Japan's national team secured qualification for the Women's Basketball World Cup in Germany for the fifth straight tournament with an 83-39 win over Argentina on Tuesday.

At a qualifying tournament in Istanbul, Japan finished fourth in the six-team pool with a 2-3 record but advanced as Australia, which had already secured a berth by winning the Women's Continental Cup, did not count toward qualification.

There are four six-team qualifying tournaments in China, France, Puerto Rico and Turkey, from which 16 teams advance to the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in September.
 

 

The average retail price of regular gasoline in Japan as of Monday surged 29 yen from a week earlier to hit a record high of 190.8 yen per liter, the industry ministry said Wednesday.

The jump was driven by a spike in wholesale prices after crude oil prices surged following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route, in the wake of escalating tensions over Iran.

The Japanese government will resume subsidies to oil wholesalers Thursday, aiming to lower the average pump price to around 170 yen per liter.

With major wholesalers expected to raise their prices further, the initial amount of subsidies will be as much as 30.2 yen per liter. It is expected to take a week or two for the effect of the subsidies to be reflected in retail prices.

Retail prices rose for the fifth consecutive week, with all 47 prefectures of the country logging increases. The highest price was 198.5 yen in Yamagata, northeastern Japan, while Okayama in western Japan logged the largest weekly rise, at 32.1 yen.
 
 

Japanese exports rose 4.2 per cent year-on-year in February, up for a sixth straight month, data from the Ministry of Finance showed on Wednesday.

The result compared with a 1.6 per cent increase expected by economists in a Reuters poll.

Imports grew 10.2 per cent in February from a year earlier, versus an 11.5 per cent increase expected by economists.

The trade balance stood at a surplus of 57.3 billion yen (S$460.6 million), compared with the forecast of a deficit of 483.2 billion yen.
 

Key Points

-    Nissan will export the Murano SUV built in Smyrna, Tennessee, to Japan beginning early next year. It marks the first American-made Nissan sold in Japan since the 1990s.

-    Nissan is the latest of Japanese automaker to announce such plans after regulators loosened regulations to more easily allow automakers to import vehicles from the U.S. to Japan.

-    Under the new rules, U.S.-made vehicles don’t have to meet Japanese vehicle certification as long as they comply with American standards.
 
Nissan Motor plans to join fellow Japanese automakers Toyota Motor and Honda Motor

in exporting U.S.-produced vehicles to Japan following changes to the country’s vehicle import rules reached through a trade deal last year with the Trump administration.

The company on Tuesday said it will import the midsize Nissan Murano, built in Smyrna, Tennessee, to Japan beginning early next year. It marks the first American-made Nissan sold in Japan since the 1990s, according to a Nissan spokeswoman.

“With the introduction of this model, Nissan aims to further strengthen its product lineup in Japan and meet the diverse needs of Japanese customers,” Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa said in a statement.

Nissan is the latest Japanese automaker to announce such plans after changes to regulations meant automakers could more easily import vehicles from the U.S. to Japan. Those rules were put in place as part of a trade deal that also included easing U.S. tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump.
 
Under the new Japanese regulations that were confirmed last month, U.S.-made vehicles don’t have to meet the country’s vehicle certification as long as they comply with American standards.

Nissan confirmed plans to import the Murano from the U.S. with the steering wheel on the left-hand side of the vehicle, which is typical for Americans but not in the Japanese market.

Automakers typically have to tailor vehicles to meet safety and other regulations for different countries globally. They can range from things such as lighting and side mirrors to more complex parts such as the location of the steering wheel.
 
 

Fans of Wasabeef potato chips may have to brace themselves for emptier shelves.

Japanese snack maker Yamayoshi Seika announced that it has suspended production of several products due to difficulties securing fuel, forcing it to halt factory operations.

The snack maker said it has stopped producing six items — including its flagship wasabi and beef-flavored potato chips — as heavy oil used in manufacturing became difficult to procure, citing disruptions linked to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The company has not set a timeline for resuming production.

Yamayoshi also temporarily closed its direct sales store and online shop from Monday and has stopped accepting new orders. The company said orders already placed will be fulfilled.

Retail availability will be limited to existing inventories at supermarkets and other outlets.

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and trouble this will cause our customers and business partners,” the company said in a notice, adding it is working to secure fuel and resume operations as soon as possible.

The Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint for global oil shipments, has been effectively blocked by Iran amid a war with the U.S. and Israel. The chokepoint handles a significant share of global crude exports, and any disruption can quickly tighten fuel supply.

For countries such as Japan that are heavily dependent on imports, that can translate to unexpected knock-on effects — including, as evidenced in this case, on the snack aisle.

Yamayoshi’s production halt is one of the first tangible impacts of the oil shock on Japanese consumers.

Its products’ sudden unavailability sparked a wave of online dismay among fans of the potato chips on social media, with many netizens expressing concern about other daily goods that might disappear off the shelves as well.
 
 

Many Japanese firms remain underinsured despite rising exposure to cyber-incidents.

HDI Global SE’s Japan unit plans to expand its cyber-insurance capabilities whilst tightening underwriting discipline as companies face rising digital threats and insurers seek to protect profitability, its country head said.

Managing Director Hiro Yamasaki said cyber-risk is becoming one of the most rapidly evolving threats for businesses as attacks grow more frequent and sophisticated, increasing the risk of operational disruption.

“Cyber-risk is definitely one of the fastest-evolving risks for businesses today,” he told Insurance Asia. “The frequency and sophistication of attacks continue to increase and the potential business interruption impact can be severe.”

Yamasaki said Japan’s cyber-insurance market still has room to expand as many companies remain underinsured despite rising exposure to cyber-incidents.

A study by Aon Plc found that more than a quarter of organisations in Japan reported cyber-related losses, underscoring the scale of the risk.

However, far fewer companies have formal business continuity plans, pointing to gaps in preparedness that could affect insurance coverage and claim outcomes.

“Cyber-risk must be approached holistically, not only through insurance capacity but through continuous risk management as well,” Yamasaki said via Zoom.

Yamasaki, who took the helm of the Japanese unit of the Germany-based insurer earlier this year, said the company would continue focusing on its core commercial insurance portfolio whilst gradually strengthening cyber-offerings for corporate clients.

The insurer primarily serves large commercial and industrial companies in Japan, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing and multinational operations where property and liability insurance play a key role in managing operational risks.

Property and liability lines remain the backbone of the group’s business globally.

These segments account for the majority of gross written premiums, with fire and other property damage forming a significant share and general liability another major component, according to the company’s financial disclosures.

Japan’s property and casualty insurance market is also expanding as businesses seek broader protection against operational and financial risks.
Industry forecasts point to steady growth over the coming years as corporate risk management becomes more complex.

Within this environment, HDI Global aims to stand out through technical underwriting expertise and disciplined risk selection, Yamasaki said.

The insurer is also looking to deepen partnerships with brokers and agents.

More structured strategy discussions and clearer communication are intended to strengthen collaboration and improve the development of insurance solutions for clients.

HDI Global’s international network is another advantage for Japanese companies operating overseas. The insurer operates across more than 170 countries, enabling multinational clients to arrange coordinated coverage across multiple territories.

Technology is expected to play a bigger role in underwriting and risk assessment. HDI Global is investing in data analytics and artificial intelligence tools to support faster and more consistent decision-making whilst keeping specialist expertise central to the process.

“Balanced growth and sustainable profitability come from technical excellence, disciplined underwriting, and strong partnerships,” Yamasaki said.
 
