuss trade and investment.

A staunch conservative, Takaichi said she will meet with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung later Thursday, expressing her intention to "have a meaningful meeting." She also said talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping are being arranged.

"I intend to robustly build cooperative and trusting relationships with other leaders for peace, stability and prosperity in the region," Takaichi told reporters at the prime minister's office before departing.

Takaichi will hold a press conference on Saturday to wrap up her trip before leaving for Japan.

Takaichi is known for her past visits to the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, which honors the war dead along with Japan's wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by a post-World War II international tribunal.

It has long been a source of diplomatic friction with China and South Korea.
At the planned meeting with Lee, Takaichi aims to emphasize her intention to advance "future-oriented" bilateral ties and hold frequent summits, sources familiar with the matter said.

Takaichi and Lee are also expected to affirm the importance of bilateral cooperation as well as trilateral cooperation with the United States in addressing North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile development programs, they said.

With Xi, Takaichi is likely to reaffirm Friday Japan and China's shared commitment to promoting a "mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests" and building "constructive and stable" ties, according to the sources.

Takaichi is expected to raise concerns about China's military activities in the East China Sea, including those near the uninhabited Senkaku Islands that are controlled by Japan and claimed by China, the sources said.

Japan's government is also arranging bilateral meetings between Takaichi and the leaders of other participating countries.

Takaichi made her diplomatic debut in person last weekend when she traveled to Malaysia to take part in Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related summit meetings.
 

 

Newspaper Subscription Rate Down to 50%

The monthly newspaper subscription rate among Japanese households continues to fall, according to a survey conducted by Japan Press Research Institute. As of 2025, it stands at 50.1%, having dropped 3.7 percentage points year on year. The current figure is almost 40 points lower than in fiscal 2008, the first year the survey was carried out, when the rate was 88.6%.

The survey was conducted door to door from July to August 2025. To avoid bias toward users of specific media, a random sample of 5,000 people across the country aged 18 and above was selected using the Basic Resident Register, and 2,665 responses were received.

A total of 40.7% of respondents said they intended to continue to subscribe to print newspapers, marking a considerable decline from 58.5% recorded in the fiscal 2018 survey.

Meanwhile, 29.3% said that free access to newspapers, such as at libraries or online, was sufficient, and 15.9% said that they would not read a newspaper, even if it was free.
When it came to accessing news daily, 46.5% of respondents said they checked online every day, followed by 46.1% for commercial television, 35.8% for public broadcaster NHK, 33.4% for newspapers, and 9.2% for radio.

However, when asked to rate how much they trust information from various types of media on a scale of 100 points, respondents gave NHK the highest grade with 66.8 points, marginally ahead of newspapers with 66.2. While online news was the most commonly accessed source, its trust rating was at 47.4, down 1.1 points year on year as part of a long-term decline. Concerning the use of the internet and social media in election campaigning, 56.8% thought that it had a positive or somewhat positive effect on Japanese politics, while 39.6% who thought that it had a negative or somewhat negative effect.

However, only 28.0% agreed with the statement, “You can understand social realities better through social media than through the mass media,” compared with 57.6% who disagreed with it.


Data Sources

• Media survey (Japanese) from Japan Press Research Institute.

 
 

Japan is to showcase its film industry and push for more international co-productions as the country of honour at Cannes’ Marche du Film in 2026.

After being announced during the opening ceremony of Tokyo International Film Festival on Monday, Japanese executives and Marche executive director Guillaume Esmiol revealed further details during a press conference in Tokyo today (October 28).

During the Marche, which takes place from May 12-20, 2026, a dedicated conference will explore the strengths of Japanese cinema through a series of seminars while screenings of the latest films from the country will be shown.

The Marche’s Producer’s Network will organise meetings with leading international producers in a bid to forge connections with Japan and further networking between Japanese and French producers will take place on Co-Production Day.

Animation Day will see anime-related discussions, including a collaboration with Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and a work-in-progress event will explore financing and co-production opportunities.

Japan will also co-host the opening night party, which draws more than 1,200 people from the international film industry, and will include an increased delegation of Japanese participants.

The programme is being overseen by the Executive Committee for Japan, Country of Honour 2026; the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI); and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).

Tsuchiya Takashi, director of JETRO’s digital marketing department, said the activities would sit under the banner Beyond Boundaries: Tradition, Innovation and the Future of Japanese Cinema.

“We want to contrast the past and present of Japanese cinema,” he said. “Anime will be at the centre but there are a wide range of diverse expressions. We want to remind cinephiles that Japanese cinema is always a presence worth paying attention to.”

Esmiol said discussions began three years ago and that Japan was a natural choice as country of honour, especially after featuring a record level of 10 films from the country in this year’s Official Selection.

“Japan holds a unique place in international cinema, and its creative legacy continues to inspire generations of filmmakers,” he said. “It also holds a unique place at the Marché du Film, as one of the most represented and dynamic countries, with highly active sales companies and producers.

“On a more personal note: as someone with Japanese roots, it’s a beautiful opportunity to pay tribute to my cultural heritage.” Esimol pointed out his Japanese mother, who was sat in the front row of the assembled press at the conference.

Japan has been exploring an increasing number of international co-productions in recent years and Junichi Sakomoto, chair of the country of honour executive committee, said more could be on the way.

“In the past, it’s true there haven’t been a lot of international co-productions [involving Japan] but we are building momentum,” he said. “Global international co-production is going to be a key stream going into the future and this is a significant chance to promote more deals.”

Yasushi Shiina, who is TIFFCOM CEO, vice president of Unijapan and vice chair of the country of honour committee, added that it would also provide a chance to demystify Japan’s production committee style of filmmaking.

“When talking about co-producing with Japan, there is this production committee approach that isn’t easy to understand,” he said. “The first step in growing co-production will be educational efforts around this.”

Japan’s film industry is robust, producing around 1,200 films annually and drawing more than 150 million cinemagoers each year. Its box office generates around $1.3bn (¥200bn) in annual revenue. Japanese anime has also become a global cultural phenomenon, while live-action films continue to find success and inspire adaptations.

Satoru Hayasaka, deputy director for culture and creative industries at METI, said the initiative aligns with Japan’s goal to generate $131.5bn (¥20tn) in overseas content revenue by 2033.

“Cannes will bring together one of the world’s top three film festivals with one of the top three markets,” he said. “In 10 years, when we look back, I want it to mark a turning point for the expansion of our film industry.”

Japan follows Brazil (2025), Switzerland (2024), Spain (2023) and India (2022) as the fifth country of honour, an initiative launched to recognise nations for their outstanding contributions to the global film industry and to foster international exchange and collaboration.
 
 

President Donald Trump began one of his busiest days of his Asia trip on Tuesday by warmly greeting the new Japanese prime minister, and taking her with him as he spoke to U.S. troops aboard an aircraft carrier.

Although Trump is visiting one of America's most steadfast allies in Asia, there's no shortage of uncertainty while he's there. Sanae Takaichi, who became the country's first female prime minister only days ago, must solidify her relationship with Trump while defending her country's economic interests. Trump is trying to nail down $550 billion in Japanese investment as part of a trade agreement.


Trump and Takaichi swap warm words

As Trump and Takaichi met on Tuesday, they shook hands and he paid her a compliment: "That's a very strong handshake."

In return, Takaichi talked about watching the third game of the U.S. World Series before the event. She added that Japan would give Washington 250 cherry trees next year to honor America's 250th anniversary, as well as fireworks from Akita Prefecture for July 4 celebrations.
 
She used her early remarks to mention former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, her archconservative mentor who forged a strong bond with Trump during his first term through their shared interest of golf.
 
"As a matter of fact, Prime Minister Abe often told me about your dynamic diplomacy," she said.
 
Trump called her role as Japan's first woman prime minister as a "big deal," putting an emphasis on the U.S. commitment to Japan. While the president in the past has publicly scolded his foreign counterparts, he had nothing but praise for Takaichi.
 
"Anything I can do to help Japan, we will be there," Trump said. "We are an ally at the strongest level."
 
Takaichi is primed for a charm offensive, including a potential purchase of Ford F-150 trucks. Reporters arriving for the event were hustled past a gold-hued Ford F-150 as well as what appeared to be white American-made Toyota vehicles parked outside the Akasaka Palace, which is Tokyo's guest house for visiting foreign leaders.

Trump has often complained that Japan doesn't buy American vehicles, which are often too wide to be practical on narrow Japanese streets.

