A U.N. intergovernmental committee decided Thursday to add six items submitted by Japan to three categories already inscribed on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, including traditional festivals and paper-making.

Festivals from the prefectures of Ibaraki, Niigata, Shiga and Toyama, as well as two types of craftsmanship related to handmade paper and tatami mat making, were formally endorsed by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's intergovernmental committee at a meeting in New Delhi.

All six items were recommended for inclusion last month by UNESCO's advisory panel, which noted that they demonstrate cultural diversity and have satisfied safeguarding practices.

 

The Ofune Festival of Hitachi Otsu in Ibaraki, the Murakami Yatai Festival in Niigata, the Hojozu Hachimangu Shrine Hikiyama Tsukiyama Festival in Toyama and the Otsu Hikiyama Festival in Shiga have been added to the "Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan" list, bringing the total to 37.

Meanwhile, the manufacturing of Echizen "torinoko-shi" handmade paper in Fukui Prefecture has been added to the "Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese handmade paper" category as the fourth item.

 

Crafting handwoven "nakatsugi-omote," a type of aesthetic and durable tatami mat surface, becomes the 18th item on the "Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan."

The government nominated the six items to UNESCO in March 2024. As UNESCO implements an annual review limit of 60 nominations, those from Japan, which makes many submissions, generally undergo review every two years.

 

But since the latest six items were treated as "extensions" of existing heritage-listed categories, they were reviewed this year, outside the biennial review. The number of entries from Japan will also remain unchanged at 23.

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

 

It has also decided to submit the traditional performing art "kagura" in 2028, and "onsen" hot spring culture in 2030.
 
 

Japan's House of Representatives on Thursday passed the government's supplementary budget bill for fiscal 2025, which will finance the first comprehensive economic policy package compiled under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

At a plenary meeting of the lower chamber of the Diet, the budget bill was approved by a majority vote, with support from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai), as well as the opposition Democratic Party for the People and Komeito.

The budget bill is expected to be enacted as early as Tuesday after deliberations in the House of Councillors, the upper Diet chamber.

 

Under the banner of "responsible yet aggressive" fiscal policy, the budget bill calls for general-account spending of 18,303.4 billion yen, including funds to implement an additional child allowance of 20,000 yen per child.

More than 60 pct of the extra budget will be funded by selling government bonds.

In the Lower House, the DPFP voted in favor of the budget bill after the Takaichi administration decided to abolish the provisional gasoline tax surcharge. Komeito finalized its support for the bill at a party meeting earlier in the day.
 
 

Japan was assessing damage Tuesday and cautioning people of potential aftershocks after a late-night 7.5 magnitude earthquake caused injuries, light damage and a tsunami in Pacific coastal communities.

At least 34 people were injured, one seriously, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. Most of them were hit by falling objects, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters an emergency task force was formed to urgently assess damage. “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she said.

At a parliamentary session Tuesday, Takaichi pledged the government would continue its utmost effort and reminded people they have to protect their own lives.

The 7.5 magnitude quake struck around 11:15 p.m. in the Pacific Ocean, around 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main Honshu island.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at 7.6 magnitude and said it occurred 44 kilometers (27 miles) below the surface.

A tsunami of up to 70 centimeters (2 feet, 4 inches) was measured in Kuji port in Iwate prefecture, just south of Aomori, and waves up to 50 centimeters struck other communities in the region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. NHK reported the waves damaged some oyster rafts.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said about 800 homes were without electricity and Shinkansen bullet trains and some local lines were suspended in parts of the region in the early hours of Tuesday. East Japan Railway said bullet trains resumed operation in the region later Tuesday.

Power was mostly restored by Tuesday morning, according to the Tohoku Electric Power Co.

About 480 residents sheltered at Hachinohe Air Base and 18 defense helicopters were mobilized for a damage assessment, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said.

About 200 passengers were stranded for the night at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, NHK reported. Part of a domestic terminal building was unusable Tuesday after parts of its ceiling cracked and fell to the floor, according to the airport operator.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said about 450 liters (118 gallons) of water spilled from a spent fuel cooling area at the Rokkasho fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori, but that its water level remained within the normal range and there was no safety concern. No abnormalities were found at other nuclear power plants and spent fuel storage facilities, the NRA said.

JMA cautioned about possible aftershocks in the coming days. It said there is a slight increase in risk of a magnitude 8-level quake and possible tsunami occurring along Japan’s northeastern coast from Chiba, just east of Tokyo, to Hokkaido.

The agency urged residents in 182 municipalities in the area to monitor their emergency preparedness in the coming week, reminding them that the caution is not a prediction of a big one.

Monday’s quake occurred just north of the coastal region where the magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami in 2011 killed nearly 20,000 people and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

“You need to prepare, assuming that a disaster like that could happen again,” JMA official Satoshi Harada said.

Smaller aftershocks were continuing Tuesday. The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 6.6 and later a 5.1 quake in the hours after the initial temblor.
 
 

Chinese and Russian bombers have conducted their first joint flight off the Shikoku region in western Japan, according to the Defense Ministry's Joint Staff Office.

"It should be taken as a coercive action against Japan," Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference Wednesday.

Through diplomatic channels, the Japanese government has expressed its "grave national security concern" to Beijing and Moscow, he noted.

The office said Tuesday that two Russian Tu-95 bombers coming from the Sea of Japan and two Chinese H-6 bombers met over the East China Sea and flew long distance together passing between the main and Miyakojima islands of the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa.

 

The planes reversed their course over the Pacific Ocean off Shikoku to return to the East China Sea. During the flight, they were joined by Chinese J-16 fighters. The office also said Russia's Su-30 fighters and A-50 early warning plane were spotted over the Sea of Japan.

In response, ASDF fighters were scrambled. Meanwhile, those Chinese and Russian aircraft did not intrude into Japanese airspace, ministry officials said.
 
 

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Wednesday dismissed China's claim that Japanese Self-Defense Forces fighter jets locked radar on Chinese aircraft in a recent incident between the nations.

Chinese J-15 aircraft locked radar on SDF jets on Saturday, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry, while the Chinese military countered that its fighters also detected radar search signals from the Japanese aircraft.

Acknowledging China had notified Japan in advance about drills involving the aircraft carrier Liaoning, Koizumi said at a press conference that the notice lacked detail on the scale and location of the training in the Pacific southeast of Okinawa's main island.

Koizumi reiterated Japan's view that China had not issued the customary notices for such activities, including "notices to air missions," known as NOTAMs, or navigation warnings for ships.

He also stressed that it was "natural" for SDF aircraft to scramble against the Chinese fighters that flew from the carrier Liaoning, given concerns that their actions could violate Japan's airspace.

But Koizumi said it is essential for the Asian neighbors to "persistently maintain candid discussions and communication" at a time when they face "specific and difficult concerns."

Beijing has claimed that "frequent close-in reconnaissance and disruptions" by Japanese jets during the drills caused security risks, while Tokyo has said its jets kept a "safe distance" from Chinese military aircraft.
 
 

Japan is assessing damage from Monday's large earthquake as aftershocks continue along the country's northeast coast.

Residents along Japan's northeast coast were warned to stay alert, as aftershocks continued Tuesday in the aftermath of a major earthquake that has left at least 33 people injured.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 6.6 and later a 5.1 quake in the hours after the initial temblor late Monday night local time.

The USGS measured the main quake at 7.6 magnitude just off the coast of the city of Misawa in Aomori Prefecture, and it was about 27 miles deep.
Most of the people injured were hit by falling objects, according to public broadcaster NHK.