 

A panel of experts established by the Foreign Ministry launched discussions on Monday on how better the country's overseas development assistance (ODA) should be provided to meet its strategic needs.

The panel of 10 specialists on areas including development policy will discuss ways to strengthen the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), an organization that oversees the country's official development assistance.

"The strategic importance of ODA in foreign policy is growing even more," Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at the panel's first meeting.

JICA "needs to be strengthened to address new areas of importance and challenges, including economic security," he said.

The panel will meet roughly once a month, aiming to compile suggestions by summer. The proposals are expected to be reflected in JICA's medium-term plan beginning in fiscal 2027.
 

 

ANA Holdings Inc. is considering launching a new business using fixed-wing drones to survey damage in remote areas following a disaster.

The parent company of All Nippon Airways aims to use the drones, which can fly at high speeds and cover long distances, to survey disaster-struck mountainous areas and peninsulas.

It plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with a Swiss drone manufacturer for business use and to promote its new service to local governments and other businesses.

The drone model eyed for the new business has a wingspan of 1.2 meters and weighs 5.2 kilograms, small enough for a single person to carry.

Equipped with a camera, the model will be used to inspect aging infrastructure facilities such as bridges and utility towers to detect changes in their condition that might indicate possible issues.

In case of a disaster, the model can be used to survey landslides, cracks or other changes on the ground, as well as damage sustained to infrastructure.

During a test in October 2025 near Mt. Fugen in Nagasaki Prefecture, a fixed-wing drone was able to inspect an area of about 150 hectares for 30 minutes and detect fine cracks on erosion control facilities and changes in their condition, according to ANA Holdings.

When a powerful earthquake hit the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture in January 2024, ANA Holdings conducted a survey using a large drone. However, the company encountered challenges, such as the long time required to transport such a large product to the affected areas.

ANA Holdings is therefore turning to the small model with fixed wings, as it can be operated more flexibly. The model is more maneuverable than a helicopter and can survey wider areas than a small drone without fixed wings.

ANA Holdings also plans to launch a logistics business using a large drone with a wingspan of 7 meters as early as 2027. When a disaster strikes, the drone will be tasked with delivering food and other relief supplies to areas where access has been cut off.

Other companies are also trying to use fixed-wing drones for their businesses.

In January, Itochu Corp. announced that it will work with Pasco Corp. on the practical use of fixed-wing drones in aerial surveying. The major trading firm is considering using the drones to transport blood products and medical equipment in normal times, as well as deploying them when a disaster happens.

East Japan Railway Co. has also conducted tests using a fixed-wing drone in heavy snowfall areas to survey conditions on slopes along its tracks and analyze if an avalanche could happen.

As the market for fixed-wing drones is expanding, the government is currently working to establish a new national certification specifically for this type by the end of the year.

Currently, operators must hold a highly specialized certification for unmanned aircraft that require the use of runways. The government aims to promote fixed-wing drones by establishing a certification that is easier to acquire.
 
 

An overwhelming 82 percent of Japanese voters do not support the U.S. attack against Iran, and more than half want Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to express her stance on the war, a survey showed.

Only 9 percent of respondents back the Israeli-U.S. action, according to the nationwide telephone poll conducted by The Asahi Shimbun on March 14-15.

The findings show a significantly harsher public reaction compared to a survey in March 2003, immediately after the U.S.-led attack on Iraq.

In that earlier survey, 59 percent of Japanese voters opposed the U.S. action while 31 percent supported it.

International criticism has risen about the airstrikes against Iran, and countries like Spain have stated that the war violates international law.

However, Takaichi has avoided specifying her view, saying, “I will refrain from making a legal assessment.”

Fifty-one percent of respondents said they disapprove of her reluctance, surpassing the 34 percent who approve.

Although a majority of Liberal Democratic Party supporters (53 percent) approved Takaichi’s cautious stance, only 22 percent of unaffiliated voters agreed with her move.


DEEP ECONOMIC ANXIETY

The Middle East conflict has fueled deep economic fears in Japan.
Fifty-three percent feel “greatly anxious” and 37 percent are “somewhat anxious” about the impact on Japan’s economy, for a combined 90 percent, according to the survey.

Only 10 percent feel little to no anxiety.

Economic concerns were highest among those in their 60s (66 percent) and nonregular employees (65 percent), while they were lowest among 18- to 29-year-olds (35 percent).

Regarding Takaichi’s measures against rising prices, 43 percent of respondents voiced disapproval, compared with 38 percent who expressed approval.

This marks the second consecutive survey in which disapproval has outpaced approval, although the disapproval figure fell slightly from 47 percent in January.

On March 11, Takaichi announced plans to release oil from the national stockpile and use subsidies to curb gasoline prices.


CABINET SUPPORT RESILIENT

Despite the economic anxiety, the approval rating for the Takaichi Cabinet was 61 percent, nearly unchanged from 63 percent in February and remaining in the 60s since the Cabinet’s formation last October.

The Cabinet’s strong support rating persists even as 51 percent of voters disapprove of the ruling parties’ decision to significantly shorten Diet debate to pass the budget bill for the new fiscal year in March.
Only 34 percent approve of the move.

Among those who object to the ruling coalition’s handling of Diet affairs, 44 percent disapproved of the Cabinet, well above the overall disapproval rating of 26 percent.

But among those who support the Diet management, the Cabinet’s approval rating soared to 87 percent.

The survey also touched on Takaichi’s distribution of catalog gifts worth 30,000 yen ($188) each to 315 LDP members elected in the February Lower House election.

Fifty-five percent of voters said it was problematic, with 28 percent calling it a “major problem” and 27 percent saying it was “somewhat of a problem.”
Forty-three percent saw it as a minor or no problem.

In a similar incident a year ago, 75 percent of survey respondents said then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s distribution of 100,000-yen gift certificates to new LDP lawmakers through his office was “problematic.”


LINGERING CHURCH DOUBTS

The survey also raised the Tokyo High Court’s decision in March to uphold a dissolution order against the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, formerly known as the Unification Church.

Sixty-one percent of respondents believe that LDP lawmakers “cannot sever ties” with the church, compared with 25 percent who believe they can.

Although skepticism remains high, it is lower than in summer 2022, when the church-politics issue re-emerged and around 80 percent of voters said ties could not be cut.

The survey was conducted using the Random Digit Dialing method. Valid responses were obtained from 1,166 eligible voters. Results were adjusted to reflect national demographics.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Monday that her government is considering what to do to ensure the safety of Japan-related ships amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

"The Japanese government is currently considering how to take necessary measures," she told the Budget Committee of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament.

Asked about U.S. President Donald Trump's call for ship escorts in the Strait of Hormuz, Takaichi said, "It's difficult to answer hypothetically because we have not been asked for that yet."

She said that issuing a maritime security order based on the Self-Defense Forces law to escort ships would be "legally difficult."

The prime minister declined to comment on the legal assessment of U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, saying, "We are not in a position to know the detailed facts in full."
 

 

Last year saw 143 ransomware attacks on small and midsize companies in Japan, accounting for 60% of all attacks in the country for the second year in a row, according to the National Police Agency.

Officials at one company that was targeted said the attack could have caused the firm’s bankruptcy.


Data hacked

Early on the morning of Jan. 6 last year, a security official at a manufacturer of dairy products in Tokyo received an automated call that said irregularities had been detected in the company’s internal system.

