Tokyo High Court ruled Thursday that the Feb. 8 election for Japan's House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, was constitutional in terms of vote-value disparities.

Presiding Judge Takao Furuta dismissed a claim by a group of lawyers led by Hidetoshi Masunaga that sought to nullify the election results.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs argued that the maximum vote-value disparity of 2.1 times in the election failed to satisfy the constitutional requirement for equality in the value of votes.

Furuta said that the so-called Adams method, introduced to better reflect differences in regional populations when setting the number of seats in each prefecture, is reasonable.

The plaintiffs plan to file an appeal.

It was the fourth ruling in a total of 16 lawsuits filed with the 14 high courts and high court branches across the country by two groups of lawyers, including the Masunaga-led group.
 
 

The Trump–Xi summit in Beijing on 14–15 May 2026 was a tactical detente driven by mutual domestic pressures rather than any genuine easing of tensions, with both leaders seeking short-term wins on the Iran war and Taiwan respectively.

Japan faces the sharpest consequences of this realignment, as a less committed United States leaves Tokyo increasingly exposed to Chinese economic coercion while its own hawkish security agenda risks pushing it into damaging isolation.

US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing on 14–15 May 2026 for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping has ushered in a new — albeit fragile — era of coordinated management in US–China relations.

The meeting, driven by urgent domestic and geopolitical imperatives, signals a managed detente rather than a genuine stabilisation of deep-seated structural tensions.

For both leaders, the summit was a necessary tactical pause. Trump, seeking to recover domestic approval ratings battered by the ongoing Iran war, needs a ‘big success’ ahead of challenging midterm elections. Meanwhile, China requires stable ties with Washington to sustain its economic growth amid turbulent global headwinds.

The negotiations logically centred on the two intractable flashpoints of the Iran war and Taiwan. The US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in May 2026 has severely disrupted China’s energy security, threatening the substantial source of its crude oil imports.

In exchange for easing these pressures, Washington likely expects Beijing to exert its considerable influence over Iran and its intermediary, Pakistan.

Conversely, China’s primary objective remains its ‘core interest’ of Taiwan. Beijing aims to extract stronger rhetorical concessions from the United States, pushing Washington to shift its traditional stance from merely stating it ‘does not support’ Taiwan independence to explicitly declaring it ‘opposes’ the independence.

Notably, Xi used an unusually strong expression to warn Trump that the United States must handle the issue with utmost care.

While the summit predictably failed to yield definitive solutions to these structural disputes, both powers successfully managed to keep severe confrontation below the surface.

Systemic rivalry seems to be masked by a superficial, coordinated management designed to serve immediate mutual interests. How Trump handles the pending military sales to Taiwan will be seen as a touchstone of this coordinated management of the relationship.

The implications of this changing balance of power are most acute for Japan. Historically, Beijing has calibrated its actions towards Tokyo by factoring in the robust US–Japan alliance. The presence of a United States willing to take a hard line against China previously deterred Beijing from escalating disputes with Japan beyond a certain threshold.

But Trump’s ‘America First’ doctrine alters this dynamic entirely. The Trump administration is far removed from Washington’s traditional willingness to risk conflict with China solely for the sake of its ally, Japan.

It is highly unlikely that Trump would defend Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s controversial remarks on Taiwan.

Sensing Washington’s vulnerability, Beijing is poised to adopt increasingly harsh measures against Tokyo. China immediately demanded the retraction of Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan and deployed economic coercion, including curbing tourism to Japan, reimposing a ban on Japanese seafood imports and restricting rare earth exports.

The Takaichi administration is aggressively pushing a conservative security agenda. This includes accelerating the revision of three key national security documents, easing arms export principles and revisiting formerly taboo policy options like Japan’s non-nuclear principles and amending the Japanese Constitution.

Tokyo is also attempting to counter Beijing’s economic pressure tactics by deepening economic security ties with ‘like-minded’ countries such as Vietnam and Australia.

The Trump–Xi summit exposes the limits of Tokyo’s foreign policy trajectory. As the United States and China prioritise a managed detente, Japan risks isolation if it continues on a path of unchecked friction with Beijing.

Takaichi must objectively confront the harsh realities of international relations. Promoting hostility between Japan and China may ultimately fail to serve Japan’s broader national interests in a profoundly shifting global order.
 
 

Playground Games released its brand-new racing video game, Forza Horizon 6, featuring famed automotive photographer Larry Chen as a major speaking character within the newly introduced Japanese setting.

The open-world racing title brings players to long-awaited Japanese locations, simulating Tokyo, rocky coastlines, dense forests, and snow-covered mountains.

The game also introduces a secondary progression system called "Discover Japan" in the Collection Journal, alongside Easter eggs referencing the iconic street racing manga series Initial D.

Chen, a Canon Explorer of Light, recorded over 300 speaking lines across two voiceover sessions and underwent motion capture scanning in July 2025 to create his realistic digital avatar.

The photographer noted that his friend and fellow Canon ambassador Atiba Jefferson previously appeared in Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4, but Jefferson's voice lines were replaced by an actor.

"It actually looks like a horror movie because they made me put a bald cap on and they made me put this thing in that spreads my lips so it’s just like my teeth exposed," laughs Larry Chen, Photographer.

The scanning process utilized a specialized rig comprised of 250 Canon consumer DSLR cameras, specifically the EOS 250D models known as the Rebel SL3 in North America.

"It was hilarious. But the rig they used to scan me was super interesting. It was 250 Canon consumer DSLR cameras, so it was funny. It was unintentional that it was Canon, but it was Canon." recalls Larry Chen, Photographer.

The game features real-world drifting hotspots like Mount Haruna and the Hakone Nanamagari route. Players can also unlock a souped-up Toyota AE86 Forza Edition by earning 5,000 points in the Master Explorer tier of the Discover Japan track.

"Not everybody can do what I do," says Larry Chen, Photographer.
The physical car model includes an animated cup of water on the dashboard cupholder that moves under G-forces, referencing the famous driving challenge from the Initial D anime series.

"I mean, a lot of people do. A lot of people do end up going to the same places that I go to and they can photograph these cars in real life. That’s great. I love that." states Larry Chen, Photographer.

The "Discover Japan" journal allows players to earn points by discovering landmarks, finding Bonus Boards, collecting cars, and completing Tokyo City food delivery missions.

"But if you’re just a casual photographer who doesn’t want to spend thousands of dollars to go to Europe or Japan or whatever, then you could do it from home and it kind of gives you the same feeling," says Larry Chen, Photographer.

Progressing through the activities unlocks specific reward tiers, categorized by point thresholds including a Yellow Stamp at 1,250 points, a Green Stamp at 2,500 points, and a Blue Stamp at 5,000 points.
 
 

Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Tuesday that her Group of Seven counterparts showed their understanding on Japan's recent yen-buying, dollar-selling market intervention.

At the just-ended meeting in Paris of the finance ministers and central bank governors of the major economies, the Japanese authorities' action to prop up the yen "won broad understanding," Katayama told a press conference after the meeting.

"We're determined to take decisive action whenever necessary," she stressed.
On the night of April 30, her ministry bought through the Bank of Japan an estimated 5 trillion to 6 trillion yen against the dollar.

The finance and monetary chiefs of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States plus the European Union adopted a joint statement Tuesday reaffirming the consensus view shown in their 2017 communique that "excess volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates can have adverse implications for economic and financial stability."
 
 

A man carrying a fruit knife attacked three people around noon on Tuesday at a Japanese restaurant in Shanghai World Financial Center, a Japanese-developed office building in the financial district of the Chinese city.

According to a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official, the three victims were two Japanese nationals and a Chinese woman. None of them suffered life-threatening injuries.

Many Japanese companies have offices within and around the building. Following the incident, the Japanese Embassy in China sent out an email advising Japanese nationals in the country to exercise vigilance.

The Japanese side requested that the Chinese government find out the truth behind the incident, strictly punish those responsible, and ensure the safety of Japanese nationals, according to the email.

The 59-year-old attacker was seized by police officers at the scene. According to local police sources, the man has a history of mental illness and made incoherent statements.

A nearby shop worker quoted a restaurant employee as saying that the man entered the restaurant, attacked the three people and then sat on the floor.
The shop worker said that screams were heard just after the incident as many customers fled.

In June 2024, a Japanese mother and child were attacked with a knife while waiting for a school bus in Suzhou. A Chinese woman was killed in the incident.

In September that year, a Japanese boy was stabbed to death on his way to school in Shenzhen.
 
 

The new funding follows the completion of Phase II of the project at the end of 2025, which had a total budget of almost $17 million.

The Japanese government has agreed to provide Cambodia with an additional ¥1.7 billion (approximately $11 million) in grants to support the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) through Phase III of the Integrated Mine Clearance and Victim Assistance Project.

The new funding follows the completion of Phase II of the project at the end of 2025, which had a total budget of almost $17 million.

A May 18 handover ceremony for the achievements of Phase II was held at the CMAC Techo Heritage Development Centre in Battambang province, under the presidency of Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn and Japanese ambassador to Cambodia Ueno Atsushi, alongside several senior officials.

CMAC director-general Heng Ratana explained that the Japanese government had provided a total of ¥2 billion — nearly US$17 million — for Phase II of the project, which ran for 45 months from April 1, 2022, to December 31, 2025.

