Masayoshi Son reduced the SoftBank Group shares he’s pledged to lenders by $2.1 billion in recent months, lowering his collateral after bets on artificial intelligence propelled the latest comeback in his volatile technology fortune.

Son trimmed his committed shares by 19.4 million to around 154.2 million, according to a filing earlier this month. About 31% of Son’s holdings in the Tokyo-listed company are now pledged to banks, down from near 39% in March 2020, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

The bulk of Son’s $35.3 billion fortune derives from a stake of just over a third in SoftBank, the Tokyo-listed conglomerate he founded that oversees a global empire of investments from chipmakers to startup ventures. SoftBank shares surged almost 200% to peak at the end of October on the back of an AI frenzy.

Shares have given up some of the gains lately on fears of a bubble in the sector, but are still heading for the biggest yearly gain since 2013.
A Singapore-based investment firm ultimately controlled by Son now holds $1.1 billion of SoftBank stock, according to the same filing, a departure from the billionaire’s previous management of his shares via Japanese entities.

Son has historically used shares in the group he founded as collateral for loans with lenders including Mizuho Financial Group, Deutsche Bank and Julius Baer Group, and has frequently transferred shares among different entities he controls.

A spokesperson for SoftBank declined to comment.

Son has been aggressively expanding his bets, making bold investments in AI hardware companies like Nvidia, which he later offloaded, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., briefly turning him into Japan’s richest person earlier this year.

When SoftBank’s stock was trading around ¥25,000 ($160.57) per share in October, Son probably took "advantage of the value the shares have reached to take them off the pledges,” said Amir Anvarzadeh, a market strategist at Asymmetric Advisors in Singapore.

"But since then, they have been coming under a lot of pressure,” said Anvarzadeh, who recommends clients to short the stock.

Singapore-based SAM Wealth Management Pte borrowed 10 million SoftBank shares, worth about $1.1 billion, from a Japan-based parent company that is also controlled by the billionaire, according to the Dec. 5 filing.

The filing doesn’t detail the rationale behind the stock loan agreement between the two entities, but the transaction is a reminder of the complex web of relationships that have long underpinned one of Japan’s largest and most volatile fortunes.

The Singapore wealth firm was incorporated in 2021 and is fully owned by Son Asset Management, a Japanese entity that holds a 1.9% stake in SoftBank.

Son’s Singapore investment entity is headquartered at the city’s Raffles Place financial district. To fund its operations, it has borrowed from banks, including facilities backed by an aircraft. It did not disclose further details.

"With SoftBank shares up so much this year, there could be an opportunity for him to renegotiate with banks on terms for collaterals on the money that he’s borrowed,” said Kirk Boodry, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst in Hong Kong who’s covered the Japanese tech firm for more than fifteen years.
 
 

"Black Box Diaries," an Oscar-nominated film directed by Japanese journalist Shiori Ito documenting her experience after suffering sexual violence, was released in Japan on Friday.

"I spent 10 years making the film," Ito said in a speech after the documentary was screened at a theater in Tokyo. "I'm happy from the bottom of my heart."

The film details Ito's experience after sexual assault by a former television reporter in 2015.

It was screened at overseas film festivals in 2024 and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film at this year's U.S. Academy Awards.

Meanwhile, lawyers, including those who helped Ito win a civil lawsuit against the former TV journalist over her sexual abuse case, had criticized the use of hotel security camera images and statements from taxi drivers without permission.
 
 

The Japanese government plans to ask buyers of forested land to register their nationalities, starting next April. The move is aimed at keeping track of foreign property ownership across the nation.

The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry plans to announce the new rule as early as next week.

Corporate entities that acquire forested areas will be required to list the nationality of their representative.

Owners with a foreign address will need to register their place of contact in Japan. Buyers will also be asked to report the purpose of the acquisition.

The government is carrying out a wholesale review of policies for foreign nationals, with basic ideas to be mapped out by around January.

Officials say some measures will be introduced quickly if necessary.
 

 

As military tensions between China and Japan reach the highest level in more than a decade, the sparsely populated island of Yonaguni finds itself right on the front lines.

Sitting just 110 kilometers (68 miles) east of Taiwan, Yonaguni marks the tail end of an archipelago stretching north to Japan’s main islands, a distance roughly equivalent to the length of the California coastline.

Ever since former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taipei in 2022 prompted China to fire missiles that landed near Yonaguni, Japan has accelerated plans for its largest military buildup in at least four decades.

Up and down the 160-strong Ryukyu island chain, Japan is quickly putting in place missile batteries, radar towers, ammunition storage sites and other combat facilities. It’s also beginning to deploy major military assets on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, including F-35 fighter jets and long-range missiles, as well as expanding its version of the U.S. Marine Corps, known as the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade.

The race to fortify the islands is raising the stakes of the current spat between Asia’s biggest economies, as Beijing ramps up pressure to force Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to retract remarks suggesting that Japan might deploy its military if China one day attempts to seize Taiwan.

Over the weekend, a Chinese fighter aircraft locked its weapons-targeting radar on Japanese warplanes, showing the risk of miscalculation if tensions persist.

"China's People's Liberation Army is undoubtedly building up its ability to force Taiwan into submission,” said Koichi Isobe, a former lieutenant general in Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force.

"Japan, the United States, and other Western countries must show China their strong resolve to oppose any actions that seek to change the status quo.”

A subtropical island known mostly for endangered wild horses and dive spots with hammerhead sharks, Yonaguni is now seeing new apartment buildings sprouting up to house troops for a military base established in 2016.

Over the next year, some 30 staff will join the nearly 230 already on site to accommodate an electronic warfare division, and more are expected to follow with the planned deployment of anti-air missiles.

Some of the 1,500 or so residents on the island are becoming more nervous at the infusion of arms, and have sought more clarity from Japanese officials on future plans.

On a warm December evening earlier this month, about 80 locals gathered at a community hall for an "explanation meeting,” at which Defense Ministry officials told them why it was necessary to deploy troops, anti-air missiles and weapons that use electromagnetic waves to jam enemy communications and targeting capabilities.

Some residents voiced concerns over the dangers of an enhanced military presence, with one saying Takaichi should’ve kept quiet. But others such as Shigeru Yonahara, a 63-year-old car mechanic and town council member, agreed with the Defense Ministry’s position. A few days prior to the meeting, Japan’s military reported that it spotted a suspected Chinese drone near the island.

"Right now we’re defenseless,” he said in an interview. "We need the electronic warfare unit to disable threats like drones.”

Since Takaichi’s remarks triggered a backlash from China, she has repeatedly asserted that Japan hasn’t changed its policy toward Taiwan or made any new commitment on when it might deploy its military.

However, her remarks have highlighted how closely the security of Japan and Taiwan are connected.

While Japan maintains a doctrine of strict self-defense, in 2015 the government of then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe oversaw a landmark legal change that allowed the military to aid friendly nations in a situation where Japan’s own survival could also be at stake.

Before Takaichi took power in October, Abe and successive leaders had avoided giving specific scenarios under which "collective self-defense” would be applied, aware that doing so might stoke tensions with China.

But in private, government officials and security analysts have long mentioned that one scenario could be an American-led defense of Taiwan, given Japan’s proximity to the island democracy and its own dependence on the U.S. for security. Any prospect that American forces would fail to stop a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would therefore inevitably put Japan’s own security at risk.

Japan would have little choice but to support the U.S. in a conflict regardless of how it is viewed by Tokyo, according to Kyoko Hatakeyama, a former Japanese government analyst who is now a professor of international relations at Niigata University.

