Major electronics retailer Bic Camera Inc. has completed renovations on three of its stores in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district, including its flagship location.

As competition among electronics retailers intensifies in the district, where Bic Camera’s was founded, the company is putting its efforts into drawing more customers.

The three stores — Ikebukuro Main Store, Ikebukuro Cameras PC Building and Ikebukuro West Store — had been undergoing renovations on their sales floors since June while operations continued.

At the main store, new features, such as a character goods corner in the game and toy section, were introduced to attract more young female shoppers.

The company has also temporarily increased the sales staff, who have extensive product knowledge, and expanded areas where customers can try out gaming PCs, beauty appliances and other products.

Meanwhile, Yamada Denki Co. opened its flagship LABI Ikebukuro in the district in September, and Yodobashi Camera Co. has plans to follow suit.

Signs displaying the name of Ikebukuro Station on the platform of the JR Yamanote Line have been changed to Ikebukuro (BicCamera Mae), meaning “in front of BicCamera,” to coincide with the three stores’ renovations.

The trains’ departure melody has been Bic Camera’s theme song since March last year.
 
 

Three of japan's four major life insurance companies enjoyed insurance premium income growth in april-september, their earnings reports have shown.

All the four — nippon life insurance, meiji yasuda life insurance, sumitomo life insurance and dai-ichi life holdings — saw their single-premium whole life insurance policies and savings-type products attract stronger domestic demand amid rising interest rates.

Insurance premium revenues rose 30.4% from a year earlier at meiji yasuda, 13.4% at nippon life and 4.0% at sumitomo.

Higher interest rates are "very beneficial," sumitomo managing executive officer nobuji takao said.

But dai-ichi life suffered a premium revenues drop of 7.4% due to weaker sales of foreign currency-denominated products at a group insurance firm.

Meanwhile, nippon life's core operating profit expanded 27.4% to rewrite a record high as investment profit went up on higher interest and dividend income.

Still, its executive vice president naoki akahori called for vigilance against volatile markets. "neither political nor economic conditions warrant optimism," he said.
 
 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Exports of Japanese marine products to China have hit another snag, just days after they resumed this month for the first time in about two years.

Apparently, this is a response to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Diet remark about a Taiwan contingency and looks to deal a blow to the Japanese government’s efforts to expand exports.

The Chinese government banned all imports of Japanese marine products in 2023 following the release of treated water from the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

In May, the Japanese and Chinese governments agreed on procedures for resuming exports, and in June, China announced it would resume imports of marine products from 37 prefectures, including Hokkaido and Aomori.

On Nov. 5, six tons of frozen scallops from Hokkaido were shipped to China.

Japanese fishery businesses that were approved for exports prior to the treated water release can resume shipments once they reregister as exporters with Chinese authorities, according to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry.

While 697 businesses have applied for registration to restart exports, only three in Hokkaido and Aomori have succeeded so far.

China was once Japan’s largest export destination for marine products. Of the ¥387.3 billion in seafood that Japan exported in 2022 before the treated water release, exports to China stood at ¥87.1 billion, or 20% of the total. Major exports included scallops, accounting for ¥48.9 billion, and sea cucumbers, at ¥9.8 billion.

After China’s ban, Japan diversified its buyers abroad, selling to Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand.

“Scallop exports to the United States and Southeast Asia are going well, so there is little impact at present,” said an Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry official.

However, Japan aims to increase exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food to ¥5 trillion by 2030, and the Chinese market, with its population of about 1.4 billion people, holds immense appeal.

“The Chinese market is indispensable for achieving this target,” a source close to the government said.
 
 

Japan’s global exports rose 3.7% in October from a year earlier while imports from the world edged up 0.6%, according to government data released Friday.
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Exports to the U.S. dipped 3.1%, marking the seventh straight month of year-on-year declines mainly due to higher U.S. tariffs, Finance Ministry data showed.