Accessing the server via a computer at home, he found that some file extensions had been overwritten.

“Is this ransomware?” he thought. After instructing all employees via the in-company chat not to start their computers, he rushed to his firm’s data center.

There, he discovered that almost all their data had been encrypted. When he opened a text file on the server that had been left unencrypted, he saw that it was a note from RansomHub, a notorious ransomware group, that claimed responsibility and said the data had been “taken” to the group’s server.



Brought to a standstill


Data about the firm’s roughly 7,000 corporate customers and personal information about its employees was encrypted and a server at a separate location was also affected.

The firm was forced to suspend production and distribution. Even the backup files, which were supposed to have been impossible to overwrite, had been encrypted.

The ransomware group demanded a payment of $1 million, or about ¥150 million, to restore the data. Management decided that same day not to comply with the demand, believing the data might not be restored even if they paid. The company’s headquarters ground to a halt.

But there was one saving grace. The firm’s core system, which had a specially designed operating system, had not been attacked. The system was introduced about 40 years ago and was set to be retired in about six months.

The core system was accessed safely from a computer, suggesting it might be possible to take some orders and check stock again.

It was around 3 p.m. that the firm managed to partially resume operations. The company explained the situation to customers over the phone and received orders via phone and fax. The firm continued production with rough projections, keeping its plants online.


Early warning signs

The company was hacked through a virtual private network, or VPN, which was used to access the in-company system from outside. The company identified traces of an attack three days before, but it was unable to decrypt files in the attacked server.

It took the firm four months to completely restore operations, costing it tens of millions of yen, including for safety measures after the incident.

So far, there is no sign of secondary damage, such as the disclosure of customer information.

“The attack was beyond our expectations,” said one corporate official. “The incident made us keenly aware that we need a system that will allow us to keep operating even if it gets infected or we are attacked, which could mean a backup system that is not connected to the internet.”

“We never expected our firm would be targeted,” said a senior official. “The core system just happened to survive, but otherwise we would have gone bankrupt.”
 
 

The umbrella body for labor unions at Japanese electronics makers plans to allow member unions to accept pay scale hike offers from management in the ongoing shuntō annual wage negotiations if the proposed levels are ¥12,000 or higher per month, sources said Saturday.

The minimum acceptable level will be higher than last year's ¥10,000 or more. The hike is intended to help sustainably realize robust pay increases outpacing inflation.

The Japanese Electrical Electronic & Information Union is expected to make a decision on the matter Monday, informed sources said.

Unions at major electronics makers have demanded a monthly pay scale hike of ¥18,000.

Labor-management negotiations in the 2026 shuntō are in the final stretch toward Wednesday, when many major companies in Japan are slated to present their responses.

Starting with the 2020 shuntō, the umbrella body for electronics unions allows agreed pay hikes to vary from company to company if the levels are at or above the minimum acceptable standards set by the organization.

Agreed pay increases are highly likely to differ again this year, due to gaps among companies with regard to earnings performances and business environments.

NEC, which is enjoying rosy earnings, has already informed its labor union of a plan to fully meet the union request for a monthly pay scale hike of ¥18,000.

In the 2025 shuntō, unions at major electronics makers sought a pay scale increase of ¥17,000 per month.

In response, NEC, Hitachi Ltd. and Fujitsu Ltd. fully accepted their unions' demands. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba and Sharp concluded their negotiations with the labor side at ¥15,000, ¥14,000 and ¥12,000, respectively.
 
 

Indonesia and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in two strategic areas, namely critical minerals and nuclear energy, on the sidelines of the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial and Business Forum (IPEM) in Tokyo on Sunday.

Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stated that the partnership aims to build a more integrated and sustainable energy system.

He noted that Indonesia remains open to collaboration in managing critical minerals, as the country possesses the world’s largest nickel reserves as well as substantial deposits of bauxite, tin, copper, and rare earth elements.

"We are delighted to invite the Japanese government and our Japanese business aid to jointly manage our critical minerals in Indonesia," he remarked in a statement on Sunday.

On the same occasion, Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), Ryosei Akazawa, emphasized the importance of collaboration between countries to address global uncertainty and maintain energy security and supply sustainability.

"Amidst the current global crisis, it is crucial for us to strengthen cooperation to maintain energy security. Japan itself has prepared strategic energy reserves as a precautionary measure," he said.

He then highlighted Japan's continued commitment to supporting various energy cooperation projects with Indonesia, including the completion of the Legok Nangka Waste-to-Energy Power Plant (PLTSa) as part of the two countries' strategic partnership.

Meanwhile, the ESDM Ministry said cooperation in the critical minerals sector will focus on strengthening the global supply chain to improve its reliability and long-term stability, while nuclear energy cooperation will center on developing low-carbon technologies with high safety standards.

The two countries will continue discussions on strengthening regional energy security, including cooperation in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal supply chains, as well as accelerating energy transition projects under the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) framework, such as the operation of the Sarulla geothermal power plant (PLTP) and the completion of the Legok Nangka PLTSa.

This cooperation is expected to strengthen energy security and support decarbonization efforts in the Indo-Pacific region.
 

Parliamentary deliberations on a bill to establish a national intelligence council in Japan may be tough as the opposition side is worried that activities of the new entity could lead to human rights violations.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara brushed aside concerns at a press conference Friday, saying that the envisaged council is not intended to enhance surveillance activities.

"We will provide careful explanations so as not to cause concerns," the top government spokesman said.

The government submitted a bill to establish the national intelligence council to the Diet, Japan's parliament, on Friday.

The council would be for strengthening Japan's intelligence capability, which is said to be insufficient, as the government believes that the current security environment surrounding the country is the most severe and complex since the end of World War II.

The planned launch of the national intelligence council is based on the coalition agreement between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, headed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and its partner, the Japan Innovation Party.

The LDP-JIP agreement calls for the promotion of "intelligence reform."
 
 

The Japan Coast Guard announced at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday that what appeared to be a ballistic missile was launched from North Korea, citing defense ministry information.

Defense ministry officials say it apparently fell in waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

The Japanese government has convened an emergency response team consisting of officials from relevant ministries and agencies at the crisis management center in the prime minister's office.

The team is collecting information and confirming if there is any damage.



South believes North fired more than 10 missiles

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff says it believes the North fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles.

It says they were launched from near Sunan, close to the capital Pyongyang, toward the Sea of Japan at about 1:20 p.m.

The South Korean military says it is closely sharing information with Japan and the US, while stepping up monitoring and vigilance and maintaining full readiness.
 
 

Minister-level finance officials of Japan and South Korea held a meeting in Tokyo on Saturday, sharing concern over the rapid depreciation of the two countries' currencies.

A joint statement adopted at the meeting expressed "serious concern over the recent sharp depreciation of the Korean won and the Japanese yen."

 

Participants "reaffirmed that they will closely monitor foreign exchange markets and continue to take appropriate actions against excessive volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates," the document also said.

From Japan, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and other officials attended the gathering. South Korea was represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Koo Yun-cheol.

 

The attendees also confirmed the importance of close cooperation to ensure stable energy supply amid growing tensions in the Middle East, such as Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transportation waterway.
 
 

The Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) held a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday for the tentatively named Yamanashi Prefecture Station, marking the start of construction for a series of planned stations between Tokyo’s Shinagawa and Nagoya Station that are set to support the future Linear Chuo Shinkansen maglev train service.

The station, to be used exclusively for the maglev line, is about 7 kilometers south of JR Kofu Station, straddling the cities of Kofu and Chuo in Yamanashi Prefecture.

