Recreational vehicles are attracting ever-rising attention in Japan, not just as campers but as evacuation shelters, traveling hotels and business offices.

According to the Japan Recreational Vehicle Association, the number of such vehicles owned in the country hit 165,000 in 2024, nearly triple the 2005 level of around 50,000.

The tempo of rises was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which boosted demand for places to work and spend time without interacting with others, industry people said.

The association expects the overall figure will climb to 300,000 by 2030.
Also behind the uninterrupted popularity growth is a rapid increase in the number of RV parks, where bathrooms, restaurants, power pedestals and other facilities are available.

The total reached 580 this year, after hitting 300 in 2023, according to the JRVA, which aims to set up 1,000 such parks by 2027.

About 80 pct of users are in their 50s and 60s, a spokesperson for the association said.

But camper manufacturers and sellers have also seen younger customers recently.

"There are increasing numbers of customers in their 30s to 40s," Hiroaki Koga, president of KRC, a Fukuoka-based company that runs Car Shop 3seven77 and other RV businesses, said at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 in Tokyo's Koto Ward.

"RVs were originally meant for camping, but now the use of such vehicles just for overnight stays is becoming popular," he also said.

"Midsize models, especially, are gaining popularity."

Takahiro Kaneda, chief of a product procurement center in Noda, Chiba Prefecture, at custom camper builder FLEX Inc., said that "probably around 60 pct of its customers are in their 30s to 40s."

The company, which focuses on Toyota Motor Corp.'s Hiace van, is based in Tokyo and deals with smaller campers priced around 7 million yen, with a concept of offering everyday RVs. "Hiace Wagon-based campers are particularly popular for their reasonable sizes and as they are easier to park," Kaneda said.

"There are customers who trade in their two vehicles and buy one of our RVs" for both daily and recreational use, he also said.

In the area dedicated to RVs at the show, which ended on November 9, relatively smaller models with sticker prices starting around five million yen, almost half those for large-sized rivals, seemed to attract practical demand.

 

A visitor in his 30s to the area, from Shizuoka Prefecture, said, "I want a camper that can be used daily, including giving my kid a ride."

He then ruled out the idea that his family will own two separate vehicles--one for everyday activities and the other for overnight stays.

"I also like fishing, and I need to be at the fishing point before sunrise," he said on how he would use such a vehicle.
"Hotels are getting more expensive recently."

According to Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd., the average room price of 15 city and no-frills hotel brands of 13 listed operators in Japan had stood at 16,679 yen as of the end of March, up 12.6 pct from a year earlier.

Kristofer Karch, a 30-year-old visitor from the United States, looked around Japanese campers showcased in the RV area to get some inspiration to customize his own camper.

"The Japanese approach to space usage is so much more efficient," said Karch, adding that he plans to use a camper rental service while staying in Japan to actually compare differences between Japanese and U.S. products.

Meanwhile, Natsuki Ichikawa, in her early 40s, from Aichi Prefecture, said her interest was more on what to do in an emergency, especially with her pet, rather than using her car for outdoor purposes.

"I was looking at a small vehicle for evacuation, as we can't take pets to a shelter," Ichikawa noted.

"I'm here to get some interior ideas for my own vehicle."
The JRVA has already found that RVs can play significant roles in supporting disaster relief work.

In the wake of the 7.6-magnitude Noto Peninsula earthquake on January 1, 2024, the association sent 60 campers in the hardest-hit cities of Wajima and Suzu in Ishikawa Prefecture to serve as accommodation facilities for over 200 official response team members dispatchedby local governments across the country.

"The best part of RVs is the speed of the first move" for help, JRVA Chairman Kenji Araki said at the show.

Equipped with independent batteries for air conditioners and other in-car electric appliances, those vehicles were helpful in the disaster, which occurred in the dead of winter in the north-central Japan region, according to the association.

In June this year, the Japanese government started a system to register and manage vehicles such as RVs, food trucks and trailers to be sent to disaster-hit areas in a database called D-TRACE.

Under this framework, the central government will cover up to 90 pct of local governments' costs to operate them.

