The brewer of popular Japanese sake Dassai recently changed its company name to match its signature label, in a move aimed at boosting global brand recognition to expand sales abroad.

"The entire globe is our market," Dassai Inc CEO Kazuhiro Sakurai said, with the company aiming for overseas markets to eventually account for 70 percent of total sales, up from 40 percent currently, amid a decline at home.

Before the rebranding in June, the brewer's previous name, Asahi Shuzo Co, proved to be an obstacle in its expansion efforts abroad, often being confused with other companies.

"Asahi," meaning "sunrise" or "morning sun" is used widely in Japanese company names, including by one of the country's beverage giants.

While expressing regret over parting with the familiar name used by the brewer since 1948, Sakurai said he believes the change will "contribute to (the company's) hometown."

Dassai refers to the otters seen in the region in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, where the brewer is located, according to the company's website.

Popular for its mellow taste, Dassai sake was given as a gift to U.S. President Barack Obama by the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose constituency was in the prefecture.

Domestic shipments of sake have been declining amid reduced alcohol consumption, with the 390,000 kiloliters shipped in fiscal 2023 around a fifth of the peak level five decades earlier. In contrast, shipments overseas are continuing to expand amid a global boom in Japanese cuisine.

Moving forward, Dassai is determined to increase its presence in the United States and Europe, in addition to the Asian market that has long been its main overseas sales destination.

In 2023, the company established a brewery in the state of New York to produce and sell sake locally that uses U.S.-grown sake rice, which helps to minimize the impact of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.

More recently, at the World Exposition in Osaka, Dassai released a special sake brewed in collaboration with Austria that was produced with Johann Strauss II's "Lagoon Waltz" playing during the fermentation process.
 


 

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has said that his country plans to engage in talks with Japan on possibly joining the Tokyo-led Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

At a press conference with foreign media in Seoul on Friday, Cho said that South Korea does not consider the scrapping of its import ban on fishery goods from eight Japanese prefectures to be a precondition for joining the multilateral free trade pact.

The import restrictions will not be lifted until the concerns of the South Korean people are wiped out, he said.

Seoul barred fishery imports from Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures in northeastern Japan, and Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures in eastern Japan, following the March 2011 severe accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s tsunami-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

The Japanese government has said the fishery products are safe, calling on South Korea to remove the restrictions swiftly. The import ban could become a key issue in negotiations on South Korea's possible participation in the CPTPP.
 

 

Japan is deploying eight aircraft, including four F-15 fighter jets, to bases in the United States, Canada and Europe in an unprecedented mission to support NATO.

The mission, dubbed Atlantic Eagles, reportedly marks the first time in history that Japanese warplanes have deployed to Canada and Europe.

A total of 180 personnel drawn from air bases across Japan are taking part, including from the 2nd Air Wing based at Chitose, 1st Tactical Airlift Wing based at Komaki, 2nd Tactical Airlift Group from Iruma and 3rd Tactical Airlift Wing from Miho, according to a Japan Air Self-Defense Force release. The four F-15s are being accompanied by two tanker aircraft and two refueling tankers.

The mission is “based on the recognition that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and of the Indo-Pacific are interconnected,” the Japan Air Self-Defense Force stated in the release.

Japan Air Self-Defense Force aircraft landed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, the service said in a post on X on Monday. They will follow on to CFB Goose Bay in Canada, RAF Coningsby in England and Laage Air Base in Germany.

Japan established a diplomatic mission to NATO earlier this year. The deployment of Japanese aircraft to Europe comes amid rising tensions among NATO allies surrounding Belarusian and Russian military exercises and increasingly aggressive maneuvers by China in the Arctic region.
 


 

The Justice Ministry has begun requiring all prison officers in Japan to display newly assigned six-digit identification numbers on their uniforms, to prevent the mistreatment of inmates, such as the use of violence.

Under the measure, ID numbers are issued to all staff at prisons and other detention facilities across the country. Officers are required to display their numbers above the rank badges on the right chest of their uniforms so that inmates can identify them.

Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki issued a directive revising rules on clothing in March, and new uniforms with the ID numbers have been gradually introduced since April.

Prison officers did not previously wear name tags, to avoid possible retaliation by inmates after their release. However, this made it difficult to identify officers involved in inappropriate behavior reported by inmates, hindering investigations and prevention measures.

After officers at Nagoya Prison in Aichi Prefecture were found to have repeatedly assaulted inmates in 2022, a third-party committee of outside experts proposed in June 2023 that an ID number system be introduced and that the Japanese prison system's closed organizational culture be rectified.

The number system is expected to help inmates report mistreatment without fear and encourage prison officers to clean up their act.

In April 2024, the ministry introduced a rule to add san or kun, both Japanese honorific suffixes, when prison personnel call inmates' names. This and the latest ID number system are part of efforts to improve conditions for prison inmates.
 

 

Farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Saturday he will run in the presidential election of the Liberal Democratic Party next month, pledging to boost Japan's economy and revitalize the ruling party after its poor performance in recent national elections.

The 44-year-old son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said he is willing to expand the current ruling bloc, while promising to deal with perceived issues related to foreign tourists and residents.

Koizumi became the fifth, and likely final, LDP lawmaker to officially announce their candidacy for the party's leadership election on Oct. 4, in which the successor to outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will be chosen. Campaigning will start on Monday.

He and former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi are considered the most likely winners, ahead of Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, according to recent media polls.

"The LDP is in a crisis," Koizumi told a press conference, pledging to promote economic measures as his "top priority" and bring about wage growth that outpaces rising living costs. He said he is targeting an average annual pay increase of 1 million yen ($6,800) by fiscal 2030.

Koizumi said he will draw up an "action plan" by the end of the year to take measures to respond to issues of overtourism, illegal foreign workers, land acquisition by foreign nonresidents and foreign residents not correctly engaging with the public health insurance system.

Issues regarding tourists and foreign residents were at the center of debate during the July 20 House of Councillors election, giving the small populist Sanseito opposition party, with its "Japanese First" slogan, a solid footing.

The LDP leadership contest will come as Ishiba, the party's head, said earlier this month that he would step down to take responsibility for major setbacks in recent national elections.

Koizumi reportedly persuaded Ishiba, who had sought to remain prime minister, to resign. After taking up the current post of agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister in May, Koizumi's efforts to address surging rice prices put him in the spotlight.

Koizumi has already secured backing from veteran lawmakers such as former Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato, who ran in last year's LDP leadership election. Kato will head the campaign headquarters at Koizumi's request.

The next LDP leader is not guaranteed to become prime minister, as the LDP-led ruling coalition with its junior partner, the Komeito party, does not hold a lower house majority.

The successful candidate needs to win a House of Representatives vote, with an opposition candidate set to stand against them.

The minority governing bloc needs support from opposition parties to pass budgets and bills, forcing the LDP, which has held power almost continuously since 1955, to consider how it can gain their support to retain control.

Koizumi said he will call for policy talks with opposition parties "widely," and deepen discussions about the framework of the ruling coalition.

As for measures to tackle price surges, Koizumi said he will consider all possible options in cooperation with opposition parties, while planning an economic package in a supplementary budget for the current fiscal year through March.

With campaign promises during recent elections by major opposition parties apparently in mind, Koizumi vowed to abolish the provisional gasoline tax rate as part of measures to address rising living costs and raise the tax-free annual income threshold.

On the diplomatic front, Koizumi said he will elevate Japan's alliance with the United States to "new heights" by building trust with President Donald Trump and described trilateral cooperation involving South Korea as "especially vital."

Koizumi, as well as his father, is known for his regular visits to the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, which honors convicted war criminals along with millions of war dead, a source of friction with China and South Korea that suffered under Japan's wartime aggression.

Asked if he would visit Yasukuni as prime minister, Koizumi said that he would make a decision "appropriately," adding that it is "natural" to pay respect and express gratitude to those who served the nation.
 
 

The prefectural assembly of Okinawa, one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations, on Thursday passed an ordinance to impose a 2 percent accommodation tax to support local tourism.

Due to take effect in fiscal 2026, which begins next April, it will be the first such tax of its kind at the prefectural level.

The move comes amid growing local expectations for more tourists following the July opening of the Junglia Okinawa theme park, which has apparently boosted both domestic and foreign visitor numbers to the prefecture.

The tax for hotel and inn stays will be capped at a maximum 2,000 yen per night. Those participating in school trips and extracurricular activities will be exempted.

The revenue, estimated at about 7.8 billion yen annually, is expected to be used to preserve the scenic landscape, secure tourism workers and enhance safety measures for marine recreation, a major attraction in Okinawa.

The prefectural government and local municipalities will split the revenue evenly, except for five that are planning to introduce their own accommodation tax.
 
 

The government plans to expand support for the domestic content industry to boost exports of anime and films, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The plan comes as the country aims to triple overseas revenue from Japanese content to ¥20 trillion in 2033.

As part of the plan, the government is considering raising the upper limit on the industry ministry's subsidies for video productions costing ¥300 million or more from ¥200 million, at present.

The South Korean government set aside some ¥76.2 billion in funding for content promotion overseas in 2023. California, home to Hollywood, provides generous subsidies and tax credits to content production.

In Japan, the government has allocated about ¥25.2 billion to support the content industry in the latest year, an amount that experts say is not enough to step up overseas promotion.
 
