The government will share with local authorities information related to the nonpayment of taxes and social insurance premiums by foreign residents through the My Number identification card system, as part of efforts to strengthen screening, according to sources close to the government.

According to the outline of proposals to review policies on foreigners unveiled Wednesday, the government will also consider establishing a system requiring foreign nationals to enroll in private medical insurance before entering Japan to prevent the nonpayment of medical expenses.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed relevant ministers on Nov. 4 to promote measures preventing illegal activities by foreign nationals in order to realize a society of orderly and harmonious coexistence with them. The government will put together a basic policy on this matter by January.

According to the outline, the Immigration Services Agency starting in 2027 will be able to directly view information related to foreign nationals’ taxes and social insurance premiums, which are managed by national and local governments through the Digital Agency’s My Number system.

This indicates that the government will adopt a stance of not allowing foreign nationals who have a history of nonpayment to receive a renewal of their residency status, in an effort to reduce cases of nonpayment.

Measures will also be implemented to prevent foreigners who have no status of residence and are unqualified from receiving child-care allowances, according to the outline.

A network will be established to share information among relevant entities as early as 2027, enabling municipalities responsible for the payment of the allowances to access immigration-related information.

As there has been a succession of case of foreign visitors to Japan leaving the country with unpaid medical bills, the government will look to create a system requiring them to enroll in private medical insurance before entering the country. Relevant ministries including the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry plan to begin discussions on the matter in December.

Currently, only cases where a foreigner with unpaid medical bills totaling at least ¥200,000 are reported to immigration authorities if that person tries to reenter Japan. The threshold will be lowered to ¥10,000 in April.

The government will also aim to develop a system to provide local governments — without them needing to make inquiries — with information held by the immigration agency on individuals temporarily released from detention facilities for health and other reasons. This aims to prevent their fleeing or working illegally.
 
 

Japan's House of Councillors Financial Affairs Committee on Thursday unanimously approved legislation to scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge of 25.1 yen per liter, effective Dec. 31.

The legislation is expected to be passed into law at a plenary meeting of the upper chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, on Friday. It was passed by the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, on Tuesday.

The legislation further specifies that the provisional gas oil delivery tax surcharge of 17.1 yen per liter will be abolished on April 1 next year.

Several opposition parties jointly submitted similar legislation to the Diet in August, seeking to eliminate the surcharges in November.

After the Nov. 1 deadline, the legislation was collectively revised by six major parties--including the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
 
 

A Japanese town deleted a social media post warning of a bear sighting after discovering that a picture it had received showing the fearsome creature was AI-generated.

Similar fake images have been circulating online as fear of bears runs high in the country, where the animals have killed a record 13 people this year.

"The town prioritised informing residents to avoid danger, but we apologize for causing any anxiety or confusion," the northern town of Onagawa said on its official X account.

The image created with artificial intelligence showed a bear roaming around a residential area at night.

"We will take this experience as a lesson, and will strive to improve the accuracy and speed of our future information dissemination," the town said.
But residents still "need to continue exercising utmost caution regarding bear sightings".

An official in Onagawa told AFP on Thursday that the town had received the bear picture from a well-meaning company president on Wednesday morning.

"There had been reports of a bear sighting in a different district of the town over the weekend, that we warned of over disaster prevention radio, so we didn't have much doubt" about the image, he said.

The town posted the image on X quickly on Wednesday morning, because the alleged sighting was near a nursery school, the official said.

Schoolchildren in the town were told to commute in a group or use school buses, while nursery school preschool children refrained from playing outside.

At the same time, "we were checking with different apps if the image was genuine or fake", said the official, who requested anonymity.

"One analysis showed the possibility was high that it was AI-generated, while the other said the possibility of AI was low," he said, highlighting the difficulty of spotting increasingly realistic-looking AI images.

It emerged that the image was originally created by a company employee for fun, but one of his colleagues believed it was real and reported it to the boss.

The town retracted its post with the image on Wednesday afternoon, after being contacted by the person who created the AI image, the official said.
It is not the only AI-generated image that has gained traction in Japan as anxiety grows over bear attacks.

There has been a steady flow of genuine reports of bears entering homes, roaming near schools and rampaging in supermarkets, especially in rural northern regions.

When reporters at the Yomiuri Shimbun national daily searched for the words "bear" and "video" on TikTok, they found that around 60 percent of 100 clips analyzed were fake.

Some of them had been produced using OpenAI's video generation tool Sora, the newspaper said this month.

The fake videos included one in which an old woman fed apples to a bear, and another in which an unarmed high school student fended off a bear with her bare hands.

Another showed a bear making off with a dog in its jaws.
Some of them had been watched hundreds of thousands of times, the report said.
 
 

The closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, sponsored by The Yomiuri Shimbun and others, was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, on Wednesday.

This was the first time in its 100-year history that the Deaflympics were held in Japan. About 280,000 spectators from Japan and abroad visited the event venues, creating 12 days filled with excitement.

About 3,000 athletes from 79 countries, regions and refugee groups competed. Japan won a record 51 medals — 16 gold, 12 silver and 23 bronze.
 
 

Work is underway to pave the way for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's planned visit to Japan next year to mark the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Wednesday.

The Japanese government's top spokesman made the comment at a regular press conference after Meloni told reporters that she would visit Japan early January while she was in Johannesburg to attend the two-day Group of 20 summit that ended Sunday.

Kihara said Japan and Italy "want to further deepen bilateral ties in various fields, including security, economy and culture."
 
 

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday it is her "responsibility" to maximize Japan's interests by building good relations with China through dialogue, after a diplomatic row between the two nations escalated over her remarks on Taiwan.

Tokyo-Beijing ties have worsened since Takaichi said earlier this month that a military attack on Taiwan could present a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan. The remarks were interpreted as indicating Japan's potential involvement of its Self-Defense Forces in responding to such a scenario.

Communist-led China regards Taiwan as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. Beijing insists that the matter of Taiwan, governed separately since it split in 1949 due to the civil war, is purely an "internal affair."

During a one-on-one parliamentary debate with opposition party leaders on Wednesday, Takaichi also said she made the comment during a parliamentary session on Nov. 7, responding "sincerely" to a specific question about Japan's potential response to an emergency involving the self-ruled democratic island.

Takaichi, who took office last month, is known for embracing hawkish security views of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Past Japanese leaders, including him, kept an ambiguous stance on how Japan would respond to a potential contingency involving Taiwan, apparently to avoid provoking China.

Takaichi, head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, also saidthe government would make a "comprehensive judgment" on what constitutes a survival-threatening situation by taking into account all available information and reviewing the specific circumstances that arise.

Concerns have been growing over adverse impacts stemming from the diplomatic dispute. There have been postponements and cancellations of not only political but also business and cultural events in both countries.

Referring to the two countries' agreement to build a "constructive and stable" relationship, Takaichi reiterated that Japan is "open" to talks with China.

Takaichi took part in the Group of 20 summit in South Africa last weekend along with other leaders including Chinese Premier Li Qiang, but no bilateral talks between the two took place on the fringes.

Takaichi made the remarks in her responses to questions from Yoshihiko Noda, head of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

After the debate, Noda, a former prime minister, told reporters that, considering that Takaichi has stopped referring to a specific contingency example, she has "effectively retracted" her remarks on Taiwan.

Noda also expressed doubts about an economic package worth around 21.3 trillion yen ($140 billion) to tackle rising living costs. The stimulus package was approved last week by Takaichi, who is widely seen as a fiscal dove.

The stimulus plan has spurred a selloff of the yen and Japanese government bonds on expectations that the nation's fiscal health, already the worst among advanced economies with debt over twice the size of the economy, could further deteriorate.

Takaichi said her government will take "necessary measures" after examining whether recent currency market moves are based on economic fundamentals.

At the Wednesday session, Noda was allotted the longest time to question Takaichi, followed by other opposition leaders, Yuichiro Tamaki of the Democratic Party for the People, Tetsuo Saito of the Komeito party and Sohei Kamiya of the Sanseito party.

Asked by Sanseito's Kamiya about her view on the need for a counterintelligence law, Takaichi said the government will draft an anti-espionage bill at an early date after beginning discussions later this year.
Sanseito is a populist group that gained traction in the House of Councillors election in July with its "Japanese First" platform.

The Diet debate came after the LDP switched its coalition partner from its longtime ally Komeito, an avowed pacifist party, to the center-right Japan Innovation Party, before she was elected as prime minister by a parliament vote on Oct. 21.

Answering questions by Saito, Takaichi denied that she had "explicitly" directed a review of Japan's three long-held principles of not possessing, producing or permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons.

Japan, as the only country to have suffered atomic bombings, remains committed to the non-nuclear arms principles, though the third principle is feared to weaken the effectiveness of the nuclear deterrence provided by its ally, the United States.

Takaichi said that the government will "comprehensively consider" the review, including taking "realistic approaches," to the planned update next year of the National Security Strategy long-term policy guideline and two other security documents.

Saito said that nuclear abolition would be a "pipe dream" if the three principles are changed, adding that parliamentary approval for such a security policy overhaul should be required.
 