The Japanese delegation also made the strategic choice to serve American beef and rice during a working lunch that was mixed with Japanese ingredients, at which the two leaders also discussed efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine.

Takaichi also gave Trump a putter used by Abe, the former prime minister, and a golf bag signed by the professional golfer Hideki Matsuyama, according to a post on X by White House aide Margo Martin. They signed black "Japan is Back" baseball caps that resembled Trump's own red "Make America Great Again" caps.


Agreements vow a 'golden age' for alliance and cooperation on critical minerals

Both leaders signed the implementation of an agreement for the "golden age" of their nations' alliance. When the document was held up after signing, it ran to less than one page and reaffirmed the earlier framework by which the U.S. would tax goods imported from Japan at 15% and the creation of a $550 billion fund for Japan to invest in the U.S.

Trump and Takaichi then signed a second agreement, this one laying out a U.S.-Japan framework for securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths. That agreement suggested that some of the investment dollars would go to the development of rare earths needed for advanced technologies.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Takaichi would be nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. The two leaders also met with people whose family members were abducted by North Korea.



Trump talks to troops on US aircraft carrier

Although Trump has focused his foreign policy toward Asia around tariffs and trade, he also spoke aboard the USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier docked at an American naval base near Tokyo. The president brought Takaichi with him and she also spoke.

The president talked about individual units on the aircraft carrier, his political opponents, national security and the U.S. economy, saying that Takaichi had told him that Toyota would be investing $10 billion in auto plants in America.

Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday, when he met with the emperor in a ceremonial visit. He was previously in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he participated in the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The gathering was an opportunity for Trump to celebrate an expanded ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, which skirmished along their disputed border earlier this year. Trump had pressured them to stop fighting by threatening to withhold trade agreements.

There were also signs that tensions between the U.S. and China were cooling off ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which is expected to take place in South Korea later this week.

Top negotiators from each country said a trade deal was coming together, which could prevent a potentially damaging confrontation between the world's two largest economies.

Details were scarce, and it was unclear how much any agreement would resolve long-standing issues, or if it would return the relationship to the status quo before recent confrontations.

China has restructured the export of rare earth elements that are critical for high-tech manufacturing, and Trump responded by threatening tariffs that even he admits would be unsustainable.

Trump is scheduled to leave Wednesday for South Korea, which is hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
 

 

Chairwoman of the Sakuranesia Indonesia Foundation Sakura Ijuin emphasized the importance of combining global values with local strengths — a concept she called “glocal cooperation” — to strengthen Indonesia–Japan ties in environment, culture, and education.

She made the remarks while speaking at the 12th Munakata International Environmental Conference in Fukuoka Prefecture on Sunday (Oct. 26), which drew more than 200 participants from around the world.

“One of the answers we were seeking turned out to lie within the fireworks tradition,” Ijuin said in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.

She highlighted the symbolic significance of Japan’s fireworks heritage as a bridge for cross-cultural collaboration, including with Indonesia.

She cited the collaboration between Japan’s Wakino Art Factory, a traditional fireworks producer from Kitakyushu, and Indonesia’s Nolimits Fireworks, which led to the first launch of Japan-made fireworks in Indonesia since World War II during the Jember Fashion Carnival (JFC).

“That night, tens of thousands of people looked up at the same sky. Fireworks became a bridge of light connecting people to people, nation to nation,” she said.

Ijuin also introduced three new international initiatives by the Sakuranesia Foundation: an interfaith dialogue titled “Miidera × Islamic Wisdom,” an environmental education program using football, and a cultural exchange project that will showcase Japan’s Dashi (festival float frames) at the JFC.

“From local to global — this mutual support embodies the essence of ‘Glocal’ in the new era,” Ijuin stated.

The conference, which opened on Saturday (Oct. 25), also featured a video message from Fukuoka Governor Seitaro Hattori, who outlined the prefecture’s initiatives to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

With the theme “Think Global, Act Local,” the forum provided a platform for nations to exchange ideas on addressing climate change and building environmentally resilient communities.
 

US President Donald Trump arrived at Tokyo's Haneda Airport shortly after 5 p.m. on Monday.

He was traveling from the ASEAN summit in Malaysia. This is his fourth visit to Japan as US president. The last was in 2019 to attend the Group of 20 summit in Osaka.

Trump met with Emperor Naruhito on Monday night. He will also meet with Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae on Tuesday.

Takaichi posted a message on X welcoming him. She wrote, "Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow and having a fruitful discussion on how we can further strengthen our great Alliance."

She also posted photos of Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree illuminated in the colors of the US national flag.

Trump and Takaichi are expected to talk about defense strategies and Japan's planned 550-billion-dollar investment in the US. The investment is the result of back and forth trade negotiations.
 
 

Tokyo will begin producing locally farmed caviar on Kozushima Island amid the decline in the number of spiny lobsters.

The Tokyo metropolitan government aims to cultivate sterlet sturgeon, which produces roe used to make caviar, creating a new income source for local fishermen. The caviar is expected to be on sale in jars and other forms by fiscal 2030.

Kozushima, in the Izu Islands, is located 160 kilometers southwest of Haneda Airport, and 50 kilometers south of the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture.

The island, with a population of 1,719 as of Oct. 1, is known for its set net fishing of spiny lobster and pole-and-line fishing for red seabream. However, the catch of spiny lobster has declined by 98% over the past 40 years.

“In the past, most boats focused on fishing for spiny lobster, but now there are only one or two left,” said Yoshiki Maeda, 63, chairman of the Kozushima fisheries cooperative.

The catch, which exceeded 23 tons in 1986, plummeted to 7.6 tons in 2013 and then to just 0.4 tons in 2023. Maeda said that in recent years the catch has been “at best about 10 kilograms per day.”

A 300-square-meter tank facility sits near the port in the eastern part of the island. When there is a good catch, some spiny lobsters can be stored here to prevent price collapses from simultaneous shipments. However, it has hardly been used in recent years and remains unfilled with seawater even during the fishing season from November to March.

According to the metropolitan government, the long-term decline in catches is thought to have been factors such as a result of rising sea temperatures due to global warming. The number of shellfish, such as abalone, and seaweed has also decreased. The number of fishermen has also fallen, from 182 in 2013 to 137 in 2023, a 25% drop over a decade.

As a result, Tokyo and the village of Kozushima have turned their focus to aquaculture, which is less susceptible to rising sea temperatures. After researching various fish species with a high value, they settled on freshwater sturgeon. They thought that the abundance of spring water was ideal for the freshwater fish, along with the lobster tanks.

Last month, Tokyo and the village signed an agreement to cooperate on aquaculture. The metropolitan government would cover the costs of research and for the renovation of the tank facility, which would need to be modified for sturgeon cultivation, while village will advance commercialization of the caviar for fish meat products.

“We can reuse the tanks to farm sturgeon,” said Maeda. “This is a welcome initiative.”

Juvenile and adult fish will be put into the tanks from next fiscal year, and a production system will be established by as early as fiscal 2030.

“After achieving success on Kozushima, we want to expand land-based aquaculture to areas like the Tama region and advance the branding of ‘Tokyo Caviar,’” a metropolitan official said.

 

Possible effects of global warming

The fishing industry in other areas of Japan has also seemingly been affected by global warming, with some municipalities collaborating with companies to cope with the issue.

The Aomori prefectural city of Hachinohe is known for its catches of mackerel and Japanese flying squid. However, volumes have fallen to less than one-tenth of their peak levels.

This June, the city began land-based aquaculture of the popular high-end barfin flounder in collaboration with local fishing companies and financial institutions. Calling it a first-time endeavor, a city official said, “We want this to be a model project for reviving Hachinohe’s fisheries.”

Mie Prefecture plans to start experimental mackerel aquaculture, both at sea and on land from fiscal 2023, to compensate for poor wild mackerel catches.

The town of Shiranuka in eastern Hokkaido has turned to catches of yellowtail, which has seen a surge in recent years, to make up for the lack of salmon, the local specialty.

The town built a new tank facility to preserve the freshness of yellowtail along with a processing plant, and is working on branding it as gokkan-buri, or yellowtail caught in extremely cold water.

Agricultural products have also been affected. Aomori Prefecture, Japan’s top apple producer, has seen poor coloring on the fruits, leading farmers to turn to growing peaches, which are relatively heat-tolerant. The area of peach cultivation has seen an increase of 1.4 times over the past decade.

The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry established its Climate Change Adaptation Plan in August 2015. It is advancing countermeasures across various sectors, including developing crops that are tolerant to high temperatures and transplanting high-water-temperature-tolerant culture breeds into seaweed beds, where fish can spawn and grow.
 
