Convenience store chain Lawson Inc. plans to launch as early as 2026 a delivery service for over-the-counter drugs at its stores with no pharmacists or registered sellers present, President Sadanobu Takemasu has said.

The service, which allows customers to order OTC drugs, such as cold medicines, online for home delivery, will be introduced after an easing of drug sales regulations for convenience stores.

“We want to sell drugs remotely and deliver them,” Takemasu said in a recent interview. He said that the service will start “next year or the year after” following consultations with relevant authorities.

Lawson plans to increase stores handling drugs from around 320, hoping to survive intensifying competition from drugstores by boosting customer convenience related to drug purchases.

Regarding a plan to raise the number of overseas stores to around 14,000 by fiscal 2030, Takemasu explained that about 12,000 of them would be in China. He also expressed a wish to expand the company’s store network in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, Takemasu said Lawson has no plan to open stores in the U.S. mainland, where Japan’s Seven & i Holdings Co. leads the convenience store market.
 
 

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 struck near the southern islands in Japan on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake was recorded at a depth of ten kilometers at 9:12 am CET. Its epicenter was registered 20 kilometers north-northeast of the Japanese town of Wadomari, located on the island of Okinoerabujima, which is classed with the Amami archipelago between the Japanese islands of Kyushu and Okinawa.

There were no initial reports of casualties or material damage, and no tsunami warning was issued following the earthquake.
 
 

One of Japan's largest events for lovers of manga and anime opened in Tokyo's Koto Ward on Tuesday.

The Comic Market, also known as Comiket, is marking its 50th anniversary after being launched in Tokyo's Toranomon in 1975.

Visitors formed a long line at its venue Tokyo Big Sight before it opened at 10:30 a.m.

More than 12,000 groups are showcasing and selling self-published works, including those based on popular anime characters, as well as their original creations.

A section has been set up for visitors to write messages to commemorate the event's 50th anniversary. Some of the messages expressed hope that Comiket will continue for many years to come.

A man in his 20s said that his father took part in the event more than 20 years ago through cosplay, and that he felt great to be able to participate in the convention's 50th anniversary.

He added that he wanted to enjoy the year-end event to his heart's content.
Co-head of the Comic Market's preparatory committee, Ichikawa Koichi, said he believes Comiket has lasted all these years as it creates new trends, new comics and new encounters every time it is held.

He also expressed hope that it will continue past its 100th anniversary.
The event runs through Wednesday.
 
 

 

The cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on December 26 approved $58 billion (9.04 trillion yen) defense spending for fiscal year 2026, as Tokyo faces growing military pressure from three nuclear-armed neighbors—China, North Korea, and Russia—and U.S. calls for higher defense outlays.

The draft budget represents a 3.8 percent increase from the current fiscal year, marking a record high for the 12th consecutive year.

The defense budget, expected to pass Japan’s bicameral legislature in coming months, aims to bolster unmanned defense systems and standoff missile capabilities to address the country’s deteriorating security environment.

In its defense budget, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) secured funding for the construction of four types of JMSDF vessels, as well as the procurement of various aircraft. Key maritime-related items in the budget are as follows:


The establishment of the national multi-layered coastal defense system called “SHIELD” ($640.6 million)

The defense ministry plans to acquire an unspecified number of surface ship-launched UAVs, small ship-based UAVs, and small multi-role USVs for the JMSDF to build SHEILD. The name stands for “Synchronized, Hybrid, Integrated and Enhanced Littoral Defense.”

The ministry said the plan would involve purchasing existing UAVs and USVs, primarily from foreign manufacturers. It also said that surface-launched UAVs will attack enemy ships from JMSDF ships. Meanwhile, small ship-based UAVs will improve the intelligence gathering and surveillance capabilities of surface vessels, and will also be able to attack enemy vessels.

In July, JMSDF officials told Naval News that the U.S. aerospace and defense technology company Shield AI’s V-BAT is being considered as an UAV to be installed on the upgraded Mogami-class frigate—known in Tokyo as the “New FFM” and also called as the 06FFM.

The JMSDF has already decided to equip its new Sakura-class　offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), with a standard displacement of 1,900 tons, with the V-BAT. Under the Defense Buildup Program adopted in December 2022, the MoD plans to acquire 12 OPVs over the next decade. The fiscal 2025 defense budget earmarks 4 billion yen for the procurement of six V-BAT systems for new patrol vessels.

In addition, the Defense Ministry was allocated $14.1 million to conduct demonstration tests for simultaneous control of a large number of various unmanned assets.


Construction of one New FFM ($667 million)

The ministry earmarked $667 million to build the sixth ship of the upgraded Mogami-class, which has a full-load displacement of about 6,200 tons. The lead ship of the New FFM class is scheduled to be laid down in fiscal year 2025 and commissioned in fiscal year 2028.

According to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, if construction proceeds smoothly, all 12 vessels are expected to be in service by fiscal year 2032.

Securing construction costs for one New FFM in one year is very unusual because the MoD in Tokyo has so far earmarked the construction costs for two ships in the 2024 budget and three ships in the 2025 budget.

The move came as the Australian government selected the upgraded Mogami-class as the Royal Australian Navy’s future fleet of general-purpose frigates in August.

The Japanese defense ministry is believed to have prioritized near-term shipyard slots and supply-chain resources at MHI’s Nagasaki shipyard for Australia, taking into account Canberra’s urgent push to strengthen its naval capabilities.


Construction of two Sakura-class OPVs ($182.3 million)

The defense ministry was allocated $182.3 million to build the fifth and sixth ships of the new Sakura-class OPVs. The JMSDF plans to acquire a total of 12 patrol vessels over roughly 10 years.


Construction of one Taigei-class submarine($773 million)

The MoD earmarked $773 million to build the 10th Taigei-class submarine, Japan’s latest diesel-electric submarine with a displacement tonnage of 3,000 tons.


Construction of one Awaji-class minesweeper ($217.5 million)

The defense ministry was allocated $217.5 million to build the 690-tonne seventh Awaji-class minesweeper, which has improved capabilities to deal with various types of mines, including deepwater mines. The planned number of Awaji-class vessels is nine.


Preparation for various tests of two Aegis system equipped vessels – ASEVs ($510 million)

The MoD secured $510 million as expenses related to the acquisition of two Aegis system equipped vessels. Specifically, it made mention of costs associated with preparation for various tests.

The ASEVs are an alternative to the two land-based Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense (BMD) system, which was cancelled in June 2020 over concerns that falling components from missile interceptors might hit heavily populated areas over Japan.

The defense ministry explained that the new ships will be 190 meters long, 25 meters wide, and have a standard displacement of 12,000 tons.
The JMSDF is expected to take delivery of the first ASEV during fiscal year 2027, with the second one in the following fiscal year.


Modifications of Izumo-class helicopter carriers（$182.3 million)

The JMSDF earmarked $182.4 million to continue modifying its two Izumo-class helicopter carriers – JS Izumo and JS Kaga – into aircraft carriers capable of enabling Lockheed Martin F-35B fighter aircraft operations.

As for the Izumo, the defense official said $5.8 million was allocated to install deck status lights on the ship, which allow deck workers to share the status of the deck, and to cover the test cost of the landing guidance system on the Izumo.

As for the Kaga, $176.6 million was allocated for hull modifications, including upgrades to hangar facilities.

The Ministry of Defense said JS Izumo‘s modification is scheduled to be completed in fiscal 2027, and JS Kaga‘s in fiscal 2028.

According to the ministry, the cost of modifying the Izumo-class helicopter carriers, including funding in next year’s budget, will total $687.2 million.


Acquisition of the ship-launched, improved version of the Type 12 SSM ($228.4 million)

The MoD began mass production of the long-range, ship-launched, improved version of the Type 12 SSM in the current fiscal 2025.

The JMSDF will begin operating this new missile on the refurbished JS Teruzuki (DD-116) in fiscal 2027.


Acquisition of submarine-launched missiles ($102.4 million)

The MoD also began mass production of the new submarine-launched missile in the current fiscal year. It is a long-range cruise missile that can be launched from a submarine’s torpedo tubes.

The MoD explained that the missile will be installed on the JMSDF’s Taigei-class submarines.


Adding Tomahawk launch function to two Aegis destroyers ($7.7 million)

The MoD plans to equip the JMSDF’s two Aegis destroyers Myoko (DDG-175) and Atago (DDG-177) with a function to launch U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles during fiscal 2026.

Defense officials said three Aegis destroyers, namely Chokai (DDG-176), Haguro (DDG-180), Kirishima (DDG-174) have already undergone for the addition of a Tomahawk launch function during this current fiscal 2025.

The JMSDF currently possesses a total of eight Aegis destroyers: four Kongo-class, two Atago-class, and two Maya-class. This means the remaining three JS Kongo (DDG-173), JS Ashigara (DDG-178) and JS Maya (DDG-179) will also be given Tomahawk capabilities in the near future.


Acquisition of four MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAVs ($489.4 million)

The defense ministry secured $489.4 million to acquire four more MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAVs for the JMSDF. 

The JMSDF plans to use the SeaGuardian for persistent surveillance of surface vessels and submarines, with crewed P-1 and P-3C maritime patrol aircraft conducting anti-submarine warfare once any submarine is detected.

The JMSDF ultimately aims to acquire a total of 23 aircraft by around fiscal 2032, with roughly half to be deployed at the service’s Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima Prefecture and the remainder at Hachinohe Air Base in Aomori Prefecture.
 
 

The rising price of glutinous rice, which is used to make mochi rice cakes and mirin cooking rice wine, is casting a shadow over preparations for New Year’s celebrations.

This year’s purchase price for mochi manufacturers and distributors is more than double that of last year.

The reason is said to be the result of the decrease in the volume of glutinous rice on the market, as more glutinous rice farmers have switched to growing staple rice due to the rice shortage and price increases that have continued since 2024.

The demand for glutinous rice is at its highest around this time of year, as mochi rice cakes are essential for zoni soup dishes and mirin is indispensable for osechi New Year’s dishes. Retailers are struggling to keep prices in check.


3 times more expensive

Freshly made mochi rice cakes are lined up at a factory of Kouseido, a Japanese sweets company in Suminoe Ward, Osaka, on Dec. 17.

The purchase price of Saga Prefecture glutinous rice, which was used to make the mochi, was 2.5 to 3 times higher than last year.

“I’ve never seen such a surge in [glutinous rice] prices,” said Muneki Maeda, 60, the managing director of the company.

However, the company has only increased its small and cut mochi rice cake prices by about 10%, cutting into its profit margin, because it did not want to lose customers.

According to “Mochi no Tanaka-ya,” a mochi shop in Fukui City, this year’s purchase price of glutinous rice is about ¥1,000 per kilogram, about 2.5 times more expensive than three years ago. This year, the shop sells 1 “sho” (about 1.8 kilograms) of kagamimochi ceremonial rice cakes for ¥3,750, up from ¥3,000 last year.

