There are many souvenirs vying for your attention in Japan, but right now the one that’s stealing the limelight is a hand cream packaged in a giant, fish-shaped soy sauce bottle.

Called “Lunch Charm Hand Cream” — the name conveys the manufacturer’s desire to “make your lunch charming” — this new product takes Japan’s tiny fish-shaped soy sauce bottles out of the world of sushi trays and bento lunch boxes, increasing their size and using them as containers for hand cream.

The bottle’s strong association with food is kept alive through the ingredients, with soybean seed extract used for its moisturising benefits.

Other ingredients include vaseline, shea butter, squalane, beeswax, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, multiceramide, and hydrolyzed collagen, to provide moisture and shine for your hands and nails.

Osaka-based manufacturer Heso Productions says that although the cream keeps your hands moist for a long time, it’s non-sticky and smooth to use.

Heso certainly knows its stuff when it comes to producing weird-and-wonderful products, having previously given us shrine fox pens, a can of Heisei air, and samurai warlord glasses.

The 65-gram Lunch Charm Hand Cream is another example of the company’s commitment to creating fun products, and it can be purchased at train station stores in the Kansai area, as well as souvenir and variety shops and online at the Heso website, at a recommended retail price of 990 yen.
 
 

A memorial ceremony was held at the Japan Coast Guard’s Haneda Air Base in Tokyo on Monday ahead of the one-year anniversary of a fatal collision between a JCG aircraft and a Japan Airlines plane on Jan. 2 at Haneda Airport.

About 70 attendees at the ceremony mourned the five JCG members who lost their lives in the collision while on their way to support the areas hit by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, which occurred on Jan. 1. The attendees also renewed their pledge to prevent a recurrence of the incident.

Those in attendance lined up in the aircraft hangar and observed a moment of silence. Following that, a eulogy was given by Shinji Miyamoto, head of the Third Regional Coast Guard Headquarters in Yokohama, which oversees the Haneda base.

“We will never forget this sadness,” Miyamoto said. “We promise to continue making tireless efforts to turn this place into the world’s safest [air base], without letting your precious sacrifice be in vain.”

On Jan. 2, JAL Flight 516, which departed New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, and the JCG aircraft Mizunagi 1, which was carrying relief supplies for the disaster-hit areas, collided on Runway C and caught fire.

All 379 passengers and crew members on the JAL airplane managed to escape, but five crew members on the JCG aircraft died, with the captain, 40, the only survivor.
 
 

About a quarter of Japanese firms are positive about reskilling their workers -- seen as essential for improving labor productivity -- but only a small percentage are actively taking steps toward that goal, a research institute survey found.

The government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba views increased investment in human resource development as critical for Japan, expecting that as more people acquire new skills, their wages will rise.

According to Teikoku Databank Ltd, which surveyed around 11,000 firms in October, a combined 26.1 percent expressed a positive view on reskilling their workforce, with 8.9 percent having already started and 17.2 percent expressing willingness to do so in the future.

Many companies already supporting employee reskilling provide e-learning courses and assist workers in obtaining new qualifications.

While labor shortages are more acute in some sectors than others, reskilling workers is expected to help alleviate the issue in a nation known for its rigid corporate culture and low labor mobility.

Still, nearly half of the respondents in the latest survey, or 46.1 percent, are not taking any initiatives. Additionally, 9.5 percent said they do not know what "reskilling" means and 10.1 percent said they have never heard the term.

Small firms struggling with severe labor shortages find it more challenging than larger companies to offer reskilling opportunities due to limited time and resources.

The institute noted concerns from some responding firms that reskilling workers might encourage job-hopping across companies and sectors, highlighting why many firms remain reluctant, according to the survey.

Companies "need to pay attention to the risk of not getting involved in reskilling," it said, adding that boosting labor productivity by training workers to adapt to digital transformation and new technologies will be crucial for the future of Japan Inc.
 
 

Japan has reported a significant influenza outbreak, with local media on Saturday stating that thousands of cases have been confirmed across the country.

As of December 15, approximately 94,259 flu cases were reported in a week at 5,000 hospitals and clinics, News.az reports, citing Japanese media.

The total number of cases for the current season has now reached 718,000.

Ishida Tadashi, head of the influenza panel at the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, warned that flu case counts will remain high this season, as many people have reduced immunity following limited exposure to the virus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ishida predicted that the outbreak would peak around January and urged the public to take preventive measures such as washing hands and wearing masks.

 

Japan has unveiled a new passport design, set to become available next spring, featuring a plastic photo page with an embedded chip to enhance forgery prevention.

The new passports will be issued to applicants from March 24. The plastic page displays a sakura cherry blossom pattern that becomes visible when tilted and includes a crane watermark, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

The new passports are expected to take about two weeks to be issued, longer than the current timeframe, the ministry said, as the new design is being produced by the National Printing Bureau, which manufactures the country's banknotes.

At present, passport photo pages are printed at municipal government offices and diplomatic missions abroad, allowing Japanese nationals to receive their passports around one week after applying.
 
 

 

 

It is also essential to promote technological innovation related to renewable energy.

To achieve both decarbonization and a stable supply of electricity, there is a need to make use of nuclear power generation. It is also essential to promote technological innovation related to renewable energy.

The government has released a draft of its Strategic Energy Plan, which serves as guidelines for the nation’s energy policy. This will be the first time the plan will be reviewed since fiscal 2021. It is expected to be approved by the Cabinet in fiscal 2024.

The draft presents for the first time the nation’s target for energy mix for fiscal 2040. It sets the goal of having renewable energy make up 40% to 50%, nuclear power 20% and thermal power 30% to 40%.

By positioning renewable energies as the largest power source, the government intends to increase the total share of decarbonized power sources — when combined with nuclear power — to 60% to 70%.

However, based on the actual figures in fiscal 2023, about 69% of electricity was dependent on thermal power, with renewable energy sources accounting for 23% and nuclear power for 8.5%.

As electricity demand is expected to increase in fiscal 2040 by 10% to 20% due to the spread of generative artificial intelligence, it is essential to increase the volume of electricity supply.

The hurdles to achieve the planned mixture of energy sources are high, and the public and private sectors must increase their efforts for decarbonization.
This time, a major shift has been made in the positioning of nuclear power.

Since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the phrase “reduce the dependence on nuclear power as much as possible,” had been clearly stated in the energy plan. This time, however, it was deleted. In addition, the draft states that the nation will use as much nuclear and renewable energy as possible.

The previous administration of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida steered the country toward a policy of actively utilizing nuclear power in 2023. The new draft also relaxed the requirements for building new reactors.

The building of new reactors was previously limited to sites of nuclear power plants that are set to be decommissioned. However, it will be possible to build them at other sites of nuclear power plants. As nuclear power plants, in principle, have a 40-year operational lifespan, the aim is to maintain a stable supply of electricity.

By clearly stating the policy to utilize nuclear power in the future, it will be easier for power companies to make plans for building.

On the other hand, suitable sites for panels used for solar power generation, a pillar of renewable energy source, are becoming scarce. To further expand solar power generation, it will be essential to hasten the development of Perovskite solar cells, which can be installed in various locations, including on the walls of buildings.

Japan has set an international pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 and has put forth an idea of reducing emissions by 60% compared to the fiscal 2013 level by fiscal 2035 as an interim goal. The new energy plan will support the government’s goals.

The frequent occurrence of extreme climate events around the world has made decarbonization even more important. In response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, energy security has also become a critical issue. It is also important to consider the energy plan from this perspective.
 
 

A 43-year-old unemployed man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of involvement in the stabbing of two junior high school students, one of whom died, at a McDonald's restaurant in Fukuoka Prefecture, police said.

The man lives near the fast-food restaurant in the city of Kitakyushu, where Saaya Nakashima, 15, was killed and a boy who attends the same school was seriously injured, police said, adding they are investigating the motive for the stabbing.

The police said security camera footage showed a man stabbing the two students shortly after he entered the restaurant on Saturday night when the victims were waiting in line at the cash register. He was inside the restaurant for less than 30 seconds.