"If we decline the U.S. request, that would mean the end of the alliance,” she said. "And the United States might not even protect Japan in the case of China’s attack on Japan.”

The military buildup has attracted heated debate in parliament. Last month, the head of Japan's opposition Communist Party said the government’s defense plans were creating a "missile archipelago.” Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has rejected that description, saying Japan was deploying its forces in line with other countries.

During a recent visit to Yonaguni, he said plans to deploy medium-range surface-to-air missiles on the island were intended to reduce the likelihood of attacks on Japan.

Tension over Taiwan has its origin in agreements that ended World War II — history that Chinese President Xi Jinping is now seeking to bend to his advantage. In conversations with U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders, Xi has argued that China helped defeat Japan and two wartime statements — the Potsdam Declaration and the Cairo Declaration — made clear that Beijing has sovereignty over Taiwan.

As part of its response, some Chinese officials have indicated that World War II-era declarations also raise doubts about Japan’s sovereignty over Yonaguni and other islands in the Ryukyu chain. Last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian posted on X a quote from the 1945 Potsdam Declaration, which said Japanese sovereignty should be limited to the country’s four main islands "and such minor islands as we determine.”

Japan, the U.S. and Taiwan reject China’s assertions, pointing to the San Francisco Peace Treaty as a legally binding agreement. Signed in 1951 by Japan and almost 50 allied nations, it states that Tokyo "renounces all rights, title and claim” to Taiwan, but doesn’t specify to whom.

It also placed the Ryukyu islands under U.S. administration, paving the way for American military bases primarily located on the island of Okinawa. The islands were returned to Japan in 1972.

Beijing rejects the San Francisco treaty, with the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo last month posting that it was merely an "invalid scrap of paper.” China retains active claims to the Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands to Beijing, which sit to the north of Yonaguni.

Those islands fall under the U.S.-Japan mutual defense treaty, a position that Trump’s envoy to Japan, George Glass, reaffirmed last month.

Ever since Takaichi’s remarks, Chinese officials have pressed their historical case with visiting dignitaries. On Monday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi gave a lengthy argument for China’s sovereignty over Taiwan in a meeting with German counterpart Johann Wadephul while saying Japan should be more cautious as a "defeated nation” in World War II.

China has also sought to play on tensions between indigenous islanders and the militaries of both Japan and the U.S.. Last month, Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times appeared to call for Ryukyu independence in a Weibo post, saying "only the Ryukyu people themselves can decide the fate of Ryukyu.”

A prominent Chinese state media journalist also questioned Japan’s sovereignty over the islands in a 12-minute television segment, saying they were "turned into a huge military base with its indigenous people forced to endure deep-rooted discrimination.”

Those debates are most prevalent on Okinawa, the center of American and Japanese military power on the archipelago, where major U.S. Marine Corps and other military bases would likely provide the first response in any conflict over Taiwan if Washington chooses to intervene.

Japan is also building up its own military presence on the island: Last year, it inaugurated an anti-ship missile base that serves as a command center for similar outposts on the islands of Ishigaki, Miyako and Amami-Oshima.

Hiroyuki Teruya, a 73-year-old former college professor, has led demonstrations against a Japanese missile base in the city of Uruma on Okinawa.

He worries that the militarization of Japan’s southern islands will lead to a repeat of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, the final land offensive by the U.S. in the Pacific War that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians.

All three of Teruya’s uncles were killed in that conflict. Plans for evacuation shelters on Japan’s southern islands were a hopeless attempt to protect locals against new bloodshed, Teruya said. Rather than trying to deter China and preparing for conflict with a stronger military, Japan should prioritize diplomacy to avoid war, he said.

"After 80 years, it’s come to this,” he said. "Are they going to make Okinawa a battlefield once again?”

Historical memories remain a strong influence on older Japanese, who identify more closely than younger generations with Japan’s post-World War II rejection of militarism. In 1947, Japan adopted a pacifist constitution that remains unchanged to this day.

Younger Japanese, however, are largely supportive of Japan’s military build-up. A poll conducted by the Sankei newspaper and Fuji News Network on Nov. 22-23 found that 83.2% of respondents age between 18 and 29 supported Takaichi’s plans to increase defense spending — nearly double that of those older than 70.

Takaichi has pledged to reach defense spending worth 2% of gross domestic product this fiscal year, two years ahead of schedule.

Okinawa has a far higher concentration of military bases than any other prefecture in Japan, most of them American. Ayako Arakaki, a local lawmaker in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said that widely held perceptions that Okinawans are opposed to bases are inaccurate.

Arakaki said that the sound of fighter jets scrambling from a base near her office in response to Chinese military activity near Japan is a reminder of the challenge.

"China has long made claims that are out of step with the international community, completely disregarding the consensus in Japan,” said Arakaki, referring to Chinese statements on the sovereignty of Japanese islands. "What we’re seeing is a country that won’t accept anything unless its own demands are met.”

If Japan plays a supporting role in any U.S.-led defense of Taiwan, the new electronic warfare unit on Yonaguni could transform the island from a passive observation post into an active "kill chain” enabler that could feed precise targeting data to Japanese and U.S. missile batteries, according to Franz-Stefan Gady, an adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington-based research group.

That could make it a key priority for China, he said, calling it a "high-priority target for early neutralization.”

On Yonaguni, the debate over Japan’s military presence came to a head in a mayoral election this summer. The victor, Tsuneo Uechi, campaigned on a more cautious approach to the buildup, replacing a hawkish incumbent.

In an interview, Uechi said he accepted that existing plans for electronic warfare and medium range anti-air missile units would help defend the island, and he also welcomed the arrival of younger people from the military on an island where most people are much older.

Still, he said, further moves to install anti-ship batteries like those positioned on other islands would add to the "psychological stress” of locals, he said. The meeting between the Defense Ministry and the locals earlier this month came in response to Uechi’s request to the government for more openness about its plans.

"These developments are not intended to attack any other country,” Kouzou Shimo, a Japanese Defense Ministry official, told residents at the meeting. "It is purely for us to defend ourselves in a crisis.”

The previous mayor, Keniichi Itokazu, says Takaichi didn’t go far enough in indicating her support for Taiwan. He wants additional missile systems on Yonaguni and joint military exercises involving Japanese, U.S. and Taiwanese forces.

"Japan alone cannot defend itself,” Itokazu said. "The U.S.-Japan alliance creates the deterrence that prevents China from making moves toward Taiwan or the Ryukyus.”
 
 

The Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Unions compiled a draft proposal on Friday to seek a monthly pay scale hike of at least 12,000 yen in next year's "shunto" spring wage negotiations.

JAW, which consists of labor unions of auto-related companies, will maintain demands as strong as last year to sustain momentum for pay raises, despite challenges in the industry stemming from high tariffs imposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Last year, the group requested a hike of exactly 12,000 yen.
"More than 12,000 yen is not just a request," said Akihiro Kaneko, president of the group, at a press conference in Tokyo. "I am committed to making it a reality."

After the proposal is formally adopted at the group's central committee meeting on Jan. 15, member labor unions will submit their wage requests to management.
 
 

Japan is considering allocating about 9 trillion yen ($58 billion) for next fiscal year's defense budget, including plans to deploy long-range missiles and drones, sources close to the matter said Friday.

The figure would surpass the record 8.7 trillion yen in the initial budget for the current fiscal year starting April, as Japan faces mounting security challenges from China and North Korea and U.S. President Donald Trump's demands for higher security spending.