“We’re in a difficult situation, but we’ll maintain affordable prices in order to protect the mochi food culture,” said Hidenobu Tanaka, 39, who runs the store.

The price of packed mochi also increased. According to a survey by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, the national average retail price in previous years was around ¥700 per kilogram. In November, the price was ¥948, an increase of ¥229 compared to the same period last year.



Demand surges in Dec.

The demand for mochi surges in December, when people prepare for New Year’s celebrations.

According to the ministry, the monthly purchase volume of mochi per household of two or more people was 939 grams in December 2024. The amount is 4 to 22 times more than the volume purchased in other months, ranging from 42 grams to 221 grams.

The main production areas for glutinous rice include Hokkaido, Niigata Prefecture and Saga Prefecture. In recent years, the annual production of glutinous rice in Japan has been about 300,000 tons, or about 4% of the total rice grown in paddies in the country.

Unlike non-glutinous rice, which is eaten as a staple food, such as Koshihikari and Akita Komachi rice brands, glutinous rice is stickier and more difficult to control in terms of temperature and humidity after milling.

According to Shunsuke Orikasa, chief researcher at the Tokyo-based Distribution Economics Institute of Japan who is familiar with issues of rice distribution, the surge in rice prices that began in summer 2024 has caused glutinous rice farmers to switch to growing staple rice since spring.

As a result, there is now a shortage of glutinous rice, leading to price increases.

“The price increase is expected to slow down in January or later, but there won’t be a large drop in price,” Orikasa said.

Sato Foods Co., a major mochi manufacturer based in Niigata City, has raised the price of its packed mochi two times this year and plans to raise the price again of the products to be shipped in March and later.
The company said it is due to the rising price of glutinous rice.


Kagamimochi sales slow

The price of mirin, often used in New Year’s dishes, is also rising.
“Some [mirin] manufacturers have already raised the prices of their products, but others have not been able to do so,” said a representative of the national mirin association located in Aichi Prefecture that comprises mirin manufacturers.

“We would like to share information with each other while carefully watching the situation in January and later.”

At an Echizen-ya supermarket in Nishinari Ward, Osaka, the retail price of mirin is 10% higher than last year and packed mochi rice cakes are 20% higher.

According to Kazuhiko Horiuchi, the head of the supermarket’s business department, sales of packed kagamimochi are slower compared to previous years, apparently due to the price increase.

“Mochi and mirin are essential for New Year season,” said a 64-year-old woman living nearby. “I’ll reduce the amount of kagamimochi [I buy] to cope with the price increase.”
 
 

A pile-up involving at least 50 vehicles on a highway in central Japan has left two people dead and 26 injured, according to police.

The incident was caused by a crash between two trucks, sparking a chain reaction that set at least 10 vehicles on fire, local police said.

A 77-year-old woman from Tokyo was killed, and another body was discovered in the driver's seat of a burnt-out truck. Five people were seriously injured and 21 suffered minor injuries, police said.

There was a heavy snow warning in place at the time of the crash. Police believe icy surfaces likely caused the trucks to skid on the roads.

The crash happened on the Kan-etsu Expressway in Minakami, Gunma prefecture, about 160km (100 miles) north-west of Tokyo, at about 19:30 local time (10:30 GMT) on 26 December.

It took about seven and a half hours to put out the fire, police said.
Following the incident, a section of the highway was closed, with a long line of vehicles, many charred beyond recognition, stuck in the outbound lane. Work is under way to tow them away.

A man in his 60s, whose vehicle was involved in the accident, told local media outlet NHK he heard a loud explosion from the far end of the pile-up and saw fire during the crash. The blaze then spread to other vehicles, he said.

He said he was evacuated to a nearby toll gate with about 50 other people and spent the night in the hallway there.

Nexco, which operates the road, said checks were needed to see if the surface was damaged by the fire.

The company is warning travellers not to use the highway.
 
 

Foreign-language babysitting services for foreign tourists are beginning to take off in Japan, driven by demand among wealthy families who wish to enjoy aspects of Japanese culture that may be difficult to experience with young children.

Some services also provide hands-on programs for the little ones, allowing both parents and kids to make the most of their time in different ways. The trend reflects the diversification of traveler needs amid Japan's inbound tourism boom.

In late November, Kelvin Young, who was visiting Japan from California with his family, left his 5-year-old and 2-year-old daughters with a nanny at their hotel.

For about four hours, he and his wife enjoyed a visit to a high-end sushi restaurant in Tokyo that is not well suited to families with young children. The next morning, their daughters excitedly showed them the crafts they had made during that time.

The childcare service was provided by Synk Inc., a company based in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, that employs nine English-speaking nationally certified childcare workers and one nurse.

The company has already handled over 50 requests since launching the service in April 2025, with fees starting from 54,000 yen ($350) for three hours.

In addition to babysitting at the hotel and walks, Synk also offers activities such as Zen meditation at temples and visits to local Japanese nursery schools.

"By providing children with specialized experiences, we want parents to be able to enjoy time for themselves without hesitation," said Synk President Saya Sugahara.

Tokyo-based major childcare provider Poppins Corp. has also stepped up recruitment of foreign-language-speaking babysitters since spring 2025. Meanwhile, Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel has begun offering an online service for guests to book such babysitters.

Around 36.8 million foreign visitors came to Japan in 2024, of which about 690,000 were aged 4 or younger, according to government data.

Akane Kakishima, a senior researcher at the Japan Travel Bureau Foundation, noted that such services "could also help revitalize the nighttime economy" as trips with children tend to limit opportunities for adult-focused spending.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi moved into the official residence of the prime minister from the dormitory for members of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, on Monday.

Her husband, Taku Yamamoto, will also live in the prime minister's official residence, located in the Nagatacho district of Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, to receive continued support for his rehabilitation from his wife, according to people close to the prime minister.

Yamamoto, a former lawmaker of the Lower House, has suffered a stroke.
Earlier this month, Takaichi posted on X, formerly Twitter, that she would move into the official residence so that she can swiftly deal with a possible emergency, saying, "Crisis management is crucial for running a country."

The prime minister's official residence sits next to the office of the prime minister. The dormitory for Lower House members is in the Akasaka district of the Japanese capital's Minato Ward, adjacent to Chiyoda Ward.
 
 

Japan's transport ministry and the Cabinet Office announced on Friday a roadmap for revitalizing the country's shipbuilding industry, aiming to double annual ship output to 18 million gross tons by 2035 through sector realignment.

Japan's share of the global shipbuilding market has dwindled due to competition from China and South Korea. The government now hopes to regain a share of around 20 pct.

The roadmap calls for consolidating domestic shipbuilding companies into one to three groups by 2028. It has already been decided that a vessel design firm jointly established by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Imabari Shipbuilding Co. will receive investments from three major shipping companies.

The roadmap also calls for investing in vessels that carry crude oil and food and those that transport liquefied carbon dioxide, as well as next-generation ships that use ammonia fuel.

Shipbuilding is one of the 17 priority investment areas proposed by the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. At a press conference on Friday, transport minister Yasushi Kaneko said that the roadmap features "ambitious but achievable" goals.
 
 

Japan is moving toward a 10 percent foreign population far faster than official projections, with dozens of municipalities already crossing the threshold and one village reporting that more than a third of its residents are foreign nationals.

A national research institute has estimated that foreigners will account for 10.8 percent of Japan's population by 2070. But an analysis of Basic Resident Register data shows the shift is already well under way at the local level. As of January, 27 municipalities had foreign resident ratios above 10 percent, led by the village of Shimukappu in Hokkaido at 36.6.

The trend suggests the nationwide transition could arrive much earlier than forecast, raising questions about how daily life will change in a country long defined by demographic homogeneity.

In Tobishima in central Japan's Aichi Prefecture, a community of 4,713 overlooking Ise Bay, foreign residents numbered 501 as of January, accounting for 10.6 percent of the population.

On weekday evenings, foreign workers in uniforms cycle through the village. On weekends, nearly half the passengers on local buses are foreign nationals.

Residents say the increase has accelerated over the past few years. Many foreign workers are employed at factories under Japan's technical intern training or "specified skills" programs, filling labor shortages at small and midsize businesses. Others work in used car sales.
Reactions among residents vary.

A 54-year-old female farmer said foreign residents cheerfully help with garden work and work hard, while a 78-year-old male farmer said he has noticed no particular problems despite their rapid increase.

Others remain cautious. Some residents complain that foreign drivers ignore traffic rules. A 75-year-old self-employed woman said she appreciates their labor but worries the number of people unfamiliar with Japanese customs will grow, while an 83-year-old woman said the sudden changes in her surroundings leave her feeling uneasy.

Near Nagoya Port, beyond a stretch of warehouses and factories, the Tobishima Seisakusho manufacturing plant operates amid quiet farmland. The company produces parts for refrigeration and cooling equipment.

Four of its 21 employees are Vietnamese nationals working under technical internship or specified skills visas.

Company president Hideki Ito, 73, said their presence is essential. "They're a valuable asset, a treasure," he said. "If they were to quit, the company couldn't survive."



Young Japanese moving to urban areas

Ito said younger Japanese residents have moved to cities, leaving local employers struggling to recruit. Even when Japanese workers are hired, some leave within a year.

"Considering the company's future, having young Japanese workers would be much more preferable, but that's simply not feasible. We had no choice," said Ito.

The company began accepting Vietnamese workers in 2017 after hearing of their diligence through word of mouth and gradually increased their numbers. Pay and bonuses are almost the same as for Japanese employees, he said.

The four workers live together on company premises. Nguyen Manh Ha, 28, has worked at the company for about six years. He sends 120,000 to 150,000 yen a month to his family in Vietnam, spending about 20,000 to 30,000 yen on himself. "I enjoy my work," he said. "If possible, I would like to work in Japan forever."

Population data compiled as of the beginning of the year from the Basic Resident Register for 1,892 municipalities shows that high concentrations of foreign residents are clustered in industrial and tourist areas, as well as communities with long-established foreign populations.

Shimukappu, home to the Tomamu resort area, recorded 582 foreign residents out of a population of 1,590. Five other municipalities had foreign resident ratios above 20 percent, including the Hokkaido village of Akaigawa, the town of Kutchan in Hokkaido, Ikuno Ward in Osaka, and the town of Oizumi in Gunma Prefecture.

In contrast, two villages -- including Nishimeya in Aomori Prefecture -- reported zero foreign residents.

According to statistics, the number of foreign residents nationwide stood at 3.76 million at the end of 2024, up 350,000 from the previous year, the largest annual increase on record.

Until the 1960s, Japan's foreign population generally hovered around 600,000. Numbers rose more clearly after a 1990 revision of the Immigration and Refugee Act allowed people of Japanese descent to live in Japan as permanent residents.