 

All Nippon Airways is offering free flights in an effort to encourage tourists to get off the beaten track and explore more of Japan

Travelling is brilliant, but it’s also expensive. Japan seems to understand this though, as it’s trying to help lower that cost a little by offering free domestic flights to European travellers this winter.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) has partnered with the national tourism board to provide passengers with complimentary internal flights. The deal will allow customers two complimentary stopovers with any inbound international flight, so that they can see more of Japan.

Whilst this is a great deal, there are a few conditions that you’ll need to fulfil before you’re eligible. First, you need to be a passenger coming from the UK or Europe, and you will need to pay for your flight into Japan.

You’ll be in standard class, and the deal is also only applicable to journeys between November 24 2025 and January 31 2026, so there’s only a short window to make the most of it.

The goal is to move tourists away from hotspots like Tokyo and Kyoto, and towards some of the nation’s lesser-explored destinations in the countryside and coasts. ANA flies to over 40 Japanese destinations, all of which will be included in the deal, so there’s lots of choice for those looking for a proper adventure.

So what sort of places will you be able to see at no extra cost?
Why not explore the mountains and gorgeous scenery of Tohoku, or if you’re more of a beach person, try the Okinawa Islands with their azure-blue waters and luxury seafront resorts.

ANA says that it hopes this offer will ‘make regional exploration… easier and genuinely affordable’, as well as helping address the overtourism that the country’s major hubs are currently facing.

It added that the campaign is evidence of its dedication to promoting ‘deeper, more sustainable engagement with Japan’s culturally diverse regions’.

You can claim your free flights with ANA here. Whilst your ticket won’t cost anything, you might still have to pay taxes and visa fares – both of which are set to go up for travellers in Japan. You can read more about those increases here.
 
 

A pedestrian in his 80s has died after an apparent hit-and-run in Tokyo's Adachi Ward at around 12:30 p.m. Monday that left 10 others injured, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

A woman in her 20s was found unconscious after the collisions and is in serious condition, police said.

The Tokyo police has taken into custody the driver who attempted to flee the scene — about 500 meters north of the Adachi Ward office — following the incident, investigative sources said.

The driver had tried to flee on foot after the collisions, which took place at several locations, NHK reported.

TBS reported a vehicle theft from a nearby car dealership about two hours before the incident and that the police are investigating whether the two events are connected.
 
 

 

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi spoke via telephone with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday morning, during which she received an update on recent U.S.–China relations, including a telephone conversation between Trump and Xi Jinping on Monday.

She told reporters about this after the call, which reportedly took place at the U.S.’ request. “In light of the current international situation, we affirmed the close ties between Japan and the U.S. just as we did during President Trump’s recent visit to Japan,” Takaichi said.
 
 

JR Central says it will conduct trials of artificial intelligence-operated language services at JR Shinagawa Station in Tokyo for foreign tourists traveling on its Tokaido shinkansen bullet trains.

In the trial lasting from Dec 15 to mid-March next year, visitors will be able to access a dedicated site via smartphone by scanning a QR code displayed at the station.

An AI chatbot will provide details on service operations and information such as how to purchase tickets and handle large luggage items.

Named "JRTok-AI," the service will support English, Chinese, Korean, French, and Spanish. It will also feature location-based information and provide English commentary on the history and culture of the areas the train passes through.

"Based on the results of the trial, we will consider enhancing information and expanding the scope of services provided," JR Central said.
 
 

The annual Tori-no-ichi festival got underway at Ootori Shrine in Tokyo's Asakusa district on Monday, drawing crowds of business owners and tourists looking to buy a traditional "lucky rake."

The Tori-no-ichi festival dates back to the Edo period, which spanned the 17th to 19th centuries, and is held across Japan each November on the tori -- or rooster -- days determined by the zodiac and lunar calendar.

The Asakusa event is one of the largest in the country, with lines of stalls selling ornate bamboo rakes called "kumade."

Available in a range of sizes, the kumade are believed to help people "rake in" good fortune and prosperity for the coming year.

They are decorated with ornaments such as gold coins and red sea bream, as well as a horse -- the zodiac symbol for next year. Some have ornaments modeled on Myaku-Myaku, the official mascot of the 2025 World Expo in Osaka.

Whenever someone buys a kumade, the vendors send them off with ceremonial clapping and chanting.

One visitor in his 60s said rising inflation makes him worried about his retail business, but he hopes the kumade he bought will bring luck to his family, employees and customers, and that next year will be one of "great leaps."
The Tori-no-ichi festival in Asakusa continues into the late hours of Monday.
 
 

The Miyazaki prefectural government said Saturday that an outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed at a poultry farm in the city of Hyuga.
About 48,000 chickens at the farm will be culled.

This marked the fifth confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a poultry farm in the country this season, and the first in the prefecture.

According to the prefectural government, the Hyuga farm reported an increase in the number of dead chickens Friday morning.

Infection was confirmed through a genetic test Saturday morning after a positive result was shown in a simple test.
 
 

The Japanese Foreign Ministry has rebutted China's claim that the safety risk is increasing in Japan, by releasing data on recognized serious crimes in Japan in which Chinese nationals were victims.

In January-October this year, the number of recognized murder, robbery and arson cases in Japan where the nationality of the victims was Chinese stood at 28, down from 35 in the same period of 2024, the ministry said, based on the data from the National Police Agency. Such cases came to 48 for the whole of 2023 and 45 in 2024.

The ministry noted that recent announcements by the Chinese government suggested a surge in criminal cases against Chinese nationals in Japan this year and an increase in the safety risk in the country. But the ministry rejected the claim, saying, "Such assertion is incorrect."

Following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent remark on a possible Taiwan contingency, China's government called on citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan, citing the deteriorating security condition in the country.

The Japanese ministry said the NPA data also include "cases where the nationality of the main suspect was found to be Chinese."
 
 

 
A cricket ground that meets international standards and is located north of Tokyo is attracting visitors from Japan and abroad, raising hopes that it will serve as a hub for regional revitalization and promote a sport that has remained relatively low-profile in the country.

Naoki Alex Miyaji, 47, a former Japan team player and current CEO of the Japan Cricket Association, connected the sport with Sano, Tochigi Prefecture, by establishing the organization's local office there in 2007. The association is now headquartered in the city.

The city opened the Sano International Cricket Ground at the former site of a prefectural high school in 2018, spending around 400 million yen ($2.6 million), including aid from the national government.

In late October, the ground hosted the Embassy Cup, a match between the Japanese national team and a group of experienced foreign players. Nine foreign embassies in Japan supported the event, and visitors enjoyed trial cricket sessions and international cuisine.

"It's fun because it requires a high level of defensive strategy, given batters are allowed to hit in any direction," said the association's public relations officer, Naoaki Shimomura, 51.

With around 300 million players worldwide, cricket is set to be included in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. However, there are only about 5,800 players in Japan, and its men's and women's national teams are ranked around 40th, according to the association.

"I want to make cricket famous and popular by winning games," said Makoto Taniyama, a 29-year-old member of the national team, who moved from Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture, to Sano for a better playing environment.

Miyaji has also worked to promote the sport, by organizing "cricket in English" classes in schools in the city and inviting a coach from Britain.

He expressed hope of contributing to the local community, saying, "Intercultural exchange can happen in Sano as the cricket ground brings people from Japan and from around the world."
 
 

Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae is on her way to South Africa to attend the Group of 20 summit and meet with world leaders.

Takaichi left Tokyo on a government plane on Friday for the four-day trip.
On the first day of the G20 summit in Johannesburg on Saturday, the prime minister is expected to show Japan's commitment to building a multilateral free trade system.

Arrangements are also being made for Takaichi to hold separate bilateral meetings. She is expected to seek stronger cooperation with emerging and developing countries, collectively known as the Global South, which are increasing their presence on the world stage.

Close attention is being paid to whether she will have a chance to communicate with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, amid a growing rift between the two nations over Takaichi's Diet remarks on Taiwan.

Before leaving Tokyo, Takaichi told reporters that at the G20 summit, she intends to discuss various issues facing the international community, in addition to the global economy. She said these include disaster preparedness, debt sustainability and energy transition.

She said she will fully explain Japan's position and the efforts it is making on these issues, and call for maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

Takaichi said arrangements for bilateral meetings are being made based on inquiries from participating countries.
 
 

The government is set to raise fees for residence procedures for foreign nationals to levels comparable to those in Europe and the United States in the next fiscal year, according to government and ruling party sources.

It intends to submit a bill to amend the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law to the regular Diet session next year. Revenue from the fee increase will fund policy initiatives related to foreigners, including to improve conditions for the rapidly growing foreign resident population and to deport illegal residents.

The government is considering including the following statement in its soon-to-be-drafted economic package: “In fiscal 2026, we will review and raise fees related to foreign residents and visa fees, taking into account the levels in major countries.”

Residence permit fees were raised by ¥2,000 in April this year, setting them at ¥6,000 for changing residence status and renewing stays and ¥10,000 for those applying for permanent residence. This reflects rising prices and labor costs.