The mobility exhibition also suggested that campers will increasingly serve as multipurpose mobile spaces.

The Tokyo Future Tour 2035 section showcased Carstay Inc.'s "moonn. T-01," a commercial van-based compact electric camper with solar panels on the roof developed under the "traveling living room" concept.

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp.'s NOMADpro Canter concept showed an interior design with a table, bench, toilet and monitors, proposing one possible use of a truck in the future.

General contractor Takenaka Corp., trailer manufacturer Croco Art Factory and Off-grid Field jointly exhibited the Roomette 1500 trailer, a "mobile house" that can be converted into a highly accessible small office equipped with a satellite communications system and an independent power source.

The three companies also displayed a "mokujiku" timber-frame trailer capable of meeting a variety of demand including for accommodation facilities and business footholds.

In an experimental project, a mokujiku FamilyMart convenience store served workers at the 2025 World Exposition construction site in Osaka.
 
 

Sagawa Express Co, a major Japanese parcel delivery service, suspended cargo collection in parts of the country on Thursday due to capacity overload following a surge in parcels from online Black Friday sales.

It is the first time the firm has halted package acceptance over such a wide area, with the latest suspension covering parts of Honshu and Shikoku, two of Japan's four main islands. Services are expected to resume on Friday.

Black Friday, which comes after Thanksgiving and is known as the busiest shopping time of the year in the United States due to the large number of discounted goods, began spreading to Japan in 2016 and has gained popularity in recent years.

With online shopping platforms operated by Amazon.com Inc. and Rakuten Group Inc, as well as Japanese retail giant Aeon Co., joining the campaign, the number of parcels this year has increased more than usual.

Japan's aging workforce and tough working conditions meant there was already a labor shortage in its logistics industry before overtime restrictions for drivers of trucks, taxis and buses were introduced in 2024 to prevent overwork.

Experts say the cap has led to the further shortage of drivers, with firms no longer able to deal with the surge in package deliveries.

Sagawa Express said that while parcel storage at branches and corporate pickups were suspended, it has continued delivering items that have already been accepted.

The northern main island of Hokkaido and southwestern Japan prefectures, including Okinawa, however, were not affected.

Yamato Transport Co, another major parcel delivery service in Japan, also said on its website Thursday that deliveries could be delayed amid the busy Christmas and year-end shopping season.

A public relations official at Yamato Transport said the firm will minimize delays by properly deploying delivery personnel and vehicles based on the predicted parcel volume.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Style icon, but no feminist

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

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

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

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

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

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

Japan’s Nikkei share average closed at a three-week high on Thursday, extending its rally for a third session, as robot makers led gains on bets that physical AI will fuel growth.

The Nikkei .N225 climbed 2.33% to 51,028.42, its highest close since November 13. The broader Topix .TOPX closed at a record high, rising 1.92% to 3,398.21.

Robot maker Fanuc 6954.T jumped 12.98% to top the Nikkei gainers, extending its 18.4% surge this week after announcing a partnership with U.S. chip giant Nvidia NVDA.O to develop industrial robots powered by “physical AI,” which integrates artificial intelligence with robotic hardware.

“The market focus has shifted to robotics-related shares from chip stocks. This means investors keep looking for new themes,” said Kazuaki Shimada, chief strategist at IwaiCosmo Securities.

Fanuc’s peer Yaskawa Electric 6506.T jumped 11.37%. Earlier this week, Yaskawa also announced a tie-up in physical AI with SoftBank Group 9984.T.

SoftBank Group 9984.T jumped 9.18%.

Nabtesco 6268.T, another robot maker, jumped 11.28%.

Chip-testing equipment maker Advantest 6857.T slipped 0.77%.

“The market is not rising in a broad-based rally these days, but if investors sell some shares, they buy others, which means the money is rotating,” Shimada said.

Banks rebounded from the previous session’s declines, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group 8306.T and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group 8316.T up 1.82% and 1.72%, respectively.

Drug maker Sumitomo Pharma 4506.T fell 4.73% to become the biggest percentage loser on the Nikkei.

Of the more than 1,600 stocks trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s (TSE) prime market, 79% rose, 17% fell, and 3% traded flat.
 