The government's draft initial budget for fiscal 2026, the fourth year of its five-year, 43-trillion-yen defense buildup plan, is expected to be approved by the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi later this month, according to the sources.

The defense outlays would include costs to procure hypersonic guided missiles that travel at speeds above Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, and to upgrade medium-range surface-to-air missiles to intercept ballistic missiles, the sources said.

Japan also plans to acquire drones to build the "Shield" layered coastal defense system by deploying numerous inexpensive unmanned aerial, surface and underwater vehicles, the sources added.

Since taking office in October, Takaichi has pledged to bring forward Japan's goal of raising defense spending and related initiatives to 2 percent of gross domestic product by two years, to fiscal 2025.

The United States, meanwhile, has reportedly pressed Japan behind the scenes to increase its defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP, as China steps up military activity in the Indo-Pacific region and North Korea continues its missile and nuclear development.

Before Japan drafted its five-year defense buildup plan, the annual defense budget had long been capped at around 1 percent of GDP, or roughly 5 trillion yen.
 
 

Japan's Meteorological Agency is urging people along the northern Pacific coast to stay vigilant for a mega quake after a tremor led to a tsunami advisory on Friday.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Aomori at 11:44 a.m. at a depth of 17 kilometers.

Tsunami waves as high as 20 centimeters were later observed in parts of Hokkaido and Aomori prefectures. The tsunami advisory was lifted early in the afternoon.

In Hokkaido and across much of the Tohoku region, the tremors reached an intensity of 4 on the Japanese scale of zero to seven.

The tremor was one of many jolts that have occurred since one with an intensity of upper 6 in the Japanese scale of zero to 7 in Hachinohe on Monday.

Following Monday's magnitude 7.5 quake, a tsunami warning and advisory was issued for coastal areas from Hokkaido and Tohoku.

A 70-centimeter tsunami was observed at Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture.



No irregularities at nuclear plants

Tohoku Electric Power Company said no abnormalities were detected at the Higashidori nuclear power plant in Aomori Prefecture, or at the Onagawa plant in Miyagi Prefecture.

Tokyo Electric Power Company said no abnormalities were detected at the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini nuclear plants. Both companies say there are no changes in readings at monitoring posts that measure radiation levels around the plants.


Mega quake possibility 'still valid'

Still, people are being advised to remain vigilant. The meteorological agency issued an "Off the Coast of Hokkaido and Sanriku Subsequent Earthquake Advisory" on Tuesday, following a quake the previous day off northern Japan with a magnitude of 7.5.

The agency says there is a high possibility of a strong tremor along the Japan Trench and the Chishima Trench off Hokkaido.

The advisory covers 182 municipalities in the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki and Chiba.

According to the agency, a "late-stage earthquake" is a big quake with a magnitude of 8 or higher. The agency explained that Friday's quake did not meet this standard, and the probability of a larger quake continues to be higher than usual.

It does not mean a quake is certain to occur, and authorities are not asking people to evacuate in advance. But they are urging people to prepare emergency bags to be sure they can evacuate quickly, if needed.

People are also advised to check evacuation places and routes as well as to fix furniture to the ceiling or wall, and stockpile food, water and emergency toilet kits.
 
 

Türkiye’s interest in Japan is experiencing a remarkable surge, with the number of Turkish visitors reaching record levels.

Visa‑free travel for up to 90 days, newly launched direct flights and the powerful influence of social media have combined to fuel an unprecedented rise in demand.

In the first nine months of the year alone, approximately 70,000 Turkish tourists traveled to Japan.

Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) shows that around 7,000 Turkish citizens visited Japan in 2022, a figure that climbed to nearly 17,000 in 2023. Since TÜİK has not yet released figures for 2024 and 2025, the latest trends are reflected in statistics from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

JNTO reports that between January and September 2025, Japan welcomed 31.6 million international visitors, marking a 17.7 percent increase from the same period in 2024. During the same timeframe, arrivals from Türkiye rose by an impressive 76.8 percent.

Industry representatives note that the number of Turkish tourists visiting Japan is expected to reach 90,000 by the end of the year, indicating a staggering 430 percent increase over the past two years.

The long‑standing visa‑free entry for Turkish passport holders remains one of the strongest drivers of this growth. Additional factors include new direct flight routes, Japan’s diverse cultural and tourism offerings, heightened social media visibility, and a growing fascination with Japanese culture.

Flight prices vary depending on the season. Promotional fares for round‑trip economy tickets typically start above 50,000 Turkish Liras ($1,170), while peak‑season prices can exceed 100,000 liras.

In February 2025, All Nippon Airways (ANA) launched a new direct route between Haneda and Istanbul, while Turkish Airlines announced plans to increase its Istanbul–Narita service from seven to ten weekly flights in the 2026 summer schedule. These developments are expected to encourage even more Turkish travelers to visit Japan.

According to Davut Günaydın, vice President of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), demand for Japan tours has risen threefold, and packages covering five to seven nights start at around 2,300 euros, reaching up to 4,500 euros.

He adds that airfare accounts for roughly 60 percent of total tour costs and that prices have remained relatively stable compared to last year.

Günaydın also highlights the favorable exchange rate of the Japanese yen, which has made shopping — particularly electronics — more attractive for Turkish travelers.

Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district has become a popular destination for such purchases, according to Günaydın.

Emphasizing that interest in Japan “never fades,” he predicts that the strong demand seen this year will continue into 2026.
 

The Japanese government and ruling parties are considering finalizing details of a plan to address tax revenue gaps between Tokyo and other local governments at the end of next year, people familiar with the matter said Thursday.

Government and ruling coalition officials have been discussing ways to correct an imbalance in local tax revenues favoring Tokyo, which has led to increasing gaps in administrative services.

Specifically, they are considering reallocating more revenue from corporate enterprise tax and land fixed-asset tax from the capital to other local governments.

They plan to make a decision on the matter as part of annual tax system reform work for fiscal 2027. The plan will be spelled out in the ruling coalition’s fiscal 2026 tax reform package.

The Tokyo metropolitan government’s financial resources for its own policies total 281,000 yen per resident, about 3.6 times higher than the average of 78,000 yen for other prefectures.
 
 

The announcement was made in Kyoto on Friday

‘Kuma’ Is the Official Kanji of 2025

On Friday, the official Kanji of the Year for 2025 was announced at Kiyomizudera Temple in Kyoto. Unsurprisingly, the top choice this year was 熊 (pronounced Kuma) meaning bear.

The character was selected from a public vote. It’s the first time the kanji for bear has been chosen, reflecting a year that has been marked by a record number of sightings and bear attacks across the country. 

Shown live on TV, the character was drawn using a giant calligraphy brush on Japanese paper, known as washi, by chief Buddhist priest Seihan Mori.

Other characters mentioned as contenders included 巳 (mi), the eto kanji for snake and 災 (sai or wazawai), meaning disaster.

In 2024, 金 (kin) was selected as the Kanji of the Year. The choice was influenced by a variety of events, including Japan’s medal haul at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
 

The government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party intend to raise the “annual income barrier” — the income threshold for the imposition of income tax — from the current level of ¥1.6 million to ¥1.78 million.

The LDP, the Democratic Party for the People and Komeito originally agreed in December 2024 to seek this change. The government and the LDP will continue coordinating with the DPFP and other parties on this issue, aiming to raise the threshold as one of the tax system revisions for fiscal 2026, which starts in April.

Income tax rates range from 5% to 45%. The amount of income tax an individual must pay is calculated based on the total amount of income they earn after subtracting basic deductions, employment income deductions and other deductions.