The government is considering a plan that would raise fees for changing residence status and renewing stays of one year or longer to somewhere between ¥30,000 and ¥40,000, and that would increase the cost for a permanent residency permit to ¥100,000 or more.

 

As the law currently sets a maximum fee of ¥10,000, an amendment will be required. This would be the first legal revision to increase the fees since 1981.

Fees in Western countries are higher than in Japan. In the United States, changing or renewing one’s work permit costs $420 to $470 (about ¥65,000 to ¥73,000), and in Britain it costs £827 (about ¥169,000). In Germany, changing or renewing one’s residence permit costs €93 to €98 (about ¥16,000 to ¥17,000).

In June, Japan’s foreign resident population stood at a record high of about 3.96 million people, according to the Immigration Services Agency.

The government aims to use the revenue from higher fees to improve conditions for foreign residents, such as by speeding up immigration screening and enhancing Japanese language education. Measures to deal with the roughly 70,000 illegal residents will also be strengthened.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry plans to raise fees for visas to levels comparable to Europe and the United States in the next fiscal year.

If implemented, this would be the first increase since 1978. The government is expected to allocate the revenue to countering overtourism, among other measures.

A single-entry visa currently costs ¥3,000, and a multiple-entry visa runs at ¥6,000. For comparison, short-stay visas cost $185 (about ¥28,000) in the United States and £127 (about ¥25,000) in Britain. The ministry will reference these figures in determining how much to raise the fees.
 

 

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te posted pictures on social media of himself eating Japanese-sourced sushi on Thursday to show his support for Japan in a bitter and worsening diplomatic dispute with China.

According to two government officials in Tokyo, Beijing has indicated it will halt Japanese seafood imports following a rise in tensions since Japan's new prime minister suggested Tokyo could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan.

"What are you eating? Now is perhaps a good time to eat Japanese food," the president said in the post on his Facebook and Instagram accounts showing him sitting on a sofa holding up chopsticks and a plate of sushi.

"It fully shows the firm friendship between Taiwan and Japan," he said of the sushi, which included ingredients from Taiwan such as cuttlefish as well as yellowtail from Kagoshima in Japan and scallops from the Japanese island of Hokkaido.


TAIWAN CRITICISES 'BULLYING BEHAVIOUR' BY CHINA

Taiwan's government, which rejects sovereignty claims by China, has in recent years been subjected to similar food export bans by Beijing, including of Taiwanese pineapples and fish, in what Taipei has said is part of a Chinese pressure campaign.

Speaking to reporters at parliament earlier on Thursday, Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said China's use of economic coercion and military intimidation to "bully other nations are already too numerous to mention individually.

"At this critical juncture, we must also support Japan in effectively stabilising the situation and halting the Chinese communists' bullying behaviour," he said.

Addressing lawmakers later, Lin said Taiwanese should make more visits to Japan and buy more Japanese goods to show their friendship with the country.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Taiwan was an inseparable part of China's territory.

"No matter what show the Lai Ching-te authorities put on, it cannot change this ironclad fact," she added.

Beijing views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of the island. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's claims and says only the island's people can decide their future.

Japan and Taiwan have a close though unofficial relationship and deep cultural and business ties. Japan ruled Taiwan, which lies just over 110 km (68 miles) from Japanese territory at its closest point, from 1895 until the end of World War Two in 1945.
 

Voice actors in Japan plan to set up an organization to protect their voices against unauthorized use by generative artificial intelligence.

The members of Voice Integrity and Dubbing Advancement, or VIDA, will include actors, their talent agencies, and firms and entities that use audio-related AI technology. They announced the plan at a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Kubo Masakazu, a VIDA representative, said the initiative is aimed at protecting the artists' data and expanding the possibilities of their voices.

Kubo said VIDA is looking at authentication technology to detect pirated content. The new group also plans to use an AI tool to dub voice data into other languages after gaining consent from the rights holders.

The dubbing equipment was demonstrated at the news conference. It translated Japanese sentences read by voice actor Kanai Mika into English, Chinese and other languages without changing the vocal quality.

The group says the tool can dub voice data into more than 30 languages.
Kanai says voice actors like herself now live in an era where they have to coexist with AI, but she hopes measures will be taken to protect their rights.
 
 

A meeting of culture ministers from Japan, China, and South Korea, scheduled for Monday in Macau, has been postponed, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a press conference Thursday.

Mao said that the foundation and atmosphere for trilateral cooperation have been destroyed by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent remark on a possible Taiwan contingency. The conditions for holding a meeting among the countries are not in place, she also said.

With the Japan-China rift over Takaichi's remark spilling over into three-way ties, the prospect of an early summit in Japan among the three East Asian neighbors has become dim.

According to a source in South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Beijing requested the postponement on Tuesday.

The three countries had sought to hold a summit in Japan, but this has faced scheduling difficulties due to a presidential election in South Korea and the resignation of Takaichi's predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba.
 
 

A massive fire raging for a third day in the southwestern Japan prefecture was brought under control, except on an uninhabited island it leaped to, the city of Oita said Thursday, after the disaster left one person dead and about 170 buildings destroyed.

Local firefighters and the Self-Defense Forces worked to extinguish the blaze, with an SDF helicopter dropping water Thursday morning. The fire has consumed around 48,900 square meters in the Saganoseki port district of Oita since it was first reported to police on Tuesday afternoon.

Oita Gov. Kiichiro Sato told a disaster response meeting he hopes the fire will be contained by the end of the day, while instructing officials to provide support to evacuees.

According to local authorities, the fire had spread beyond the Saganoseki area into nearby forested areas and to an uninhabited island about 1.4 kilometers away.

The blaze follows a fire in Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, in February that consumed around 3,370 hectares of the city and took 40 days to extinguish.

The following month, strong winds intensified fires in Ehime and Okayama prefectures in western Japan, damaging buildings and burning a total of 1,000 hectares. It took around a week for the respective local government heads to declare the fires contained.


https://youtu.be/4ubCw6V-9bw
 
 

Japanese sprinter Maki Yamada won the men's 400-meter race at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics on Wednesday, earning Japan its first gold medal at the ongoing event.

Yamada finished the race in 47.61 seconds, rewriting his own deaf Japan record.

"I've worked hard to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Games," he said. "My efforts have paid off."

The quadrennial sporting event for people with hearing difficulties opened on Saturday and will continue until Nov. 26.
 
 

Workers are busy making roasted red sea bream in central Japan's Mie Prefecture.

Sea bream are a symbol of good fortune in Japan. People offer them as year-end gifts and they're eaten during the New Year holidays.

Mie Prefecture's Owase City is known for its thriving fishing industry.
Workers at a local fish processing firm first gut the sea bream, which are cultivated in the Kumano-nada Sea, and soak them in salt overnight.

They then fill their bellies with seaweed to make them look plump and enhance their flavor. The workers avoid cutting into their bellies as the fish are considered auspicious. Instead, they insert the seaweed through their gills.

The workers then sprinkle on salt and roast the fish whole for about 30 minutes.

The fish processing firm noted that this year's sea bream are fatty and well-shaped, with vibrant color.

Its president, Ogawa Yasunari, said the roasted sea bream prepared this year turned out delicious. He added that he wants people to enjoy them during the New Year holidays.
 
 

A fire ripped through more than 170 buildings and killed one person in a southern Japanese coastal city on Wednesday, with military and firefighting helicopters scrambling to extinguish the country's largest urban blaze in almost half a century.

Aerial footage from broadcasters showed houses reduced to rubble and thick plumes of smoke rising from the hilly Saganoseki district of Oita city, which overlooks a fishing harbour renowned for its premium Seki-brand mackerel.

The flames had also spread to nearby forested slopes and an uninhabited island more than one kilometre off the coast, likely due to strong winds, local media reported.

The blaze started on Tuesday evening and has burned 48,900 square metres - roughly the size of seven soccer fields - forcing 175 residents in the district, some 770 km (478 miles) southwest of Tokyo, to flee to an emergency shelter, Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, the agency added.
One person has been found dead, local media reported citing police sources, while a woman in her 50s was reported to be hospitalised for mild burns.

"I extend my heartfelt condolences to all residents who are evacuating in the cold," Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a post on X.
"The government will provide the maximum possible support in collaboration with local authorities," she wrote.

The fire has caused power outages at around 300 houses in the district, according to Kyushu Electric Power .

The number of buildings and size of the area engulfed in flames make it the largest urban fire in Japan since a 1976 blaze in Sakata, excluding incidents caused by earthquakes.

In 2016, a fire in Itoigawa burned 147 buildings and about 40,000 square metres. No one was killed.
 
 
 

Japan and Indonesia have agreed to strengthen defense and security ties, the countries’ top diplomats and defense chiefs said Monday as they met in Tokyo to promote maritime security and military exercises as well as defense equipment and technology cooperation.

The move comes less than a week after Indonesia, which is interested in acquiring Japanese military equipment, announced plans to upgrade a key defense pact with Australia that could also open up opportunities for deeper trilateral cooperation with Japan amid growing concerns about the regional security environment.

But while these steps signal Jakarta’s willingness to institutionalize security ties with trusted partners, its outreach to Tokyo and Canberra should not be interpreted as a shift toward Western alignment, experts warn, but rather as part of efforts to broaden its strategic options.