 

Features of the project will include the station building and a 1.2-kilometer elevated bridge where the platforms will be located. There will be two platforms and four tracks.

The station building will be four stories tall, with ticket gates on the second floor and platforms on the fourth floor.

JR Tokai signed a construction contract with the contractor in September 2025 and has been moving forward with preparatory work since February this year. The construction period is set to last until December 2031.

Attending the groundbreaking ceremony were JR Tokai President Shunsuke Niwa, Yamanashi Gov. Kotaro Nagasaki and various local municipal leaders.

“As we proceed with construction, we want to make safety our highest priority and place great importance on cooperation with the local community,” said Niwa.
 
 

PayPay Corp, the Japanese provider of a popular digital payment app, made a major stock market debut on the U.S. Nasdaq exchange on Thursday, a move aimed at supporting its global expansion.

PayPay was valued at around $12.1 billion based on its closing price of $18.16, exceeding the initial offering price of $16 per share. The offering price was set below the initially indicated range of $17 to $20.

Although U.S. stocks fell broadly on concerns over the war raging in the Middle East, the new share opened at $19, about 19 percent above the offering price.

At a commemorative ceremony at the Nasdaq, PayPay President Ichiro Nakayama rang the bell, saying the company hopes to show that a Japanese firm "can directly access the U.S. capital markets and grow with strength."

For the listing, PayPay issued about 31 million new shares to bolster its overseas business, while an investment fund operated by SoftBank Group Corp will sell around 24 million shares. Nakayama said, "We will always remain challengers."

 

After the listing, roughly 90 percent of PayPay's shares will be owned by companies including SoftBank Corp and LY Corp, operator of the Line messaging app.

Last month, PayPay announced plans to enter the U.S. market by setting up a new firm with global credit card brand Visa Inc, aiming to build its merchant network through QR code and contactless payments in California and elsewhere.

The Japanese company launched the app in Japan in 2018 and had about 73 million users as of March.
 
 

At least 1,515 Japanese firms operate in the Middle East, where Japanese nationals have begun to evacuate following U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, a survey by research firm Teikoku Databank showed Friday.

Of them, 469 companies have resident offices and plants. Teikoku Databank noted that these firms may be forced to halt or reconsider their operations there.

The survey covered Japanese businesses in 13 countries in the region. It confirmed that 126 companies are operating in Iran, including importers of food and furniture products to Japan.

The number of operating Japanese firms was highest in the United Arab Emirates, at 709, followed by 473 in Israel.

By industry, 883 companies were electronics, luxury used car and other wholesalers, 291 were manufacturers and 127 were service firms.
 
 

Coach Nils Nielsen said Saturday that Japan has the tools to take apart the Philippines in their Women's Asian Cup quarterfinal as the ominous two-time champion bids to keep a fourth straight clean sheet.

The highest-ranked team in the competition and the only Asian side to win the World Cup, Japan has been clinical so far with three wins from three games in the group phase.

Nadeshiko Japan have blasted a tournament-high 17 goals while conceding none, with the Philippines facing a daunting task in Sydney on Sunday.

"The Philippines are a very hard-working, disciplined and interesting side to watch, and it's going to be a challenge for us," said Greenland's Nielsen, the first foreign-born coach of the Japanese women's team.

"But I feel we have the tools to counter the challenges we face.
"We are preparing for all kinds of scenarios so that we can adapt quickly to whatever happens during the game, especially if things don't go our way."

For the Philippines' Australian coach Mark Torcaso, reaching the final eight is an achievement in itself.

He acknowledged the job in front of his side, but said the Philippines was playing for national pride.

"Given it's Japan, I know our chances will be limited so we must take full advantage of whatever opportunities we get and be disciplined in our game," he said.

"This is not just about reaching the quarterfinals.
"It is about carrying out our responsibility to showcase our quality so that every young girl in the Philippines will dream of playing for the national team."

The winner will bank automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil and lineup a semifinal against either South Korea or Uzbekistan.
 
 

 
Japan will inform the U.S. next week that it intends to join the "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative and expects that ​Washington may seek its help with missile production due to the Middle ‌East war and other conflicts, two sources said.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will announce the latest plan when she meets U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. at a leaders' summit on March 19, the Japanese government ​sources said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Trump's Golden Dome ​project, announced last year with an ambitious 2028 timeline, envisions expanding existing ⁠ground‑based defenses such as interceptor missiles with more experimental space‑based elements, meant to detect, ​track and potentially counter incoming threats from orbit.

But the project has made little visible progress so ​far. Details of how Japan will participate also remain unclear.

The Yomiuri newspaper, which first reported Japan's plans on Friday, said Tokyo hoped the initiative could be used to defend the country against new ​hypersonic glide weapons being developed by China and Russia.

Tokyo anticipates that Trump may request ​Japan to produce or co-develop missiles that could help replace stocks of U.S. munitions depleted by the ‌U.S.-Israeli ⁠war on Iran, as well as its support for Ukraine, the sources said. It is still considering how to respond to any such request, they added.

Japan exported a batch of surface-to-air Patriot missiles built under license to the United States late last year, marking a ​historic break from its ​long-standing ban on ⁠lethal weapons exports.

The Trump administration is pushing defense contractors to step up production of missiles and other munitions that have been drawn down ​in recent years. Tokyo is seeking to bolster its own munitions reserves ​to deter ⁠an increasingly assertive China and nuclear-armed North Korea.

Patriot interceptors have been critical in intercepting hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones fired at Gulf countries since the U.S. and Israel ⁠launched their ​air war against Iran earlier this month.

Ukraine has also ​relied on Patriots to defend its energy and military infrastructure since Russia invaded it in 2022.
 
 

The average retail gasoline price in Japan rose to 161.80 yen per liter as of Monday, reflecting higher crude oil prices amid the Iran war, industry ministry data showed, with the price possibly jumping to above 180 yen next week.

The average price advanced 3.30 yen from March 2, rising for the fourth straight week, after the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, launched on Feb. 28, drove up crude oil prices, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Wednesday.

The Oil Information Center, which collected the data, estimates the price could hike a further 20 yen next week as tensions in the Middle East continue, stoking fears over crude oil supplies.

The increase in the price of gasoline comes as a headache for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government as it strives to tackle inflation.

Due to the end of a provisional gasoline tax in December, the price of gasoline had been moving at its lowest level in around four and a half years in recent weeks, providing relief for many businesses and car owners.

In mid-January, the price hit as low as 154.70 yen, contributing to a slowing down the country's nationwide inflation to 2.0 percent in the month, the lowest in two years.

According to the ministry, advances in the price of gasoline were recorded in all 47 prefectures as of Monday.

Diesel prices were also 3.2 yen higher than the previous week at 149.8 yen, while the price of kerosene climbed 47 yen to 2,267 yen per 18 liters, the size of a standard home storage tank.
 
 

Two senior public servants recalled challenges for female workers from their own experiences, nearly 40 years after Japan enforced the law on equal opportunity and treatment between men and women in employment in April 1986.

Tokyo Vice Governor Akiko Matsumoto, 60, and Riwa Sakamoto, 53, director-general of the Business Environment Department of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, looked back at their struggles balancing work and child care, saying that younger generations should have fun both in working and having families.

Matsumoto joined the Tokyo metropolitan government in 1989. Although the equal opportunity law had taken effect three years before, the law at that time merely stipulated an obligation for employers to make efforts to treat men and women equally in employment and promotion.