President Donald Trump announced a trade framework with Japan in July, placing a 15% tax on goods imported from that nation. That’s lower than the 25% rate Trump initially said would kick in starting in August. Previously, tariffs on most goods stood at 2.5%.

It's a heavy burden for an export dependent nation that is a major U.S. ally, but shipments to the rest of Asia are helping to offset those lost sales.

Japan's soybean imports from around the world surged 37.3% from a year earlier, while imporyts of iron and steel products dipped 17.1%.
Imports from the U.S. jumped 20.9% in October from a year earlier, mainly petroleum and food such as grains.

Exports of computer parts and other machinery and buses and trucks to the U.S. declined.

Japan’s exports to China climbed 2.1% last month from a year earlier. Exports to Hong Kong surged 19.2%, while those to Taiwan were up 17.7%.
As a result, Japan narrowed its overall trade deficit to 231.77 billion yen ($1.5 billion) in October, down from 499.95 billion yen a year earlier.

New worries have emerged recently over trade with China after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the nation’s first female leader, made comments about Taiwan that have angered China,. That prompted Beijing to issue an advisory against travel to Japan.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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


TAIWAN CRITICISES 'BULLYING BEHAVIOUR' BY CHINA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


https://youtu.be/4ubCw6V-9bw
 
 

You don’t have to be a financial genius to realize that you could buy a lot of hamburgers with 70 billion yen. But did you know that dropping that much cash would allow you to buy all the hamburgers?

Well, all the hamburgers from Burger King Japan, to be more precise. The above sum is the amount that will reportedly be paid by Goldman Sachs to purchase Burger King’s Japanese operations.

The U.S.-based investment bank hasn’t switched its priorities from making money to making meals, though, as it’s Burger King Japan’s potential profit growth that attracted Goldman Sachs’ attention. 

Burger King has been aggressively expanding in Japan over the past few years, going from just 77 branches nationwide in May of 2019 to 308 as of last month. It’s intending to keep that pace of doubling in size every three years going for at least one more cycle, as the chain’s current plan is to have 600 branches in Japan by the end of 2028.

There’s often a sense of unease among consumers in Japan when a foreign company is looking to acquire a restaurant chain or other type of food provider, given Japan’s high standards for flavor and freshness, even at price points where expectations would be low in other countries.

However, Goldman Sachs purchasing Burger King Japan wouldn’t necessarily make the chain any less Japanese than it is right now, as its Japanese operations are currently owned by Hong Kong’s Affinity Equity Partners, who purchased them in 2017.

Moreover, this isn’t a case of an outside organization having to come in and save a tottering company by making sweeping changes to how it does business, but rather one of Goldman Sachs thinking that Burger King Japan is on the path to a bright future, and so we can probably expect the chain’s kitchens to keep on grilling up things like sumo burgers and Kyoto Whoppers even under its new ownership.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Toyota Motor Corp said Tuesday it would invest a total $912 million in five factories in the United States to meet the growing demand for hybrid vehicles.

The move is part of the company's plan, announced last week, to invest up to an additional $10 billion in the United States over the next five years, with factories in Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri subject to the investment.

Toyota, the world's largest automaker by volume, said it would produce its first hybrid version of the mainstay Corolla in Mississippi and aim to strengthen its manufacturing capabilities for engines and parts for hybrid vehicles.

It plans to start operating the new lines in stages from 2027 and is expected to newly employ about 250 people.

According to the automaker, around half of the vehicles sold in the United States are assembled within the country, while 76 percent of those manufactured across North America, including Canada and Mexico, are produced for sale in the United States.

Toyota last week opened its first overseas plant in North Carolina dedicated to the production of lithium-ion batteries for hybrids, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

Washington imposed a 15 percent tariff on Japanese car imports in September, down from the 27.5 percent initially set by U.S. President Donald Trump. The figure, however, remains six times higher than the 2.5 percent rate that applied before April.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A projection estimates that if shortages persist in essential services such as caregiving, transportation, and logistics, Japan’s real GDP, adjusted for price fluctuations, could decline by up to ¥76 trillion by 2040.