A tsunami of just over 2 feet was measured in Kuji port in Iwate prefecture, just south of Aomori, and waves up to 20 inches struck other communities in the region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. NHK reported the waves damaged some oyster rafts.

The agency lifted all tsunami advisories by 6:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said about 800 homes were without electricity and Shinkansen bullet trains and some local lines were suspended in parts of the region in the early hours of Tuesday. East Japan Railway said it is aiming to resume bullet trains in the region later Tuesday.

Power was mostly restored by Tuesday morning, according to the Tohoku Electric Power Co.

About 480 residents sheltered at Hachinohe Air Base and 18 defense helicopters were mobilized for a damage assessment, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said.

About 200 passengers were stranded for the night at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, NHK reported. Part of a domestic terminal building was unusable Tuesday after parts of its ceiling cracked and fell to the floor, according to the airport operator.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said about 118 gallons of water spilled from a spent fuel cooling area at the Rokkasho fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori, but that its water level remained within the normal range and there was no safety concern. No abnormalities were found at other nuclear power plants and spent fuel storage facilities, the NRA said.

JMA cautioned about possible aftershocks in the coming days. It said there is a slight increase in risk of a magnitude 8-level quake and possible tsunami occurring along Japan's northeastern coast from Chiba, just east of Tokyo, to Hokkaido.

The agency urged residents in 182 municipalities in the area to monitor their emergency preparedness in the coming week, reminding them that the caution is not a prediction of a big one.

Monday's quake occurred just north of the coastal region where the magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami in 2011 killed nearly 20,000 people and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

“You need to prepare, assuming that a disaster like that could happen again," JMA official Satoshi Harada said.
 
 

The head of a religious group in Japan formerly known as the Unification Church has announced his resignation. The group is facing a court order to disband as it has been accused of collecting large donations and causing other problems.

Tanaka Tomihiro, the leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification in Japan, held a news conference at its headquarters in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Tanaka said the group must not underestimate the deep psychological pain it has caused to some people. He said he takes the matter seriously and decided to resign as a step to restore the trust of society. He offered an apology.

As a reason for his resignation, Tanaka cited a development in court examinations over the order to disband.

He also said an environment has been created to hand down the task to the next generation as efforts to improve its governance have stabilized.
Tanaka revealed that former vice head Hori Masaichi will assume the top position.

The group said Hori will be the first leader from second-generation followers.

The Tokyo High Court may reach a decision by the end of March over the lower court disbandment order. The procedure will then begin if the high court backs the order.
 
 

We recently took a moment to ooh and aah over how cute Studio Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku’s Totoro kagami mochi plushie looks, and to learn a little bit about the traditional Japanese New Year’s decoration that inspired it.

 

Stacks of rice cakes aren’t the only symbols of good fortune and prosperity that Japanese homes are adorned with at the end of the year, though, and today we’ve got another one with a twist: a "Kiki’s Delivery Service" shimekazari wreath.

Technically, I suppose we’ve got multiple twists here, since not only is there a touch of anime aesthetics with the presence of Kiki’s black cat Jiji, the wreath itself is a braided coil of straw.

 

Shimekazari literally means “twisted decoration,” and they’re small, home-sized versions of the larger shimenawa ropes you might encounter at Shinto shrines, which serve as a barrier of sorts to ward off evil spirits and general misfortune.

Because of their more compact size, these New Year’s wreaths can be hung above your home’s entrance, on the door, or even inside, either on walls or interior doors. Donguri Kyowakoku officially classifies this as a “Western-style decoration,” making it technically a secular ornament that can be used for non-denominational wishes of good fortune and festive cheer during the holiday season.

 

The Jiji figure is made of a mix of metal and resin components, while the wreath uses both artificial and dried flowers, and the straw is natural as well, ensuring that each wreath has its own subtly unique appearance.

The wreath measures 28 centimeters n length, putting it right in that easy-to-decorate-with sweet spot of being large enough to be noticed without being so big as to dominate the room.
 

 

Priced at 6,050 yen, the "Kiki’s Delivery Service" wreath can be ordered through the Donguri Kyowakoku online shop here.
 

Indonesia’s embassy in Tokyo urged its nationals in Japan to stay calm and alert after a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off Aomori Prefecture late Monday, triggering brief tsunami warnings in the country’s northeast.

In a statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday, the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) reminded nationals that earthquakes are frequent in Japan and called on them to remain composed and attentive to official information.

The embassy urged Indonesians to monitor updates from Japanese media and follow instructions from local authorities at all times.

It also advised residents to study evacuation routes and prepare emergency bags containing essential documents, medicine, and sufficient cash.

As of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, the embassy said it had received no reports of Indonesians harmed or affected by the quake.

Indonesians facing emergencies were asked to contact the embassy’s hotline at +81-80-3506-8612 or +81-80-4940-7419, or the Indonesian consulate in Osaka at +81-80-3113-1003.

KBRI stressed that staying informed and prepared remained crucial for Indonesian communities across Japan.

It said close cooperation with Japanese authorities was vital to ensure the safety of all residents in a country highly prone to major seismic events.

The embassy added that it would continue monitoring the situation and would issue updates when necessary.

It also encouraged Indonesians to register with embassy community networks to receive rapid alerts and assistance during emergencies.

Meanwhile, Kyodo News reported that Japan’s Meteorological Agency has increased the likelihood of another quake of similar or greater magnitude striking the same region in the coming days.

The 7.5-magnitude quake shook northeastern Japan late Monday, prompting tsunami warnings for coastal areas of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate before the alerts were lifted several hours later.

Kyodo noted it was the first time such warnings had been issued for Hokkaido and the Sanriku coast, which stretches from Aomori through Iwate and into Miyagi.

The Japanese Cabinet Office urged the public to stay on heightened alert for at least a week and to keep emergency kits accessible in case immediate evacuation becomes necessary.

Kyodo also recalled that the 2011 M9.0 megaquake, which left nearly 20,000 dead and more than 2,500 missing, struck the same northeastern region and triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday expressed eagerness to advance legislation to give legal validity to the use of maiden names.

Speaking before the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, Takaichi said she will "make necessary considerations in close coordination with the ruling coalition" of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, also known as Nippon Ishin no Kai.

Responding to a question from LDP lawmaker Masahiko Shibayama, Takaichi argued that giving validity to the use of maiden names by those who have changed their surnames due to marriage "will reduce the number of citizens who experience inconvenience in social life." She added that codifying maiden name use will enhance such effects.

Takaichi said there have been no changes to the government's policy of "reducing concerns and problems while increasing understanding and cooperation" in diplomatic ties with China, which soured after her parliamentary remarks on a possible Taiwan contingency. "We will monitor the situation closely and respond appropriately," she said.

At the Budget Committee meeting, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi commented on the recent incident in which Chinese military aircraft directed radar at Japanese Self-Defense Forces fighter jets.
 
 

Last year, more than 18,000 older people living with dementia left their homes and went missing in Japan. Almost 500 were later found dead.
Police say such cases have doubled since 2012.

Elderly people aged 65 and over now make up nearly 30% of Japan's population - the second-highest proportion in the world after Monaco, according to the World Bank.

The crisis is further compounded by a shrinking workforce and tight limits on foreign workers coming in to provide care.

Japan's government has identified dementia as one of its most urgent policy challenges, with the Health Ministry estimating that dementia-related health and social care costs will reach 14 trillion yen ($90bn; £67bn) by 2030 - up from nine trillion yen in 2025.

In its most recent strategy, the government has signalled a stronger pivot toward technology to ease the pressure.

Across the country, people are adopting GPS-based systems to keep track of those who go missing.

Some regions offer wearable GPS tags that can alert authorities the moment a person leaves a designated area.