The project was implemented in Battambang Pursat and Pailin provinces, achieving results that included the clearance of 12,011 hectares of mine- and explosive-contaminated land — equivalent to 127 per cent of the original target.

During the project, teams located and destroyed 27,847 landmines and unexploded ordnance items of various types, while mine-risk education was delivered through 12,582 sessions attended by a total of 343,209 people.

Ratana added that 763,602 people benefited from Phase II through the construction of 9.8 kilometres of laterite roads and 29 water drainage structures.

The project also procured mine-clearance equipment including 12 ALIS mine-detection machines, one Komatsu mine-clearing machine, one trailer truck and spare parts.

Regarding the newly launched Phase III project, inaugurated on May 18, Heng

Ratana noted that Phase III will run until January 2028.
The new phase will support CMAC in clearing 4,939 hectares of mine- and explosive-contaminated land in Pursat, Battambang and Koh Kong provinces, while also responding to emergency clearance requests in Pailin.

In addition, the project will assist mine victims, support post-clearance community development, procure additional ALIS mine-detection machines and establish an artificial intelligence data system.

Ratana expressed his gratitude to the Japanese government and people for providing both equipment and funding to support CMAC’s demining operations in Cambodia, as well as to the Cambodian government, for its continued backing of the organisation.

He also thanked the development partners and donors who have contributed to the government’s strategic plan aimed at achieving “a Cambodia free from the threat of anti-personnel mines by the end of 2030 and reducing the threat posed by explosive remnants of war by 2035”.

Sokhonn praised all stakeholders and also paid tribute to each of the deminers who were injured or lost their lives during mine-clearance operations.

“In its capacity as one of the countries most severely affected by landmines in the world, and as a State Party to the Ottawa Convention, Cambodia remains firmly committed to fulfilling all obligations and the spirit of the convention,” he said.

“Cambodia is also proud to have deployed demining and unexploded ordnance clearance forces to participate in UN peacekeeping missions,” he added.

The deputy prime minister also thanked other donor partners supporting mine-action activities in Cambodia, including China, the US, Australia, Belgium, Canada, the EU, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the UK.

Partner organisations mentioned included UN Development Programme, Norwegian People’s Aid, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Japan Mine Action Service, APOPO, Golden West Humanitarian Foundation, Japan International Cooperation System, Japan Crown Agents Japan Limited, Komatsu and Nikken Corporation.
 
 

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will visit New Delhi from Sunday through May 27 to attend a meeting of foreign ministers from the Quad countries--Japan, the United States, Australia and India, the Japanese government said Tuesday.

The Quad meeting, scheduled for May 26, will bring together Motegi, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

The ministers are expected to reaffirm cooperation to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals in light of China's increasing military and economic coercion.
 
 

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, have agreed to strengthen bilateral economic security cooperation, at the two countries’ first strategic dialogue held on Monday in Tokyo.

Brazil is rich in natural resources such as rare earths and iron ore.
Motegi noted that Brazil, which has the largest Japanese community outside Japan, is a strategic partner of Tokyo.

Vieira responded by showing hope that the two countries will work to put into action their strategic and global partnership action plan this year. The action plan was adopted at a Japan-Brazil summit held in March 2025.

The two ministers signed a memorandum on mutual assistance for the protection of Japanese and Brazilian nationals abroad.

Brazil is the fifth country to sign such a memorandum with Japan. Under the pact, Japan and Brazil will cooperate mainly in the evacuation of their citizens in the event of an emergency in third countries or regions.

Motegi and Vieira also agreed to establish a strategic dialogue among the two nations’ public and private sectors for discussions on the use of artificial intelligence.

The Japanese government hopes to start negotiations to conclude an economic partnership agreement for free trade with Mercosur, a trade bloc among Brazil and four other South American nations.
 
 

Sources said the government intends to deploy vehicle-mounted warning and control radar systems on Iwoto Island and Chichijima Island of the Ogasawara island chain, which is under Tokyo’s jurisdiction.

The government is considering introducing to the Self-Defense Forces drones equipped with early warning radar that is capable of monitoring a wide area and detecting threats promptly, as part of efforts to strengthen the nation’s defenses in the Pacific, according to government sources.

The sources said the government intends to deploy vehicle-mounted warning and control radar systems on Iwoto Island and Chichijima Island of the Ogasawara island chain, which is under Tokyo’s jurisdiction.

The move is aimed to enhance deterrence and response capabilities against the Chinese military, which is stepping up its maritime activities, by improving the surveillance network in the Pacific — an area often referred to as a surveillance “blind spot.”

The government plans to include measures to strengthen the Pacific surveillance system in its three security documents, including the Defense Buildup Program, which are expected to be revised within the year. This initiative is part of those specific measures, the sources said.

While the government will determine in the future the specific aircraft model to carry such early warning radar, the MQ-9B SeaGuardian, a U.S.-made unmanned aerial vehicle, has been seen as a leading candidate. The Maritime Self-Defense Force plans to introduce the aircraft in fiscal 2027.

The SeaGuardian is capable of staying in the air for an extended period.
Airborne early warning aircraft used for maritime surveillance are also known as “flying radar sites.”

They excel at detecting low-altitude and long-range targets that are difficult to spot from land or ships due to the horizon. These aircraft also play a role in the early detection of low-flying aircraft, ships and other objects.

If early warning drones are deployed, the government will be able to monitor a wider area for longer periods, leading to workforce reductions and eased burdens on SDF personnel.

To achieve efficient operations, runways on Iwoto Island and Minami-Torishima Island, which is also administered by Tokyo, are also envisaged to be used for the takeoff and landing of early warning drones.

In addition to the introduction of the drones, the government intends to proceed with the deployment of radar systems on the islands, the sources said.

On Chichijima Island, deployment of a mobile radar system has been envisaged, and surveys for the deployment would begin this fiscal year. The current stationary radar system on Iwoto Island would be replaced with a mobile system.

The government’s decision to strengthen its surveillance and monitoring capabilities in the Pacific is based on the assessment that it is necessary from the perspective of deterring China.

The Chinese military is believed to be trying to establish a military strategy to prevent U.S. forces from approaching the area inside the “Second Island Chain” — which stretches from the Japan’s Izu Islands to Guam — in the event of a contingency related to Taiwan or similar situations. 
The Ogasawara Islands and Iwoto are located along this line.

Aggressive behavior by the Chinese military in the Pacific has been increasing. In June last year, two aircraft carriers were deployed simultaneously for the first time. Last December, an incident occurred in which Chinese carrier-based aircraft directed radar waves to SDF aircraft.
 
 

The government supplied antiviral drug Avigan from its stockpiles to Britain on Friday in response to a hantavirus outbreak, health minister Kenichiro Ueno said Monday.

Britain has accepted passengers from a cruise ship on which the outbreak occurred during a voyage in the Atlantic Ocean. They include a Japanese national.

According to the ministry, the Japanese government supplied the drug at the request of the British government based on a bilateral memorandum of understanding.

There is no established cure for hantavirus, but data from animal studies indicates that Avigan may improve survival rates of patients. The provision of the drug does not affect Japan’s Avigan stockpiles.

Ueno expressed gratitude to Britain for accommodating the Japanese national on a chartered plane and conducting health observations for the person in the country. “We’ll continue to work closely with the international community to prevent the spread of infections,” he said.

On the World Health Organization’s declaration of a public health emergency of international concern over Ebola outbreaks in Congo and Uganda, Ueno called for the public to respond calmly, saying, “At present, we believe the risk of a domestic outbreak is low.”
 
 

 

 

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Monday her government will consider compiling an extra budget for fiscal 2026 to ease the impact of elevated crude oil prices, fueling renewed concerns about Japan's deteriorating finances as long-term bond yields move at nearly 30-year highs.

The size of the supplementary budget has come under scrutiny after a record 122.31 trillion yen ($770 billion) budget was enacted for the year starting April, underscoring Japan's heavy reliance on debt and reflecting Takaichi's stance of pursuing expansionary spending to spur economic growth.

"We will make decisions appropriately and respond timely as needed so that economic activities and people's lives are not disrupted" due to the Middle East situation, Takaichi told a liaison meeting of the government and the ruling parties at her office.

She has instructed Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama to consider crafting a supplementary budget, as gasoline subsidies are set to continue, and financial support to households for gas and utility bills this summer is planned.

Given surging crude oil prices, the government has set aside over 1 trillion yen for the gasoline price subsidies, restarted in mid-March, including reserve funds in the fiscal 2025 budget. But the amount fell to around 980 billion yen by the end of April.

Each month, hundreds of billions of yen are expected to be spent to keep pump prices at around 170 yen per liter. However, some economists estimate that these funds will run out by the end of June.

Takaichi said she told policy chiefs of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition parter Japan Innovation Party to craft detailed support measures for electricity and gas bills for households between July and September, when demand for air conditioning increases.

She stressed that the proposed measures should be implemented to keep utility bills at levels below those of last summer.

Usually, the government crafts a supplementary budget in the fall of the fiscal year or later.

Takaichi's call for one also comes as she has repeatedly said she wants to "break away" from the practice of formulating budgets on the assumption that supplementary budgets will be prepared every year.