 

Financial assets held by households in Japan as of the end of June stood at a record high of 2,239 trillion yen as the balance of stocks and investment trust funds grew because of higher stock prices, the Bank of Japan said Thursday.

Of the total, shareholdings climbed 4.9 pct from a year before to 294 trillion yen, and investment trusts grew 9 pct to 140 trillion yen, both record highs, partly pushed up by inflows of funds into the new Nippon Individual Savings Account tax exemption program for small-lot investors.

The balance of cash and deposits shrank 0.1 pct to 1,126 trillion yen, the first decline since the end of December 2006, influenced by the spread of cashless payments, increased consumption due to high prices and a shift of funds to investment trusts.

Japanese government bonds held by the BOJ as of the end of June, excluding treasury discount bills, totaled 538 trillion yen, accounting for 50.94 pct of outstanding JGBs. The proportion fell for the seventh consecutive quarter.

The BOJ has been reducing the amount of JGB purchases in stages as part of efforts to normalize monetary policy following years of massive easing.
 
 

 

The world’s fondness for matcha is about to be tested by steep price increases.

Global demand for the powdered tea has skyrocketed around the world, fueled by consumer interest in its health benefits and by the bright green matcha lattes bubbling up on social media. In the U.S., retail sales of matcha are up 86% from three years ago, according to NIQ, a market research firm.

But the matcha market is troubled. In Japan, one of the biggest matcha producers, poor weather reduced this year’s harvest. Matcha is still plentiful in China, another major producer, but labor shortages and high demand have also raised prices there.

For Americans, there’s the added impact of tariffs. Imports from China are currently subject to a 37.5% tariff, while the U.S. has a 15% tariff on imports from Japan.

 

It’s not clear if tea will be exempted from tariffs because it’s a natural product that’s not grown in significant quantities in the U.S. — an accommodation that the Trump administration has made for cork from the European Union.

The Commerce Department and the U.S. Trade Representative didn’t respond to messages left by The Associated Press.

Aaron Vick, a senior tea buyer with California-based tea importer G.S. Haly, says he paid 75% more for the highest-grade 2025 crop of Japanese matcha, which will arrive in the U.S. later this fall.

 

He expects lower grades of matcha to cost 30% to 50% more. Chinese matcha — while generally cheaper than Japanese matcha — is also getting more expensive because of high demand, he said.

“People should expect an enormous increase in the price of matcha this year,” Vick said. “It’s going to be a bit of a tough ride for matcha devotees. They will have to show the depth of their commitment at the cash register.”

Even before this year’s harvest, growing demand was straining matcha supplies. Making matcha is precise and labor intensive.

Farmers grow tencha — a green tea leaf — in the shade. In the spring, the leaves are harvested, steamed, de-stemmed and de-veined and then stone ground into a fine powder. Tencha can be harvested again in the summer and fall, but the later harvests are generally of lower quality.

 

There are ways to cut corners, like using a jet mill, which grinds the leaves with high pressure air. But Japan has other issues, including a rapidly aging workforce and limited tencha production.

And despite Japanese agricultural ministry trying to coax tea growers to switch to tencha from regular green tea, many are reluctant to do so, concerned that the matcha boom will fade.

That’s giving an opening to China, where matcha originated but fell out of favor in the 14th century. Chinese matcha production has been growing in recent years to meet both domestic and international demand.

 

Chinese matcha has historically been considered inferior to Japanese matcha and used as a flavoring for things like matcha-flavored KitKat bars instead of as a drinking tea. But the quality is improving, according to Jason Walker, the marketing director at Firsd Tea, the New Jersey-based U.S. subsidiary of Zhejiang Tea Group, China’s largest tea exporter.

“We are seeing more and more interest in Chinese matcha because of capacity issues and changing perception,” Walker said. “It used to be the idea that it has to be Japanese matcha or nothing. But we have a good product too.”

Starbucks is among the companies using matcha from China for its lattes. The company said it also sources matcha from Japan and South Korea. Dunkin' and Dutch Bros. didn't respond when asked where they source the matcha.

Josh Mordecai, the supply chain director for London-based tea supplier Good & Proper Tea, said he is approached almost daily by Chinese matcha suppliers. For now, he only buys matcha from Japan, but the cost to acquire it has risen 40% so he’ll have to raise prices, he said.

 

Mordecai said he saw more demand for matcha in the last year than in the previous nine years combined. If matcha prices continue to rise, he wonders if consumers will switch to other tea varieties like hojicha, a roasted Japanese green tea.

“We’ll see if this is a bubble or not. Nothing stays on social media that long,” Mordecai said.

Julia Mills, a food and drink analyst for the market research company Mintel, expects the social media interest in matcha to die down. But she thinks matcha will remain on menus for a while.

Mills said matcha appeals to customers interested in wellness, since it contains antioxidants and l-theanine, an amino acid known for its calming effects, and it’s less caffeinated than coffee. Millennials and Generation Z customers are more likely to have tried matcha than others, Mills said.

The traditional way of preparing it, whisking the powder together with hot water in a small bowl, also appeals to drinkers who want to slow down and be more intentional, Mills said.

 

That’s true for Melissa Lindsay of San Francisco, who whisks up some matcha for herself every morning. Lindsay has noticed prices rising for her high-end matcha, but it’s a habit she’d find hard to quit.

“It’s not just a tea bag in water,” Lindsay said. “It’s a whole experience of making it to your liking.”

David Lau, the owner of Asha Tea House in San Francisco, hopes to keep customers drinking matcha by limiting price increases. Lau raised the price of his matcha latte by 50 cents after the cost the matcha he buys from Japan more than doubled. He’s also looking into alternate suppliers from China and elsewhere.

“We’re in the affordable luxury business, you know, just like any other specialty cafe. We want people to be able to come every day, and once you reach a certain price level, you start to price people out,” he said. “We want to be really cognizant and aware of not doing that.
 
 

The Japanese government has pledged to give heavy machinery for disaster relief worth 400 million yen to Papua New Guinea under its official security assistance program.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Takuma Miyaji signed and exchanged notes on the matter with Papua New Guinea's foreign minister, Justin Tkatchenko, during his trip to the Oceanian nation, according to a Japanese announcement Tuesday.

Papua New Guinea is among the eight countries to which Japan plans to provide defense equipment in fiscal 2025 under its OSA program. The other seven include Thailand, East Timor and Sri Lanka.

In light of China's intimidating activities in the East and South China seas, Tokyo aims to bolster security cooperation with Pacific island nations.

Also on Tuesday, Japan and Papua New Guinea issued a joint statement by their foreign ministers to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.
 


 

One of Japan's biggest girl groups, AKB48, have released a single that was partially generated by artificial intelligence, after a televised songwriting contest.

The competition saw composer Yasushi Akimoto, whose songs have collectively sold more than 100 million copies, go head-to-head with an "AI Akimoto" trained on his writing style.

They each composed a new song for AKB48 as the group celebrated their 20th anniversary. Fans were presented with both tracks and asked to vote for their favourite.

The results were announced live on Japanese TV - with the AI song, Omoide Scroll, winning by more than 3,000 votes. "What? You're kidding me!" Akimoto responded as the scores were revealed.

The song has now been uploaded to streaming services as AKB48's 67th official single.

The real Akimoto's song, called Cécile, has been deleted from YouTube.
The Japanese music industry will be watching closely to see how fans react to Omoide Scroll, now they know it was machine-generated.

Japan's Oricon singles chart will provide the ultimate litmus test - as AKB48's last 53 songs have gone to number one.

If their new record breaks that streak, it may be regarded as a rejection of the technology.

Yasushi Akimoto is one of the most prominent writers and idol-makers in Japanese pop, and was once called the "Steve Jobs of otaku" - a Japanese term for people with an obsessive interest in a specific hobby such as anime or video games.

He is responsible for creating chart-topping bands including Onyanko Club, AKB48 and their various spin-offs; and is a professor at the Kyoto University of Art and Design.

For the AI songwriting contest, Google's Gemini software was trained on Akimoto's writing style, including essays, vocabulary and songwriting techniques.

It then generated the lyrics for a new song and chose which of AKB48's members (there are 43 in total) would perform the lyrics and choreography.

The song itself was completed and arranged by humans, although some Japanese media reports say the AI software was also responsible for the melody.

Akimoto followed the same process, and the two songs were put to a public vote, without revealing which was which.

The entries were:

• Cécile. Written by Akimoto, it is a Motown pastiche with a French twist. The lyrics describe a girl's obsession with her female best friend: "I copy the way you style your hair / Please don't notice my love for you." Akimoto chose AKB48's current band leader Kuranoo Narumi to sing the lead vocal.
• Omoide Scroll. Written by AI Akimoto, takes a more modern approach, with a lite-techno backing and a group chorus. The title means "memory scroll" and the lyrics depict heartbreak in the smartphone era: "I stop the scroll of memories / Like the battery light fading out." After analysing interviews with AKB48, the AI chose newcomer Ito Momoka to perform the song, highlighting her ability with emotional storytelling.

 
In the run-up to the contest, Akimoto was philosophical about the process.
"Everyone keeps asking me, 'What will you do if you lose?'," he said.

"It's fascinating to think that AI could create such a great song, and I'm looking forward to it.