In some towns, convenience-store workers receive real-time notifications – a kind of community safety net that can locate a missing person within hours.

 

Robot caregivers and AI

Other technologies aim to detect dementia earlier.

Fujitsu's aiGait uses AI to analyse posture and walking patterns, picking up early signs of dementia – shuffling while walking, slower turns or difficulty standing – generating skeletal outlines clinicians can review during routine check-ups.

"Early detection of age-related diseases is key," says Hidenori Fujiwara, a Fujitsu spokesperson. "If doctors can use motion-capture data, they can intervene earlier and help people remain active for longer."

Meanwhile, researchers at Waseda University are developing AIREC, a 150kg humanoid robot designed to be a "future" caregiver.

It can help a person put on socks, scramble eggs and fold laundry. The scientists at Waseda University hope that in the future, AIREC will be able to change adult nappies and prevent bedsores in patients.

Similar robots are already being used in care homes to play music to residents or guide them in simple stretching exercises.

They are also monitoring patients at night - placed under mattresses to track sleep and conditions - and cutting back on the need for humans doing the rounds.

Although humanoid robots are being developed for the near future, Assistant Professor Tamon Miyake says the level of precision and intelligence required will take at last five years before they are safely able to interact with humans.

"It requires full-body sensing and adaptive understanding - how to adjust for each person and situation," he says.

Emotional support is also part of the innovation drive.

 

Poketomo, a 12cm tall robot, can be carried around in a bag or can fit into a pocket. It reminds users to take medication, tells you how to prepare in real time for the weather outside and offers conversation for those living alone, which its creators say helps to ease social isolation.

"We're focusing on social issues... and to use new technology to help solve those problems," Miho Kagei, development manager from Sharp told the BBC.

While devices and robots offer new ways to assist, human connection remains irreplaceable.

"Robots should supplement, not substitute, human caregivers," Mr Miyake, the Waseda University scientist said. "While they may take over some tasks, their main role is to assist both caregivers and patients."

At the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders in Sengawa, Tokyo, founded by Akiko Kanna, people stream in to be served by patients suffering from dementia.
Inspired by her father's experience with the condition, Ms Kanna wanted a place where people could remain engaged and feel purposeful.

Toshio Morita, one of the café's servers, uses flowers to remember which table ordered what.

Despite his cognitive decline, Mr Morita enjoys the interaction. For his wife, the café provides respite and helps keep him engaged.

Kanna's café illustrates why social interventions and community support remain essential. Technology can provide tools and relief, but meaningful engagement and human connection are what truly sustain people living with dementia.

"Honestly? I wanted a little pocket money. I like meeting all sorts of people," Mr Morita says. "Everyone's different - that's what makes it fun."
 
 

 

Japan has protested after Chinese fighter jets locked radars on Japanese aircraft as tensions between the two nations worsened.

Locking radar onto an aircraft is considered a threat because it can signal a potential attack. Japan said there were two such incidents Saturday off its southern Okinawa islands.

Japan said it scrambled fighter jets in response to the Chinese J-15 fighter jets, while Beijing accused Tokyo of "harassing" its forces during a training exercise. No injuries or damage were reported.

Diplomatic ties between Japan and China have spiralled since last month, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that Tokyo could take military action if Beijing attacked Taiwan.

Beijing views self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to "reunite" with it.

Both sides have since engaged in increasingly hostile rhetoric towards each other, with the widening rift affecting daily life for citizens in both countries.

Last week, China and Japan's coast guards gave conflicting accounts of a confrontation near disputed islands in the East China Sea.

A Japanese defence ministry official said the intention of the Chinese J-15 jets was "unclear", but added that there was "no need" to lock on to the Japanese planes if their intention was to locate other aircraft.

The J-15 jets, which were launched from China's Liaoning aircraft carrier, first locked its radar on Japanese jets at 16:32 local time on Saturday (07:32 GMT) and again at around 18:37.

The official added that the Japanese aircraft "did not do anything that could be considered a provocation".

"It is extremely regrettable. Japan has strongly protested to the Chinese side, and we firmly requested measures to prevent recurrence," Takaichi told reporters Sunday in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture.
"We will respond calmly and resolutely," she said.

The Chinese navy however said Japan's claim was "completely inconsistent with the facts" and told Tokyo to "immediately stop slandering and smearing". It added that its training exercise in the area had been previously announced.

This comes two weeks after Japan scrambled aircraft when a suspected Chinese drone was detected off Yonaguni, island near Taiwan. Tokyo has said it is planning to deploy missiles from Yonaguni in a move that has angered Beijing.

A month of heightened tensions have seen China ask its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan.

China has also banned the importation of seafood from Japan and suspended the screening of popular Japanese films.
 
 

Japan's Foreign Ministry has been focusing on visually appealing messages on social media posts, such as videos, diagrams and illustrations in its campaign to explain the country's stances on international affairs.

"We're hoping that (social media users) will intuitively understand Japan's position (on various subjects)," a ministry official said.

On Nov. 26, the ministry on X, formally Twitter, posted a video clip of Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi talking about Botswana, ahead of a dinner with Botswana Vice President Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe.

"Botswana, a country located just north of South Africa at the southern tip of the African continent," Motegi said as he pointed to the country on a globe in the video.

According to officials, the ministry shifted its attention to visual communication on social media a few years ago
 
 

Japanese scientist Sakaguchi Shimon, a co-winner of this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, has spoken about his work at a news conference in Stockholm.

He was joined by the two American researchers who shared the prize at the event hosted by the Nobel Foundation on Saturday.

Sakaguchi said the regulatory T cells he discovered have broad potential applications for various immune disorders, autoimmune diseases, and allergies.

He said that a certain percentage of cancer patients could become treatable with immunotherapy by improving the methods for controlling regulatory T cells.

Sakaguchi said he hopes the award will raise societal awareness of the importance of medical research, and he hopes that governments will realize the importance of supporting basic research.
 

 

Chinese military aircraft locked radar onto Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets southeast of Okinawa's main island on Saturday, Japan's Defense Ministry said, amid heightened diplomatic tensions between the two Asian neighbors.

The Chinese navy said Sunday that Japan's SDF aircraft "repeatedly approached the Chinese naval training maritime area and airspace," though it did not refer to the radar lock-on.

Chinese J-15 aircraft from the aircraft carrier Liaoning intermittently locked radar onto the F-15s on two occasions, once from around 4:32 p.m. and again from around 6:37 p.m., the ministry said.

"It is extremely regrettable. Japan has strongly protested to the Chinese side, and we firmly requested measures to prevent recurrence," Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae told reporters Sunday in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. "We will respond calmly and resolutely."

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi also called the incidents "dangerous and extremely regrettable" at a hastily called press conference in the early hours of Sunday.

It was the first time that the ministry disclosed such an incident. There was no damage to the SDF aircraft or its crew, the ministry said.

The Chinese navy said in a statement that the SDF aircraft "seriously endangered flight safety" by repeatedly approaching its training zones.

A Defense Ministry official, who held a press briefing after Koizumi spoke, said, "China's intentions are unclear, but if it is to locate (aircraft), there is no need to do that intermittently."

Based on the distance between the jets confirmed by the ministry, the Japanese side "didn't do anything that could be considered a provocation," the official said.

A bilateral dispute has been escalating since Takaichi said in response to parliamentary questions on Nov. 7 that a military attack on Taiwan could present a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, drawing harsh criticism from Beijing.

China framed her remarks as indicating that Japan could independently authorize the SDF to act in support of the United States should China impose a maritime blockade on Taiwan or engage in other forms of coercion.