With only limited eyewitness reports, the police collected and analyzed nearby security camera footage to track down the man they believe is involved. The attacker fled after the incident.

According to the police, the suspect, identified as Masanori Hirabaru, arrived and left the restaurant by car. The murder weapon has not been found.

Police cars have been patrolling in the area in recent days amid concern among local residents.

An analysis of the girl's smartphone did not reveal any issues that could have caused her to be targeted, while she had not previously contacted the police.

The male student was quoted as saying he and his classmate were "stabbed by a complete stranger."
 
 

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Thursday hailed Tsuneo Watanabe, editor-in-chief of The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings, as a “great journalist.”

Watanabe had died of pneumonia in the small hours of the day aged 98.

“He was a great journalist,” Ishiba told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office. “Given the nation’s current political situation, I hope he could have taught us more about how Japan should be in the future.

I offer my sincerest prayer for him.”
 
 

A Japanese space startup said its second attempt to launch a rocket carrying satellites into orbit had been aborted minutes after liftoff Wednesday, nine months after the company’s first launch attempt ended in an explosion.

Space One’s Kairos No. 2 rocket lifted off from a site in the mountainous prefecture of Wakayama in central Japan.

The company said it had aborted the flight after concluding that it was unlikely to complete its mission. The cause of the flight failure was not immediately known. Space One is expected to give further details at a news conference later Wednesday.

Space One aims to be Japan’s first company to put a satellite into orbit, hoping to boost to Japan’s lagging space industry with a small rocket for an affordable space transport business.

Wednesday’s flight, postponed twice from Saturday due to strong winds, came nine months after a failed debut flight in March, when the rocket was intentionally exploded five seconds after takeoff.

The flight was carrying a government satellite that was intended to monitor North Korea’s missile launches and other military activities.

Kairos No. 2 rocket was carrying five small satellites, including one from the Taiwanese space agency and several from Japanese startups.

Space One said it had fixed the cause of the debut flight failure, which stemmed from a miscalculation of the rocket’s first-stage propulsion.
Japan hopes the company can pave a way for a domestic space industry that competes with the United States.

Tokyo-based Space One was set up in 2018 with investments from major Japanese companies, including Canon Electronics, IHI, Shimizu and major banks, to commercialize space delivery services at lower costs and regular flights as many as 20 times a year, compared to six currently planned by the government-led space program.

Japan’s space development programs are led by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, and industry leaders such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI, as they develop two main flagship rockets, the large H3 rocket and the much smaller Epsilon, to cater to the growing satellite transport business.
 
 

The Japanese government said Tuesday it plans to introduce fake IDs for police to conduct undercover investigations as part of emergency measures to tackle "dark part-time work."

Under the countermeasures due to be introduced early next year, police will also request social media operators including X, previously known as Twitter, to toughen identity verification when accounts are opened and delete posts suspected of soliciting jobs commonly referred to in Japanese as "yami baito."

A number of burglaries across the country have allegedly been carried out by individuals recruited via social media with promises of lucrative part-time work.

In some cases, suspects post seemingly innocent job offers and ask applicants to send personal information before blackmailing them.

Undercover police will attempt to expose suspects by applying for the jobs and interacting with them by presenting fake identification, such as a driver's license.

Social media accounts could be utilized to determine a suspect's identity if operators mandate inclusion of a phone number when opening an account instead of an email address.

Investigative sources currently do not have means to contact the operators of encrypted messaging apps Telegram and Signal, often used by criminal groups, due to their lack of a base within Japan. The measures will include urging them to create a window of communication.

Concerning advertisements for job vacancies, police will raise awareness about the illegality of job offers that do not include the name, address and contact details of the recruiter, and request social media operators to delete such posts.
 
 

The Japanese government decided Tuesday to set up an expert panel for the introduction in 2027 of a new system to accept foreign workers.

The government hopes to incorporate expert opinions into the details of the new system to avoid criticism similar to the existing technical trainee system, which has been accused of being a hotbed of human rights violations.

"It is essential for Japan to create an attractive employment system for foreign workers amid a severe labor shortage," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a meeting of related ministers on the day.

The 14-member panel will be chaired by Susumu Takahashi, chairman emeritus of Japan Research Institute Ltd. It will hold its first meeting in January.
 
 

Japanese movies are riding on a wave of popularity in China, despite Beijing's restrictions on imported film.

Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki's "The Boy and the Heron," which hit theaters in China in April, became the 10th-highest grossing film of 2024.
Other popular Japanese movies include a Chinese remake and a past masterpiece.

Many Japanese films have become hits in China since 2023, when the country lifted its strict COVID-19 control measures.

Director Makoto Shinkai's "Suzume," released in China in March 2023, marked a box office record for a Japanese anime film in the country.
 
 

The two junior high school students who were stabbed by a man at a fast-food restaurant on Saturday have no defensive wounds, indicating that they were assaulted without any time to protect themselves, according to investigative sources.

The Fukuoka prefectural police said the incident took place at a McDonald’s in Kokura Minami Ward, Kokura, Fukuoka Prefecture. After entering the fast-food chain, the man approached and then silently stabbed the two students, who were standing at the end of the line to the cash register.

Saaya Nakashima, a third-year student from the city’s junior high school, was stabbed once in her abdomen, while the other victim, a third-year male student from the school, was stabbed once in his lower back. The suspect fled the scene with what appeared to be a knife. Nakashima was later confirmed dead.

 

The two students had no wounds to their hands, which are typically suffered when a victim tries to defend themselves, according to investigative sources. The wounds on their bodies suggest that the suspect stabbed rather than slashed them.

Less than 30 seconds elapsed between the man entering and leaving the restaurant.

None of the workers or customers at the restaurant witnessed the attack.
Nakashima, 15, died of blood loss. The boy, 15, suffered a non-fatal injury that was deep enough to cause death if suffered in a different location. The boy has been hospitalized.

The police are investigating the case as both a murder and attempted murder.
 
 

Takumi Kanaya, this year's top money winner on the Japanese professional men's golf tour, is in contention for a U.S. PGA Tour card after moving up to third in the penultimate round of the final qualifying tournament on Saturday.

The top five and ties at the PGA Tour Q-School Final Stage will earn automatic promotion to the world's most prestigious golf tour.

Starting the third round at TPC Sawgrass in fourth place, Kanaya shot a 2-under 68 with two birdies and no bogeys to go to 4-under for the tournament.

The 26-year-old Hiroshima Prefecture native heads into the final day two strokes back from the joint leaders, Americans Matthew Riedel and Alistair Docherty, and holds a one-shot lead over four players tied for fourth.

"I'm glad I could shoot a bogey-free round," Kanaya said. "It would be good if I can play the final day the same as I would in Japan or anywhere else. I want to prepare well and keep playing my own game."

Kanaya clinched his first JGTO money title earlier this month at the Japan tour's season-ending Nihon Series JT Cup.
 
 

Japan Post Co. started accepting New Year's cards for 2025 on Sunday.
Postal rates in Japan were raised in October, with the price of a New Year's postcard, like a regular postcard, going up to 85 yen from 63 yen.

In anticipation of a drop in demand following the rate hikes, Japan Post curbed the number of initially issued New Year's cards for 2025 at about 1.07 billion, down 25.7 pct from the previous year and falling for the 14th consecutive year.

The initial issuance number is the lowest since records began for New Year's postcards for 2004.

Following the rate hikes, the number of people deciding to end the practice of sending New Year's cards is believed to be increasing gradually.
 
 

Police in western Japan are searching for a man who fled with a knife from the scene of a stabbing incident at a fast-food restaurant that left a teenage girl dead.

The incident took place Saturday night in the city of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. Police say a 15-year-old girl has been pronounced dead at a hospital after being stabbed by a man.

They say a second victim, a male student, was also taken to a hospital, but is conscious.

Police quoted him as saying the suspect was a complete stranger.
Police are investigating the case as murder.

