Asian shares tumbled Wednesday, with South Korea's benchmark plunging more than 11%, while oil prices climbed even higher as the war with Iran widened.

Worries over Iran have hammered most world markets, spooking investors who fear more spikes for oil prices may grind down the global economy and sap corporate profits.

South Korea's Kospi led the regional losses as energy security concerns vanquished optimism over the boost computer chipmakers like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have been getting from expanding use of artificial intelligence.

The Kospi sank 11.5% to 5,127.28. Samsung's shares dropped 9.1%, while SK Hynix gave back 6.5%.

The Korea Exchange temporarily halted trading for the Kospi index, while a circuit breaker was also triggered on the tech-oriented Kosdaq after it fell by more than 8%. It later dropped 12%.

South Korea’s stock market has been one of the world’s best performers this year, but its economy depends heavily on trade and fuel imports, that are threatened with disruptions to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow gateway to the Persian Gulf through which roughly a fifth of globally traded oil passes.

The rise in oil prices appeared to moderate after U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he had ordered the U.S. Development Finance Corp. to provide political risk insurance and guarantees for financial security of all maritime trade.

“If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible,” Trump said in a message posted by the White House on X.

The price of U.S. benchmark crude oil climbed 1.3% to $75.53 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 1.7% to $82.74 per barrel. Its price has jumped more than 13% since the war began.

“Trump’s assurances of the U.S. underwrite shipping insurance against Middle East conflict risks and even U.S. naval escorts only mitigate, but do not eliminate, enduring upside risks to oil prices,” Mizuho Bank said in a commentary.

The increased insurance costs filtering through to shipping would ultimately cost an extra $5 to $15 a barrel.

It said that “evolving Middle East risks, entailing escalating attacks, means that the ‘war premium’ remains firmly intact.”

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 shed 3.61% to 54,245.54. Like South Korea and Taiwan, Japan depends heavily on imports of oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf.

Elsewhere in Asia, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong fell 2.9% to 25,023.18 and the Shanghai Composite index shed 1.2% to 4,074.22.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 1.9% to 8,901.20.

Taiwan's Taiex lost 4.4% and shares in Bangkok sank 8%.

On Tuesday, the S&P 500 finished with a loss of 0.9%, at 6,816.63, after dropping as much as 2.5% on concerns over the war’s damage to the economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average pared its loss to 0.8%, closing at 48,501.27.

The Nasdaq composite fell 1% to 22,516.69.

In the bond market, Treasury yields leaped in the morning with worries about inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury briefly rose above 4.10% before pulling back just below 4.06%. It was at 4.05% late Monday and just 3.97% on Friday.

Higher yields can make it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money, affecting everything from mortgages to bond issuances. They also put downward pressure on prices for stocks and all kinds of other investments.

Some analysts say stocks could rebound if the war doesn’t last that long. But they acknowledge it could take a while for that to become clear, and Tuesday’s swings for markets showed how uncertain things are.

The more evident impact has been on the average price of a gallon of gasoline. Drivers in Europe and some Asian cities waited in line to fill their tanks with fuel.

While the U.S. does not face a shortage as a net oil exporter, prices are influenced by global market trends.

In the U.S., a gallon of regular was selling for $3.11 on average, up 11 cents, according to motor club AAA, surprising some drivers at the pump. Gasoline prices were already rising before the U.S. launched strikes on Iran as refiners were switching over to summer blends of fuel.
The war could have broader implications.

Higher inflation partly due to the war could tie the Federal Reserve’s hands and keep it from cutting interest rates. The Fed lowered rates several times last year and indicated more cuts were to come in 2026. That would help boost the economy and job market, but lower rates can also worsen inflation.

In other dealings, the dollar fell to 157.61 Japanese yen from 157.74 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1592 from $1.1612.

The price of gold rose 0.9%, while silver gained 1.5%.
 
 

A Japanese appellate court has ordered the group formerly known as the Unification Church to disband as a religious corporation.

With the order's issuance, procedures will immediately be put in motion to liquidate the group's assets.

Presiding Judge of the Tokyo High Court Miki Motoko issued the order on Wednesday, dismissing the group's appeal and upholding a lower court decision.

Japan's education ministry asked the Tokyo District Court in 2023 to issue a dissolution order over the group's practice of soliciting large donations from members or having them buy expensive items by exploiting fears about their spiritual wellbeing.

The district court issued the order in March last year, saying the group caused financial damage totaling about 20.4 billion yen, or about 130 million dollars, to more than 1,500 people.

The group appealed the decision. During the high court hearings, the group insisted that dissolution was unnecessary because it had been engaged in collective negotiations and taken other measures to resolve the issue.

The high court order takes effect immediately. A court-appointed liquidator will now start the process including disposing of the group's assets and compensating people who suffered financial damage.

The group will lose its tax-exempt status as a religious corporation. Its executives will also step down.

The group can still appeal to the Supreme Court. But unless the dissolution order is reversed, the liquidation process will continue.

This is the third time a religious corporation in Japan has been ordered dissolved for legal violations. Past cases included the Aum Shinrikyo cult.
The latest dissolution order marks the first time one has been issued on the grounds of civil wrongdoing.
 

 

A Japanese startup on Wednesday made a last-minute decision to cancel its postponed launch of a small rocket, a flight that would have made it the first private entity to put a satellite into orbit on its own.

Space One Co. said it aborted the process 30 seconds before the planned liftoff of the Kairos No. 3 rocket from a site in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan. The 18-meter, 23-ton solid-fuel rocket was loaded with five satellites for the Taiwan Space Agency and other entities.

The company said the launch was aborted because the vehicle could not receive stable positioning satellite signals, which are used to track its location and speed.

It also revealed that the new launch date has been set for Thursday at 11:10 a.m.

 

Weather conditions had forced the Tokyo-based startup to reschedule the launch initially set for February. It was postponed until Sunday and then to 11 a.m. Wednesday, again due to unfavorable weather conditions.

The company is aiming to provide low-cost, speedy space transport, with a target of 30 rocket launches per year in the 2030s.

Founded in 2018, the company has failed twice in its attempt to launch a rocket. The first Kairos rocket exploded about five seconds after liftoff in March 2024 due to an error in thrust prediction.

Its second unsuccessful rocket launch in December that year ended in self-destruction following an altitude control problem.
 

 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will host an annual evening meal for ambassadors of Islamic countries to Japan on March 12, sources said Wednesday.

Every year, the government holds an "iftar," the feast after sunset to break the daytime fast during the period of Ramadan, at the prime minister's office in Tokyo.

At this year's iftar, Takaichi and ambassadors are expected to exchange views on ways to help de-escalate tensions around Iran that intensified due to the U.S.-Israeli attacks since Saturday.

Takaichi will also seek cooperation to ensure the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint in a key oil transport route that has been effectively blocked, and to secure the safety of Japanese nationals in the Middle East.

The iftar hosted in March last year by then Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was attended by ambassadors to Japan and other representatives from 45 economies, including Iran, Jordan and Indonesia.
 

 

Japan's unemployment rate in January rose to 2.7 percent from 2.6 percent in the previous month, climbing for the first time in five months, as more workers left their jobs to seek improved conditions, government data showed Tuesday.

The number of people with jobs edged down 0.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted 68.17 million, dropping for the first time in five months, while those without jobs rose 3.2 percent to 1.91 million, marking a second straight month of increase, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.

Of those not in work, 450,000 were dismissed, unchanged from December, while 820,000 people left their jobs voluntarily, typically to seek better conditions, up 7.9 percent.

Those newly seeking jobs decreased 3.6 percent to 540,000, according to the ministry.

"More workers may be quitting their jobs after receiving winter bonuses and looking for positions with higher salaries," a ministry official said.

The job availability ratio edged down 0.02 point from December to 1.18, meaning there were 118 jobs available for every 100 job seekers, marking the first decline in three months, according to separate data.

By industry, new job openings plunged 13.8 percent in accommodation and restaurant services, while there were 11.6 percent fewer new job offers in the wholesale and retail sector in January compared with a year earlier, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said.

In contrast, new job openings increased 4.3 percent in the education sector, 0.8 percent in manufacturing and 0.3 percent in scientific research, professional and technical services.

A labor ministry official said that "rising prices and labor costs are accelerating moves to cut workers and improve efficiency, including by utilizing artificial intelligence."
 
 

The Japanese government is considering establishing an expert panel in late April toward revising its three key national security-related documents by the end of this year, informed sources said Tuesday.

The panel is expected to discuss new numerical targets for boosting defense spending and strengthening combat sustainability.

Based on the discussions, the government plans to draft outlines as early as this summer for a bill to update the three documents, government and ruling party officials said.

Experts on defense and security policies, cybersecurity and space will take part in the panel. They are likely to discuss responses to threats from China and ways to deal with new forms of warfare, such as the massive use of drones.

The government will move forward with the revision of the three documents, including the National Security Strategy, after taking into account proposals to be compiled by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party around Japan's Golden Week holiday period from late April to early May.
 
 

 

Japan plans to develop guidelines on dual pricing at public tourism facilities, its transport minister said Tuesday, as setting different prices for local residents and tourists has been gathering steam as a strategy to address overtourism.

Although setting prices should primarily be left to each operator to weigh demand and other factors, transport minister Yasushi Kaneko said it is necessary for the government to provide guidance.

"It's important that prices are set in a way that will enable (businesses) to sustain their operations and services going forward," Kaneko told a press conference.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is expected to ask a panel of experts to discuss the guideline details.

Japan, which is seeking to further boost inbound tourism, saw a record number of foreign visitors last year, with the total surpassing the 40 million mark for the first time. However, this surge has also raised issues, including congestion and poor behavior.