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry compiled the projection, and its findings will be disclosed at an expert meeting on Tuesday to discuss measures for maintaining essential services.

The breakdown of the ¥76 trillion loss is approximately ¥16 trillion in direct negative impact and approximately ¥60 trillion in negative impact on other industries, stemming from factors like population outflow from regions experiencing shortages in such services.

The expert meeting will consider financial support measures to encourage necessary capital investment and business diversification, aiming to improve the profitability needed to sustain essential services. The outcome of this discussion is expected to be finalized within the year.

The ministry estimates that Japan’s real GDP will reach ¥750 trillion by 2040, based on the premise of strengthening future economic and industrial policies.
 
 

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in October rose 17.6 percent from a year earlier to around 3.9 million, the second highest monthly total on record, government estimates showed Tuesday.

By country and region, South Korea topped the list with 867,200 visitors, up 18.4 percent, followed by China with 715,700, a 22.8 percent increase, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Visitors from China accounted for 18.4 percent of the total, boosted by national holidays.

But it is unclear whether the trend can be sustained after a sharp deterioration in bilateral ties over remarks earlier this month by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, which prompted the Chinese government to urge its citizens to refrain from visiting Japan.

The cumulative number of international visitors from January to October 2025 stands at some 35.5 million. This year's total is expected to surpass the previous annual record of about 36.87 million arrivals set in 2024.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


 

Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Monday held a roundtable in Tokyo with industry leaders of Japan on opportunities for Indo-Japanese collaboration across the energy value chain.

“We discussed how the Indo-Pacific’s energy stability and sustainable growth will be shaped by India’s massive scale particularly underlined by the unprecedented initiatives to further expand and strengthen the energy infrastructure under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, and Japan’s cutting edge technological leadership,” the minister said in a post on X.

At a time when India is opening up over $500 billion in investment opportunities across exploration and production (E&P), LNG, city gas distribution, hydrogen, shipping, and new fuels, the two countries perfectly complement each other -- India has a large and young workforce backed by a conducive business ecosystem and far reaching reforms driven by the Make in India spirit to ‘Make in India for the World’, while Japan offers advanced technology and innovation, infrastructure leadership in green and environmental technologies, the minister further elaborated.

He highlighted that India’s policy reforms with 100 per cent FDI, transparent bidding, year-round exploration licensing have created a predictable, investor-friendly energy environment.

India’s 6 major oil and gas PSUs recorded revenues of around $315 billion in FY 2024-25 which is about 8 per cent of India’s GDP. Such scale demonstrates India’s role as a global energy anchor, and a reliable partner for Japanese investors and technology leaders, the minister pointed out.

Earlier this month, Puri had highlighted that “from the sands of Rajasthan to the sea depths of the KG Basin - Bharat is mapping its own energy future."
While 1 million square km offshore area is now open for oilfield exploration, 99 per cent of 'No-Go' areas have been cleared, he said.

The oil and gas blocks being offered under the Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP) have already garnered attention from global and domestic energy players, and Round X is expected to set new benchmarks for participation and investment, he added.
 
 

Attending a private high school will effectively be free for all students from next April, as the income limit to receive government support for tuition payments will be eliminated.

The government’s policy for tuition-free high school is meant to provide fair educational opportunities by reducing the financial burden on families.

However, private high schools may become more popular as a result of this change, and there are fears that this will trigger a decline in public institutions.

This could lead to a less diverse educational environment.



Private schools as an option

Since April 2025, a subsidy of ¥118,800 for high school tuition has been granted per student, regardless of whether the school is public or private or the family’s economic situation.

Households that include students at a private high school and that have an annual income below ¥5.9 million can receive up to ¥396,000.

However, from April 2026, the income requirement will be abolished, and the payment ceiling will be uniformly raised to ¥457,000 a year — equivalent to the national average for private high school tuition — effectively making tuition free.