An employee of a McDonald's in the city called the local fire department at around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday to report that a woman had been stabbed with a knife in the restaurant.

Police described the suspect as a man of average build around 1.7 meters tall who appeared to be in his 40s. They say he was dressed in a gray jacket and black pants, and wearing yellowish shoes.

Police say the two victims attended the same junior high school in the city.
The man allegedly stabbed them upon entering the restaurant while they were in line at a cash register.

The incident occurred in an area lined with restaurants and other businesses about 300 meters from a monorail station.
 
 

Kyushu Railway Co., or JR Kyushu, is considering withdrawing from a ship route between Japan and South Korea, over a scandal in which a subsidiary covered up a water leak incident on a high-speed passenger ship, it was learned Friday.

In August this year, JR Kyushu said that the subsidiary, JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Inc., had been covering up the water ingress, while operating the Queen Beetle high-speed passenger ship linking the southwestern Japan city of Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, and the South Korean city of Busan, for over three months.

The JR Kyushu group has been working on raising safety awareness among employees, repairing the ship, and enhancing governance, with the aim of resuming the passenger ship operations.

Since the ship is made of aluminum, however, repairs by welding are difficult.

"While we are aiming for resuming the operations, we are also considering withdrawal from the business as an option," JR Kyushu President Yoji Furumiya told reporters.
 
 

The Fukuoka High Court on Friday became the third high court in Japan to rule the country's lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, but upheld a lower court ruling to dismiss plaintiffs' claim for damages.

In the ruling, the court judged for the first time that civil law provisions not allowing same-sex marriage violated Article 13 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to the pursuit of happiness.

The court also said the ban violates sections of the Constitution that guarantee equality under the law and upholds individual dignity and the essential equality of both sexes.
 
"There is no longer any reason to not legally recognize marriage between same-sex couples," Presiding Judge Takeshi Okada said.
After the ruling, four of the plaintiffs stood outside the court and held up a sign questioning why Japan's parliament has yet to legalize same-sex marriage.
At a press conference, a 35-year-old plaintiff going by the name Kosuke hailed the court's ruling on Article 13, saying it "changes society's atmosphere toward same-sex marriage." He described being unable to stop crying as the judge spoke.

His partner, a 37-year-old referring to himself as Masahiro, said the ruling "understood our suffering, and I felt very reassured."

The ruling contrasted with the decision by the lower court last year saying that the ban is in a "state of unconstitutionality" -- a term seen as a call for the Diet to address the law's inconsistency with the Constitution.

Three same-sex couples from Fukuoka and Kumamoto in southwestern Japan had asked for 1 million yen ($6,540) for each person. They argued that civil law provisions not allowing same-sex marriage violate the right to equality under the Constitution and its guarantee of the freedom of marriage.

The plaintiffs filed an appeal after the Fukuoka District Court in June 2023 dismissed their damages claim and ruled the government was not immediately obliged to enact legislative measures despite being in "state of unconstitutionality."

Japan's civil law and family registration law provisions are based on marriage between a man and a woman and the privileges that result from matrimony, including inheritance rights, tax benefits and joint custody of children, are only granted to heterosexual couples.

Japan remains the only Group of Seven industrialized country that has not legalized same-sex marriage or civil unions, despite growing pressure from the LGBT community and its supporters.

Previous district rulings have varied in scope, with the Sapporo and Nagoya courts saying that the lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, and the Tokyo district court ruling it is in a "state of unconstitutionality." The Osaka district court is so far the only one to rule the current law is constitutional.

In the first two high court rulings earlier this year, the Sapporo and Tokyo high courts said the country's lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

Every court, however, has dismissed compensation claims.
 
 

The kanji for gold (金 kin) was chosen as the single most representative character symbolic of the social mood in Japan this year, a Kyoto-based organization said Thursday.

The character symbolized Japan's gold medals at the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's golden year.

The character can also be read as kane, meaning money. This year Japan saw money problems with political slush funds, robberies by people recruited online and rising prices putting a strain on household finances.

In Kyoto, chief Buddhist priest Seihan Mori of Kiyomizu temple drew the character with a giant calligraphy brush on washi, or Japanese paper, 1.5 meters high and 1.3 meters wide, at the famous location. The event was televised live.

The selection for the 30th annual poll run by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation is based on votes cast by the general public.

The foundation received 221,971 answers. Of those, 12,148 were for gold, the fifth time that the kanji has been No. 1

The second most popular kanji was 災, sai (disaster) with 9,772 votes. Third with 7,486 votes was 翔, sho, (soar), the first character of Shohei Ohtani's name. Next were 震, shin (quake) and 選, sen (election).

Last year, the kanji of the year was tax (税, zei).
 

 

Japan Association for Construction Human Resources (JAC) admitted that it really hopes for help from workers from neighboring countries, including Indonesia, in overcoming the labor crisis in the country.

"The elderly in Japan are more numerous than the young, which means that there are very few young workers, so we really hope for help from manpower from neighboring countries in particular, one of which is Indonesia," said JAC project head Naoya Shikano, in Jakarta, Wednesday to Antara.

At the Japanese Construction Work Socialization event at the Jakarta State Polytechnic, Naoya said that Japan is actively making various efforts to overcome the labor shortage in their country.

The efforts, he said, are holding socialization of the introduction of internship programs and "Special Skill Worker" (SSW) programs for foreigners, along with their systems and regulations. "As much as possible, it should be known and socialized as much as possible in Indonesia," he added.

Another effort is to explain the actual conditions in Japan, especially in the construction sector, to foreign workers. "So that there is no fear of working in construction in Japan. So if an accident occurs, we and the Japanese government always support even in the worst conditions," he continued.

JAC is a legal entity that plays a role in accepting foreign workers with SSW visas. In addition to providing training, as well as organizing skills tests and job placement for foreigners, JAC also provides guidance and ensures that companies accepting foreign workers maintain a conducive environment.
The socialization event by JAC was attended by dozens of teachers from around 60 Vocational High Schools from the Tangerang, Jakarta, and Depok areas.

Gutser Siburian, a teacher at SMK Tunas Harapan in West Jakarta, who attended the event, hopes that such socialization will continue to be carried out because according to him it is relevant to the abilities of his students at school.

"The event was good. Some of our alumni are already working in Japan and our school plans to include Japanese language lessons to support and improve the abilities of those who will work in Japan," he said.
 
 

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and opposition parties were widely divided Thursday over whether to ban donations from companies and organizations to political parties, a key issue in revising the political funds control law again.

The Political Reform Special Committee at the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, started substantial deliberations on a total of nine bills to revise the law that have been submitted by parties.

At this point, there is no prospect of any bill securing a majority. At issue is whether parties can compromise with each other and reach an agreement.

On corporate and group donations, Ken Saito of the LDP emphasized their significance by recounting his experience of being supported by local companies when he lost an election.

Hiroshi Ogushi of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan claimed that "trust in politics has been greatly damaged due to a high-profile slush fund scandal at the LDP."
 


 

This team-up between the two Japanese companies is expected to provide wider distribution and accessibility outside of Japan for anime-related music.

Warner Music Japan (WMJ) and NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan (NBCUJ) have officially joined forces for better mutual opportunities centered on anime-related music.

On December 12, it was announced that WMJ — the Japanese arm of Warner Music — and NBCUJ — the Japanese subsidiary of NBCUniversal in charge of primarily in charge of production and distribution of music and anime within Japan — had entered into a strategic partnership.

Through this, Warner Music Japan is aiming to “make a full-scale entry into the anime-related music business, which is rapidly growing both domestically and internationally.”

Hand in hand with this, NBCUJ will reportedly “leverage the power and reach of ADA” — the “global independent distribution and label services arm” of Warner Music — in order to “expand the distribution of its catalogs, and help its artists engage with existing and new fans around the world.”

Going more into the details, this partnership will effectively bring mutually beneficial results to the two companies.