It was not until a revision in 1999 that discrimination against women was clearly prohibited under the law.

Matsumoto felt the gap between men and women when she was looking for a job, she says. At that time, job-seeking students would receive thick job information books and send postcards to companies they wanted to work for, in order to ask for more details.
 

 

Indonesia and Australia are in talks to expand their security cooperation to incorporate Japan after the close neighbors struck a landmark treaty on increased consultations against threats, a senior official said on Thursday.

The Jakarta Treaty was the centerpiece of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Indonesia in early February. The pact has opened up the possibility for Canberra and Jakarta to coordinate joint responses if either is attacked.

"There was the idea of creating an Indonesia, Australia, Japan trilateral [arrangement] that puts more emphasis on defense and professionalism,” Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsjoeddin told the press after hosting a meeting with his Australian counterpart Richard Marles in Jakarta.

Sjafrie offered few details on the Japan cooperation. The minister admitted that Jakarta was open to having joint military exercises with the two G20 nations, while saying it’s normal for countries to engage in such drills.

 He confirmed that he would discuss this in more depth with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who is slated to visit Jakarta in May. 

Jakarta’s engagements in the defense field with Japan mainly revolve around Tokyo donating patrol boats, among others. 

The Sjafrie-Marles talks laser in on turning Maluku’s northernmost island, Morotai, into an international training facility. The Allied Forces turned Morotai into their base in their fight against the Japanese military during World War II.

According to Sjafrie, this training ground will be open for other foreign air and naval forces, including Japan.

Sjafrie also claimed to have floated an "intelligence sharing" plan to Marles in response to the global developments.
 
 

 
A giant pipe has emerged about 13 meters above a road in a busy district of central Osaka, western Japan. The city is investigating the cause of the incident, and restoration work is underway.

Osaka City officials said an iron pipe measuring 3.5 meters in diameter was discovered protruding from the road shortly before 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

Thirteen meters of the 30-meter-long pipe had been pushed vertically out of the ground beneath the elevated Shin-Midosuji highway in the city's Kita Ward.

No injuries were reported.

Officials said the pipe was part of an underground conduit being prepared to store rainwater. On Tuesday, workers reportedly removed groundwater that had accumulated in the pipe.

The officials said they do not know whether this operation played a role in the pipe's emergence.

They are investigating the cause of the incident. Workers are injecting water into the pipe to push it back underground.

Officials say that there is a risk of the pipe rising further and reaching the elevated highway above. The Shin-Midosuji highway has therefore been closed since Wednesday morning. As a result, heavy traffic congestion has occurred around the busy Umeda district.

City officials say they do not know when the road closure can be lifted.
The head of the city's sewage department, Miyazaki Hiroaki, offered a deep apology for causing significant inconvenience to many residents.
 
 

The Japanese government on Tuesday designated a total of 61 goods and technologies for priority investment by the public and private sectors, as part of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's efforts to realize a strong economy, Jiji Press reports. 

The designations were approved at a meeting of the Japan Growth Strategy Council, chaired by Takaichi.

We will find possible pathways for Japan to win, Takaichi said at the meeting, instructing her ministers to hammer out specific aid measures and investment amounts.

The 61 goods and technologies were selected from 17 areas, including artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

The government presented a draft investment roadmap for 27 of the designated goods and technologies, including AI robots, semiconductors, small drones, land-based aquaculture, gaming and next-generation ships.

Earlier, it was reported Japan's economy expanded an annualized real 1.3 percent in the October-December quarter, upgraded from an initially reported increase of 0.2 percent, driven up by stronger business investment and private spending. 
 
 

East Japan Railway has said it will launch a trial in April of a system that uses artificial intelligence to monitor pantographs on trains running on its busy Yamanote Line in Tokyo to detect defects at an early stage.

The railway operator, known as JR East, also plans to use drones toinspect overhead wires and other infrastructure, aiming to reduce the time required to resume operations by 30% when transport service disruptions occur due to equipment problems.

Cameras to monitor pantographs, which are located on the roof of a train car and connect the carriage to overheard electrical wires, will be installed near Shimbashi, Ebisu, Mejiro and Uguisudani stations in the capital, the company said Tuesday.

The AI system will analyze the images in real time, and if damage is detected, it will notify the control room or other relevant sections. Drones will be dispatched later to inspect overhead wires and other equipment, facilitating faster restoration work.

By replacing the work traditionally done by people with AI and drones, the system is expected to shorten the time needed to identify damaged vehicles and inspect facilities.

It is the first time for JR East to use AI to detect such damage, and the company is considering introducing it to the Tokyo-Shinjuku section on its Chuo Line and to shinkansen services in the future.

In May last year, many pantographs on the Yamanote Line were damaged due to broken overhead wires, affecting about 250,000 people.

This year, JR East faced a series of large-scale transportation disruptions due to power outages on its Yamanote, Joban and Utsunomiya lines, making it an urgent task for the company to prevent a recurrence.
 
 

Retail prices of regular gasoline in Japan surpassed 160 yen per liter on average as of Monday for the first time in three months, reflecting higher crude oil prices following U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, the industry ministry said Wednesday.

The average price at the pump climbed 3.3 yen from a week earlier to 161.8 yen per liter, marking the fourth consecutive weekly increase.

All 47 prefectures of the country saw price rises. Yamagata logged the highest price, at 170.1 yen, and Aichi the lowest, at 155.6 yen.

Gasoline prices are expected to rise further next week as refineries have been raising wholesale prices in response to surging oil prices. The gasoline price "could top 180 yen per liter," an industry official said.

The rise in gasoline prices is likely to offset the effect of the removal of the gasoline tax surcharge of 25.1 yen per liter at the end of last year.
 
 

Klook, a leading pan-regional experiences platform in Asia Pacific, unveils its Spring Readiness Index. This index serves as a seasonal pulse-check, an extension to Klook's broader Travel Pulse^[1] annual research that offers a real-time view of how travelers are preparing for the upcoming peak travel period.

Based on insights drawn from 900 travelers across nine Asia markets — Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India — Japan (78%) continues to hold the crown as the top spring travel destination, followed by South Korea (52%) and Mainland China (42%).

The primary reason travelers choose to visit these destinations during the March–April window is clear: to experience seasonal attractions. Q: Which best describes why you chose March-April for this trip?

This aligns with Klook's Travel Pulse 2026 findings, which show that "time-limited natural sights or spectacles", including flower blooms, rank among the top experiences travelers are most likely to pursue in 2026.

Another key insight from the Spring Readiness Index — echoing Klook's Travel Pulse trends — is the growing shift toward discovery-driven travel, with travelers looking to maximize the value of every journey.



The experience chase: multi-destination itineraries in full bloom

Rather than choosing between major cities or less-touristy cities, many are combining both within multi-destination trips.
Q: Which best describes how you plan your itinerary for this trip?

According to Klook's Travel Pulse, two-thirds of travelers plan to visit multiple destinations per journey, signaling a shift away from single-stop itineraries.

Major cities are no longer the final destination; instead, they are becoming gateways that enable travelers to extend their journeys beyond familiar hotspots.

Klook's owned data from March–April 2025 also shows strong growth across emerging destinations:

• Japan: Fukuoka, Nagoya, Hiroshima
• South Korea: Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, Gyeongju
• Mainland China: Qingyuan City, Yinchuan City, Lijiang City

Flexible planning and confident travel define Asia's spring travel trends

When asked about their potential concerns traveling during this popular season, respondents cited crowding at popular attractions — including long queues or wait times — as their top worry (47%), followed by the risk of missing peak seasonal moments such as cherry blossoms (41%).