According to the Japan Tourism Agency, facilities use various pricing methods. For example, they may provide discounts for local residents or allow children to use their facilities free of charge.

On Sunday, the western Japanese city of Himeji, home to Himeji Castle, increased the entry fee for the World Heritage site from 1,000 yen ($6.4) to 2,500 yen for nonresidents aged 18 and older.

Kyoto, another popular tourist destination known for its temples and traditional culture, is considering raising the public bus fare for nonresidents to the western Japan city while lowering the current flat rate for residents, starting in fiscal 2027.

The Japanese government is asking national museums to consider the introduction of dual pricing by the end of March 2031.
 
 

Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman on Tuesday dispatched 545 tons of poultry and products worth Rp18.2 billion (US$1.2 million) to Singapore, Japan, and Timor Leste, expanding Indonesia’s strategic food commodity exports.

“Today we are sending poultry and related products to three countries: Singapore, Japan, and Timor Leste,” Sulaiman said at the Ministry of Agriculture office in Jakarta.

He said the exports signal Indonesia’s poultry industry has not only achieved self-sufficiency in chicken and eggs but is also expanding into global markets.

Sulaiman stressed that Indonesia now has strong production capacity after reaching self-sufficiency in eggs and chicken.

“Now we are self-sufficient in eggs, chicken, rice, and other staples. We are pushing exports to other countries. Currently, we have 10 regular export destinations. Today, three countries will receive our poultry products,” he said.

He added that export success proves Indonesia no longer depends on chicken imports.

“We agreed to become a global food hub, covering carbohydrates and protein. Protein, especially poultry, is now self-sufficient and ready for export,” he said.

Sulaiman said rising production should not cause prices to collapse for farmers. The government manages surplus through domestic absorption, including the Free Nutritious Meal program, and expanding export channels.

Exports are handled by four domestic companies, each with varying shipment volumes and values: PT Charoen Pokphand Indonesia Tbk, PT Japfa Comfeed Indonesia Tbk, PT Taat Indah Bersinar, and PT Malindo Food Delight.

For businesses, exports provide market certainty amid abundant domestic production. The government uses surpluses to stabilize farm-level prices and widen global market access.

Director General of Livestock and Animal Health Agung Suganda said export success relies on robust animal health systems, food safety assurance, and international-standard monitoring.

“Each exported product undergoes veterinary certification and strict oversight according to destination requirements. We ensure traceability, biosecurity, and food safety to maintain sustainable exports,” Agung said.

He added that market access is maintained through intensive veterinary diplomacy and technical communication with partner countries, securing international trust through quality and compliance.

With ample production and growing export markets, Indonesia’s poultry sector is stronger. The Ministry will continue balancing production surplus, farm-level price stability, and global market expansion to boost industry competitiveness.
 

The Japanese government will evacuate its nationals in Israel by bus as early as Monday Japan time amid rising tensions in the Middle East, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said.

"We will refrain from commenting on details such as the exact route and time, as it pertains to the safety of nationals," Kihara said at a press conference.

Japan's Self-Defense Forces are "preparing to quickly deploy personnel to swiftly and appropriately transport nationals," he added.
 
 

The National Police Agency instructed prefectural police departments nationwide to increase security at U.S.- and Israel-related facilities, following the two countries' military attacks on Iran.

The agency issued an administrative notice on Sunday, requesting thorough security measures at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and U.S. consulates and military bases across Japan, as well as locations linked to Israel and Jewish communities nationwide.

Patrols will also be strengthened at facilities related to Iran and Islamic communities.

In light of Iran's suggestion of retaliation, the police departments will reinforce their security posture by increasing the number of officers deployed, while also working to prevent disturbances or unexpected incidents during potential protests and to strengthen information-gathering efforts.
 
 

Proposed changes could reduce prevalence of international leaks while breeders await registration 

Japan is set to revise its plant variety protection laws in a bid to block unauthorised exports of new crop varieties by third parties, according to a recent report by Japan Today.  

Currently, plant rights are only protected once a new variety has been officially registered – which can take up to six years to complete. 

Due to the long registration timeframe, it’s common practice for breeders to cultivate more plants on a trial basis while a new crop is undergoing its review.

This means companies can begin marketing as soon as a new variety is registered. However, according to Japan Today, the practice has increased the risk of international leaks before a variety can be entered on the official register. 

In fact, in 2025 Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries confirmed that names similar to 50 new fruit varieties from Japan appeared on Chinese and Korean seed vendor websites. 

“The varieties were likely leaked during the application process,” an agriculture ministry official told Japan Today. 

Under the proposed revision, protection would be applied as soon as a developer has submitted a new variety for registration. It would also extend plant breeders’ rights, by another ten years. Currently fruit varieties are protected for 30 years and other plants for 25 years. 

The bill is expected to be submitted during the current special parliamentary session and is intended to be implemented within the year.  
 
 

 
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday urged Iran to seek a "diplomatic solution" amid an escalation in the Middle East conflict following U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting Tehran, while her government began its evacuation operation for nationals.

At a parliamentary committee meeting, Takaichi demanded Iran stop any actions that "destabilize the region" including its development of nuclear weapons, which she said is "absolutely unacceptable," as well as its attacks on surrounding countries.

"We will work in coordination with the international community toward an early deescalation of the situation and continue to make every necessary diplomatic effort," Takaichi said.

Meanwhile, Takaichi said her government will refrain from offering a "definitive legal assessment" about the bombardment launched by the United States, Japan's close security ally, and Israel, as Tokyo does not have "detailed information."

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at the Diet session that no Japanese casualties in Iran have been reported so far.

About 200 and 1,000 Japanese citizens live in Iran and Israel, respectively, and some 7,700 in total reside in nine nearby nations such as Bahrain and Lebanon, according to the government.

Later Monday, a government-arranged bus departed from Tel Aviv to Jordan's capital Amman with some business persons and tourists from Japan on board, a source close to the matter said.

The main international airport outside of Tel Aviv is expected to be closed until Wednesday amid continued retaliatory attacks by Iran.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference that Japan is ready to dispatch its Self-Defense Forces for a possible operation to evacuate nationals from the region.

Organizing a large-scale evacuation in Iran is difficult, however, because airports are closed and land routes are dangerous, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Due to its heavy reliance on the Middle East for crude oil, Japan, a resource-poor country that has traditionally maintained friendly ties with Iran, has a vital interest in stability in the region.

Kihara, the top government spokesman, said that no immediate impact is expected on Japan's oil supply from the Middle East conflict, citing stockpiles equivalent to 254 days of crude oil consumption, including reserves held by the private sector, and around three weeks of liquefied natural gas consumption.

The Japanese government is closely watching the situation around the Strait of Hormuz, an oil shipping route vital for Japan, with the U.S. and Israeli strikes prompting Iranian attacks on other Gulf nations in addition to Israel.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Sunday it had attacked at least three oil tankers belonging to the United States and Britain in the area, according to state-run media.

More than 200 vessels including oil and LNG tankers had dropped anchor around the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters as of Sunday, Reuters reported, citing shipping data.

The latest developments came after weekend airstrikes by the United States and Israel in which Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed. U.S. President Donald Trump has said the operation is aimed at eliminating "imminent threats" posed by the Iranian government.

U.S. Central Command said Sunday that three U.S. service members had been killed and five seriously wounded, marking the first confirmed U.S. military fatalities in connection with "Operation Epic Fury" against Iran.
 
 

The main store of Meitetsu Department Store, a landmark at Nagoya Station in central Japan for over 71 years, closed permanently on Saturday.

The closure is part of a redevelopment plan for the Nagoya Station area, led by the department store operator's parent company, Nagoya Railroad.

But it is uncertain when the store building will be demolished and a new building erected, as the redevelopment plan was put on hold last December after a prospective contractor decided not to bid for the project, citing difficulties securing workers. The delay is expected to pose a drag to efforts to revitalize the area surrounding the station.

The Meitetsu Department Store main store opened in December 1954 and served as the core of the commercial area near Nagoya Station. However, the store struggled with declining business, with sales falling from ¥79.3 billion ($511 million) in 2000 to ¥37.6 billion in 2024.

"Thank you very much for your long-time patronage," president Hitoshi Ishikawa said at the closing ceremony.

Following the closure, the operator will consider opening some shops on the lower floors of the building. Nagoya Railroad has said it plans to outline the direction of the redevelopment plan in fiscal 2026.
 
 

The Japanese yen recovered on Thursday after the head of the Bank of Japan said the decision on whether to increase interest rates at its March and April meetings will be based on economic data, while overall movements in the market were subdued as traders awaited fresh catalysts.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said the central bank will continue to raise interest rates if Japan makes progress in achieving its economic and price projections.

A report on Tuesday said Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed reservations about additional interest rate hikes during her meeting with Ueda last week.

The yen strengthened 0.12% against the greenback to 156.15 per dollar. It had reached a two-week low of 156.82 on Wednesday.

The dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro, rose 0.18% to 97.79, with the euro down 0.11% at $1.1796.

Moves were muted with traders gauging the outlook for tariffs, risk sentiment and the economy.

"The risk backdrop remains relatively supportive," said Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist at Corpay in Toronto. "But conviction among investors is low, and clear-cut directional trends are nearly absent."




TARIFFS, INTEREST RATES IN FOCUS

The U.S. tariff rate for some countries will rise to 15% or higher from the newly imposed 10%, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Wednesday, without naming any specific trading partners or giving further details.

The Federal Reserve is expected to keep rates steady until at least June as it balances elevated inflation and labor market risks, which is adding to the lack of market conviction.

Data on Thursday showed that the number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits increased marginally last week, and the unemployment rate appeared to hold steady in February amid a stable labor market.