Furthermore, eligibility for a supplemental scholarship fund that covers such expenses as textbooks and school trips will expand from households that receive welfare to include middle-income families as well.

Parents of private high school students and exam candidates have welcomed this de facto elimination of tuition.

“This should attract students who previously gave up on private high schools due to tuition costs,” said Futoshi Nakajima, the principal of Abiko Nikaido High School, whose annual tuition is about ¥360,000.

The policy delighted a 42-year-old woman who was attending the school’s admission information session for third-year junior high school students in October. “We can now consider private high schools as an option,” the woman said.


Competition for students

Private high schools are likely to gain popularity for their well-equipped facilities and strong focus on supporting students’ efforts to prepare for university.

Public high schools are already losing popularity in municipalities that supplement the national tuition assistance with their own grant programs.

Osaka Prefecture, for example, has taken the lead in implementing de facto tuition-free education, starting a phased tuition subsidy program in fiscal 2024 without restrictions based on family income. The maximum subsidy is ¥630,000 per year.

This spring, the application-to-seat ratio for Osaka prefectural high schools fell to a record low of 1.02, with 79 out of 142 schools failing to meet their enrollment quotas in the general entrance exams.

Tokyo has supported private high school students with up to ¥484,000 annually since April 2024. Nearly 40% of Tokyo-run high schools fell short of their enrollment targets in this spring’s entrance exams.

Some private high schools in Tokyo have expanded their school bus routes to attract more students living outside Tokyo. As the de facto tuition-free policy spreads nationwide, competition for students is likely to intensify, particularly in urban areas with many private high schools.

“Not only top-performing students but also mid-level applicants will choose private high schools with better educational environments and university placement records from among schools in the same standard score range,” said the head of the education information department at Kawaijuku Shingaku Kenkyusha.

The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry is concerned about a possible decline in public industrial and agricultural high schools, which cultivate talent essential for regional industries.

The ministry plans to formulate a comprehensive strategy within this academic year to enhance the appeal of public high schools. It will also require prefectures to establish and implement high school reform plans tailored to their local circumstances.


Economic disparities

The goal of tuition-free education is to create an environment in which children can attend the school of their choice, regardless of their parents’ economic status.

However, the expanded support from April 2026 significantly benefits high-income households: The grant will increase by about ¥60,000 for households with an annual income below ¥5.9 million, but by more than ¥330,000 for households earning ¥5.9 million or more.

Households with higher incomes can funnel the saved fees to such educational expenses as cram schools. Some have said the pattern in which economic disparities among parents translate into differences in children’s academic performance remains unresolved.

University of Tokyo Prof. Kan Suzuki, who specializes in educational policy, said the effectiveness of the policy needs to be checked after it is introduced.

“We should determine whether this policy is helping improve the quality of education, or if closures of nearby public high schools are making it difficult for a number of students to commute. The policy then must be improved to be more balanced.”
 

 

Japan's Environment Ministry says 88 people were attacked by bears across the nation in October alone, with seven of the victims dying. That's the worst figure for any month in the past decade.

The ministry also says that from April to the end of October, 12 people were killed and 184 were injured.

Casualties were reported in 21 of the country's 47 prefectures. Akita topped the list at 56, followed by 34 in Iwate, 20 in Fukushima, 15 in Nagano and 13 in Niigata.

The ministry says that in fiscal 2023 when bear attacks were rampant, 73 people were attacked in October alone. The full-year casualty figure was 219, including six fatalities.

As for November of that year, 30 people were injured and no one was killed.
But data compiled by NHK show that at least 27 people were attacked by bears so far this month, and one of them has died.
 
 

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed her strong intention to closely watch economic indicators to eventually declare that Japan has exited deflation, at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on Tuesday.

Takaichi defined an exit from deflation as a situation in which price levels are no longer falling and they seem unlikely to resume falling.

Regarding the current economic situation, Takaichi said: “Prices have continued to rise. However, I cannot say that the country has exited deflation.”