 

The World Exposition in Osaka is estimated to have generated an economic ripple effect of 3.05 trillion yen, sowing the seeds for economic growth while the benefits struggled to expand to a wide area beyond the venue, according to a report by a private think tank.

The Asia Pacific Institute of Research calculated that the expo generated over 1 trillion yen in estimated visitor spending within and outside the venue, as well as a positive impact on production and employment across a wide range of industries, including venue construction.

The total estimate fell short of the projected 3.37 trillion yen in 2024 when the institute introduced the concept of a "Greater Expo," which envisioned the region surrounding Osaka as a virtual pavilion that would host events to encourage regional tourism.

The six-month expo ended on Oct 13, attracting over 25 million visitors.
Visitor spending, which was calculated using survey responses to shopping and dining expenditures, found that the average amount spent per person stood at 13,162 yen for residents of Osaka Prefecture, 19,414 yen for residents of the surrounding Western Japan region, and 59,025 yen for residents of other parts of Japan.

Meanwhile, inbound visitors spent 148,430 yen per person, with accommodation costs pushing the total higher.

Total spending within and outside the venue, including those by affiliated personnel, amounted to 1.04 trillion yen, with the spillover effect for purchases of raw materials and ingredients estimated to be 1.64 trillion yen.

The 2024 estimated cost of expo-related projects, including venue construction and operating expenses, remained at 1.41 trillion yen.

The institute noted that although merchandise sales were strong, boosted by the popularity of the expo's mascot, Myaku-Myaku, the economic benefits were concentrated in Osaka Prefecture, making it challenging to expand tourism across the wider region.
 
 

Japan's rice price outlook index fell 7 points from the previous month to 32 in November, an organization comprising the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, or Zen-Noh, and others said Thursday.

The result reflects increased rice harvests and anticipated higher private-sector inventories at the end of June next year.

The diffusion index for the outlook on rice prices over the next three months is based on a monthly survey of rice producers, buyers, wholesalers and retailers. The November survey received 137 valid responses.

Higher readings in the index indicate wider expectations of a price increase. The latest reading was even below 35 in June, when prices were expected to drop due to the release of government-stockpiled rice.
 

 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday said that the Japanese economy is gradually shifting from a cost-cutting economy under deflation to a growth-oriented economy.

"We will aim to increase tax revenue without raising tax rates" based on the administration's "responsible and proactive" fiscal policy, the prime minister went on to say at a plenary meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament.

Also at the meeting, Takaichi defended the acceptance of corporate donations exceeding the upper limit set by the political funds control law in 2024 by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party branch she heads, saying, "I don't think it's inherently inappropriate (for a party branch) to receive donations from companies and organizations."

In a parliamentary debate with opposition party leaders in November, Takaichi made a remark that could be interpreted as suggesting that reducing the number of House of Representatives seats is more important than restricting donations by companies and organizations.

On this, Takaichi stated that she made the remark "to change the topic in a hurry when there was no time left (for the debate)."

 
 

More train cars with large open areas are appearing in the Tokyo metropolitan area, allowing passengers with baby strollers or in wheelchairs to board without hesitation.

Seibu Railway Co. was a pioneer in introducing these cars, and Keio Corp. will also begin operating similar cars from early next year.

Parents who often travel with young children have been pleased with the change, as it makes it easier to use trains.

In late October, Keio Corp., the operator of Keio and other lines, held a ceremony to unveil a new model of train car with large open spaces. Miki Fujimoto, a 44-year-old TV personality and the mother of three children aged 5 to 13, took to the stage as a guest speaker and shared her difficult experiences in the past.

“Until recently, other passengers complained and told me to fold up [my stroller],” she said.

Fujimoto said she often traveled by train with her children, pushing a stroller and carrying lots of bags. She was pleased with the introduction of the new train cars.

“We will have a space allowing various people [including those raising children and wheelchair users] to ride trains with a sense of relief.”
Each of Keio’s 2000 series trains, which will begin operation in late January, has 10 cars. Fourteen seats have been removed from one of the cars to create an open space.