Okinawa is close to Taiwan, a self-ruled island which Beijing regards as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. China insists that the Taiwan issue is purely an "internal affair."

On Saturday, China's navy was conducting training flights in the Pacific Ocean from the Liaoning after the ship passed through the main island of Okinawa Prefecture and the southern Japan prefecture's Miyako Island.

The SDF scrambled aircraft, signaling its assessment that the Chinese planes could approach Japanese airspace.
 
 

A record 230 were killed or injured by bears in Japan since April, putting more pressure on the government to intervene as the animals push deeper into areas where people live.

Thirteen have died and 217 were injured as a result of bear attacks in the eight months through the end of November, according to data released Friday by the environment ministry.

The total already exceeds the previous record of 219 for the fiscal year through March 2024. Roughly two-thirds of casualties occurred in the sparsely-populated northern Tohoku region.

Japan is home to the Hokkaido brown bear and the smaller Asiatic black bear, with the latter responsible for 97% of human casualties this year. As abandoned farmland and aging communities reduce human presence in mountain areas, bears are venturing beyond their forested habitats and moving closer to towns in search of food.

There were 36,814 bear sightings nationwide from April to October 2025, almost double the total from the prior fiscal year, according to ministry data. Even Tokyo had 142 sightings during that period.

The population decline also means there are fewer hunters able to keep bear numbers in check, exacerbating the issue.

The environment ministry has set aside ¥3.4 billion ($22 million) for "bear countermeasures” in this year’s supplementary budget, approved by the cabinet last month.

The proposed measures include mobilizing retired police and self-defense forces as armed hunters, and providing subsidies to local governments for traps and bear-monitoring drones.

Japanese makers of hunting rifles and bear-repellent products have seen their stocks rally in recent months as attacks increase. Bear spray seller Tiemco’s shares have gained 33% since the end of August, with rifle manufacturer Miroku rising 16%, both outpacing the Topix Index.

The nation’s insurers have also begun offering new products that cover bear-related damages.
 

 
 
 
Japan’s Ambassador to Nepal, Maeda Toru, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sushila Karki today.
 
During the meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, matters relating to the celebration of the 70th anniversary of Nepal-Japan relations were discussed, according to the Prime Minister’s press coordinator, Ram Bahadur Rawat.
 
On the occasion, the ambassador applauded the government’s resolution to conduct fresh elections for the House of Representatives on the announced date, adding that the Government of Japan is ready to extend all possible support to Nepal in its efforts to conduct the elections.
 
In response, the Prime Minister thanked Japan for its contributions to Nepal’s development sectors and other areas, expressing her confidence in the continuation of such support in the days to come.

Taiwan and Japan expressed concern on Friday about China’s military activities in the region, after Reuters news agency revealed that Beijing had deployed a large number of vessels in East Asian waters this week, in its biggest show of maritime force to date.

Reuters reported on Thursday (4) that China was deploying a large number of Navy and coast guard ships in East Asian waters — at one point, more than 100 — citing sources and intelligence reports reviewed by the agency.

Speaking to the press in Taipei, Taiwanese presidential spokeswoman Karen Kuo stated that Chinese activity is not limited to the Taiwan Strait, but extends from the Yellow Sea to the waters near the disputed Senkaku Islands, in the East China Sea, entering the South China Sea and the Western Pacific.

“This does indeed pose a threat and an impact to the Indo-Pacific and the entire region,” she said. “We especially call on China to fulfill its responsibilities as a great power and show restraint in its actions.”

Kuo said Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has instructed security forces to maintain full situational awareness and provide timely updates.

Taiwan will maintain close contact and cooperation with unspecified “friendly partners” to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, she said.

In Tokyo, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, asked about Chinese activity in the East China Sea, said that Japan was aware of the reports and was following Chinese military movements “with great attention”, although he refused to comment on the specific situation.

“China has been expanding and intensifying its military activities in the areas around Japan, and we constantly strive to collect and analyze information about Chinese military movements very carefully,” he told reporters, without specifying a specific period of Chinese activities.

“In any case, the government will continue to monitor developments around Japan with deep concern and will do everything possible to ensure thorough intelligence gathering and surveillance,” the defense minister continued.

Chinese Navy in military exercise in the South China Sea • STR/AFP/Getty Images

China’s Armed Forces did not comment, but Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the Navy and Coast Guard’s activities in “relevant maritime areas” strictly follow national and international laws.

“There is no need for either party to overreact, misinterpret or engage in baseless speculation,” he said in Beijing.

November and December are traditionally months of intense military activity in China, although the People’s Liberation Army has not announced any large-scale exercises with an official name.

The operations surpass China’s major naval deployment in December last year, which prompted Taiwan to raise its alert level, sources reported.

The increase in activity comes amid a , after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi declared last month that a hypothetical Chinese attack on democratically-ruled Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo.

Beijing was also angered by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s announcement last month of a , which considers the island as its own territory, despite Taiwan’s strong rejection.
 
 

A distillery in northeastern Japan's Fukushima Prefecture is endeavoring to do its bit to change the negative public image of the region after the 2011 nuclear disaster through its craft gin using locally sourced spring water and flora.

Founder Sota Oshima runs the naturadistill Kawauchimura Joryusho distillery in Kawauchi, a village that was temporarily evacuated in the aftermath of one of the world's worst nuclear crises. The 29-year-old was driven to create a brand that would attract visitors back to the region.

"I want to deliver the 'aroma of Fukushima' to the world," said Oshima, who opened the distillery after renovating a pharmacy's unused storage shed in November last year.

 

A native of Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, Oshima spent around two weeks in the village for field work as a student at Fukushima University in the summer of 2015, and came to love what he considers the community's coexistence with nature.

His resolve to change the lingering negative perceptions of postcrisis Fukushima deepened during his study abroad in Canada, where he was asked by a friend there whether Fukushima was inhabitable.

After graduation, he spent approximately three years learning brewing techniques at a craft beer brewery in Tamura, also in Fukushima Prefecture. Oshima eventually turned his attention to gin due to its ability to highlight local ingredients and the fact that it can be stored and exported at room temperature.

 

The distillery produces around 6,000 liters per year. Its staple Native Japanese Botanical Gin, which features the aromas of Japanese nutmeg and other botanicals from the prefecture, is available from 4,980 yen, while the Shiso Hop Gin retails for 5,500 yen.

The company began selling its products in Singapore in May and hopes to expand into Taiwan and the United States next year.

It also sold and provided samples of its products at the World Exposition in Osaka earlier this year, with some customers visiting the distillery after the expo ended.

 

The statue of the loyal dog Hachiko, a small yet iconic landmark in front of JR Shibuya Station, will be surrounded by a temporary fence from the morning of Dec. 31 to early Jan. 1 to help ease congestion when people gather around the station to count down to the new year, Shibuya Ward announced on Wednesday.

The barrier around Hachiko will be erected from 6 a.m. on New Year’s Eve and remain in place until 1 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

To prevent a stampede, the ward has also decided not to hold a New Year countdown event in front of the station. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ward and other bodies would organize this event annually; however, this will mark the sixth year in a row for it not to be held.

The ward will cooperate with police and others to strengthen security and request retailers in the area, including convenience stores, to refrain from selling alcohol at night.

“We are continuing to exercise vigilance against stampedes and trouble caused by street drinking,” Shibuya Mayor Ken Hasebe said in a statement. “I request everyone’s cooperation in creating a safe environment around Shibuya Station over the year-end and New Year holidays as well.”
 
 
 

The pledge by Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to “work, work, work, work and work” for her country has been named the catchphrase of the year.