Meeting for the first time in a "two-plus-two" format since March 2021, the Japanese and Indonesian officials agreed to intensify joint military drills, ramp up and formalize consultations — including between the countries’ top military commanders — and begin talks on how to protect military information to enable greater operational coordination.

The officials — Foreign Ministers Toshimitsu Motegi and Sugiono, and Defense Ministers Shinjiro Koizumi and Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin — also said they aim to expand maritime security cooperation, particularly in terms of capacity-building, including through Jakarta’s continued participation in Tokyo’s military aid program — formally known as Official Security Assistance (OSA).

Earlier this year, Japan agreed to provide two high-speed patrol boats to Indonesia under the OSA framework, with discussions now being finalized for the items to be provided under this year’s tranche.
 
 

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, stated that Japan is a key partner for Indonesia in strengthening legal governance, bureaucracy, and governmental reform.

During a meeting with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Tokyo, Japan, on November 17, 2025, Minister Yusril highlighted Japan's extensive experience in building a modern legal system and an efficient bureaucracy.

“This experience is highly relevant for Indonesia, which is accelerating legal and institutional reforms,” Yusril said, as confirmed in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He also emphasized the long-standing cooperation between Indonesia and Japan, which has been ongoing for nearly eight decades since Indonesia's independence.

During the meeting, Minister Yusril provided an update on the institutional restructuring in Indonesia following the issuance of Presidential Regulations No. 139 and 142 of 2024.

This restructuring has separated the functions of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights into three new ministries, which now fall under the coordination of the Ministry of Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections (Kemenko Kumham Imipas).

“Kemenko Kumham Imipas has the mandate to ensure synchronization and integration of cross-ministry policies in line with national development goals,” he stated.

Minister Yusril expressed his hope that future technical cooperation with JICA will include the three new ministries under Kemenko Kumham Imipas - namely, the Ministry of Law, the Ministry of Human Rights, and the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections.

The forms of cooperation discussed included strengthening institutional capacity, training programs, expertise exchanges, and the potential drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to reinforce the collaborative framework.

In addition to meeting with JICA, Minister Yusril also held meetings with the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the Japanese Minister of Justice at their respective offices in the central government district in Tokyo.

This visit aimed to strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and Japan in the fields of law and governance.

Bilateral meetings with various key Japanese institutions covered several strategic issues, ranging from intellectual property cooperation, support for membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to police reform.
 
 

Japanese business leaders have called for constructive dialogue with China amid tensions over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent remark about a potential Taiwan contingency.

"As many (Japanese) companies are active in China, both sides should engage in constructive dialogue and work toward a solution," Yoshinobu Tsutsui, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, told reporters Monday.

Tsutsui made the comment after holding their first meeting as leaders of Japan's three major business groups with Takaichi at the prime minister's office.

Ken Kobayashi, head of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that Japan and China are economically inseparable and that the two sides should overcome their deteriorating relationship through a mutually beneficial relationship.

"It is crucial to maintain private-sector dialogue," Mutsuo Iwai, acting chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, or Keizai Doyukai, said.
 


 

The Group of Seven major countries should unite in responding to China's tighter rare earth export controls, Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato said Wednesday.
 
He revealed his comments, made at a meeting of the seven nations' finance and central bank chiefs in Washington, in talks with reporters after the session. Kato said he also told the meeting that Japan is strongly concerned about the Chinese measure. The meeting did not adopt a joint statement.
 
Earlier Wednesday, Kato and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held a bilateral meeting for some 30 minutes, reaffirming the content of their statement adopted in September, which said, among other things, that fiscal and monetary policies "will not target exchange rates for competitive purposes."
 
Kato told Bessent that Japan hopes both sides will accelerate moves to promote Japan's investment in and loans to the United States, as agreed on in Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations.
 
Bessent said in a social media post that he and Kato discussed "the (U.S.) administration's expectation that Japan stop importing" liquefied natural gas from Russia amid Moscow's continued invasion of Ukraine.
 

The world of sumo could be rocked this month if Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi presents a trophy in the ring, where women have traditionally been banned.
AFP looks at the ancient sport, at previous attempts by women to challenge the taboo, and at why the situation is so delicately poised.


What is the issue?

Sumo grew out of ancient Shinto religious rituals and its origins can be traced back over 2,000 years, according to some historians.

The practice of banning women from the ring stems from the Shinto notion that menstrual blood would defile its "purity".

The champion wrestler at each of the six professional sumo tournaments held annually is presented with a large silver trophy called the Prime Minister's Cup.

The trophy is usually presented by a member of Japan's cabinet, but occasionally the prime minister will step into the ring to hand it over themselves.

In 2019, U.S. President Donald Trump even entered the ring to present a special trophy during his state visit to Japan.

Takaichi became Japan's first woman prime minister last month.
Questions are being asked over whether she will present the trophy at the ongoing Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, which concludes on November 23.


Has it been done before?

Women and girls can compete in amateur sumo worldwide but they are traditionally barred from the professional version, which only takes place in Japan.

Japan's first woman Chief Cabinet Secretary Mayumi Moriyama expressed a desire to present the trophy in 1990, but her request was turned down by the Japan Sumo Association.

A decade later the then Osaka governor, Fusae Ota, was also denied.
In 2018, a city mayor collapsed while he was giving a speech in the ring. At least two women sitting nearby rushed in to give him first aid but they were ordered by a sumo official to leave the ring.

The sumo association's chairman apologized afterwards, saying it was "an inappropriate response in a life-threatening situation".

Just days later, a woman mayor from the western city of Takarazuka was barred from delivering a speech inside the ring.

 

Who is Takaichi?

Japan's first woman prime minister is a social conservative and China hawk who admires Margaret Thatcher.

The 64-year-old has been a regular visitor to the Yasukuni shrine, which honors convicted war criminals along with 2.5 million war dead and is seen by Asian nations as a symbol of Japan's militarist past.

Takaichi has said she hopes to raise awareness about women's health struggles and has spoken candidly about her own experience with menopause.

But her views on gender place her on the right of her already conservative party, and she opposes revising a 19th-century law requiring married couples to share the same surname.

She also wants the imperial family to stick to male-only succession.
She promised a cabinet with "Nordic" levels of women, but then named only two other than herself.


What has been said?

So far, Takaichi hasn't expressed an opinion on presenting the trophy.
When asked this week if she planned to make a request, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said no decision had been made.

"Prime Minister Takaichi wishes to preserve the traditions of sumo culture," he added.

The Japan Sumo Association has also remained tight-lipped.
Asked how they would respond if Takaichi were to express a wish to present the trophy, the association said: "We consider it our mission to preserve the traditional culture of sumo".

The Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament is taking place in Fukuoka, on the other side of the country to Tokyo.

The New Year Grand Sumo Tournament will be in January at Ryogoku Kokugikan, the home of sumo in the capital.
 
 

Japan's hot spring culture, currently under consideration by a government council for a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage bid, has been defined by an association as a long-standing practice of bathing in natural thermal waters for mental and physical comfort.

The Japan Onsen Association in Tokyo said it compiled the definition to clarify how the tradition reflects the nation's connection with nature and the belief that healing comes from contact with geothermal resources regarded as "gifts" from the environment.

A former commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs joined the effort to craft the definition, aiming to reinterpret the broad notion of hot springs as a uniquely Japanese cultural practice and accelerate the country's bid for the tradition's early inscription on the UNESCO list.

To secure inscription, the government must submit an application to the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization outlining the item's definition and cultural characteristics.

According to the definition, references to hot springs date back to the Kojiki, Japan's oldest chronicle, and people have long sought physical relief through the healing effects of thermal waters and therapeutic bathing customs.

The definition adds that bathing allows people to feel the seasons, connect with nature and view hot springs as divine gifts offering spiritual comfort. It presents the practice as one that helps reaffirm identity rooted in Japanese cultural traditions.

Inn operators and traditional guardians known as "yumori" are described as actively supporting the use of hot springs, while central and local governments safeguard the practice through various laws and related ordinances, the definition states.

The government council is expected to select, possibly within the year, candidates for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, with inscription in 2028 aimed for as part of Japan's planned nominations.
 
 

Indonesia and Japan are stepping up collaboration on carbon credit trading under a bilateral agreement aligned with the Paris Agreement, Indonesian Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said Friday.

Nurofiq met with Japanese Vice Minister for Global Environmental Affairs Kentaro Doi at the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) to advance the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), which allows both countries to recognize each other’s carbon credit systems.

“We agreed to continue MRA in operational efforts under Article 6.2, targeting greenhouse gas emission reductions,” Nurofiq said.

The discussion also covered broader cooperation, including climate change mitigation initiatives and building systems to implement climate action.

“We are initiating joint efforts, including system development and implementing climate change management measures,” he added.
The MRA, first signed at COP29 in 2024, facilitates carbon trading under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement and supports both countries in achieving their Nationally Determined Contribution goals.

It recognizes Indonesia’s GHG Emission Reduction Certification system (SPEI) and Japan’s Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) as equivalent frameworks.