The new car is also characterized by its large windows so that even little children can watch the scenery outside.

The company decided to introduce these cars to encourage people raising children and the elderly, who tend to avoid traveling by train, to ride the trains more readily. The reason behind this move is that the number of commuters on its lines dived during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the company’s 84 trains and 726 cars currently in use, it plans to replace one regular car with one with the large open space in four trains by March 2027.

“We want people of any generation to use our trains,” said a Keio official.

 

Little known, few in number

A council set up by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry compiled a report in 2014 that said, “Operators of public transportation should accommodate those with baby strollers so that they do not need to fold them up.”

However, according to sources at railway companies, the reality is that people with baby strollers avoid catching trains during rush hour when train cars are congested or travel with their babies in slings.
Given this situation, Seibu Railway set up large open spaces in its trains in 2017.

Currently, one such car has been introduced for each of its 26 trains, which are being operated on train lines including the Ikebukuro and Shinjuku lines.
The Tokyo metropolitan government, operator of Toei Subway lines, introduced train cars with large spaces in 2019 to assist those raising children.

Two such cars are included in each of its 71 trains on the Mita, Asakusa, Shinjuku and Oedo lines. The walls inside the cars are decorated with characters popular with children.

However, one task remains. Cars with large open spaces are still few in number and therefore not well known. As there are only a few trains with these cars, there are limited opportunities to use them.

“These high-quality measures for accessibility are a new movement,” said Chuo University Prof. Tetsuo Akiyama, who is an expert in urban transport planning. “It is necessary to spread the word so that not only child-rearing generations but many other people will understand that good spaces have been introduced.”

The central government promotes the smooth movement of the elderly and those with baby stroller in the belief that it is important for everyone to be able to use the railway safely, securely and smoothly.

“We will make efforts to increase the number of train cars in which everybody can easily ride,” said Takuya Ogawa, deputy chief of the transport ministry’s Policy Division for Inclusive Society.
 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Japanese government and the ruling bloc are considering expanding the deductible amount under a corporate tax break program designed to encourage more firms to relocate their headquarters functions from Tokyo's 23 special wards to regional areas, it was learned Tuesday.

The deadline for the program, currently set at the end of March 2026, is likely to be extended, informed sources said.

The details will be decided through further discussions. The government aims to include the expansion in its tax system reform package for fiscal 2026, which starts next April.

Under the program, companies that relocate their headquarters functions from Tokyo's 23 special wards to regional areas can receive a tax cut equivalent to 7 pct of the cost of obtaining an office building.

If a company expands its existing headquarters functions outside Tokyo, it can receive a tax break equivalent to 4 pct of the cost of acquiring a building.
 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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


A Test of Trust for TEPCO

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

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

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


Energy Security vs. Public Safety

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

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

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

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


The Economic Imperative

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



Pressure to change law

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



Rapidly dwindling imperial family

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Japan has had 8 female monarchs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A task force under Japan's financial watchdog has begun discussions to tighten rules on crypto assets, including measures against insider trading and steps to protect users, as authorities seek to crack down on illicit deals amid growing demand for the assets as investment products.

The working group of the Financial Services Agency plans to soon compile a report outlining the specifics of the tighter rules under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, which covers securities such as stocks and bonds.

In Japan, crypto assets, such as Bitcoin, are currently regulated under the Payment Services Act as a means of settlement.

According to the draft proposals, digital currencies could become subject to insider trading regulations, which would prohibit trading by those who learn of undisclosed information, such as an issuer's bankruptcy.

Operators that issue crypto assets to procure funds would be required to disclose information on supply amounts and the technologies they use, according to the draft.

The watchdog is also considering protecting users by requiring crypto asset exchange service providers to accumulate reserve funds to compensate those who suffer losses from fraudulent trading.
 
 

Pretax profits at Japanese companies in the July-September period rose 19.7 percent from a year earlier to 27.54 trillion yen ($177 billion), marking a fourth straight quarterly increase, driven by strong demand in the field of artificial intelligence, the Finance Ministry said Monday.