She said necessary expenses should be fully accounted for in the initial budget, without resorting to supplementary budgets.

The advance crafting of the extra budget comes as the yields on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond have been trending higher amid persistent concerns over Japan's fiscal sustainability under the Takaichi government.

On Monday, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond briefly rose to 2.800 percent, its highest level since May 1997, as the debt was sold on worries about public finances.

Higher borrowing costs risk increasing debt-servicing costs for the country, whose debt was estimated at 204.4 percent of its gross domestic product, the worst ratio among the Group of Seven nations, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Utility bill aid has continued intermittently since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which also resulted in increased crude oil prices.

But the subsidies are costly. From January to March, the government used 529.6 billion yen from the supplemental budget for fiscal year 2025 to reduce household bills by around 7,000 yen.

The government could tap reserve funds totaling 1 trillion yen in the fiscal 2026 budget for economic measures, but the amount could fall short, while critics argue the funds should be reserved for emergencies such as natural disasters.
 
 

Japan’s government Monday presented a draft plan to create industry clusters in 10 regions, spotlighting semiconductors and green transformation, or transition to clean energy, to lure large-scale corporate investment and revive local economies.

The plan, presented at a state minister-level meeting, will be a key component of a government regional future strategy to be set as early as June.

The northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, where Rapidus Corp. is building plants, and the Kyushu southwestern region, which includes Kumamoto Prefecture, home to factories of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., are listed as prospective semiconductor clusters, as are the Hokuriku and Chubu regions in central Japan.

Meanwhile, the draft names the northeastern Tohoku region a green transformation center candidate, citing the presence of many nuclear and renewable-energy power sources.

The Kanto eastern region, which includes Tokyo, is expected to have an aviation cluster linked to Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture, while the Kinki western region aims to foster the flying-car industry.
 
 

Many political parties are now broadly in favor of a plan to let female members of the Imperial family retain their status after marriage, as the Centrist Reform Alliance presented its views on ensuring a stable succession of the Imperial throne at a general meeting of ruling and opposition parties on Friday.

The meeting, held at the official residence of the House of Representatives’ speaker, was attended by the speaker and vice speaker of the lower house, the president and vice president of the House of Councillors and representatives from 13 parties and parliamentary groups.

With the CRA having presented its view, all political parties and parliamentary groups have now declared their stances.

“We aim to pass the bill to revise the Imperial House Law during the current Diet session,” said Eisuke Mori, speaker of the lower house, after the meeting. He added that he plans to present a consolidated proposal at the next general meeting to be held within May.

The ruling and opposition parties have been discussing two plans on the issue that were presented in a final report compiled by a government advisory panel of experts in 2021.

One plan is to let female members retain status as Imperial family members after marriage, and the other is to adopt paternal-line male descendants of former Imperial family branches into the Imperial family.

The CRA, which had been delaying presenting its position, expressed its views at the meeting. The party stated that the first plan “should be approved” and that the other plan “could be institutionalized,” indicating a certain degree of acceptance.

With the CRA presenting its views, the first plan is now supported by most major parties, including the Liberal Democratic Party, the Japan Innovation Party, the Democratic Party for the People and the CRA.

Regarding the other plan, many parties are generally okay with it, apart from such parties as the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Japanese Communist Party.

The speaker and vice speaker of the lower house and president and vice president of the upper house will present a consolidated proposal summarizing the opinions of each party and parliamentary group regarding the two plans at the next meeting.

Mori intends to finalize the consolidation after the next meeting.
The focus of the consolidation will be on granting Imperial status to the husbands and children of married female members of the Imperial family.
The LDP and others oppose granting them status, arguing that it could lead to an emperor of female lineage in which only the maternal line traces back to the Emperor.

Meanwhile, the CRA, which said “the matter [of granting Imperial status] should be dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner,” is calling for this issue to be explicitly listed as a matter for consideration in the supplementary provisions of the revision bill for the law.

At a press conference following the meeting, Mori commented on the consolidated proposal, saying: “It is impossible to gain the understanding and full approval of every party. I want to come up with a proposal that parties and parliamentary groups can accept, even if there are some differences.”

After Mori and others submit their consolidated plan as the legislative body’s proposal to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the government will begin drafting the revision bill. The government is expected to explain its outline to each party and parliamentary group prior to making a Cabinet decision.

Under the current law, eligibility for the throne is limited to “male offsprings in the male line” whose paternal lineage traces back to the Emperor. This provision will not be subject to revision in the bill.

Furthermore, the current discussions are based on the premise that Prince Hisahito, the son of Crown Prince Akishino and currently the youngest eligible heir to the throne, will maintain his position as second in line to the throne, following the crown prince.
 
 

 
Indonesian delegation is preparing to take part in the 2nd WNI Weather & Climate Forecast Conference (WCFC) 2026 in Tokyo, Japan, aimed at strengthening cross-border collaboration in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for Asia’s weather and climate systems.

Founder and strategic advisor of the Sakuranesia Foundation, Tovic Rustam, said in Jakarta on Saturday that the Indonesian delegation is expected to include representatives from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the University of Indonesia (UI), Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS), as well as entities within the ecosystem of state-owned energy company PT Pertamina (Persero).

“WCFC 2026 is not only about weather technology and AI, but also about how Asia is beginning to build a new future of collaboration that is more integrated, sustainable, and oriented toward the safety of humanity amid the challenges of global climate change,” he said.

The forum, scheduled for June 17, 2026, will carry the theme “Leveraging AI for the Future of Asia’s Weather and Climate – The Frontline of Early Warning Systems and Regional Implementation.”

According to Rustam, Indonesia, as a tropical archipelagic nation located in a disaster-prone hydrometeorological region, holds a strategic position in the meeting.

Indonesia’s participation follows ongoing bilateral cooperation between BMKG and conference organizer Weathernews Inc.

Earlier, the two parties signed a collaboration agreement titled “A Project for AI-Based Tropical Cyclone and Flood Forecasting in Indonesia” in February 2026 to strengthen the country’s tropical cyclone and flood early warning systems.

Meanwhile, Sakuranesia Foundation Founder and Chairman Sakura Ijuin also encouraged broader Indonesia-Japan collaborative networks to support Indonesia’s participation in the forum, in line with the foundation’s mission to strengthen ties between the two countries through education, technology, culture, and future-oriented cooperation.

Indonesia’s participation in WCFC 2026 is expected to open up new opportunities for cooperation in climate technology, research and innovation, digital transformation, and human resource development to address the growing threat of hydrometeorological disasters.

According to Ijuin, the presence of national universities and Pertamina entities at the forum is also expected to create new synergies between the academic, energy, and weather technology sectors, particularly in operational safety, risk mitigation, energy resilience, and climate change adaptation.

Acting Deputy for Meteorology at BMKG, Andri Ramdhani, said separately that the continued cooperation with the Japanese weather company aims to strengthen Indonesia’s early warning systems through the application of AI technology.

The initiative is seen as part of BMKG’s concrete efforts to integrate artificial intelligence and data innovation in support of the global Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative to mitigate hydrometeorological disaster risks.

“This partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensuring better weather and climate information,” he said.

The Asia-level conference will feature several international figures, including former United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Mami Mizutori, NVIDIA Earth System Science Domain Program Manager Stan Posey, Japan Meteorological Agency Senior Coordinator for AI Strategy Yoichi Hirahara, and Weathernews Inc. Technical Director Yuichiro Nishi.
 

 

The Japan World Cup 2026 squad may be one of the trickiest to call, with a selection packed with talent but lacking key stars

The Japan World Cup 2026 squad has been named by head coach Hajime Moriyasu.

Japan go into World Cup 2026 as one of the dark horses, with one of the most exciting squads at the tournament: that's something that would have seemed like a fever dream when the Far East hosted the 2002 tournament, but just a couple of decades on and Japanese football is thriving… as England found out in a March friendly.

Liverpool's Wataru Endo captains alongside Premier League rivals Daichi Kamada and Ai Tanaka in midfield, with Ko Itakura and Hiroki Ito behind – and it's a lovely sight to see Takehiro Tomiyasu overcome his injury hell of the last couple of years to return to a squad that he more than deserves his place in.

The attack, however, has taken a significant blow: Kaoru Miroma will miss the tournament through injury after suffering a hamstring injury for Brighton & Hove Albion, in what is absolutely gutting news for the Samurai Blue.

Hidemasa Morita won't be going to the tournament either, despite leading Sporting to a Champions League quarter-final, while Takumi Minamino ruptured his left knee anterior cruciate ligament and hasn't recovered in time.

Mitoma may well be his nation's best player, but there are stars waiting to step up in his absence: Ayase Ueda, Ritsu Doan and one-time Galactico and La Masia product Takefusa Kubo are all exciting attackers in their own right.

This tournament has also come a little soon for talented youngsters Kota Tawaratsumida and Sota Kitano, the latter of whom was compared to Hidetoshi Nakata and Keisuke Honda in a FourFourTwo scout report.
 
 
 
 

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake, measuring a lower 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, struck the Tohoku region on Friday evening. There was no threat of a tsunami. 

The quake struck at a depth of 50 kilometers off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture at 8:22 p.m., following an emergency earthquake warning for the region.