Analysts at TD Securities see continuing risks for further dollar weakness in the coming quarters, noting "strained haven status, and the continued hedge America trade."

"U.S. resilience is likely to fall short of exceptionalism, which in a backdrop of solid global growth, lower rates, and fiscal buffers is positive for risky assets and is bearish for the dollar," the analysts said in a report on Thursday.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said policymakers continued to expect inflation to stabilise at their target rate of 2% in the near term, while repeating her "baseline" expectation that she would stay until the end of her term.

Data released on Thursday showed the ECB sold some of its dollar assets early last year and reduced the weight of the dollar in its foreign exchange reserves.

Sterling weakened 0.52% to $1.3486. Domestic political risks remained a key driver, with traders focused on a byelection in Manchester, widely viewed as a key test for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour Party.

The Chinese yuan strengthened against the dollar in offshore trade, rising 0.22% to 6.842 yuan, the strongest level in almost three years despite the central bank signalling it wanted to curb the currency's rapid gains.

Investors are keeping an eye on rising tensions between the United States and Iran. The countries made significant progress in talks aimed at resolving a longstanding nuclear dispute and averting new U.S. strikes on Iran, mediator Oman said on Thursday, amid a large-scale U.S. military buildup in the Middle East.

In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin fell 2.01% to $67,554.
 
 

Japan raised its travel alert for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and the UAE to level two and strongly urged Japanese citizens to avoid travel to these nations, while those currently traveling are advised to remain vigilant and take extra precautions.

Jordan was also raised to level two for the entire country, with some border areas at a higher alert level.

This heightened danger level comes in the wake of the Saturday’s joint American and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which triggered a series of Iranian missile launches across the region, including strikes on Bahrain and Qatar.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard declared it had targeted a U.S. military base in both Bahrain and Qatar and signaled plans to strike more American sites in these countries, according to the Ministry’s Overseas Safety Department.

The Ministry raised the advisory level in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Province to level 2, recommending avoiding non-essential travel.

Level three, which advises against all travel, remains in effect for border areas with Yemen in Jazan, Asir, Najran, and the Eastern Province.

The border areas with Iraq remain at level 2, advising against non-essential travel. For the remainder of Saudi Arabia, the Ministry maintains level one, urging travelers to exercise extreme caution.

“Avoid non-essential travel to these countries, remain informed, and exercise heightened caution. Depending on the circumstances, implement appropriate safety measures, such as refraining from unnecessary outings. Please be aware of potential flight cancellations and delays,” the advisory stated.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry has also increased the danger level for Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Jordan following recent attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran.

The Gaza Strip and the area adjacent to the Lebanon border are now classified as level four, with Japanese citizens instructed to depart immediately. The entire West Bank is designated as level three, and travel to this region is strongly discouraged.

Iran remains at level four, Japan’s highest alert level.

All of Israel is now designated as level three or four, an increase from previous levels of two or three. The Ministry stated, “Please refrain from traveling to Israel.

Those already in Israel should ensure their own safety and consider leaving the country after checking the airport and commercial flight statuses. If you are unavoidably staying in the country, please exercise special caution and avoid areas where large numbers of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers are gathered.”

Most of the West Bank, except for Jericho, Bethlehem, Ramallah, the main roads connecting these cities to Jerusalem, and National Highways 1 and 90, remains at level three. Areas outside these specified locations have also been upgraded to level three. The Foreign Ministry stated: “Do not travel to the West Bank.”

Escalating clashes in Iran and the heightened risk of military conflict with the United States have prompted Japanese officials to warn that the Middle East may soon become significantly more dangerous.

The Ministry has recently expanded its level one advisory, which urges caution, to 55 countries, including the United States, Canada, and most European nations.
 
 

Japan has refrained from expressing outright support for the weekend launch of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran as Tokyo continued Sunday to gather information on the unfolding situation in the Middle East following the killing of longtime supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has instructed government ministries and agencies to analyze the potential impact of the attacks on sea and air transportation, as well as on the economy. She also vowed Saturday night to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals in the region.

Takaichi has not expressed support for or criticism of the attacks against Iran launched Saturday by the United States, Japan's longtime ally, and Israel.
Japan has traditionally built friendly ties with Iran, viewing stability in the region as vital.

Ensuring the safe passage of vessels carrying oil and cargo through the Strait of Hormuz between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman is also important for resource-scarce Japan.

In a phone conversation with other members of the Group of Seven nations, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi reiterated Japan's position that it supports U.S. efforts to resolve the issue of Iran's nuclear program "through dialogue," his ministry said.

Motegi reiterated that Japan will maximize its diplomatic efforts with the international community over the Iran situation, saying that Tehran's development of nuclear weapons "must never be allowed."

The killing of Khamenei, 86, who ruled Iran for over three decades, came after U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the Middle East country. He announced Saturday on social media that Khamenei had been killed in the attacks, and Iran's state media later confirmed the death.

He was apparently frustrated over Tehran's handling of anti-government demonstrations and progress toward reaching a deal over its nuclear program through negotiations.

A senior executive of Takaichi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party also stayed clear of criticizing the attacks during an appearance on a Sunday television program of public broadcaster NHK. His comments drew an immediate rebuke from opposition lawmakers appearing on the same program who argued that such strikes violate international law.

"We cannot simply condemn it, considering Iran's attitude toward nuclear development," Secretary General Shunichi Suzuki, the No. 2 of the LDP, said.

Speaking of the impact on Japan, he said the attacks "could have a huge impact on people's daily lives and the economy." Japan relies heavily on the Middle East for crude oil.

Japanese nationals in Iran had already been advised to evacuate, with the Foreign Ministry urging caution among people living in or traveling to countries in the Middle East and beyond due to heightened geopolitical tensions.
 
 

Mizuho Financial Group is planning to replace about 5,000 administrative jobs in Japan with artificial intelligence over the next 10 years, as the country’s third-largest lender tries to boost productivity.

“We are planning to enhance our earnings capabilities by shifting human resources to our focus areas by fully utilizing AI,” Mizuho said in a statement. “It is not a headcount reduction.”

Japanese companies have been expanding their use of AI to improve efficiency, and investment in the technology is a key part of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s policy program.

In the banking sector, institutions are seeking to pursue AI initiatives in ways that minimize significant workforce reductions as they face labor shortages.

Mizuho has about 15,000 clerical positions at its core banking units and other group companies, and affected employees will be transferred to other roles, the bank said. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported the plans earlier.

Global banks are heavily investing in AI to improve operations ranging from product development to risk management. JPMorgan Chase & Co. spends about $2 billion annually on developing AI technology, an investment that it says also saves about the same amount each year.

The heads of Japan’s banks have been trying to ease concerns that AI will take away jobs.

“I don’t think humans will lose their value,” Mizuho Chief Executive Officer Masahiro Kihara said in October. “They can aim for more value-added work.”
 
 

The Japanese government plans to use its official development assistance to enhance economic security, a draft proposal showed Friday.

The ODA will be used to address economic security concerns, including securing energy supplies and critical minerals, according to the draft of the 2025 white paper on development cooperation.

The draft also calls for strengthening relations with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

The draft was approved at a joint meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Foreign Affairs Division and other groups.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will report the draft at a cabinet meeting shortly.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament on Friday (Feb 27) that she opposes changing the imperial family's male succession rules.

The comments are her clearest on the issue - the subject of increasing debate as a succession crisis looms - since her party's landslide election victory this month.

Takaichi said she respected the conclusion of a panel of experts who had discussed the matter and found in 2021 that it was "appropriate to limit eligibility to those who are male-line male descendants belonging to the imperial lineage".

"The government, and I, myself as well, respect this report."

The premier previously warned that revising the imperial family's succession rules is "an urgent matter", although this would likely involve "adopting" new members.

During a policy speech last, she said that she hoped "discussions will deepen on how to ensure stable imperial succession ... leading toward the revision of the Imperial House Law".

Even though tradition dictates only a man can carry on the imperial line - which goes back 2,600 years according to legend - opinion polls have shown high public support for a woman taking the throne.

Emperor Naruhito has a daughter, Princess Aiko, but she has been sidelined by the royal family's male-only succession rules.

Japan has debated the royal succession for decades, with a key government panel in 2005 recommending that it pass to the oldest child regardless of their sex.

That appeared to pave the way for the emperor's daughter to rise to the Chrysanthemum Throne, but the birth of Prince Hisahito, the emperor's nephew, the following year silenced the debate.

In 2021, a government-appointed expert panel advised the government to consider allowing the imperial family to "adopt" new male members - distant relatives that could be brought back into the fold.

But it is unclear if those men would be willing to give up their careers and freedom to continue the lineage.

The panel also said royal daughters - currently forced to leave the family after marriage - could potentially continue their public duties after their nuptials.

Traditionalists have asserted that the "unbroken imperial line" of male succession is the foundation of Japan, and major changes would divide the nation.

Under the post-war constitution, the royal family holds no political power.
Historically, women who wed royals have faced intense pressure to produce sons and some family members are regular subjects of online and media gossip.

Empress Masako, a former high-flying diplomat, struggled for years with a stress-related illness after joining the household, which some have put down to the pressure to have a boy.

Emperess Emerita Michiko, Naruhito's mother, also suffered stress-induced illnesses.
 
 

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, on Friday agreed to allow the establishment of secondary capitals in multiple regions.

During working-level talks at the Diet, Japan's parliament, the LDP presented a proposal for allowing several regions to be secondary capitals, and it was accepted by the JIP, which had been calling for a framework effectively limiting the potential sites to the western city of Osaka, its home base.

"This was a big step toward creating legislation," Eikei Suzuki, an LDP member of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, said of the agreement reached at the meeting.