For WMJ, it is expected to be in charge of the production and promotion of new releases by NBCUJ’s artists moving forward. In addition, it will also be given “the distribution rights for more than 9,000 works in [NBCUniversal Entertainment]’s music catalog”

WMJ will take on the production and promotion of new releases by NBCUJ’s artists moving forward.

It will also acquire the distribution rights for more than 9,000 works in [NBCUniversal Entertainment]’s music catalog,” which notably includes tracks found in anime. In addition, this also entails that it is set commence “digitally distributing these [songs] worldwide from early 2025, as well as handling the distribution and sales of physical products.”

Adding to this, the two labels are expected to also join forces in order to “expand opportunities for music tie-ins with anime projects.” Notably, this would also mean finding opportunities for the artists under WMJ to “contribute songs, such as opening and ending theme tracks, for NBCUJ’s titles.”

In order to provide the necessary support this partnership needs, WMJ has created an Anime Business Division, welcoming “industry-leading figures” such as Koichiro Natsume (former President and CEO of Aniplex Inc.) and Hiroyasu Shinohara (former Senior Executive Officer of TMS Entertainment Co., Ltd.) to serve as “external advisorsl.”

In addition, WMJ is currently working closely with NBCUJ in order to “expand and strengthen this team with specialized talent.”

“We are delighted to take a strategic step forward in delivering Japanese music to the world through anime, thanks to our partnership with NBC Universal Entertainment Japan (NBCUJ),” states WMJ President and CEO Takeshi Okada.

He notes how “the popularity of Japanese anime is exploding both domestically and internationally with fans increasingly connecting with it on social media and streaming platforms.”

With this, he acknowledges that this brings “an opportunity for artists to connect with new fans worldwide through music used in anime projects.”

“So this partnership will not only enable us to help bring NBCUJ’s catalog to the world through our global network, but also give our artists opportunities to further grow their careers by leveraging anime-related collaborations.”

Meanwhile, NBCUJ CEO and President Shoji Doyama emphasizes that “the perfect combination of anime and music is essential” in order to “deeply resonate with anime fans,” noting that the two companies’ team-up, “the collaboration between NBCUJ’s anime and Warner Music’s repertoire will bring excitement to fans around the world.” 

“I am also delighted that songs by NBCUJ’s artists will reach even more listeners with the help of Warner Music’s global reach.”

Effectively, this partnership will enhance not only the sales and streams of these tracks but also their discoverability and wider accessibility for fans outside of Japan, especially in countries where anime is extremely popular like the Philippines.
 
 

Uber Japan said Wednesday that it has launched a new service to allow children aged 13 to 17 to safely use taxis, including on their way to extracurricular activities.

The app for the service, called “Uber Teens,” has features that provide parents with real-time information on taxi locations and make audio recordings in taxis.

The service is initially available in major cities in 11 prefectures across the country, including Sapporo, Sendai, Osaka, Fukuoka and Tokyo’s 23 special wards.

In the service, children can create accounts under the management of their parents. Taxi fares are the same as for other users, while parents can set a payment limit.

Since 2023, similar services have been launched in 40 countries, including the United States.
 

 

U.S. forces said Wednesday they resumed flights of their Ospreys in Japan after temporarily grounding all their tilt-rotor aircraft worldwide due to safety concerns.

A U.S. Marine Corps spokesperson said the flight resumption for the MV-22 transport planes came "after a thorough fleet review conducted during the operational pause."

An MV-22 took off around 10:13 a.m. from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture in southern Japan and landed 15 minutes later, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry's local branch.

Earlier this week, the Marine Corps said they were implementing a 96-hour operational pause for nonessential flight operations from Friday, based on the Naval Air Systems Command's recommendation following a recent precautionary landing of a CV-22.

Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force has alsosuspended operations of its 17 U.S.-made V-22s.
 
 

The Japanese government’s basic stance is to continue improving bilateral relations, which had progressed under President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration.

The Japanese government is struggling to navigate its diplomatic policy toward South Korea as political disarray in the country is likely to last.

The Japanese government’s basic stance is to continue improving bilateral relations, which had progressed under the President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration.

However, criticisms of Yoon’s diplomatic stance toward Japan have been on the rise, making it unpredictable how Japan-South Korea ties will develop.

Japanese and South Korean diplomatic authorities held a regular meeting of high-ranking officials, together with a U.S. counterpart, over issues of North Korea in Tokyo on Monday.

“Though we did not discuss internal political affairs of South Korea, we confirmed the three countries’ cooperation to prevent escalating tensions in the Korean Peninsula even in these circumstances,” a senior Foreign Ministry official told reporters.

On Sunday, the day after an impeachment bill against Yoon failed to pass in the South Korean parliament, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba spoke to reporters at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters, saying, “I want to monitor the situation with special and serious interest.”

He also said, “[South Korea] is an important neighbor and my stance to try to have close cooperative ties from now on has not changed.”

Ishiba suggested wanting to minimize negative impacts on the countries’ relationship.

While the Japanese government expressed “special and serious interest” in South Korean matters, it has refrained from directly mentioning Yoon’s decree of martial law, which triggered the country’s political disarray.

This contrasts with the U.S. stance, which was strongly critical of Yoon’s move. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, for example, remarked that Yoon “badly misjudged.”

The Japanese government, it seems, has instead offered careful consideration toward Yoon.

However, Yoon himself is now subject to insurrection charges. As a result, a senior Japanese government official said a planned visit by the prime minister to South Korea in January, postponed for now, “has become almost impossible” to realize.

Though the opposition parties’ impeachment bill against Yoon fell through, the bill cited Yoon’s diplomatic policy of placing importance on ties with Japan as one of the grounds for impeachment.

This has led to concern for some in the Japanese government. “As we fear Japan being drawn into conflict within South Korea, we cannot take any action for the time being,” said one member.
 

 

Japan has introduced a new regulation targeting tech companies with over 40 million monthly users in the country.

Apple and Google are expected to be among those affected.
The ordinance, effective December 19, aims to curb anticompetitive behavior.

Japan’s Fair Trade Commission is tasked with identifying and designating companies subject to this regulation.
 
 

Japan adopted an ordinance Tuesday to regulate technology giants with at least 40 million domestic users per month under a new law targeting anticompetitive behavior.

The ordinance will come into force on Dec. 19. The Fair Trade Commission will designate companies that meet the standard as subject to regulation upon notification.

U.S. companies Apple and Google are likely to be the main targets of the law.

The new law, designed to promote competition over smartphone apps and other products and services provided by tech giants, passed the Diet in June.

The law is set to fully enter into force by December 2025 after more details are finalized.

Covering the four areas of app stores, operating systems, browsers and search engines, the new law will ban platform holders from blocking new entrants and giving favorable treatment to their own services.

Companies violating the law will face a fine equivalent to 20% of their Japanese sales in the field where the offense occurred and 30% for repeated violations.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday again voiced his eagerness to establish an Asian version of NATO.

The deterrence provided by the United States has relatively weakened, Ishiba said of the East Asian security environment at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Japan's parliament.

"How we maintain the balance of power (in the region) is an obvious question we should be asking when thinking about military affairs," he said.

While admitting that there are constitutional interpretation issues over collective defense, Ishiba stated, "Deciding from the very start that (collective defense) shouldn't be allowed is just giving up thinking."

On the recently adopted economic package, Ishiba said that the central government will facilitate moves to reflect rising prices and labor costs in public procurement contracts between local governments and companies.
 
 

The Olympic Council of Asia has demanded that the Japanese organizers of the 2026 Asian Games make significant improvements to their preparations, sources familiar with the matter said Monday.

Aichi Prefecture and its capital, Nagoya, in central Japan, are set to cohost the next quadrennial Asian Games from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4, 2026. The OCA has said that the organizing committee is not adhering to the host city contract.

The OCA has called on the committee to show improvement in more than 10 areas, such as accommodation and transportation for athletes and team staff, according to the sources.

Frustrated with the organizing committee's handling of the situation, the OCA at one point indicated the hosting rights could be revoked and, in behind-the-scenes talks, mentioned potential replacement candidates for the Japanese hosts, the sources said.