"I'd like to hear [fans] say, 'I never thought of that!'"

When the votes were counted, the AI won by 14,225 votes to Akimoto's 10,535.

Speaking on live television, the musician admitted he was "disappointed" by the loss.

"That's a shame. I wrote it with all my might," he said.

The AI program was also asked for a response, and commented: "Maybe the real me was trying to show something new by losing this time."

"Shut up!" Akimoto retorted, prompting laughter in the studio.

The composer was comforted by Grammy-winning jazz musician Hiromi Uehara and former AKB48 singer Sashihara Rino, who encouraged a rematch.

Akimoto laughed off the suggestion, but expressed frustration about technology's ability to mine data and find the "maximum common denominator".

However, he conceded: "I think the AI ​​song is a good song."
 


 

The estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan in August jumped 16.9% from a year before to 3,428,000, a record high for the month, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday.

The latest figure topped 3 million for the first time for the month of August, thanks to an increase in travelers during school holidays. The tally was pushed higher by visitors from mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam and the United States.

Meanwhile, the number of visitors from Hong Kong, where rumors of a possible earthquake in Japan spread on social media, decreased from a year before for the fourth consecutive month.

By country or region, mainland China had the largest number of visitors to Japan, at 1,018,600, up 36.5%, followed by South Korea at 660,900, up 8.0%, Taiwan at 620,700, up 10.0%, and Hong Kong at 226,100, down 8.3%.
 

 

U.S. President Donald Trump's lowered tariff of 15 percent on automobiles from Japan will take effect Tuesday, the Commerce Department said, about five months after his aggressive trade agenda began to heavily impact the industrial backbone of one of Washington's key allies.

The department announced the timing of the adjustment on Monday. After Trump imposed an additional auto tariff on national security grounds in April, the U.S. tariff rate for foreign-origin cars rose from 2.5 percent to 27.5 percent, squeezing the margins of Japanese automakers and other manufacturers.

The reduced tariff is part of a trade deal the Trump administration struck on July 22 with Japan, which in return has committed to investing massively in the United States and increasing imports of American agricultural products during the president's nonconsecutive second term.

Although the implementation of the lowered auto tariff will ease the impact on Japan's automotive sector, the 15 percent rate remains far higher than before and continues to weigh heavily on carmakers and related industries.

Trump signed an executive order on Sept. 4 formally implementing the trade agreement, which also granted Japan special treatment on what he calls "reciprocal" tariffs.

The department's notice to be published Tuesday said that as agreed by the two countries, Trump's additional 25 percent tariff imposed in May on major auto parts, including engines and transmissions, will also be cut to 15 percent for those coming from Japan.

The guidance further specified that civil aircraft and aircraft parts of Japan will no longer be subject to additional U.S. tariffs.

In 2024, Japan exported around 6 trillion yen worth of vehicles to the United States. Together with auto-parts exports, they accounted for one-third of Japan's total shipments to the world's largest economy, according to Japanese trade data.

The United States has agreed to grant the same tariff rate for automobiles from the European Union and South Korea as it does for Japan. The United States has reduced its tariff on British cars to 10 percent for up to 100,000 units annually.

On Aug. 7, Trump's modified country-specific tariff rates for goods from dozens of U.S. trading partners came into effect.

The United States currently imposes a 15 percent tariff on most imports from Japan, down from the 24 percent or 25 percent that Trump had threatened prior to the agreement.

Additionally, his trade team has agreed that imports from Japan with preexisting tariffs of 15 percent or higher will not face any additional duty, and levies on other goods will be capped at 15 percent.

However, the United States had yet to implement either the lowered auto tariff rate or the "no stacking" treatment for Japan.

The executive order, followed by necessary administrative procedures, finally enabled the United States to put the two commitments into practice.

With respect to any excess stacking tariffs collected from importers of Japanese goods under its new country-by-country tariff system, the Trump administration has said it will refund them dating back to Aug. 7.
 
 

 

Japan and the European Union agreed Tuesday to strengthen cooperation on economic security and free trade in response to challenges such as the high tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and their dependence on critical minerals from China.

The policy was affirmed at a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and European Commission Executive Vice President Stephane Sejourne, who is in charge of industrial strategy.

In July, Japan and the EU launched a comprehensive alliance to enhance cooperation on trade, economic security and innovation.

 

"It is important to promote cooperation in the formation of economic policies and international rules, as well as concrete cooperation between Japanese and European companies in strategic fields as two pillars," Ishiba said.

The time has come to further deepen the cooperative relationship between Japan and the EU, Sejourne replied.
 
 

The average overall price of land in Japan as of July 1 rose 1.5 percent from a year earlier, marking the sharpest growth since 1992, boosted by solid housing demand and inbound tourism, government data showed Tuesday.

The price climbed for the fourth straight year, also lifted by robust investment demand from overseas on the back of the weak yen. Commercial land prices gained 2.8 percent with launches of new hotels and stores in urban areas amid a surge in foreign tourists.

"Investment demand from foreigners is growing for condominiums in central Tokyo and resort areas in Hokkaido" in northern Japan, said an official of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Prices for residential land increased 1.0 percent due to strong demand for residences in urban areas, as well as for employee dormitories in resort areas. However, some places experienced sluggish growth due to soaring construction costs.

Among residential areas, Furano, near Hokkaido's ski areas and a popular destination for overseas investors developing resorts, saw the sharpest growth of 27.1 percent.

The ministry said that Chitose, in Hokkaido, which houses a Rapidus Corp. semiconductor plant, saw the fastest growth in commercial areas, at 31.4 percent.

The average land price increased by 4.3 percent in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, seeing larger growth in both residential and commercial areas.
For the third consecutive year, regional land prices increased, with residential areas rising 0.1 percent and commercial areas climbing 1.0 percent.
 
https://youtu.be/irje_0m6rYQ
 
Prices for residential land increased in 20 of Japan's 47 prefectures, up by three from the previous year, while 26 saw declines.

The Meidi-ya Ginza commercial building site in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district fetched the highest price per square meter of 46.9 million yen ($320,000), topping the list for the 20th consecutive year.

After 1992, land prices had been on a downward trend due to the bursting of the country's asset price bubble. However, they have been on an upward trend in recent years after recovering from the financial crisis triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and the coronavirus pandemic.
 
 

Five people dispatched from Japan to assist in Japanese language education in India gathered in New Delhi on Monday for a six-month program aimed at enhancing cultural exchanges between the two countries.
 
Under the Nihongo Partners program run by the Japan Foundation, the five will assist Japanese language teachers and introduce Japanese culture at secondary schools in the Delhi area over six months.
 
It is the first time that Nihongo Partners are dispatched to a South Asian country, as the program has previously focused on Southeast Asia.
 
The Japan Foundation plans to carry out a similar dispatch to India continuously over a decade starting this year, as part of an agreement reached at a summit of Japanese and Indian leaders last month to increase personnel exchanges between the two countries.
 
Hiroto Kishi, a 21-year-old Nihongo Partner and university student from Chiba Prefecture who is aspiring to become a teacher, said in a speech that he will do his best to "become a bridge between Japan and India."
 
Kotori Takagi, a 23-year-old Nihongo Partner and university student from Fukuoka Prefecture, decided to apply for the program after being inspired by India's food culture and the vibrant personality of its people during her previous visit to the country.
 
"I want to show Japan as it really is" through cultural exchanges, Takagi said.
 

 
The Japanese government has donated an ambulance to the Bunda Hati Kudus Primary Clinic in Karang Indah, Merauke Subdistrict, South Papua. The vehicle was provided through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects and officially handed over on Monday, September 15, 2025.

Tetsuhashi Masashi, First Secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Indonesia, attended the handover ceremony on behalf of the Japanese government. The project agreement was signed in November 2023 between the embassy and the Bunda Hati Kudus Merauke Foundation, and has now been successfully completed.

Previously, the clinic used a standard vehicle to conduct home visits and emergency medical evacuations in three neighboring villages, as public transportation in Merauke remains inadequate. However, poor road conditions made it difficult to reach other nearby communities.

To overcome these challenges, the foundation utilized approximately IDR 600 million (around USD 37,000) from the Japanese grant to purchase a Japanese-made ambulance capable of navigating damaged roads.

With the new ambulance, the clinic can now serve more than 500 patients annually, primarily residents of nine villages, marking a 3.5-fold increase in its outreach capacity. The donation has significantly improved access to healthcare services for communities in the region.
 
 

GoPay users can now make payments at QRIS-enabled merchants in Japan, following Bank Indonesia’s move to expand its cross-border QR code payment system to the country in August 2025.

This allows Indonesian travelers to pay at Japanese merchants by scanning JPQR codes using the GoPay app.

GoPay, operated by GoTo Financial, already supports QRIS cross-border payments in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Bank Indonesia has also started a pilot to connect QRIS with China’s digital payment systems, aiming for full launch by the end of 2025.

The central bank reported cross-border QRIS transactions reached 1.7 trillion rupiah (US$103.6 billion) as of June 2025.

GoTo Financial said the initiative supports Bank Indonesia’s efforts to expand QRIS cross-border access.
 

 

Major Japanese companies took a positive view of business conditions in the three months through September for the first time in two quarters, a government survey showed Thursday, reflecting recovering chip demand and easing concerns about U.S. tariffs.