After falling following the global financial crisis and again during the COVID-19 pandemic, the foreign population is now in its third expansionary phase.

The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research projects Japan's total population will fall below 87 million by 2070. Its latest forecast assumes the foreign population will grow by about 160,000 people a year until around 2040, pushing the foreign share above 10 percent by 2070.

Current trends are outpacing that projection. Since 2022, the foreign population has been increasing by about 300,000 a year, reaching 350,000 in 2024. In July, then Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki said Japan should assume the foreign population will exceed 10 percent by around 2040 -- roughly 30 years earlier than the institute's estimate.

Japan's labor shortage is expected to intensify. The working-age population aged 15 to 64 is projected to decline by 15 million between 2020 and 2040.
Even a sudden reversal in the falling birthrate would not be sufficient to offset the shortfall. While automation and artificial intelligence offer some relief, reliance on foreign labor is expected to continue.

The rapid demographic shift is fueling political debate. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's coalition government with the Japan Innovation Party has called for tighter controls on foreigners. In a policy speech, she said illegal activity and rule-breaking by some of them had created public anxiety and a sense of unfairness.

Others argue coexistence is unavoidable. Tsukasa Sasai, a demography professor at Fukui Prefectural University, said Japan can no longer function without foreign residents.

"Japan is already a society that cannot survive without coexistence with foreigners," he said. "Creating an environment where foreigners can successfully establish themselves as part of the workforce would offer significant benefits to Japanese society."

As more municipalities pass the 10 percent mark, questions about how Japan accepts and integrates foreign residents are shifting from long-term projections to immediate policy choices.
 
 

Immersive Fort Tokyo, a theme park in Tokyo’s Odaiba district that lets visitors step into the roles of popular animated characters, will close at the end of February, the operator said Thursday.

The facility will have been open for less than two years.

“We’ve concluded that the facility’s size is too excessive [for our business model],” said a statement by Katana Inc., a marketing company in Osaka City that operates the indoor park.

Immersive Fort Tokyo opened in March 2024, occupying part of the former Venus Fort shopping center that closed in 2022.

The park re-creates the settings of popular animation and stories, giving visitors an immersive experience of playing characters and interacting with cast members.

“We’ll take advantage of the expertise we’ve gained through running the facility [for our future business],” the statement said.
 
 

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda on Thursday reiterated his readiness to continue raising interest rates from a 30-year high of around 0.75 percent, citing growing confidence in achieving the central bank's inflation target.

In a speech at a meeting of Japan's biggest business lobby in Tokyo, Ueda said the mechanism in which both wages and prices rise moderately -- a key factor affecting policy decisions -- will be maintained next year and beyond.

"Amid tightening labor market conditions, firms' wage- and price-setting behavior has changed significantly in recent years, and the achievement of the 2 percent price stability target, accompanied by wage increases, is steadily approaching," Ueda said at the event hosted by the Japan Business Federation, also known as Keidanren.

The speech came after the central bank last week raised its policy rate from around 0.5 percent to around 0.75 percent in a unanimous vote, and Ueda signaled possible further hikes depending on economic and price developments.

Ueda said Thursday that tight labor market conditions will boost the prospect of more pay hikes and inflation expectations have been heightening among households and companies.

Under such circumstances, the governor said the likelihood of Japan's economy returning to a "zero norm state," in which wages and prices hardly change, seems to have "decreased considerably."

Noting that real interest rates remain "at significantly low levels," Ueda said that if the bank's baseline scenario is realized, it will continue to raise the policy rate.

The bank expects underlying inflation, which strips away cost-push and other temporary factors, will be at a level consistent with its 2 percent target in the latter half of its three-year projection period until March 2028.

The BOJ faces the challenge of taking the policy rate to higher levels while carefully examining the effects of its gradual policy normalization after years of keeping borrowing costs depressed at rock-bottom levels to jolt the economy out of chronic deflation.

The governor said the central bank believes that adjusting the degree of monetary accommodation will support "long-term growth," thus providing confidence to businesses.

Ueda's latest remarks drew market attention after the yen weakened sharply against the U.S. dollar despite Friday's rate increase, a development that might otherwise have been expected to support the Japanese currency.

The initial market reaction to the speech was muted, with the dollar trading in the upper 155 yen range.

Since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office in October, the yen has been under pressure amid concerns that her expansionary spending policy would further worsen Japan's fiscal health, triggering the selling of the currency and government bonds.

The yen's slide accelerated amid growing expectations that the BOJ would lift borrowing costs at a slower-than-expected pace, as Ueda offered no clear guidance on the timing or pace of future hikes in a press conference after the central bank's policy gathering, dealers said.

A weak yen is seen as a boon to Japanese exporters given that it inflates their profits made overseas when repatriated. But the negative side of yen depreciation has become more evident in recent years as resource-poor Japan has seen rising import costs hurting both businesses and consumers.

Takaichi's government is seeking to ramp up investment to make the economy stronger while easing the inflation pain felt by households.

Earlier on Thursday, a government advisory panel on economic and fiscal policy began discussions to draft a new policy blueprint, with Takaichi vowing increased fiscal spending but in a "responsible" way.

The blueprint, the first of its kind under Takaichi, is expected to be finalized around June, feeding into the compilation of the budget for fiscal 2027.
 
 

Japan's business leaders have offered a mixed response to the government's draft budget for fiscal 2026, which was adopted at a cabinet meeting on Friday.

Yoshinobu Tsutsui, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, the country's biggest organization of employers, said that the draft budget "includes many measures to realize a strong economy," which is a goal set by the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The Keidanren chairman hailed the draft budget for embodying a direction in which the public and private sectors will collaborate to promote both crisis management investment and growth investment with the aim of boosting potential growth.

Tsutsui also stated that the partial implementation of social security system reforms reflected in the draft budget would curb the rise in insurance premiums for the working generation.

Ken Kobayashi, head of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the draft budget "involves policies to improve regional earning capabilities, such as providing support for startups and business succession."
 
 

Fast Retailing Co, the operator of the Uniqlo clothing chain, said Monday its group will hike the starting salary of new employees in Japan to 370,000 yen from 330,000 yen, raising it for the second consecutive year to spur competitiveness.

Uniqlo, GU, PLST and Link Theory are set to take on roughly 480 new graduates in the spring and the 40,000 yen hike is for those hired in management candidate programs that often involve overseas transfers.

It is the fourth hike such employees have received since 2020, with their wages growing by 160,000 yen over the six years. Their annual income, including bonuses, is expected to be around 5.9 million yen, up 12 percent from the current rate.

Employees assuming jobs that do not require relocation will receive a starting salary of 280,000 yen, up from 255,000 yen.
 


 

The government has adopted a package of about 20 measures related to curbing mega solar power development projects to address concerns about environmental damage and potential disaster risks.

The measures, which were adopted on Tuesday at a meeting of relevant Cabinet members, include amending relevant legislation, bolstering monitoring systems and abolishing support for new large-scale solar power plants.

As part of measures to strengthen legal regulations, the government will lower the minimum 30,000-kilowatt threshold for mandatory environmental assessments, while also looking into expanding the scope of the inspections.

The government will also create a mechanism in which a government-certified organization will verify in advance if planned solar power plants comply with relevant technical standards.

To make this requirement mandatory for the operators of solar power plants with an output of 10 kilowatts or more, the government aims to submit a bill to amend the Electricity Business Law during the ordinary Diet session next year.

The package also includes expanding restricted areas in the Hokkaido’s Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, the Japan’s largest wetland and surrounding hills, and reviewing the applications of the Protection of Cultural Properties Law, the Landscape Law and other relevant laws.

Starting in fiscal 2027, mega solar power plants with an output of 1,000 kilowatts or more will become ineligible for the feed-in premium program, a support system in which producers receive a fixed premium on top of the market price for electricity generated.

On the other hand, the government will increase incentives for developing or introducing next-generation perovskite solar cells and rooftop solar systems, as they have a smaller environmental impact.

After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, mega solar power plants were built one after another across the country. In fiscal 2012, the administration led by the then Democratic Party of Japan introduced a support system in which power companies purchased electricity generated by renewable energy producers at higher than market price as part of efforts to promote renewable energy.

However, now that solar power generation has grown to account for about 10% of the overall electricity output in the country, the government decided to review the support system, and concluded that it has already to some extent played its role in expanding renewable energy usage.
 
 

Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs ONISHI Yohei and Zakia Driouich, Morocco’s State Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Marine Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, signed and exchanged notes on Tuesday concerning the Grant Aid “Project for the Development of Souiria K’dima New Generation Fishing Port.” 

The two sides believe that cooperation at the Souiria  K’dima fishing port will lead to further promotion of Morocco’s fisheries industry and the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the fisheries sector.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry reported on Onishi’s visit to Morocco, during which he also met with the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Fouad Yazourh and stressed the need “to strengthen cooperation with countries sharing fundamental values amidst challenges to a free, open and stable international order.”

 

Onishi said Morocco is an important partner for Japan and his visit demonstrates Japan’s commitment to strengthening its ties with the Maghreb region.

Both sides agreed to further strengthen the “Reinforced Partnership” between the two countries in areas such as politics, economics, and culture, looking ahead to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year.

On Wednesday, Onishi also paid a courtesy call on Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour, during which he requested Morocco’s cooperation in expanding the import of Japanese food products.

 

Minister Mezzour introduced initiatives for industrial promotion and trade facilitation in Morocco and the two sides agreed to work towards further strengthening cooperation in the industrial and trade sectors.

Onishi also exchanged views with volunteers from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) who are active locally concerning Japanese initiatives and Morocco’s development needs.
 
 

 
 
 
Experience Japan's Authentic Culinary Scene in Your Language — From Search to Reservation, All on Your Smartphone

Ranked No. 1 in Downloads Among "Japanese Gourmet Search Apps" Chosen by International Travelers (*2)

Tokyo--(ANTARA/Business Wire)--Tabelog (https://tabelog.com/en/), Japan's largest restaurant search and reservation service operated by Kakaku.com, Inc., launched its multilingual smartphone application (iOS/Android) for international travelers on Monday, November 17, 2025.

With approximately 100 million monthly users(*3), Tabelog is Japan's premier service widely used by Japanese locals for daily restaurant discovery.

Its database is unrivaled domestically, featuring information on approximately 890,000 establishments nationwide and over 85 million reviews and photos(*4).

Unlike global map services or travel sites, Tabelog is built on "authentic ratings and reviews from local Japanese users," enabling travelers to discover truly exceptional restaurants beloved by locals — not just tourist-oriented establishments.

While multilingual services were previously available through web browsers, the official app has been released to provide an enhanced search and reservation experience for the growing number of international visitors, from trip planning to their actual stay in Japan.

In the same month, it achieved No. 1 in downloads in the "Japanese Gourmet Search Apps Chosen by International Travelers" ranking(*2).