The event needs to accommodate a maximum of 15,000 athletes, including those who compete in Tokyo and other parts of Japan. Still, the committee canceled the construction of a large-scale athlete village in Aichi as part of cost-cutting measures.

 

The OCA then asked the committee to review its accommodation plans, saying at least around 7,000 should be housed in one location.

The organizers plan to have about 4,000 on a cruise ship and around 2,000 in container houses to be built along the coast.

It is feared that the total cost of hosting the Asian Games and Asian Para Games could balloon to a little more than 200 billion yen ($1.34 billion) from the initial estimate of 100 billion yen.

"Aside from accommodation plans, there are multiple things the OCA isn't happy about," one of the organizing officials said.

The OCA, the organizing committee and the Japanese Olympic Committee signed an unusual memorandum, dated last Friday, that states the organizers will abide by the host city contract.

The memorandum includes a clause that organizers may incur penalties if they do not fulfill their obligations.
 
 
 

Japan Airlines (JAL) has deepened its commitment to achieving net-zero CO₂ emissions by 2050 with an investment in California-based Heirloom Carbon Technologies, a leader in direct air capture (DAC) technology.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has deepened its commitment to achieving net-zero CO₂ emissions by 2050 with an investment in California-based Heirloom Carbon Technologies, a leader in direct air capture (DAC) technology.

This marks another major step in diversifying its decarbonisation strategies, following its earlier investment in Direct Ocean Capture technology via Captura.

Heirloom specialises in a novel approach that leverages limestone’s natural ability to absorb CO₂.

The process involves heating limestone using renewable energy to release stored CO₂, after which the material reabsorbs atmospheric carbon like a sponge.

This technique allows for large-scale CO₂ removal from the atmosphere at a relatively low cost.

By supporting Heirloom, JAL aims to advance the development of critical carbon capture technologies and promote the adoption of carbon credits generated through CO₂ removal.

In tandem with its own operational improvements, such as fleet modernisation and fuel efficiency upgrades, JAL’s engagement with cutting-edge climate technologies reflects a multi-faceted approach to tackling aviation’s environmental impact, the company said.

Yasushi Noda, SVP, General Affairs Division, Japan Airlines, said: “We recognise this partnership as an important milestone in the development of global decarbonisation solutions. Through Heirloom’s innovative Direct Air Capture technology, we aim to significantly advance our efforts towards Net Zero CO2 Emissions by 2050.”

Shashank Samala, CEO of Heirloom Carbon Technologies, added: “We’re honoured to receive this investment from JAL and look forward to working with them as a strategic partner to rapidly scale our CO2 removal technology to make meaningful progress in the fight against global temperature rise.”
 

 

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko concluded their five-day visit to Türkiye on Dec. 8, reaffirming a shared commitment to strengthening the enduring diplomatic and cultural ties between the two nations through meaningful high-level discussions.

During their visit, the couple engaged in talks focused on enhancing Turkish-Japanese relations, making notable strides to foster collaboration and cultural exchanges between the two nations. The trip, marking the centenary of diplomatic ties, highlighted a renewed dedication to deepening these long-standing ties.

They also paid a visit to several landmarks of the country, including Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, in the capital city on Dec. 4. Their itinerary included a dinner hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan later in the day.

On Dec. 5, the royal couple continued their tour in Istanbul, participating in several cultural events, including a notable visit to the renowned Hagia Sophia.

Toward the end of their visit, the couple also traveled to the central city of Kırşehir.

Accompanied by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, they paid a visit to Kalehöyük Archaeological Museum, Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology and Japanese Park in the province.

The couple's visit to the city included an inspection of the Japanese government-backed Kalehöyük excavation site in the Kaman district, where Turkish and Japanese archaeologists are collaborating.

They held conversations with archaeologist Sachihiro Omura, director of the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology, at the Kalehöyük Archaeology Museum, which was constructed in 2009 through collaboration between the Turkish and Japanese governments and features artifacts that illuminate the city's 5,000-year history.

The couple also snapped a memento at the Japanese Park, one of the biggest botanical gardens outside of Japan.

The visit included various Turkish authorities, including the Culture and Tourism Deputy Minister Serdar Çam and Kırşehir Governor Murat Sefa Demiryürek.
 
 

President Prabowo Subianto has invited collaboration from Japanese companies for the construction of a giant sea wall that stretches along the northern coast of Jakarta.

He made the offer while receiving a Japanese business delegation from the Japan Indonesia Association (Japinda) at the Presidential Palace on Thursday, according to Minister of Investment and Downstreaming Rosan Perkasa Roeslani.

"The President invited Japanese companies to participate in the great giant sea wall (construction that) stretches to 600 kilometers," Roeslani said after accompanying the President on Thursday.

He informed that the discussion between Prabowo and the Japanese business delegates was very productive and generated several inputs.

Therefore, President Prabowo will also invite other Japanese businesspersons from the Japan Jakarta Club to discuss the involvement of Japanese companies in the construction of the giant sea wall, Roeslani, who is also head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BPKM), added.

The cooperation scheme for the construction of the giant sea wall is still open—between companies (B2B), between governments (G2G), as well as government and business entity cooperation (KPBU), he said.

"We are still open (for cooperation schemes). We hope these large Japanese companies will participate in the construction, engineering, and, of course, the funding," the minister added.

Further discussions regarding funding, or other forms of cooperation, will be taken up by Prabowo with Japanese companies on Friday (December 6, 2024).

Earlier, at the 2024 Kadin National Leadership Meeting (Rapimnas), Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) said the construction budget for the sea wall is estimated to reach Rp123 trillion (USD7.4 billion) in the next eight years.

The sea wall will come up on the north coast of Jakarta and stretch from Banten to Bekasi.

According to AHY, the budget would also be used for sanitation improvement, including river normalization. Therefore, the project cannot possibly depend solely on funding from the State Budget.
 

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is considering establishing a fund for housing support for the middle class at a time when condominium prices in central Tokyo are soaring, informed sources have said.

The Tokyo government aims to include related expenses in its initial budget proposal for fiscal 2025, starting in April, according to the sources.

A survey by the Real Estate Economic Research Institute showed that the average price of newly built condominiums in Tokyo's densely populated 23 wards has topped ¥100 million.

The situation makes it difficult for the child-rearing generation to secure large houses in Tokyo, causing "preschoolers and their parents to move out (of the capital)," a metropolitan government official said.

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike pledged during the campaign period for the gubernatorial election in July to strengthen measures to address the issue.

The metropolitan government is considering an affordable housing policy, like the ones promoted in the United States and Europe, to make it easier for middle-income earners to secure a place to live in Tokyo.

The planned fund will provide necessary financial aid for private businesses to develop affordable housing.

While the specific scale, start date and other details of the program will be worked out later, the metropolitan government plans to encourage companies focusing on corporate social responsibility to invest in the fund together.

As a means of curbing housing prices, business operators are expected to secure profits by renting out parts of condominiums built as affordable housing to retailers and offering the upper floors to high-income earners.

The metropolitan government hopes to take the lead in establishing a fund procurement system to support the development of affordable housing.
 
 

Last month, administrators announced that Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward would not be holding any New Year’s Eve countdown events this year.

It’s part of a continuing effort to eliminate the drunken, rowdy, ill-mannered crowds that used to congregate in the area around Shibuya Station for Halloween and New Year’s, turning much of the neighborhood into a de-facto street party and resulting in damaged property, injuries, and unsightly amounts of litter.

But though we already knew the neighborhood wasn’t going to have anything extra going on for New Year’s Eve, an update now shows that Shibuya Ward is going to be less welcoming on New Year’s Eve than an average night.

Not only will there be no special events (and the year-round Shibuya public drinking ban still in place), the statue of faithful dog Hachiko, the most famous landmark and meeting place in the district, will be covered up and sealed off on New Year’s Eve, just as it was on Halloween.