 

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will visit the Indo-Pacific region from early this week, including Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

In relation to this, Japan's Defense Ministry said Monday that Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will hold talks with Hegseth on Wednesday.

The Japanese minister intends to convey Japan's plan to bring forward the achievement of the goal to increase the country's defense spending and the revision of the government's three national security-related documents.

In a statement released on Sunday, the U.S. Defense Department said, "Key themes will include...the importance of allies stepping up their defense spending and contributions to our collective defense."

In Japan, the defense secretary will highlight "the importance of rapidly strengthening our alliance against growing regional threats," the statement said.

Hegseth is scheduled to accompany U.S. President Donald Trump on his visit to Japan.
 
 

Fujita Health University in Aichi Prefecture will establish an entity with its partners as early as November to apply to the health ministry for a license to operate organ transplant mediation services.

If it is approved as a body dedicated to explaining organ donation and obtaining consent from families of would-be donors, it will be the first case in which the tasks of the Japan Organ Transplant Network (JOT) are partially transferred under the medical transplantation system reform being promoted by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. A new entity could begin operations as early as within the current fiscal year.

In medical transplantation, the JOT handles explaining organ donation to family members of patients wishing to donate organs, as well as selecting would-be recipients of donated organs, among other relevant tasks.

However, with the JOT’s workload strained, the ministry has stepped up reforms to transfer some operations to entities in each region, launching a solicitation for such entities in late September.

The university will establish a general incorporated association with a transplant promotion group among others in the Chubu region to apply for a license to conduct organ transplant mediation services based on the Organ Transplant Law.

The ministry will decide whether to issue the license after hearing from a third-party organization.

An envisaged entity will employ several nurses and staff with previous experience at the JOT. When it gets contacted by hospitals in Aichi, Mie, Shizuoka, Gifu, Fukui, Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures about patients wishing to donate organs, it will dispatch staff to assist the families.

It will also be in charge of bringing in doctors from other hospitals for harvesting organs and securing organ transport methods.

The ministry plans to subsidize the new entity’s labor costs and equipment purchases.

In September, medical professionals nationwide attended a meeting the ministry held to explain about the establishment of such entities.

Fujita Health University Hospital has one of the highest numbers of organ transplants from brain-dead donors in Japan.

When a patient shows signs of brain death, the hospital has been providing family members with options regarding organ donation as a preliminary step before a formal explanation. It concluded that the expertise it has cultivated can be applied to the operations of a new entity.
 
 

Japan's new Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama on Sunday vowed to "do everything possible" to secure funds to raise the share of the country's defense spending to its gross domestic product to 2 pct in the current fiscal year.

"Japan is in the most severe security environment in the world, so we have to bring forward what we think is necessary," she said in a television program.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office Tuesday, said in her first policy address at the Diet, Japan's parliament, Friday that she aims to achieve the 2 pct goal in fiscal 2025 ending next March, two years ahead of the earlier envisaged fiscal 2027, by utilizing a planned supplementary state budget in addition to the full budget for the current fiscal year.

The government had planned to secure 43 trillion yen in defense budgets over the five years through fiscal 2027 partly by raising the corporate, income and tobacco taxes, dipping into budget surpluses and promoting spending reform.

Katayama did not clearly rule out the possibility of the government issuing deficit-financing bonds as a means to secure defense budgets, noting that "the existence of the nation is now at stake."
 
 

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is on high alert ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Tokyo which begins on Monday.
Police have set up a special security headquarters and will deploy about 18,000 personnel to provide security.

Vehicle checkpoints and guard dogs are being used to patrol around the U.S. embassy in Tokyo's Minato Ward.

In preparation for an emergency, the police will deploy an Emergency Response Team (ERT) equipped with submachine guns, an explosive ordnance disposal and chemical protection unit, a unit that can handle drones, and security dogs that can detect explosives.

During Trump’s visit, which lasts until Wednesday, traffic restrictions will be implemented on the Metropolitan Expressway as well as other streets, mainly in central Tokyo.

Patrols will be increased at major train stations and use of luggage lockers at stations will not be permitted.

As traffic congestion is expected, the Metropolitan Police Department is urging people to refrain from using private cars as much as possible and to use public transportation when going out.
 
 

Apartment hotels equipped with in-room kitchens and home appliances are on the rise in Japan on the back of their popularity among foreign tourists seeking stays in home-like environments, creating new business opportunities for construction and real estate companies.

Suitable for families and groups of close friends traveling on medium- and long-stay trips, such accommodation facilities do not have restaurants or other common facilities and require less labor for front desk services and linen replacement than business hotels because of the length of stays.

Said to be feasible to build even on small plots of land, apartment hotels have become a new option for rebuilding aging small- and mid-sized office buildings.

Real estate firm Cosmos Initia Co., seen as one of the pioneers of apartment hotels in Japan, launched its Mimaru brand in 2018 and operates a total of 27 facilities in the major tourist cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.

Its hotels have units starting at around 40 square meters in size and can accommodate four to 10 guests each. Foreign nationals make up 95 percent of its visitors, with many staying around four nights.

The average rate for rooms accommodating four guests stands at around 55,000 yen ($360) per room, up sharply from 30,000 yen to 40,000 yen before the coronavirus pandemic, according to the company.

"Although the rise in room rates has eased, supply has not kept up with demand for hotels accommodating large groups in urban areas," said Masami Akashi, who is in charge of Mimaru operations.

Meanwhile, Nippon Steel Kowa Real Estate Co. entered the market with the &Here brand in March 2024 and opened its third facility late last month in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo.

It plans to launch ones in the capital's Asakusa district, a popular tourist destination, and in Fukuoka in Kyushu.

Daito Trust Construction Co., a major rental housing firm, also aims to open such hotels in Tokyo and Fukuoka in 2027.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the average length of stay among foreign tourists in the country stood at 5.9 days in 2024.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi left for Malaysia on Saturday to attend summit talks related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Takaichi will emphasize the importance of the free and open Indo-Pacific initiative as well as free trade, aiming to demonstrate Japan's presence during her first overseas trip since taking office Tuesday.

"ASEAN is a hub linking the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, the global growth center and the key to Japan-led FOIP (initiative)," Takaichi told reporters at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.

"I would like to deepen my relationships of trust with ASEAN leaders and produce significant results," she also said. "I will advance Japan's diplomacy that flourishes on the world's center stage."

In her first policy address at the Diet, Japan's parliament, Friday, she vowed to strongly promote the FOIP initiative as a pillar of the country's diplomatic policy and evolve it in line with the times.
 
 

Toyota may announce plans to import U.S.-made cars to Japan during President Trump’s visit. The move could help narrow Japan’s trade deficit with the U.S.

Toyota Motor Corp may announce plans next week to import vehicles made in the United States to Japan, coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump’s three-day visit, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported Saturday, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

According to NHK, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda is expected to unveil the plan during a meeting between Trump and leading Japanese business executives. The move would mark a significant step in Japan’s efforts to reduce its trade deficit with the U.S.

Toyoda is arranging to attend the meeting, though a Toyota spokesperson said the report is not based on an official company announcement.

NHK added that the Japanese government is weighing regulatory changes to allow U.S.-made cars to be sold in Japan without additional safety testing, further aligning with trade discussions during Trump’s visit.
 
 

The funds will enable UXO Lao to clear confirmed hazardous areas and utilise modern equipment, such as heavy and light transport vehicles, including trucks with trailers and pickup trucks, as well as advanced UXO detectors.

The Government of Japan has provided US$4.5 million to help speed up the clearance of unexploded ordnance in three southern provinces.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Japan to Laos signed and exchanged notes on the provision of grant aid for the project, according to a statement from the ministry.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Anouparb Vongnorkeo signed the exchange note on behalf of the National Regulatory Authority for UXO/Mine Action Sector, along with the Ambassador of Japan to Laos, Mr Koizumi Tsutomu, representing the Japanese government.

The grant, worth 673 million yen, will support the third phase of a project titled “Local Development through Acceleration of the Clearance of Unexploded Ordnance in the Southern Provinces of Champasak, Salavan and Xekong”, where UXO contamination remains high.

The funds will enable UXO Lao to clear confirmed hazardous areas and utilise modern equipment such as heavy and light transport vehicles, including trucks with trailers and pickup trucks, as well as advanced UXO detectors like Vallon and Ebinger models.

Digital tablets will also be supplied to improve data collection, reporting and monitoring in the field.

The project includes financial support for management activities such as socio-economic impact surveys and audits to ensure operations are transparent and effective.