This step underscores Indonesia’s commitment to global climate action while promoting practical carbon trading cooperation with Japan. Officials say the agreement helps ensure the integrity of carbon credits while maintaining national oversight.

“The implementation of the SPEI-JCM MRA is a crucial step in operationalizing carbon trading under Article 6,” Nurofiq said in September, noting Indonesia’s focus on producing high-quality carbon credits recognized internationally.

Experts say bilateral arrangements like this are vital for scaling up emissions reductions and supporting transparent carbon markets. Both countries are expected to continue joint monitoring and reporting to ensure the MRA’s effectiveness.

The partnership reflects Indonesia’s broader strategy to enhance climate action through international cooperation and market-based mechanisms while safeguarding sovereignty and economic interests.
 

Japan’s ENEOS Renewable Energy Corp (ERE) has signed a framework agreement to acquire 10 MWdc of solar power plants to be developed and constructed by Marubeni Corp (TYO:8002).

The portfolio consists of 100 low-voltage solar projects in Japan’s Kansai region. Construction will start this year and all plants are scheduled to commence operations during fiscal year 2027.

ENEOS Renewable Energy said it will sell the output of the solar power plants through corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) to various customers.

The companies said they plan to continue working together and expand their collaboration in the future.
 

 

A Japanese regional governor who holds sway over the fate of the world’s largest nuclear power plant said security measures at the idled facility had improved since his last visit.

But Hideyo Hanazumi, governor of Niigata prefecture, stopped short of endorsing the restart of the Kashiwazaki Kariwa facility after a tour of the site on Friday — his first visit since 2018. Speaking to local media, he said he would base his decision on whether to support the plant’s relaunch by assessing what he “saw and sensed.”

He said he understood efforts taken by the facility’s owner, Tokyo Electric Power Co., to implement safety measures at the plant, which was idled after the Fukushima disaster nearly 15 years ago. “Security has become significantly stricter,” Hanazumi was quoted as saying by the Nikkei newspaper.

Tepco shares extended their decline to drop as much as 6.7%, the most since Oct. 2, on Friday afternoon, underperforming the 0.8% fall in Japan’s Topix Index.

The much-anticipated restart of the Kashiwazaki Kariwa — or KK — plant would hold enormous significance for Japan, as well as for Tepco. It would mark the first time that the power company has operated a nuclear plant since 2011, when it was also in charge of the Fukushima Dai-ichi facility that suffered a meltdown after the earthquake and tsunami.

Japan once boasted a fleet of 54 nuclear reactors, all of which came offline after the meltdown. Fourteen of 33 commercially available units around the country have since resumed operation after passing stringent regulatory protocols and securing crucial approvals from the local governments that host the plants.

But these approvals can take a long time. The Niigata governor’s comments come at a critical juncture for Tepco, which has spent years trying to restart a portion of its only commercially available nuclear plant. Hanazumi’s nod is the biggest remaining hurdle to the firm’s ambition to restart the plant’s No. 6 unit, some 165 miles (266 kilometers) from Tokyo.

The governor said earlier this week that he also wants to visit the wrecked Fukushima plant, on the opposite coast of Japan, before delivering his verdict on the facility within his own prefecture. This visit has not yet been officially scheduled.
 
 

Japan is trying to revive its wartime militarism and risks repeating the mistakes of history with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan, China's top newspaper, People's Daily, said on Friday.

Takaichi sparked a diplomatic row with Beijing with remarks in parliament last week that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could amount to a "survival-threatening situation" and trigger a military response from Tokyo.

China's top diplomat in Osaka shared a news article about Takaichi's remarks about Taiwan on X and commented "the dirty neck that sticks itself in must be cut off", prompting a protest from Japan's embassy in Beijing to Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.

Chinese state media has since weighed in with a series of vitriolic editorials and commentaries lambasting Takaichi, given lingering grievances about Japan's wartime past and China's extreme sensitivity about anything Taiwan related.

The ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily in its commentary said Takaichi's remarks were by no means an "isolated political rant".

Japan's right wing has been trying to break free from the constraints of their post-World War Two constitution and pursue the status of a military power, said the commentary published under the pen name "Zhong Sheng", meaning "Voice of China" and often used to give views on foreign policy.

"In recent years, Japan has been racing headlong down the path of military buildup," the paper added.

"From frequent visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, to denying the Nanjing Massacre, to vigorously hyping the 'China threat theory,' Takaichi's every step follows the old footprints of historical guilt, attempting to whitewash a history of aggression and revive militarism."

World War II, and the Japanese invasion of China which preceded it in 1931, remains a source of ongoing tension between Beijing and Tokyo.

The People's Daily said that historically, Japanese militarism has used so-called "survival crises" as pretexts for external aggression, including the 1931 Mukden Incident, the excuse Japan used to invade China's Manchuria.

"Now that similar rhetoric is being revived, does Japan intend to repeat the mistakes of history?" the paper added.

Beijing claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out using force to take control of the island. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's claims and says only its people can decide the island's future.

Taiwan sits just over 110 km from Japanese territory and the waters around the island provide a vital sea route for trade that Tokyo depends on. Japan also hosts the largest contingent of U.S. military overseas.

Meanwhile, Japanese broadcaster NTV reported on Friday the Chinese embassy in Tokyo had instructed its staff to avoid going out due to concerns about rising anti-China sentiment.

In a regular news conference, Japan's top government spokesperson Minoru Kihara reiterated the country's position on Taiwan, telling reporters that Tokyo hopes for a peaceful resolution of the issue through dialogue.

China has also cranked up its rhetoric against what it calls "diehard" Taiwan independence separatists.

On Friday, the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office criticized Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Puma Shen, who visited Berlin earlier this week. Shen said China was threatening to try to get him arrested while abroad, but that he was not frightened.

"Taiwan independence advocates are already at the dusk of their days and at a dead end," the office's spokesperson Chen Binhua said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

"The furtive, self-directed farce of visits staged by the likes of Puma Shen and the DPP authorities only exposes their inner panic at the punitive sword hanging high above them," Chen added.

A day earlier, Chinese police issued a wanted notice and offered a $35,000 reward for two Taiwanese social media influencers they accused of "separatism", what Taipei says is an effort by China to bring fear to Taiwanese.
 
 

Local pressure is mounting as the mayors of Kashiwazaki and Kariwa have formally demanded that Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi make a decision on whether to support the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant.

On Wednesday, Hanazumi held talks with Kashiwazaki Mayor Masahiro Sakurai and Kariwa Mayor Hiroo Shinada to discuss the restart of the nuclear power facility owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.

The two mayors, who are in favor of the restart, sought a clear decision from the governor during the meeting. Hanazumi is expected to announce his decision by the end of this month.

The closed-door meeting lasted about 30 minutes, after which the three spoke to the press. Hanazumi said that Kashiwazaki and Kariwa municipal governments have dealt with the nuclear power plant for a long time and that their opinions would be “important factors” in his decision.

Sakurai stated that he had conveyed to the governor the importance of the restart and demanded a swift resolution. Meanwhile, Shinada had asserted that there are currently no grounds to oppose the restart and stressed that it should be carried out steadily.

As part of efforts to gather information for decision-making, the governor of Niigata has conducted opinion exchange meetings with all 30 mayors in the prefecture, held public hearings to gather residents’ views and carried out a prefectural awareness survey.

Niigata Prefecture has completed an additional survey of the nine municipalities around the nuclear plant, gathering all the information that the governor had initially planned to gather.

At his regular press conference on Wednesday, Hanazumi said, “We have largely finished efforts to gauge the reactions of the prefectural residents.”

He is scheduled to inspect the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant Friday — his first visit in seven years — with TEPCO President Tomoaki Kobayakawa. Additionally, arrangements are being made for him to visit the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant as soon as Tuesday.

After confirming TEPCO’s safety measures, Hanazumi is expected to decide on whether to support the restart within this month. His decision is expected to be submitted to the regular prefectural assembly session on Dec. 2.
 
 
 

Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has pledged to continue supporting Ukraine's reconstruction in cooperation with the international community, including the framework of the Group of Seven major powers.

Also at a 20-minute meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, in Canada on Wednesday, Motegi said that Japan will maintain its sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Motegi called the Russian aggression an outrageous act and said Japan stands with Ukraine.

The two ministers confirmed that they will work closely together to strengthen bilateral relations, including in the security field.

Earlier in the day, Motegi held talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. They agreed to enhance Japan-France cooperation in national and economic security.
 
 

The government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are looking to triple the departure tax to 3,000 yen per person to fund measures against issues from a surge in inbound tourism, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

With Japanese travelers also likely to be subject to the higher tax, which is included in the price of air and sea tickets, the government may consider using part of the revenue to lower passport acquisition fees, according to the sources.

Some LDP members are even calling for a tax hike to over 3,000 yen.
Japan collected a record 52.48 billion yen in departure tax revenue in the year ended March 2025.

The government aims to use the increased tax income to address concerns about overcrowding, congestion and poor behavior at tourist sites.

The government, for example, plans to introduce an AI-based parking reservation system to ease traffic congestion.
 