▼ Hachiko’s Halloween covering

 

Also mirroring this year’s Halloween protocols, barricades and pedestrian traffic flow-restricting partitions will be put up in the area around Shibuya Station for New Year’s.

Regarding the decision, Shibuya Ward Mayor Ken Hasabe said: “We are collaborating with numerous public institutions in order to strengthen security around Shibuya Station on New Year’s Eve and to prevent accidents and injuries.

Doing so is difficult with large crowds, so we ask for everyone’s understanding and cooperation in preventing overcrowding.”

The Hachiko covering and other barriers are scheduled to go up at 6 p.m. on December 31, and are currently projected to be in place until 1 a.m. the following morning, so if you want a snap a photo with Hachiko, you’ll need to plan your visit for another time.
 

 

Around 100 Japanese and Chinese pundits gathered in Tokyo on Thursday, calling on their governments to expand dialogue and promote people-to-people exchanges to improve public sentiment amid fragile bilateral relations.

At a forum on Sino-Japanese ties, scholars, alongside prominent political and business leaders from both countries, urged the establishment of a "framework of confidence-building" to prevent emergencies, including regular talks between their defense authorities.

"The mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests, agreed upon by the two governments, will be realized through understanding and trust between their nationals," a statement issued after the conclusion of the two-day discussions said.

The event was co-chaired by the Japanese nonprofit think tank Genron NPO and the China International Communications Group. On Monday, the two organizations released their annual joint survey, which revealed that approximately 90 percent of Japanese and Chinese people hold negative perceptions of each other.

The two Asian nations have been at odds over the Tokyo-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which are claimed by Beijing. Chinese vessels have repeatedly intruded into Japanese territorial waters surrounding the uninhabited islets.

Repairing the deteriorated sentiment is a "challenge to be prioritized," the statement said, adding Tokyo and Beijing "should make serious efforts" to expand interactions between Japanese and Chinese individuals.

Participants also explored a wide range of topics related to bilateral cooperation at the annual forum, held in person in Tokyo for the first time in six years.
 
 

 

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership on Wednesday in Tokyo.

As both Japan and Sweden face the threat of Russia, the nations aim to strengthen cooperation in a wide range of areas, including security.

Kristersson’s trip was the first visit by a Swedish prime minister since 2008. Sweden reversed its policy of neutrality and nonalignment after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) earlier this year.

“I would like to steadily continue cooperation in the fields of security and economy,” Ishiba said at the beginning of the meeting, which was held at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Kristersson said that Sweden considers Japan to be an extremely important likeminded country.

In their joint statement, the two sides confirmed their support for Ukraine as well as for continued sanctions against Russia. Japan and Sweden also condemned North Korea’s nuclear missile program and its military cooperation with Russia.

They recognized that Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security are inseparable and emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation with NATO and its partner countries in the Indo-Pacific region, including Japan.

Prior to the meeting, Japanese and Swedish defense and economic ministers held separate meetings in Tokyo and agreed to promote cooperation in defense equipment and technology, high-level exchanges and cooperation in developing technology for nuclear power generation.
 
 

The governments of Japan, Britain and Italy are coordinating to include Saudi Arabia in their joint development of a next-generation fighter jet, Japanese government sources have said.

Given the challenge of reducing development costs, the three governments are apparently interested in Saudi Arabia’s financial clout as a major oil producer. They are expected to reach an agreement on the matter by the end of this year.

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said at a press conference on Tuesday that it was too early to assume the participation of any other country.

Japan, Britain and Italy have signed a treaty to establish the Global Combat Air Program International Government Organization, or GIGO, to manage the joint fighter jet project. They aim to start deploying the new fighter in 2035.

Saudi Arabia, which is expected to join the project as a partner outside the treaty, apparently hopes that its participation in the project will help develop its aircraft industry at a time when the country is working to diversify its economy.
 
 

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba indicated Tuesday that his ruling party would endorse members implicated in a slush fund scandal for next year's House of Councillors election, provided they explain themselves in parliament.

The scandal, involving some Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers failing to properly report income from fundraising parties, eroded public trust in politics, leading the ruling coalition to lose its majority in the House of Representatives in the Oct. 27 election.

While Ishiba has remained in power, he faces significant challenges, as he must seek opposition support to pass budgets and bills while unifying and rebuilding the party ahead of the upper house election scheduled for the summer of 2025.

Ishiba's remarks came as 27 members who belonged to a powerful faction previously led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have expressed willingness to testify before the upper house ethics committee over the scandal, signaling a shift in their stance.

Of that total, 15 members will draw particular attention, as the others are not up for reelection this time. In Japan, half of the 248-member upper house is replaced every three years and the chamber is currently controlled by the ruling coalition.

To decide whether to endorse scandal-hit members in the October election, the LDP considered factors such as whether they had fulfilled their accountability by attending the political ethics committee, or the types of intraparty punishments they had received.

Party heavyweights with close ties to Abe, including former education minister Koichi Hagiuda and industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, ran as independents but joined the LDP-related group in the lower house after the election.

Opposition lawmakers are expected to intensify their criticism of Ishiba during the current extraordinary Diet session, which will end later this month, and the regular session from January.

Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, said at a press conference, "Even if the lawmakers in question attend the political ethics committee, this does not mean everything will be fine afterward."

The LDP and Komeito have been exploring policy cooperation with Tamaki's party.
 
 

The RAXUS Samurai Japan Series 2025 will be played at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka.

The Netherlands will face WBSC Premier12 2024 silver medallists, Olympic champions and World Baseball Classic winners Samurai Japan on March 5^th and 6^th in Osaka next year. The RAXUS Samurai Japan Series 2025 will be played at the Kyocera Dome.

For Team Kingdom of the Netherlands, who finished ninth in the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS, these two games form an excellent opportunity to measure themselves with the world No. 1 in international baseball and will be an important step in the team’s preparation for the European Championship, which will be held in the Netherlands in September 2025, as well as the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

General Manager Peter Kwakernaak is very happy to have been invited by Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB): “We are honoured to receive this opportunity to face the leader in the World Rankings in Samurai Japan, who have proven to be the best team in international baseball in the last few years.”

Both teams participated in the recently finished WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS, with Japan losing the final against Chinese Taipei, 4-0 and the Netherlands ending the tournament in ninth place.

This marks the second time Team Kingdom of the Netherlands will face Samurai Japan in the land of the rising sun. In 2016, the Orange squad was very close to a victory in both games but Japan proved to be just too strong in the end and won both games 9-8 and 12-10.

The biggest name on the Japanese team in that series was Shohei Ohtani, who has reached legendary status in the meantime and won his third MVP Award in Major League Baseball last month. 

In 2024, Japan hosted Czechia in the first edition of the RAXUS Samurai Japan Series in Nagoya in preparation for the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS with the home side defeating the Europeans 7-1 and 9-0.
 
 

NIPPON



 

The number of electric kick scooter traffic violation cases handled by police in Japan remains high following the easing of regulations through a revision of the road traffic law in July last year, raising concerns about their safety.

"Some users have repeatedly violated the law." Daiki Okai, president of Luup Inc., a Tokyo-based e-scooter sharing service company, told Jiji Press. Okai suggested that violations could be reduced through measures such as tougher penalties for malicious users.

According to the National Police Agency, police took action against 25,156 violations in the year from July 2023, and 55 pct of the cases involved such violations as driving e-scooters on sidewalks.

Basically, e-scooters are supposed to run on lanes for vehicles, but are allowed to run on sidewalks if they meet conditions such as running at a speed of no more than 6 kilometers per hour.

"We can eliminate (the violations) because it's really only some users who repeat violations," Okai said. Since the end of June this year, Luup has strengthened its measures against violations in cooperation with the police and other organizations.

Nintendo is the third most popular company among job-seeking Japanese graduates this year, according to a recent survey conducted by the employment agency Gakujo (source: Otaku Soken).

The ranking is based on responses from 5,476 university students from all over Japan. 