By making more land safe, the project is expected to boost rural livelihoods, agriculture and infrastructure development.

Mr Anouparb said the funds would help Laos address the deadly legacy of war and improve the quality of life in communities living with UXO threats.

The project aligns with the elevation of bilateral ties between Laos and Japan to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, aiming for a future of peace, security and prosperity, he added.

Ambassador Koizumi said UXO clearance is a humanitarian task and a key condition for sustainable development. This third phase of support reflects Japan’s long-standing commitment to helping Laos return safe land to communities and build a more secure future.

UXO clearance remains a top priority under the Lao government’s 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2021-2025 and is part of Sustainable Development Goal 18 “Lives Safe from UXO”.

Decades after the war ended, unexploded ordnance continues to threaten lives, limit farmland use, and slow the development of infrastructure across the country.

Japan has been a major partner in UXO clearance for many years, supporting operations, equipment and training to strengthen Laos’ capacity to remove unexploded ordnance effectively.

Unexploded ordnance remains a critical issue in Laos, with deadly devices continuing to threaten civilians in their everyday lives as a result of the legacy of war.

During the Indochina War from 1964 to 1973, US warplanes dropped more than 2 million tonnes of bombs on Laos, equivalent to about one tonne for every man and woman, making Laos the most heavily bombed nation on earth per capita.

An estimated 30 percent of the bombs dropped failed to detonate, contaminating 87,000 square kilometres of land across the country, with accidental explosions continuing to main and kill innocent civilians, according to the National Regulatory Authority for UXO/Mine Action.
 
 

European leaders have celebrated in social media posts the inauguration of new Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae.

"Congratulations...on your historic vote as Japan's first female prime minister," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

"I look forward to working together" with the new Japanese leader, who took office Tuesday, Starmer added, noting that the partnership between Britain and Japan is working well in fields including trade, innovation and defense and security.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that he hopes to work with Takaichi to deepen ties between France and Japan for peace, security, prosperity and democracy.

France and Japan are uniquely linked by an exceptional partnership forged by shared values and interests, he added.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said: "The close friendship between Germany and Japan will continue to grow in the future. I'm looking forward to working together (with Takaichi)."
 
 

Major League Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, appeared on a blackboard at his alma mater, Hanamaki Higashi High School in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, on Tuesday.

The blackboard art, depicting Ohtani in his Dodgers uniform, was displayed for one day only. It was made with 11 colors of chalk and filled the entire blackboard, which measured approximately 1.7 meters tall and 4.5 meters wide.

The artwork included a message in Japanese, which translated to: “It was 13 years ago today. Here at this school, I declared my dream,” referencing Ohtani’s announcement at the school on Oct. 21, 2012, that he would take on the challenge of playing in the Major Leagues.

The project was planned by Japan Airlines Co., which has a support contract with Ohtani, and created by chalk artist Mayumi Kawano.

Students cheered and took photos, excited by the appearance of their local hero. “It was incredibly powerful and moving,” a 17-year-old second-year student in the track and field club said with a smile. “I’m aiming for the Inter-High finals, and it gave me the energy to work hard.”
 
 

Japan should encourage the United Nations to establish quasi-permanent Security Council membership and pursue the position, former senior U.N. official Kiyotaka Akasaka has said.

"Quasi-permanent seats allowing consecutive re-elections should be established, and Japan should secure one," Akasaka, former U.N. undersecretary-general for communications and public information, told a press conference in Tokyo on Monday, ahead of the 80th anniversary of the U.N. establishment on Friday.

Regarding a Japanese government target of gaining a permanent seat on the powerful U.N. panel, Akasaka said, "It is difficult to achieve this due to the veto powers of China and Russia."

Due to foreign aid cuts by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, the United Nations is in a tough situation, Akasaka said.

Meanwhile, the influence of China, the second-largest financial contributor to the United Nations, is growing in global affairs, he also said, emphasizing the need for Japan to play a more active role within the organization.
 
 

Japan has for the first time approved over-the-counter sales of an emergency contraceptive pill, its manufacturer says, allowing women in the country to take the medication without prescription.

ASKA Pharmaceutical said wider access to the pill would "empower Japanese women in the area of reproductive health". A date for it to go on sale has yet to be announced.

The pill will be labelled as "medicine requiring guidance", meaning women must take it in the presence of a pharmacist.

The "morning-after" pill - a form of emergency contraception - is already available without prescription in more than 90 countries, and is designed to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.

It works by stopping a woman's egg from fully developing or attaching to the wall of the uterus. It usually has to be taken within three to five days of having unprotected sex - but the sooner it is taken, the more effective it is.
Japan's conservative views, rooted in patriarchy and deeply traditional views on the role of women, mean it has been slow to approve drugs related to women's reproductive health.

ASKA Pharmaceutical said in a statement on Monday that it "has obtained the marketing authorisation as a switch to OTC [over-the-counter] use of the emergency contraceptive pill commercialised under the trademark Norlevo".

There will be no age restrictions on buyers and no requirement for parental consent, the daily newspaper Mainichi Shimbun reported.

The company said it had filed for regulatory approval in 2024, following prescription-free trial sales of the pill the year before.

During the trial, Norlevo was made available at 145 pharmacies in Japan. Until then, the pill had only been supplied at clinics or pharmacies with a doctor's examination and prescription.

At the time, rights groups criticised the trial, saying it was too small, and called for restrictions to be lifted. Campaigners have long argued that requiring a prescription deterred younger women and rape victims from accessing emergency contraception.

Selling the drug without prescription was first discussed by a health ministry panel in 2017 - the public consultation found overwhelming support across the country.

But officials stopped short of giving it the green light then, saying that making it more easily available would encourage irresponsible use of the "morning-after" pill.

Norlevo - and the generic version levonorgestrel - works best within 72 hours after unprotected sex and has an efficacy rate of 80%.
 
 

Retailers that commission their delivery operations to a subsidiary of online stationery retailer Askul Corp said Monday they have halted services of their online stores following a ransomware attack at the weekend.

Askul suspended its order acceptance and shipping operations Sunday after its website was hit by the malware infection, which was detected earlier that day.

The impact of the ransomware has spread to other firms, including Ryohin Keikaku Co, the operator of retail brand Muji, and The Loft Co, which operates Japanese lifestyle specialty stores.

Both operators said they had halted services of their online stores Sunday night.

Askul is currently assessing the scope of the damage, including whether there is any leakage of private information and client data, it said.

Its services for both corporate and individual customers have been suspended, while orders that had already been accepted have been canceled.
Ransomware is a type of malware that enters computer systems and encrypts critical information and data, rendering them inaccessible until victims pay a ransom for their return.

Ryohin Keikaku's system has not been infected with ransomware and there are no problems with product deliveries to physical stores, the company said.
Its discount sale for members, which was set to take place from Friday to Nov 3, will only be available at physical stores, not online.

Loft, which has been outsourcing all shipments from its online store to a logistics company under Askul, also said there is no impact on its physical stores.

Among recent cyberattacks against Japanese firms involving ransomware, beverage giant Asahi Group Holdings Ltd reported on Sept 29 that it faced a system failure that forced the company to halt production at many of its domestic factories and postpone the release of some products.

A hacker group has claimed responsibility for the cyberattack on Asahi Group, saying it has stolen employee information and internal documents, according to a cybersecurity source.
 
 

Japan’s governing party leader, Sanae Takaichi, is on track to become the country’s first female prime minister, after finding a badly needed replacement for a crucial partner that left her Liberal Democratic Party’s coalition.

Takaichi, 64, would replace Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tuesday’s parliamentary vote. If she’s successful, it would end Japan’s three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the coalition’s loss in the July parliamentary election.

The moderate centrist Komeito party split from the LDP after a 26-year-long coalition. The move by Komeito came days after Takaichi’s election as president of her party, and it forced her into a desperate search for a replacement to secure votes so that she can become prime minister.

The Buddhist-backed Komeito left after raising concerns about her ultraconservative politics and the LDP’s lax response to slush fund scandals that led to their consecutive election defeats and loss of majority in both houses.

While the leaders of the country’s top three opposition parties failed to unite for a change of government, Takaichi went for a quick fix by teaming up with the most conservative of them: The Osaka-based Ishin no Kai, or Japan Innovation Party. But the long-term stability of their cooperation is an unknown.

An eventual Takaichi premiership would be on a cliff edge. The fragile new coalition, still a minority, would need cooperation from other opposition groups to pass any legislation. It would be a risk that could lead to an unstable, short-lived leadership.