Although pretax profits in the transportation equipment sector tumbled 14.0 percent due to higher U.S. tariffs, among manufacturers as a whole they climbed 23.4 percent to 10 trillion yen on robust demand for AI data centers and semiconductor-making equipment.

Nonmanufacturers reported a 17.6 percent increase in pretax profits to 17.54 trillion yen, boosted by increased customer numbers and average spending at restaurants and accommodation facilities.

In the nonmanufacturing sector, construction companies saw a 48.6 percent surge in pretax profits on large-scale projects and rising construction costs, the ministry said.

In the third quarter of 2025, capital spending by all nonfinancial sectors for purposes such as building factories and purchasing equipment grew 2.9 percent to 13.81 trillion yen, rising for the third consecutive quarter.

Among the sectors that boosted investment, information and communication service providers expanded AI-related capacity and steel companies advanced decarbonization efforts, the ministry said.

Takafumi Fujita, an economist at the Meiji Yasuda Research Institute, said Japanese companies managed to withstand the negative impact of U.S. trade policy in the July-September period.

The Japanese and U.S. governments agreed in July to lower vehicle duties to 15 percent from 27.5 percent imposed earlier by President Donald Trump, with the new rate taking effect in mid-September.

"It is encouraging that we saw solid results in growth areas," Fujita said, pointing to robust performances in sectors such as AI and semiconductors.
Sales grew 0.5 percent to 379.04 trillion, up for the 18th straight quarter.

The latest figures will be used to revise Japan's gross domestic product data for the July-September period showing the economy shrank an annualized real 1.8 percent, marking the first contraction in six quarters.

The Cabinet Office will release the revised GDP data next Monday.
For the reporting quarter, the ministry surveyed 26,574 companies capitalized at 10 million yen or more, excluding those in the banking and insurance sectors, of which 19,255, or 72.5 percent, responded.
 
 

BYD Co. released its first plug-in hybrid model for the Japanese market on Monday as the Chinese electric vehicle giant seeks to expand sales in the country where EV adoption is slow.

The plug-in SUV, the Sealion 6, features BYD's DM-i hybrid system, which enables quiet and smooth acceleration and low fuel consumption during long-distance driving.

Its front-wheel-drive version sells for 3,982,000 yen and the four-wheel-drive version for 4,488,000 yen.

BYD has sold over 7.4 million plug-in hybrids globally since mass-producing them in 2008. The company started sales of its passenger cars in Japan in 2023.

In Japan, BYD currently sells four EV models. It plans to add an electric minivehicle as early as summer 2026.
 
 

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All Nippon Airways said Saturday morning that it had canceled 95 domestic flights to update software on 34 of its Airbus A320 aircraft.

About 13,200 people have been affected by the cancellations, which include flights between Haneda Airport and Kansai Airport.

The airline also said flights scheduled for Sunday and later may be affected.
Meanwhile, budget airlines Star Flyer and Peach Aviation said Saturday that they will also update the software of their Airbus aircraft, though neither had any flight cancellations planned.

Japan Airlines, which does not own any aircraft in need of the software update, said that it had no plans to cancel flights.

Airbus A320 series entered commercial service in 1988 and competes globally against Boeing 737 series.

More than 12,000 A320 aircraft, Airbus’ best-selling model, have been delivered to airline companies to date.
 
 

Toyota Motor Corp said Thursday its global output in October rose 3.8 percent from a year earlier to 926,987 units, hitting a record high for a single month for the first time in nearly two years, driven by robust hybrid sales in North America.

While the world's largest automaker by volume was adversely affected by higher U.S. tariffs, its global sales climbed 2.1 percent to 922,087 units, the highest for October and surpassing the year-earlier level for the 10th consecutive month.

Toyota's overseas production grew 2.2 percent to 600,155 vehicles. Global output exceeded the previous year's level for the fifth straight month, with production in the United States surging 26.4 percent to 137,262 units.

Production in the major auto market was boosted by a recovery from an output suspension due to recalls of some models last year in addition to strong demand for hybrid vehicles, according to Toyota.

In contrast, output in China slumped 6.4 percent to 132,834 vehicles, as government subsidies ended in more parts of the major Asian market.