The two parties will begin drafting an outline for the legislation with the aim of submitting related bills to the ongoing Diet session.

The JIP had previously insisted that a region designated as a secondary capital must fulfill the requirement of realizing the metropolis plan, which involves abolishing an ordinance-designated city and reorganizing it into special wards.
 
 

The number of births in Japan fell to a record low last year, extending the trend for the 10th year in a row, according to a summary released by the health ministry on Thursday.

Preliminary data from the ministry shows that 705,809 babies were born in 2025, including those born in Japan to foreign nationals — down 15,179, or 2.1%, from a year earlier. The figure marks the 10th consecutive annual decline, and the lowest level since comparable records began in 1899.

Despite government efforts to reverse the plummeting birth rate, the annual number of births has neared 700,000 more than 15 years earlier than was projected in a 2023 forecast by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

While the rate has slowed from the over 5% annual drops recorded between 2022 and 2024, the longer-term trend remains stark. Over the past decade, annual births have fallen roughly 30%.

Deaths totaled 1,605,654, down 0.8% from a year earlier and marking the first decline in five years. Even so, the natural decrease in the population (the gap between births and deaths) widened to a record 899,845.

Births fell in 45 of Japan’s 47 prefectures. Seven prefectures, including Shimane, Yamagata and Aomori, recorded declines of more than 5%.
Tokyo saw births rise 1.3% to 88,518, an increase of 4,311 from a year earlier and the first gain in nine years.

Ishikawa Prefecture also posted an increase, with births rising from 6,078 to 6,515. The rebound follows a sharp drop the previous year linked to the impact of the Noto Peninsula earthquake, on Jan. 1, and heavy rain damage.

About 30% of all births nationwide occurred in the Tokyo metropolitan area, which comprises Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures.

The number of marriages rose 1.1% to 505,656 in 2025, topping 500,000 for the first time in three years and marking a second straight annual increase as the wedding ceremony business recovers from the slump caused by COVID-19 restrictions. Divorces fell by 6,983 to 182,969.

Japan’s rapidly graying population and declining birth rate could further strain its social security and pension systems, which relies on contributions by working generations.

In a news conference Thursday afternoon, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki said, “The government recognizes that many people’s desire to have children has not been sufficiently fulfilled, and we haven’t been able to reverse the declining birth rate.”

“By achieving sustainable economic growth, raising incomes for younger generations and ensuring stable employment, we aim to alleviate anxieties about the future ... to create a society in which anyone who wishes to have children can do so, and raise them with peace of mind.”

Declining birth rates are a common issue worldwide. In France, known for its comprehensive support for child-rearing, deaths were higher than births in 2025 for the first time since World War II.
 
 

 
Private-sector weather firms in Japan have released their latest forecasts for when the buds on cherry trees in the country will start to open this spring. They say the Somei Yoshino variety will come into bloom earlier than usual in many areas.

The Japan Weather Association announced on Thursday that central Tokyo and Fukuoka City will see the country's earliest blossoming on March 20.
It predicts that they will be followed by the cities of Nagoya and Kochi on March 21, Hiroshima on March 22, Osaka on March 24, Sendai on April 1 and Sapporo on April 27.

The association said it made the forecasts based on a severe cold snap in January, many days of higher-than-average temperatures in February and relatively warmer-than-normal temperatures expected for March.

Another company, Weather Map, also announced on Thursday that this year's earliest blooming will be on March 16 in central Tokyo.

It said blossoms will appear in Nagoya, Kochi and Fukuoka on March 17, Hiroshima on March 19, Osaka on March 22, Sendai on April 2 and Sapporo on April 25.

Many locations are expected to see flowering earlier than average, with markedly early blooms expected in parts of eastern Japan.
 
 

Japan's fair trade commission conducted an on-site inspection of Microsoft's Japanese subsidiary on Wednesday over a suspected violation of antitrust law, a source close to the matter said.

The source, who declined to be identified, confirmed local media reports that Microsoft Japan in Tokyo is being probed over allegations it is unfairly preventing clients from using cloud platforms developed by its competitors.

"We are fully cooperating with the JFTC (Japan Fair Trade Commission) in their requests," a spokesperson for Microsoft said.

At issue is Microsoft's cloud computing server Azure.

The firm is suspected of making its software services, including "Microsoft 365" — known for apps such as Teams and Word — inaccessible on cloud servers other than Azure, local media including the Yomiuri Shimbun said.

The probe mirrors similar attempts in recent years by Japanese authorities to rein in the monopoly by global tech titans.

In August, the JFTC issued a cease-and-desist order to Google.
Google, JFTC said, was imposing binding conditions on Android smartphone manufacturers in Japan so that its online app store will be installed almost automatically.

In 2024, Amazon's Japanese subsidiary in Tokyo was similarly inspected for allegations that it is abusing its industry dominance to drive down prices.

Amazon Japan used its coveted "buy box" — a prominent spot on its website — against sellers, pressuring them into lowering prices to give it a competitive edge over rival e-commerce sites, the JFTC said.
 
 

The websites of multiple local governments in Japan have become inaccessible.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference Wednesday that the central government and others are gathering information to identify the cause of the problem.

The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has asked prefectural governments to submit reports on the matter, the top government spokesman said.

As of 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, affected local governments included the city of Ebetsu in Hokkaido, the city of Shiojiri in Nagano Prefecture, the city of Hagi in Yamaguchi Prefecture, the city of Dazaifu in Fukuoka Prefecture and the city of Tosu in Saga Prefecture.

An error message appears when people try to access the websites of the municipalities.

In addition, the websites of Gunma Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture, the city of Mito, the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, the city of Toda in Saitama Prefecture, and the city of Nagasaki, the capital of the namesake prefecture, temporarily became inaccessible.
 
 

More than 300 lawmakers were given the option to choose an item from a gift catalogue "as an expression of appreciation for their success at this very tough election", said Sanae Takaichi on X, adding that no taxpayer money was used.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was under pressure on Wednesday (Feb 25) after it emerged she gave congratulatory gift catalogues to lawmakers from her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) following its landslide election victory this month.

More than 300 lawmakers were given the option to choose an item from the catalogue "as an expression of appreciation for their success at this very tough election", Takaichi wrote in a post on X, saying that no taxpayer money was used.

The revelation evokes a slush fund scandal that engulfed the LDP in 2023, sinking then-premier Fumio Kishida and fuelling voter anger that cost his successor Shigeru Ishiba's coalition a majority in both houses of parliament last year.

The news of the catalogues "could easily lead people to say, 'Prime Minister Takaichi, you too?'" Junya Ogawa, the leader of the main opposition Centrist Reform Alliance, said on Tuesday.

"This is a new development in which she will be strictly held accountable," he wrote in a post on X.

Takaichi told parliament on Wednesday that the cost of each gift, plus shipping costs and tax, was about 30,000 yen (US$190) per person and was paid for by political funds from an LDP branch in Nara, which she heads.

She said on X that she also hoped the lawmakers' gifts "would be of use in their future work as legislators".

Japan's political funding law stipulates that individuals cannot make donations to candidates for public office, but donations can be made by political parties, including their local chapters.

Bunshun Online, a web version of the weekly tabloid Shukan Bunshun, reported that the gift catalogue came from the well-known Kintetsu Department Store.

The store's website shows a range of catalogues. Customers can make an advance payment of 34,000 yen to send one of them to a friend, who then chooses an item inside, such as a bicycle, expensive crab meat or a stay at a luxury hotel.

Ishiba was criticised in March last year for allegedly handing out 100,000 yen's worth of gift certificates - paid for using his own money - to 15 first-term lower house members during a dinner.
 
 

The government is considering obliging airlines to refuse boarding to foreign nationals who do not apply for the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or JESTA, or whose applications have been turned down, an outline of a planned bill to revise the immigration control law showed Wednesday.

Also in the outline, the government indicated a plan to raise fees for foreign nationals applying for residency by up to 30 times.

The government plans to adopt the bill soon at a Cabinet meeting and submit it to the ongoing session of parliament.

Travelers subject to JESTA, which is planned to be introduced in fiscal 2028 to simplify passport control procedures, will be short-stay inbound visitors from visa-free countries.

In 2025, the number of short-term visitors entering Japan for tourism and other purposes was 38.46 million. Of them, around 80% came from visa-free countries.

Such travel authorization will not be needed by Japanese nationals and foreign residents of Japan.

With JESTA, the government aims to reduce congestion at airports by making post-arrival procedures more efficient through the utilization of prior screening, while tightening immigration controls to prevent illegal stays.

According to the outline, the bill calls for obliging airlines and shipping companies to submit passenger information such as names to the Immigration Services Agency during boarding procedures, and it stipulates that such firms would be prohibited from allowing the boarding of passengers whose entry the agency had not approved. It also seeks to impose fines of up to ¥500,000 on violators.

Reflecting rising administrative costs following increases in the number of foreign residents, the bill seeks to significantly raise fees for renewing periods of stay and other procedures, from up to ¥10,000 at present.

Fees are planned to be hiked to as much as ¥100,000 for renewing period of stay or changing residency status, and to up to ¥300,000 for permission for permanent residence, respectively. The actual level of the fees will vary with the length of stay.
 
 

The Maluku provincial government and the Japanese Consulate General explored opportunities for cooperation across strategic fields, ranging from investment and education to fisheries, agriculture, and the management of minerals, oil, and gas.

Maluku Deputy Governor Abdullah Vanath said in Ambon on Wednesday that his administration is committed to courting Japanese investment and supporting existing business projects, aiming to deliver tangible benefits to local residents.

"We are committed to seizing this opportunity to create jobs for the people of Maluku," he said.