Download URL: https://tabelog-tourists.onelink.me/3eEh/iqkkho9r


About the Tabelog Multilingual Smartphone App


Background

While "Japanese cuisine" is cited as a top highlight of visiting Japan(*5), travelers often express frustrations such as "only finding tourist-oriented restaurants" and challenges like "giving up on phone reservations because Japanese-language communication is required"(*6).

As Japan's largest restaurant search and reservation service, Tabelog has developed this smartphone app leveraging the extensive database and expertise cultivated through its web version to address these pain points.

By providing locally-rated restaurant information in multiple languages, Tabelog aims to connect travelers with neighborhood dining establishments, contributing to the alleviation of overtourism and the revitalization of regional economies.



Key Features


 

1. [SEARCH] Map-Based Search and Comprehensive Information to Find Restaurants That Match Your Preferences Near Your Current Location
   Utilizing Tabelog's database boasting Japan's largest number of listings, users can intuitively locate restaurants that match their preferences on a map near their current location. With abundant photos and reviews easily accessible on the go, travelers can confidently choose restaurants even in unfamiliar areas.
2. [RESERVATION] Instant Online Booking Completed on Your Smartphone — No Phone Calls Required
   We've eliminated the barrier of "phone reservations" that pose challenges for travelers. Simply select your date, time, and party size within the app to instantly check availability and make online reservations — whether you're on a train or between sightseeing activities. Secure your table smoothly without concerns about language barriers.
3. [UI] Smartphone-Optimized Interface for Comfortable Navigation in Your Preferred Language
   Fully supports English, Chinese (Traditional), and Korean. The multilingual service previously available on the web version now features the smooth operability unique to mobile apps. Beyond viewing translated information, the intuitive design allows users to deeply understand and choose restaurants without stress, even on smaller screens.

(*1)	Restaurant search and reservation site with the most listed establishments survey (May 2024/internal research). Accessed target sites (Tabelog, Hot Pepper Gourmet, Gurunavi, Retty, Hitosara) and tallied all listed establishments displayed in searches without filtering, by prefecture.
(*2)	November 2025/AppTweak research. Combined downloads from "Food & Drink (Restaurants & Cafes)" and "Travel & Navigation (Trip Planner)" categories on App Store and Google Play in surveyed regions (Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, United States). Compared as "Japanese Gourmet Search Apps." Source: AppTweak (https://www.apptweak.com)
(*3)	96.73 million users (September 2025)
(*4)	As of December 23, 2025
(*5)	According to the Japan Tourism Agency's "Consumption Trend Survey for Foreigners Visiting Japan (2024)," "eating Japanese food" ranked first in "what they most looked forward to before visiting Japan" and "what they actually did."
(*6)	Refers to "communication with facility staff" and "insufficient multilingual signage" being cited as top difficulties during travel in the Japan Tourism Agency's "Survey on Improving the Accept Environment for Foreign Visitors" and similar studies.

About Kakaku.com, Inc.

Founded in 1997, Kakaku.com has been operating since the early days of Japan's internet era. Currently, the company plans and operates various web services deeply rooted in daily life, including the purchasing support site "Kakaku.com," restaurant search and reservation service "Tabelog," and job search aggregation service "Kyujin Box."

Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market (Securities Code: 2371), the company provides platforms with the largest user bases in Japan across multiple sectors.

Service Overview: https://corporate.kakaku.com/en/service

The original source-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the source-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.


Contacts

Kakaku.com, Inc.
Public Relations and Investor Relations Office
pr@kakaku.com


 

Japan's government has decided to accept more than 1.23 million foreign workers under two systems -- for skilled personnel and a new training program.

The government has presented its plan to a panel of experts to accept one-million 231,900 workers through the end of March 2029.

It says 805,700 people will be accepted in 19 fields under the current system for specified skilled workers. By industry, 199,500 would be in the manufacturing of industrial products, 133,500 would be in the manufacturing of food and drink products and 126,900 would be in nursing care.

The other system to be introduced on April 1, 2027 aims to train foreign workers so they attain the level of specified skilled personnel in three years in principle.

A total of 426,200 people will be accepted in 17 fields under this system. By industry, 123,500 will be in construction, 119,700 will be in industrial manufacturing and 61,400 will be in food and drink manufacturing.

Officials say this is the maximum number, as they have calculated the personnel that can be secured in Japan and the expected rise in productivity.

The government plans to debate the plan and have the Cabinet approve it in January.
 
 

Nippon Steel Corp. said Tuesday its wholly owned subsidiary, United States Steel Corp, will invest $350 million to revamp its largest blast furnace, part of the $11 billion investment the Japanese company promised to the U.S. government in winning approval for the acquisition of the U.S. steelmaker.

U.S. Steel said relining blast furnace No. 14 at the Gary Works plant in Indiana, which produces iron for high-strength steel, is "critical maintenance" needed to ensure long-term iron-making capabilities and capacities.

Seeing the United States as one of its key growth markets, Nippon Steel acquired the iconic U.S. steelmaker in June in a $14.1 billion transaction.

The deal was finalized after the Japanese steelmaker pledged to invest approximately $11 billion in the U.S. company through 2028 in an effort to win over support from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Nippon Steel said in its new medium- to long-term management plan released earlier this month that it aims to invest around 6 trillion yen ($38 billion) over the next five years domestically and globally to upgrade U.S. Steel facilities.
 
 

The Japanese government said Tuesday that it will resume bilateral economic aid for Syria after 15 years of suspension.

Through its official development assistance scheme, Japan plans to support the Middle Eastern country, now led by the interim government of Ahmed al-Sharaa, including in personnel training.

Yohei Onishi, Japanese parliamentary vice minister for foreign affairs, visited Damascus and notified the aid resumption on Monday.

Japan suspended its economic aid to Syria after the Syrian civil war started in 2011. Since then, it has only provided humanitarian aid through nongovernmental organizations and international institutions, including the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime, the interim government was launched in December 2024. The Japanese government believes that efforts toward national reconciliation are progressing in Syria.
 
 

 Indonesia is exploring new opportunities to send migrant workers to Japan under the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) scheme, with protection and welfare emerging as the central focus of discussions.

Indonesian Deputy Minister of Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection (P2MI), Christina Aryani, met with representatives of the International Manpower Development Organization, Japan (IM Japan), at the P2MI Ministry office in Jakarta on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. 

During the meeting, IM Japan expressed interest in cooperating directly with P2MI Ministry to facilitate the placement of Indonesian workers in Japan.

Christina emphasized that any collaboration must deliver clear added value for Indonesian migrant workers, particularly in terms of protection. “If we cooperate, there must be tangible benefits for the workers. One of the most important aspects is protection,” she said, as quoted by Antara.

While IM Japan has long managed apprenticeship programs in partnership with Indonesia’s Ministry of Manpower, Christina underscored the need for comprehensive safeguards for workers placed under the SSW scheme. 

She urged IM Japan to ensure proper handling from the moment workers arrive in Japan, including reception, guidance, and the availability of staff to provide immediate assistance in case of problems, ranging from mediation with employers to resolving disputes.

Beyond protection, Christina highlighted the importance of transparency in placement costs. All expenses must be clearly outlined from the start, including the division of financial responsibilities between workers and employers. 

“The cooperation we are pursuing is a government-to-private (G to P) scheme, with P2MI Ministry representing Indonesia and IM Japan on the Japanese side. The principle is that everything must be clear and protective of workers,” she stressed.

She also requested IM Japan to map out potential sectors and estimate labor demand, which will be further discussed in January as the basis for drafting a memorandum of understanding.

The cooperation is expected to cover 13 sectors under the SSW framework, including hospitality, aviation, food industry, building cleaning, industrial machinery, construction, and food processing.

Christina concluded by stressing the need to ensure that any agreement with IM Japan does not overlap with existing arrangements or memoranda of cooperation already established between Indonesia and Japan.
 

 

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will visit Japan as a state guest from Feb. 8 to 10, the Japanese government said Tuesday.

It will be the first Japan visit by a UAE president in 36 years.

During his visit, the UAE leader will meet with Emperor Naruhito and attend a state banquet at the Imperial Palace. He is also scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to reaffirm cooperation in various fields.

The UAE has become Japan's top supplier of crude oil, overtaking Saudi Arabia. In recent years, it has promoted investment in advanced technologies such as space development and artificial intelligence, drawing strong interest from Japanese companies.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that Japan hopes the upcoming visit will "deepen friendly and cooperative relations in a broad range of areas."
 
 

Japanese authorities have approved a decision to restart the world’s biggest nuclear power plant, which has sat dormant for more than a decade following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, in a pivotal moment as the country looks to looks to shift its energy supply away from fossil fuels.

Despite nerves from many local residents, the Niigata prefectural assembly, home to the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, approved a bill on Monday that clears the way for utility company Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to restart one of the plant’s seven reactors.

The company plans to bring the No. 6 reactor back online around January 20, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported.

Japan has taken a cautious approach to nuclear energy since a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2011 triggered a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. It was the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

Following the disaster, Japan shut down all 54 of its nuclear power stations including Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, which sits in the coastal and port region of Niigata about 320 kilometers (200 miles) north of Tokyo on Japan’s main island of Honshu.

Japan has since restarted 14 of the 33 nuclear reactors that remain operable, according to the World Nuclear Association.

The Niigata plant will be the first to reopen under the operation of TEPCO, the company that ran the Fukushima Daiichi power station. It has been trying to reassure residents of the restart plan is safe.

“We remain firmly committed to never repeating such an accident and ensuring Niigata residents never experience anything similar,” said TEPCO spokesperson Masakatsu Takata, Reuters news agency reported.

Before the Fukushima disaster, Japan’s nuclear reactors had provided around 30% of the country’s electricity. Since then, Japan has increased its reliance on costly imported fossil fuels, including coal and gas, to power the country and keep the lights on.

About 60–70% of Japan’s power generation comes from imported fossil fuels, which cost the country about 10.7 trillion yen ($68 billion) last year alone.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office two months ago, is a strong proponent of nuclear power and has pushed to revive the crippled industry to drive down costs, and tackle inflation and a stagnant economy.

Japan is the world’s fifth-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, after China, the United States, India and Russia, according to the International Energy Agency.

But it has committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, and renewable energy was at the center of its latest energy plan published earlier this year, with a push for greater investments in solar and wind.

The country’s energy demands are also expected to increase in the coming years due to a boom in energy-hungry data centers that power AI infrastructure.

To achieve its energy and climate goals, Japan aims to double the share of nuclear power in its electricity mix to 20% by 2040.

But the memory of the Fukushima disaster endures, and some local residents are wary of reviving nuclear power due to safety concerns.