The ultraconservative Takaichi uttered the phase in October when she was elected as head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Many were initially as worried about her work ethic as supportive of her enthusiasm.

Accepting her award from a private committee this week, Takaichi said she only wanted to stress her enthusiasm and that her comments had been somewhat misinterpreted.

“I have no intention of encouraging other people to overwork, or suggesting long working hours as a virtue,” Takaichi said. “I hope there is no misunderstanding.”

Since taking office in late October as the nation's first female prime minister, Takaichi has also captured public attention for her fashion, with women scrambling to copy her style.

But while her dress sense has won admiration from younger women who say they are “Sana-katsu,” or rooting for Sanae, it is unclear if her hard-line conservative policies will win the same praise.

Takaichi is looking to regain right-wing supporters after the LDP’s big election losses under her moderate predecessor Shigeru Ishiba.

During her speech to party members Oct. 4 she promised an all-out effort to rebuild the struggling party and regain public support, urging lawmakers to “work like a horse.” Then she added: “I will abandon the idea of a ‘work-life balance’ — I will work, work, work, work and work.”

Repeating the word “work” in a low, determined voice left a strong impression at the time. Hard work — and then a hot tub

Takaichi’s apparent long working hours and lack of sleep have worried fellow lawmakers. She held a meeting with aides at 3 a.m. before the first day of parliament Nov 7, though she hasn’t started that early since.

“I sleep about two hours now, four hours at the longest,” Takaichi, who also provides care for her husband who is recovering from a stroke, told MPs at a budget committee meeting last month. “It’s probably bad for my skin.”

She says she likes to soak in a hot tub in the morning and at night to relax. ”That’s my blissful time,” she said.

Her style-icon status has been boosted by her black bag, dubbed a “Sanae Bag," which is officially called the Grace Delight Tote. It is made by Hamano Inc., a 145-year old bagmaker based in Tokyo.

Priced at 136,400 yen, the simple leather bag is just large enough to fit A4-sized papers. It is selling the best since its debut 30 years ago, according to the company.

Takaichi was carrying the bag as she walked into the prime minister's office on Oct. 21, and the scene immediately caused a sensation on social media.
 

Hamano spokesperson Takanori Kobayashi said his company is delighted to see Japan's first female prime minister carrying the bag.

Within days, inquiries and orders for the bag surged, and all eight colors have sold out. The bag, which is carefully made of high quality leather, cannot be mass-produced, and those who ordered it now have to wait until August, Kobayashi says.

Another popular item is a sparkly light-pink pen Takaichi uses to take notes; it's Mitsubishi Pencil Co.’s Jetstream 4&1.

The pen, the "Sanae Takaichi model,” is often out of stock at stores and internet shopping sites. Those who have found one often proudly post photos with a message: “Matching Sanae.”

 

Style icon, but no feminist

The attention Takaichi is receiving is usually reserved for pop stars, athletes and influencers in Japan who fans have access to only through television or the internet.

The prime minister's fans show their loyalty by buying the same bag and pen she uses, just as fans of star athletes like Shohei Ohtani buy replicas of his uniform to cheer on the Dodgers, experts say.

Takaichi has won admiration as a new type of role model for women who have not usually rooted for prime ministers in the past, says Namiko Kubo-Kawai, a psychology professor at Nagoya Shukutoku University.

In Japan, many female role models typically were supported for their femininity, but Takaichi is unique as a high-powered politician. Her short haircut and no-frills workwear also stand out from conventional female models.

She may not inspire many feminists, however. Takaichi is a staunch conservative who champions Japan’s traditional gender and paternalistic values. She has supported keeping the succession of Japan’s monarchy male only. She also opposes changing a 19th-century law that would allow married couples the option of keeping separate surnames.

Sill, as the first female prime minister, “she fits perfectly as a stylish role model and has won admiration from many women who have been looking for one even though they probably have never thought of rooting for a prime minister," Kubo-Kawai said. “Female role models are becoming more diverse."

The governments of Japan and Austria offered their condolences to Indonesia for the floods and landslides that hit a number of areas, especially in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

Through an official statement, Japan's ad interim Business Authority for Indonesia, Myochin Mitsuru, expressed our deepest condolences. "We express our sincere condolences to all the victims and express our condolences to the families left behind," he said.

A similar message was conveyed through the official Instagram account of the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta, Wednesday, December 3, quoted by Antara, the Japanese Government expressed its deep condolences for the damage caused by floods and landslides caused by heavy rains in the three provinces.

"From the bottom of our hearts, we pray that the condition of the victims and also the affected areas will recover soon," said the embassy.

International support also came from Austria. The Austrian Embassy in Jakarta expressed sympathy to all affected victims.

In a statement posted on his official Instagram account, the Austrian Embassy stated, "Our prayers are with everyone affected during this difficult time, especially those facing loss, evacuation, and difficulties. We stand in solidarity with the Indonesian people."
 
 

Bears have remained active near populated areas in greater-than-usual numbers despite the start of the hibernation season, prompting experts to call for ongoing vigilance.

Outdoor events are being called off in response to persistent bear activity in parts of the country.

Bears have remained active near populated areas in greater-than-usual numbers despite the start of the hibernation season, prompting experts to call for ongoing vigilance.

The Kofu tourism association, for instance, called off the 15th Takeda no Mori Trail Running Race, which was set to take place on Dec. 14.

About 900 runners were expected to take part in the race, which loops through the satoyama foothills of Kofu, offering views of Mt. Fuji and the Southern Japanese Alps.

“It was a difficult decision, but we prioritized the safety of the participants and staff,” said an official of the association.

Moreover, an environmental learning session in Nagatoro, Saitama Prefecture, was suspended on Saturday. The event had been planned to give elementary and junior high school students the experience of log-cutting and other outdoor activities.

In mid-November, Aquarium Asamushi in Aomori suspended its nighttime operations, during which bear activity is typically heightened.

Bears usually hibernate deep in the mountains in large numbers during the current season.

However, according to the Institute for Asian Black Bear Research and Preservation in Hiroshima Prefecture, there is a notable trend in recent years of young bears venturing into the vicinity of urban areas in search of food.

They end up remaining there and hibernating on shrine grounds or in parks after the New Year.

“They could appear near populated areas as late as early January next year, making it essential to remain vigilent,” said Kazuhiko Maita, who heads the institute. “Even if they begin to hibernate, noise and other disturbances could wake them up.”
 
 

Japan's labor minister said Tuesday the government has launched a nationwide investigation, after a staff member of a public employment service center in Tokyo posed as a job seeker, in an alleged attempt to inflate job placement targets.

The employee at the Hello Work job center in Tokyo's Sumida Ward applied to nine companies under false identities and succeeded in securing four job offers. Each of Hello Work's 544 offices has its own job placement targets.

Kenichiro Ueno, who heads the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, said at a press conference on Tuesday that the nationwide probe will check for similar misconduct at all Hello Work job centers.

He said there is a need for strict discipline and proper management of placement targets, and that the ministry will take firm action once the investigation is complete.

The employee had registered two false identities as job seekers and introduced the nonexistent applicants to businesses that had posted job openings.

According to the ministry, the employee at the Hello Work Sumida center is believed to have subsequently declined the four job offers.

The case came to light this fall when the employee used their real name during an interview, prompting the company to notice discrepancies with the application documents. The ministry has since apologized to all nine companies involved.

According to the ministry, job placements that applicants decline are excluded from official statistics, but if a job center is unaware of the withdrawal, the numbers may remain inflated. As of October, four fictitious placements linked to the employee were included in the statistics.

Job centers operating under the Tokyo Labor Bureau, such as Hello Work Sumida, receive guidance from the bureau when they fall below 95 percent of their monthly targets.
 