Before she can say that Japan is no longer in a state of deflation, Takaichi said, “I need to carefully determine the situation after comprehensively considering such factors as price levels and the sustainability of wage hikes.”

Regarding the reduction of Diet seats in the lower house, Takaichi said one option is to listen to the recommendations of a panel of ruling and opposition parties under the lower house speaker that is considering reforming the electoral system of the lower house.

She emphasized a stance to form a consensus about the issue between ruling and opposition parties.

“I will have good-faith discussions with all parties and parliamentary groups,” Takaichi said.

When asked about her stance on strengthening restrictions on paying for sex workers she said, “I will instruct [relevant officials] to determine the necessity of punishing those who pay for sex workers.”

Takaichi urged Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi to begin discussions for that purpose.
 
 

apan’s economy contracted at a 1.8% annual pace in July-September as President Donald Trump’s tariffs hit exports and private residential investment plunged.

Data released by the government Monday showed that on a quarter-by-quarter basis, Japan’s gross domestic product, the sum value of its goods and services, slipped 0.4%, the first contraction in six quarters.

The annualized rate shows what the economy would have done if the same rate were to continue for a year. The contraction was a slight improvement from the 0.6% quarterly drop in March-June.

Exports fell 4.5% in annual terms in the three months through September.
As Trump implemented higher tariffs on imports from many countries earlier this year, businesses ramped up their exports to try to beat higher costs. That inflated some of the earlier data for exports.

Imports for the third quarter slipped 0.1%. Private consumption edged up 0.1% during the quarter.

Analysts said a 32.5% year-on-year drop in private residential investment, or 9.4% in quarterly terms, was mainly due to revisions of Japan's building code that caused housing starts to plunge after they took effect in April, the start of Japan's fiscal year.

Tariffs are a major blow to Japan’s export-reliant economy, led by powerful automakers like Toyota Motor Corp., although many manufacturers have moved production abroad to avert the impact from tariffs and other trade controls.

The U.S. imposes a 15% tariff surcharge on nearly all Japanese imports. That's down from Trump's earlier plan for a 25% tariff.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October, has vowed to revive the economy and is expected to boost government spending, among other policies. That could complicate the central bank's efforts to rein in inflation by raising interest rates from their longstanding level near zero.

The lackluster level of activity in the last quarter means a possible rate hike in December is unlikely, Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics said in a report.

However, he said, initial data for this quarter and surveys of business sentiment suggest the economy will improve in coming months and the Bank of Japan may resume raising interest rates early in 2026.
 
 

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

Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi inspected Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station on Friday, ahead of taking a decision on whether to approve the restart of a reactor at the plant in Niigata Prefecture.

During his first inspection of the plant in seven years, Hanazumi mainly checked safety measures for the plant’s No. 6 reactor, which TEPCO aims to put back to operation.

Hanazumi is expected to decide by the end of this month whether to greenlight the reactor’s restart, based on the effectiveness of the safety measures and the results of a recent survey on local residents’ attitudes toward the restart.

The No. 6 and No. 7 reactors at the nuclear power plant, which straddles the city of Kashiwazaki and the village of Kariwa, have cleared the Nuclear Regulation Authority screening required for the restart, and technical preparations to put the No. 6 reactor back online were completed at the end of last month.

Accompanied by people including TEPCO President Tomoaki Kobayakawa, the governor observed a drill for setting up power cables in the event of a loss of power at the building for the No. 6 reactor.

“I was able to feel at firsthand that the safety awareness [of TEPCO staff] is high,” Hanazumi told reporters after the visit. He did not make specific comments on whether he would approve the restart.

In making his decision, Hanazumi is seen also taking into account opinions from a Friday meeting with leaders of seven Niigata municipalities within a 30-kilometer radius of the nuclear power plant, including the cities of Nagaoka and Ojiya. Municipalities in areas within 30 kilometers of a nuclear plant are required to draw up evacuation plans for a possible accident.