“We know firsthand the risk of a nuclear accident and cannot dismiss it,” Ayako Oga, 52, told Reuters. Oga had settled in Niigata after fleeing the Fukushima disaster. She told the news agency that her old home was inside the exclusion zone and she still struggles with post-traumatic stress-like symptoms.

A survey published by the Niigata prefecture in October found 60% of residents did not think conditions for the restart had been met. Nearly 70% were worried about TEPCO operating the plant, Reuters reported.

On its website, TEPCO said Kashiwazaki-Kariwa had undergone multiple inspections and upgrades and that the company had learned “the lessons of Fukushima.”

The company said new seawalls and watertight doors would provide “stronger protection against tsunamis” and that mobile generators and more fire trucks would be on hand for “cooling support” in an emergency.

It also said the plant now had “upgraded filtering systems designed to control the spread of radioactive materials.”

In late October, TEPCO conducted “a full round of integrity checks” at Unit 6 and declared the reactor fit for startup.
 
 

Rakuten Group is expanding its AI team under the stewardship of a Google veteran and building models with a focus on cost efficiency.

Ting Cai, now three years into his tenure at the head of the e-commerce pioneer’s artificial intelligence team, has the task of creating AI systems that would augment the company’s many businesses and support the handling of commercial transactions at a minimal cost. He oversees a team that’s grown to 1,000 this year and has a battery of “thousands” of Nvidia chips to work with.

Tokyo-based Rakuten is wrestling with a struggling mobile business and constant competition in online shopping, both of which could get a significant boost from effective deployment of new AI tools.

But the emphasis on doing that profitably from early on is where the company stands out from other large tech firms.

“Rakuten is very business-focused, applying the latest tech to solve customer problems,” Cai, 53, said in an interview. “In order to do this at large scale, we have to deliver the maximum margin. That’s why reducing the cost is super important for us in deploying generative AI.”

Cai’s team last week unveiled version 3 of the company’s large language model, which it says is 90% cheaper to run than existing comparable LLMs.

The company segments tasks down to simpler jobs and develops smaller models catered to addressing specific needs for each of its services.

Version 3 activates about 40 billion parameters for each individual token within its 700 billion parameters, while the remaining parameters stay inactive for increased efficiency.

AI functions contributed ¥10.5 billion ($67 million) to operating income in 2024, and the company aims to double that figure this year. Intelligent ad targeting and placement have boosted the return-on-investment for sellers using Rakuten’s online storefront, while AI-powered semantic search and personalized recommendations have lifted user engagement and click-through rates.

“We have observed that users come back more often after using the Rakuten AI Ichiba,” Cai said, referring to the full name of Rakuten’s virtual shopping mall. “So what we need to do is further reduce the cost of these conversations. We want each purchase through conversation to be profitable.”

Before Rakuten, Cai worked on Google Maps and local search services at Alphabet, following a long stint as a software engineer at Microsoft.

He wasn’t too familiar with Rakuten when an executive at the Japanese company contacted him about a job. It was a “strange company” to Cai at first, he said, but after learning about founder and CEO Hiroshi Mikitani and holding a few conversations with the man himself, Cai realized the two had a lot in common.

The job has turned out to be much more than what Cai believed he was signing up for, he said. His role has grown into a pivotal one for a company committed to integrating AI across its broad range of services, spanning everything from a mobile assistant to autonomous delivery vehicles.

He is proud of the work his team has accomplished building from the ground up, and Rakuten’s long-term vision includes having business customers tapping its AI tools and expertise.

“A lot of people are already depending on Rakuten. But I think we can do so much more than that,” Cai said. “Rakuten’s goal is to become Japan’s leading AI empowerment company.”
 
 

Fast Retailing Co, the operator of the Uniqlo clothing chain, said Monday its group will hike the starting salary of new employees in Japan to 370,000 yen from 330,000 yen, raising it for the second consecutive year to spur competitiveness.

Uniqlo, GU, PLST and Link Theory are set to take on roughly 480 new graduates in the spring and the 40,000 yen hike is for those hired in management candidate programs that often involve overseas transfers.

It is the fourth hike such employees have received since 2020, with their wages growing by 160,000 yen over the six years. Their annual income, including bonuses, is expected to be around 5.9 million yen, up 12 percent from the current rate.

Employees assuming jobs that do not require relocation will receive a starting salary of 280,000 yen, up from 255,000 yen.
 

 

The Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association on Tuesday urged the government to consider appropriate protection of content, saying that news articles have been used by generative artificial intelligence without permission.

The request was included in a written opinion submitted to the Cabinet Office by the association, also known as Nihon Shinbun Kyokai, regarding the government's intellectual property promotion plan to be drawn up next year.

The plan summarizes the government's basic policy on the protection and utilization of intellectual property and is typically drawn up around June every year. The Cabinet Office has been seeking public opinions for next year's plan, which the government began considering last month.

The NSK's written opinion said that "there is no end to generative AI services that use content without permission."

It argued that leaving unchecked so-called zero-click searches, in which users can obtain information by viewing AI-generated responses without visiting websites that are the sources of the information, could undermine the functions of news organizations and hinder the public's right to know.

The association also called for making it a legal obligation under the copyright law to respect news outlets' denial of access by AI to their articles without permission.

Japanese news organizations have filed a series of lawsuits over content protection against U.S. startup Perplexity AI Inc., which offers a generative AI-powered search service.
 
 

A Japanese nonprofit organization is giving medical assistance on Indonesia's Sumatra island, where deadly floods have caused heavy damage and many local residents are still evacuated.
 
According to the Indonesian disaster countermeasure agency, the total number of fatalities from the disaster, caused by heavy rain in late November, stood at 1,106 as of Monday.
 
The Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA) which is based in the city of Okayama, sent a medical team earlier this month to Aceh Tamiang on northern Sumatra.
 
AMDA, set up in 1984, provides medical services in areas in and outside Japan that have been affected by disasters or conflict. It also has an office in Indonesia.
 
In Aceh Tamiang, local residents are still without running water, while a key hospital has been damaged. Local sanitary conditions have deteriorated in Aceh Tamiang, where the death toll reached 88.
 
On Sunday, AMDA set up a medical service base with an Indonesian doctor in a riverside community heavily hit by the disaster. Locals thronged to receive treatment for their injuries or check their blood pressure.
 
Many residents were seen moving mud-covered items out of their homes without wearing masks. Some post-disaster reconstruction staff were working barefoot or only in sandals.
 
According to the NGO, many people experienced cuts to their feet due to broken glass buried in mud, while others complained of a sore throat or headache apparently from inhaling dust.
 
The medical team also plans to emphasize psychological care to address any cases of post-traumatic stress disorder.
 
Kumiko Sugahara, 46, a nurse living in Nagano Prefecture, joined the team on Dec. 8.
 
"While I can't save a lot of people, I hope I can support as many people as possible," she said.


 

As bear sightings and attacks continue to unsettle communities, a new AI-powered surveillance system is emerging as a critical tool to help prevent dangerous encounters.

By automatically detecting bears near populated areas and alerting authorities in real time, the system is reshaping how local governments respond to wildlife threats.

The technology uses cameras installed near residential areas to monitor animal movement and identify bears before incidents occur. Once a bear is detected, local government officials are notified by email, allowing them to issue warnings and take swifter action.

The system is being introduced nationwide, including in Gunma, Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures, amid a growing number of bear-related incidents.
Officially named the "AI-Based Automatic Detection and Notification System for Harmful Animals," the platform is commonly referred to as "B Alert," taking its name from the English initial for bears.

It was jointly developed by Hokuriku Electric Power Co, headquartered in Toyama, and Hokutsu Co, a communications systems company based in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture.

Hokutsu representative Daisuke Wada highlighted one of the system's strengths, saying it can detect animals even in dimly lit areas where the human eye has difficulty identifying them.

The system relies on cameras equipped with communication functions that are mounted on trees in mountainous regions and along riverbanks bordering populated areas.

The cameras automatically capture images when they detect body heat, photographing animals such as bears, wild boars, and deer that pass through the area.

From the large volume of images transmitted by the cameras, cloud-based artificial intelligence filters out unnecessary data and focuses exclusively on identifying bears.

When a bear is detected, the system automatically sends images via email to relevant parties, including local government officials.

This automation allows authorities to respond without first dispatching staff to confirm sightings in person. As a result, warnings to residents can be issued more than 30 minutes faster than before, significantly improving response times.

In addition to prefectural governments, municipalities such as Toyama, Fukui, and Kobe have already adopted B Alert, reflecting its growing use as a preventative safety measure.

The development of B Alert was prompted by an incident in 2019 involving a Hokuriku Electric Power maintenance worker. While working on a power transmission tower in Kurobe, Toyama Prefecture, the worker was attacked by a bear and sustained minor injuries. Following the incident, the company began considering countermeasures internally.

At the same time, Toyama Prefecture was experiencing a series of bear-related incidents. Hokuriku Electric shared its concerns with the prefectural government, which subsequently allocated funding for a proof-of-concept experiment. This support led to the start of the system's development.

During development, the artificial intelligence was trained using approximately 60,000 photographs. These included images of bears as well as other wildlife.

Through repeated testing and refinement, the system's identification accuracy reportedly improved to 99.9 percent. Shigeo Hashimoto, deputy section chief at Hokuriku Electric's research institute, said the development team went through trial and error in areas such as camera selection and notification methods.

The need for faster detection became particularly evident in the fall in Toyama, when bears appeared in residential areas.

Two bears were culled under emergency hunting measures that allow municipalities to authorize shooting. In December, a couple in their 70s who were delivering newspapers was attacked and injured.

Against this backdrop, local officials and residents have expressed support for the system.

Hirokazu Sugibayashi, deputy chief of Toyama's forest policy division, said, "(B Alert) contributes to efficiency and labor savings at a time when staff shortages are an ongoing challenge."

Terumasa Yokogoshi, chairman of a neighborhood association in an area affected by repeated bear sightings, said the system provides "welcome reassurance and peace of mind for residents."


 
 

Japan will take "appropriate steps against excessive moves" in the yen, the country's top currency diplomat said Monday, after the currency fell sharply against the U.S. dollar even in the wake of the Bank of Japan further raising its policy interest rate last week.

"We are concerned about one-sided and rapid moves" of the yen, Atsushi Mimura, vice finance minister for international affairs, told reporters after the yen slid to a one-month low of 157.78 against the dollar in New York on Friday.

Separately, Japan's top government spokesman Minoru Kihara echoed the sentiment, saying on Monday, "It is important for currencies to move in a stable manner reflecting (economic) fundamentals."

Kihara, the chief cabinet secretary, told a news conference the government would respond to foreign exchange developments, including those driven by "speculators."

Their remarks followed similar warnings issued by Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama on Friday, which some market participants viewed as jawboning to stem the yen's slide.

While a weaker yen inflates Japanese exporters' overseas earnings in yen terms, it also drives up import costs for the resource-poor nation, weighing on households through higher living costs.