Until 2024, the threshold at which income tax was imposed for company employees and other salaried workers was set at ¥1.03 million, which was the combined minimum guaranteed amount of the basic and employment income deductions.

This “¥1.03 million barrier” was widely criticized for supposedly encouraging people to work fewer hours to avoid paying taxes. Although the threshold was increased to ¥1.6 million from 2025, the DPFP has called for this figure to be bumped up further.

In light of demands by the DPFP and other factors, the government and the LDP plan to address rising prices by further raising the annual income barrier as part of the fiscal 2026 tax system revisions.
 

 

The government and the LDP are aiming to introduce a system under which the basic and other deductions would be revised every two years, based on the rate at which consumer prices have increased since the last revision.

Given that prices have increased by about 6% over the past two years, this would equate to the basic deductions being raised from the current ¥580,000 to ¥620,000. The minimum guaranteed amount of the employment income deductions would rise from ¥650,000 to ¥690,000.

Furthermore, the government and the LDP are arranging for the additional basic deductions for low-income earners to be increased from the current ¥370,000 by ¥100,000.

This would bring the income tax threshold up to ¥1.78 million. This move would be a nod to the DPFP, which has pushed for the threshold to be brought to this level based on the rate of increase in the minimum wage in recent years.

However, the DPFP is seeking to have deductions increased for middle-income earners as well as for low-income earners, so whether the party can agree on the proposed changes will become a key focus of attention.

The LDP and DPFP will continue working-level talks on matters such as to what level of income the increased deductions should be applied, with the aim of including their conclusions in the ruling parties’ outline of their planned tax system revisions, which could be compiled as soon as next week.

Discussions in fiscal 2025 between the then LDP-Komeito ruling coalition and the DPFP over tax system revisions such as raising the annual income barrier became bogged down over issues including finding new revenue sources.

The ruling parties were forced to tweak their previously agreed-on tax system revisions and settled on a threshold of ¥1.6 million.
 
 

In Japan, there’s a common practice of supermarkets and takeout places discounting leftover items as they get close to closing time.

It’s a win-win-win policy, as consumers get to save a little cash, the store gets to make some extra sales, and the reduction in food waste is a plus for the environment too.

Since these discounts are for leftover items, though, you can’t necessarily count on them happening every day, especially if there’s a particular item you’re looking for.

You actually have to go to the store to see what, if anything, is marked down that night…unless, that is, you’re looking for close-to-closing discounts at Starbucks Japan.

Because these kinds of discounts are limited to pre-made items with short shelf lives that wouldn’t be able to be sold the following day, Starbucks doesn’t mark down, say, coffee or S’mores Frappuccinos. 

They do, however, discount things like their sweets, snacks, and sandwiches, something they started doing in 2021 through their Save Food Program. 

Until now, the discounts were only offered to customers making regular in-store purchases, but beginning this month Starbucks Japan is expanding the program to include close-to-closing discounts on orders made through its Mobile Order and Pay app, letting customers purchase marked-down items before arriving at the branch to pick them up.

When selecting a Starbucks branch to place an order with, a Save Food mark will appear on items with reduced prices. Exact availability and discount timing will vary by branch and day, but Save Food items usually start showing up around three hours before closing time. A portion of Save Food sales is donated to a children’s hunger charity program too, adding one more group to the list of beneficiaries.

Save Food items were added to the Mobile Order and Pay system on December 1 and are in the process of being implemented for Starbucks Japan branches nationwide.
 
 

The Japanese government and ruling parties are considering raising the minimum taxable income threshold from the current 1.6 million yen to 1.68 million yen in 2026, it was learned Thursday.
 
The minimum taxable income level represents the combined amount of basic deductions, applied to all people with incomes, and employee income deductions, which salaried workers are eligible for.
 
The country is examining the idea of introducing a system to raise this threshold every two years in tandem with price increases, in order to help reduce taxpayers’ burden.
 
If the new system is introduced, the basic deduction and the minimum employment income deduction will each rise by 40,000 yen, raising the combined amount to 1.68 million yen.
 
The revision is expected to be included in the government’s upcoming tax system reform package for fiscal 2026.
 

A U.N. intergovernmental committee decided Thursday to add six items submitted by Japan to three categories already inscribed on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, including traditional festivals and paper-making.

Festivals from the prefectures of Ibaraki, Niigata, Shiga and Toyama, as well as two types of craftsmanship related to handmade paper and tatami mat making, were formally endorsed by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's intergovernmental committee at a meeting in New Delhi.

All six items were recommended for inclusion last month by UNESCO's advisory panel, which noted that they demonstrate cultural diversity and have satisfied safeguarding practices.

 

The Ofune Festival of Hitachi Otsu in Ibaraki, the Murakami Yatai Festival in Niigata, the Hojozu Hachimangu Shrine Hikiyama Tsukiyama Festival in Toyama and the Otsu Hikiyama Festival in Shiga have been added to the "Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan" list, bringing the total to 37.

Meanwhile, the manufacturing of Echizen "torinoko-shi" handmade paper in Fukui Prefecture has been added to the "Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese handmade paper" category as the fourth item.

 

Crafting handwoven "nakatsugi-omote," a type of aesthetic and durable tatami mat surface, becomes the 18th item on the "Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan."

The government nominated the six items to UNESCO in March 2024. As UNESCO implements an annual review limit of 60 nominations, those from Japan, which makes many submissions, generally undergo review every two years.

 

But since the latest six items were treated as "extensions" of existing heritage-listed categories, they were reviewed this year, outside the biennial review. The number of entries from Japan will also remain unchanged at 23.

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

 

It has also decided to submit the traditional performing art "kagura" in 2028, and "onsen" hot spring culture in 2030.
 
 

Japan's House of Representatives on Thursday passed the government's supplementary budget bill for fiscal 2025, which will finance the first comprehensive economic policy package compiled under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

At a plenary meeting of the lower chamber of the Diet, the budget bill was approved by a majority vote, with support from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai), as well as the opposition Democratic Party for the People and Komeito.

The budget bill is expected to be enacted as early as Tuesday after deliberations in the House of Councillors, the upper Diet chamber.

 

Under the banner of "responsible yet aggressive" fiscal policy, the budget bill calls for general-account spending of 18,303.4 billion yen, including funds to implement an additional child allowance of 20,000 yen per child.

More than 60 pct of the extra budget will be funded by selling government bonds.

In the Lower House, the DPFP voted in favor of the budget bill after the Takaichi administration decided to abolish the provisional gasoline tax surcharge. Komeito finalized its support for the bill at a party meeting earlier in the day.
 
 

Japan was assessing damage Tuesday and cautioning people of potential aftershocks after a late-night 7.5 magnitude earthquake caused injuries, light damage and a tsunami in Pacific coastal communities.

At least 34 people were injured, one seriously, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. Most of them were hit by falling objects, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters an emergency task force was formed to urgently assess damage. “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she said.

At a parliamentary session Tuesday, Takaichi pledged the government would continue its utmost effort and reminded people they have to protect their own lives.

The 7.5 magnitude quake struck around 11:15 p.m. in the Pacific Ocean, around 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main Honshu island.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at 7.6 magnitude and said it occurred 44 kilometers (27 miles) below the surface.

A tsunami of up to 70 centimeters (2 feet, 4 inches) was measured in Kuji port in Iwate prefecture, just south of Aomori, and waves up to 50 centimeters struck other communities in the region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. NHK reported the waves damaged some oyster rafts.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said about 800 homes were without electricity and Shinkansen bullet trains and some local lines were suspended in parts of the region in the early hours of Tuesday. East Japan Railway said bullet trains resumed operation in the region later Tuesday.