Beyond these, most travelers feel largely neutral or unconcerned about other travel stressors, such as weather uncertainty and higher prices during peak periods.

Seven in 10 respondents say they plan to book spring activities, tours and attractions within two months of departure — a relatively short booking window that suggests travelers are maintaining flexibility to respond to evolving bloom forecasts and seasonal conditions.

Together, these findings highlight how spring travelers are approaching the season with greater flexibility and confidence.

"Spring travel today reflects a more intentional mindset," says Marcus Yong, Vice President, Global Marketing, Klook. "Through the Spring Readiness Index, we see how travelers are infusing greater flexibility into their planning while prioritizing experiences that matter most, from cultural sightseeing to trying local food."

"These insights help shape how Klook supports travelers, both online and on the ground, throughout the season."



From insight to action: how Klook is supporting travelers this spring

As part of its broader spring travel campaign, Klook started hiring for a Chief Spring Officer in February 2026 — a time-sensitive role designed to help travelers better navigate the complexities of peak-season travel.

Following an overwhelming response of over 150 candidates from 43 cities, Klook expanded the role from one into a council of 25 Chief Spring Officers who will be deployed across Japan, South Korea, and Mainland Mainland China from 20 March 2026 to 10 April 2026.

The council will be sharing LIVE insights from the ground, translating their firsthand travel experiences into practical guidance, content, and real-time recommendations to help travelers plan and move with greater ease. Their content will also be reposted on @klooktravel.




Exclusive experience with Everland

In partnership with local merchants, Klook has introduced curated offerings, including an exclusive experience with Everland, South Korea's largest theme park.

Through two Klook-exclusive tours, travelers can gain access to the Secret Garden for cherry blossom viewing, with one experience held during the day and another at night, followed by a fireworks show.

Both tours are led by guides who will bring travelers to lesser-frequented spots, offering a more intimate way to enjoy the blooms.



Bloom Back Guarantee

With missing peak cherry blossom moments ranking among travelers' top concerns in the Spring Readiness Index, Klook is introducing the Bloom Back Guarantee to give travelers greater confidence during spring travel.

Available as an add-on to selected cherry blossom tours across Japan and South Korea, this Klook-only guarantee offers a 30% refund if the blossoms did not bloom during the official forecasted periods.

The Bloom Back Guarantee reflects Klook's commitment to turning seasonal insights into actual solutions that help travelers plan spring journeys with greater flexibility and peace.
 

Klook Travel Pulse is an annual global consumer research uncovering emerging travel behaviors and sentiment from Millennials and Gen Z, which makes up Klook's core user base and the dominant force in the global travel market. This year, in its fourth edition, the survey covers 11,000 consumers from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, India, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom and USA.

About Klook

Klook is a leading pan-regional experiences platform in Asia Pacific, purpose built to digitalize experiences and make them accessible to every traveler.

Our mission is to build the digital infrastructure for the global experience economy — empowering merchants to share their passions and travelers to discover the heartbeat of each destination. We operate a mobile-first, curated platform featuring diverse experiences across global destinations.
 

Japan is planning to sharply raise the legal cap on immigration-related residence fees for foreign nationals — the biggest revision of its kind in more than four decades.

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a bill to amend immigration law to hike the statutory upper limit for fees to change the status of residence or extend the period of stay to ¥100,000 from ¥10,000, while raising the ceiling for permanent residence applications to ¥300,000, 30 times the current ¥10,000.

The proposed increase marks the first major revision to the statutory ceiling since 1982. While fees had been raised several times within that ceiling, this will be the first increase to the cap, itself.

On April 1 of last year, the fee for the change of status and extension of stay rose from ¥4,000 to ¥6,000, and the permanent residence fee rose from ¥8,000 to ¥10,000.

Agency officials have declined to offer specific figures under the new ceiling but said factors such as period of stay will be considered in deciding fees.

At a briefing Monday, an Immigration Services Agency official told reporters that the government had, so far, managed within the existing cap by calculating fees largely on the basis of administrative costs such as personnel expenses tied to residence examinations.

But with the number of foreign residents surging, even those costs have become harder to cover within the current ceiling. Japan’s foreign resident population stood at a record 4.13 million as of the end of 2025, officials disclosed during the briefing.

The immigration official said the government is factoring in not only administrative costs for residence examinations, but also broader expenses tied to immigration and residence management, including digitalization, My Number-linked data-sharing and services aimed at helping foreign nationals live in Japan.

The agency said the new framework would also allow fee reductions or exemptions for people requiring special humanitarian consideration who cannot pay because of severe economic hardship, such as trafficking victims or others unable to return home.

When asked how the new fees were being calculated, the official said the government was broadly working from the cost of foreign-resident-related measures on a per-foreign-resident basis, while also factoring in periods of stay and fee levels in other countries.

The government is aiming to implement the fee provisions sometime before the end of the next fiscal year on March 31, 2027.

At a news conference Tuesday morning, Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi said the measures are intended to ensure that foreign nationals “bear an appropriate amount of the costs” related to their arrival and residency.

“This will help promote an orderly coexistence with foreign nationals,” he told reporters.

The bill also includes plans to introduce Japan’s version of an electronic travel authorization system, known as JESTA, by March 31, 2029.

The system would require visa-exempt short-term visitors, certain cruise passengers and some transit passengers to obtain advance authorization before traveling to Japan.

The agency said the measure is aimed at preventing overstayers and other problematic entrants from reaching Japan in the first place, while also easing congestion at airports and ports.

Of the roughly 38.05 million short-term foreign arrivals to Japan in 2025, approximately 80% were visa-exempt travelers, according to the agency.

Under the new system, airlines and ship operators would be required to send passenger information in advance and would be barred from allowing travelers to board for Japan if authorities determine they should not be permitted entry.

The agency also plans to introduce walk-through gates at major airports so travelers who have received authorization and satisfy landing requirements can complete immigration procedures more smoothly.
 
 

Tokyo stocks plunged Monday, with the Nikkei index losing over 2,800 points and marking the third-largest point drop in history, as crude oil futures surged amid growing prospects of a prolonged Middle East conflict.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 2,892.12 points, or 5.20 percent, from Friday at 52,728.72. The broader Topix index finished 141.09 points, or 3.80 percent, lower at 3,575.84.

On the top-tier Prime Market, the main decliners were nonferrous metal, glass and ceramics product and machinery issues.

The U.S. dollar mostly stayed in the upper 158 yen range in Tokyo amid concerns about the impact of surging crude prices.

At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 158.45-47 yen compared with 157.79-89 yen in New York and 157.52-55 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Friday.

The euro was quoted at $1.1563-1565 and 183.22-26 yen against $1.1613-1623 and 183.22-32 yen in New York and $1.1614-1615 and 182.96-183.00 yen in Tokyo late Friday afternoon.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond ended up 0.025 percentage point from Friday's close at 2.185 percent as worries about inflation grew with the rise in oil prices.

Expectations for an early resolution of the conflict receded after reports that President Donald Trump has shown interest in deploying U.S. ground troops inside Iran, dealers said.

The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's supreme leader, announced Monday following the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also raised fears that the military conflict and the surge in crude oil prices could be prolonged, they said.