The yen came under pressure after BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda refrained from providing clear clues on future interest rate hikes after the central bank raised its policy rate to a 30-year high at around 0.75 percent.

At noon, the U.S. currency fetched 157.42-43 yen compared with 157.70-80 yen in New York and 156.73-75 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Friday.
 
 

 

The Japanese government and ruling parties began considering tightening the requirement for acquiring Japanese nationality to 10 years of residency or longer in principle, compared with the current five years, informed sources said Monday.

By extending the necessary period of residency to at least 10 years, Japan would bring the nationality requirement into line with that for obtaining permanent residency.

The move is expected to be implemented by changing how the nationality law, which stipulates the requirements for naturalization, is administered instead of by revising the law.

In September, the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai), an opposition party at the time and now a junior ruling party, noted in a policy proposal that the requirement for naturalization, which gives successful applicants a greater legal status, is laxer than that for permanent residency.

Similar concerns have been raised in the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party, prompting Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the party's president, to instruct her government to review the system.

The nationality law requires those seeking Japanese nationality to meet such requirements as having lived in Japan continuously for at least five years, being 18 or older, exhibiting good behavior, being able to support themselves financially and complying with the Constitution.
 
 

Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing will raise base salaries for new graduates in Japan by as much as 12%, stepping up efforts to secure and retain talent as the country’s workers grapple with inflation.

Annual pay will grow by about 12% to ¥5.9 million ($37,400) starting in March for university graduates in management-track programs, the Tokyo-based retailer said in a statement Monday.

Pay for other graduates will increase by about 10% to ¥4.5 million.
"By fostering a virtuous cycle of growth and wage increases, Fast Retailing aims to boost overall productivity and achieve sustainable growth for the company,” the company said.

Fast Retailing implemented a similar wage hike in 2023, bumping up annual pay for full-time employees in Japan by as much as 40%.

The firm’s moves underscore a broader shift toward higher salaries in corporate Japan as labor shortages intensify and consumer prices reach levels not seen in decades.

The average wage in Japan was $49,446 in 2024 — the lowest level of the Group of Seven nations, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development data show — amid decades of economic stagnation.

The U.S. had the G7’s highest level, $82,993, according to the OECD.
 
 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed gratitude over the Japanese government's pledge to provide an additional $6 billion in financial aid to his country next year.

"We greatly appreciate that Japan takes such a leadership position, not only in the Indo-Pacific region but globally," Zelenskyy wrote on X on Friday.

"This is a significant contribution to our resilience, and through it, to the international rules-based order."

"The international order is essential to prevent Russia's twisted war policy from continuing anywhere," he added.
 
 

Japan must strengthen its immigration control to prevent illegal employment while providing more opportunities for foreign residents to learn the Japanese language and deepen their understanding of its culture, an advisory panel said Monday.

The panel, mostly consisting of academics, submitted its recommendations to Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi as his ministry plans to update its basic plan on immigration to realize a more inclusive society in which both Japanese and non-Japanese residents coexist amid a recent sharp rise in foreign residents.

In the report, the panel cited cases of foreigners holding the specialist visa for engineers, interpreters and international service professionals being dispatched instead to illegally work as unskilled laborers.

It urges that the country's immigration authorities get a grip on the situation and make revisions as needed to the current immigration control and residency management system.

The panel also called for more steps to help foreign residents integrate smoothly into society by holding seminars designed to improve their Japanese language skills and learn about Japanese culture and customs.

The Immigration Services Agency will reflect the report in its basic plan for immigration control and residency management, which it compiles every five years.

Established in 1990, the advisory board has held 10 meetings since last December, with Kikumi Noguchi, a board member and executive vice president of Hitotsubashi University, serving as chairperson.
 
 

Toyota Motor Corp said Friday it will aim to import to Japan three models built in the United States from next year, in an apparent response to U.S. President Donald Trump's calls to reduce his nation's trade deficit with Japan.

"By selling these three popular American models in Japan, Toyota will be able to meet the diverse needs of a broad range of customers, while also helping to improve Japan-U.S. trade relations," Toyota said in a press release, unveiling the plan to sell the Camry sedan, Highlander SUV and Tundra pickup truck in the company's home market.

Honda Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co are also looking into shipping vehicles built in the United States to Japan for the same reason, sources close to the matter said earlier.

Toyota's Highlander and Camry were sold in the Japanese market until 2007 and 2023, respectively. The Tundra will be launched in Japan for the first time, with Toyota hoping to tap demand from outdoors enthusiasts attracted to the pickup's rugged image.

"As part of preparations to introduce these models to Japan, Toyota will also make use of a new system being considered by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism following bilateral negotiations," Toyota said.

According to a fact sheet released by the White House following a summit between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in October, the Japanese government committed to a system that would "accept for sale" U.S.-manufactured and U.S. safety-certified vehicles "without additional testing."

"Toyota plans to export its U.S.-made vehicles to Japan and open its distribution platform in Japan to U.S. automakers," the fact sheet said.

Trump has long been critical of what he sees as trade barriers that restrict sales of American-made cars in the Japanese market, though industry experts point to factors such as consumer preferences as an explanation for the unpopularity of vehicles imported from the United States.

To address the trade imbalance, Trump imposed a tariff of 27.5 percent on imported Japanese cars, far higher than the previous 2.5 percent.

The rate on vehicles from Japan was negotiated down to 15 percent in September but still impacted the earnings of major Japanese automakers, including Toyota.
 
 

The government has estimated the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo generated an economic impact of about ¥3.6 trillion, more than ¥650 billon higher than the previous estimate conducted before the event, according to sources.

The latest estimate is the first to reflect the actual circumstances of the expo, such as visitor numbers and consumption trends during the event period from April to October. It will be used to assess the overall results of the Expo.

The government is making arrangements to submit the estimate to officials related to the Expo soon.

In 2024, the government estimated the Expo’s economic impact would be about ¥2.9 trillion. The surge in consumption, particularly of official merchandise, boosted the economic impact.

Similar to the previous estimate, the government analyzed the Expo’s impact on production and consumption based on three criteria: investments in construction, such as expenses for building the venue; effects from organizing the Expo and related events; and visitor spending. Visitor spending showed the greatest increase, reaching about ¥1.7 trillion, which exceeded the previous estimate by about ¥330 billion.

The previous estimate referred to data such as consumption patterns from the 2005 Aichi Expo, and projected the economic impact based on an assumption of achieving a target of about 28.2 million visitors.

In contrast, the latest survey took the actual attendance of about 25.58 million visitors into account. It estimated the consumption spending for shopping, dining and tourism both inside and outside the Expo based on a visitor survey.

Meanwhile, the impact from construction investment rose by about ¥300 billion from the previous estimate to about ¥1.1 trillion, and effects from organizing the Expo and related events rose by about ¥20 billion to around ¥700 billion. In total, the latest estimate rose by more than 20% from 2024.
 
 

 

Toyota Motor Corp has launched a new RAV4 model, installing for the first time a new software system that will enable customers to upgrade their vehicles without having to buy a new one.

The latest RAV4, symbolic of Toyota's push for software-centric vehicles, is available in plug-in hybrid, set to be launched within fiscal 2025, and hybrid electric models. The automaker does not provide a gasoline-powered version of the popular SUV.

Toyota said it plans to sell 3,000 units of the hybrid model per month in Japan, priced from 4.5 million yen.

The sixth-generation RAV4 can receive updates that add new features or enhance existing ones under the Arene software development platform, which was used to develop the cockpit system and advance safety technologies.

As part of safety functions designed to avoid and mitigate collisions, the vehicle can quickly detect deceleration by preceding vehicles and automatically apply the brakes, according to Toyota, which carried out the first revamp of the flagship SUV in over six years.

The launch comes amid the growth of software-centric vehicles from automakers including U.S.-based Tesla Inc and Chinese EV makers.

The RAV4, first released in 1994, helped drive the SUV trend and is especially popular in the United States. Toyota sold about 1.04 million units globally in 2024, accounting for around 10 percent of the automaker's total sales.
 
 

Japan's core consumer prices in November rose 3.0 percent from a year earlier, driven higher by food and energy prices, government data showed Friday.

The increase in the nationwide consumer price index (CPI), excluding volatile fresh food, followed a 3.0 percent rise in October.

 

The inflation rate, a key indicator for the Bank of Japan in determining the timing of rate hikes, has remained at or above the central bank's 2 percent target since April 2022.

Core-core CPI, which strips away both energy and fresh food to reflect underlying price trends, increased 3.0 percent in November.

 

Food prices, excluding fresh items, climbed 7.0 percent, while energy prices climbed 2.5 percent.

A food vendor attracts customers in Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 18, 2025.

 

Japan's core consumer prices in November rose 3.0 percent from a year earlier, driven higher by food and energy prices, government data showed Friday.
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday instructed relevant government agencies to work to hold a summit on artificial intelligence in Japan as early as possible.

The envisaged summit would bring together government officials and researchers from countries around the world to discuss issues such as risks related AI.

"AI will dictate our national power," Takaichi told a meeting of the government's AI strategy headquarters, chaired by the prime minister.
She said it was time for the government to join hands with the private sector and "launch a counteroffensive" in the field of AI.

The government will invest over 1 trillion yen in AI-related measures and make Gennai, a generative AI tool developed by Japan's Digital Agency, available to more than 100,000 Japanese government officials starting in May next year, Takaichi also said.
 
 

Nanto city in Toyama prefecture, western Japan, is set to develop the country’s third and largest data centre cluster, boasting a total power capacity of 3.1 gigawatts, according to a document obtained by Reuters.

The announcement, planned in collaboration with private developer GigaStream Toyama, is expected on Friday, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Once completed, the project will rank among the world’s largest data-centre hubs, comparable to OpenAI’s $500 billion, 10-GW Stargate initiative.

While demand for data centres continues to rise, establishing a resilient third hub outside Japan’s main population centres of Tokyo and Osaka has been challenging.

Currently, these two regions host roughly 85% of the nation’s data centres. The government has stressed the importance of regional diversification to relieve congestion in these areas.

Nanto, located approximately 250 km (155 miles) from both Tokyo and Osaka, is considered a low-risk location for natural disasters. Toyama prefecture is among Japan’s regions with the fewest major earthquakes, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The first phase of the Nanto Campus would support about 400 megawatts of power capacity, equivalent to some of Japan's largest data centres announced so far and capable ​of servicing hyperscale operators such as Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet's Google.

The site will be ready for service ‌by the end of 2028, according to the public-private plan.

GigaStream Toyama, which focuses on preparing infrastructure for data centre operators - a business model similar to that of U.S.-based Lancium and Tract - plans to begin promoting the Nanto Campus at the Pacific Telecommunications Council conference in Honolulu next month, according to the document.

The company is headed by Daniel Cox, a 25-year veteran in the Japanese real estate investment market.