First and second place were occupied by trade giant Itochu and food and biotech corporation Ajinomoto respectively, which makes Nintendo number one among companies in the entertainment industry. Other game companies that made it to the top 50 include Konami, Bandai Namco, Sega and Capcom.

Nintendo’s high ranking undoubtedly has to do with its historical prestige and popularity as a video game company in Japan, but respondents were apparently also sold on how big the company is globally. In addition, Nintendo is known for having an unusually low employee turnover rate, which is close to zero (averages are around 30%). 
 

 

This no doubt has do with the company’s high base salary which keeps increasing, but there’s a lot more to it. The CEO of a Japanese employment company named the following factors: 

“Of course, Nintendo’s comprehensive benefits play a role in this. They have a high rate of paid vacation utilization, offer strong support for parenting, and have a unique point system for employees that can be used for games, books, travel, and more.

They also have a deep understanding of diversity and have introduced a partnership system that allows employees with same-sex partners to be treated as if they were married, among other progressive and practical initiatives.”   
 
 

A bear was trapped and killed Monday after a two-day stay in a northeastern Japan supermarket, police said, ending an incident in which the animal attacked a male employee and dined out in the store's meat section.

The approximately 1-meter-long bear was finally confirmed as captured at the store in Akita Prefecture around 8:10 a.m., some four hours after a sensor on one of the box traps was triggered.

Authorities used honey, apples and bread in traps set up in two locations, with the bear caught in one placed in a storage area at the rear of the store.

A camera-equipped drone was used in unsuccessful attempts to locate the bear, which took full advantage of its access to the meat section during its supermarket spree.

The bear entered the supermarket Saturday morning when some 20 staff were preparing for the start of the day's operations. The 47-year-old male employee attacked by the animal sustained non-life-threatening facial and other injuries, the police said.

The store, located in the prefectural capital of Akita, is about 1 kilometer from JR Tsuchizaki Station. It had not yet opened to customers when the bear entered.
 
 

A frog holding a taro-leaf umbrella. A parade of frolicking animals. An Ukiyo-e style Mount Fuji. Giant waves. A Japanese artist who goes by the name Lito carves these delicate designs on fallen leaves, giving life back to them.

The world of Lito’s delicate art, which he began in 2020 and posts on social media almost daily, has won fans from around the world. The leaf art has also given him solace after earlier struggles with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and a purpose in life — the joy of making people happy with his art.

He enjoys working at night. From a pile of leaves treated with a wrinkle-free chemical, he picks one and places it on a cutting board.

 

First, he outlines the design on the leaf with a pen in his right hand. Then he takes a design knife in his left hand and starts cutting the leaf carefully.

Slowly, the leaf begins to take the shape of a frog carrying an umbrella — a simple design he demonstrated in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

More complex, highly intensive work on a single leaf can take more than eight hours to complete.

His leaf-cutting works include titles such as “Scrolls of Frolicking Animals,” “Leaf Aquarium,” and “Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji: The Great Wave off Kanagawa.” Each piece includes his own twists, and often uses animals.

“I would rather finish it in one go when I am focused,” Lito, 38, said. He didn’t want to disclose his real name for personal reasons.

Since his childhood, Lito says he has had high levels of concentration and patience. But he had trouble fitting into what was considered the norm at school or at work, despite all his efforts. He struggled to interpret others’ feelings and to avoid confrontations.

 

After years of difficulty, he went to a hospital at age 30 and was told he has ADHD, a diagnosis that he felt explained why he has always done things differently.

He saw no point in forcing himself to do things the same way as other people, and began to adjust his life.

In early 2020, Lito came across the art of leaf cutting. He saw it as the perfect use of his patience and concentration.

Word of his skills has spread across social media, and he has published books on his leaf-cutting work. He holds a near monthly solo exhibition in various places in Japan.

“If I can make people happy by doing what I am doing, I want to do more. That’s my driving force for what’s next,” Lito says.
 

 

Japan’s popular Princess Aiko turned 23 on Sunday, as she takes on more official duties even while her future in the imperial family remains in doubt.

Aiko, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, graduated from university earlier this year and has since been participating in official duties and palace rituals while working at the Red Cross Society, according to the Imperial Household Agency.

But Japanese law requires her to renounce her royal status and leave the family if she marries outside the imperial family.

The vast majority of Japan’s public supports changing the law to allow her to remain a royal and become emperor, but conservatives in the governing party insist on keeping male-only succession. Japan’s rapidly dwindling imperial family has only 16 members, including four men.

Aiko was to mark her birthday with her parents at the imperial palace in Tokyo. The IHA also released several photos of Aiko, including one of her standing by a persimmon tree at a palace garden.

Another showed her holding pieces of traditional hand-crafted washi paper that she made at a workshop during her first solo official trip in October to the National Sports Festival in Japan’s southwestern prefecture of Saga.

The 1947 Imperial House Law, which largely preserves conservative prewar family values, allows only males to take the throne and forces female royals who marry outside the family to give up their status. With only one young male member, that puts the survival of the 2,000-year-old monarchy in jeopardy.

The youngest male member of the imperial family, Prince Hisahito — Aiko’s 18-year-old cousin — is currently the last heir apparent, posing a major problem for the system.

The government is looking for a way to keep the succession stable without relying on women, such as allowing the family to adopt new male members from former noble families that lost their status after World War II.

Aiko’s own views on the topic are unknown. She’s only had one full news conference, when she reached adulthood.

Last month, the United Nations women’s rights committee in Geneva issued a report that called for the Japanese government to allow a female emperor, among other issues hindering gender equality in the country.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi dismissed the report “regrettable” and “inappropriate.” He said the imperial succession is a matter of fundamental national identity and that it is not covered by constitutional basic rights.

Crown Prince Akishino, Aiko’s uncle, was asked about the succession debate at a news conference marking his 59th birthday Saturday, and replied that members of the royal family are “living humans” and that the palace officials who support their daily lives should know how it affects them.

At her work at the Japanese Red Cross Society, Aiko is assigned to volunteer training program, the IHA said. On weekends, it said, the princess enjoys taking walks with her parents and playing volleyball, tennis and badminton with palace officials.
 
 

The two victims of a recent fire at Japanese lawmaker Kuniko Inoguchi's home have been identified as her husband, Takashi, a University of Tokyo professor emeritus, and first daughter, police said Sunday.

The fire occurred Wednesday at the apartment of Inoguchi, 72, a member of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, but the possibility of a crime is low, and it is suspected to be accidental, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

The identities of the 80-year-old husband and the 33-year-old daughter were confirmed through DNA analysis, with the cause of death attributed to the fire.

The fire is believed to have begun in or around the reception room in the center of the home, but the exact cause remains difficult to identify due to the intensity of the blaze.
 
 

Japan plans to provide defense equipment to the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia and Djibouti under its official security assistance to the armed forces of like-minded countries that share its values, a government source said Saturday.

The four countries have been designated as the recipients of the OSA grant aid for fiscal 2024 through March next year, with Japan earmarking 5 billion yen ($33 million) in its initial budget for the current fiscal year, the source said.

Tokyo launched the OSA in April 2023 to help recipient countries ramp up their defense capabilities amid security concerns like China's growing military assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to the source, Japan plans to provide the Philippines with radar to help the Southeast Asian country deal with China's expanding military presence in the South China Sea.

Philippine vessels have been encountering Beijing's repeated aggressive actions in the South China Sea, where there are overlapping territorial claims among countries such as the Philippines and China. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea.

Last year, the Japanese government decided to provide Manila with a coastal surveillance radar system under the new grant aid program. The Philippines had been designated as an OSA recipient for fiscal 2023 along with Malaysia, Bangladesh and Fiji.

Mongolia, bordering China and Russia, is expected to be given air traffic control equipment, while Indonesia and Djibouti could receive equipment, possibly vessels, to ensure their maritime security, the source said.
 
 

The first of a new class of landing support vessels dedicated to the Japan Self-Defense Force’s Maritime Transport Group was launched last week in Tokyo’s latest move to bolster its forces facing China in the Ryuku Island Chain.