Big diplomatic tests come within days — talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and regional summits. At home, she needs to quickly tackle rising prices and compile economic boosting measures to address the frustrated public.



Unpopular among women

An admirer of former U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi’s breaking of the glass ceiling makes history in a country whose gender equality ranks poorly internationally.

But many women aren’t celebrating, and some see her impending premiership as a setback.

“The prospect of a first female prime minister doesn’t make me happy,” sociologist Chizuko Ueno posted on X. Ueno explained that Takaichi’s leadership would elevate Japan’s gender equality ranking, but “that doesn’t mean Japanese politics becomes kinder to women.”

Takaichi, an ultraconservative star of her male-dominated party, is among those who have stonewalled measures for women’s advancement. Takaichi supports the imperial family’s male-only succession, opposes same-sex marriage and a revision to the civil law allowing separate last names for married couples, so women don’t get pressured into abandoning theirs.

The prospect for a dual system for last names is fading under Takaichi, Ueno says.

“Ms. Takaichi’s policies are extremely hawkish and I doubt she would consider policies to recognize diversity,” said Chiyako Sato, a political commentator and senior writer for the Mainichi newspaper.


Rising prices and population decline

If she’s successful in the parliamentary vote, Takaichi would immediately launch her Cabinet on Tuesday and make a policy speech later in the week.

A protege of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to emulate his economic and security policies. With a potentially weak grip on power, it’s unknown how much Takaichi would be able to achieve.

She would have only a few days to prepare for diplomatic tests — major regional summits and talks with Trump in between. She has to reassure that there will be stable ties with China and South Korea, which are concerned about her revisionist views on wartime history and past visits to the Yasukuni Shrine.

The shrine honors Japan’s 2.5 million war dead, including convicted war criminals. Victims of Japanese aggression, especially China and the Koreas, see visits to the shrine as a lack of remorse about Japan’s wartime past.

Takaichi supports a stronger military, currently undergoing a five-year buildup with the annual defense budget being doubled to 2% of gross domestic product by 2027. Trump is expected to demand that Japan increase its military spending to NATO targets of 5% of GDP, and purchase more U.S. weapons.

Takaichi has to follow up on Japan’s pledge of $550 billion to Trump’s administration as part of a U.S. tariff deal.

Her policies focus on short-term measures such as rising prices, salary increase and subsidies, as well as restrictions against a growing foreign population amid a rise of xenophobia. Takaichi hasn’t shown a vision for Japan to address bigger issues like demographic challenges.



Takaichi’s dilemma

Takaichi’s mission is to regain conservative votes by pushing the party further to the right.

The LDP’s new coalition with the right-wing JIP may fit Takaichi’s views, but experts say that she would have to avoid pushing them and prioritize stability.

She needs to balance relations between China and the United States under Trump, while at home she also needs balance to gain support from the opposition camp to achieve anything.

“She needs to be realistic,” says Sato, the commentator.
On Friday, Takaichi sent a religious ornament instead of going to the Yasukuni Shrine, apparently to avoid a diplomatic dispute with Beijing and Seoul.

To consolidate opposition cooperation and lift her coalition closer to a majority, she has reached out to smaller opposition groups, including the far-right Sanseito.

“There is no room for Takaichi to show her true colors. All she can do is cooperate per policy,” said Masato Kamikubo, a Ritsumeikan University political science professor. “It’s a pathetic situation.”


A kingmaker’s influence

Takaichi’s election as LDP leader as she seeks the premiership is about power politics by the 85-year-old conservative former Prime Minister Taro Aso, the party’s most powerful kingmaker.

In her first move as LDP president, Takaichi appointed Aso as the party’s vice president and gave more top jobs to his allies and others who supported her, including Abe allies linked to the funds scandal. Takaichi is expected to appoint them to her Cabinet.



Political instability

Political observers expect that a Takaichi government wouldn’t last long. An early election may have to be called later this year, in hopes of regaining a majority in the lower house, though that would be tough.

Experts also raise concerns about how Takaichi, a fiscal expansionist, can coordinate economic policies with Ishin’s fiscal conservative views.

“The era of LDP domination is over and we are entering the era of multiparty politics. The question is how to form a coalition,” Sato said, noting a similar trend in Europe. “We need to find a Japanese way of forming a coalition and a stable government.”

About a dozen opposition parties span the spectrum from the Japanese Communist Party on the left to Sanseito and several others on the extreme right.

“What’s going on here right now is what’s going on in all our democracies for a lot of complicated reasons,” said Gerald Curtis, a Columbia University professor and expert on Japanese politics, citing the mainstream political parties losing popularity, and voters acting on the basis of anger and resentment.
 
 

Japanese Empress Emerita Michiko, wife of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and mother of Emperor Naruhito, marked her 91st birthday on Monday.
 
The Empress Emerita broke her right thigh bone in October last year, but has recovered to almost the same condition as before the fracture. She carefully supports the daily life of the Emperor Emeritus, 91, who continues to receive cardiac treatment. She spends more days caring for her husband and her own health.
 
According to an aide, the Empress Emerita worked hard on her rehabilitation every day at the Sento Imperial Residence in Tokyo's Minato Ward after her discharge from the hospital so that she could support the Emperor Emeritus as soon as possible.

 

 

She visited the Emperor Emeritus day after day when he was hospitalized at the University of Tokyo Hospital in May and July.
 
The Empress Emerita returns a smile while gently nodding to the Emperor Emeritus when he says with a smile "Thank you" for her delicate support.


 

Health authorities in Japan are urging people to take precautions against influenza. They say cases nationwide have surged by about 50 percent in the space of a week.

The Japan Institute for Health Security and others say there were 9,074 cases reported by more than 3,000 medical institutions nationwide in the seven days through last Sunday.
 

 

The average number of patients per institution was 2.36, up 0.8 from a week earlier. The figure rose in 44 of the country's 47 prefectures.

The health ministry is calling on people to take precautions such as washing hands and wearing masks, and to consider getting vaccinated.
 
 

The Japanese Justice Ministry is considering conducting the first nationwide survey on online hate speech against foreign visitors and residents in fiscal 2026.

As discriminatory posts against specific ethnic groups and nationalities have spread on social media and become a social issue, the ministry aims to strengthen countermeasures by grasping the extent of damage caused by such posts.

The ministry will analyze discriminatory expressions posted on X and other major social media platforms and collect consultation content submitted to local governments. It has included 70 million yen in related expenses in its budget request for fiscal 2026, which starts next April.

The ministry defines hate speech as statements or behaviors that incite blanket exclusion of specific groups of people without reasonable justification. Exclusionism demonstrations on the streets have been on the decline since the hate speech elimination law took effect in 2016.

Meanwhile, in recent years, the spread of discriminatory expressions through social media has emerged as a new concern. According to the ministry, related consultations from Chinese, Kurdish and Southeast Asian individuals have increased at local government offices across Japan.

The reality of the abuse has become unclear due to the anonymity involved.
 
 

 

Japanese authorities will take stricter steps to control their bear population, Japan's Environment Minister said Friday, after a recent record of death from a bear attack.

Japan set bears on a list of species in population control in April 2024, but sightings and attacks have soared, with seven people killed in the fiscal year starting April.

"We will strengthen our bear population control measures based on scientific data," Environment Minister Keiichiro Asao told a news conference.

Minister Asao appealed to the public to pay attention to local information about the bear sightings given by the city government.

In Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, a 60-year-old man was missing on Thursday after being allegedly attacked by a bear, with animal bloodstains and fur then found in the vicinity of an outdoor bath in a Japanese-style inn he was cleaning.

Bears are also seen in tourist spots. In early October, a Spanish male tourist was attacked by a bear cub and suffered a minor injury to his arm in the mountain village of Shirakawa, part of a World Heritage site in central Japan.

In September, Japan relaxed its rules regarding the killing of bears entering populated areas, allowing local governments to approve an "emergency shooting".

The city of Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, located northeast of Japan, became the first local entity to shoot a bear under this new rule earlier this week.
 
 

Princess Aiko is scheduled to make an official six-day visit to Laos starting on Nov. 17, according to a plan approved by the government at a Cabinet meeting on Friday.

Marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Laos this year, the princess will attend a banquet hosted by the Laotian government.

This will be Princess Aiko's first official visit to a foreign country. She is the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

According to the Imperial Household Agency, the princess will depart Japan on a commercial flight on Nov. 17 and arrive in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, later that day.

On Nov. 18, she will pay a courtesy visit to Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, followed by a banquet hosted by Lao Vice President Pany Yathotou.