The key index measuring sentiment among major Japanese companies regarding business conditions stood at 4.7 in the survey conducted by the Finance Ministry, a turnaround from minus 1.9 for the April-June quarter.

The business survey index is calculated by subtracting the percentage of companies reporting a deterioration from the percentage of those citing an improvement.

The quarterly survey also showed a reading of 3.8 for the manufacturing sector and 5.2 for the nonmanufacturing sector.

Asked about the outlook for the October-December quarter, major companies remained positive with the index at 4.3.

Around 11,000 companies responded to the Aug 15 survey, conducted after Japan and the United States reached a trade deal that reduced tariff rates to 15 percent for Japanese cars and other products.

While the agreement was not put into writing until early September, the deal helped to dispel uncertainty among Japanese companies about the impact on their businesses and the export-reliant economy, as U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to impose a 25 percent "reciprocal" duty while the combined auto tariff rate had jumped to 27.5 percent.

Despite the improved sentiment among large companies, smaller firms remained pessimistic, with the index at minus 9.6, according to the survey.
 
 

When you come home tired from work with no desire to cook or eat out, what do you do?

How about if you’re neck deep in studies and have no time to spare for a meal?

Or what about when you just want a quick late-night snack? There are many who turn to the simple choice of instant cup noodles; all you need to do is boil water, pour it in, weigh the lid down with whatever is to hand, and wait.

Such a simple process, and yet still many people forget about their noodles while they’re waiting and doing other things, leading to a soggy, unappetizing mess.

Sure, you could set a timer on your phone, but it’s easy for that to also slip your mind. So, how about picking up a cheerful little crab that will not only tell you when it’s time to slurp down those noodles, but also help keep the lid down, as well as hold your chopsticks for you?

 

The Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer is the latest gadget from Hac, a general merchandise maker based in Osaka. Launching in October 2025, this cute crustacean is poised to be the ultimate instant noodle assistant.

 

The operation of the timer is quite simple: simply pop the crab on top of your cup of noodles and press a button. Once the countdown is up, the crab’s stomach growls to let you know that it’s time to dig in.

You can even pop your chopsticks or fork on its claws while you wait, making it look like a little crab butler who is eager to serve you.

▼ If you don’t eat many instant noodles, the crab can also prop up a ladle or a rice paddle.

 

You might look at this adorable little crustacean and write it off as a cheap, novelty item, but it actually took home the highest award at Japan’s largest international trade fair for gifts and lifestyle goods out of 3,000 competitors at the 100th Tokyo International Gift Show Autumn 2025. So, this crab has some serious charm.

Pre-orders are already available on Hac’s official website, with the release being in early October, and will cost 1,680 yen.

 

The next time you decide to use your smartphone as makeshift weight, just remember there’s a crab out there waiting to help make your instant noodle experience a whole lot more satisfying.
 

 

Japan booked their ticket to a second straight Pacific Nations Cup rugby final with a 62-24 win against Tonga on Sunday.

Eddie Jones' men took a 21-19 lead into halftime before scoring five tries to one in a dominant second-half performance at Dick's Sporting Goods Park near Denver.

Skipper Warner Dearns and flyhalf Shinobu Fujiwara were among seven different try scorers for the Brave Blossoms, while No. 10 Lee Seung Sin added 20 points with the boot.

The victory sets up a final showdown in a week's time against defending champions Fiji, who advanced to the decider in Salt Lake City with a 63-10 dismantling of Canada.

The Fijians were 41-17 winners against Japan in the final of last year's tournament at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka Prefecture.
 

 

The Democratic Party for the People, a Japanese opposition party launched five years ago, aims to take a leading role in the country's evolving political landscape following its impressive advances in recent parliamentary elections.

The party's basic strategy is to leave open the possibility of joining the ruling coalition while not easily making concessions.

"The first step is to determine what can be done for each policy," DPFP leader Yuichiro Tamaki said on television on Friday, referring to the party's approach to the ruling coalition.

A major test will be how much the ruling parties will compromise in possible talks later this year on measures aimed at reducing the impact of higher prices, he said.

"Depending on the degree of trust that will be built, there will be more options," Tamaki added, signaling the possibility of his party joining the ruling coalition.
 
 

Japanese Embassy Political Section Director, Tanaka Motoyasu has emphasized the role of youth as a bridge for the future of Japan-Indonesia relations. The Japanese government continues to strengthen cultural exchanges with the Indonesian Muslim community through its Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) program for young Indonesian Muslims.

The exchange program has been running since 2017 and has involved participants from four Islamic organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, State Islamic University (UIN), and Istiqlal Mosque.

To date, a total of 132 people have participated, with eight new participants scheduled to visit Japan this November.

"Because the youth are a bridge to the future for all of us. Therefore, we want to continue this program," Tanaka said at the inauguration of the JENESYS Muslim Youth Alumni Association at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta on Friday, September 12, 2025.

Tanaka said that the alumni association's inauguration is a way to strengthen communication networks across different generations and organizations. He expressed his appreciation to all parties involved in organizing the JENESYS program.

In addition to the JENESYS program for youth, Japan has also regularly invited leaders of Islamic boarding schools to the country almost every year since 2004. Tanaka expressed belief that these exchanges are important for deepening understanding and strengthening the relationship between the two countries in the future.

Tanaka expressed hope that the alumni association can further strengthen the friendship between Indonesia and Japan. He encouraged all participants to use this opportunity to continue building communication and cooperation.
 
 

The estimated number of people aged 65 or older in Japan stands at 36.19 million as of Monday, falling by 50,000 from a year before, the internal affairs ministry said Sunday.

The estimate, released ahead of Respect for the Aged Day on Monday, a national holiday, decreased for the first time in two years but accounted for record 29.4 pct of the country's total population, up by 0.1 percentage point.

According to the ministry, the decrease of the elderly population is attributed to factors such as the number of deaths among those aged 65 or over exceeding the number of people newly reaching 65.

Elderly men are estimated to come to 15.68 million, making up 26.2 pct of the total male population, and the estimated number of elderly women stands at 20.51 million, accounting for 32.4 pct of the overall female population.

The proportion of people aged 65 or older in the total population is increasing year by year.

According to estimates by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, this proportion is projected to reach 34.8 pct in 2040, when the country's second baby boomers, or those born between 1971 and 1974, will turn 65 or older.
 

 

A large-scale exhibition event promoting Japanese anime opened at a shopping mall in New Delhi on Saturday, showcasing popular titles like "Crayon Shin-chan" and "Obocchama-kun."

At the event, called Mela! Mela! Anime Japan!!, TV Asahi, which broadcasts Crayon Shin-chan and other shows, set up booths to attract local anime fans.

Organized by officials from several Japanese companies, the event is being held as part of "Japan Month," in which various events are held intensively to promote exchanges between Japan and India. Talk shows and live performances of anime songs were also held.

A Crayon Shin-chan movie set in India is scheduled to be screened in the country.

The classic gag anime Obocchama-kun also enjoys high popularity in India, where a new locally produced series has just started to be distributed by anime-specialized channel Anime Times.

A Japanese official of Anime Times said: "There isn't a single person visiting our booth who doesn't know Obocchama-kun. They know more than we do."

An 18-year-old student learning Japanese who is a fan of "Attack on Titan" said that Japanese anime is not just entertaining but also stirs up all kinds of emotions, including sadness. The complex storylines are also part of its appeal, the student added.
 

 

The average summer bonus among major Japanese companies rose 5.31% from the previous year to ¥946,469 in 2025, hitting a new record high, the labor ministry said Friday.

The average has now increased for the fourth year in a row.
Summer bonuses climbed in 17 of the 21 industries surveyed. The shipbuilding sector saw an increase of 24.11%, the wholesale and retail sector posted 14.43% and the finance sector 10.94%.

On the other hand, the service industry logged a decline of 15.23%, and the steel industry 6.9%.

The ministry survey covered 342 companies with capital of ¥1 billion or more, 1,000 or more employees and labor unions.
 

 

Banks are increasingly closing their branches for lunch breaks, with regional banks leading the way and even some major banks shuttering branches during mealtime. They are hoping to keep their branches open amid worsening staff shortages and declining foot traffic.

Mizuho Bank, Ltd. introduced midday closures on Monday at three branches, Yamagata, Matsuyama and Yamaguchi, as well as at two special branch offices on remote islands.

MUFG Bank, Ltd. did the same at four branches in the Kyushu region in fiscal 2024. Three more of MUFG’s branches will introduce the change from Nov. 17, in Mito and Tsuchiura in Ibaraki Prefecture and in Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, with branches in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, and in Gamagori, Shinshiro and Tahara in Aichi Prefecture doing likewise from Nov. 25.

At participating branches, service will stop for one hour from 11:30 a.m. Customers will still be able to use ATMs.

Bank branches are open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., in keeping with the Banking Law. However, a 2016 amendment to the regulations of the law allowed hours to be changed if it does not inconvenience customers.

Iyo Bank, Ltd. in Ehime Prefecture pioneered midday closures in 2017. According to the Regional Banks Association of Japan, around 90% of its 61 member banks have now adopted the practice.

Domestic banks cut back on their branches in the 2010s due to the growth in online banking and persistently low interest rates. However, staff shortages have worsened as many employees hired during the bubble era have retired.