Constructed by the Naikai Zosen Corporation at the Setoda Shipyard, JS Yoko (4101) follows the recently launched landing craft utility JS Nihonbare (LCU-4151).

The Japan Ground-Self Defense Force, which will participate in the new tri-service Maritime Transport Group, said Yoko is more capable than the Nihonbare and will “enable prompt and reliable transportation of troops and supplies in the southwestern islands.”

Yoko has two ramps to offload personnel, vehicles, and supplies at the port, similar to a roll-on/roll-off vessel. This contrasts Nihonbare, which appears to have a bow door and ramp like a traditional landing-ship tank. Naval News reported that Yoko displaces 3,500, has a length of 120 meters and has a draft of four feet.

“The Yoko is a vessel capable of transporting goods between the mainland and islands in the southwestern region. In light of the current severe security environment, the Ministry of Defense will steadily proceed with the construction of transport vessels to strengthen transport functions to islands,” stated an Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency social media post.

According to Naval News, the Japan Self-Defense Force’s tri-service Maritime Transportation Group will contain ten vessels, including two landing support vessels like the Yoko.

This unit was created in response to the lack of maritime logistical capabilities amid Tokyo’s defensive shift from the ground-based posture in Hokkaido to the maritime and aerial domain of the Ryukus in recent years. Until the launch of vessels such as Yoko and Nihonbare, Japanese troops relied on commercial ferries and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s limited amphibious force of Osumi-class landing ship tanks.

The shallow drafts of these new vessels will allow Japanese forces to easily access the islands within the Ryukus chain compared to existing assets, which Tokyo claims “will contribute to strengthening the island defense system.”

Chinese air and naval forces have regularly passed through the Ryukus in their trips between the first and second island chains, prompting their Japanese counterparts to frequently challenge and monitor their transits.

Beijing also claims the Senkakus, a group of uninhabited islands that has been the site of a dispute with Tokyo. In turn, Japan has strengthened its regional presence with anti-ship missile batteries and air defense units, which could threaten Chinese forces transiting the strategic island chain.

Alongside Tokyo’s efforts, which include the establishment of an anti-ship missile regiment and the creation of an amphibious unit dedicated to the protection and recapture of seized territories, the U.S. has stepped up its Army, Air Force and Marine Corps deployments in Japan.

From a new composite watercraft unit, to advanced F-15EX fighter jets and even a plan to station High-Mobility Rocket Systems within the island chain in the event of a war over Taiwan, Washington has also recognized the strategic importance of the Ryukus.
 
 

Inui Street at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo was opened to the public Saturday amid the autumn leaves season.

The street is opened to the public twice a year, in the cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons, since 2014 in a program to commemorate the 80th birthday of then Emperor Akihito in December 2013.

There are 70 maple trees planted along Inui Street.

This year, visitors are allowed to take a 750-meter walk, including on the street, from the palace's Sakashita-mon Gate to Inui-mon Gate between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. until Dec. 8.

In order to prevent a spread of infections, the Imperial Household Agency calls on people not to come when feeling unwell.
 
 

 

China restarted its unilateral visa-free arrangement for short-term Japanese visitors on Saturday, allowing stays of up to 30 days in a move believed to be aimed at promoting tourism and trade amid a downturn in the world's second-largest economy.

The preferential treatment had been suspended since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The visa-free arrangement will be effective through the end of next year.

Japan currently requires all Chinese visitors to obtain visas regardless of the length of stay.

Beijing had previously called for "equal" visa treatment for Chinese nationals as a condition for resuming the visa-free arrangement, according to sources familiar with bilateral relations.

At a Shanghai airport, a 37-year-old Japanese tourist from Tokyo said Saturday morning, "I bought an air ticket immediately after the visa exemption was announced. It helps because I like to visit historical sites."

However, the visitor added that "security concerns" remain following a recent series of random attacks in China, and the number of Japanese tourists is not expected to increase soon.

Relations between the two Asian neighbors have been strained over a host of issues, including the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen and the detention of Japanese nationals over espionage allegations.

Japanese companies operating in China have generally welcomed the restart of the visa-free scheme, saying it removes obstacles to short-term business trips to the neighboring country.

Some local Japanese government offices in Shanghai have also anticipated that the visa exemption would increase the number of direct flights linking regional Japanese cities with those in China.

China has so far given visa exemptions to short-term visitors from nearly 40 countries, including Southeast Asia, Europe, Oceania, South Korea and Japan.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed during their meeting in Peru in early November to foster "mutually beneficial" and "stable" relations and boost people-to-people exchanges.

Between 2003 and 2020, China allowed Japanese nationals to visit without visas for up to 15 days.

About 2.67 million Japanese people visited China in 2019, with the figure making up the largest group among foreign visitors to the country that year, according to the Japanese government and a major Chinese tourist agency.
 
 

Japanese electronics giant Sony is set to celebrate 30 years since it launched the PlayStation console, the little gray box that catapulted the firm into the gaming big league.

PlayStation was Sony's first foray into the world of video games and when it hit the shelves in Japan on December 3, 1994, the company needed to sell one million units to cover its costs.

In the end, the gadget became a legend, selling more than 102 million units, helping to launch many of the industry's best-loved franchises and positioning Sony as a heavyweight in a hugely lucrative sector.

"PlayStation changed the history of video games," said Hiroyuki Maeda, a Japanese specialist in video game history. "It truly transformed everything: hardware, software, distribution and marketing."

One of the keys to its success was broadening the appeal of a pastime that had often been dismissed as a hobby for children.

From the off, the firm was clear that it wanted to trash this image.
In part this stems from Sony's rivalry with Nintendo, which was already a dominant player in the sector by the mid-1990s, but whose games skewed young.

The original PlayStation can trace its history to a falling out between the two great Japanese firms.

They had partnered in the late 1980s to develop a version of the Super Nintendo console with an in-built CD player.

But Nintendo suspected Sony were using the project as a way to muscle into the gaming sector and abruptly cancelled the partnership in 1991.
"Sony found itself in a humiliating position," said Maeda, so pushed ahead with the project by itself.

The hardware proved to be revolutionary, CD-ROMs being cheaper and storing much more data than the cartridges used by Nintendo and other consoles.

And to further distinguish itself from Nintendo, Sony courted a young adult audience with fighting games like "Tekken", out-and-out horror with "Resident Evil" and "Silent Hill", and military titles like "Metal Gear Solid".
Its advertising also followed a more grown-up path.

Hollywood auteur David Lynch was drafted in to direct ads for the PS2 launched in 2000 -- conjuring a nightmare vision of floating heads and talking ducks certainly not meant for younger audiences.

"The older audience obviously had better purchasing power than children," said Philippe Dubois, founder of M05, a French association that aims to preserve digital heritage.

The PS2 is still the most successful console in history, having sold more than 160 million units.

Over the past 30 years, the competition has intensified and the technology has been honed.

While Sega and other rivals have fallen by the wayside, Microsoft has entered the fray with its Xbox, and Nintendo is still on the scene with its Switch console.

But the industry is enduring tough times.

A surge in popularity and investment during the pandemic has subsided and Sony's PlayStation division recently laid off hundreds of workers.

Plenty of analysts are also predicting that cloud gaming will soon render consoles obsolete.

Sony appears undaunted though, recently launching an upgraded version of its PS5 with a marketing push that highlighted new AI features.

Bloomberg has reported that the Japanese firm is also planning a new hand-held version of the PlayStation, which would once again pit it against old rival Nintendo, undisputed king of portable devices.

However, for the purists, few innovations were as great as the original console's ability to handle 3D graphics.

The technology was instrumental for the appeal of classic games such as "Tomb Raider" and "Final Fantasy VII".

"We discovered sensations, emotions that we hadn't experienced with earlier consoles," said French YouTuber and PlayStation enthusiast Cyril 2.0.
He said he had collected almost every title released for the PlayStation in Europe -- some 1,400 -- and insisted the formula for success was not complicated.

"For consoles, games are still the most important thing," he said.