Power was mostly restored by Tuesday morning, according to the Tohoku Electric Power Co.

About 480 residents sheltered at Hachinohe Air Base and 18 defense helicopters were mobilized for a damage assessment, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said.

About 200 passengers were stranded for the night at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, NHK reported. Part of a domestic terminal building was unusable Tuesday after parts of its ceiling cracked and fell to the floor, according to the airport operator.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said about 450 liters (118 gallons) of water spilled from a spent fuel cooling area at the Rokkasho fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori, but that its water level remained within the normal range and there was no safety concern. No abnormalities were found at other nuclear power plants and spent fuel storage facilities, the NRA said.

JMA cautioned about possible aftershocks in the coming days. It said there is a slight increase in risk of a magnitude 8-level quake and possible tsunami occurring along Japan’s northeastern coast from Chiba, just east of Tokyo, to Hokkaido.

The agency urged residents in 182 municipalities in the area to monitor their emergency preparedness in the coming week, reminding them that the caution is not a prediction of a big one.

Monday’s quake occurred just north of the coastal region where the magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami in 2011 killed nearly 20,000 people and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

“You need to prepare, assuming that a disaster like that could happen again,” JMA official Satoshi Harada said.

Smaller aftershocks were continuing Tuesday. The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 6.6 and later a 5.1 quake in the hours after the initial temblor.
 
 

Vietnam’s seafood exports to Japan have gained strong momentum, reaching nearly $1.6 billion since the start of the year and positioning the sector to set a new annual record.

Fresh customs data released on December 8 shows that shipments to Japan are rebounding. Export value rose 11 per cent on-year in the January–November period, with November alone contributing $161 million, up 9 per cent.

This performance signals recovering demand in Japan and underlines Vietnam’s strengthened position in a market known for stringent quality and safety requirements.

Growth has been driven by shifts in export structure. Shrimp, the core product, continues to rise in both volume and value, reflecting stable demand for high-quality, technically compliant goods.

Squid and octopus have maintained positive growth, while basa fish, traditionally a minor item in Japan, has posted a notable upswing, with export value surging nearly 70 per cent.

Vietnam has also benefited from relatively stable prices in the Japanese market. Import prices in Japan fluctuate less than those in the United States or China, where inflation, logistics costs and policy changes exert stronger pressure.

More stable pricing enables Vietnamese producers to plan production with greater certainty, manage risks more effectively, and deepen investment in processing and quality upgrades.

According to Japan Customs, Vietnam is currently Japan’s third-largest seafood supplier, accounting for 7.4 per cent of total import volume.

Conversely, Japan remains one of Vietnam’s three biggest seafood markets, contributing around 15 per cent of national export earnings. Maintaining this share is notable given strong competition from Thailand, Indonesia, and China.

Across the whole sector, Vietnam’s seafood exports continue to expand. According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, the industry earned more than $10.5 billion in the first 11 months of 2025, up 14.6 per cent, with shrimp, basa fish, and tuna all showing solid recovery.

With this momentum, seafood exports are on track to reach $11 billion in 2025, further consolidating Vietnam’s global position in the sector.
 
 

The Japanese government's fiscal 2025 supplementary budget bill is now set to be enacted during the ongoing extraordinary Diet session, which ends on Dec. 17, as two opposition parties are expected to support it.

"We'll vote in favor of the bill," Democratic Party for the People chief Yuichiro Tamaki told reporters on Wednesday, welcoming the government's adoption of DPFP proposals, including scrapping the provisional gasoline tax surcharge.

Komeito has notified the ruling bloc of its intention to back the bill, in response to the inclusion of a plan to pay an additional child allowance of 20,000 yen per child in the budget bill, as proposed by the party.
 

 

Although Komeito is currently in talks with the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan to submit a motion to amend the bill, the party still plans to vote in favor of the budget bill even if the motion is rejected.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai), plan to hold a vote on the budget bill at a plenary meeting of the House of Representatives on Thursday and send it to the House of Councillors.
 
 

Chinese and Russian bombers have conducted their first joint flight off the Shikoku region in western Japan, according to the Defense Ministry's Joint Staff Office.

"It should be taken as a coercive action against Japan," Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference Wednesday.

Through diplomatic channels, the Japanese government has expressed its "grave national security concern" to Beijing and Moscow, he noted.

The office said Tuesday that two Russian Tu-95 bombers coming from the Sea of Japan and two Chinese H-6 bombers met over the East China Sea and flew long distance together passing between the main and Miyakojima islands of the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa.

 

The planes reversed their course over the Pacific Ocean off Shikoku to return to the East China Sea. During the flight, they were joined by Chinese J-16 fighters. The office also said Russia's Su-30 fighters and A-50 early warning plane were spotted over the Sea of Japan.

In response, ASDF fighters were scrambled. Meanwhile, those Chinese and Russian aircraft did not intrude into Japanese airspace, ministry officials said.
 
 

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Wednesday dismissed China's claim that Japanese Self-Defense Forces fighter jets locked radar on Chinese aircraft in a recent incident between the nations.

Chinese J-15 aircraft locked radar on SDF jets on Saturday, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry, while the Chinese military countered that its fighters also detected radar search signals from the Japanese aircraft.

Acknowledging China had notified Japan in advance about drills involving the aircraft carrier Liaoning, Koizumi said at a press conference that the notice lacked detail on the scale and location of the training in the Pacific southeast of Okinawa's main island.

Koizumi reiterated Japan's view that China had not issued the customary notices for such activities, including "notices to air missions," known as NOTAMs, or navigation warnings for ships.

He also stressed that it was "natural" for SDF aircraft to scramble against the Chinese fighters that flew from the carrier Liaoning, given concerns that their actions could violate Japan's airspace.

But Koizumi said it is essential for the Asian neighbors to "persistently maintain candid discussions and communication" at a time when they face "specific and difficult concerns."

Beijing has claimed that "frequent close-in reconnaissance and disruptions" by Japanese jets during the drills caused security risks, while Tokyo has said its jets kept a "safe distance" from Chinese military aircraft.
 
 

Japan is assessing damage from Monday's large earthquake as aftershocks continue along the country's northeast coast.

Residents along Japan's northeast coast were warned to stay alert, as aftershocks continued Tuesday in the aftermath of a major earthquake that has left at least 33 people injured.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 6.6 and later a 5.1 quake in the hours after the initial temblor late Monday night local time.

The USGS measured the main quake at 7.6 magnitude just off the coast of the city of Misawa in Aomori Prefecture, and it was about 27 miles deep.
Most of the people injured were hit by falling objects, according to public broadcaster NHK.

A tsunami of just over 2 feet was measured in Kuji port in Iwate prefecture, just south of Aomori, and waves up to 20 inches struck other communities in the region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. NHK reported the waves damaged some oyster rafts.

The agency lifted all tsunami advisories by 6:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said about 800 homes were without electricity and Shinkansen bullet trains and some local lines were suspended in parts of the region in the early hours of Tuesday. East Japan Railway said it is aiming to resume bullet trains in the region later Tuesday.

Power was mostly restored by Tuesday morning, according to the Tohoku Electric Power Co.

About 480 residents sheltered at Hachinohe Air Base and 18 defense helicopters were mobilized for a damage assessment, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said.

About 200 passengers were stranded for the night at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, NHK reported. Part of a domestic terminal building was unusable Tuesday after parts of its ceiling cracked and fell to the floor, according to the airport operator.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said about 118 gallons of water spilled from a spent fuel cooling area at the Rokkasho fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori, but that its water level remained within the normal range and there was no safety concern. No abnormalities were found at other nuclear power plants and spent fuel storage facilities, the NRA said.