"There is a view that even if the top leader changes, Iran's religious regime is unlikely to change drastically," said Wataru Akiyama, strategist in the Investment Content Department of Nomura Securities Co.

The benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures contract temporarily surpassed $119 per barrel in New York on Sunday, the highest level since June 2022, as the Middle East conflict continues to escalate. It ended below the $100 mark on Friday.

"The market already seems to be factoring in four or five more weeks (of the conflict), or even longer, as President Trump has said," according to Masahiro Ichikawa, chief market strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Co.

The Nikkei stock index briefly fell by more than 4,200 points, with all sectors facing selling pressure. Still, the declines were trimmed in the afternoon following a report that finance ministers of the Group of Seven will discuss the possibility of a joint release of stockpiled oil.

The decline in heavyweight technology shares, which were surging until February, weighed on the market.
 
 

Japan's benchmark stock index rebounded sharply on Tuesday as concerns eased that the Middle East conflict could disrupt global oil supplies.

The Nikkei 225 gained 2.88 percent to close at 54,248. It rose 3.7 percent at one stage after G7 member nations indicated they are ready to release oil reserves if needed.

US President Donald Trump also said the Iran conflict will end soon.

The Nikkei index plunged 5.2 percent on Monday amid oil supply worries.

That was a fall of nearly 2,900 points, or its third-biggest drop on record.
 

 

Elderly people are getting exercise by disco dancing with a class in the central Japanese prefecture of Toyama.

Some 110 elderly people took part in the lesson organized by a federation of senior citizens' clubs in Uozu City.

Participants learned the steps and how to move their bodies, and were soon dancing to the rhythm of disco hits from the 1970s. The venue was filled with as much excitement as a disco dance floor. The participants raised their hands vigorously in a sign of enjoyment.

Members of a local high school dance club were there too to show off their moves.

A woman in her 70s said she's enjoying it as if she were back in her youth.
Another woman in her 80s said she sweat a lot, but it's wonderful to be able to dance with kids young enough to be her great-grandchildren.
 
 

The Japanese government adopted at a cabinet meeting Tuesday a bill designed to eliminate areas underserved by transportation services such as buses and taxis.

The bill to revise the law on local public transportation systems calls on municipalities to provide financial support and simplify procedures for passenger service providers that share vehicles and drivers in these areas.

The government assumes that school buses or shuttle vehicles for day care services can be used to jointly offer rides to citizens for a fee during their idle times.

According to the transport ministry, there were about 2,000 areas lacking transportation nationwide as of April 2025. The ministry aims to promote countermeasures during an intensive period through the end of fiscal 2027.

The law currently supports efforts to address a lack of transportation services in some areas, such as shared taxi services and ride-hailing services, in which private drivers transport passengers for a fee using their personal vehicles.
 
 

The Japanese government on Tuesday approved a bill to amend the immigration control law to establish an online pre-entry screening system for overseas arrivals and significantly increase residence status application fees for foreigners.

The Cabinet-endorsed bill will be submitted to the current Diet session, and if enacted, the government aims to implement the entry eligibility screening system called the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or JESTA, in fiscal 2028.

The amendment includes raising the upper limit for visa application and renewal fees from 10,000 yen ($63) to 300,000 yen, marking the first increase since 1982.

The introduction of JESTA aims to prevent terrorism and illegal employment, according to the Immigration Services Agency. It would target the current 74 countries and regions whose citizens are exempt from obtaining short-stay visas.

Several days before traveling to Japan, applicants would be required to provide information online, including their name, the purpose of their stay, and the locations they intend to visit. Those suspected of traveling for illegal employment or other violations would be denied boarding on aircraft and ships.

Fees are currently set at 10,000 yen for application for permanent residency and 6,000 yen for residence period renewals.

It has been pointed out that these fees, which cover only actual costs and are also allocated to coexistence measures, are significantly lower than those in Western countries.

The number of foreign residents in Japan at the end of 2025 stood at approximately 4.13 million, a record high.

The government would aim to use the increased cap to cover system costs for efficient visa screening and the establishment of consultation services.

The amendment sets the cap at 300,000 yen for permanent residency applications and 100,000 yen for visa extensions and similar procedures.

The limits have been set in anticipation of future inflation. Going forward, the specific amounts for each fee would be determined by government ordinance with the aim of applying them within fiscal 2026.

According to sources, the permanent residency application fee is being considered at around 200,000 yen, while other fees would range from 10,000 yen to 70,000 yen depending on the intended period of stay.

A reduction and exemption system will also be introduced for cases that require humanitarian consideration, where payment is difficult due to financial circumstances.
 


 

 
The Japanese government is considering eliminating face-to-face immigration checks for most foreign tourists as part of efforts to simplify entry procedures and manage the growing number of international visitors, Qazinform News Agency cites Kyodo.

According to the Immigration Services Agency, the proposed system would rely on traveler information submitted through an online pre-screening platform known as the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (JESTA), which is expected to be launched in fiscal year 2028.

Officials say removing in-person immigration checks to ease airport congestion would be an uncommon practice globally. To introduce the system, the government plans to amend the immigration control law through a bill that is expected to be submitted during the current session of the Diet.

The new system would apply to travelers from countries and regions that are currently exempt from short-term visas. At present, citizens from 74 countries and territories fall under this category.

Japan welcomed a record 42.7 million foreign visitors in 2025 and aims to increase that figure to 60 million by 2030.

Under the JESTA system, travelers will be required to submit details about their trip online before departure. Immigration authorities will review the information and decide whether to approve entry. Travelers suspected of planning to overstay their visas may be denied boarding before departure.
At several Japanese airports, visitors are already using a digital system called the Integrated Kiosk, which collects fingerprints and photographs while processing both immigration and customs procedures.

If no issues are detected - such as a previous record of overstaying - a traveler would be able to pass through an automated gate and enter the country. Immigration officers will remain stationed nearby and may conduct face-to-face checks if suspicious activity is observed.

The Integrated Kiosk system is currently operating at Narita, Haneda, Kansai, and Fukuoka airports, and authorities plan to expand it to additional airports in the future.

Earlier, it was reported cities in western Japan raise tourism-linked fees to deal with overtourism. 
 

 

Momoka Muraoka won the silver medal in the women's alpine skiing super-G sitting event at the Milan-Cortina Paralympics on Monday, bringing Japan its first medal of the ongoing games.

Despite failing to win back-to-back gold medals in the event, Muraoka secured a podium finish for the third consecutive Winter Paralympics.

 

Her cumulative Winter Games medal tally rose to 10, matching Kuniko Obinata's Japanese record.

 

"I wasn't able to give it my all, but I'm relieved to have won a medal," Muraoka said.

 
 

 

As the Iran war expands across the Middle East, Japan has been accelerating efforts to evacuate its citizens — a response that underscores both Tokyo’s growing security role overseas and the diplomatic balancing act between Washington and Gulf states hosting Japanese nationals.

Late Sunday, 107 Japanese nationals arrived in Narita International Airport on a government-chartered aircraft as part of the ongoing evacuation effort from the Middle East. Tokyo has facilitated the evacuation of hundreds of Japanese nationals since the outbreak of hostilities in the region on Feb. 28, including 208 people who were evacuated from Doha to Riyadh by land for an arrival in Japan on Tuesday.

The effort demonstrated unprecedented speed and interagency coordination of government assets for the evacuation effort, while signaling Tokyo’s priority of protecting its citizens abroad amid the Iran conflict.