 

Japan decried as "absolutely unacceptable" on Wednesday Russia's extension of an entry ban to 30 more citizens, among them a foreign ministry spokesperson, after Tokyo's sanctions over Moscow's nearly four-year-old war in Ukraine.

Following similar moves by Western nations, Japan had placed additional sanctions on Russian companies, individuals and other entities in September, while lowering its cap on Russian seaborne crude.

Russia's foreign ministry issued on Tuesday a list of Japanese added to those facing "indefinite" prohibition. The new names included the spokesperson, Toshihiro Kitamura, as well as journalists and academics.

Japan has protested against the "regrettable" move, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a briefing on Wednesday, adding that people-to-people exchanges between the two countries remain important.

He accused Moscow of shifting the blame for its invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow has taken similar measures against Japanese officials and civilians in retaliation for sanctions.

Japan, however, continues to import energy from the far-eastern Russian island of Sakhalin, despite calls by the United States for allies to sever ties to pressure Moscow.

Asked how Britain's ban on insurance for Russian gas shipping would affect energy from Sakhalin and whether Tokyo would increase sanctions on Moscow, Kihara declined to comment.

Japan will take appropriate steps to achieve peace in Ukraine while securing its national interests, he added.
 
 

Tours of off-limit areas such as airports and plants around Tokyo have been garnering attention. Organizers are hoping their unique tours will satisfy a variety of enthusiasts.

In September, tour participants visited the Ota Incineration Plant in the waterfront area of Ota Ward, Tokyo. They looked around the crane control room, which is closed to the public, and got a close look at a giant crane that handled large amounts of waste.

The tour, organized by the Ota Tourist Association, also included a bus tour of man-made islands in Ota Ward, including Heiwajima and Keihinjima. The association has previously held two similar tours, which have been well-received. Participants said they enjoyed being able to visit places that are usually hard to get to. For this tour, about 230 people nationwide applied.

On the day, 25 people were selected by lottery to visit the waste disposal plant as well as Reiwajima, which is not accessible by public transportation.
“I’ve lived in the ward for a long time, but I’m discovering new things all the time,” said a 77-year-old woman.

Private companies also offer tours to areas that are normally inaccessible.
Hato Bus Co., a major bus tour operator based in Ota Ward, has been holding the “Haneda Airport Best View Drive” since 2022. The tour entices participants by allowing them to visit an off-limit area of Haneda Airport, letting them watch planes take off and land up close. The tour is popular with aviation enthusiasts.

 

The tour destination for December is Hakone, a popular spot in Kanagawa Prefecture. Participants will visit the Hakone Ropeway’s operations control center and technical area. They will be able to look at equipment such as the motors that move the ropes, which are not normally visible, and take a tour of the Shonan Monorail’s train depot, which is normally off-limits to the public.

“We hope that these arrangements will broaden our customer base to include transportation enthusiasts and encourage them to join our regular tours,” said an official of Hato Bus.

Mania na Godogaisha, an event company whose name translates to “mania limited liability company,” has previously organized unusual events. One such event let participants prepare for the opening of a public bath and take the first bath of the day.

Shigenobu Matsuzawa, the president of the company based in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, said that he himself is an enthusiast of unusual spots. He came up with the idea of creating unusual tours after visiting various places with people who are knowledgeable in each field.

“It’s not often that you get to clean a public bath and see its boiler room. I thought it would appeal to enthusiasts who want to see what goes on behind the scenes,” Matsuzawa said.

Most participants are in their 30s and 40s and found out about the tours online, with 50% to 60% being women, he said. For the end of November, the company is planning a tour involving shishimai — a Japanese traditional lion dance —with a lion dance researcher.

Tamagawa University Prof. Shigeki Taniwaki, a specialist in tourism policy, analyzed that the reason for the emergence of such tours is that more and more people are placing importance on experiences that can only be enjoyed at a specific time and place.

“Traditionally, focus has been placed mainly on tour plans that take large numbers of tourists to certain destinations, but this raises concerns about issues such as overtourism. Going forward, I think there will be growing demand for high-quality tourism with added value,” he said.
 
 

The differing positions held by the Liberal Democratic Party and ruling coalition partner the Japan Innovation Party are becoming visible regarding achieving a reduction in the number of seats in the House of Representatives during the current extraordinary Diet session.

While the LDP views “passing the bill to be difficult” during the current Diet session and seeks a realistic compromise, the JIP is maintaining its stance of demanding the realization of the reduction during the session.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is also LDP president, revealed her mixed feelings over how to handle the bill at the lower house Budget Committee meeting on Monday.

“We don’t consider this an easily achievable goal. We think it will be extremely difficult, but we will strive to realize it,” T
akaichi said.

The coalition agreement between the LDP and the JIP states that the two parties “will submit a bill to reduce the number of seats in the lower house, with a target of 10%, to the extraordinary Diet session and aim for its passage.”

At Friday’s lower house Budget Committee meeting, Takaichi stated definitively that she would submit the reduction bill.

However, referring to the fact that the results of the national census will be compiled next year, Takaichi also said, “We discussed [with the JIP] that we would work out how to reduce the seats while also looking at the results.” This hints at the possibility that details of the reduction might not be decided during the current Diet session.

Takaichi has been making such cautious statements because the LDP and the JIP alone do not constitute a majority in either house of the Diet.
At a press conference on Monday, LDP Secretary General Shunichi Suzuki said: “There are various opinions [among parties] on whether to reduce the number of proportional representation seat, whether to also reduce the number of single-seat constituencies and how big the reduction should be.

It will be difficult to finalize the matter during the extraordinary Diet session.”

JIP leader Hirofumi Yoshimura told reporters on Monday, “It is true that gaining agreement from all political factions will not be easy,” showing some understanding for the LDP’s position.

On the other hand, Yoshimura also mentioned that parties including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan had pledged during the House of Councillors election campaign in July to review the number of lower house seats. He therefore called for its realization, saying, “If not now, then when?”

The JIP positions the reduction in seats as the core of its reform. If it falters halfway, the leadership of the party executives that decided to join the coalition could be undermined.

“If [the bill] is unfairly halted, [the prime minister] should dissolve [the lower house],” said JIP co-leader Fumitake Fujita, on a TV program on Saturday, issuing a warning to opposition parties that are negative about a reduction in seats.

The LDP and the JIP plan to begin working-level talks as early as this week to prepare for the bill’s submission.

Within the JIP, there are many voices advocating for a 50-seat reduction in the proportional representation segment. But within the LDP, a proposal has emerged to only submit a bill during the current Diet session that focuses on a program to establish procedures for seat reduction – postponing discussions on specific reduction measures.

A senior LDP lawmaker said: “This concerns the very foundation of democracy, so we should not push ahead with the issue too hastily. A realistic approach is necessary.”
 
 

An advisory panel to UNESCO has recommended six items from Japan be added under three categories already inscribed in the U.N. body's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, such as traditional festivals and paper making, Japan's culture agency said Tuesday.

The inscription of the six items -- festivals from Ibaraki, Niigata, Shiga and Toyama prefectures, as well as two types of craftsmanship related to handmade paper and tatami mat making -- are set to be formally endorsed at the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's intergovernmental committee session to be held in New Delhi from Dec 8 to 13, the Agency for Cultural Affairs said.

The items fall under the categories of "Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese handmade paper," "Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan," and "Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan," already designated as on the intangible heritage list in 2014, 2016 and 2020, respectively.

The recommendation said the Otsu Hikiyama Festival in Shiga, the Ofune Festival of Hitachi Otsu in Ibaraki, the Murakami Yatai Festival in Niigata and the Hojozu Hachimangu Shrine Hikiyama Tsukiyama Festival in Toyama play a vital role in local community building, according to the agency.

The other two items -- techniques related to the manufacturing of Echizen torinoko-shi handmade paper in Fukui Prefecture and to crafting handwoven nakatsugi-omote, a type of aesthetic and durable tatami mat surface -- have also satisfied safeguarding practices and other standards for the extended inscriptions, it said.

The government nominated the six items to UNESCO in March 2024.
In 2024, Japan's traditional knowledge and skills for the making of sake and shochu distilled spirits became its 23rd to be added to the Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Since the latest six items would be treated as "extensions" of the already heritage-listed categories, the number of entries from Japan will remain unchanged at 23.

Japan has also requested shodo calligraphy to be listed as a new Intangible Cultural Heritage entry, with screening by the U.N. body expected in 2026.
 
 

The Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs is leveraging the ASEAN-Japan Smart Cities Network High-Level Meeting in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, to broaden opportunities for smart city cooperation.

Indonesia's delegation was led by Safrizal Zakaria Ali, the Director General of Regional Administration at the Ministry, who serves as the National Representative for the ASEAN Smart City Network (ASCN) and actively acts as the network's shepherd.

In his presentation, Safrizal stressed that developing innovative city capacity cannot be done in isolation; it requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders and a multi-pronged approach within a single ecosystem.


Similarly, innovative city development must run parallel with efforts to boost economic growth and expand investment.

"The Indonesian Government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, remains fully committed to developing smart city schemes through a strategy of collaboration.