JMA cautioned about possible aftershocks in the coming days. It said there is a slight increase in risk of a magnitude 8-level quake and possible tsunami occurring along Japan's northeastern coast from Chiba, just east of Tokyo, to Hokkaido.

The agency urged residents in 182 municipalities in the area to monitor their emergency preparedness in the coming week, reminding them that the caution is not a prediction of a big one.

Monday's quake occurred just north of the coastal region where the magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami in 2011 killed nearly 20,000 people and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

“You need to prepare, assuming that a disaster like that could happen again," JMA official Satoshi Harada said.
 
 

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) has started final coordination to promote MUFG Bank President Junichi Hanzawa to group president and the bank’s Senior Managing Executive Officer Masakazu Osawa to bank president.

MUFG President and Group CEO Hironori Kamezawa is expected to become the group’s chairperson.

Hanzawa had worked in key posts, mainly in the planning division drawing up management strategies, before becoming the bank’s president in 2021.

With the arrival of a “an economy with positive interest rates” in Japan, deposits, which are used as the capital for loans, have become increasingly important for the banking industry.

Under such circumstances, Hanzawa promoted initiatives to broaden the bank’s client base by offering such things as a financial service for individual customers.

Osawa has extensive experience abroad and was also on loan to a securities firm. He has been involved in establishing a joint venture with U.S.

securities firm Morgan Stanley and acquiring Thailand’s Bank of Ayudhya.
Responsible for the bank’s digital division, he has also taken the initiative in investing in foreign firms and promoting mobile payment services.
 
 

The head of a religious group in Japan formerly known as the Unification Church has announced his resignation. The group is facing a court order to disband as it has been accused of collecting large donations and causing other problems.

Tanaka Tomihiro, the leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification in Japan, held a news conference at its headquarters in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Tanaka said the group must not underestimate the deep psychological pain it has caused to some people. He said he takes the matter seriously and decided to resign as a step to restore the trust of society. He offered an apology.

As a reason for his resignation, Tanaka cited a development in court examinations over the order to disband.

He also said an environment has been created to hand down the task to the next generation as efforts to improve its governance have stabilized.
Tanaka revealed that former vice head Hori Masaichi will assume the top position.

The group said Hori will be the first leader from second-generation followers.

The Tokyo High Court may reach a decision by the end of March over the lower court disbandment order. The procedure will then begin if the high court backs the order.
 
 

We recently took a moment to ooh and aah over how cute Studio Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku’s Totoro kagami mochi plushie looks, and to learn a little bit about the traditional Japanese New Year’s decoration that inspired it.

 

Stacks of rice cakes aren’t the only symbols of good fortune and prosperity that Japanese homes are adorned with at the end of the year, though, and today we’ve got another one with a twist: a "Kiki’s Delivery Service" shimekazari wreath.

Technically, I suppose we’ve got multiple twists here, since not only is there a touch of anime aesthetics with the presence of Kiki’s black cat Jiji, the wreath itself is a braided coil of straw.

 

Shimekazari literally means “twisted decoration,” and they’re small, home-sized versions of the larger shimenawa ropes you might encounter at Shinto shrines, which serve as a barrier of sorts to ward off evil spirits and general misfortune.

Because of their more compact size, these New Year’s wreaths can be hung above your home’s entrance, on the door, or even inside, either on walls or interior doors. Donguri Kyowakoku officially classifies this as a “Western-style decoration,” making it technically a secular ornament that can be used for non-denominational wishes of good fortune and festive cheer during the holiday season.

 

The Jiji figure is made of a mix of metal and resin components, while the wreath uses both artificial and dried flowers, and the straw is natural as well, ensuring that each wreath has its own subtly unique appearance.

The wreath measures 28 centimeters n length, putting it right in that easy-to-decorate-with sweet spot of being large enough to be noticed without being so big as to dominate the room.
 

 

Priced at 6,050 yen, the "Kiki’s Delivery Service" wreath can be ordered through the Donguri Kyowakoku online shop here.
 

Indonesia’s embassy in Tokyo urged its nationals in Japan to stay calm and alert after a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off Aomori Prefecture late Monday, triggering brief tsunami warnings in the country’s northeast.

In a statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday, the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) reminded nationals that earthquakes are frequent in Japan and called on them to remain composed and attentive to official information.

The embassy urged Indonesians to monitor updates from Japanese media and follow instructions from local authorities at all times.

It also advised residents to study evacuation routes and prepare emergency bags containing essential documents, medicine, and sufficient cash.

As of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, the embassy said it had received no reports of Indonesians harmed or affected by the quake.

Indonesians facing emergencies were asked to contact the embassy’s hotline at +81-80-3506-8612 or +81-80-4940-7419, or the Indonesian consulate in Osaka at +81-80-3113-1003.

KBRI stressed that staying informed and prepared remained crucial for Indonesian communities across Japan.

It said close cooperation with Japanese authorities was vital to ensure the safety of all residents in a country highly prone to major seismic events.

The embassy added that it would continue monitoring the situation and would issue updates when necessary.

It also encouraged Indonesians to register with embassy community networks to receive rapid alerts and assistance during emergencies.

Meanwhile, Kyodo News reported that Japan’s Meteorological Agency has increased the likelihood of another quake of similar or greater magnitude striking the same region in the coming days.

The 7.5-magnitude quake shook northeastern Japan late Monday, prompting tsunami warnings for coastal areas of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate before the alerts were lifted several hours later.

Kyodo noted it was the first time such warnings had been issued for Hokkaido and the Sanriku coast, which stretches from Aomori through Iwate and into Miyagi.

The Japanese Cabinet Office urged the public to stay on heightened alert for at least a week and to keep emergency kits accessible in case immediate evacuation becomes necessary.

Kyodo also recalled that the 2011 M9.0 megaquake, which left nearly 20,000 dead and more than 2,500 missing, struck the same northeastern region and triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday expressed eagerness to advance legislation to give legal validity to the use of maiden names.

Speaking before the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, Takaichi said she will "make necessary considerations in close coordination with the ruling coalition" of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, also known as Nippon Ishin no Kai.

Responding to a question from LDP lawmaker Masahiko Shibayama, Takaichi argued that giving validity to the use of maiden names by those who have changed their surnames due to marriage "will reduce the number of citizens who experience inconvenience in social life." She added that codifying maiden name use will enhance such effects.

Takaichi said there have been no changes to the government's policy of "reducing concerns and problems while increasing understanding and cooperation" in diplomatic ties with China, which soured after her parliamentary remarks on a possible Taiwan contingency. "We will monitor the situation closely and respond appropriately," she said.

At the Budget Committee meeting, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi commented on the recent incident in which Chinese military aircraft directed radar at Japanese Self-Defense Forces fighter jets.
 
 

The spate of bear encounters in Japan has certainly been surprising for many reasons, but one thing that caught my attention especially is that they seem pretty good at using automatic doors.


▼ Just struts in like it’s no big deal

https://youtu.be/F_ILrkdJ4J8


▼ This one struggled a bit, but it’s young; it’ll learn.

https://youtu.be/24EyzCtjJ9k

This is bad news for people, however. Bear encounters are bad enough in the outdoors, but being trapped in a confined space with one is a whole other level of terror.

 Given the number of incidents involving bears going through automatic doors, some businesses and facilities have set them to manual instead. While inconvenient for some, this poses a particular accessibility problem for disabled people.