A lower 5 was registered in the cities of Tome, Osaki and Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture. A swath of Miyagi and Iwate prefectures also saw the quake register a 4 on the Japanese scale.

The Tohoku Shinkansen Line was temporarily suspended between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori stations following the quake, according to JR East, but trains were set to resume by around 10:40 p.m. Some trains on the Yamagata Shinkansen remained suspended. 

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. 

The temblor was the largest to strike the Tohoku region since a 7.7 magnitude quake hit on April 20, prompting a tsunami alert and a rare special advisory warning of an increased risk of major earthquakes.

More information:

• Detailed information about the location of the earthquake, from the Japan Meteorological Agency website
• An explanation of shindo, Japan's earthquake intensity scale
• A guide to what to do before, during and after an earthquake
• Our portal for disaster-related information

 
 
 
 
 

The Japanese government is considering compiling a supplementary budget to cover additional costs, as it is mulling providing electricity and city gas subsidies in July-September and keeping gasoline subsidies in place, government and ruling party officials said Friday.

The government is apparently considering increasing reserves by assembling an extra budget.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expectedto make a final decision as early as this month, depending on developments in the war in Iran, which has sent energy prices soaring.

At a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said, "We will make appropriate decisions according to the situation and take necessary measures."

About 980 billion yen remained in a pool of funds for the gasoline subsidies as of the end of April. Reserve funds set aside under the fiscal 2026 budget, totaling 1 trillion yen, may run short if the Iran war is prolonged.
 
 

The Japanese government is considering exporting the Type 88 surface-to-ship missile system to the Philippines, a source familiar with the matter said Friday.

The move follows Tokyo's revision in April of its three principles on the transfer of defense equipment and technology, as well as the implementing guidelines, which eased restrictions on exports of lethal weapons.

Japan and the Philippines are aiming to strengthen security ties amid China's assertiveness in the East and South China seas.

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters Friday that "nothing has been decided at this point," regarding the possible missile export.

Referring to an agreement on enhanced defense equipment and technology cooperation reached in Manila on May 5 with his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, Koizumi voiced his intention to decide what would be exported.

On May 6, Japan's Self-Defense Forces conducted a live-fire drill involving the Type 88 missile system during the annual U.S.-Philippines Balikatan exercise in the Philippines.

Japan and the Philippines are in full-scale talks on the export of used Abukuma-class destroyers. Tokyo is also considering exporting the Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile system, dubbed Chu-SAM, used by the Ground Self-Defense Force.
 
 

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will visit South Korea for two days from Tuesday to meet with President Lee Jae Myung, the Japanese government told parliament.

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki on Thursday notified a board meeting of the House of Representatives' steering committee of the trip's itinerary, according to its head, Shunichi Yamaguchi, a lawmaker of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

During her visit, Takaichi is expected to discuss cooperation for ensuring energy security amid disruptions in crude oil shipments following the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, as well as beefing up supply chains for critical minerals, diplomatic sources have said.

The two leaders are likely to meet in the southeastern city of Andong, Lee's hometown, as part of a bilateral practice of leader-level reciprocal visits dubbed "shuttle diplomacy," according to the sources.
 
 

The Japanese government is considering providing electricity and city gas subsidies from July to September, when energy demand for cooling is expected to grow, people familiar with the matter said Thursday.

Electricity and city gas fees are likely to start rising around June as prices for crude oil and liquefied natural gas, which are used for thermal power generation, have been soaring because of the war in Iran.

The government has already provided electricity and city gas subsidies in recent years to cushion the impact of rising prices. Most recently, about 7,000 yen in subsidies per household was provided in the first three months of this year.

In addition, the government has offered gasoline subsidies since March.
About 980 billion yen remained in a pool of funds for the gasoline relief as of the end of April, but the money may run out if the measure remains in place for a long time.
 
 

Japan is offering Indonesia Mogami-class frigates and submarines, as Tokyo seeks to deepen security cooperation with Jakarta following the loosening of its arms export rules and amid the geopolitical situation in the region.

On April 11, Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) Chief of Staff, Admiral Muhammad Ali, confirmed that Japan is offering Mogami frigates and submarines to Indonesia.

According to the admiral, the offer was conveyed during a recent meeting between Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

Admiral Ali said the proposals are still being discussed and reviewed by the Indonesian Ministry of Defence and that the final decision would be made by the ministry.

To note, Koizumi visited Indonesia on May 3 and 4, where he and Sjafrie signed a new Defence Cooperation Arrangement that includes an equipment and technology partnership aimed at enhancing both countries’ maritime deterrence capabilities.

During the signing, Koizumi explained Tokyo’s recent decision to loosen its arms export rules, while Sjafrie expressed Indonesia’s readiness to explore practical cooperation within Japan’s revised arms transfer framework.

The revised framework allows the export of lethal military equipment, including warships and missiles, to partner countries with existing defence technology agreements, including Indonesia.


Naval News Comments

Reports of a potential Mogami-class frigate sale to Indonesia have circulated since at least 2021, when Jakarta and Tokyo signed an Agreement on the Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology. Since then, Japan has actively showcased the class to senior Indonesian military and government officials.

Notably, at least two Mogami-class frigates have made port calls in Indonesia: JS Kumano (FFM-2) in 2023 and JS Yahagi (FFM-5) in 2025.

Moreover, during separate visits to Yokosuka in 2025, Defence Minister Sjafrie and Admiral Ali boarded JS Kumano, further demonstrating Japan’s strong interest in promoting the Mogami design to Indonesia.

For the submarine offer, no official statement has been made on the exact type being proposed. However, Naval News understands that Indonesia has officially expressed its interest in acquiring a second-hand Oyashio-class submarine.

During his visit to Yokosuka, Admiral Ali boarded the sixth boat of the class, JS Narushio (SS-595).

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Sjafrie boarded a Taigei-class submarine, JS Jingei (SS-515).

Japan’s push to market the Mogami-class frigate to Indonesia comes as the design is gaining wider international attention.

In August 2025, Australia selected the upgraded Mogami-class as the preferred platform for the Royal Australian Navy’s future general-purpose frigate programme, while New Zealand is also considering the design for its future frigate requirement alongside the UK’s Type 31.

Interest in the Mogami-class may also extend to the United States following a recent report that the Pentagon has asked the U.S. Navy to study Japanese and South Korean shipyards and naval designs.
 
 

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Wednesday emphasized the importance of close coordination with the United States over a multilateral effort to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

"Realistically, it's important to ensure close communication...with the United States" in order to successfully carry out minesweeping and vessel escort operations, Koizumi said in an online meeting of defense ministers from over 40 countries to discuss security in the strait in a framework led by Britain and France.

The Strait of Hormuz, a key global trade waterway, has been effectively closed due to the conflict between the United States and Iran.

The turmoil is seen to have strained ties between the United States and the two European leaders of the initiative.

"It's essential that stability in the strait be restored as soon as possible and that the free and safe navigation of vessels of all countries be ensured," the Japanese defense minister said.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference that taking part in the meeting does not mean Japan will participate in a multinational military mission in the strait.

"Nothing has been decided about the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces."
 
 

The Indonesian Ministry of Manpower is expanding technical internship opportunities for Indonesians in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, through a partnership with the Miyazaki Prefectural Government.

The cooperation was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the ministry’s Secretary General Cris Kuntadi and Miyazaki Governor Shunji Kono in Jakarta on Tuesday.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Kuntadi said the collaboration represents a strategic step to strengthen Indonesia-Japan labor cooperation, particularly in competency development and the expansion of technical internship placements.

“We appreciate the commitment of the Miyazaki Prefectural Government to expanding this cooperation, especially in human resource development and increasing placement opportunities for Indonesian technical interns,” he said.

He explained that the cooperation covers the training, dispatch, and placement of Indonesian technical interns in Miyazaki Prefecture.

Both parties will also strengthen the regular exchange of data and information to support the sustainability of the program.

Kuntadi noted that the Ministry of Manpower is developing an information-sharing system to support participants’ career development after completing the internship program.

The initiative comes as labor demand in Japan continues to increase, including in Miyazaki Prefecture, which is currently facing population decline.

He added that one of the partnership’s main focuses is implementing job matching to ensure that participants’ competencies align with the needs of industrial partners in Japan.

In addition, the ministry is preparing pre-departure training through government and private training centers across Indonesia.

According to ministry data, Indonesia sent 19,332 technical interns to Japan in 2025. As of May 2026, the number of dispatched participants had already reached 18,316.

In Miyazaki Prefecture alone, the number of Indonesian interns rose from 243 in 2025 to 285 in 2026.

Governor Shunji Kono welcomed the partnership, saying the prefecture is facing depopulation challenges and requires foreign interns to support various industrial sectors.

He also highlighted the potential for Indonesian interns to expand into a broader range of industries in the future.
 

Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Tuesday she agreed with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to closely coordinate on movements in the currency market during talks held after a recent intervention to stem the yen's depreciation against the dollar.

"We are in good coordination regarding recent currency movements" amid the Middle East conflict, Katayama told reporters after meeting Bessent at the Finance Ministry in Tokyo, noting that Japan's stance has been "fully supported."