This spirit is not only at the local or national level but also international collaboration so that it can accelerate the maturity of smart cities in the regions," he said in a release from Jakarta on Monday, November 10, 2025, as quoted by Antara.

The forum, held for the seventh time, brings together delegates from Southeast Asian countries (ASEAN), including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, along with the Japanese Government and the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD).

Beyond presenting strategies to accelerate smart city development, Safrizal shared implementation opportunities in several local administration.

"Currently, we have four local administration that are members of ASCN: DKI Jakarta, Makassar City, Banyuwangi Regency, and Sumedang Regency. Moving forward, we project several local governments, including Surabaya City as a smart industrial and sea port city, Semarang City as a smart resilience city, Palembang City as a smart river city, and Denpasar City as a smart cultural city.

All have their own distinct characteristics," he explained.
Safrizal emphasized that the strategic partnership between ASEAN countries and the Japanese Government aims not only to build mutual cooperation but also to support regional stability and open up investment opportunities.

"Aside from sharing experiences and information, this high-level meeting in Japan is a momentum to affirm Indonesia's role and position in the region, specifically to enhance investment opportunities, especially in the realm of urban governance.

The simplest example is the urban waste problem, which requires investment support of US$18.4 billion until 2040 as part of green infrastructure development," he concluded.
 

 

Usually about half of the patients lose their lives, according to Gu Jin, director of the colorectal cancer surgery at Beijing Cancer Hospital.

Chinese colorectal cancer patients may not have to give up treatment even if they are at an advanced age or in the late stage, as overseas services now give them more choices.

Jointly established by China’s Saint Lucia Consulting and Japan’s Toranomon Hospital, a service platform to transfer Chinese colorectal cancer patients to Japan’s leading medical institute was launched in Beijing on Saturday to mutually improve the disease’s screening, prevention and treatment.

Asian countries have a large number of colorectal cancer patients, with China, which saw about 517,100 new cases in 2022, and Japan having the second-largest number in its cancer population. Usually about half of the patients lose their lives, according to Gu Jin, director of the colorectal cancer surgery at Beijing Cancer Hospital.

For doctors keeping patients’ anus remains a challenging task as most rectal cancer sufferers have lesions on the middle or lower section of the rectum, which are next to the sphincter ani.

Kuroyanagi Hiroya, vice-president of Toranomon Hospital and one of the world’s leading gastrointestinal tumor surgery experts, said laparoscopy and AI-assisted gastrointestinal surgery are widely adopted in the hospital to reduce patients’ pain and better protect their anus.

Toranomon Hospital, located in the urban area of Tokyo, leads in colorectal cancer treatment nationwide with a five-year survival rate of terminal-stage patients as high as 40 percent to 50 percent.

Masashi UENO, director of gastrointestinal surgery (lower gastrointestinal tract) of Toranomon Hospital, said more than 50 percent of the late-stage colorectal cancer patients treated in the hospital are cured thanks to their improving surgical resection technology and preoperative radiotherapy.

Cai Qiang, founder and board chairman of Saint Lucia Consulting, said patients of critical and complex diseases such as cancer are recommended to seek overseas medical services to receive better medical consulting, treatment, and possibly new drugs and treatments that have yet to be approved in the country.

Saint Lucia Consulting, headquartered in Beijing, is one of China’s largest and most well-established medical consulting and medical referral companies for patients seeking the best medical care in the world. Its global partners include some of the most prestigious hospitals in the US, the UK, Japan and Singapore.

Since its establishment 13 years ago, the company has helped more than 6,000 Chinese patients seeking medical treatment abroad. About 70 percent of them were cancer patients.
 
 

Championship-chasing Elfyn Evans cut the gap on Rally Japan leader Sebastien Ogier after Saturday's third day to leave the world title race poised on a knife edge.

Welshman Evans started the day 10.2 seconds behind France's Ogier but he ended it 6.5sec off the pace after a day of hard-charging action in the penultimate rally of the season.

Evans arrived in Japan with a 13-point lead in the overall standings over his Toyota team-mates Ogier and Kalle Rovanpera.

He can wrap up his first world title on Sunday if he outscores both by 23 points but that now looks unlikely with Ogier leading the rally heading into the final day.

That means the championship is likely to be decided at the season-ending Rally Saudi Arabia later this month, with every point earned in Japan crucial.

"Overall it's been a good day, we could be happy with most of it," said Evans. "Just the last two stages where we didn't do quite as well as we would have liked but on the whole it's been a good day.

"We're here to score as many points as we can and of course we have to try and keep fighting," he added.

Evans moved from third to second after Japan's Takamoto Katsuta hit a barrier and damaged his power steering to tumble out of contention.

Evans, a four-time world championship runner-up, ratcheted up the pressure on Ogier by winning two of the day's first four stages and moving 1.4sec behind the leader.

But Ogier, who is looking for a record-equalling ninth world title, hit back by winning the day's final three stages to edge further back in front.
"It's not easy to create gaps," said the Frenchman.

"At least we did better this afternoon but I could have done better this morning."

Finland's Rovanpera was 6min 27.9sec behind Ogier after a shunt on the second day put a serious dent in his chances of winning a third world title.
Conditions have been dry and sunny so far on the twisting, leaf-strewn asphalt roads of the Japanese course.

But rain is forecast for Sunday, throwing a potential spanner in the works for the final six stages.

"We haven't had big rain this year so I don't think we know what to expect," said Rovanpera. "It will be a tricky day, I think."

Belgium's Thierry Neuville, the reigning world champion, retired from the race with a mechanical problem.
 
 

McDonald's fast food chain in Japan plans to stop using work straws around 3,000 outlets across Japan, responding to customer dissatisfaction with the drinking experience.

McDonald's will stop using the paper straw, which was introduced in 2022, by starting using a new design of drink caps that eliminate the need for straws on November 19.

The new cap will be made of recycled plastic bottles, taking into account the environmental impact, designed to make drinking easier and prevent spills while being carried away, the company said, reported by Kyodo News November 7.

In addition to stopping the use of paper straws, McDonald's also announced a number of environmentally friendly policies in its services. For example, a wrapping container for orders brought home, with a new container, will be made of materials consisting of 95 percent bioplastic vegetable.

The place had previously been introduced at a outlet in trimbuh in May and will be implemented nationwide this month.

Next, McDonald's has committed to transitioning all Happy Meal toys to sustainable materials, such as renewables, recycling, or certification, by the end of 2025, quoted from Japan's McDonald's website.

Starting with the new "Honno Happy Set" illustrated book released in March 2025, the materials used for books and packaging will be changed.

Previously, a hard-coupled picture book used pure plastic, but has now been replaced with a soft cover made of FSC chain-certified paper (FSCwas N004151), so that all books are sustainable and free from pure plastic.

Book packaging has also been changed from vinyl to FSC certified paper bags.
 


 

On a quiet street in Tokyo's Jimbocho district, known for its secondhand bookstores and publishing houses, one shop stands out: Chekccori.

The store's shelves are lined with Korean literature translated into Japanese, as well as works in the original language. It has become a gathering place for readers eager to cross cultural borders one page at a time.

The name Chekccori means "a celebration after finishing a book" in Korean. The store was founded in 2015 by Tokyo-based South Korean publisher Kim Seung Bok.

In recent years, it has seen a surge in young women drawn by their love of K-pop, as well as middle-aged men who have discovered the charm of Korean novels after Han Kang won the Nobel Prize in literature in 2024.

Ayano Tachibana visited the shop in late August to find books for her upcoming trip to Seoul. She said she first encountered Korean literature through friends who loved K-pop and later studied Korean at university.

"I loved 'The White Book' by Han Kang," the 23-year-old Tachibana said, referring to the author's poetic exploration of grief and fragility through reflections on white objects such as ice and paper.

"Reading it with classmates, guided by a professor who was a fan, made me realize literature could be a conversation across borders."

Chekccori stocks around 4,000 books, including titles from Kim's own publishing company as well as other publishers.

Kim founded Cuon Inc. in 2007 to bring more Korean literature to Japanese readers, at a time when few bookstores stocked such works. Cuon's first release was Han's "The Vegetarian," a novel that won the 2016 International Booker Prize, bringing her international acclaim.

The novel, which tells the story of a woman whose decision to stop eating meat provokes a violent backlash from her ignorant husband and authoritarian father, has been acclaimed for its haunting portrayal of repression, desire, and the struggle for autonomy.

Kim said that it may not be an easy-to-read book, but it is the kind of work that serious readers would recognize as extraordinary.

"I wanted to establish a reputation for publishing works of real literary achievement," said Kim, who has been in Japan since the early 1990s when she came to study literary criticism after learning creative writing at a university in Seoul.

Originally from South Jeolla Province on the southern tip of the country, Kim witnessed how Japanese culture flowed into South Korea in the 1980s through magazines she read such as "Non-no" and novels by Haruki Murakami and Banana Yoshimoto.

"So I thought, literature could also flow the other way," she said.
After working in advertising, Kim launched Cuon in Tokyo but struggled to promote Korean titles because most bookstores had no dedicated section for them.

"The category of 'Korean Literature' did not exist, making it hard to find shelf space. Rather than feeling disappointed, I instead decided to create that space myself," she said.