After the meeting, Nagaoka Mayor Tatsunobu Isoda said, “I said [to the governor] that it might take a little more time for public understanding to grow, and that we should take time for this.”

Ojiya Mayor Etsuo Miyazaki said, “[The governor] listened very earnestly to each municipality chief’s words. He stated that he would take them seriously.”

Junichi Kosuge, mayor of the city of Joetsu, said, “I stated that I would respect the judgment the governor makes after careful consideration.”
 
 

Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida has been hospitalised for leukemia treatment and will work remotely for a few weeks, the central bank said on Friday.

The 63-year-old career central banker has been in hospital since November 7, but is expected to attend the BOJ's next rate review meeting on December 18 and 19, the central bank's media relations division said.

Uchida is a member of the BOJ's nine-member policy board along with Governor Kazuo Ueda and the other deputy governor, Ryozo Himino.

Having spent most of his career drafting monetary policy, Uchida became deputy governor in March 2023 for a five-year stint. During his public appearances, Uchida has frequently dropped crucial signs about future policy moves and is seen as a key figure in setting the course of monetary policy.

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood, characterised by the rapid growth of abnormal blood cells. Common treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and stem-cell transplant.

After the December policy meeting, the BOJ will hold another rate review on January 22-23.
 
 

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


What is the issue?

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

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

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

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

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

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


Has it been done before?

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

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

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

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

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

 

Who is Takaichi?

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

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

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

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

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


What has been said?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Combined beer sales at three major brewers in Japan excluding Asahi Breweries Ltd. jumped 18 pct year on year in October, an industry estimate has shown.

Asahi's failure to smoothly ship products in the wake of a ransomware attack against its parent, Asahi Group Holdings Ltd., in late September helped boost demand for rival beer brands, people familiar with the matter said.

The overall sales volume of beer, "happoshu" quasi-beer and "third-segment" beer-like products made by Sapporo Breweries Ltd., Suntory Spirits Ltd. and Kirin Brewery Co. posted a slower growth of 8 pct, with happoshu sales retreating 5 pct in the fallout from recent liquor tax revisions, according to the estimate.

By maker, sales of beer, quasi-beer and beer-like products rose 13 pct at Sapporo thanks chiefly to a smooth brand switch from Asahi at restaurants and bars using compatible beer tap systems. Suntory's sales, also in volume, remained unchanged due to a lack of limited-edition merchandise, despite its similar tap system advantage.

Kirin's sales went up 19 pct in value, pushed up by the release of the new Good Ale beer in October in addition to extra demand in place of Asahi beers.
 
 

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Japanese government raised its gasoline subsidy by 5 yen to 15 yen per liter on Thursday as a temporary measure to curb prices and ease the burden on households ahead of its planned scrapping of the existing provisional fuel tax at the end of the year.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government is set to increase its subsidy every two weeks, reaching about 25 yen on Dec. 11, when it will effectively cancel out the provisional tax, the energy agency said.

With the help of the bridging subsidy, the national average gasoline price of 173.50 yen per liter as of Monday is expected to fall to a four-year low of around 160 yen by late December, if market conditions remain stable.

In late October, Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party agreed with opposition parties to remove the provisional tax rate of 25.10 yen per liter on Dec 31. The temporary tax was imposed in 1974 on top of the base tax rate, which currently sits at 28.70 yen, and was used for funding public works.

The end of the temporary gasoline tax is projected to reduce Japan's nationwide core consumer price index, excluding volatile fresh food, by 0.2 percentage point, according to Yoshiki Shinke, senior executive economist at the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute.

In an effort to alleviate pressure on household budgets caused in part by rising crude oil prices and the yen's weakness, the government introduced the gasoline subsidy program in January 2022, with it currently offsetting 10 yen per liter from the price.

In total, the subsidy cost more than 8 trillion yen over the four-year period.
The government also began expanding the diesel subsidy in steps on Thursday, ahead of a plan to end the provisional diesel tax of around 17 yen per liter on April 1.