Domestic production grew 6.8 percent to 326,832 vehicles, reflecting a rebound following a certification scandal in 2024.

Toyota's overseas sales increased 3.3 percent to 784,581 units, marking a record high for October.

In the United States, sales rose 11.8 percent to 207,910 vehicles, while those in India jumped 37.1 percent to 41,664 units, boosted by the effects of tax breaks for car purchases.

However, sales in China declined 6.6 percent to 160,886 vehicles and those in Japan dropped 4.2 percent to 137,506 units.

Total global production by the eight major Japanese automakers slipped 1.5 percent to 2,227,509 units, with five companies seeing a fall due to high tariffs imposed by the United States.

The country's second-biggest automaker, Honda Motor Co., said production shrank by 10.9 percent to 302,671 units, hit by a semiconductor shortage.

The Chinese-owned, Netherlands-based Nexperia BV halted chip shipments on the back of a trade row between China and the Netherlands, which led to the brief closure of its factory in Mexico at the end of October.

Struggling Nissan Motor Co. saw global output sink by 5.0 percent to 276,323 units, dragged down by a 19.3 percent plunge in domestic production.

Meanwhile, Suzuki Motor Corp. saw production grow 6.0 percent to 304,917 units, up for the second straight month, due to strong demand in India.
 

 

The Japanese government adopted on Friday a fiscal 2025 draft supplementary budget with 18,303.4 billion yen in general-account spending to finance an economic package centered on aid for household finances and growth investments.

It is the first draft budget that has been drawn up under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who advocates "responsible and proactive" fiscal policy.

The total outlay is the largest ever for a supplementary budget, excluding the three years through fiscal 2022, when government spending ballooned due to COVID-19 measures.

The government plans to finance more than 60 pct of the extra budget through new issuances of government bonds.

The draft budget is expected to be submitted to parliament early next month, with the aim of enactment by the end of the year.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Japan’s industry ministry decided Friday to invest ¥100 billion in Rapidus Corp., which aims to mass-produce cutting-edge chips domestically.

In addition to becoming the chipmaker’s largest stockholder, the government will also hold a so-called golden share that gives it veto rights over key management decisions such as director appointments.

Rapidus showed in a business strategy a plan to go public in fiscal 2031.
The ¥100 billion investment will be made through the government-affiliated Information-Technology Promotion Agency.

“It’s a national project that must succeed for the national interest,” industry minister Ryosei Akazawa told a press conference the same day. The minister emphasized the significance of supporting Rapidus as the company needs to strengthen its financial base in order to attract private-sector investment.

The government decided on the investment based on a report from an expert panel that concluded the company’s business strategy is reasonable.

The state plans to spend more than ¥1 trillion on Rapidus through investment and consignment expenses in fiscal 2026 to fiscal 2027, and help the company secure over ¥2 trillion in private-sector loans with debt guarantees.

The private sector is expected to invest about ¥130 billion in Rapidus in fiscal 2025, and the firm aims to secure more investments to increase the total to about ¥1 trillion .

Rapidus plans to start mass-producing semiconductors with a circuit line width of 2 nanometers in fiscal 2027. It plans to advance miniaturization every two to three years to achieve mass production of 1.4- and 1-nanometer chips.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Japanese beer giant Asahi said Thursday it has delayed the release of full-year financial results due to a major ongoing cyberattack that began in late September.

"While the Company is making every effort to restore the system as quickly as possible, it has decided to postpone the announcement of financial results for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025," Asahi said in a statement.

"Regarding product supply, shipments are resuming in stages as system recovery progresses. We apologize for the continued inconvenience and appreciate your understanding," said CEO Atsushi Katsuki.

The maker of Asahi Super Dry, one of Japan's most popular beers, said on September 29 that it was hit by a ransomware attack, becoming the latest high-profile global company to be targeted.

A ransomware attack is when online actors use malicious software to lock or encrypt a victim's systems and then demands payment for restoring their functions.

The company has not disclosed the identity or the demands of the attacker.
But hacker group Qilin, believed to be based in Russia, issued a statement that Japanese media interpreted as a claim of responsibility.