The following day, she will visit the COPE Visitor Center, which aims to raise awareness about the ordnance dropped during the Vietnam War. The Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise is a nonprofit organization in Laos.

The next day, the princess will travel to Luang Prabang, an ancient city, to tour the National Museum there. A meeting with a local government leader and a luncheon are also being arranged.

She will leave Vientiane on a commercial flight on Nov. 21 after meeting with Japanese residents and Laotians with ties to Japan. She will return home on Nov. 22.

This will mark the fifth official visit to Laos by members of the imperial family. In 2012, Emperor Naruhito, then crown prince, visited the country.
 


 

The new head of Japan's ruling party Sanae Takaichi sent an offering but avoided visiting a controversial war shrine on Oct. 17, as the prospects of her becoming prime minister brightened.

Takaichi became Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader on Oct. 4 but her aim to become Japan's first woman prime minister was derailed by the collapse of the ruling coalition last week.

The LDP is now in talks about forming a different alliance, boosting Takaichi's chances of becoming premier in a parliamentary vote that media reports said will likely happen on Oct. 21.

Past visits by top leaders to the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, which honors even convicted war criminals, have angered China and South Korea, and no Japanese premier has visited since 2013.

Takaichi, seen as an arch-conservative and China hawk from the right of the LDP, has visited in the past, including as a government minister.

But on Oct. 17, on the opening day of an autumn festival, the 64-year-old sent an offering but did not make an appearance.

Reports said she would stay away in order not to upset Japan's neighbors.
The clock is ticking for Takaichi to become Japan's fifth prime minister in as many years with U.S. President Donald Trump due to visit Japan at the end of October.

The LDP's coalition partner of 26 years, the Komeito party, pulled the plug on their alliance on Oct. 10.

The LDP this week began talks on forming a new coalition with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) instead.

The two parties would be two seats short of a majority but the alliance would still likely ensure that Takaichi succeeds in becoming premier.

This is because while Takaichi needs support from a majority of MPs to become premier, in a second-round two-way runoff she only needs more than the other person.
 
 

Former Japan Socialist Party Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, who led a coalition government with longtime rival the Liberal Democratic Party in the mid-1990s and delivered a key statement apologizing for Japan’s World War II aggression, died Friday morning in the city of Oita. He was 101.

Born on March 3, 1924, in Oita Prefecture, Murayama moved to Tokyo in 1938 but was later drafted into the armed forces and was stationed in Kumamoto at the end of World War II. He won his first Lower House election in 1972.

In 1993, he became chairman of the Japan Socialist Party.

“Mr. Murayama bore the heavy responsibility of serving as prime minister, devoting himself to tackling numerous challenges. He championed 'people-centered politics,'" Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a statement Friday.

He noted Murayama’s leadership following the Great Hanshin Earthquake and the sarin gas attack in Tokyo by the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, as well as his attempts to resolve the issue of Minamata disease, which involved large-scale mercury poisoning in the town of Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture.

On June 29, 1994, Murayama became the 81st prime minister of Japan, leading a coalition government that also included the LDP and a smaller party called Sakigake.

Under Murayama, the coalition agreed to uphold the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, recognize the constitutionality of the Self-Defense Forces and accept the use of the Hinomaru flag and “Kimigayo” anthem, all of which the Socialist Party had long opposed.

Murayama said that his Cabinet's role was to draw a line under the postwar period on the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, leading to the issuance of the Murayama Statement on Aug. 15, 1995, his most notable legacy.

 

The statement declared that “Japan, following a mistaken national policy, advanced along the road to war, only to ensnare the Japanese people in a fateful crisis, and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations.”

The statement angered many Japanese conservatives and right-wingers, especially within the LDP. But no prime minister since Murayama has rejected the statement.

During a news conference on Oct. 10, Ishiba reflected on the causes of WWII, and said his Cabinet upholds the Murayama Statement as well as subsequent statements delivered in 2005 and 2015, on the 60th and 70th anniversaries of the war’s end.

During Murayama’s premiership, his government dealt with the Great Hanshin Earthquake in January 1995, which devastated Kobe and killed more than 6,400 people.

The response to the quake by his government was criticized as slow and his dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to aid the victims generated controversy at the time. But eventually it led to legal changes that allowed the SDF to respond to later disasters, such as the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami that hit the Tohoku region on March 11, 2011.

In addition to the quake, Murayama also had to deal with the March 1995 sarin gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult that targeted Tokyo’s subway system.

Murayama’s tenure lasted until he was replaced by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto of the LDP in 1996.
He retired from politics in 2000.
 
 

Bears have killed a record number of people in Japan this year, the environment ministry said on Thursday just as another possible victim was reported missing.

Bears hungry because of shortages of food such as acorns -- which has been blamed on climate change -- are encroaching more into towns where the human population is ageing and dwindling.

Experts say that warmer weather is also affecting the hibernation patterns of the animals, which in the case of brown bears can weigh half a tonne (1,100 pounds) and outrun a human.

The new total of seven deaths in the current fiscal year "is the largest toll since 2006, when statistics started", an environment ministry official told AFP.

It surpassed the previous high of five human fatalities recorded in the 2023-24 fiscal year, the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
More than 100 other people have been left with injuries including bites and deep gashes from the bears' sharp claws.

The record was reached following confirmation that a man in his 70s found dead on October 8 in the northern Iwate region had been killed by a bear.
Japanese broadcaster TV Iwate said the man's head and torso had been separated.

The body of another man in his 70s, also in Iwate, was found just two days later in a forest where he had been picking mushrooms.

A few days earlier, the body of a 78-year-old man with multiple claw marks was recovered in the central prefecture of Nagano.

However, the cause of death was yet to be confirmed in either of those last two cases.

 
Bloodstain

A worker at a hot spring resort in Kitakami, also in Iwate, was also reported missing on Thursday. Local media said that a search team had found what appeared to be human blood.

Five more people were reported injured on Thursday in incidents in Akita and Fukushima prefectures, Fuji Television network reported.

A 1.4-metre (4.5-foot) adult bear entered a supermarket in the Gunma north of Tokyo last week, leaving a man in his 70s and another in his 60s with light injuries.

The store is close to mountainous areas but has never had bears come near before, Hiroshi Horikawa, an executive at the grocery store chain, told AFP.
The animal damaged a fish compartment and "in the fruits section, it knocked over a pile of avocados and trod on them", he said.

The store's manager told local media that around 30 to 40 customers were inside at the time, and that the bear became agitated as it struggled to find the exit.

A Spanish tourist was also attacked by a bear this month at a bus stop in the scenic village of Shirakawa-go in central Japan.

Japan has two types of bear: Asian black bears -- also known as moon bears -- and the bigger brown bears that live on the main northern island of Hokkaido.

Thousands of the animals are shot every year, although Japan's ageing human population means that the number of hunters is declining.
 

 

Ruling party President Sanae Takaichi met separately with each of the leaders of the three opposition parties to seek cooperation in the prime ministerial election and Diet management during the extraordinary Diet session expected to be convened next Tuesday.
 
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi met separately with each of the leaders of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People and the Japan Innovation Party on Wednesday, to seek cooperation in the prime ministerial election and Diet management during the extraordinary Diet session expected to be convened next Tuesday.

The leaders of the three opposition parties also met among themselves to discuss a possible joint candidate for the election and agreed to continue discussions on the matter through their secretaries general, intensifying the maneuvering among ruling and opposition parties over the prime ministerial election.

Takaichi met with CDPJ leader Yoshihiko Noda at the Diet Building for about 20 minutes on Wednesday and they confirmed that their parties will cooperate to realize such measures as abolition of the provisional gasoline tax rate.

“We have to protect the lives of the people,” Takaichi told reporters afterward, emphasizing that she will focus on measures to combat high prices. Noda said, “We shared a common view that we have to work quickly” on compiling a fiscal 2025 supplementary budget that will provide fiscal backing for such measures.

Takaichi also met with DPFP leader Yuichiro Tamaki to seek cooperation in the prime ministerial election and Diet management, and with JIP leader Hirofumi Yoshimura and co-leader Fumitake Fujita.

In her talks with the opposition leaders, Takaichi is believed to have called for cooperation on policy matters and Diet management. With Komeito leaving the coalition, securing cooperation from the JIP and DPFP has become an urgent task.

Earlier on Wednesday, LDP Diet Affairs Committee Chairperson Hiroshi Kajiyama and JIP counterpart Takashi Endo met with each other in Tokyo.