Although the ruling and opposition parties have agreed to abolish the energy taxes, they have yet to reach a consensus on how to make up the estimated 1.5 trillion yen revenue reduction it will cause for the central and local governments.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it will make an additional investment of up to $10 billion in the United States over the next five years, as the Japanese automaker ramps up battery production for hybrid and electric vehicles.

The announcement was made as Toyota, the world's largest automaker by volume, opened its first overseas plant dedicated to battery production in North Carolina. It aims to bring its cumulative investment total in the United States, a key market, to $60 billion.

Tetsuo Ogawa, president and chief executive officer of a Toyota unit in charge of North America, said the new factory and investment mark a new historical milestone for the company and show its unwavering commitment to local communities, dealers and suppliers.

Toyota invested around $13.9 billion in the new North Carolina factory, which will produce lithium-ion batteries for hybrids, EVs, and plug-in hybrids. The automaker plans to employ up to 5,100 people there.

The move comes after Washington imposed a 15 percent tariff on Japanese car imports in September, down from the 27.5 percent initially set by President Donald Trump. The figure, however, remains six times higher than the 2.5 percent rate that applied before April.

As Trump seeks to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with Japan, an idea has emerged for Japanese automakers like Toyota to import vehicles manufactured in the United States to Japan.
 
 

Japan’s Nikkei share average inched higher on Thursday, as the U.S. Congress voted to end the historic federal shutdown, while the broader Topix index rose to a fresh peak on value-buying.

The Nikkei .N225 rose 0.3% to 51,189.21 by 0154 GMT. The Topix .TOPX was up 0.63% at 3,380.53 after rising to a record high of 3,389.12 earlier in the day, extending gains to a fourth session.

A deal to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history cleared Congress on Wednesday, after the House of Representatives voted to restart disrupted food assistance, pay hundreds of thousands of federal workers and revive a hobbled air-traffic control system.

In Japan, chip-related Advantest 6857.T rose 2.95% to become the biggest source for the Nikkei’s gain.

Fiber optic maker Fujikura 5803.T advanced 4.36%, while peers Furukawa Electric 5801.T and Sumitomo Electric 5802.T jumped 13% and 7%, respectively.

SoftBank Group 9984.T fell 4.54% to weigh the most on the Nikkei.
Bank shares rose, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group 8306.T climbing 1.83%. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group 8316.T and Mizuho Financial Group 8411.T gained 1.19% and 2%, respectively.

“Investors started buying value stocks. This move is similar to what is going on in the U.S.,” said Kazuaki Shimada, chief strategist at IwaiCosmo Securities.

Wall Street’s main indexes closed mixed on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI notching a record-high close and the Nasdaq .IXIC losing ground as investors rotated out of pricey technology stocks.

“Money has started flowing to broader stocks and sectors in Japan,” Shimada said.

The utility sector .IEPNG.T jumped 2.33% and the brokerage sector .ISECU.T rose 2.15%.

Of the more than 1,600 stocks trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s prime market, 64% rose, 30% fell and 4% traded flat.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) announced Tuesday that the penguin mascot beloved for 25 years as the face of its Suica transit IC card will retire at the end of next fiscal year. The baton will be passed to a new character.

Voices expressing regret over parting with the character—whose adorable appearance on card surfaces and smartphone app screens garnered popularity—are likely to spread.

Suica began service in 2001. The penguin character has been used since the start, serving as the “face of advertising” on posters and other materials, and also appearing on Suica card designs.

Based on the Adelie penguin inhabiting Antarctica, related goods such as stationery, accessories, and plush toys are also sold. JR East plans to implement various campaigns targeting penguin fans and others until the end of fiscal 2026.

According to JR East, the selection of the new character will involve participation from railway passengers and other users. Specific details regarding the application process and content will be announced once finalized.

Suica enables “touch and go” passage through automatic ticket gates with just a light touch, even while stored in a wallet or pass case, helping alleviate congestion at gates during rush hour. As of March this year, over 110 million cards have been issued.
 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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