Speaking to reporters later in the day about his views on the intervention, Bessent said, "We both believe that excess volatility is undesirable, and we have been in close contact with the Ministry of Finance, and we will stay in close contact with them."

"I believe the fundamentals of the Japanese economy are strong and resilient, and that that will be reflected in the exchange rate," the secretary said.

Bessent is visiting Tokyo ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's two-day meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing from Thursday.

Bessent also met Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at her office on Tuesday and discussed the upcoming U.S.-China summit, Japan's investments in the United States and critical mineral supply chains, the secretary said.

With the instability in the Middle East continuing to drive a flight to safety to the dollar, Japanese authorities intervened on April 30 to curb the yen's fall to the upper 160 level, according to government sources, and likely conducted more yen-buying operations in early May during the Golden Week holidays.

Katayama stressed that she and Bessent agreed to coordinate based on a joint statement released in September, when the two countries confirmed interventions should be reserved for combating volatility as well as "disorderly depreciation or appreciation."

Although a weak yen is seen as a boon to Japanese exporters, given that it inflates their profits made overseas when repatriated, concern has been growing that excessive depreciation could hurt households and corporate profits by driving up import costs for fuel and other materials in the resource-poor country.

Among other agenda items, Katayama said she discussed with her U.S. counterpart ways to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals, ahead of a meeting of the Group of Seven finance chiefs in Paris next week aimed at reducing reliance on China for the key natural resources.

In reference to China's export controls on critical minerals, Katayama said, "The measures it has taken against Japan are terrible and unfair and the United States said it will continue to stress this point to China."

 

As bilateral ties between Japan and China have soured following a diplomatic row over Taiwan, Beijing has tightened its restrictions on exports of dual-use items, which can be used for both civilian and military purposes, with rare earths possibly included.

Katayama said she also shared with Bessent the need to respond to the growing threat posed by sophisticated artificial intelligence technology, such as U.S. company Anthropic's Claude Mythos model, which is said to be capable of identifying vulnerabilities in technology infrastructure, including financial systems.

"Frankly speaking, China can catch up in (developing) such (models) in a matter of six months or a year...the Western side needs to coordinate so that it will not be weaponized by those who are not our allies," she said.
 
 

Japan's Emperor Naruhito conferred Grand Cordon honors on 14 recipients, including four foreigners, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday.

The conferment ceremony was held in the "Matsu-no-Ma" hall of the palace.
Recipients of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun included former Ibaraki Governor Masaru Hashimoto, 80, and former internal affairs minister Tsutomu Sato, 73.

 

Former Cabinet Legislation Bureau head Masaharu Kondo, 70, received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure.

Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Hashimoto delivered remarks of gratitude.
 
 

Japan’s stealthy and highly automated Mogami warship is set for a showdown with the simpler and less expensive Type 31 frigate from the U.K. as the two nations compete to supply vessels to the Royal New Zealand Navy.

New Zealand said last week it was looking at both options to replace its two aging Anzac-class frigates, which were commissioned almost 30 years ago.

The Defense Force is set to report on the rival offerings by the end of next year, at the latest, and the government hasn’t ruled out buying more than two.

For Japan, a deal with New Zealand would build on an agreement signed recently with Canberra to build the first three of 11 Mogami-class ships planned for Australia.

That deal is Japan’s first major export order for lethal weaponry since World War II and comes as Tokyo seeks to develop its defense sector through foreign sales.

New Zealand Defense Minister Chris Penk said that there are strong cases for both the Japanese and U.K. frigates, but the fact that Australia will acquire the Japanese ships is strongly persuasive.

"Our starting point is to ask whether it’s suitable to acquire exactly the same, and if so, then we will,” Penk said in an interview.

Australia and New Zealand have close political and military ties, so opting for identical ships should provide benefits such as collaboration on ship crewing, joint operations and maintenance. That could extend to Japan, whose ties with both have deepened.

"The Mogami has a real advantage in that it would allow New Zealand to be perfectly interoperable, if not interchangeable, with Australia and Japan,” said Alessio Patalano, professor of war and strategy in East Asia at King’s College London.

Japan’s chief government spokesman, Minoru Kihara, said regional security would be boosted by all three countries operating the same ships.

"From the perspective of strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region, this would be beneficial,” Kihara said at a regular news conference on Monday.

 

Ship construction could also be collaborative. As part of its deal with Japan, Australia is planning to build eight Mogami-class frigates at a shipyard near Perth. Penk said New Zealand is also looking for involvement in the construction of the vessels.

While Japan might be willing to bring New Zealand into the shipbuilding process, led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the rival U.K. offer led by Babcock International Group already has a potential template for New Zealand in its existing deals with Poland and Indonesia to build Type 31 ships in those countries under license.

"How much work New Zealand can get in building the ships is going to be part of the decision,” said Peter Greener, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies at Victoria University of Wellington.

Other factors including capability and cost will also shape New Zealand’s decision, according to Penk, who was appointed defense minister last month.
Defense analysts say both the U.K. and Japanese options are strong choices.

The Mogami-class ships are a relatively young and untested offering, albeit with more capabilities such as vertical launch cells for missiles, anti-submarine warfare technology and a stealthy design.

The extra features also come with a higher price tag, and a key question will be what capabilities New Zealand will need on its new ships. The U.K. Type-31 is a modular design that allows extra functions to be added as required.

"The British are likely to put forward a very cost attractive proposal,” Greener said, adding that the Type 31 offer might have an advantage if New Zealand decides to buy both frigates and patrol vessels based on the similar simpler design.

Penk has said the country is looking at all options to modernize its navy and add further new ships.

A spokeswoman for Babcock said the Type 31 frigate offered New Zealand a proven option for the kinds of roles New Zealand will have for its new ships. "It does what it says on the tin for what they will need in terms of maritime patrols and humanitarian aid,” she said.

While the Mogami-class frigates are likely to be more expensive, Patalano said the price tag has to be assessed through the life cycle costs. He said a robust local supply chain shared with Australia could help prevent costs ballooning.

"It’s like this: you buy the cheaper car but support, parts and maintenance are all more distant, less available, than the more expensive car you can service in the village,” he said.

Japan is likely to push hard to secure a deal with New Zealand as the government in Tokyo prioritizes growing its defense sector.

Senior Japanese government officials were regular visitors to Australia during that bid process, and Mitsubishi Heavy ran an advertising campaign in the country to support its offer.

That sales drive followed the trauma of Japan losing out to France in a bid to build submarines for Australia a decade ago despite being considered the front-runner. Penk said a Japanese Mogami-class frigate was expected to visit New Zealand soon.

"I can see them going either way,” Patalano said. "If cheaper is the overriding factor then the Type 31 might be the one they go for.”
 
 

Renowned Japanese novelist Koji Suzuki, whose seminal work "Ring" ignited a global fascination with Japanese horror, died from an illness at a Tokyo hospital on Friday, May 8, 2026. He was 68 years old.
 
Suzuki, a native of Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture, rose to international prominence after his 1991 novel "Ring" became a bestseller. The story, centered on a cursed videotape that kills viewers after seven days, was adapted into a hit Japanese film in 1998 and a successful Hollywood remake in 2002.

His literary career began in 1990 with the fantasy novel “Rakuen”, also known as “Paradise”. This debut earbed him a superior prize at Japan Fantasy Novel Award, setting the stage for his subsequent success in the horror genre as reported by NHK and Nippon.com.

Beyond the "Ring" series, which included sequels "Rasen" (Spiral) and "Loop," Suzuki authored other notable horror titles such as "Honogurai Mizu no Soko kara," translated as "Dark Water."

His works received significant critical acclaim, including the Eiji Yoshikawa Literary Award for newcomers for "Rasen" and the Shirley Jackson Award in the United States for "Edge."

Other majors contributions to his bibliography include “Kamigami no Promenade” (Promenade oh the Gods) and “Ubiquitous”. The author remained active late into his life, publishing his most recent novel just last year according his publisher.
 

The fifth Japan Parade event to promote Japanese culture was held in Manhattan, New York, on Saturday.

About 100 organizations including companies, schools and groups of Japanese nationals from various prefectures took part in the event. Participants marched through the streets, performing dances, martial arts and taiko drumming.

Festival-style stalls were also set up, offering Japanese food. According to the organizer, about 50,000 people attended the event.

Defying heavy rain, participants in the parade delivered their performances, such as a board-breaking karate demonstration, drawing cheers from the crowd.

At the end of the parade were cast members from a stage adaptation of the popular manga and anime series "Jujutsu Kaisen."

A woman living in New York wearing Japanese anime merchandise said she was happy to see cast members because she loves anime.

Lines formed in front of stalls selling such items as yakitori (charbroiled chicken skewers) and taiyaki fish-shaped pancakes containing sweet bean paste.

A man who bought takoyaki (ball-shaped pancakes) containing pieces of octopus said it was his first time eating the popular Japanese dish and enjoyed it.

The New York Times included the city of Nagasaki in its "52 places to go" list for 2026. Nagasaki Prefecture featured local traditional female entertainers, known as geikoshi or geisha, in the Japan Parade event.

"We hope many tourists will visit regional cities," not just Tokyo or other big cities, said Yoshihiro Date, a cultural and tourism official of the prefecture.
 