Banks are introducing midday closures to reduce the burden on branch staff and to allow themselves to operate with fewer workers.
 

 

The head of Japanese athletics fought back tears Friday as she described how the world championships in Tokyo can "wipe away" the painful memory of empty stands at the Olympics four years ago.

The Tokyo Games were delayed a year to 2021 because of the pandemic and held in strict conditions to prevent the spread of Covid, with fans shut out of most venues and athletes forced to undergo tests and social distancing.

The world championships will have no such restrictions when they start on Saturday and tens of thousands of fans are expected to flock to Tokyo's National Stadium, which seats almost 70,000.

Japan Association of Athletics Federations president Yuko Arimori said she hoped the competition would remind people of the value of sport.
"Sport isn't just about the athletes but about everyone getting energy from it and lifting each other up, and I think that kind of energy is important," she said.

"I think this event will help us wipe away the emotions we felt back then and remind us what sport should be like.

"Athletics is the mother of sports and I want people to take inspiration from it."

Arimori, a former marathon runner who won silver at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and bronze in Atlanta four years later, became emotional as she considered the competition's meaning.

"I'm so happy that the world's media, top athletes from around the globe and kids and fans from all over Japan will come to this stadium to support athletics and give us their energy," said Arimori.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said sport had "a unique ability" to bring people together.

"It's the most potent social worker in all our communities," he said.
"It does it most effectively, probably more effectively than any other sector.
"It has the ability to touch the hearts and minds and lifestyles of young people in the way very few other sectors do."
 
 

Japan is open to partner with Indonesia on carbon dioxide transport, something that will enable Tokyo to store its captured emissions in the Southeast Asian country, according to its government official.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has emerged as one of the many ways economies can save the planet. The technology captures emissions produced by industrial facilities and stores them into deep geological formations.

The captured carbon dioxide may even be transported via ships or pipelines to other locations or even abroad -- something that can turn Indonesia into a regional CCS hub. 

The government-owned Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) has backed nine CCS projects, five of which are domestically based. The four others are overseas storage, three of which are located in Indonesia’s close neighbor Malaysia.

Another project explores the potential of transporting and storing carbon to offshore depleted oil fields in the Oceanian region by ship or pipelines. The Jakarta Globe asked Hiroshi Hasegawa -- a senior official at the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Industry -- whether Tokyo was eyeing some cross-border carbon storage opportunities with Indonesia.

“Indonesia is a big potential partner,” Hasegawa told a press conference in Jakarta. 

Hasegawa admitted that Indonesia and Japan had yet to ink a government-to-government memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the cross-border storage. He, however, stated that the lack of MoU did not matter, saying that both countries have been seeing “open and continuous communication”. 

Last year, then-President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo signed a decree on CCS that mandates operators to dedicate 70 percent of their storage capacity for domestic needs. Operators may only set aside the remaining 30 percent for imported carbon.

However, Indonesia only allows emitters who have invested in the country to use its storage capacity. Companies that are affiliated with the investors may transport their emissions. 

“So by cross-border, it does not mean we are entirely storing other countries’ emissions. It is about building a storage that we can share,” analyst Mohammad Rachmat Sule said. 
 
 

A Japanese local railway operator has seized on its financial difficulties as a public relations opportunity by using self-deprecating humor to attract more tourists to the area.

Choshi Electric Railway Co., based in the city of Choshi in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, operates just one train line, which has resulted in persistent deficits.

After regaining profitability at one point, the company registered its first red ink in four years in the business year ended in March 2025, due to rising prices.

Hoping to overcome the situation, the company in April this year said that the 6.4-kilometer railway line running between Choshi and Tokawa stations will now be nicknamed as "Inubo Gakeppuchi Line," or "Inubo cliff edge line."

The nickname reflects the company's "cliff edge," referencing both its dire financial situation and a stretch of cliffs in the prefecture. Cape Inubo and Byobugaura coastal cliffs are one of scenic spots near the line.
 


 

A nonpartisan group of Japanese lawmakers on Thursday submitted a petition with 206 signatures to Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, urging the government to recognize a Palestinian state.

The move came ahead of a high-level international conference in New York on Sept. 22 on the proposed two-state solution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"Israel has no intention of agreeing to a cease-fire, and child hunger cannot be ignored," Tomoko Abe of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan said when she and two other opposition members of the group met with the foreign minister.

The group also includes members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Countries including France and Britain plan to recognize a Palestinian state as international pressure mounts on Israel over the war in Gaza and the worsening starvation crisis. Japan is still weighing its stance.

"I take this seriously since this many signatures were collected," Iwaya said, adding that the ministry will look into the matter further.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who announced his resignation last Sunday, previously headed the nonpartisan group. Attention is now on whether the latest request will influence the government's decision.
 
 

Japan's National Stadium was fan-less four years ago during the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics; zero atmosphere in the $1.4 billion, 60,000-seat venue for the globe's greatest track and field athletes.

Many recall the sterility of the opening and closing ceremonies, the quiet as Emperor Naruhito addressed thousands of empty seats to officially begin the Games of the XXXII Olympiad.

The most hyped event of the Olympics is often the men’s 100-meter final. But only silence and a small throng of media serenaded winner Marcel Jacobs — a Texas-born Italian — as he posed at the finish line to celebrate with an Italian flag stretched across his shoulders.

The stadium designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma in central Tokyo is about to get the attention it missed when the nine-day track and field world championships open Saturday.

 

The championships are sure to enliven a venue with stars like American sprinter Noah Lyles, whose struggles with depression tainted his trip to Tokyo, and pole vault world-record holder Mondo Duplantis. The venue has awaited this kind of event ever since it was completed in 2019.

This is good news for fans hoping to experience an atmosphere that was lacking in 2021.

But the focus on the stadium will again raise questions about government spending on a stadium that has struggled to find uses following the Olympics. The Olympics have a long history of producing white-elephant venues created with public money: Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008, and Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Plans for a new stadium by Zaha Hadid were scrapped in 2015 when costs soared to over $2 billion. That stadium had a futuristic look, some comparing it with a bicycle helmet.

 

Kuma won a second bidding contest, designing a stadium that fit into the existing urban landscape with more Japanese elements including wood, gardens and flowing water.

The new venue replaced the stadium used for the 1964 Olympics, which was razed and was never regarded as an architectural gem.

However, Tokyo's ‘64 Games did generate iconic architecture including the Yoyogi National Stadium, the jewel of those Olympics and a symbol of Japan’s rise following World War II. It's a smaller indoor arena, the host for swimming in the '64 Olympics.

The National Stadium, built with taxpayer money for the Tokyo Olympics, appears to be a money loser. At least for taxpayers.

Victor Matheson, who studies the economics of sports at College of the Holy Cross, said a stadium like Japan's National Stadium has too few uses, no permanent tenant, ongoing maintenance and operation expenses and possible payments on debt service.

“There are simply not that many events that require a 60,000-plus capacity,” Matheson wrote in an email to The Associated Press. “There are not many music concerts that can fill a stadium that size. And things like a soccer or rugby World Cup or track and field championships only come around rarely.”

The National Stadium was reported to be losing about 1 billion yen annually (about $7 million) as late as fiscal 2024. It has since been privatized to reduce public-sector expenses. A private consortium is managing the stadium although the national government still owns it and is picking up some of the bills.

 

Matheson cited a study that showed large stadiums in the United States, home to NFL teams, typically hosted fewer than 10 major entertainment or sports events per year outside of NFL games.

“So, most of the time you end up spending $1 billion-plus on a facility that sits empty 350 days a year,” Matheson said.

The National Stadium sits adjacent to an area known as Jingu Gaien, a park-like space that includes a famous baseball and rugby stadium and a cherished avenue lined by more than 100 gingko trees.

There are plans approved by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to raze the baseball and rugby stadiums. They are to be rebuilt in the same area, but in reconfigured space.

This will allow developer Mitsui Fudosan and others to build three skyscrapers in what was essentially a park area, some of the most valued real estate in Tokyo.

The zoning changes to allow this high-rise development — it won't be finished for a decade — were pushed through by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government when the Olympics were on the horizon and the new National Stadium was seen as an urgent priority

Not only were the 2021 Olympics very costly for taxpayers, they also provided an opening for private developers to encroach on what has traditionally been park-like space.

“When someone else is footing the bill, we tend to build Rolls-Royces and not Toyota Corollas,” Matheson, the economist, said. “At a price of $1.4 billion, Tokyo's Olympic stadium costs roughly the same amount as the entire 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, even after accounting for inflation.”
 

 

Western Japan’s premier beauty trade fair will take place from 20-22 October 2025 at INTEX Osaka, spanning Halls 1–5 and 6B.

For this landmark 20th edition, Beautyworld Japan Osaka unveils big plans! The fair launches three new zones: Clinic Care, Fitness + Beauty and Osaka Nail Forum.

The Clinic Care zone specialises in the field of aesthetic medicine including cosmetics, supplements and services for cosmetic clinics. Only medical personnel are invited to this zone.

In this context, the Women’s Aesthetic Medical Association (WAM) will host its inaugural event for doctors, nurses, medical professionals and clinic owners on 21 October. Under the theme of ‘beauty and health,’ renowned doctors will give presentations and join panel discussions on the latest trends and findings in their fields of expertise. This event is also exclusive to medical personnel.