Speaking of whom, Fulltech and Mirairo are two companies that have been developing Mirairo Door. This automatic door can communicate with smartphones via Bluetooth and was originally intended for use by people with varying levels of mobility so they could adjust the speed at which the door closes to suit their needs on their phones.

It just so happens that these doors are also really good at keeping bears and other wildlife out of buildings. Mirairo Door can also be set so that only people with smartphones can access the door’s automatic feature, and since bears are currently unable to purchase such devices, they cannot go through.

 

One drawback is that you need to install the Mirairo Door app on your phone for it to work, but once you do, it works all on its own when near a compatible door. But even without the app, the doors have touch switches and are still relatively easy to open.

I suppose a bear could hit the touch switch too, but it’s still a much bigger hurdle than conventional automatic doors.

It does offer a solution for businesses and other organizations who want to keep their doors closed to dangerous animals but also don’t want to hinder other people from coming inside. For now, at least…

Given the rate at which the bears have managed to disrupt our infrastructure, I give them about three years before they acquire quantum computing technology that can decrypt the elliptic-curve discrete logarithmic problem and override the doors’ controls. Hopefully, by that time, better bear-proof encryption for wireless devices will have been developed.
 
 

Japanese lawmakers on Monday began deliberations on an 18.3 trillion yen ($118 billion) extra budget for this fiscal year, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's drastic spending plans fueling concern over a further deterioration in the country's fiscal health and pushing up long-term interest rates.

The government and ruling bloc led by Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party aim to pass the bill by the end of the current Diet session on Dec. 17 to fund a stimulus package featuring measures to ease rising living costs and encourage investment to spur growth.

The government plans to raise 11.7 trillion yen through new bond issuances to cover more than 60 percent of the supplementary budget, which is the largest since fiscal 2022 when the state was increasing spending during the coronavirus pandemic downturn.

In response to an opposition lawmaker questioning the large scale of the draft budget, Takaichi said it contains only "truly necessary" measures, describing them as "strategic fiscal spending."

In a speech to the House of Representatives, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama called for swift approval of the budget, saying consumption is weak as wage growth fails to keep pace with inflation.

The economic package "aims to urgently address rising prices to protect living standards and restore the strength of the Japanese economy," the minister said.

In financial markets, growing fears about the impact of Takaichi's expansionary policies on fiscal health have triggered selling of government bonds, sending long-term interest rates sharply higher. Bond yields move inversely to prices.

In Monday's trading, the yield on Japan's benchmark 10-year government bond hit 1.965 percent, its highest level since June 2007. Japan's fiscal health is already the worst among advanced economies, with debt over twice the size of the economy.

Under the budget, Takaichi's administration seeks to provide relief measures, including subsidies for electricity and gas bills and cash handouts for households with children.

The government also aims to bolster investment, particularly in the semiconductor and shipbuilding sectors, which Takaichi views as vital to national security.

It also includes defense-related outlays to bring such spending in fiscal 2025 to the government's target of 2 percent of gross domestic product. It had previously planned to reach the goal in fiscal 2027.

Meanwhile, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Komeito party, which exited its coalition with the LDP before Takaichi took office in October, are considering submitting a proposal to change the spending allocation to provide more support for low- and middle-income households.
 

 

Last year, more than 18,000 older people living with dementia left their homes and went missing in Japan. Almost 500 were later found dead.
Police say such cases have doubled since 2012.

Elderly people aged 65 and over now make up nearly 30% of Japan's population - the second-highest proportion in the world after Monaco, according to the World Bank.

The crisis is further compounded by a shrinking workforce and tight limits on foreign workers coming in to provide care.

Japan's government has identified dementia as one of its most urgent policy challenges, with the Health Ministry estimating that dementia-related health and social care costs will reach 14 trillion yen ($90bn; £67bn) by 2030 - up from nine trillion yen in 2025.

In its most recent strategy, the government has signalled a stronger pivot toward technology to ease the pressure.

Across the country, people are adopting GPS-based systems to keep track of those who go missing.

Some regions offer wearable GPS tags that can alert authorities the moment a person leaves a designated area.

In some towns, convenience-store workers receive real-time notifications – a kind of community safety net that can locate a missing person within hours.

 

Robot caregivers and AI

Other technologies aim to detect dementia earlier.

Fujitsu's aiGait uses AI to analyse posture and walking patterns, picking up early signs of dementia – shuffling while walking, slower turns or difficulty standing – generating skeletal outlines clinicians can review during routine check-ups.

"Early detection of age-related diseases is key," says Hidenori Fujiwara, a Fujitsu spokesperson. "If doctors can use motion-capture data, they can intervene earlier and help people remain active for longer."

Meanwhile, researchers at Waseda University are developing AIREC, a 150kg humanoid robot designed to be a "future" caregiver.

It can help a person put on socks, scramble eggs and fold laundry. The scientists at Waseda University hope that in the future, AIREC will be able to change adult nappies and prevent bedsores in patients.

Similar robots are already being used in care homes to play music to residents or guide them in simple stretching exercises.

They are also monitoring patients at night - placed under mattresses to track sleep and conditions - and cutting back on the need for humans doing the rounds.

Although humanoid robots are being developed for the near future, Assistant Professor Tamon Miyake says the level of precision and intelligence required will take at last five years before they are safely able to interact with humans.

"It requires full-body sensing and adaptive understanding - how to adjust for each person and situation," he says.

Emotional support is also part of the innovation drive.

 

Poketomo, a 12cm tall robot, can be carried around in a bag or can fit into a pocket. It reminds users to take medication, tells you how to prepare in real time for the weather outside and offers conversation for those living alone, which its creators say helps to ease social isolation.

"We're focusing on social issues... and to use new technology to help solve those problems," Miho Kagei, development manager from Sharp told the BBC.

While devices and robots offer new ways to assist, human connection remains irreplaceable.

"Robots should supplement, not substitute, human caregivers," Mr Miyake, the Waseda University scientist said. "While they may take over some tasks, their main role is to assist both caregivers and patients."

At the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders in Sengawa, Tokyo, founded by Akiko Kanna, people stream in to be served by patients suffering from dementia.
Inspired by her father's experience with the condition, Ms Kanna wanted a place where people could remain engaged and feel purposeful.

Toshio Morita, one of the café's servers, uses flowers to remember which table ordered what.

Despite his cognitive decline, Mr Morita enjoys the interaction. For his wife, the café provides respite and helps keep him engaged.

Kanna's café illustrates why social interventions and community support remain essential. Technology can provide tools and relief, but meaningful engagement and human connection are what truly sustain people living with dementia.

"Honestly? I wanted a little pocket money. I like meeting all sorts of people," Mr Morita says. "Everyone's different - that's what makes it fun."
 
 

 

Japan has protested after Chinese fighter jets locked radars on Japanese aircraft as tensions between the two nations worsened.

Locking radar onto an aircraft is considered a threat because it can signal a potential attack. Japan said there were two such incidents Saturday off its southern Okinawa islands.

Japan said it scrambled fighter jets in response to the Chinese J-15 fighter jets, while Beijing accused Tokyo of "harassing" its forces during a training exercise. No injuries or damage were reported.

Diplomatic ties between Japan and China have spiralled since last month, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that Tokyo could take military action if Beijing attacked Taiwan.

Beijing views self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to "reunite" with it.

Both sides have since engaged in increasingly hostile rhetoric towards each other, with the widening rift affecting daily life for citizens in both countries.

Last week, China and Japan's coast guards gave conflicting accounts of a confrontation near disputed islands in the East China Sea.