 

Japan have been pitted against two-time reigning champions Qatar as well as Thailand and Indonesia in Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup following Saturday's tournament draw in Riyadh.

Record four-time champions Japan begin the tournament in Saudi Arabia against Indonesia on Jan. 11 before facing Thailand on Jan. 16 and Qatar four days later, with the final set for Feb. 5.

Japan icon Hidetoshi Nakata appeared as an assistant during the draw, which saw 24 teams split into six groups of four. The top four third-placed teams will join the top two nations from each group in the round of 16.

The Samurai Blue are currently top among the Asian nations in the FIFA rankings at 18th. Their group rivals Qatar are 55th, Thailand 93rd and Indonesia 122nd.

Iran, 21st in the world, are in Group C with Syria, while 25th-ranked South Korea are in Group E with the United Arab Emirates.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering visiting South Korea later this month for talks with President Lee Jae Myung, diplomatic sources said Friday.

During her planned visit currently being arranged for two days from May 19, Takaichi is expected to discuss bilateral cooperation with South Korea in energy security amid disruptions of crude oil transportation following the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, according to the sources.

The Japanese and South Korean leaders are likely to meet in the southeastern city of Andong, Lee's hometown, and affirm collaboration in economic security, including strengthening critical mineral supply chains, the sources said.

The move would be part of a bilateral practice of leader-level reciprocal visits dubbed "shuttle diplomacy." Tokyo and Seoul have kept good relations in recent years after recovering from their lowest point in decades due to wartime history and territorial issues.

Takaichi, who took office in October, and Lee met in January in the western Japan city of Nara, the capital of her home prefecture, agreeing to continue the mutual visit practice and promote cooperation in various fields.

Reciprocal visits by leaders of the two countries started in 2004 but had stalled since 2011 in the face of disputes stemming from Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.

The visits resumed in 2023 after progress in a row regarding compensation demands from South Koreans over wartime labor. Lee became president in June 2025 after his predecessor was impeached as his short-lived declaration of martial law sparked protests.

The two Asian neighbors have faced a common challenge of securing oil and petroleum products in the wake of the Middle East conflict since late February that has disrupted global energy supplies, as they heavily rely on crude oil imports from the region.

Japan and South Korea have also been bolstering their security cooperation bilaterally and trilaterally with their common ally, the United States, given North Korea's missile and nuclear programs and China's intensifying military activities in the Indo-Pacific region.
 
 

While concerts by Japanese singers at large venues in China have been canceled one after another since last November, small-scale events such as anime-themed gatherings have continued

Amid deteriorating Japan-China relations, events related to Japanese anime remain popular. The number of people, particularly young people, who are becoming familiar with Japanese culture is increasing, and it seems they are taking the government’s criticism of Japan in stride.

On May 1, as China’s May Day holidays began, a Pokémon-themed event was held in a park in central Shanghai, where families enjoyed taking photos in front of a model of the popular character Pikachu.

“I don’t worry about the deterioration of China-Japan relations,” said a 35-year-old IT company employee who visited the park with two family members. “I like what I like. Nothing can replace Pokémon.”

While concerts by Japanese singers at large venues in China have been canceled one after another since last November, small-scale events such as anime-themed gatherings have continued.

In Beijing, a shop and cafe selling merchandise related to the famous Japanese weekly manga anthology magazine Shonen Jump opened at the end of April and has been popular.

In mid-April, a pop-up store themed on the beloved Japanese children’s hero Anpanman opened in a Shanghai department store, drawing crowds of customers eager to buy character-shaped bread.

A 38-year-old software company employee said, “I hope relations between China and Japan get better soon.”
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday emphasized the importance of privacy protection during parliamentary discussions on a government bill to set up a national intelligence council aimed at enhancing the country's intelligence capabilities.

On medium- to long-term strategies for the government's intelligence activities, Takaichi told a plenary meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, "We will consider measures to ensure that the government does not collect or provide information in ways that unnecessarily infringe on personal data or privacy."

 

The bill, which last month cleared the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, entered deliberations in the Upper House, with the prime minister attending the plenary meeting in which the bill's purpose was explained and a question-and-answer session was held.

 

Takaichi also said that the bill would neither create new investigative powers to make it easier to collect information from people nor expand existing powers.

 

Elsewhere in the meeting, Makiko Dogomi, an Upper House lawmaker from the opposition Democratic Party for the People, underlined the importance of securing personnel with know-how on artificial intelligence and economic security at a national intelligence bureau that would serve as the council's secretariat.
 
 

A major defense equipment fair is underway in Istanbul, bringing together more than 1,700 firms from across the globe.

The five-day exhibition opened on Tuesday. Various defense technologies, including the latest in drones and defense systems, are being showcased.
Turkey's defense industry has experienced rapid growth as an exporter of drones.

The Japanese government last year reached an agreement with Turkey, a member of NATO, to enhance defense cooperation.

Against this backdrop, officials from the two nations exchanged notes of agreement confirming their commitment to expand cooperation in the field of defense equipment.

Both sides expect private-sector firms from the two countries to strengthen ties by jointly developing defense equipment, including drones.

Fukawa Hideki, councilor for Japan's Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency, said Turkey's defense equipment and defense industry have shown remarkable growth.

He added he believes that when the two sides share their expertise, they can create better equipment.
 
 

The risk of hantavirus spreading in Japan through person-to-person transmission is low, even if infected passengers from a cruise ship linked to a recent outbreak enter the country, the health ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry called on the public to remain calm, after three people died in a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. A Japanese national is among passengers on the ship.

Hantaviruses are transmitted mainly through the excreta of infected rodents. Once infected, the virus can cause symptoms including fever and cough, and has a mortality rate of around 40 to 50 pct, according to the ministry.

Person-to-person transmission has been reported only for some viruses and there have been no confirmed hantavirus cases in Japan, the ministry said.

The ministry is warning travelers at quarantine stations of the virus and asking those experiencing unusual health conditions to check for any past contact with rodents and seek medical attention as necessary.
 
 

Over 60% of people in Japan plan to do something for their mother or mother-in-law for Mother's Day on Sunday, a survey by Tokyo-based research company Intage has shown.

The survey, conducted online in late March, covered people age 15 to 79 who are registered as Intage questionnaire respondents. Valid responses were received from 5,000 of them.

Of about 3,600 respondents who said they had a mother or mother-in-law, 64.6% answered that they will do something for the occasion.

Asked about their plans, 21.2%, the biggest proportion, said they will give confectioneries. Those who chose flowers came next at 17.6%, while 14.4% said they will express their gratitude by saying thank you.

Meanwhile, the survey highlighted differences in expectations between mothers and their children by asking mothers what they would be happy to receive for Mother's Day.

Among some 1,300 mothers surveyed, the largest group, at 31.7%, said that they would be happy if they receive words of gratitude. Meanwhile, 31.1% said they would appreciate confectioneries, followed by 23.2% who preferred spending time together as a family, such as having meals.

Amid persisting inflation, other Intage surveys conducted this year, including those on spending for cherry blossom-viewing gatherings, have shown a decline in budgets for such occasions.

Still, the average budget for those planning to do something for Mother's Day stood at ¥5,102 ($33), little changed from last year's average spending of ¥5,063 reported by about 2,000 respondents.

"On Mother's Day, the price range for gifts and other items tends to be relatively fixed," Intage analyst Emiko Mori said, adding that the results may reflect the fact that the occasion is "a once-a-year event that plays an important role in parent-child relationships."
 
 

Select FamilyMart convenience stores in Tokyo have installed boxes to collect used clothing and household goods for reuse, joining similar initiatives taken by retailers, as a step to reduce waste and attract more customers.

In a trial launched jointly with Bookoff Group Holdings Ltd, which buys and sells used goods, boxes were installed in around 30 FamilyMart stores in residential areas of Tokyo. Bookoff plans to sell some of the collected items overseas, including to Malaysia.

FamilyMart Co said that clothing deemed unsuitable for reuse will be recycled into new fiber.

The drive is the first collaborative project since Itochu Corp, the parent company of FamilyMart, formed a capital tie-up with Bookoff Group in February.

The project builds on FamilyMart's existing food drive charity program, which has been implemented in about 4,900 of its 16,400 stores nationwide, where people can drop off excess household food items to be donated to those in need.

FamilyMart is considering expanding its used goods collection project to stores nationwide, hoping its initiative will reduce the amount of disposed clothing by about 4,000 tons a year.

According to FamilyMart, citing figures released by the Ministry of Environment, some 560,000 tons of clothes are estimated to be disposed of as waste in Japan each year -- equivalent to roughly 70 percent of the clothing newly supplied to the market.

As recycling becomes a more pressing social issue, Fast Retailing Co is reusing clothing collected at its Uniqlo and GU stores to help refugees, while major retailer Aeon Co has set up around 700 boxes at its stores and facilities to collect used clothing.
 
 

Fruit seen as providing a profitable alternative for citrus growers as they cope with changing conditions

Climate change has forced citrus growers in Japan’s Ehime Prefecture to replace their orchards with avocado trees, reflecting a growing trend in Japan.

According to a report from Kyodo News, avocado production in Ehime Prefecture’s capital, Matsuyama, began accelerating in 2009 and over the past decade has jumped more than 12-fold from around 600kg in fiscal 2015 to about 7,300kg in fiscal 2024.

