San-ikukai, a Tokyo-based social welfare corporation, announced Monday the start of its "Baby Basket" project to protect lives of newborn babies at its hospital in the capital's Sumida Ward.

Beginning 1 p.m. the same day, women can anonymously drop off their babies up to four weeks old round the clock at a place in San-ikukai Hospital in the Kinshicho district, the second "baby hatch" in Japan after the one set up at Jikei Hospital in the city of Kumamoto in May 2007.

Within a minute after receiving a baby, the hospital will dispatch an official to the hatch, San-ikukai said, adding that it will look for foster parents in cooperation with child guidance centers.

Also under the project, mothers can give birth in secret by letting only a limited number of hospital staff know who they are.

"Such tragic incidents as newborn desertion and fatal child abuse continue to happen," Hitoshi Kato, head of San-ikukai Hospital, told a press conference at the Tokyo metropolitan government's head office. "I'm going to make efforts to create a society where this project is no longer necessary."
 
 

One of Japan's biggest restaurant chains is closing its outlets for deep cleaning, after two incidents of customers finding pests - including a rat - in their food.

Sukiya, known for its beef-on-rice dishes, announced the temporary closure after an insect was found by a customer. Last weekend, it admitted that a rat had been discovered in a bowl of miso soup in January.

The chain, which has nearly 2,000 restaurants, said most of its sites would be shut between 31 March and 4 April "to prevent external intrusion and internal infestation of pests and vermin".

In a statement, it apologised for the "great inconvenience and concern caused".

Rumours about the rat-in-miso incident had been circulating on social media for weeks before Sukiya was forced to confirm that the rodent had been found "before it was eaten".

The branch, in the city of Tottori, was temporarily closed, and Sukiya said measures had been taken to address cracks in the building that could lead to contamination.

It then announced that all of its outlets would be regularly checked for gaps and rubbish would be refrigerated.

The company has now taken the more drastic measure of closure after the insect - widely reported to have been part or all of a cockroach - was found on Friday by a customer in the capital, Tokyo.

The manager apologised to the customer and gave them a refund, it said.
Sukiya is part of Zensho Holdings, which owns a number of restaurant chains in Japan.

Last Monday, following the disclosure about the rat, its share price tumbled before recovering later in the week. Its shares will face scrutiny after Saturday's announcement.
 
 

The Meteorological Agency on Sunday raised the volcanic alert for Shinmoedake in the Kyushu region to Level 3 from Level 2.

The agency warned that large volcanic rocks could reach areas within 4 kilometers of the crater of the volcano, which is located between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures.

Level 3 urges restrictions on entry to the volcano, while Level 2 advises people to avoid approaching areas around the crater.

At Shinmoedake, volcanic earthquakes have increased since around Friday, and changes believed to be the swelling of the mountain have also been confirmed, according to the agency.

The alert for Shinmoedake was raised to Level 2 on Dec. 12 last year from Level 1, which warns of a possible increase in volcanic activity.
 
 

China has drawn up a scenario to bolster cooperation with Japan and South Korea over North Korea's denuclearization in a bid to drive a wedge in the three-way ties between the two Asian neighbors and the United States, Chinese sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.

Chinese policymakers share the view that there is a "strategic opportunity" for Beijing to approach Tokyo and Seoul as their trilateral partnership with Washington could be affected by U.S. President Donald Trump's disdain for multilateral frameworks, the sources said.

While reinstating his "America First" policy in his second term, which began in January, Trump has also said he intends to reengage with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with whom he held in-person meetings three times during his first presidency, underlining his preference for a bilateral approach.

As a step to improve China's relations with the two neighbors, Beijing has conveyed to Seoul that Chinese President Xi Jinping intends to attend this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit to take place in South Korea between late October and early November, they said.

China also backs the idea of holding a trilateral meeting of the three Asian countries' leaders at an early date, following a gathering of their foreign ministers in Tokyo last week.

The three Asian neighbors have shared interests in achieving the denuclearization of North Korea, which has recently been strengthening military cooperation with Russia following the signing of a key partnership treaty in June last year that contains a provision for their mutual defense obligations.

A source familiar with Beijing-Pyongyang relations said Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun temporarily returned to China in October last year in a sign of protest over deeper military ties between North Korea and Russia.

Pyongyang has provided troops, ballistic missiles and ammunition to aid Russia's invasion of Ukraine and is believed to be seeking assistance from Moscow to advance its own military capabilities in return.