He noted the education sector as one of the cooperation priorities, endorsing bilateral partnerships involving the University of Pattimura and other higher education institutions to boost the quality of human resources in the province.

The Maluku government, he added, also aims to strengthen vocational education to expand access for residents to secure employment in Japan, which he noted is facing a rising demand for manpower.

Shifting to the real economy, Vanath called for initiatives to strengthen Maluku’s agriculture and fisheries sectors to seize opportunities in export markets. He said he had instructed government aides to help local industries meet international standards.

For his part, Japanese Consul General Susumu Takonai recognized Maluku’s vast potential in both capture fisheries and aquaculture, which can be harnessed through technology transfers, human resource development, and the strengthening of supply chains and quality standards.

He spotlighted avenues for collaboration in the sustainable management of mineral resources and energy, voicing support for the development of the Masela Gas Block as one of Indonesia’s national strategic projects.

Takonai further referred to the education sector, endorsing student exchange programs, scholarships, and vocational capacity building to produce workers with skills required by industries.

Moreover, he expressed Japan’s readiness to provide grants for developing or procuring schools, hospitals, ambulances, and other basic infrastructure and facilities to enhance the quality of life in Maluku.
 

The Nikkei stock index ended at a record high above 58,000 on Wednesday, as speculation about further interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan receded after the government's nomination of two new BOJ policymakers.

The U.S. dollar briefly rose above the 156 yen line in Tokyo after the government submitted to parliament its nominations of university professors Toichiro Asada and Ayano Sato as new members of the central bank's policy board.

The market sees the two as proponents of a reflationary policy that pursues monetary easing. The U.S. currency later retreated to the mid-155 yen range due to wariness about yen-buying intervention, dealers said.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average climbed 1,262.03 points, or 2.20 percent, from Tuesday to 58,583.12. The broader Topix index finished 27.18 points, or 0.71 percent, higher at 3,843.16.

On the top-tier Prime Market, the main gainers were nonferrous metal, electric appliance and real estate issues.

Stocks rose from the outset, buoyed by heavyweight technology shares after software-related issues climbed in the U.S. market, with the Nikkei renewing an intraday record for the first time in two weeks.

The market climbed further in the afternoon, as investors welcomed the nomination of the two BOJ policymakers, brokers said.

"The proposal fueled hopes that it would make it easier for the government of Prime Minister (Sanae) Takaichi to promote its economic policies," said Makoto Sengoku, senior equity market analyst at the Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory Co.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries fell 1.2 percent to 4,752 yen after the company's subsidiaries were listed as among 20 defense-related entities subject to China's export ban for dual-use items amid a diplomatic row.
 
 

A Japanese national has ​been detained in Iran and must be swiftly released, the Japanese government said on Wednesday.

The person was detained ‌on January ‌20, ​Deputy ‌Chief ⁠Cabinet Secretary ​OZAKI Masanao ⁠told reporters. He gave no further details.

Radio Free Europe earlier reported that Shinnosuke Kawashima, the Tehran ⁠bureau chief of ‌Japan’s ‌public broadcaster, NHK, had ​been ‌arrested by Iran ‌and transferred to a Tehran prison.

NHK declined to confirm that an employee ‌of theirs had been detained.

“As NHK, we always ⁠act ⁠with the safety of our staff as the top priority. There is nothing we can answer at this stage,” a spokesperson said.
 
 

Japan plans to deploy surface-to-air missiles to its remote western island near Taiwan by March 2031, its defence minister said, as regional tensions simmer.

It is the first time that Japan specified a timeline for the missile deployment to Yonaguni island since it was announced in 2022.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to "reunify" with it. Yonaguni is visible from Taiwan's shores on a clear day, located just 110km (68 miles) away.

Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have run high since November when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appeared to suggest that Japan would activate its self-defence force in the event of an attack on Taiwan.

The worry has long been that any attack on Taiwan, which counts the US as an ally, could result in a direct military conflict between Washington and Beijing, then widen to include other US allies in the region such as Japan.

Takaichi's remarks to parliament plunged ties with China to their lowest level in years and Beijing has been piling on the pressure in a wide range of ways - sending warships, throttling rare earth exports, curbing Chinese tourism, cancelling concerts and even reclaiming its pandas.

Japanese defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the timeline for the missiles on Tuesday, a day after China imposed export curbs on 20 Japanese companies and entities, citing national security concerns.

Koizumi said the Yonaguni unit will be equipped with medium-range surface-to-air missiles able to intercept incoming aircraft and missiles.

With a range of about 50km and 360-degree capability, the Japanese-made missile system can track up to 100 targets simultaneously and engage up to 12 at once.

China has yet to react to Koizumi's announcement. But when Koizumi visited Yonaguni in November, Beijing said Japan was moving to "create regional tension and provoke military confrontation".

Within days, China flew drones near the island to express its anger, prompting Japan to scramble aircraft jets in response.

The latest developments come after Takaichi secured a landslide victory in parliamentary elections earlier this month. That victory gave Takaichi political space to double down on boosting Japan's defence capabilities.

This makes the announcement on Yonaguni island more than just a military adjustment - it looks like the opening chapter for a more assertive Tokyo.

And as Takaichi bolsters the country's military and defence budget, such assertiveness seems unlikely to end here.

The Yonaguni announcement also shows where Japan sees its front line - and how far it is prepared to go to defend it.

Over the past decade, Japan has transformed sleepy Yonaguni into a military outpost, which currently handles coastal surveillance and is staffed by some 160 members of Japan's self-defence force.

An electronic warfare unit capable of disrupting enemy communications and radar will be set up there in fiscal year 2026, which runs from April to March next year.

The timing for the deployment of the missile unit "may change depending on the progress of future facility improvements, but the current plan is for fiscal year 2030", Koizumi said.
 
 

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit Japan next month as part of a three-nation Indo-Pacific tour, the Prime Minister’s Office said Monday.
Amid ongoing trade friction stemming from the tariff policy of U.S.

President Donald Trump’s administration, Canada appears eager to promote trade diversification and attract fresh investment through the prime minister’s 10-day trip to the three countries, also including India and Australia.

According to the Japanese government, Carney will visit Japan over March 6 and 7 on the final leg of the tour, which begins on Thursday, and hold a bilateral summit with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The two leaders will also hold a working dinner.

The Carney-Takaichi meeting is designed to “strengthen mutual investment and partnerships in advanced manufacturing, critical minerals and food security,” the Canadian prime minister’s office said. They are also expected to discuss ways to enhance security cooperation, including to support a free and open Indo-Pacific, it added.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a news conference that Canada is “an important strategic partner for the realization of the free and open Indo-Pacific.”

“At a time when the international order has been shaken, Japan will work with countries that share fundamental values, including Canada, with the Japan-U.S. alliance at the center (of the efforts),” he added.
 
 

The Japanese government has put on hold a decision on whether to join the Board of Peace, which is led by U.S. President Donald Trump to achieve peace in Gaza, because of concerns among countries that he aims to replace the United Nations with it.

Japanese officials are now looking at other countries' responses while taking Tokyo's relations with Washington into consideration before making a decision.

"We are scrutinizing details in close communication with the United States and other countries concerned," Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at a press conference last week when asked whether Japan would join the board.

The board is an international organization approved by the U.N. Security Council in November. Its founding members include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and World Bank President Ajay Banga.

Invitations to join the board have been sent to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and other leaders. More than 25 countries have expressed their intention to participate, according to U.S. media.
 
 

The producer behind popular group XG was arrested along with three others in Aichi Prefecture on Monday on suspicion of possessing cocaine, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

Junho Sakai, who works under the name of Simon, was arrested along with a 39-year-old U.S. music producer and two other men on suspicious of violating the Narcotic Control Law by possessing a bag of the drug at a hotel room, according to the MPD.

Sakai, a 39-year-old resident of Meguro Ward, Tokyo, and the three others were staying at the hotel when the MPD searched their room late Sunday.

The police discovered four bags of cocaine and a bag of dried cannabis.

According to the website of entertainment agency XGALX, Sakai started his career as a producer in 2013 under the name Jakops. XG, which consists of seven members, made its debut in 2022 and became the first group of Japanese performers to make it into Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs chart.
 

 

McDonald's (Japan) said Tuesday it will raise the prices of about 60% of its menu items by ¥10 ($.06) to ¥50 starting on Wednesday.

The markups reflect higher material, energy and labor costs, according to the hamburger chain.

The Big Mac will see its tax-inclusive price rise from ¥480 to ¥500. Prices will also go up by ¥20 for all three sizes of McFry french fries.
The price of the cheeseburger will also increase by ¥20, following a price hike in March last year.

Meanwhile, the prices of items such as a hamburger and the Teriyaki McBurger will remain unchanged both on their own and for combo meals.

The size of the price hikes will differ at some stores, including those at airports and in urban areas, as well as for delivery services, the company said.
 

 

China's commerce ministry said that only a small number of Japanese entities are targeted and that "honest and law-abiding Japanese entities have nothing to worry about".

China imposed export restrictions on 40 Japanese companies on Tuesday (Feb 24), citing national security concerns, as Beijing escalated a months-long row that has seen Chinese tourism to Japan plummet.

The spat between Asia's top two economies was sparked by comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November that Japan could intervene militarily in any attack on self-ruled Taiwan.

The measures announced on Tuesday cover exports of "dual-use" items - which can have civilian and military uses - to 20 Japanese entities, including five subsidiaries of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as well as Japan's space agency.

The commerce ministry added a further 20 Japanese organisations, including automaker Subaru, to a "watch list" requiring stricter reviews of exported items that could be used for military purposes.

"The above measures are aimed at curbing Japan's 'remilitarisation' and nuclear ambitions and are completely legitimate, reasonable and lawful," a commerce ministry statement said.