Fuminori Arita, was one citrus grower who made the switch a decade ago. He once farmed “iyokan,” a Japanese citrus variety, before turning to avocados with seedlings he acquired from the city government.

He now sells avocados for around ¥5,000/kg (US$32) and said the “joy of success is huge”.

According to Japan’s National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation, suitable areas for cultivating mandarin oranges will gradually shift northward, and many areas that are deemed too warm for citrus fruit will become suitable for avocados.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has introduced a new subsidy designed to accelerate local efforts to promote the cultivation of crops suitable for higher temperatures.

Changes are being made across several Prefectures. A similar shift from citrus to avocados is being explored in Shizuoka. Aomori Prefecture, known for its apples, has been expanding peach production, while Oita Prefecture wants to grow more Shine Muscat table grapes.

A projection by the institute affiliated with the agriculture ministry has also suggested the area suitable for avocado production in Japan will more than double by the middle of the century.
 

 

 

• Téte António, Angola’s foreign minister, has invited Japanese businesses to engage beyond the energy sector, highlighting opportunities in agribusiness, tourism, and more

• The partnership promises Angola access to essential finance and technical expertise, while Japan gains closer ties with a resource-rich African economy

 
Luanda is seeking to make Japan a pivotal ally in its ongoing economic reform programme, designed to enhance the business climate and widen its financial base.

The sentiment was voiced by Minister of Foreign Affairs Téte António, during discussions in Luanda with his visiting Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, last Friday. 

According to the Portuguese news agency Lusa, António extended an invitation to Japan’s public and private sectors to consider Angola “beyond the energy sector,” citing “enormous opportunities” in areas such as agribusiness, the blue economy, tourism, renewable energy, and digitalisation. 

The minister also suggested that Japanese technology, when combined with Angola’s natural resource potential and strategic position, could “transform our region.” 

The Angolan government is actively encouraging the use of Japanese technology across its infrastructure and energy initiatives, Lusa said.

For its part, Japan is aiming to reinforce its supply chains by fostering stronger relationships with resource-rich African economies, a move that reflects a wider strategic shift towards the continent to secure vital resources. 

The collaboration offers Angola another source of financing, technical expertise, and industrial capability required for economic diversification. It also creates concrete investment opportunities in areas including oil, mining, and infrastructure.

Angolan data cited by Lusa indicates that bilateral trade between the nations reached approximately $200 million in 2024. Up to fiscal year 2023, Tokyo has also provided loans totalling 23.6 billion yen (around $160 million), grants of 43.5 billion yen (approximately $250 million), and technical assistance valued at 8.5 billion yen (about $49 million).
 
 

 
An increasing number of communities across Japan are facing the problem of so-called transportation deserts, or the difficulty of residents having access to buses and trains.

An increasing number of communities across Japan are facing the problem of so-called transportation deserts, or the difficulty of residents having access to buses and trains.

The central government is increasingly concerned that people without cars, such as students and the elderly, may lose their primary means of transportation.

With the goal of finding a solution, efforts are being made in some areas to make the most of limited transportation resources.

The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry has begun taking steps to address the problem. It has submitted a revision bill in the current Diet session aimed at realizing sustainable regional public transportation.


Supporting the town

The town of Shirakawa in Gifu Prefecture is facing accelerating population decline and aging. At JR Shirakawaguchi Station, located in the center of the town, high school students got off one after another from a large vehicle marked “school bus” and entered the station on the morning of April 10, when the new school term began.

“Thanks to the bus, I can get to school without asking my family to drive me 30 minutes to the station,” said a16-year-old student, who attends a high school outside the town.

The same vehicle then serves as a bus to ferry elementary school students to school. During the day, it is used by locals such as the elderly to go shopping, among other purposes.

“I broke my leg and cannot drive anymore,” said an resident, 89, who rode the bus to a hospital. “However, thanks to the bus, I can go shopping on my own.”

Shirakawa supports the daily lives of its residents via a town-operated transportation system, which allows people to use school buses and other vehicles for a fee, such as ¥200 per ride. The town has a contract with an organization to supply drivers.

This initiative began about 10 years ago when a local bus company reduced its route services. In the 2025 fiscal year, about 56,000 people, about nine times the town’s population of 6,641 as of April, used the service.

This fiscal year, the town is considering conducting a pilot program for individual transportation services using school buses and other vehicles.

A town official expressed confidence in the initiative. “Many families decided to leave the town when their children entered school. Thanks to the improved transportation network, such cases are decreasing,” the official said.


Over 2,000 areas nationwide

A nationwide survey by the transport ministry showed that using pubic transportation was difficult in more than 2,000 areas in the country as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year.

The ministry is paying close attention to Shirakawa’s initiative as a model for addressing the problem of transportation deserts.

The increase in the number of transportation deserts is driven by factors such as deteriorating financial conditions and a shortage of personnel among transportation operators due to population decline and the aging society.

The number of bus drivers decreased by about 19,000 between fiscal years 2016 and 2023, according to the transport ministry.

In addition, about 15,000 kilometers of bus routes and over 500 kilometers of rail lines were discontinued between fiscal years 2016 and 2024. In such areas, family members are forced to drive children and the elderly to and from destinations, placing a heavy burden on them.


Sustainable transportation needed

Transportation deserts are a problem that furthers depopulation in communities. The transport ministry has designated fiscal years 2025 to 2027 as a period for taking concerted efforts to tackle the situation.

It determined that it will be effective to fully utilize regional transportation resources in ways such as that seen in Shirakawa.

Given the situation, the ministry has submitted a bill to amend the Law on Revitalization and Rehabilitation of Local Public Transportation Systems to simplify procedures for local governments to coordinate with bus operators, schools and business to secure vehicles and drivers and establish transportation services.

“We’d like to support the establishment of sustainable regional transportation,” said a senior transport ministry official.
 
 

Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Amelia Anggraini, said that cooperation between Indonesia and Japan in the defense sector has the potential to strengthen regional stability.

By establishing this strategic partnership, Indonesia is not aligned with any particular power bloc. In addition, Indonesia remains consistent in pursuing an independent and active policy, she said.

"This collaboration has the potential to strengthen regional stability, particularly in addressing non-traditional challenges such as maritime security, sea lane protection, and hybrid threats," Anggraini said here on Monday.

This agreement, she said, is not merely symbolic, but has concrete implications for improving military interoperability, knowledge transfer, and strengthening Indonesia's defense capacity amid increasingly complex regional security dynamics.

With its advanced defense technology capabilities, she believes that Japan is an important partner in supporting the modernization of defense equipment and human resource development for Indonesia's defense.

Therefore, she believes that this collaboration is a strong signal that Indonesian defense cooperation has entered a more advanced, measurable, and long-term national interest-oriented phase.

"This should be seen as a strategic step reflecting the increasingly close defense partnership between the two countries in the Indo-Pacific region," she said.

The Indonesian Ministry of Defense previously confirmed that Indonesia would strengthen military cooperation with Japan in the defense industry and human resource development.

"We have both agreed to promote substantive cooperation in the defense industry and human resource development in both countries, with a focus on our respective national interests," said Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

He made the statement in a joint statement with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi at the Ministry of Defense office, here on Monday.

Sjamsoeddin believes that cooperation with Japan in the defense industry is a strategic step since it will have an impact on strengthening the domestic defense industry.
 

The estimated population of children under 15 stood at 13.29 million in Japan as of April 1, down for the 45th straight year, the internal affairs ministry said Monday.

The child population, down 350,000 from a year earlier, again fell to the lowest level since 1950, when data comparable under the current format started. The ministry's announcement preceded Children's Day on Tuesday.

The population stood at 6.81 million for boys and 6.48 million for girls. The share of children in the country's total population fell 0.3 percentage point to 10.8%, dropping for the 52nd consecutive year to rewrite its record low again.

The proportion is the second lowest among 38 countries with total populations exceeding 40 million, only behind South Korea's 10.2%, based on data adopting a different survey period. Japan was followed by Italy at 11.7% and by Spain at 12.6%.

Of the child population in Japan, 3.09 million were between ages 12 and 14, 2.96 million between 9 and 11, 2.68 million between 6 and 8, 2.43 million between 3 and 5, and 2.13 million between zero and 2.

The estimates are based on the results of the 2020 census. The population of children by prefecture, based on the results of the 2025 census, will be announced later.
 
 

The leaders of Japan and Australia agreed Monday to step up their collaboration to ensure stable supplies of critical minerals, energy and other essentials, amid China's rare earth dominance and the conflict in the Middle East.

Issuing five outcome documents at their meeting in Canberra, including a joint declaration on economic security, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese also affirmed that their countries will further promote cooperation on defense and cybersecurity.

Japan and Australia "share a firm commitment to contributing to peace and stability in the region and the international community" and are "the front-runners of collaboration among like-minded partners," Takaichi told a joint press event after the talks, describing the countries' ties as "a quasi-alliance."

 

Albanese said the leaders agreed on a range of "ambitious outcomes that comprehensively elevate our special strategic partnership" and the two countries "have never been more strategically aligned."

Under the joint declaration focused on building resilient supply chains for rare earths, energy resources and food products, among other items, they expressed their "strong concerns" over export restrictions on critical minerals, in an apparent reference to China's recent tightening of export controls.