Other global brands have also recently experienced similar attacks.
Indian-owned Jaguar Land Rover was forced to seek emergency funding after a damaging cyberattack halted operations at its UK factories.

Japanese retailer Muji said in October that it had stopped its domestic online shopping service after a ransomware attack on delivery partner Askul.
A survey released in June has found that a third of Japanese businesses have experienced cyberattacks of some sort.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A survey of new condominium transactions in major metropolitan areas showed a rise in buyers with overseas addresses, with Tokyo seeing the share double to 3.0 percent in the January-June period of 2025, the land ministry said.

Speculative purchases that drive up prices without actual demand are believed to exist, analysts said, prompting the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to consider countermeasures regardless of whether buyer addresses are in Japan or abroad.

When limited to the six central Tokyo wards, including Chiyoda hosting the Imperial Palace as well as many government offices and leading businesses, the share rose from 3.2 percent to 7.5 percent, underscoring a surge in purchases linked to overseas addresses.

Land minister Yasushi Kaneko acknowledged that the Japanese government does not have data on the nationalities of buyers, but said at a press conference on Tuesday, "Speculative transactions not based on actual demand are undesirable."

He said the ministry will work with the real estate industry to curb such activity, with a source close to the matter saying Japan is considering a system that would require property transfer registration applicants to disclose their nationality.

Outside Tokyo, Sapporo in northernmost Hokkaido recorded a near-tripling of its share, climbing from 0.7 percent to 2.0 percent. The figure in Kanagawa Prefecture, which borders Japan's capital, also grew from 0.3 percent to 1.0 percent.

The survey was conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism for the first time amid concerns that speculative purchases by foreign buyers are driving up condominium prices.

As nationality is not recorded in property registry data, the ministry identified buyers by the addresses listed in those records.

Takaichi, who took office on Oct. 21, has pledged to introduce stricter rules on land acquisition by nonresident foreigners, as she has pursued policies shaped by her conservative and hawkish views on defense and economic security.
 
 

Just days after China issued an advisory against traveling to Japan, the cancellations began.

About 3,000 Chinese tourists visit Rie Takeda’s tearoom in a Tokyo alley each year. But some 200 have already canceled bookings for her tea ceremony classes, stretching as far ahead as January.

“I just hope the Chinese tourists return by Chinese New Year,” she said, referring to the major holiday in February. Past experience suggests the wait could be much longer.

China is again turning to a familiar playbook to signal its displeasure with Japan for refusing to retract a statement by its new prime minister on the highly sensitive issue of Taiwan.
 
 

Japanese brewing giant Asahi aims to restore its systems after a major cyberattack that disrupted its operations by February, media reports said on Friday.

The maker of Asahi Super Dry, one of Japan's most popular beers, started experiencing system troubles on September 29, stopping its ability to receive orders and to ship products. It has blamed a ransomware attack.

The brewer has informed its business partners of plans to return to normal product orders and shipments as early as February, public broadcaster NHK reported, citing unnamed sources.

A source familiar with the issue, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said that "the company is explaining to its business partners it aims to restore the system in February."

Asahi plans to hold a press conference next week to explain the cyberattack's impact on business and to what extent personal information was leaked, and to share information about restoring its systems, NHK said.

The business daily Nikkei reported similar details.

Output at Asahi's 30 domestic factories was not directly affected by the system shutdown but production had to stop due to the company-wide problem.

The brewer said early last month production at six beer factories resumed, while it was processing orders by hand in an effort to swerve potential drinks shortages.
 
 

Japan's House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, on Tuesday passed legislation to scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge of 25.1 yen per liter, effective Dec. 31.

The legislation, adopted at a Lower House plenary meeting, also states that the provisional gas oil delivery tax surcharge of 17.1 yen per liter will be abolished April 1 next year.

The legislation, which will be sent to the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, is expected to be enacted as early as this month.

In August, opposition parties jointly submitted the legislation to the Lower House, proposing the abolition of the surcharges in November.

After the Nov. 1 deadline, the legislation was revised by six major parties--the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People, Komeito and the Japanese Communist Party.
 
 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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