In contrast, for example, during the 2021 U.S. withdrawal in Afghanistan the Japanese government took eight days to authorize the Self-Defense Forces to dispatch aircraft for the evacuation of Japanese nationals. SDF aircraft did not arrive in the region until 10 days after the fall of Kabul.

Over the past week, Iranian counter strikes have hitmore than a dozen regional countries, including airports and other infrastructure in places like the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. This has left many travelers stranded and seeking alternative options for leaving as the governments in Washington, Tel Aviv and Tehran have signaled their intent to continue military operations.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced the completion of the most recent evacuation on social media, stating, “As the Government of Japan, we will continue to take every possible measure to protect Japanese nationals across the entire region, including countries around Iran.”

This includes the government’s decision to dispatch SDF aircraft in preparation for additional evacuations. On Sunday, the Defense Ministry announced that one of its aerial refueling and transport aircraft departed from Komaki Air Base and stopped over in the Maldives en route to the region.

The ministry did not disclose where the aircraft would be staging next, although the SDF base at Camp Lemmonier in Djibouti remains a possible option.
 

 

Taiwan’s premier visited Japan on Saturday for the island’s World Baseball Classic victory over the Czech Republic, a move expected to stoke China’s ire as Sino-Japanese ties remain in a deep freeze.

The visit by Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai was the first known planned trip to Japan by a sitting premier from the democratic island since the two sides severed diplomatic ties in 1972, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported.

In 2004, a flight with then-Taiwanese Premier Yu Shyi-kun on board was forced to divert to Okinawa Prefecture’s Naha Airport, where he stayed for five hours before departing.

Cho attended the game at Tokyo Dome with the island’s de facto representative to Japan, Lee Yi-yang, and Sports Minister Lee Yang, CNA said, adding that the trip had been conducted in a personal capacity.

CNA quoted Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Kuo Kuo-wen as saying that Cho had returned to Taiwan after the game, calling the visit “a kind of baseball diplomacy.” Kuo said the visit had been facilitated by Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight Koichi Hagiuda and former representative to Japan Frank Hsieh.

The premier’s unprecedented visit could add fuel to the ongoing dispute between China and Japan, which began following Takaichi’s remarks in parliament on Nov. 7 that the Self-Defense Forces could be deployed under the right to collective self-defense in “worst-case” scenarios, such as a Chinese naval blockade of Taiwan, which the prime minister said would constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan.
 
 

Two Japanese nationals are being detained in Iran, and the Japanese government has requested their early release, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Friday.

Amid the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, Motegi informed a Diet session that the government was able to communicate with the two individuals and confirmed that they are currently safe.

One is the Tehran bureau chief of public broadcaster NHK, who was detained on Jan. 20 by local authorities, according to a nonprofit organization. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference later Friday that the other has been under detention since June.

"The government calls strongly for their early release and will provide as much support as possible while staying in touch with them, their families and related parties," Motegi said.

The top diplomat added that he confirmed the safety of all Japanese nationals in Iran after the United States and Israel began attacking last Saturday.

"Of the approximately 200 Japanese nationals, about three-quarters are permanent residents, and many of them don't want to leave the country," he said.

Kihara, the top government spokesman, also said that Japan will dispatch a Self-Defense Forces airplane "as soon as arrangements are finalized" to prepare for an evacuation of its citizens stranded in the Middle East.

Upon the request of the Foreign Ministry, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has instructed the SDF to send a transport aircraft to the Maldives, an Indian Ocean islands nation, to stand by there, according to Kihara.

Kihara said that the evacuation of Japanese travelers in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates by chartered private flights will start as early as Saturday, and that the SDF plane dispatchment is a "precautionary" measure in case such flights become unavailable or other "unpredictable developments."

Also on Friday, the Foreign Ministry said a Tokyo-bound charter flight will leave Oman at midnight Sunday local time to evacuate Japanese nationals in Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Separately, transport minister Yasushi Kaneko said that debris believed to have fallen from the sky was found on a Japanese-affiliated ship anchored in the Gulf of Oman, causing minor damage such as cracked windows.

No one was injured, and there are no disruptions to the ship's operations.
The transport ministry said it is not possible to determine whether the debris is related to the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.
 

 

The Japanese government Friday approved a bill to establish the planned disaster management agency, which will serve as a central command body for disaster response.

The current disaster management division of the Cabinet Office will be reorganized into the agency, which will have personnel of 352, up from 220 at the current division. The related budget will also be expanded.

The agency will be headed by the prime minister and will also have a dedicated minister. The government aims to launch the agency in autumn.
According to the legislation, approved at a cabinet meeting, the agency will operate directly under the cabinet.

 

It will be responsible for formulating basic disaster-related policies, as well as for planning and overall coordination to address major disasters.

The dedicated minister will have the authority to issue recommendations to other government agencies.
 
 

 

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), submitted a proposal on Friday aimed at revising the country’s rules on defense equipment exports, potentially allowing the export of lethal weapons, Qazinform News Agency cites Jiji Press.

The proposal was presented to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi by Yasukazu Hamada, the LDP’s security policy chief, and Seiji Maehara, who holds the same role in the JIP.

The plan recommends changing the operational guidelines linked to Japan’s “three principles on defense equipment transfers.”

Currently, Japan restricts defense equipment exports to five limited categories: rescue, transport, vigilance, surveillance, and minesweeping.

The new proposal calls for removing these restrictions, which would open the door for broader defense exports, including lethal arms.

Based on the proposal, the Japanese government is considering revising the operational guidelines as early as this spring.

Supporters of the plan argue that easing the restrictions would help strengthen Japan’s security cooperation with allies and partner nations, while also boosting the country’s domestic defense industry and technological capabilities.

The proposal signals a major shift in Japan’s long-standing security policy, as the country has traditionally taken a cautious approach toward arms exports.

If implemented, the government will likely need to carefully explain the policy change to the public and introduce safeguards to address concerns surrounding the export of lethal weapons.

Earlier, it was reported Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi vows policy shifts to forge a strong, prosperous Japan. 
 
 

Japan has just unveiled another round of grants dedicated to Indonesian grassroots communities, totaling nearly 25.1 million yen or $167,066 this time.

About $63,629 of that cash will go into constructing school buildings for a community learning center in Lamahara, East Flores. Japan will also bankroll around $43,324 to purchase medical equipment for the Marianum Haliulik Catholic Hospital in East Nusa Tenggara.

Tokyo has earmarked $60,113 to construct a building for Al-Hidayah Islamic School in a Lampung village. Japanese Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Myochin Mitsuru said Thursday that the recipient groups would receive the grant after the targeted construction and procurement are complete. 

“Japan puts great importance on human security. [Making sure] that people live with dignity, so education and healthcare are very important, in particular for the people who live in the countryside. … That’s why we are focusing on these sectors,” Mitsuru told the press.

In recent years, Japan has rolled out a series of grassroots grants for Indonesians, which typically target small-scale community projects in the country’s rural areas. Indonesia is an archipelagic country, but its development and growth have remained Java-centric. 

The Jakarta Globe asked Mitsuru whether the latest fund injection could be a curtain-raiser to an upcoming meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

According to Mitsuru, Takaichi’s predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, had already travelled to Jakarta in January 2025. And now Japan wants Prabowo to make a return visit soon.

“Hopefully, our leaders can meet in person bilaterally. … We hope Prabowo can visit Tokyo. That would be great. But I cannot say exactly when. We sincerely hope that it will take place soon,” Mitsuru said.
 
 

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.