Rare earths are essential for products using cutting-edge technologies such as electric vehicles and semiconductors. China is said to mine around 70 percent of the world's rare earths and refine about 90 percent of them, and Australia is also known as a major producer.

Japan is highly reliant on China for its procurement of rare earths. Since earlier this year Beijing has tightened its restrictions on exports of dual-use items, which can be used for both civilian and military purposes, with rare earths possibly included.

 

The measure was taken in an apparent response to Takaichi's remarks in parliament in November that Japan could potentially deploy its Self-Defense Forces in support of the United States in the event of an attack on Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island claimed by China.

The U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran since late February has disrupted global crude oil transportation and caused price hikes, posing challenges to countries heavily dependent on oil and petroleum product imports like Japan.

While Australia, known for rich natural resources, is Japan's largest liquefied natural gas supplier, it also greatly relies on petroleum product imports such as gasoline and diesel from Asian nations heavily dependent on Middle Eastern crude oil, following a series of Australian refinery closures over decades.

Sharing concerns over China's military activities in the Indo-Pacific region, Japan and Australia have been boosting security cooperation in recent years as their reciprocal access agreement, which enables faster troop deployment and facilitates joint drills, took effect in 2023.

 

Takaichi and Albanese welcomed their countries' announcement last month regarding the conclusion of contracts to jointly deliver the first three of 11 ships for the Australian navy based on the upgraded Mogami-class vessel, a Japanese multi-mission stealth frigate.

The leaders of the two U.S. allies also agreed to explore concrete measures by the time of their next meeting to elevate and institutionalize their comprehensive security cooperation, including economic security, Takaichi said.

The visit to Australia by Takaichi, who took office in October, coincides with the 50th anniversary this year of the two nations' signing of a basic treaty of friendship and cooperation.

The meeting with Albanese was part of Takaichi's five-day overseas trip from Friday that also took her to Vietnam prior to Canberra.

Later Monday, Takaichi told reporters that she was able to deepen her personal relations with the Vietnamese and Australian leaders and confirmed Japan would advance concrete collaborations with the two countries toward the "shared goal of making the whole region strong and prosperous."
 
 

Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi arrived in Jakarta on Monday for a follow-up defense ministers’ meeting.

The meeting follows their previous talks held in Bali on Sunday, May 3.
Observations at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base showed that both ministers arrived at around 9:49 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) on the same aircraft.

They then proceeded to the Defense Ministry office in Central Jakarta for a closed-door meeting, which is expected to include the signing of a defense cooperation agreement between Indonesia and Japan.

The two ministers had earlier met in Bali, where they also attended a dinner meeting.

During the meeting, they discussed efforts to strengthen the partnership and the longstanding good relations between Indonesia and Japan.

Both ministers expressed appreciation for the existing defense cooperation between the two countries.

They also voiced hope that the momentum from their recent engagements would further enhance bilateral relations between Indonesia and Japan.
 
 

A tanker loaded with Russian crude oil docked at a pier connected to Taiyo Oil's refinery in western Japan on Tuesday, officials of the Japanese oil wholesaler said.

This marks the first Russian crude oil import to Japan since the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transport waterway in the Middle East, was effectively closed earlier this year amid the fighting between the U.S.-Israeli camp and Iran, according to the trade ministry.

Taiyo Oil procured the crude oil at the request of the ministry.

The oil came from the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project in Russia's Far East region, which is outside the scope of Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

The crude oil will be refined to gasoline and other petroleum products at the Taiyo Oil facility in the city of Imabari, Ehime Prefecture.

The tanker arrived in waters off Imabari on Monday. The berthing had been postponed, however, due to strong wind.

The Japanese government is accelerating efforts to procure crude oil from sources other than the Middle East as supplies from the region have been disrupted due to the lingering tensions there.
 
 

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has told his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, that Japan strongly hopes that Iran and the United States will soon resume talks and reach a final deal to end their conflict.

Motegi spoke with Araghchi by telephone during his visit to Kenya on Saturday afternoon. The phone talks were held at the request of the Iranian side.

The top Japanese diplomat also called on Iran to show "maximum flexibility," according to Japan's Foreign Ministry.

The Iranian minister explained the current situation involving his country, including its talks with the United States, as well as the future outlook. The two agreed to maintain close communication.

Additionally, Motegi underscored the importance of free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, currently under a de facto blockade.

Following the recent passage of a Japan-related vessel through the strait, Motegi requested that all remaining vessels be allowed to do so as soon as possible.
 
 

Women dressed in tea-picking attire carefully pick tea burgeons on Saturday at an event marking the arrival of the season for newly-harvested tea in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture.

The day fell on the 88th day since the day of the start of spring on the lunar calendar.

The Kyoto Prefecture Tea Industry Chamber said that new tea leaves grew well during April thanks to moderate rainfall and temperature fluctuations.

The price of Uji tea has skyrocketed due to the popularity of macha around the world, according to JA Zen-Noh Kyoto, with the total transaction value reaching a record of ¥10.384 billion, more than double the previous year.
 

 

During the ongoing Golden Week holiday period in Japan, tourist spots across the country have been affected by water shortages, partly due to low rainfall since last summer.

Sightseeing boat and hot spring facility operators and other businesses have been forced to reduce service hours.

Water levels in lakes around Mount Fuji have been declining since last year. Fujigoko Kisen, a local sightseeing boat operator, has suspended services on Lake Motosu and altered tour routes on Lake Kawaguchi.

"Water levels have rarely fallen that much," said Kazuya Fujii, 57-year-old head of the operator. "Although there are problems, including water shortages and soaring fuel prices, we hope many visitors will come this year as well."

In Lake Chuzenji in the city of Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, low water levels are preventing boats from being docked at piers.

Tobu Kogyo Co.'s sightseeing boat business usually operates boats on routes with three piers, but the piers are now excluded from the routes.
 

 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Vietnamese counterpart, Le Minh Hung, agreed Saturday to position economic security cooperation as a pillar of their countries' bilateral relations, including Japan's public-private support for Vietnam's crude oil procurement.

Japan will provide support for the Nghi Son oil refinery in northern-central Vietnam as the first project under the "POWERR Asia" initiative, which will provide a total of around 10 billion dollars in financial aid.

 

During their 50-minute meeting in the Vietnamese capital, the two leaders also agreed to work together to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals, including rare earths.

At a joint press conference after the meeting, Takaichi said that she and Hung confirmed "cooperation to jointly make Japan, Vietnam and the Indo-Pacific region stronger and wealthier." Hung expressed his expectation for economic security cooperation with Japan.

 

The leaders adopted a list of priority items for economic security cooperation in four areas--science and technology, semiconductor research and development, artificial intelligence and agricultural and food security.
 
 

 

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.7 jolted western Japan on Saturday, but no tsunami warning was issued, the country's weather agency said.

The quake, which struck at 6:28 p.m., registered 4 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in the prefectures of Mie, Nara and Wakayama and occurred at a depth of 70 kilometers in Nara, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
 
 

The end of April and beginning of May is a time when Japanese people can enjoy some free time and relax thanks to a succession of national holidays that, grouped together, are called Golden Week.

April 29 (Showa Day), May 3 (Constitution Memorial Day), May 4 (Greenery Day) and May 5 (Children’s Day) make up Golden Week and while April 30 and May 1 and 2 are not holidays, many Japanese add in those days to make a long holiday.

Showa Day celebrates the birth of Emperor Showa, who is better known in the West as Emperor Hirohito. 

Constitution Memorial Day marks the implementation of Japan’s post-war constitution on May 3, 1947. While it is Japan’s constitution, it was largely written by the occupying American forces after the war and has elements that some Japanese want to see changed.

Greenery Day came into being as a substitute for Emperor Hirohito’s birthday, which fell on April 29. Originally, Greenery Day was celebrated on the same day but in 2007 was moved to May 4.

The original idea behind Greenery Day was to celebrate Emperor Hirohito’s love of plants. Now, it is a general appreciation of nature.

Originally, there was a Boy’s Day and Girl’s Day in Japan but this, too, was changed after the war. 

Boy’s Day has its origins in 12th century Japan as a day to ward off evil spirits for samurai boys. Many Japanese municipalities hang huge carp streamers (koinobori) in parks and other places to celebrate the day.

The Koinobori Festival showcases an impressive array of carp-shaped streamers flown across the nation from April to early May in honor of Children’s Day on May 5. This tradition serves as a symbol of strength and success for children

In modern Japan, less attention is paid to the meanings of the holidays and more to having a break from work. Golden Week is one of three major holidays in Japan, along with New Year and Obon, which takes place in August and, while universally recognized, is not an official public holiday.

Japan shuts down for Golden Week, and the people take the opportunity to visit their hometowns, travel abroad or just relax at home. 

If you’re planning on traveling in Japan during Golden Week, plan early. Bullet trains and flights are all full during the holiday period and the highways are heavily congested. 

While banks and public offices are closed, shops and restaurants do a good trade, although some restaurants also take the week off. There will be heavy foot traffic in Japan’s main tourist spots and airports will be very busy.

The term “Golden Week” was coined in 1951 by the managing director of a film company when he saw how sales spiked during the holiday period.