Officials at Nanto city and GigaStream Toyama declined ⁠to comment, saying they would make an announcement soon.

Driven by ​cloud and AI services, Japan's data-centre market is forecast to almost ​double to more than 5 trillion yen ($32 billion) in the five years to 2028, according to research firm IDC Japan.

The government hopes the sector will help it reach a ‍goal of attracting 120 trillion ⁠yen in foreign direct investment by 2030, up from 53.3 trillion yen in 2024.

Unlike in eastern Japan, power is more abundant and generally cheaper in the western region, which is serviced by utilities such ⁠as Hokuriku Electric Power, Kansai Electric Power, Electric Power Development (J-Power) and other smaller operators.

Hokuriku Electric, for example, sells less than half ‌of its maximum potential output even without its idled Shika nuclear power plant.
 
 

Japan ranked 96 out of 123 countries and regions in an English proficiency index, dropping from low to very low for the first time, according to a recent report. 

Japan ranked alongside Afghanistan among the non-native-speaking countries and regions classified as “very low” in the EF English Proficiency Index 2025 released by EF Education First, a global association of education companies headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. 

Among the 25 Asian countries and regions covered by the index, Japan ranked behind neighbors China and South Korea. 

The latest edition of the annual index, published in November, was based on data from 2.2 million takers of a free, online test in 2024. The index included results from optional speaking and writing assessments offered for the first time. 

Japanese test takers scored an average of 446 points across reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, compared to the global average of 488. The average age of test takers was 26.  

A drop of eight points from the previous year left Japan in the very low classification for the first time since the index began in 2011. Top-ranked Netherlands, where English proficiency was classified as very high, scored 624 points. 

People with low proficiency can give a simple self-introduction, including their name, age, and country of origin, according to the index. They can also give basic directions and understand simple signs, among other related tasks. 

While early editions of the index ranked Japan’s proficiency as moderate, it has largely been in decline since, as the number of countries covered by the index has increased.

Japanese learners are not alone in struggling to make progress with their English, however. The index creators said that while demand and investment in developing English skills have not dropped, progress in proficiency has stalled globally. The index has not reported global proficiency gains since 2020. 

In order to expand the pool of talent expected to play active roles globally, the Japanese government aims to have at least 30 percent of public high school students graduate with the equivalent of Grade 2 or higher in the widely used Eiken Test in Practical English Proficiency by fiscal 2027.

Eiken Grade 2 corresponds to between 400 and 499 points on the EF English Proficiency Index, classified as very low to low. 

A survey conducted by The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology found 21.2 percent of high school students to be at an equivalent level in 2024. 
 
 

The first official shop in Southeast Asia for the Tomica miniature car series opened on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur.

Tomy Co., better known as Takara Tomy, opened the shop at a commercial complex in central Kuala Lumpur. This is the second foreign country in which the manufacturer has opened a store, after China.

Products at the Kuala Lumpur store are sold for prices equivalent to about ¥1,100 to ¥3,000. The items are manufactured in Vietnam.

The company previously sold Tomica cars in Malaysia and other Southeastern Asian countries via sales agents. With the launch of its official shop, Tomy aims to raise awareness of Tomica cars in the region and eventually open more stores in nearby countries.

“We hope we can fascinate not just children, but also adult collectors [of our Tomica cars],” said a Tomy official who attended an opening event at the new shop.
 
 

The changes include new options for developers to distribute apps and process payments, and new protections to help reduce privacy and security risks the MSCA creates

Apple today announced changes impacting iOS apps in Japan to comply with the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA).

These updates create new options for developers to distribute apps on alternative app marketplaces and to process app payments for digital goods and services outside of Apple In-App Purchase.

Across these changes, Apple has worked to reduce new privacy and security risks the law creates to provide users in Japan the best and safest experience possible.

The MSCA’s requirements for alternative app marketplaces and app payments open new avenues for malware, fraud and scams, and privacy and security risks.

Apple has worked with Japanese regulators to introduce protections from new threats — including important safeguards for younger users. These protections include Notarization for iOS apps, an authorization process for app marketplaces, and requirements that help protect children from inappropriate content and scams.

While these safeguards do not eliminate the new risks, they are essential to Apple’s work to ensure iOS remains the best, most secure mobile platform available in Japan. Apple will continue to engage with regulators on strengthening protections for iOS users.

Developers can learn about the new capabilities on the Apple Developer Support page and can integrate them into their apps beginning today as part of the iOS 26.2 release.


New Options for Developers to Distribute Apps on iOS in Japan

The App Store — where every app is reviewed to meet the App Store’s high bar for privacy and security — remains the best place for iOS users in Japan to discover and download the apps they love.

This includes App Store features that protect users against fraud and scams and empower parents to ensure their kids have age-appropriate experiences.

With the MSCA’s new requirements, developers will also have the option to distribute iOS apps in Japan using alternative app marketplaces other than the App Store.

Alternative app marketplaces will have to be authorized by Apple and will need to meet ongoing requirements to serve developers and users. However, apps downloaded outside the App Store will not benefit from the same protections Apple provides through App Review, introducing new risks for apps that contain scams, fraud, and abuse, or that expose users to illicit, objectionable, or harmful content not allowed on the App Store.

To reduce some of these new risks, Apple will conduct a baseline review — called Notarization — that applies to all iOS apps and focuses on basic functionality and protecting users from serious threats.

This Notarization process involves a combination of automated checks and human review, and helps ensure apps function as promised and are free of known malware, viruses, or other security threats. However, Notarization is less comprehensive than the App Review process that applies to all apps on the App Store.

Developers can learn more about operating or distributing from alternative app marketplaces on the new Apple Developer Support page.


New Options for Payments in App Store Apps on iOS

On the App Store, users in Japan can continue to use Apple In-App Purchase to buy digital goods and services, manage subscriptions, request refunds, and view their payment history.

To comply with the MSCA, Apple is sharing tools that enable developers to offer more ways for users to purchase digital goods and services in apps on the App Store.

For their iOS apps distributed on the App Store in Japan, developers will be able to include an alternative payment processing method in their app and/or link users to a website to complete a transaction.

These alternative payment options will always be presented alongside Apple In-App Purchase, so that users in Japan are clear on when they are transacting through Apple.

When users choose to pay with Apple In-App Purchase, they’ll continue to receive familiar protections and tools like refund support, subscription management, and Report a Problem. App Store users’ purchase history and subscription management will only reflect transactions made using Apple In-App Purchase.

For apps that use alternative payment processing or link users to the web for transactions, Apple will not be able to issue refunds and will have less ability to support customers encountering issues, scams, or fraud. Users may need to share their payment information with additional parties, which can introduce new privacy and security risks.


Updated Business Terms for iOS Apps in Japan

To reflect these options for app distribution and payment processing, Apple is also sharing updated business terms for developers’ iOS apps in Japan.

These business terms reflect the many ways Apple creates value for developers’ apps, whether or not they use the App Store and/or Apple In-App Purchase.

Under the business terms for iOS apps in Japan, Apple will continue to only charge a commission on the sale of digital goods and services. The new terms include:

• App Store commission: iOS apps on the App Store will pay a reduced commission of either 10 percent for the vast majority of developers — including members of the Small Business Program, Video Partner Program, Mini Apps Partner Program, and for subscriptions following their first year — or 21 percent on transactions for digital goods and services. The App Store commission reflects the value of the tools, technology, and services that enable developers to create apps, in addition to App Store distribution, discovery, and ongoing services.

• Apple payment processing fee: In their iOS apps on the App Store, developers can process payments using Apple In-App Purchase for an additional 5 percent fee.

• Store services commission: iOS apps on the App Store will pay a commission of 15 percent on transactions for digital goods and services made on a website linked to by the developer’s app. Developers in the programs mentioned above, and subscriptions following their first year, will pay a reduced rate of 10 percent.

• Core Technology Commission: iOS apps distributed outside of the App Store will pay a 5 percent commission on the sale of digital goods and services, including paid apps. The Core Technology Commission compensates Apple for the tools, technologies, and services that enable developers to build and share their apps with iOS users.

Under these new business terms, developers that sell digital goods and services in Japan will pay Apple the same or less than they do today. Developers that do not sell digital goods and services will continue not to pay Apple any commissions or fees.


Impacts to Kids’ Online Safety

Apple created the App Store to be a safe place for kids, where parents are empowered to ensure their children have age-appropriate experiences and have the tools they need to keep their children safe online. That’s why Apple has created industry-leading features like age ratings, Content & Privacy Restrictions, content filters, Ask to Buy, and powerful controls that help parents choose how children use their devices.

With the changes introduced under the MSCA, the new options for alternative distribution and payment methods may expose children to new risks. For instance, apps downloaded from outside the App Store may include illicit and objectionable content, and they will not undergo the same rigorous review process Apple employs to evaluate apps made for children on the App Store.

For instance, similar regulatory changes in Europe have enabled types of apps that were previously unavailable on iOS, including pornography apps.

In an effort to reduce new risks of fraud or scams targeting children, Apple has worked with regulators in Japan to preserve some guardrails, including:

• Apps in the Kids category on the App Store will not include links to websites to complete transactions, to reduce the risk of fraud or scams targeting children.

• For users under 18 years old, all apps from the App Store that use alternative payment processing or link to a website for transactions must include a parental gate that requires younger users to involve their parent or guardian before making a purchase. 

• For users under 13 years old, apps from the App Store cannot link to websites for transactions to protect against the risk of scams that target younger kids.

• Apple is also working to provide developers using alternative payments with a new API so they can enable parents to monitor and approve purchases made outside of Apple In-App Purchase.

Developers must also continue to provide age ratings for their apps, whether their app is distributed on the App Store or an alternative app marketplace.

Apple will continue innovating to meet the evolving risks to kids’ safety online by building on the powerful tools and features it makes available today — like Child Accounts, web content filters, app restrictions, monitoring tools like Screen Time and Family Sharing, Communication Safety, and Communication Limits, which help parents shape who their children communicate with and shield them from inappropriate content.



Additional Updates to iOS

Alongside the new app distribution and payment options, Apple has introduced additional controls and choices for users in Japan with the release of iOS 26.2. These include:

• A browser choice screen and search engine choice experience, giving users in Japan new ways to pick their preferred browser and search engine.

• Default controls for navigation apps and app marketplaces.

Across these controls, users can review and adjust their choices at any time in Settings.

For developers, Apple is sharing tools in addition to the new options for alternative distribution and app payments, including:

• New options for developers of browser apps to use alternative browser engines other than WebKit, with strict security and privacy requirements.

• A new API that enables developers of voice-based conversational apps to provide users the option to launch their app with the iPhone side button.

• A process to request interoperability with core technologies in iPhone and iOS.

Apple is providing detailed resources to help developers understand the options now available for their apps in Japan, which they can access from the Apple Developer Support page.
 