That led to Kim opening Chekccori in 2015.

Over the past decade, the number of Korean books translated into Japanese has increased dramatically. Kim estimates that 300 to 400 South Korean titles are now published annually in Japan, compared to only about 20 per year around 2010.

The trend was fueled in part by the success of Cho Nam Joo's "Kim Ji Young, Born 1982," which sold 290,000 copies in Japan after its 2018 release by publisher Chikumashobo Ltd. The novel, about a woman facing systemic misogyny in a patriarchal society, resonated deeply with readers.

Kim credits this popularity to the rise of social media, which has allowed ideas and movements -- including feminism -- to spread rapidly across borders. The feminist movement in South Korea gained momentum after a 2016 murder case in Seoul, followed by the global #MeToo movement in 2017.

Kim's publisher has released many books themed on feminism, including a collection of essays titled "#Living as a woman who speaks up" by Jeong So Yeon, an author and lawyer.

Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Chekccori has set a new goal to introduce more Korean poetry, a genre still relatively underrepresented in translation. The bookstore held events for Korean poet Shin Mina, who was in Tokyo for two months earlier this year under a writer-in-residence program.

Interest in Korean poetry is growing. Yukinori Ebihara visited Chekccori for the first time after hearing Mariko Saito, translator of Han's novels and many other works, read Korean poems on the radio.

"Even without understanding the words, the sound was beautiful. It made me want to hear more, to feel that resonance," the 74-year-old said.

Today, Kim's focus has shifted from growth to sustainability. After recovering from cancer a few years ago, she hopes to ensure that Chekccori continues connecting readers and writers for years to come.

"What I'd like to do is to return to the basics -- the craft of choosing excellent books, creating them with care, and placing them in the hands of readers in the right way," she said.
 
 

Japan's Fiscal System Council, which advises the finance minister, proposed at a subcommittee meeting on Friday that the government considers sales of minimum access rice for staple food as long as they do not affect markets.

Currently, the Japanese government sells most such rice at lower prices for feed and processing, after importing it without tariffs. Losses have been caused by gaps between the sales prices and procurement costs.

The council made the proposal as the amount of minimum access rice from the United States, whose import cost is relatively high, is set to increase due to Japan-U.S. tariff agreements.

Japan annually imports 770,000 tons of minimum access rice. Of the total, up to 100,000 tons is sold as staple food, while the rest is treated as general minimum access rice for feed and processing.

Rice from the United States accounts for some 40 pct of general minimum access rice, but the figure is set to rise to some 70 pct under the tariff agreements.

In fiscal 2023, sales of U.S. rice resulted in a loss of 68.4 billion yen due to the gaps with the import cost, which stood at 130 yen per kilogram, compared with 84 yen for rice from Thailand. Losses are expected to expand further if U.S. rice imports increase.
 
 

The 2025 Japanese Film Festival (JFF) officially opened on Thursday, November 6, 2025, as a cultural platform aimed at deepening ties between Indonesia and Japan. 

This year’s edition features 15 carefully curated films spanning diverse genres and themes, screened in nine major cities across the archipelago.

The festival marks a significant expansion from previous years, with Padang and Balikpapan added to the lineup. With this growth, JFF now reaches audiences across four of Indonesia’s main islands: Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

Host cities include Jakarta, Makassar, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Palembang, Medan, Balikpapan, and Padang.

Inami Kazumi, Director General of The Japan Foundation Jakarta, expressed her surprise at the overwhelming public response.

“We were amazed by how quickly tickets sold out on the first day. This year, we’re thrilled to expand to two new cities,” she said during the opening ceremony. ​

Despite the broader reach, Inami acknowledged that many regions in Indonesia remain inaccessible for in-person screenings. To address this, The Japan Foundation launched an online platform called JFF Theater, allowing audiences to enjoy Japanese films remotely.

The digital platform updates its selection every three to four months, offering a rotating lineup of titles.

Mitsuru Myochin, Charge d’Affaires of the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta, welcomed the growing enthusiasm for Japanese cinema.

“JFF 2025 enables us to bring Japanese films to a wider audience across Indonesia. These films, many of which have received domestic and international acclaim, reflect the richness of Japanese culture, history, and social life,” he said.​

The Japanese Embassy hopes the festival will serve as more than just a cinematic showcase. It aims to spark deeper cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the two nations.

JFF 2025 runs from November through December at CGV cinemas nationwide. The festival opened its series at CGV Grand Indonesia in Jakarta with the screening of Sunset Sunrise, a film starring Masaki Suda.

Set during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sunset Sunrise follows Shinsaku, a Tokyo office worker and avid fisherman, who temporarily relocates to the coastal town of Minamisanriku. 

Drawn by affordable seaside housing, Shinsaku’s arrival as an outsider stirs tension among local residents, particularly the elderly, who remain vulnerable to the virus.
 
 

The number of visitors to the exhibition “Expressing Prayer, Capturing Form: Buddhist Sculptures by Unkei from the Northern Round Hall of Kohfukuji Temple” at the Tokyo National Museum in Taito Ward, Tokyo, surpassed 200,000 on Wednesday.

The museum celebrated the occasion with a ceremony.
The 200,000th visitor recognized by the museum was a 19-year-old university student in Kyoto, who came to the exhibition with her mother during a visit to her family home in Tokyo.

“I go to museums and art galleries at least once every month in Kyoto,” said the student, who paid visits to several museums on Wednesday, including the Tokyo National Museum.

During the ceremony, she received exhibition merchandise from Makoto Fujiwara, the executive director of the museum, and a commemorative shikishi card from Eishun Moriya, the abbot of Kohfukuji temple in Nara.

“I look forward to seeing ‘The Seated Miroku Nyorai (Maitreya Buddha)’,” she said with a smile.

The exhibition runs through Nov. 30.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday pledged continued support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion during her first phone talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since taking office last month.

During the 30-minute conversation, Takaichi said Japan would continue supporting Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction and expressed strong backing for the war-torn nation's efforts to achieve a "just and lasting peace as soon as possible," according to the Foreign Ministry.

Zelenskyy expressed appreciation for Japan's contributions so far, and the two leaders affirmed their commitment to continued close cooperation, the ministry said.

Noting that Ukraine and Japan "share an understanding of the dangers that Russia's war poses to everyone in the world," the leaders discussed ways to strengthen cooperation to enhance security and development in their respective nations and regions, Ukraine's presidential office said.

Japan has remained steadfast in its support for Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, viewing the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific as interconnected. Along with the United States and other Group of Seven members, Japan has imposed economic sanctions on Russia, including asset freezes.

Days after taking office on Oct 21, Takaichi joined virtually a summit of more than 20 countries, including Britain and France, to discuss the situation in Ukraine, underscoring Japan's commitment to supporting Kyiv and maintaining economic sanctions on Russia.

Japan also recently announced measures to help Ukraine address the impact of land mines, including training demining personnel and enhancing medical and welfare services for victims.

During the talks, Zelenskyy expressed deep gratitude for Japan's readiness to provide equipment to support Ukraine's energy sector, enabling communities to withstand the winter cold, his office said.

Later Wednesday, Takaichi held her first phone talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during which she expressed eagerness to elevate bilateral ties to "greater heights" as the two countries make steady progress in cooperation on security and economic matters.

They also agreed to deepen collaboration among like-minded nations to realize a "free, open and stable international order," according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
 
 

Film critics and commentators have often drawn parallels between "My Neighbor Totoro" and aspects of Japan’s religious beliefs and folklore, particularly the concept of spirits and deities being present in the natural environment.

But while the title character is a forest spirit, and there is a Shinto shrine not far from sisters Mei and Satsuki’s country home, you won’t find mentions of Totoros or creatures with his traits in Japanese mythology. Totoro is entirely the creation of director Hayao Miyazaki, and didn’t exist prior to the 1988 anime film from Studio Ghibli.

However, it would be fair to say that Totoro has become a symbol of modern Japan, and so while the character himself is less than 40 years old, he still makes a great motif for traditional Japanese handicrafts, with this bento lunch box being a perfect example.

 

The lid features illustrations of both big (gray) and small (white) Totoros among a colorful array of ume/plum blossoms, an auspicious image in Japanese culture, as well as unfurled wagasa, classical Japanese waxed paper umbrellas.

The sides of the 15-centimeter square box feature more of the imagery in gold, contrasting nicely with the faux-lacquer coloring of the urethane container, and the inside is a striking vermillion.

 

Bento boxed lunches can consist of various dishes, but they always also contain white rice, and so the box is two-tiered, so that you can keep the rice separate from the other items and prevent any unwanted mixing of flavors.

Of course, there’s no rule that says you have to use this Totoro box for orthodox bento, and it will work just as well for carrying picnic snacks of any type, and would also look perfectly adorable as a stay-at-home storage box, organizer, or even just as a decoration that blends traditional and modern Japanese aesthetics.

 

The Totoro Wagasa Two-tier Box, as it’s officially called, is available for 4,620 yen from Ghibli specialty store Donguri Kyowakoku, which has recently restocked them through the chain’s online shop here.