As part of efforts to strengthen China's ties with Japan and South Korea, academic exchanges led by Tsinghua University in Beijing, Xi's alma mater, have been under way. They involve discussions among experts from the three countries on issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

The sources said China eventually aim to upgrade the exchange framework to involve government officials.
 
 

Murase Kokomo and Kimata Ryoma top podium as Japan dominate the event

Japan swept the snowboard big air titles Friday (28 March) at the FIS World Championships in Engadin, Switzerland, as 2022 Olympic bronze medallist Murase Kokomo and 2020 Winter Youth Olympic champion Kimata Ryoma claimed the women’s and men’s wins, respectively.

Murase’s 162.50 held off the challenge of compatriot Iwabuchi Reira, who scored 156.00. Japan swept the podium, with Fukada Mari (153.25) taking the bronze medal.

For Murase, it’s the first world title for the Japanese rider, who also won silver in Engadin in slopestyle.

The 20-year-old was the top scorer in the opening run, throwing down a forward-spinning 1260 Indy grab for an 85.75 score. She followed that up with a 76.75 in her second run, where she performed a backside 1080 with a nose grab.

She led teammate Iwabuchi by six-and-a-half points going into the final run, where Murase would go last as the top scorer.

Iwabuchi failed to improve her score in the final run, giving Murase a victory lap and the world title win.

Beijing 2022 slopestyle champion Zoi Sadowski-Synnott qualified for the finals but did not start.

In the men’s event, the final standings were: Kimata (176.75), followed by Hasegawa Taiga of Japan (174.50). American Oliver Martin was third (171.75).

France’s Romain Allemand, the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games slopestyle bronze medallist, had a commanding nearly 10-point lead after the first two runs. His best of the two came in his first attempt, earning an 85.50 score for his forward 1800 blunt grab.

In the second run, Allemand scored 84.75. That gave him a total score of 170.25, ahead of Martin’s 160.75.

But Hasegawa made his challenge in the final run, throwing down an 87.50 score and erasing a 49.75 first-run effort that had held him down after two rounds. He moved into the lead – but only momentarily – with teammate Kimata earning a massive 95.00 score to overtake him.

After Martin went as the penultimate competitor, Allemand found himself six points off the lead and off the podium, needing a big final run to regain the top spot.

He came up short, failing to improve on his earlier scores, and settled for fourth.

Women's snowboard big air finals - Results

? Murase Kokomo (JPN), 162.50
? Iwabuchi Reira (JPN), 156.00
? Fukada Mari (JPN), 153.25
4. Suzuki Momo (JPN), 150.00
5. Mia Brookes (GBR), 149.50
6. Anna Gasser (AUT), 112.50
7. Annika Morgan (GER), DNS
8. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZL), DNS


Men's snowboard big air finals - Results

? Kimata Ryoma (JPN), 176.75
? Hasegawa Taiga (JPN), 174.50
? Oliver Martin (USA), 171.75
4. Romain Allemand (FRA), 170.25
5. Miyamura Yuto (JPN), 155.75
6. Enzo Valax (FRA), 149.00
7. Ian Matteoli (ITA), 108.00
8. Yang Wenlong (CHN), 103.50
9. Mons Roisland (NOR), 79.75
10. Ogiwara Hiroto (JPN), 47.25
 
 

 

Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui will join a long-term mission at the International Space Station possibly in July on a journey arranged by NASA, the U.S. space agency said Thursday.

In his second trip to the ISS since 2015, 55-year-old Yui will accompany three other astronauts from the United States and Russia on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's SpaceX Crew-11 mission.

Yui was originally scheduled to leave for space in 2024, but his departure has been delayed as the participating countries' space organizations coordinate on schedules.

In his mission, expected to last around six months, Yui will conduct experiments for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Yui, a Nagano Prefecture native and former Japanese Air Self-Defense Force pilot, previously stayed at the ISS between July and December 2015 and was responsible for the docking of an unmanned supply craft developed by Japan.

JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, 49, also began a mission at the ISS earlier this month.
 
 

Japan’s average surface temperature could rise by 4.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century if no additional measures to mitigate climate change are taken, according to projections released Wednesday by the Meteorological Agency and several other institutions.

The findings, published in the latest edition of “Climate Change in Japan 2025,” highlighted significant warming trends and worsening climate conditions.