 

The Japanese police said on Thursday, they plan to expand the drone flight ban area around the designated location to about 1,000 meters, from the previous 300 meters.

This step is carried out in line with the increase in technology on unmanned aircraft creating an increase in the risk of terrorism.

The National Police Agency hopes to see a revision of the drone law at the next Parliament session, after a report compiled by experts highlighting the increasing capabilities of drones and their wider use.

"Advances in unmanned aircraft technology have raised concerns about long-range attacks and concerns that police officers may not be equipped to respond," the agency said, launching Kyodo News (18/12).

According to other reports and sources, drones are now capable of flying up to 150 kilometers per hour, up from around 50 km/h in 2016 when the law was enacted.

The range of drone video transmission also increased to a maximum of 10 km compared to 200 meters to 300 meters previously. The load capacity also increased from between 80 grams and 5 kilograms to 30 kg.

Some models can also be equipped with firearms and are capable of withstanding the recoil from a shot.

Locations specified around or above the drone are prohibited including the Prime Minister's Office, the Imperial Palace, nuclear power plants, airports and Self Defense Forces (JSDF) facilities, among others.

The agency also plans to temporarily ban flights around the locations of major international events, such as the G7 summit, or domestic ceremonies where VIPs are present.
 

The Japanese government conducted for the first time a tabletop exercise under the scenario of a major infrastructure disruption, given an increase in cyberattacks globally.

Some 300 people from related government organizations and infrastructure businesses, including electricity and gas companies, participated in Thursday's simulation held at the Tokyo metropolitan government.

Through the exercise, the central government aims to identify necessary responses and share them with local governments and businesses.

Participants practiced responding to a situation in which a large-scale blackout has occurred for unknown reasons in the metropolitan area, causing communications and transportation services to shut down.

Precise details of the exercise were not disclosed, but according to the Cabinet Secretariat and the metropolitan government, participants assessed their responses to such an event, including initial information gathering, rescue efforts and support for evacuees, over the first few days.
 
 

The government has launched efforts toward public-private collaboration with Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia to strengthen economic security.

It aims to counter China’s repeated aggressive behavior by advancing international cooperation in industries where Japan holds strengths — including space, undersea cables and defense.

In late November, about 70 representatives from the Japanese and German governments and defense-related companies attended a closed-door meeting in Berlin.

They discussed technologies to neutralize suspicious unmanned aerial vehicles and the utilization and sharing of satellite data, confirming that they would move forward with business cooperation in these fields.

Drones have been used in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and “significantly changed the nature of warfare on the battlefield,” according to a senior Defense Ministry official.

Unmanned aerial vehicles believed to belong to the Chinese military have flown near Japanese waters. In this regard, Japan and Europe share similar concerns.

Japan held similar meetings in Indonesia and Australia from October to November, creating a bridge between their governments and businesses. In Jakarta, officials from NEC Corp., Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and space-related companies attended the meeting.

“As maritime nations, we can cooperate in the management and surveillance of remote islands using satellite technology,” a Japanese attendee said.
Indonesia’s former Ambassador to Japan Heri Akhmadi said that his government wants to promote not only defense cooperation but also technological exchange.

A joint venture between NTT Docomo, Inc. and NEC signed a contract with a local telecommunications company in Indonesia in November, achieving results such as cooperation in telecommunications network development.

“This could be something to counter Chinese telecommunications companies,” a Japanese government official said.

About 100 people attended the meeting in Canberra and confirmed industrial cooperation to strengthen supply chains for rechargeable batteries and critical minerals needed for adopting renewable energy. They also agreed to advance defense industry cooperation, including in drone manufacturing.

Increased dependence on China carries risks; information may be extracted from Chinese-made communication networks, or critical mineral exports may be suspended. Economic coercion is a common challenge faced by many nations, not just Japan.

The government believes hat these efforts not only strengthen the economic security of partner nations but also “contribute to the reinforcement of Japan’s industrial base through the provision of technology and products,” said Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa.

Japan plans to further expand cooperation with Europe, Southeast Asia and other regions in the future.
 
 

 
Financial assets held by Japanese households as of the end of September grew 4.9 pct from a year earlier to 2,286 trillion yen, hitting a record high for two quarters in a row, Bank of Japan data showed Wednesday.

The balance improved for the 11th straight quarter, reflecting higher stock prices and a rise in the yen value of foreign currency-denominated assets due to a weaker yen.

Shares held by households soared 19.3 pct to 317 trillion yen. Investment trust funds jumped 21.1 pct to 153 trillion yen thanks to the new Nippon Individual Savings Account tax exemption program for small-lot investors.

Insurance policies saw a rise of 2.0 pct to 416 trillion yen, supported by a higher valuation of foreign currency-denominated products.

The balance of cash and deposits edged up 0.5 pct to 1,122 trillion yen.
 
 

Dressed in an orange puffer jacket, Japanese scientist Yoshinori Iizuka stepped into a storage freezer to retrieve an ice core he hopes will help experts protect the world's disappearing glaciers.

The fist-sized sample drilled from a mountaintop is part of an ambitious international effort to understand why glaciers in Tajikistan have resisted the rapid melting seen almost everywhere else.

"If we could learn the mechanism behind the increased volume of ice there, then we may be able to apply that to all the other glaciers around the world," potentially even helping revive them, said Iizuka, a professor at Hokkaido University.

"That may be too ambitious a statement. But I hope our study will ultimately help people," he said.

Thousands of glaciers will vanish each year in the coming decades, leaving only a fraction standing by the end of the century unless global warming is curbed, a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change showed.

Earlier this year, AFP exclusively accompanied Iizuka and other scientists through harsh conditions to a site at an altitude of 5,810 metres (about 19,000 feet) on the Kon-Chukurbashi ice cap in the Pamir Mountains.

 

The area is the only mountainous region on the planet where glaciers have not only resisted melting, but even slightly grown, a phenomenon called the "Pamir-Karakoram anomaly".

The team drilled two ice columns approximately 105 metres (328 feet) long out of the glacier.

One is being stored in an underground sanctuary in Antarctica belonging to the Ice Memory Foundation, which supported the Tajikistan expedition along with the Swiss Polar Institute.

The other was shipped to Iizuka's facility, the Institute of Low Temperature Science at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, where the team is hunting clues on why precipitation in the region increased over the last century, and how the glacier has resisted melting.

 

Some link the anomaly to the area's cold climate or even increased use of agricultural water in Pakistan that creates more vapour.

But the ice cores are the first opportunity to examine the anomaly scientifically.

"Information from the past is crucial," said Iizuka.

"By understanding the causes behind the continuous build-up of snow from the past to the present, we can clarify what will happen going forward and why the ice has grown."

Since the samples arrived in November, his team has worked in freezing storage facilities to log the density, alignment of snow grains, and the structure of ice layers.

 

In December, when AFP visited, the scientists were kitted out like polar explorers to cut and shave ice samples in the comparatively balmy minus 20C of their lab.

The samples can tell stories about weather conditions going back decades, or even centuries.

A layer of clear ice indicates a warm period when the glacier melted and then refroze, while a low-density layer suggests packed snow, rather than ice, which can help estimate precipitation.

Brittle samples with cracks, meanwhile, indicate snowfall on half-melted layers that then refroze.

And other clues can reveal more information -- volcanic materials like sulfate ions can serve as time markers, while water isotopes can reveal temperatures.

The scientists hope that the samples contain material dating back 10,000 years or more, though much of the glacier melted during a warm spell around 6,000 years ago.

 

Ancient ice would help scientists answer questions such as "what kind of snow was falling in this region 10,000 years ago? What was in it?" Iizuka said.

"We can study how many and what kinds of fine particles were suspended in the atmosphere during that ice age," he added. "I really hope there is ancient ice."

For now, the work proceeds slowly and carefully, with team members like graduate student Sora Yaginuma carefully slicing samples apart.

"An ice core is an extremely valuable sample and unique," said Yaginuma. "From that single ice core, we perform a variety of analyses, both chemical and physical."

The team hopes to publish its first findings next year and will be doing "lots of trial-and-error" work to reconstruct past climate conditions, Iizuka said.

The analysis in Hokkaido will uncover only some of what the ice has to share, and with the other samples preserved in Antarctica, there will be opportunities for more research.

For example, he said, scientists could look for clues about how mining in the region historically affected the area's air quality, temperature and precipitation.

"We can learn how the Earth's environment has changed in response to human activities," Iizuka said.

With so many secrets yet to learn, the work is "extremely exciting," he added.
 
 

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in January-November is estimated to have totaled 39,065,600, already exceeding the annual record high of about 36.87 million marked last year, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday.

The 11-month figure grew 17.0 pct from a year earlier, putting the full-year tally on track to exceed 40 million for the first time.

In November alone, the estimated number of foreign visitors rose 10.4 pct to 3,518,000.

Meanwhile, the monthly number of visitors from mainland China grew at the slowest pace this year, rising only 3.0 pct to 562,600, the lowest figure so far this year. This reflects Beijing's call for Chinese citizens to avoid visiting Japan, amid heightened tensions between the two countries over Taiwan.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Shigeki Murata noted "very strong growth" in the number of visitors from Europe, the United States, Australia and Middle Eastern countries.
 
 

China and Japan are enmeshed in a spat over Takaichi’s suggestion in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on the self-ruled democratic island.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Wednesday she is “always open” to dialogue with China amid a diplomatic row between Tokyo and Beijing over comments she made about Taiwan.

“China is an important neighbor for Japan, and we need to build constructive and stable relationships,” Takaichi told a news conference.

“Japan is always open to dialogue with China. We’re not shutting our door.”

China and Japan are enmeshed in a spat over Takaichi’s suggestion in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on the self-ruled democratic island.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.

The comments triggered a sharp diplomatic backlash from Beijing, which has urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan.

Chinese military aircraft locked radar onto Japanese jets in the latest incident this month, prompting Tokyo to summon Beijing’s ambassador.
 

 
IBM Japan President Akio Yamaguchi has been chosen to succeed Takeshi Niinami as chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, known as Keizai Doyukai.

Yamaguchi, 61, is set to take the position after his appointment was approved in principle at a board meeting on Tuesday. He is expected to be formally installed after a vote at the organization’s general meeting of members.

Yamaguchi was appointed following the resignation of Niinami, who stepped down on Sept. 30 after controversy over supplements that were suspected of containing illegal ingredients.

Yamaguchi is set to hold the position until March 2026, and then two additional two-year terms that will begin in April 2026.

Yamaguchi joined IBM Japan in 1987 and became president in 2019. He has served as a vice chairman at Doyukai since 2022, and will be only the second person from IBM Japan to lead the organization, following Kakutaro Kitashiro who served in the role from fiscal 2003 through fiscal 2006.

Doyukai is one of Japan’s three major business groups, alongside Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.