 

The fate of the world’s largest nuclear power station hangs in the balance this month as local lawmakers in Japan decide whether to authorise a controversial restart, a move that would mark a significant pivot in the nation’s post-Fukushima energy policy.

A regional assembly in Niigata Prefecture began deliberations on Tuesday regarding the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant. The debate is set to conclude with a vote by 22 December, potentially paving the way for the facility to generate electricity as early as January 2025.

The plant, located approximately 300 kilometres (186 miles) northeast of Tokyo on the coast of the Sea of Japan, has been idle since the industry-wide shutdown following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi reactors.


A Test of Trust for TEPCO

The vote carries immense symbolic weight because Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is owned by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), the same operator responsible for the Fukushima disaster. If Unit No. 6 is brought back online, it would be the first time TEPCO has operated a nuclear reactor since the 2011 meltdown.

The road to this vote has been fraught with regulatory hurdles. For years, Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) effectively banned the restart due to serious security breaches at the site, including the misuse of ID cards and inadequate protection of nuclear materials. That effective ban was only lifted recently, allowing TEPCO to proceed with seeking local consent.

"The use of nuclear energy is essential in Japan, which has few resources," TEPCO President Tomiaki Kobayakawa stated on Monday, attempting to reassure stakeholders during a tour with delegates from the Japan Business Federation.


Energy Security vs. Public Safety

The peaceful coastal area encompassing Kashiwazaki city and Kariwa village is home to around 80,000 people. While the local economy relies heavily on the plant, anxiety remains palpable.

Yukihiko Hoshino, a member of the Kashiwazaki city assembly, highlighted that local residents are deeply concerned about the possibility of another accident, particularly regarding escape routes.

"The biggest worry is whether they will be able to evacuate," Hoshino said. He noted that displaced residents from the Fukushima area are still unable to return home more than a decade later.

These fears were compounded by the severe earthquake that struck the nearby Noto Peninsula on New Year’s Day 2024. That disaster damaged roads and isolated communities, leading many in Niigata to question whether current evacuation plans would hold up during a major seismic event involving the nuclear plant.


The Economic Imperative

Despite public hesitation, the geopolitical and economic arguments for restarting the plant are gaining traction. Following the Fukushima disaster, Japan shuttered all 54 of its nuclear reactors, forcing a heavy reliance on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been a vocal proponent of nuclear restarts to strengthen national energy security and mitigate the volatility of global fossil fuel markets. Imported energy currently accounts for 60% to 70% of Japan's electricity generation.

Furthermore, Japan’s power demand, which had been in decline, is now projected to grow. This shift is driven by a surge in energy-hungry data centres and the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence businesses, necessitating a stable, low-carbon baseload power supply.

TEPCO has been conducting drills involving staff in hazmat suits to demonstrate improved safety protocols. The operator aims to restart the 1,356-megawatt Unit No. 6 in January, pending the assembly's approval, and hopes to bring Unit No. 7 online subsequently. TEPCO has indicated it may decommission the remaining five older reactors at the site.

Of the 54 reactors operational before 2011, Japan has successfully restarted 14 of the 33 that remain technically operable. According to Japan's industry ministry, Unit No. 6 alone could improve the supply reserve for the Tokyo metropolitan area by 2%.

As TEPCO continues to pay compensation for the Fukushima Daiichi disaster, the restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is viewed as essential for the company's financial rehabilitation, as well as for Japan’s carbon reduction goals.
 
 

The Japanese government plans to include nationality in the planned property registration database to track foreign ownership, digital transformation minister Hisashi Matsumoto said Tuesday.

Currently, buyers are not required to report their nationality when registering properties, such as condominiums. The Digital Agency aims to implement the planned database in fiscal 2027 or later.

"We need to develop a database that allows us to centrally monitor foreign property ownership," Matsumoto said at a press conference.

In response to concerns that speculative purchases by foreign citizens have driven up condominium prices, the government is reviewing land acquisition rules for foreigners.

Last month, the land ministry's first-ever survey of new condominium acquisitions showed that 3.0 pct of people who purchased new condominiums in Tokyo between January and June this year were overseas residents.
 
 

Dark clouds are hanging over the Japanese ruling coalition's plan to cut the number of seats in the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament.

Reducing Lower House seats is a key item in the coalition agreement between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its new coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, also known as Nippon Ishin no Kai.

The JIP is demanding a bill to make sure that the number of seats in the chamber will definitely be reduced by 10 pct in a year be passed during the ongoing extraordinary Diet session, which is currently scheduled to run until Dec. 17. The party has warned that it could exit the coalition unless the bill enactment is attained.

Although the LDP and the JIP aim to submit the planned bill to the Diet by Friday, the two parties are in no mood to draw up the legislation because frustration within the LDP over the attitude of the JIP is increasing.

"The LDP doesn't seem to be enthusiastic," a senior JIP lawmaker said Friday, expressing a strong sense of distrust in the bigger coalition partner.
 

 

 

Japan’s beloved Princess Aiko is often cheered like a pop star.
During a visit to Nagasaki with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, the sound of her name being screamed by well-wishers along the roads overwhelmed the cheers for her parents.

As she turns 24 on Monday, her supporters want to change Japan's male-only succession law, which prohibits Aiko, the emperor's only child, from becoming monarch.

Along with frustration that the discussion on succession rules has stalled, there's a sense of urgency. Japan's shrinking monarchy is on the brink of extinction. Naruhito’s teenage nephew is the only eligible heir from the younger generation.

Experts say the female ban should be lifted before the royal family dies out, but conservative lawmakers, including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, oppose the change.

Aiko has gained admirers since debuting as an adult royal in 2021, when she impressed the public as intelligent, friendly, caring and funny.

Support for Aiko as a future monarch increased following her first solo official overseas trip to Laos in November, representing the emperor. During the six-day visit, she met with top Laotian officials, visited cultural and historical venues and met with locals.

Earlier this year, Aiko accompanied her parents to Nagasaki and Okinawa. She has followed the example set by her father, who places great importance on passing down the tragedy of WWII to younger generations.

“I have always been rooting for Princess Aiko to be crowned," said Setsuko Matsuo, an 82-year-old atomic bombing survivor who came to Nagasaki's peace park hours before Aiko and her parents' scheduled arrival in the area.

“I like everything about her, especially her smile ... so comforting," she told The Associated Press at the time.

Mari Maehira, a 58-year-old office worker who waited to cheer Aiko in Nagasaki, said she has seen Aiko grow up and “now we want to see her become a future monarch.”



Pressure to change law

The princess’ popularity has triggered some to pressure legislators to change the law.

Cartoonist Yoshinori Kobayashi has written comic books that push for a legal change to allow Aiko to become monarch, which supporters keep sending to parliamentarians to raise awareness and get their backing for the cause.

Others have set up YouTube channels and distributed leaflets to gain public attention on the issue.

Ikuko Yamazaki, 62, has been using social media to advocate for the succession of the emperor's first child regardless of gender. She says not having Aiko as a successor and the insistence on male-only monarchs will cause the monarchy to die out.

“The succession system conveys the Japanese mindset regarding gender issues,” Yamazaki said. “I expect having a female monarch would dramatically improve women’s status in Japan."
The popular princess was born on Dec 1, 2001.

Soon after giving birth to Aiko, her mother, Harvard-educated former diplomat Masako, developed a stress-induced mental condition, apparently due to criticism for not producing a male heir, from which she is still recovering.

Aiko was known as a bright child who, as a sumo fan, memorized wrestlers’ full names.