"Honest and law-abiding Japanese entities have nothing to worry about," it added.

Japan said Tuesday that export restrictions imposed by China on 40 Japanese companies were "absolutely unacceptable and deeply regrettable".

"We have strongly protested these measures and demanded their withdrawal," government spokesman Kei Sato said.

A Japanese trade ministry official earlier told AFP that Tokyo would "take appropriate measures" after analysing the impact of the new curbs.
Takaichi's comments on Taiwan, which China views as its territory and has not ruled out taking by force, have enraged Beijing.

The most visible consequence is a sharp drop in Chinese visitors to Japan - 61 per cent in January - after Beijing warned its citizens against going there.

In December, J-15 jets from China's Liaoning aircraft carrier twice locked radar on Japanese aircraft in international waters near Okinawa, according to Japan.

China has reportedly suspended imports of Japanese seafood. Japan's last two pandas were also returned to China last month.

Last month, China announced tightened controls on exports to Japan for items with potential military uses.

This fuelled worries that Beijing may choke supplies of vital rare-earth minerals, some of which are included in China's list of "dual-use" goods.


SHARES TUMBLE

The latest move singles out dozens of Japanese industrial heavyweights, including shipbuilding and aerospace firms.

Shares in Kawasaki Heavy Industries sank almost 5 per cent in Tokyo, while Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shed close to 4 per cent and IHI tumbled nearly 7 per cent.

Several of the firms listed are indeed active in the defence industry, manufacturing kits including ships, fighter jets and missiles for the Japanese military.

Japan has been shedding its strict pacifist stance, moving to obtain "counterstrike" capabilities and to ease rules on exporting lethal defence equipment.

Takaichi's government in December approved a record defence budget worth nine trillion yen (US$58 billion) for the coming fiscal year to expand its military capabilities.

Takaichi told parliament on Friday that China was intensifying attempts to change the status quo "by force or coercion" in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.

"Strengthening our defence capabilities is essential to protect the lives and peaceful livelihoods of our citizens as we face the most severe and complex security environment since the end of (World War II)," Takaichi said on Monday.

Japanese firms dealing with China were already struggling with delays in getting approvals, said Noriyuki Kawamura, professor emeritus of Japan-China relations at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies.

"With today's announcement, we can expect the process will be made even more stringent. I believe this will be a huge blow to companies involved," Kawamura told AFP.
 
 

Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in is a relaxation space in downtown Tokyo’s Takadanobaba neighborhood. It’s a unique place, not just because it offers a spot for patrons to meditate or zone out for a while, but because they do so while lying down in coffins (kanoke in Japanese).

As shown in the photo above, Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in has an array of Japanese-style coffins, and the staff invites guests to “gaze at life through being conscious of death” through their 30-minute coffin sessions.

However, if the idea of lying in a box ordinarily meant for the dead is a little too morbid for you, Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in is now offering the opportunity to lie down in cute coffins.

These cute caskets are the creations of Tokyograve, a coffin maker proving that, yes, Japanese designers really can make anything cute. With their festive colors and accouterments, Tokyograve hopes to make the concept of inevitable death less grim and unsettling, and since that goal aligns very neatly with Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in’s, the two have decided to team up. 

 

Once a month, five Tokyograve coffins will be available for use for Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in sessions, either for use by solo customers or for groups of friends who want to occupy up to all five simultaneously.

Satisfied customers of such “coffin experience” events say they have come out of their sessions feeling unexpectedly positive and energetic, as ruminating on their eventual demise prompts big-picture realizations about the importance of treating others with kindness and being more cognizant of the positive aspects of their lives and capabilities.

Note, however, that Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in still cautions that participants should be in good physical and mental health, however, and those suffering from depression or claustrophobia are recommended to abstain from coffin meditation sessions.

 

Tokyograve coffins will be available at Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in on the first Saturday of every month, with sessions starting at 11 a.m. and 2 and 5 p.m. Reservations can be made online here.

Location information

Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in / 瞑想空間 かんおけin
Address: Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Takadanobaba 1-29-7. Sky Palace Building 801
東京都新宿区高田馬場　1-29-7 スカイパレスビル 801
Website
 
 

Japan’s major real estate companies are expanding businesses overseas. With the ease of the COVID-19 pandemic and market conditions stabilizing, companies have continued making large-scale investments in the United States, Europe and Asia.

As growth potential in Japan is limited, the aim is for sustainable business growth by taking advantage of overseas demand.



Operating profit doubles

Mitsubishi Estate Co. plans to build a large office building complex in central London, the 72 Upper Ground.

Total construction cost is estimated to be around ¥160 billion, marking the company’s largest investment outside Japan to date.

The plan is to build 25-story and 14-story buildings on a site of the same size as the Marunouchi Building in Tokyo’s Marunouchi district.

The site is near the Thames River, with good transportation access. Commercial facilities will be set up in the lower floors.

Construction began in last September and is scheduled to be completed in 2029.

London has seen an increasing number of workers resuming working in-office, which had also seen a decline with the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, however, real estate development has remained stagnant. As a result, Mitsubishi hopes demand for attractive and brand-new office buildings will rise.

A senior official at Mitsubishi Estate London Ltd., expressed confidence about the demand, saying, “It has become a challenge for companies here to find good office spaces.”

Mitsubishi Estate has focused on developing real estate in the United States and other regions overseas, setting a goal of doubling its operating profit from overseas businesses from ¥45.8 billion in fiscal 2024 to ¥90 billion by later this decade.


Base equivalent to Tokyo

All five of Japan’s major real estate companies, including Mitsubishi Estate and Mitsui Fudosan Co., recorded their highest ever consolidated net profits as of the end of March 2025. This was driven mainly by the increase in the rents of office buildings and condominium prices in Japan.

However, “the foundation of the real estate business is population,” said an executive of a major real estate company. For this reason, reliance on domestic markets is seen to be approaching its limit as Japan’s population continues to decline. This has led real estate companies to seek new business ventures in other countries.

Mitsui Fudosan, which began overseas development in the 1970s, when Mitsubishi Estate also began, operates various office and housing buildings across the globe.

Since the start of 2025, the company has opened new LaLaport and Mitsui Outlet Park brand commercial facilities in Taiwan.

Going forward, the company plans to expand investments in the southern U.S. and Australia, where economic growth is expected.

There is also notable investment flow into Asian countries, where population growth rates and economic growth rates are high.

Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. announced two new development projects this year in addition to existing three sites, including office buildings, in Mumbai.

The total cost is estimated to be about ¥1 trillion.

“It will be a huge business base equivalent to Tokyo,” a company official said.

Daisuke Fukushima, senior analyst at Nomura Securities Co., said, “With surging materials costs due to the depreciating yen and rising wages, development costs in Japan have been rising.”

He pointed out the importance of operating businesses overseas, saying, “Diversifying business within Japan alone is impossible.”
 
 

Users of the Line messaging app topped 100 million at the end of last year in Japan, the operator said, with the service now offering a variety of communication platforms for individuals nearly 15 years after its launch in the wake of the 2011 mega earthquake.

The smartphone app was released in June 2011 by a predecessor of operator LY Corp., shortly after the magnitude-9.0 quake that devastated northeastern Japan three months earlier.

The disaster had prevented phone calls from getting through, and the demand for simple online communication was projected to grow.

The service originally only offered text messages, but that changed dramatically in October 2011 with the introduction of digital stickers featuring illustrations or images that users could use to express emotions.

The feature helps users to convey their emotions, Corporate Officer Daisuke Asai told Kyodo News in late January, adding that the app likely spread due to the faster pace of exchanges compared to emails.

The service also has 1.3 million official accounts run by companies and local governments and the operator is working to connect individuals with businesses via the app, such as enabling users to make restaurant reservations.

The population of Japan is some 120 million.

"There is still room for growth in business use," Asai said. "We'd like to make daily life more convenient, including shopping and communicating with local governments."

Meanwhile, the operator faces the challenges of protecting user privacy and preventing the app from being used for crimes such as fraud.

"We are collaborating with police and have established a system to immediately issue alerts (within the app) whenever new fraud schemes are identified," Asai said, adding the company is also prioritizing investment in data protection.
 
 

Japan earned a record number of Winter Olympics medals, at 24, at the 17-day Milan-Cortina Games that came to an end Sunday.

The Asian country clinched five golds, seven silvers and 12 bronzes, with the overall total exceeding its previous record of 18, logged at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Japan came fifth in the overall medal rankings. The country's five gold medals tie its highest tally to date set at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

 

A total of 121 Japanese athletes competed in the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Around 50 athletes and coaches from Japan attended the closing ceremony held in Verona, northern Italy, on Sunday, with figure skating silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto and speed skater Wataru Morishige serving as flag bearers.

The next Winter Olympics in 2030 will be held in the French Alps region, using the same decentralized hosting method as this year's event.
 


 

All 20 people, including two children, have been rescued from an elevator at Tokyo Skytree in Tokyo's Sumida Ward after being trapped there for more than 5 hours. No injuries have been reported.

Tokyo police and others say two elevators connecting to the observation deck stopped suddenly shortly before 8:30 p.m. on Sunday.

One of them was empty, but the other carrying 20 people came to a halt about 30 meters above ground.

Police officers and others contacted the people inside by phone to look for ways to rescue them.

Rescuers from the fire department helped the people move to an adjacent elevator lowered to the same height and whose emergency door on its side was open.

All were freed at about 2 a.m. on Monday.

Police say no one was injured or complained of feeling unwell.
About 1,200 people were temporarily stranded on the observation deck. But they all came down by 11 p.m. using a different elevator.

A Tokyo Skytree spokesperson says the elevator in question has a capacity of 40 people, and it stopped while descending from the observation deck.
Police and others are looking into the cause of the trouble.
 