Meanwhile, the Fitness + Beauty zone features an extensive selection of fitness, healthcare and mindfulness products to expand distribution channels to high-end salons and businesses that prioritise beauty and wellness.

With the launch of the Osaka Nail Forum, Beautyworld Japan Osaka will now comprise 12 zones, including: Beauty Equipment, Business Support, Cosmetics, Eyelash, Fem more, Hair, Tasty, Wellness & Beauty, as well as a special exhibition area called NEXT for companies exhibiting for the first time.

Around 35 companies aiming to enter the beauty industry in the Kansai region will display their products and services to regional professionals and buyers.

Since the first edition in 2006, Beautyworld Japan Osaka has continued to strengthen its position as a key business platform in the region. This year, it is expected to host around 570 exhibitors including 60 overseas exhibitors, namely from countries and regions like China, Hong Kong, Italy, Korea, Lithuania, Morocco, Taiwan, Thailand and the US.

 

Beautyworld Japan Osaka 20-22 October 2025 INTEX Osaka, spanning Halls 1–5 and 6B Osaka, Japan Further shows in the Beautyworld worldwide network: Beautyworld Middle East 27-29 October 2025, Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE Beautyworld Central Asia 20-22 November 2025, Central Asian Expo, Tashkent, Uzbekistan Beautyworld Japan Fukuoka 16-18 February 2026, Marine Messe Fukuoka, Japan Beautyworld Taipei 20-23 March 2026, Taipei World Trade Centre, Taiwan Beautyworld Japan Nagoya 23-25 March 2026, Port Messe Nagoya, Japan Beautyworld Saudi Arabia 18-20 May 2026, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Saudi Arabia Beautyworld Japan Tokyo 18-20 May 2026, Tokyo Big Sight, Japan Notes Shanghai 16-19 October 2025, West Bund International Convention and Exhibition Center, Shanghai

 
 

Recently, McDonald’s Japan’s Happy Meals haven’t exactly been producing the sort of emotion promised in their name. Instead, for many people they’ve become a source of frustration, anger, and sadness as scalpers have been snapping up increasingly large portions of high-demand Happy Meals for the purpose of reselling the included toys.

The situation has gone beyond just disappointment from actual fans who wanted the toys for themselves or their kids. Verbal altercations between scalpers and staff, along with food, drinks, and their containers being left behind or littered in and around McDonald’s branches, are causing tension for non-Happy Meal customers as well as residents and other businesses in the communities surrounding McDonald’s branches.

The most recent debacle came roughly a month ago with the release of Pokémon card Happy Meals, with the situation being bad enough that McDonald’s Japan offered an official apology for how things went down and postponing indefinitely a planned One Piece trading card Happy Meal, which might end up just being cancelled entirely.

So with a Sanrio Happy Meal slated to go on sale this Friday, McDonald’s has announced a new set of purchase policies.

▼ The Happy Meal toys celebrate the 50th and 20th anniversaries, respectively, of Sanrio’s My Melody and Kuromi.

 

Sales of the Happy Meals (or Happy Sets, as they’re called in Japanese), will be limited to in-person orders, made either with a McDonald’s cashier or in-store ordering kiosk, or through the drive-through lane.

Happy Meals will not be available for purchase through the McDonald’s mobile order app (not even if the mobile order is placed for in-store pickup) or through McDonald’s delivery service. 

McDonald’s will also be restricting the sale of Happy Meals through third-party delivery services such as Uber Eats. In addition, each group of customers ordering together will be limited to a maximum of three Happy Meals.

These rules will apply not only to the My Melody and Kuromi Happy Meals, but also the Plarail Happy Meals, featuring a popular line of model trains from toymaker Takara Tomy, and the Happy Meal books for Sanrio’s Cinnamoroll and feline astronaut anime/manga character Kotetsu-kun, all of which are releasing on the same day, September 12.
 

While it’s nice to see McDonald’s trying something to counteract scalpers, there are a couple of gaps in this defensive plan.

For starters, while customers are limited to no more than three Happy Meals for their group per order, there doesn’t appear to be anything stopping scalpers from getting their three Happy Meals, then dashing off to other branches and getting three more at each of them.

In theory, they could even get back in line at the same branch, since as the staff mightn’t remember a scalper’s face, they can simply act like they’re placing their very first order for the Happy Meal.
 
But perhaps the weirder part of the plan is that these restrictions, as of right now, are only for the first day that the Happy Meals are on sale, with McDonald’s Japan saying they will be “judging what policy will be appropriate based on conditions [observed] on September 12.”

The intent behind this would seem to be to make sure that actual fans have a chance to secure their own Happy Meals at the start of the promotion, then loosen restrictions to allow for non-scalpers who might have been adversely affected by them (like, for example, a grandparent wanting to buy a Happy Meal for each of their four grandchildren).

 

In practice, unfortunately, it’s unlikely to work out that way. Because they have an economic incentive, scalpers are more likely than other customers to line up before opening time on release day for in-demand items, since genuine fans may have other responsibilities that prevent them from standing outside a McDonald’s at 5:30 in the morning.

That’s probably going to be especially true for this round of Happy Meal releases, since it’s happening on a Friday, when kids and adults who don’t make their money hoarding toys will be at school or work until at least the afternoon.
 
What’s more, the Happy Meals will only be on sale until September 15, with their second round available between September 26 and 28. With just four days of availability for the first sets of toys, odds are they’re going to be intensely targeted by scalpers during that period, so hopefully McDonald’s will make the decision to put some additional protections in place beyond just the first day.

 

Japanese companies are tackling the difficult task of hiring more disabled people as the statutory minimum employment rate for the disabled will be lifted to 2.7 pct next July from 2.5 pct at present.

While the labor market is favorable for job seekers, companies are required to follow a thorough selection process that takes into account traits of each candidate.

As they want newcomers to stay, companies are trying to improve the working environment by making their workplaces more accommodating and using assistive tools backed by information technology.

 

For new graduates joining the group in spring, food and beverage maker Kirin Holdings Co. allows disabled newcomers to choose between a career-track position and an area-restricted post involving no transfer.

"With the number of new graduates limited, the hike of the statutory minimum employment rate is gradually making it difficult to recruit students," an official said.
 


 

Tokyo stocks ended trading Wednesday at a record-high close for the first time in three weeks, days after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation.

The Nikkei 225 stock index finished the day up 0.87%, at 43,837.67, with a strong performance in the afternoon.

It broke the previous record close of 43,714.31, reached on Aug. 18.
The benchmark broke 44,000 for the first time in history on Tuesday morning, reaching 44,185.73 and breaking the previous intraday record — of 43,876.42 — hit on Aug. 19.

The yen traded steady at around ¥147.5 to the dollar on Wednesday after strengthening Tuesday.

SoftBank Group rose 7.28% on Wednesday, Hitachi was up 3.6% and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group gained 2.26%.

Tokyo stocks have rallied since the prime minister announced on Sunday that he will resign from the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, while U.S. stocks hit fresh records overnight.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by nearly 0.5% and hit a record at Tuesday’s closing, at 45,711.34. The S&P 500 was up 0.27%, also hitting a record high.

The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates soon. Its next policy meeting will be held on Sept. 16 and 17.
 
 

Toshimitsu Motegi, former secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, announced his candidacy Wednesday for the leadership of the Japanese ruling party.

"I will seek a new coalition framework with political parties that share our basic policies," Motegi, 69, told a press conference at the Diet, the country's parliament, showing his readiness to expand the ruling bloc currently comprising the LDP and Komeito.

Motegi is the first to declare a bid in the LDP presidential election, scheduled for Oct. 4, to pick the successor to outgoing President Shigeru Ishiba, the country's prime minister.

Others considering or preparing bids for the party post include Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, 64, and former economic security ministers Sanae Takaichi, 64, and Takayuki Kobayashi, 50. Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 44, may also throw his hat in the ring.

 
 

Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has decided to hold its upcoming leadership election in a full-scale format, including votes from both lawmakers and rank-and-file party members, to select a successor to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

At a meeting on Tuesday, party executives agreed that the election will be officially announced on Sept. 22, with lawmakers casting their ballots on Oct. 4.

In the full-scale format, the contest will be decided by 590 votes in total, 295 from LDP lawmakers and 295 from party members. The campaign period will last more than 12 days.

LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama emphasized that a full-scale election is the most desirable way to elect a new leader, describing it as an opportunity for the party to reset and move forward as a national political force.

Under the election rules, a winner must obtain more than half of the votes in order to be elected as the new party chief, and if no one wins a majority in the first round, a run-off vote between the top two candidates will be held on the same day, when the LDP lawmakers vote a second time and the 47 prefectural chapters get one vote each.

With Ishiba stepping down, the LDP is bracing for a heated leadership contest as major contenders signal their intention to run.

Former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Monday announced his intention to run, pledging to devote his full political experience to the party and government.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi have also decided to run, local media reported.
 
 

Japan Airlines apologized Wednesday over a series of flight delays caused by drunken pilots, following a reprimand from the transport ministry.

There have been at least three cases in the past year or so in which a pilot failed to pass a pre-flight alcohol test or was reported to the police for loud, drunken behavior.