A Japanese defence ministry official said the intention of the Chinese J-15 jets was "unclear", but added that there was "no need" to lock on to the Japanese planes if their intention was to locate other aircraft.

The J-15 jets, which were launched from China's Liaoning aircraft carrier, first locked its radar on Japanese jets at 16:32 local time on Saturday (07:32 GMT) and again at around 18:37.

The official added that the Japanese aircraft "did not do anything that could be considered a provocation".

"It is extremely regrettable. Japan has strongly protested to the Chinese side, and we firmly requested measures to prevent recurrence," Takaichi told reporters Sunday in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture.
"We will respond calmly and resolutely," she said.

The Chinese navy however said Japan's claim was "completely inconsistent with the facts" and told Tokyo to "immediately stop slandering and smearing". It added that its training exercise in the area had been previously announced.

This comes two weeks after Japan scrambled aircraft when a suspected Chinese drone was detected off Yonaguni, island near Taiwan. Tokyo has said it is planning to deploy missiles from Yonaguni in a move that has angered Beijing.

A month of heightened tensions have seen China ask its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan.

China has also banned the importation of seafood from Japan and suspended the screening of popular Japanese films.
 
 

Japan's Foreign Ministry has been focusing on visually appealing messages on social media posts, such as videos, diagrams and illustrations in its campaign to explain the country's stances on international affairs.

"We're hoping that (social media users) will intuitively understand Japan's position (on various subjects)," a ministry official said.

On Nov. 26, the ministry on X, formally Twitter, posted a video clip of Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi talking about Botswana, ahead of a dinner with Botswana Vice President Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe.

"Botswana, a country located just north of South Africa at the southern tip of the African continent," Motegi said as he pointed to the country on a globe in the video.

According to officials, the ministry shifted its attention to visual communication on social media a few years ago
 
 

U.S. President Donald Trump said he has approved the manufacture of "tiny" cars in the United States, as his administration faces increasing pressure over affordability.

After describing ultracompact kei cars that he saw in Japan about a month earlier as "really cute," Trump said on social media he had just greenlit the production.

"Manufacturers have long wanted to do this, just like they are so successfully built in other countries," he wrote on Friday. "These cars of the very near future are inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient and, quite simply, AMAZING!"

While the details remain unclear, including which very small cars would be subject to his approval, Trump said the vehicles could be gasoline, electric or hybrid powered.

At a White House event on Wednesday, Trump suddenly said he wants to see Japan-style tiny cars built and driven in the United States.

"Honda (and) some of the Japanese companies do a beautiful job, but we're not allowed to make them in this country," he said at the time. "I think you're going to do very well with those cars. So, we're going to approve those cars."

In Japan, so-called minivehicles, with engines no larger than 660 cc, account for almost 40 percent of new vehicle sales.

On Thursday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told a CNBC interview that the administration was in the process of "clearing the deck" for regulatory changes following Trump's directive.

"If there's a market for those vehicles, I want to give our manufacturers the opportunity to build those cars," Duffy said, adding they are probably not to be driven on U.S. freeways.

"But again, vehicles that work in cities and if that's where you drive, it could be a great solution for you," he said, stressing they are "much more affordable than other options."
 
 

Japanese scientist Sakaguchi Shimon, a co-winner of this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, has spoken about his work at a news conference in Stockholm.

He was joined by the two American researchers who shared the prize at the event hosted by the Nobel Foundation on Saturday.

Sakaguchi said the regulatory T cells he discovered have broad potential applications for various immune disorders, autoimmune diseases, and allergies.

He said that a certain percentage of cancer patients could become treatable with immunotherapy by improving the methods for controlling regulatory T cells.

Sakaguchi said he hopes the award will raise societal awareness of the importance of medical research, and he hopes that governments will realize the importance of supporting basic research.
 

 

Chinese military aircraft locked radar onto Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets southeast of Okinawa's main island on Saturday, Japan's Defense Ministry said, amid heightened diplomatic tensions between the two Asian neighbors.

The Chinese navy said Sunday that Japan's SDF aircraft "repeatedly approached the Chinese naval training maritime area and airspace," though it did not refer to the radar lock-on.

Chinese J-15 aircraft from the aircraft carrier Liaoning intermittently locked radar onto the F-15s on two occasions, once from around 4:32 p.m. and again from around 6:37 p.m., the ministry said.

"It is extremely regrettable. Japan has strongly protested to the Chinese side, and we firmly requested measures to prevent recurrence," Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae told reporters Sunday in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. "We will respond calmly and resolutely."

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi also called the incidents "dangerous and extremely regrettable" at a hastily called press conference in the early hours of Sunday.

It was the first time that the ministry disclosed such an incident. There was no damage to the SDF aircraft or its crew, the ministry said.

The Chinese navy said in a statement that the SDF aircraft "seriously endangered flight safety" by repeatedly approaching its training zones.

A Defense Ministry official, who held a press briefing after Koizumi spoke, said, "China's intentions are unclear, but if it is to locate (aircraft), there is no need to do that intermittently."

Based on the distance between the jets confirmed by the ministry, the Japanese side "didn't do anything that could be considered a provocation," the official said.

A bilateral dispute has been escalating since Takaichi said in response to parliamentary questions on Nov. 7 that a military attack on Taiwan could present a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, drawing harsh criticism from Beijing.

China framed her remarks as indicating that Japan could independently authorize the SDF to act in support of the United States should China impose a maritime blockade on Taiwan or engage in other forms of coercion.

Okinawa is close to Taiwan, a self-ruled island which Beijing regards as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. China insists that the Taiwan issue is purely an "internal affair."

On Saturday, China's navy was conducting training flights in the Pacific Ocean from the Liaoning after the ship passed through the main island of Okinawa Prefecture and the southern Japan prefecture's Miyako Island.

The SDF scrambled aircraft, signaling its assessment that the Chinese planes could approach Japanese airspace.
 
 

A record 230 were killed or injured by bears in Japan since April, putting more pressure on the government to intervene as the animals push deeper into areas where people live.

Thirteen have died and 217 were injured as a result of bear attacks in the eight months through the end of November, according to data released Friday by the environment ministry.

The total already exceeds the previous record of 219 for the fiscal year through March 2024. Roughly two-thirds of casualties occurred in the sparsely-populated northern Tohoku region.

Japan is home to the Hokkaido brown bear and the smaller Asiatic black bear, with the latter responsible for 97% of human casualties this year. As abandoned farmland and aging communities reduce human presence in mountain areas, bears are venturing beyond their forested habitats and moving closer to towns in search of food.

There were 36,814 bear sightings nationwide from April to October 2025, almost double the total from the prior fiscal year, according to ministry data. Even Tokyo had 142 sightings during that period.

The population decline also means there are fewer hunters able to keep bear numbers in check, exacerbating the issue.

The environment ministry has set aside ¥3.4 billion ($22 million) for "bear countermeasures” in this year’s supplementary budget, approved by the cabinet last month.

The proposed measures include mobilizing retired police and self-defense forces as armed hunters, and providing subsidies to local governments for traps and bear-monitoring drones.

Japanese makers of hunting rifles and bear-repellent products have seen their stocks rally in recent months as attacks increase. Bear spray seller Tiemco’s shares have gained 33% since the end of August, with rifle manufacturer Miroku rising 16%, both outpacing the Topix Index.

The nation’s insurers have also begun offering new products that cover bear-related damages.
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Midsize models, especially, are gaining popularity."

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Style icon, but no feminist

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SoftBank Group 9984.T jumped 9.18%.

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Little known, few in number

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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