They are believed to have exchanged opinions on potential collaboration, with the LDP hoping to stop cooperation among the three opposition parties.
Meanwhile Noda, Fujita and Tamaki also gathered for talks on Wednesday. The three parties agreed to continue discussions regarding the prime minister nomination election.

The CDPJ has shown a positive stance toward nominating the DPFP’s Tamaki as a joint candidate for the prime ministerial election. It remains to see how the talks among the three opposition parties will progress — the DPFP maintains its position that it has to have common ground with the CDPJ on key policies matters such as the Constitution, diplomacy and security issues in order to decide on a joint candidate.

So the focus of the three-party meeting was whether Noda can compromise on such issues as security-related legislation and policies on nuclear power.


“It would be difficult to reach agreements at one meeting,” CDPJ Secretary General Jun Azumi said early Wednesday. “Now is the real start of the political drama.”
 
 
 

 

The autumn foliage has reached its peak in the Shiga Highlands in Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture.

The deciduous trees, dyed in autumnal hues, like the red mountain ash and yellow Japanese birch, stand out against the greens of the conifers.

Despite the rainy weather on Monday, tourists could be seen snapping pictures of the autumn leaves floating in the mist at Hasuike Pond, around 1,500 meters above sea level.

The peak viewing period is expected to last until the end of the month.
 

 

The 2025 World Exposition in the western Japan city of Osaka attracted a total of 25,578,986 visitors during its 184-day run through Monday.

According to the data released by the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, the event’s organizer, on Tuesday, 207,889 people visited the site on the closing day.

The daily number of visitors stood below 100,000 initially but started to increase gradually as positive reviews spread on social media. On and after Sept. 12, more than 200,000 people visited the Osaka Expo each day.

On the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka Bay, the venue of the Expo, work to dismantle and remove exhibits began at several pavilions Tuesday.
 
 

Coach Hajime Moriyasu said Japan's first win over Brazil had been decades in the making and backed his players to use it as a springboard to World Cup success.

Japan stunned Brazil with three second-half goals to claim a 3-2 friendly victory in Tokyo on Tuesday, their first win over the South Americans in 14 attempts.

Moriyasu hailed his players for finally making the breakthrough but also paid tribute to the teams that had paved the way for the historic victory.

"Japan had never beaten Brazil until now but the players who went before us always took on the challenge of trying to beat them and it's because of them that we were able to win today," said the coach.

"This result connects the efforts of the current and previous generations of Japanese players."

Japan beat Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before losing on penalties to Croatia in the last 16.

Moriyasu has said that Japan are aiming to win next year's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

He urged his players to keep improving and welcomed the confidence boost less than a year before the tournament begins.

"We will keep doing what we have been doing, trying to raise our level one step at a time," said Moriyasu.

"The World Cup will not be easy and I think Brazil will come back even stronger, so we need to keep taking it one step at a time."

Takumi Minamino started the comeback when he scored early in the second half with Japan two goals down at the interval.

Keito Nakamura added another before Ayase Ueda headed in the winner with 20 minutes remaining.

The result sparked wild celebrations in the stands, with almost 45,000 fans there to see history made.

Striker Shuto Machino said that Monaco forward Minamino, standing in as captain for the injured Wataru Endo, had rallied the players before the game.
"We were playing a team that we had never beaten before, and Takumi told us to make this the game that changed our history," said Machino.
"That's how it turned out."
 
 

At hotels in Japan, the bathing facilities usually fall into two broad categories. There might be a traditional setup, with compact shower booths where you wash off before entering a large communal tub to soak in, or you could have a more modern full-size in-room shower, often as part of a combination with an individual-sized tub.

Soon, though, if you’re traveling in Japan you might have the option of using a human washing machine.

Designed by Osaka-based bathroom fixture company Science, this pod is called the Mirai Ningen Sentakki, which translates to “Future Human Washing Machine,” but which the company also gives the official English designation Human Washer in the Future.

You start by stepping inside, stretching out in a reclining posture and closing the canopy. As relaxing imagery plays on a screen in front of you, such as footage of sea life and sunsets, soothing music plays and the pod fills with soapy water, turning into a bath. After a nice, leisurely soak, the water drains and nozzles spray you with water to rinse off any lingering soap suds, cleaning you without any scrubbing or expended effort on your part.


▼ Video of a Human Washer in the Future cycle, beginning with the on-screen text “I am a mermaid.”

https://youtu.be/KI9iFQeikx0


Though it was created as a conceptual vision of what bathing could be like in the world of tomorrow, the Human Washer in the Future does exist here in the present, with a single unit built by Science for display at the Expo 2025 world’s fair in Osaka.

Guests can even try it out for themselves, and a survey of those who had tried it back in midsummer showed that 77.6 percent of users said they were “very satisfied” with the experience, and an additional 21.1 percent said they were “satisfied.”
 

 

It wasn’t just individual visitors who were intrigued by the machine, either. Science also received strong positive feedback from hotel operators, and so while it initially had no plans to make the Human Washer in the Future available for purchase, it’s now received orders for six units to be installed in hotels and “leisure facilities” in Japan, with the later category likely referring to day spas, bathhouses, or fitness clubs.

In addition, the Human Washer in the Future on display at Expo 2025 will be transferred to Science’s showroom in Shin Osaka Central Tower building in late November, following the conclusion of Expo 2025, and visitors to the showroom will also be able to try it out.

 

As for sales to private individuals, high costs are probably going to make those unlikely, at least in the very near future. Aside from the machinery’s precision parts, its size and shape makes installation a costly venture in existing homes, with Science saying it would be comparable to the price of “an imported luxury car.”

 

The specific hotels which have put in orders for Human Washer in the Future units haven’t been revealed, but the company says that one of them is in Osaka, so between that and the Science showroom unit, there’ll be at least two places in the city to keep the Expo 2025 spirit of future bathing going.
 
 

The organizer of the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, western Japan, says the number of ticketed visitors to the event that ran for six months totaled more than 25.57 million.

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition said on Tuesday, one day after the Expo closed, that the number of ticketed visitors was 25,578,986, while the cumulative number of visitors including Accreditation Pass holders was 29,017,924.

The number of ticketed visitors fell short of the projected number of 28.2 million. But the visitor total still surpassed figures for the 2005 Expo in Aichi, central Japan, and the Dubai Expo in 2021.

Operating expenses for the 2025 Expo are expected to show a surplus of 23 billion to 28 billion yen, or about 151 million to 184 million dollars.

The average number of daily ticketed visitors was around 100,000 immediately after the Expo opened in April, but gradually increased and exceeded 200,000 per day from mid-September.
 
 

The Diet, Japan's parliament, will elect a new prime minister to replace Shigeru Ishiba on Oct. 21, a senior official at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party said Tuesday.

Yoshihiko Isozaki, the LDP's Diet affairs chief in the House of Councillors, told his counterpart from the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan that the government will convene an extraordinary Diet session on Oct. 21.

A vote to elect a prime minister will take place on the day when the Diet session is convened, Isozaki told reporters after the meeting with his CDP counterpart.

The LDP aims to have the next prime minister give an inaugural policy speech in the Diet as early as Oct. 24 before a series of diplomatic events, including a summit meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Malaysia, begins on Oct. 26.

A question-and-answer session following the prime minister's speech is unlikely to take place at least until November, an LDP official said.
 
 

The internet has become the main source of daily news in Japan, overtaking commercial television for the first time, a survey by the Japan Press Research Institute has shown.

When asked about which news source they use on a daily basis, a question added in fiscal 2018, 46.5% of respondents chose the internet, according to the latest survey, released Saturday.

Commercial TV broadcasters, which had previously held the top spot, came second, at 46.1%.

The proportion of those who picked TV services by public broadcaster NHK stood at 35.8%, while newspapers logged 33.4% and radio 9.2%.

The newspaper subscription rate fell 3.7 percentage points from a year earlier to 50.1%, continuing to decline since marking 88.6% in fiscal 2008, when the survey began.

Meanwhile, 42.5% of respondents said that commercial television influenced their voting decisions for an election of the House of Councilors, the upper chamber of the country's parliament, this July, topping the list.

By age group, the internet, excluding social media, was the top pick for those in their teens to 30s. For respondents in their 20s, short-form social media platforms, such as X, were more popular than newspapers and other forms of traditional media.

The latest survey, which covered 5,000 people age 18 or over nationwide, was conducted between July 18 and Aug. 17. Of them, 2,665 provided valid responses.
 