“We take this situation seriously, especially since we had already been given a business improvement order last December and had been in the process of implementing countermeasures,” JAL President Mitsuko Tottori told a news conference Wednesday.

The transport ministry’s reprimand follows a surprise inspection of the airline last week.

The ministry said Wednesday that the company’s oversight was insufficient and that the safety management system was not functioning adequately.

The most recent flight delay occurred in late August when a pilot scheduled to fly from Honolulu to Chubu Centrair International Airport in Aichi Prefecture was suspended from duty after he failed a voluntary pre-flight alcohol test due to heavy drinking the night before, causing three flights to be delayed by up to 18.5 hours. The pilot is set to be dismissed over the incident.

In April last year, a flight from Dallas was canceled the night before after a hotel called the police on a drunken JAL pilot for making too much noise. In December, two pilots drank heavily the night before a flight and then colluded to cover up the fact, leading to another delay.

Following these incidents, the transport ministry issued a business improvement order to JAL last year, prompting the airline to ban pilots from consuming alcohol overseas in between flights.

However, Tottori said Wednesday that such measures were insufficient and vowed to take stricter preventative measures.

“By comprehensively evaluating health check data and other information, we will ensure that crew members identified as having a particularly high risk related to alcohol consumption will not be assigned to flight duties,” Tottori said.

Those evaluated as having liver problems or past issues with alcohol, for example, will be deemed as “high risk” and relieved of flight duties, he explained.

So far, four pilots have been temporarily released from their duties.
Those who present a moderate risk of drunkenness may be required to submit images of alcohol test results at their place of stay, Tottori added.
JAL said other areas for improvement include better communication between management and the flight operation branch.

The airline has been ordered to submit a report detailing its new preventative measures to the transport ministry by the end of the month.
 
 

Japan's biggest convenience store chain has introduced robots on a trial basis in a bid to tackle labor shortages and streamline in-store work.

The trial began at a 7-Eleven outlet in Tokyo. A robot is being used to restock the store's drink and alcohol shelves. Artificial intelligence allows the machine to determine which products need to be restocked based on sales data.

Seven-Eleven Japan says automating the work will streamline the restocking process that currently takes staff about 10 hours a week.

Other robot models are being used to clean the floors and windows.
A monitor near the self-checkout area displays a virtual store clerk. By speaking to it, customers can receive remote assistance from staff at other locations.

The company believes by using robots it will be able to cut 20 to 30 percent of daily in-store tasks.

It is aiming for full-scale introduction of the robots in the future.
 



 

Mitsubishi Electric Corp. announced Monday it will accept voluntary retirement applications from employees who meet certain criteria.

Regular employees aged 53 or older with at least three years of service and employees rehired after reaching retirement age are eligible.

While the company has not set a specific target for the number of people to voluntarily retire, about 8,000 regular employees and about 2,000 rehired employees out of its roughly 42,000 employees meet the eligibility criteria.

Mitsubishi Electric is performing well, projecting record net profits for the third consecutive fiscal year, which ends in March 2026. However, its workforce composition is skewed toward older employees. The voluntary retirement program therefore aims to optimize the composition of its personnel.

The application period runs from Dec. 15 to Jan. 9, 2026. Applicants will receive a special lump-sum payment in addition to their standard retirement benefits. The company also said it will provide job-placement assistance to eligible regular employees if they so desire.
 


 

Google LLC has expanded the range of languages supported in its AI Mode search service to include Japanese. The new options started to become available to users on Tuesday.

The free artificial intelligence-based search service can now help users get answers to complex questions in a single search in Japanese, Indonesian, Korean, Hindi or Brazilian Portuguese, in addition to English.

With Google’s proprietary Gemini 2.5 AI, which analyzes information online, now added to the Search function, users can obtain answers by typing what they want to know into the search bar in a conversational style.

Typing in “Tell me what equipment is needed to brew coffee, depending on brewing method, as well as how easy it is to use and how it affects the taste,” for example, will display a comparison list of brewing devices and the flavor characteristics they create. The search results page also shows links to the sources referenced by the AI to create its answer.

“With this expansion, more people can now use AI Mode to ask complex questions in their preferred language, while exploring the web more deeply” through the links offered by the search results, Hema Budaraju, a senior official of Google’s search department, said in a statement.

In May, Google launched AI Mode in the United States, following its release of AI Overviews, which can take the work out of searching by providing AI-generated summaries of key information.

The company is believed to have been spurred to do this by its strong concern over the declining popularity of Google searches due to the emergence of ChatGPT and other conversational AI models.

Google has about a 90% share of the online search market, and advertising revenue from Google searches accounts for nearly 60% of parent company Alphabet Inc.’s revenue. However, the company’s share of the search market reportedly could drop below 50% within the next five years.

According to a July report by the Pew Research Center, a U.S. research organization, many Google search users are satisfied with its AI-generated summaries, which reduce the frequency at which users click on displayed links to 8% from 15%. Due to the spread of AI search functions, the number of visitors to U.S. news website Business Insider has halved over the past three years.

The introduction of AI Mode is expected to accelerate this trend in the future.

In May, News/Media Alliance, a nonprofit organization of more than 2,200 U.S. publishers, expressed concern that AI mode will further deprive “publishers of original content both traffic and revenue.”
 

 

A recent survey in two major export markets of Japan's konnyaku showed the low-calorie foodstuff made from a type of yam is well received, prompting the Japan Konjac Association to express hopes to boost exports further amid growing health consciousness among consumers.

According to the online survey released by the association, of those who have eaten konnyaku before, 86.4 percent of respondents in the West Coast in the United States and 64.4 percent in France said they either "liked" or "somewhat liked" it.

The most commonly cited reasons for enjoying konnyaku were its "low calorie content," followed by its "richness in dietary fiber."

By type, "konnyaku noodles" were the most popular, with 59.2 percent of U.S. respondents and 27.5 percent of those in France reporting having eaten them at least once. Satisfaction levels were also high.

The survey was conducted online from May to August, targeting men and women aged 20 to 69 in the U.S. states of California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as France.

Low in calories and rich in dietary fiber, konnyaku is described by the association as being effective in relieving constipation, preventing obesity and improving lifestyle-related diseases.

Mostly tasteless and odorless, konnyaku often has a bouncy texture and can be incorporated into a variety of dishes.
 
 

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro agreed Tuesday to strengthen cooperation between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military, amid China's growing military presence in the East and South China seas.

During their meeting in Seoul, the defense chiefs also agreed to speed up discussions to conclude a general security of military information agreement, or GSOMIA, that would allow the two countries to share classified information.

After the meeting, Nakatani told reporters, "The fact that we confirmed our commitment to deepening defense cooperation is very meaningful for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region."
 
 

Asian shares mostly rose with Japan's benchmark jumping higher in Monday morning trading, despite the looming political uncertainty after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba last night that he plans to resign.

Analysts said his announcement was expected for some time and welcomed it as moving things forward, although uncertainty remains as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party will need to hold an election to choose a new leader. Ishiba will remain prime minister until his successor is chosen and approved by parliament.

“Markets may react short-term to the temporary uncertainty of lame-duck leadership, but this may resolve once a new leader is chosen. Meanwhile, the LDP’s position as a minority leading party is unlikely to change anytime soon, and as such compromise will be the name of the policy-making game,” said Naomi Fink, chief global strategist at Amova Asset Management.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 1.5% to finish at 43,643.81. South Korea's Kospi gained 0.5% to 3,219.74. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.2% to 8,849.60.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng edged up 0.8% to 25,632.00, while the Shanghai Composite rose 0.4% to 3,825.88.

Also Monday, Japan's Cabinet Office said the economy expanded at a stronger rate in the fiscal first quarter than previously estimated, at a seasonally adjusted 2.2% annualized rate, better than the earlier 1.0% rate as solid consumer spending and inventories lifted growth more than previously thought.

On Wall Street, stocks finished last week lower in Friday trading on uncertainty whether the U.S. job market has slowed by just enough to get the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates to help the economy, or by so much that a downturn may be on the way.

After rising to an early gain, the S&P 500 erased it and fell 0.3% below the all-time high it set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 220 points, or 0.5%, after swinging between an early gain of nearly 150 points and a loss of 400. The Nasdaq composite edged down by less than 0.1%.

A report from the U.S. Labor Department said American employers hired fewer workers in August than economists expected. The government also said that earlier estimates for June and July overstated hiring by 21,000 jobs.

The disappointing numbers follow last month’s discouraging jobs update, along with other lackluster reports in intervening weeks, and traders are now betting on a 100% probability that the Fed will cut its main interest rate at its next meeting on Sept. 17.

In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude added 91 cents to $62.78 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 98 cents to $66.48 a barrel.
In currency trading, the U.S. dollar edged up to 148.03 Japanese yen from 147.39 yen. The euro cost $1.1722, inching down from $1.1723.
 
 

Navi Japan, powered by Acumen with support from Study in Japan’s South Asia initiative and the University of Tokyo, aims to help Indian students, parents, and institutions access reliable information on studying in Japan.

With Japan’s Ministry of Education, also known as MEXT, planning to raise enrolment limits at certain universities to “encourage the recruitment of outstanding international students”, India has become a key market for some of the country’s top institutions.

Recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to boost Japanese private investment in India to about $6.8 billion annually over the next decade, up from $2.7bn a year in the 2010s.

In particular, Indian workers and students are seen as a way to help address Nippon’s labor shortages amid its aging population and declining birth rate.

In light of this, Navi Japan, a one-stop app for Indian students to access information on universities, language labs, accommodation, scholarships, and careers, has officially launched today (September 8), helping Japan attract top Indian student talent – especially in fields like AI.

“Backed by real-time support features such as live chat, video counselling, and local engagement opportunities at schools and university campuses across India, Navi Japan ensures that every student can make confident, informed decisions about studying in Japan and feel personally supported throughout their journey from aspiration to relocation,” stated Adrian Mutton, founder and CEO, Acumen. 

Although there are only about 1,400 Indian international students currently in Japan, the strengthening of Japanese-Indian ties in areas such as economics, security, technology, and people-to-people exchange is expected to drive a sharp rise in that number in the coming years.

According to Acumen, the Navi Japan app, available for free on Android and iOS, has a goal of engaging over 100,000 students from India and South Asia within the next 24 months, while also helping its partner institutions like the University of Tokyo showcase their diverse range of programs.

“Japanese universities offer a diverse range of academic programs, including degree courses taught in English,” stated Dr. Kaori Hayashi, director of University of Tokyo India Office. 

“I would love to see more students from South Asia joining us to experience world-class education, an exciting campus life, affordable tuition, and a safe, welcoming society. We look forward to working with Acumen to achieve our goal.” 
 
 

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, agreed Monday to strengthen bilateral communication, including through mutual visits to each other's countries.

The two defense chiefs, meeting in Seoul for their first in-person talks since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took office in June, also agreed to promote three-way cooperation among the two countries and the United States to counter threats from North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

"Persistently fostering rapport is essential for sustainably strengthening cooperation and coordination between the two sides," Nakatani told reporters after the meeting.

He said that the two ministers did not discuss Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's announcement on Sunday that he will resign.

It was the first trip by a Japanese defense minister to the neighboring country since October 2015, when Nakatani also held the post. He had mulled a visit in 2024, but it was postponed due to political turmoil after martial law was briefly declared in South Korea that year.
 


 

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has said at a news conference that he plans to step down. Ishiba said he will not run in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party's upcoming special leadership contest.


What Ishiba said at the news conference

Ishiba said he strongly believed it was the responsibility of his administration to pave the way for the negotiations on US tariffs, which should be called a national crisis.

He also said that he felt a sense of closure when Japan and the United States signed a memorandum on Japanese investment last week and US President Donald Trump signed an executive order.

Ishiba: I always said that I wouldn't cling to this post, and would decide to resign at an appropriate time after doing what I needed to do. Now is the time for me to resign as the negotiations on US tariffs have come to an end, and I decided to pass the baton to the next person. I made a painful decision to step down, thinking about some issues I needed to accomplish. I thought a decisive division within the party could be created if the issue of an extraordinary presidential election continued to develop. That is not what I wanted.

Ishiba said he feels very sorry for the people that he has decided to resign from his post in such a way.

Ishiba: I hope people will fully understand as I will continue fulfilling my duties during my remaining time in office.

He said he had told LDP Secretary-General Moriyama Hiroshi to carry out procedures for the presidential election based on the party's rules.

Ishiba said he hopes the party will begin the process of choosing a new president.


Ruling parties react

Former Defense Minister Inada Tomomi, an LDP member, said, "It must have been a very difficult decision for the prime minister."

Inada: I think it was the best decision for him to unify the party and avoid division.

Saito Tetsuo, the chief representative of the LDP's coalition partner, Komeito, called the announcement deeply regrettable.

Saito: Prime Minister Ishiba had consistently sought cooperation from opposition parties on each political issue and succeeded in gaining their support. Such efforts deserve proper recognition.


Opposition party reactions

The leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, Noda Yoshihiko, voiced concern about the ongoing political vacuum. Noda stressed that dealing with rising prices is an urgent matter.

Noda: I believe his intention to remain in office was quite strong, but he may have exhausted all the available options.

Democratic Party for the People President Tamaki Yuichiro said Ishiba delayed his resignation for too long, and as a result, the situation was unnecessarily prolonged.

Tamaki: The key issue now is when and in what manner he will actually step down, and when the leadership election will be moved up. The LDP must swiftly bring this situation to a close without further extending the political vacuum, and promptly create an environment where measures against rising prices and other issues can be addressed.


People react to Ishiba's decision to step down

NHK asked passersby in Tokyo's Shibuya district about Ishiba's decision to resign.

A tourist in her 40s from Kyoto Prefecture said she was surprised as she had believed Ishiba would stay in office, and that his aides would leave their posts to take responsibility. She said she feels worried about what will happen from now.

A Tokyo resident in his 30s said he thinks what Ishiba did as prime minister was "simply not good." He said he could not see at all what kind of benefits the prime minister was able to bring to Japan.

He said he thinks Ishiba's resignation was a natural outcome, and that he could have stepped down sooner.

He said he hopes someone who can better communicate with other nations as Japan's leader and is capable of steering the country will become prime minister.

A Tokyo resident in his 80s said he thinks Ishiba lost a power struggle. He said members of the ruling party are caught up in infighting without resolving its slush-fund scandal.

He added that LDP members seem unconcerned about the public. The man said Ishiba did not accomplish much, but that he feels sorry for the prime minister as he has been in office for less than one year.

A woman in her 40s from Chiba Prefecture said prices have stayed high and nothing has changed, so she hopes a new prime minister will make things better. But she said she is not really expecting much, and thinks things will remain the same no matter who takes the post.



Ishiba's 11 months as prime minister

Ishiba took office last October and pledged to tackle inflation as well as to reform the party.

The LDP has been involved in a series of political fundraising scandals.
Shortly after he took power, the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito lost their majority in a Lower House election. The ruling coalition also fell short of a majority in an Upper House election in July.

Amid growing calls for Ishiba to take responsibility for the election result, the LDP had been expected to decide on Monday whether to hold a special leadership contest.

Ishiba met former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and Agriculture Minister Koizumi Shinjiro at his office on Saturday. Sources say Suga and Koizumi told Ishiba that party unity is more important than anything else and suggested he step down before Diet members submit documents on a special leadership election.
 
 

Back in 2016, we were very hard-pressed to put together an outfit using only items bought from convenience store chain FamilyMart. However, since then the company has greatly expanded on its fashionable offerings and even created their own brand called “Convenience Wear.”

The constantly growing line of shirts, pants, socks, underwear and more has gotten to the point where FamilyMart decided to phase out many of their stores’ eat-in areas to help make more room for it all. Now, they’re taking the biggest leap yet and opening a new store dedicated to their clothing.

This new retail outlet has been given the convenience store’s nickname of Famima and had its grand opening in Blue Front Shibaura in Minato Ward, Tokyo, on Sept 1. 

 

It carries nearly all of FamilyMart’s roughly 150 articles of clothing, including their most popular item: socks with stripes in the Family Mart color scheme, of which over 28 million pairs have been sold.

Also, in honor of Famima’s opening, items from the upcoming fall/winter line of Convenience Wear will be available for presale. Another unique feature of this shop is that, unlike in the convenience stores, where the clothing is all wrapped up, samples of the various items are hung and a mirror is set up so customers can feel the materials and check the sizes for themselves before buying.

▼ News report on the grand opening. It’s a small-scale store, but it’s a start.

https://youtu.be/EaPKWcTPBGs

It’s also a good opportunity to salute the person behind Convenience Wear. Hiromichi Ochiai is an award-winning fashion designer who also created the costumes for Japan in the handover portion of the Rio Olympic Games closing ceremony.

He’s worked with several international corporations, but currently challenges himself by taking Family Mart to a place beyond a mere convenience store.


▼ Hiromichi Ochiai

The convenience store industry in Japan as a whole is facing several headwinds at the moment. The constant need for expansion and 24-hour operation against competing chains is only exasperating an already shrinking labor market.

Also, rising costs that have seen quintessential items like rice balls nearly double in price are making customers rethink how much convenience is really worth.

Perhaps Famima will be FamilyMart’s contingency plan in the event the Japanese convenience store market takes a serious turn for the worse. In that case, we may someday be able to bore our grandkids by telling them that the hugely popular chain of clothing stores Famima used to be a convenience store.

 

Store information

Famima Blue Front Shibaura S Building Store / ファミマブルーフロント芝浦S棟店
Address: Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Shibaura 1-1-1, Blue Front Shibaura S Building 3F
東京都 港区芝浦一丁目1番1 ブルーフロント芝浦S棟3階
Open 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
Closed Sundays and public holidays
 
 

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani will visit South Korea for three days from Monday to meet with his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, the Japanese Defense Ministry has announced.

This will be the first visit to South Korea by a Japanese defense chief in 10 years. It will also be the first time since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's inauguration that the two countries' defense ministers have met in person.

Nakatani and Ahn are expected to discuss defense cooperation between Japan and South Korea and between the two Asian countries and the United States.

During the upcoming visit, Nakatani is scheduled to give a speech at the Seoul Defense Dialogue 2025 conference.

He is expected to reiterate the OCEAN vision for stronger defense cooperation among Indo-Pacific countries that share common values.