However, she also had faced difficulties: As an elementary school girl, she briefly missed classes because of bullying. As a teenager, she appeared extremely thin and missed classes for a month.

In 2024, Aiko graduated from Gakushuin University, where her father and many other royals studied. She has since participated in her official duties and palace rituals while also working at the Red Cross Society.

On weekends, she enjoys taking walks with her parents and playing volleyball, tennis and badminton with palace officials.

The 1947 Imperial House Law only allows male-line succession and forces female royals who marry commoners to lose their royal status.



Rapidly dwindling imperial family

The rapidly dwindling imperial family has 16 members, down from 30 three decades ago. All are adults.

Naruhito has only two potential younger male heirs, his 60-year-old younger brother, Crown Prince Akishino, and Akishino's 19-year-old son, Prince Hisahito. Prince Hitachi, former Emperor Akihito’s younger brother and third in line to the throne, is 90.

Akishino acknowledged the aging and shrinking royal population, "but nothing can be done under the current system.”

“I think all we can do right now is to scale back our official duties," he told reporters ahead of his 60th birthday Sunday.

Last year, the crown prince noted that royal members are “human beings” whose lives are affected by the discussion, a nuanced but rare comment. He has seen no change, though palace officials have sincerely taken his remark, Akishino said Sunday.

Aiko had also previously said she is aware of the declining royal population, but could not comment on the system. “Under the circumstances, I hope to sincerely serve every official duty and help the emperor and the empress, as well as other members of the Imperial Family.”

The shortage of male successors is a serious worry for the monarchy, which some historians say has lasted for 1,500 years. It's also a reflection of Japan’s broader problem of a rapidly aging and shrinking population.

“I think the situation is already critical,” said Hideya Kawanishi, a Nagoya University professor and expert on monarchy. Its future is totally up to Hisahito and his potential wife's ability to produce a male offspring. “Who wants to marry him? If anyone does, she would endure enormous pressure to produce a male heir while performing official duties at a superhuman capacity."

Hisahito must carry the burden and the imperial family’s fate by himself, former Imperial Household Agency chief Shingo Haketa said in a Yomiuri newspaper article this year. “The fundamental question is not whether to allow a male or female succession line but how to save the monarchy.”

 

Japan has had 8 female monarchs

Japan traditionally had male emperors, but there have also been eight female monarchs. The last was Gosakuramachi, who ruled from 1762 to 1770.
The male-only succession rule became law in 1889 and was carried over to the postwar 1947 Imperial House Law.

Experts say the system had only previously worked with the help of concubines who, until about 100 years ago, produced half of the past emperors.

The government proposed allowing a female monarch in 2005, but Hisahito’s birth allowed nationalists to scrap the proposal.

In 2022, a largely conservative expert panel called on the government to maintain its male-line succession while allowing female members of the family to keep their royal status after marriage and continue their official duties. The conservatives also proposed adopting male descendants from defunct distant branches of the royal family to continue the male lineage, an idea seen as unrealistic.

The United Nations women’s rights committee in Geneva urged the Japanese government last year to allow a female emperor, saying that not doing so hindered gender equality in Japan.

Japan dismissed the report as “regrettable” and “inappropriate," saying the imperial succession is a matter of fundamental national identity.

“Though it’s not spelled out, what they’re saying is clearly in favor of male superiority. That’s their ideal society,” Kawanishi, the professor, said.
 
 

Japan's Crown Prince Akishino, the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito, celebrated his 60th birthday on Sunday.

In a press conference held in advance at the Akasaka East Residence in Tokyo, the Crown Prince said that he had "opportunities to think about how precious it is that a peaceful world is continuing" during this year, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, through a July visit with his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, 59, to the western Japan city of Hiroshima, which was devastated by a U.S. atomic bombing in 1945, and other events.

When asked about his thoughts on the 60-year milestone of his life, the Crown Prince said he considers time to be continuous and that his only thought is that he has lived through a sexagenary cycle.

He expressed gratitude to the Crown Princess, with whom he celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in June, for supporting him.

 

Crown Prince Akishino said that he still views his son, Prince Hisahito, as if he were a little boy. But he added that he thought the prince grew into an adult when the 19-year-old carefully prepared for and completed his coming-of-age ceremony in September.
 
 

A Japanese anime event that kicked off in Shanghai on Friday with a three-day schedule was canceled following an incident where a Japanese singer's performance was forcibly interrupted at the event venue, according to Japanese entertainment firm Bandai Namco Holdings, the event's organizer.

At the venue, experience-oriented attraction booths featuring popular Japanese anime such as "One Piece" and "Mobile Suit Gundam" were set up, drawing many local anime fans on the first day on Friday.

In the evening on the day, a performance by singer Maki Otsuki, who sings the theme song for "One Piece," began, but midway through a song, the lights and sound were cut off, forcing the performance to end. On Otsuki's official website, her agency explained that the performance had to be halted abruptly "due to unavoidable circumstances."

Amid growing backlash in China over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, Japan-related events in the country such as music performances have been canceled one after another, signaling a full-scale move to exclude Japanese cultural content.

A concert by Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki had been scheduled for Saturday in Shanghai, but it was abruptly canceled on Friday.

Final preparations for the concert were underway when China suddenly requested the performance be canceled on Friday morning, according to people familiar with the matter.
 
 

The number of food and beverage products subject to price increases in 2025 will exceed 20,000 for the first time in two years, a research institute said Friday.

Teikoku Databank Ltd said that price hikes have been decided for a total of 20,609 items, up approximately 65 percent from 12,520 the previous year.

The figure includes 6,221 condiments such as miso and dashi soup stock, up 4,500 from the previous year, the largest numerical increase among food and beverage products, and 4,901 beverage items including soft drinks, bottled water, beer and wine.

The large price hikes will add to the financial burden on households, Teikoku said. However, the figure remains below the levels recorded in 2022 and 2023.

In December, 217 items, including chocolate and condiments, are scheduled for a price hike, up from 150 in November, though the second lowest number per month this year.

The number of food and beverage products slated for price increases from January to April in 2026 is 1,044 items, compared with more than 4,400 items predicted a year ago for January-April 2025, according to Teikoku.

These include alcoholic beverages, vegetable juices, cooking sake and processed foods such as frozen items and packaged rice.

Teikoku expects the wave of intermittent price hikes will temporarily subside toward next spring.
 
 

The Japanese government will grant around P139 million in aid for the Philippines' fight against tuberculosis and other public health concerns. 

In a statement, the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines said Ambassador Endo Kazuya signed the grant and exchanged notes with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Geneva Office Director Andrew Kirkwood last October. 

This was supposedly for the “The Project for Enhancing Tuberculosis Screening in Remote Areas” in the country.

The Japanese embassy said aside from this, their government would provide 20 ultraportable X-ray units capable of computer-aided diagnosis (AI-CAD) technology to health offices “ serving geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.” 

“The Government of Japan is extending grant assistance amounting to three hundred and seventy million Japanese Yen (¥370,000,000) to support the country’s efforts in addressing this public health challenge,” the Japanese embassy said.

Ambassador Endo said the new grant would show that the country would not need to fight tuberculosis alone.

“As a committed neighbor and partner, Japan stands ready to lighten the burdens brought by TB. In realizing healthier outcomes in the Philippines, we hope to strengthen the health of the region we share,'' he said.

''With this state-of-the-art equipment and its portability feature, I am very hopeful to see how this project can transform the landscape of TB screening in the country,'' he added. 

The Embassy of Japan in the Philippines also noted that it was important to give more screening opportunities to people in order to combat tuberculosis.

“This contribution aims to strengthen TB screening capacity in underserved areas, facilitating early detection and timely treatment,” the embassy said.