 

 
Strong Typhoon Nakri was approaching southern parts of Japan's Izu Islands on Monday morning, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the island chain that was recently hit by another storm.

As of Monday morning, the islands of Hachijojima and Aogashima were in the storm zone of Nakri.

Hachijojima had 37.5 millimeters of rain for one hour through 7 a.m. Maximum wind speeds reached 153 kilometers per hour at Hachijojima Airport shortly after 6 a.m.

The typhoon is expected to move eastward near the southern Izu Islands before noon while maintaining its strength.

Extremely strong winds at the speed of up to 126 kilometers per hour and peak gusts at the speed of 180 kilometers per hour are expected to hit the island chain. The winds could topple some utility poles and damage part of buildings, scattering pieces of rubble in a wide area.

Extremely rough seas are also forecast in the region with waves as high as 9 meters.

Rain is expected to intensify and some places will likely be pounded by rainfall of 80 millimeters per hour. Up to 200 millimeters of rain is forecast for the Izu Islands over the 24-hour period through Tuesday morning.

The islands were recently hit by record heavy rainfall and violent winds from Typhoon Halong.

Weather officials are urging residents to remain vigilant for landslides, swollen and overflowing rivers, flooding in low-lying areas and high waves. People are advised to stay indoors, safely away from windows.
 
 

Culture Minister Fadli Zon emphasized the importance of strengthening research and studies on Indonesian culture in Osaka, Japan, noting it serves as a foundation for advancing global knowledge and international cooperation.

During his visit to the National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku) in Osaka, Zon asserted that Indonesia is more than just a source of world cultural heritage; it is a center of knowledge contributing significantly to global cultural and humanities studies.

“Indonesia has extraordinary cultural wealth. Through research and academic cooperation, we deepen our understanding of humanity, history, and civilization,” he said in a press statement on Sunday.

The meeting at Minpaku brought together prominent Japanese cultural academics who have long focused on Indonesian studies, including ethnomusicologist Prof. Shota Fukuoka, maritime archaeologist Prof. Rintaro Ono, pencak silat researcher Dr. Hiroyuki Imamura, and Javanese culture researcher Dr. Masami Okabe.

 

Discussions centered on establishing research collaboration in fields like ethnomusicology, dance, maritime anthropology, traditional martial arts, and Nusantara ethnography.

The goal is to solidify Indonesia-Japan cultural research networks and interdisciplinary studies.

“This research cooperation is the best way to expand global understanding of Indonesia and to make our culture a living source of knowledge,” Zon stated.

He highlighted ongoing projects demonstrating Indonesia’s commitment to cultural preservation and development, such as the restoration of Gunung Padang, studies on wayang theatre, Nusantara bead documentation, and the recent efforts to secure the repatriation of 28,131 fossils from the Dubois collection of the Netherlands.

During his visit, Minister Zon also toured the exhibit “Humans and Boats: Maritime Life in Asia and Oceania,” which showcases maritime collections, including traditional boats, Bajau tribe artifacts, and ancient boat paintings found in the Maros and Muna caves.

He concluded by underscoring the importance of Indonesia's oceanic heritage: “For Indonesia, the sea is not just a resource but a cultural and knowledge space that shapes our identity.”
 

The Japanese government will specify the need to promote domestic development of artificial intelligence in an upcoming strategy, official sources said Sunday, as it seeks to avoid overdependence on foreign AI for national security.

An overview of the country's basic AI plan being compiled is expected to call for better treatment to attract AI professionals, along with the development of cutting-edge chips and a next-generation supercomputer, according to the sources.

At a time when the United States and China are competing for high-tech supremacy and competition is fierce in the private sector to develop new AI models, Japan lags behind the major powers in both AI development and use, surveys show.

As the advancement of AI technology can directly impact national security, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said Japan should catch up and "reverse" the tide.

The government held its first meeting of its AI strategy task force in September with an eye toward compiling a basic plan by the year's end.

The outline of that plan will be presented possibly later this month when the government holds another meeting, stating that Japan should "not rely excessively on foreign players for AI that would determine our national power," according to the sources.

To push for home-grown AI, the government sees it necessary to improve living conditions, including via better pay, for researchers and engineers from both at home and overseas.

It also aims to foster closer coordination among universities, research institutes and businesses in and outside the country to take in advanced expertise, the sources said.

Japan will also accelerate the development its new flagship supercomputer to succeed the existing Fugaku by the state-backed Riken research institute, for use in AI development that requires massive volumes of high-speed calculations.

The overview of the plan is expected to point out national security risks posed by the advancement of AI, such as the spread of disinformation and misinformation as well as cyberattacks.

The government is expected to say that it will address those risks while facilitating innovation to make Japan "the world's most friendly nation to AI development and use," according to the sources.

While Japanese companies are developing AI, Japan remains a laggard in the field dominated by the likes of U.S. OpenAI, the operator of the ChatGPT chatbot, and Chinese startup DeepSeek, which unveiled a generative AI chatbot at a fraction of competitors' cost.

About 27 percent of Japanese people said they had used generative AI in fiscal 2024, compared with nearly 69 percent in the United States and about 81 percent in China, according to data cited by the Japanese government.
 
 

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has arrested a British national and a US national on suspicion of smuggling about 17 kilograms of stimulant drugs into Japan.

The suspects are 24-year-old British citizen Kim Tung Nguyen and US citizen Jason Raymond Scott, who is 25 years old. They allegedly violated the Stimulants Control Act.

The police and others said Scott is suspected of having flown from an airport in Los Angeles to Tokyo's Haneda Airport last month, carrying a suitcase that contained about 17 kilograms of the drugs. The stimulants are estimated to have a street value of more than 6.3 million dollars.

The investigators said security camera footage showed Scott handing the suitcase thought to contain stimulants to Nguyen.

An investigation of the private lodging in Japan where Nguyen had been staying found nearly 100 kilograms of stimulant drugs in six suitcases, with a street value of more than 37 million dollars.

Both suspects have denied the allegations.
 
 

Japan's 2025 staple rice harvest is forecast to reach a nine-year high of 7.48 million tons, up 10% from the previous year, the agriculture ministry has said.

The harvest amount is expected to exceed 7 million tons for the first time since 2022, the ministry added Friday.

This year's crop estimate was made from the amount of rice harvested and the number of preharvest rice ears counted as of Sept. 25, when rice cropping was 60% finished in the country.

Last month, the ministry projected that 2025 brown rice production would amount to 7.28 million to 7.45 million tons while new crop demand would total 6.97 million to 7.11 million tons.

The latest harvest estimate suggests the possibility of the rice supply excess expanding further. However, it remains to be seen whether retail rice prices, which have surged along with agricultural cooperatives' advance payments to producers, will turn lower, experts said.

The ministry also showed a 2025 crop projection focusing on sieving to select larger grains, a common practice for rice farmers, saying the "sieve opening-based" yield would stand at 7.15 million tons, up 634,000 tons from the year before.
 
 

 

Dom Dom Hamburger, believed to be Japan's first hamburger chain, recently opened its first overseas outlet in Taipei, signaling ambitions for broader expansion.

Sporting its signature crimson elephant mascot, Dom Dom Hamburger, which was established in 1970, predates McDonald's entry into the Japanese market. The Japanese chain is introducing an inventive menu that includes its whole soft-shell crab burgers to Taiwanese diners.

The Taipei outlet was opened on Oct. 1 in a downtown department store. The shop is operated under a franchise agreement between Japan's Dom Dom Food Service and a Taiwanese partner that has voiced admiration for the experiences and vision of company president Shinobu Fujisaki.

"We want to offer items that are popular in Japan, and on top of that, if there are items that seem likely to become popular, we'd also like to develop (Taiwan-only) products," Fujisaki said.

Go Mugino, who runs a branding and business development consultancy assisting Dom Dom's overseas expansion, told Kyodo News that the Taiwanese market has a "tolerance" to accept modifications and localization, making it well-suited for the right expansion strategy.

When asked about a future expansion plan in Taiwan, Mugino hinted that the company could open at least 30 more outlets. "We've got many offers already," he said, adding, "speed is very important, because the world changes so fast."

Customers lined up on the opening day. A man in his 40s who works at an office nearby said, "I tried a whole soft-shell crab burger in Japan and was surprised at its innovativeness. I'm glad I can eat it in Taiwan as well."

Dom Dom now operates 29 outlets in Japan, with the number of stores sharply lower than the more than 400 in the 1990s due to fierce competition from rival hamburger chains.

Dom Dom Food Service took over the franchise operation in 2017 from a group company of Japanese retailer Daiei Inc.