 

There’s been a lot for Japanese Starbucks fans to be happy about over the last few days, as the chain rolled out its new sakura
beverages and drinkware. But while those additions to Starbucks’ menu and merch catalog are putting smiles on many people’s face, there are some less crowd-pleasing ones going into effect too.

Starting with the one that has a silver lining, as of February 18, Starbucks Japan branches no longer provides free bags to takeout customers.

Instead, customers who need a bag and haven’t brought one of their own will be charged 11 yen per order, and can receive a number of bags up to the number of items they’re purchasing.

It’s a very modest fee, and is part of Starbucks’ initiative to reduce the chain’s environmental impact by encouraging customers to bring their own reusable shopping bags.

▼ Since 2009, Starbucks Japan has been using FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-approved sustainable-source paper for its takeout bags, but they want to be even more ecologically friendly.

 

The less popular change, though, will be that Starbucks is raising its prices, or, to use their press release’s terminology, “adjusting” them, in response to “rising materials and energy costs.”

The nature of the price increases is complex and vague. To start with, in 2025 Starbucks introduced a system of “location-specific pricing,” with Starbucks locations inside certain Japanese airports and expressway rest stops put into the category Location A, and branches in major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo’s 23 central wards and Osaka in the Location B classification.

Prices at Location A Starbucks are, on average, six percent higher than they are in a normal Starbucks, and at Location B branches they’re four percent higher than the norm. In total, about 30 percent of Starbucks Japan branches are in either the Location A or B group.

Under the new system, though, Starbucks will be transferring some of the Tokyo 23-wards branches to the more expansive Location A group.

In addition, while the beverage prices for Location A and B branches will not change, at Starbucks Japan’s remaining branches (i.e. those with the cheapest prices under the old system), prices for some permanent-menu beverages will be increased by 5 to 30 yen.

And at all participating Starbucks Japan branches, regardless of location classification, the price for the chain’s “One More Coffee” brewed coffee refill service will be increased by 20 yen, and some regular-menu food items will have their prices raised by between 5 and 30 yen.

None of these are massive changes, but with consumers in Japan growing exhausted at the constant string of prices for just about everything going up while most workers’ wages remain stagnant, being asked to pay more for what’s supposed to be discretionary, “fun” eating and drinking probably isn’t going to sit well with some people.

In addition, while it might be a common practice in the U.S., in Japan it’s somewhat unusual for a national chain to charge different prices based on branch location.

Starbucks Japan isn’t the first company to do so (McDonald’s Japan also charges different prices for certain items depending on location), but Starbucks does run the risk of being seen as trying to squeeze every last yen they can out of their customers by saying that people in certain parts of Tokyo have to pay more for the same cup of coffee than they would in another part of the country, or even another part of the same city.

All that said, with how consistently crowded Starbucks Japan branches in prime locations are, Starbucks probably isn’t too worried about losing a handful of customers if they can earn more per person who does buy something.
 

 

The Japanese government plans to expand the market for used goods to around 4.6 trillion yen ($29.7 bllion) in 2030, up 32 percent from 2024, to curb waste and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, a government source said.

The government will draw up guidelines by fiscal 2027 to outline requirements for business operators, following cases in which consumers have received poor-quality items via flea market apps. It will also urge local governments to utilize secondhand items, the source said.

The measures to promote used goods will be compiled in a road map to be drawn up by the Environment Ministry as early as March, the source said.

The market, calculated based on annual spending on 22 categories of used goods including books and home appliances purchased via online auctions and secondhand retailers, has seen annual growth of 1 percent in recent years, so a sharp expansion would be required to achieve the government target.

Specific measures will include setting up a system to evaluate secondhand retailers and operators of flea market apps in line with the guidelines to support the activities of highly rated businesses.

The government also plans to promote services to connect operators with elderly people wishing to sort their belongings to facilitate the collection of unnecessary items.

The government will examine factors hindering the purchase of used goods by municipalities and revise rules on procuring environmentally friendly products, the source said.

It is also considering holding campaigns to encourage purchases of used goods during the year-end, when many people clean up their homes, and the moving season in spring.
 
 

The Japanese and U.S. governments held working-level talks this week on China's alleged secret nuclear test and North Korea's nuclear and missile development, it was learned Saturday.

The meeting, which has been regularly held since 2010 to discuss extended deterrence, including the U.S. nuclear umbrella, took place in Washington on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Department of State.

During the latest meeting, foreign affairs and defense officials from both governments also discussed the expiration of the New START nuclear disarmament treaty between the United States and Russia.

The U.S. side underscored the need for a multilateral arms control framework, and the Japanese side noted that a new framework should include both China and Russia.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday expressed hopes of deepening her relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump and strengthen cooperation between the two countries in rare earths development and other areas of economic security when she visits Washington next month.

Takaichi, at a news conference late Wednesday, expressed hopes to strengthen cooperation with the U.S., especially in economic security, as tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have risen over the last few months.

Takaichi, elected as Japan’s first female leader in October, was reappointed by Parliament as prime minister earlier in the day and formed her second Cabinet, following a landslide election win last week.

Her goals include an increase in military power, more government spending and ultra-conservative social policies.

Takaichi aims to use the mandate she got in the election to boost her ruling Liberal Democratic Party as it looks to capitalize on a two-thirds supermajority in the lower house, the more powerful of Japan’s two parliamentary chambers.


The power of a supermajority

Having two-thirds control of the 465-seat lower house allows Takaichi’s party to dominate top posts in house committees and push through bills rejected by the upper house, the chamber where the LDP-led ruling coalition lacks a majority.

Takaichi wants to bolster Japan’s military capability and arms sales, tighten immigration policies, push male-only imperial succession rules and preserve a criticized tradition that pressures women into abandoning their surnames.

Her ambition to revise the U.S.-drafted postwar pacifist Constitution might have to wait, for now, as she is facing pressure to deal with rising prices, a declining population and worries about military security.


Addressing rising prices

Her first urgent task is to address rising prices and sluggish wages and pass a budget bill to fund those measures, delayed by the election.

Takaichi proposes a two-year sales tax cut on food products to ease household living costs. She told

Experts caution that her liberal fiscal policy could drive up prices and delay progress on trimming Japan’s huge national debt.


Courting Trump

Takaichi is maneuvering for a crucial summit next month with Trump, who will visit Beijing in April.

The U.S. president endorsed Takaichi ahead of the Japanese election, and hours before Takaichi’s reappointment as prime minister, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced Japan will provide capital for three projects under a $550 billion investment package that Japan pledged in October.

Japan is committed to the $36 billion first batch of projects — a natural gas plant in Ohio, a U.S. Gulf Coast crude oil export facility and a synthetic diamond manufacturing site.

Takaichi said she hoped to “closely cooperate” with Trump in the first investment inititives at the talks scheduled for March 19.

Japan is also under pressure to increase annual defense spending.
”Japan will keep spending more and more for the U.S. ... The question is whether the public wants her to speak out against Trump or be obedient to ensure Japanese security,” said Masato Kamikubo, a Ritsumeikan University professor of policy science.

“For China, it’s simple. Japanese people want her to be tough.”


A hawk on China

Takaichi in November suggested possible Japanese action if China makes a military move against Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own. That has led to Beijing’s diplomatic and economic reprisals.

Many Japanese, frustrated by China’s growing assertiveness, welcomed her comments on Taiwan.

Emboldened by the big election win, Takaichi could take a more hawkish stance with China, experts say.

Takaichi, soon after the election, said she is working to gain support for a visit to Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine. Visits to the shrine are seen by Japan’s neighbors as evidence of a lack of remorse for Japan’s wartime past.


A stronger military that spends more and sells more

Takaichi has pledged to revise security and defense policies by December to bolster Japan’s military capabilities, lifting a ban on lethal weapons exports and moving further away from postwar pacifist principles.

Japan is also considering the development of a nuclear-powered submarine to increase offensive capabilities.

Takaichi wants to improve intelligence-gathering and establish a national agency to work more closely with ally Washington and defense partners like Australia and Britain.

She supports a controversial anti-espionage law that largely targets Chinese spies. Some experts say it could undermine Japanese civil rights.


Stricter on immigration and foreigners

Takaichi has proposed tougher policies on immigration and foreigners, something that resonates with a growing frustration in Japan.

Her government in January approved tougher rules on permanent residency and naturalization as well as measures to prevent unpaid tax and social insurance.


Promoting traditional family values

Takaichi supports the imperial family’s male-only succession and opposes same-sex marriage.

She is also against a revision to the 19th-century civil law that would allow separate surnames for married couples so that women don’t get pressured into abandoning theirs.

In a step that rights activists call an attempt to block a dual-surname system, Takaichi is calling for a law to allow the greater use of maiden names as aliases instead.
 
 

The government will send Parliamentary Vice Minister for the Cabinet Office Naoki Furukawa to this year's annual ceremony for the Takeshima Islands, minister for territorial issues Jiro Akama has said.

Furukawa will attend the Takeshima Day ceremony in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, planned for Sunday. The Sea of Japan islands are now under the effective control of South Korea, which calls them Dokdo.

In last year's leadership race of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Sanae Takaichi, who was later elected prime minister, argued that the central government should have a Cabinet minister attend the ceremony.

She apparently changed her position in light of improving ties between Japan and South Korea, especially as China ramps up pressure on Tokyo.

The decision to send Furukawa was "the result of consideration within the government based on various circumstances," Akama told a news conference.
 
 

Japan and the United States have chosen three inaugural projects to kick off a $550 billion (about ¥84 trillion) investment package in the United States.