The Department of Health (DOH) said it continues to boost its efforts to eliminate tuberculosis through the Philippine Strategic TB Elimination Plan and the Philippine Acceleration Action Plan for Tuberculosis 2023–2035.
 
It also sought to screen 12 million Filipinos nationwide by 2025, just as it proposed around P4.2 billion for the agency’s budget next year to “accelerate service delivery.”
 
 

Incident north of Tokyo comes after a record 13 deaths from bear attacks in Japan since the start of April

A man has been attacked by a bear in a public toilet in Japan, local media reported on Friday – the latest in a record-breaking wave of attacks this autumn, including those in populated areas.

The victim, a 69-year-old security guard, told police he had noticed the bear, which was 1-1.5 metres long, peering inside as he was about to leave the building in Gunma prefecture, north of Tokyo, in the early hours of Friday, Kyodo news agency and broadcaster NHK reported.

The man, who has not been named, fell backwards and fought the bear off by kicking his legs, causing it to flee. He suffered minor injuries to his right leg but was able to run to a nearby police box to report the incident, which occurred near a railway station that had closed for the night.

A record 13 people have died in bear attacks in Japan since the start of April, according to the environment ministry, while the number of attacks in that period stands at 197 – another record. Many of the incidents occurred in Akita, a northern prefecture, followed by Iwate and Fukushima in Japan’s north-east.

The number in 2025 will almost certainly exceed the annual record of 219 attacks set in the year starting April 2024.

Experts say hungry bears are venturing into residential and other built-up areas in search of food after poor crops of acorns and beechnuts in their natural habitat.

In response, the government has sent members of the self-defence forces to Akita to help local hunters trap and dispose of bears. Armed police officers have also been given permission to shoot the animals amid a shortage of licensed hunters.

A local government in north-east Japan apologised this week after it discovered that an image it had posted on social media to promote awareness of bear attacks had been AI-generated.

The image, uploaded to the X account of the Onagawa municipal government, showed a huge bear standing on a road at night.

Officials deleted the post after the image’s creator, who had seen the photo spreading online, contacted them to explain that it was fake.

“We have caused anxiety and inconvenience to the town’s residents,” the Mainichi Shimbun quoted an Onagawa official as saying.
 
 

Japan’s Nozomi Maruyama continued her sizzling start to the Olympic season in ski jumping, leaping to her third victory in three World Cup meets on the normal hill in Falun, Sweden, on Friday.

Maruyama accumulated 229.6 points on jumps of 94.0 and 91.0 meters to win the event that had been scheduled for the large hill, but was switched to the normal hill due to stormy conditions, according the FIS website.

World champion Nika Prevc of Slovenia finished second with 211.1 points, followed by Austria’s Lisa Eder in third at 209.3.

The bad weather forced the qualification round to be canceled, meaning all 65 competitors took a first-round jump in the main event. That meant additional waiting for Maruyama.

“It’s the best start of the season and I am surprised by the wins, but my form is getting better and better,” Maruyama was quoted as saying. “This was the most difficult of the three because of the wind and the delays.”

Maruyama had never won a World Cup event before sweeping the first three of the current season, establishing her as one of the favorites for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February.

Japan’s Sara Takanashi, the all-time record-holder for World Cup wins, finished ninth with 187.3 points, with compatriot Yuki Ito 11th with 180.6.
The large hill event was rescheduled for Sunday.
 
 

Japan plans to allocate about ¥252.5 billion (US$1.6 billion) in an extra budget to support AI and semiconductor development.

The amount is lower than last year’s ¥1.5 trillion (US$9.59 billion) supplementary budget, as the government shifts toward regular budget funding for these sectors.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet approved the proposal on November 28, and the measure now awaits parliamentary approval.

Japan has dedicated around ¥5.7 trillion (US$36.5 billion) to revive its semiconductor industry since launching a new strategy in 2021, backing projects involving Rapidus, TSMC’s Kumamoto foundries, and Micron’s Hiroshima facility.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has also requested ¥100 billion for Nippon Export and Investment Insurance to bolster the government-backed insurer’s finances.

Additionally, ¥93.7 billion (US$599 million) has been proposed to help private firms secure rare earths and increase national reserves, part of Japan’s efforts to reduce reliance on China for key minerals.
 

The Tokyo High Court on Friday ruled that Japan’s failure to recognize same-sex marriages is constitutional, the first and only court to do so at the high court level after five other similar rulings deeming it as unconstitutional.

Friday’s ruling was a painful setback for LGBTQ+ supporters seeking equal rights to heterosexual couples. It also overturned a 2024 district court ruling that stated that Japanese legislation, in not permitting same-sex marriages, is in a “state of unconstitutionality,” a legal wording that is just short of saying it is unconstitutional.

The case is part of a nationwide campaign launched in 2019 by nonprofit organization Marriage for All Japan. Eight plaintiffs, including a transgender man, filed the Tokyo case, arguing that the Civil Code and Family Registration Act unlawfully exclude them from marriage and deny them basic legal protections afforded to heterosexual couples. They had sought ¥1 million ($6,400) in damages per person.

Shortly after the ruling, the plaintiffs gathered outside of the court, where they were surrounded by a swarm of journalists and tearful supporters. The plaintiffs held up a banner that read, “Marriage equality denied. Unfair ruling.”

“All we want is the same as everyone else; to marry the one we love and be happy,” said plaintiff Rie Fukuda, 51. “Are we really unworthy of legal recognition and happiness? That’s what this verdict seems to say.”

Fellow plaintiff Hiromi Hatogai, 60, said that rather than sadness, the ruling caused her to feel disbelief and anger. “Did the judges even read the documents we submitted, or listen to our voices? Is the justice system really on our side?

“However, it’s important to turn our anger right now into action, and keep fighting,” she said firmly.

Presiding Judge Ayumi Higashi initially acknowledged the difficulties that LGBTQ+ individuals face in Japan and parliament’s inaction when it came to same-sex marriages.

“The government has been saying for over 10 years that careful consideration is required,” she said. “However, there’s no evidence to suggest this consideration has even begun. The issue (of same-sex marriage) must first be thoroughly discussed in the parliament.”

The ruling also recognized that society’s perception as to what constitutes a family has diversified since 1947, when the Constitution was drafted, and that it is no longer limited to a heterosexual couple and their child.

“Common-law marriages between same-sex couples have been accepted by society as an alternative form of family,” it said.

However, ultimately, the court’s conclusion was that, even in that context, it was still logical to define a married couple as that between a man and a woman. Higashi said that “reproductive unions” between men and women have remained the “normal” method for raising children for generations and are crucial for maintaining society.

All five previous high court appeals — in Sapporo, Tokyo (in a different lawsuit) and Fukuoka last year and in Nagoya and Osaka this year — concluded that the current ban is unconstitutional. Most cited violations of the supreme code’s Article 14, which ensures equality under the law, and the second paragraph of Article 24, which stipulates that marriage and family legislation must respect individual dignity.

However, although Higashi said that the current situation regarding same-sex marriages is in violation of the second paragraph of Article 24, she asserted that the absence of a legal system regarding families involving same-sex marriages cannot be deemed to violate Article 14 and the first paragraph of Article 24, which refers to “mutual consent between both sexes,” as the Constitution was written envisioning marriage as being heterosexual.

All six cases will now be tried at the Supreme Court, which is expected to hand down a unified decision.

At the local level, 541 municipalities — covering approximately 93% of the population — offer partnership certificates, according to Marriage for All Japan. But these certificates are not legally binding and provide none of the rights attached to marriage, such as inheritance or joint tax filing.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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