The two nations agreed on the investment package in July during talks over U.S. tariff measures. The $550 billion in investments are to be made by January 2029, when U.S. President Donald Trump ‘s term of office expires.

Just over 6% of the total amount, or $36 billion, will be used in the first three projects. Both countries are hastily making preparations for the second set of projects, ahead of the Japan-U.S. summit scheduled in March, but careful consideration is required regarding profitability and other factors.

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa emphasized on Wednesday that the latest agreement would benefit both Japan and the United States.

“Japan and the United States will cooperate to build supply chains in sectors critical to economic security. Japanese companies can expect business expansion through equipment supply and other avenues,” Akazawa told reporters.

The three projects were agreed upon only after considerable difficulty.
Japan and the United States held discussions from December at a committee of senior government officials and others who worked through the year-end and New Year holidays.

According to people involved in the negotiations, the U.S. side was eager to move forward with the three projects it proposed. The United States is said to have intended to announce the projects by the end of January.

However, the negotiations ran into trouble over issues such as income and expenditure plans to minimize business risks and ensure profitability. Both sides were able to reach an agreement through talks between Akazawa and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Feb. 12.

 

Sources said they finally were able to do so because the U.S. side also made concessions, such as lowering interest rates and reducing business costs.

The three projects are all in areas important to economic security, such as strategic materials and energy. They involve the construction of a gas-fired power plant; the development of a facility necessary to export crude oil; and the building of a synthetic diamond manufacturing facility.

The construction of the gas-fired power plant in Ohio will be managed by SoftBank Group Corp., which is promoting the development of infrastructure such as data centers necessary for the development and operation of artificial intelligence in the United States.

Toshiba Corp. and Hitachi, Ltd. are expected to supply power generation and transmission and distribution equipment, in addition to other related equipment.

“We will work positively in the project within the scope of acceptable conditions,” Toshiba said after the latest announcement. Hitachi commented, “We are honored to be expected to contribute to the realization of the project.”

Operations at the infrastructure to be built in Texas to export crude oil will involve collecting crude onshore, transporting it offshore via pipeline and shipping it on large tankers. The project envisions exporting crude oil to Japan in emergencies.

Among the participating companies are Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., which will handle vessel operation management, and Nippon Steel Corp., which will supply materials.

“Large-scale projects generate demand for steel materials. We’ll consider supplying steel materials in a forward-looking manner,” a public relations official at Nippon Steel said.

The third project is the building of a synthetic diamond manufacturing facility in Georgia, essential for polishing and processing semiconductors and automotive parts. China dominates the global artificial diamond market.

Asahi Diamond Industrial Co., which handles tools for semiconductor components, imports 80% of its raw artificial diamond materials from China. “If we can stably procure raw materials from the United States, it would offer us significant benefits in terms of diversifying supply sources,” an Asahi Diamond official said.

To execute the three projects, Japan and the United States will establish a special purpose entity. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation will provide funding, while three major Japanese banks will extend loans with a loan guarantee from Nippon Export and Investment Insurance.

The U.S. side will contribute land and other tangible assets, while the U.S. federal government will help with construction permits and approvals.

Profits from the projects will be split 50-50 between Japan and the United States up to the amount covering Japanese loans and interest, and 90% of any profits beyond that will be received by the United States and 10% by Japan.

The Trump administration has also agreed with other parties, including the European Union and South Korea, to receive massive investments in exchange for tariff reductions.

The three projects, announced ahead of other countries and regions, are likely become a model case for relevant projects.

However, one participating company expressed caution, saying; “There are concerns about who will bear the risks if things go wrong. We need to assess the risks until the details are finalized.”
 

 

Major Japanese convenience store operator Lawson Inc will enter the Indian market, planning to open its first store in Mumbai in 2027 and launch a total of 100 stores in the country by 2030, a company official said.
 
Starting with five directly operated stores in Mumbai in 2027, the company aims to eventually expand its presence in the South Asian country to 10,000 stores in 2050, the official said.
 
Lawson -- which already has about 7,800 stores overseas, mainly in China -- views India, the world's most populous country, as the next potential pillar of profit-making outside Japan.
 
Seeing India continue to build infrastructure that enables the transport of food products at low temperatures, the company has determined it can enter the market, according to the official.
 
Among Lawson's Japanese rivals, Seven & i Holdings Co opened its first 7-Eleven store in India in 2021. It had about 60 stores as of September last year.
 

Japanese superstar Kaori Sakamoto said her feeling was one of "frustration" after missing out on Olympic gold in her final figure skating competition on Thursday.
 
"I was aiming for the gold medal. The frustration of not being able to win it is really hitting me right now," said Sakamoto, 25, who took silver behind American Alysa Liu.
 
"I thought I might be able to finish with a smile, but instead I'm ending it with this sense of frustration. Still, I think feeling this way will be important for the rest of my life."
 
Sakamoto had been looking for a fairytale Olympic swansong and had been well-positioned just 1.48 points behind 17-year-old teammate Ami Nakai after Tuesday's short program, with Liu in third position.
 
But skating to a version of "Non, je ne regrette rien" Sakamoto lost points for not doing her planned triple combination jump.
 
It cost her dearly as she finished just 1.89 points behind Liu, who surged to gold with her Donna Summer's disco version of "MacArthur Park".
 
"The points I lost on those mistakes were exactly the margin that cost me the gold medal. That’s the most frustrating part -- I know I left something out there," Sakamoto said.
 
Competing in her third Olympics after finishing sixth in 2018 Pyeongchang and third in 2022 Beijing, she finishes her career with four Olympic medals -- three of them silver including two in the team event.
 
Sakamoto said her coach had told her that she could "nurture a future gold medalist. So maybe you’ll see me as a coach at the Olympics."
 
Nakai grabbed bronze as 20-year-old Japanese teammate Mone Chiba finished fourth, both competing in their first Olympics.
 
"Ami and Mone, who shared this experience with me, both skated with such strength that you wouldn't think it was their first Olympic Games," said Sakamoto, who had dominated the sport since 2022.
 
She won three world titles before Liu took gold ahead of her at last year's world championships.
 
"Next season even stronger skaters will emerge, but I believe Japan will continue to be strong," said Sakamoto. "At the next Olympic Games, I’m sure there will again be many Japanese skaters standing on the podium."
 
Nakai belied her years as the youngest competitor in Milan.
 
"I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be," she said after including a difficult triple Axel jump in her "What a Wonderful World" program.
 
"Watching everyone else fight so hard made me think, 'I’ll give it everything too'," said Nakai. "Just skating on this dream stage was already incredible, but to win a medal feels like a dream come true."
 
She paid tribute to Sakamoto who is affectionately called "big sister" by her teammates.
 
"I’ve seen how hard Kaori has worked, so seeing her today honestly made me emotional too," said the teenager. "She’s achieved so much and won so many medals - she’s truly an amazing skater. Sharing the podium with her at the Olympic Games is something I’ll always treasure."
 
She added: "I didn't expect to be at the Olympics and now I am wearing a bronze medal at my first Games. I think I can participate in two more Olympics, just like Kaori has done."
 
Chiba rued finishing fourth, 1.28 behind Nakai.
 
"The result was not what I had hoped for. I feel half frustrated and half satisfied that I gave it everything. It’s a very complicated feeling.”
© 2026 AFP
 

Japanese company Luminaris announces the opening of their virtual cram school where all instructors are real-life VTubers.

Japanese company Luminaris, which operates a cram school in Tokyo, recently announced the opening of Virtual Cram School Wish High, their brand-new online school in which all of the teachers are VTubers.

As reported by ITMedia News, the company already has experience with “VTuber-based” educational services, offering courses for middle schoolers and businesses.

According to Luminaris, Wish High will be the first ever cram school for high schoolers in Japan where all classes are taught by VTubers.

Set to officially launch on March 1st, the service targets high schoolers who live in rural areas that don’t have access to cram schools or don’t attend school (non-attendance is legal in Japan).

All of the instructors are VTubers covering high-school level subjects such as math, English, physics, chemistry, classic literature, world history, Japanese history, and geography.

What’s interesting about them though, is that they are not just “educators with animated avatars,” but actual VTubers who work as individual content creators and have their own personal channels where they do livestreams and playthroughs.

https://youtu.be/OIxhMIU1L5o

Of course, despite the service being marketed for “highschoolers,” the video courses are available to anyone who is willing to learn or brush up their high school knowledge, regardless of age or educational level.

On top of the paid monthly lessons, which go for around 9,900 yen, or about $65 USD, Wish High has also set up a YouTube channel where students can get to know their teachers “outside of class.”

To commemorate the school’s grand opening and introduce the new cast of instructors, Wish High will also be holding two special livestreams this month, where we’ll get to see the teachers interact as a full-blown VTuber group while also hearing about their planned curriculums.

Virtual Cram School Wish High is set to open on March 1st in Japan only.
 
 

Japan Coast Guard personnel have put on a training session for officials from a group of Southeast Asian countries. The aim was to enhance their capabilities in tracking and monitoring suspicious vessels.

The session in the Java Sea involved a Coast Guard aircraft that was dispatched to the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

The 10 officials who attended included representatives from the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency as well as organizations in the Philippines and Malaysia.

The Coast Guard members demonstrated how to use a radar to gauge the size and location of a ship. They also explained how to operate a camera that can automatically track objects.

Indonesia faces the Strait of Malacca, a key shipping lane. Takahashi Toru, deputy director general of the Japan Coast Guard, expressed hope that by cooperating with Southeast Asian nations, Japan can contribute to "protecting rule of law at sea, and ensure a free and open Indo Pacific."

Japan has a long history of supporting Indonesia's maritime capabilities. But Jakarta is now deepening its maritime ties with China, which is increasingly active in the South China Sea.