The report, first released in 2020, analyzes key indicators such as temperature, rainfall, and sea surface temperatures and is expected to inform national, local, and corporate climate policies.

According to the report, Japan’s annual average temperature has risen at a rate of 1.4 C per 100 years since 1898. Dissolved oxygen levels in surrounding seas — a key indicator of global warming — have declined at a rate equal to or greater than the global average in the country’s southern waters. Sea surface temperatures around Japan are also increasing at a faster pace than the global average.

Without further action to limit global temperature increases — such as keeping warming well below 2 C in line with the Paris Agreement — Japan could face drastic climate shifts, the report warned.

If no further climate change mitigation actions are taken, the country’s annual average surface temperature could climb by 4.5 C by 2100, leading to 17.5 more extremely hot days per year and 46.2 fewer winter days.

The report also forecasts that, despite a decrease in the overall number of rainy days, heavy rainfall events are expected to become more frequent.

If temperatures rise by 4 C, the number of rainfall events exceeding 50 millimeters per hour could triple by the century’s end. Days with more than 100 millimeters of rainfall could increase by 1.4 times.

Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Kimio Hanawa, an honorary professor at Tohoku University and chair of the agency’s climate change advisory panel, which is behind the report, expressed concern over the rapid warming.

“Climate change is an extremely important and urgent issue that humanity faces globally,” he said, noting that Japan recorded its highest-ever temperatures in successive years in 2023 and 2024.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Friday that he will visit Ioto, widely known as Iwo Jima, on Saturday to attend an event to honor soldiers who died in the fierce battle on the Pacific island 80 years ago.

Ishiba will be the first sitting Japanese prime minister to visit the island since then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in April 2013.

"I want to think about what Japan and the United States, which both value freedom, democracy and the rule of law, can do for the peace and prosperity of the world, in order to strengthen the (Japan-U.S.) relationship further," Ishiba told a parliament committee meeting.

The memorial event will be held jointly by the two countries. Participants will include Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Nearly 30,000 Japanese and U.S. troops were killed in the battle on Ioto between February and March 1945 in the last phase of the Pacific War, part of World War II.
 
 

Japanese Emperor Naruhito bade farewell on Thursday to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at a hotel in Tokyo.

The Emperor arrived at the hotel in Chiyoda Ward where the president stayed around 10 a.m.

Lula told him that he will never forget the warm welcome he received in Japan. "I am certain that the friendship and goodwill between both countries have been deepened," the Emperor replied.

They chatted for some 20 minutes and parted with a hug. The president's wife had already left Japan for her work.
 
 

On March 7, 2025, TSUTAYA Books, renowned for its distinctive and elegantly curated spaces, announced a strategic partnership with Chinese stationery brand M&G on its website.

This collaboration introduces M&G to nearly 120 TSUTAYA locations across Japan, marking the first time a Chinese stationery brand with a comprehensive product range has been featured in Japan's premier cultural and creative retail chain.

Following the announcement, M&G display areas in TSUTAYA Books across Japan have turned into popular destinations. The brand's innovative click-and-go highlighters and 0.18mm ultra-fine gel pens, previously rare in Japan, quickly became top sellers, enhancing M&G's global reputation.

The partnership also drew praise from UMEZAWA TOYONORI, head of the stationery category at TSUTAYA. In an interview, he commended M&G's global impact and innovation, noting that the brand annually launches thousands of new products that particularly appeal to the tastes of young consumers, delivering significant emotional value.

He emphasized that this partnership represents a mutual benefit, as M&G not only introduces fresh perspectives to TSUTAYA's cultural and creative sections but also attracts an increasing number of young shoppers interested in the cultural ties between China and Japan.

In December 2024, M&G showcased several co-developed products at the Stationery & Women's Expo, an event that drew over 500,000 attendees, attracting numerous Japanese consumers eager to try out the writing experience. The enthusiastic response at the event laid the groundwork that led to formalizing this partnership.

M&G, a favorite among Chinese consumers, has been dedicated to "make study and work more joyful and effective" for over 30 years and has grown into one of the world's largest stationery manufacturers. The company invests heavily in R&D, holds over 1,200 patents, and has won four major international industrial design awards.

It has been named "China Annual No.1 Stationery Brand" for three consecutive years. Its products are exported to over 100 countries and regions, establishing a broad network of global partners.

The brand also became a sensation on Xiaohongshu earlier this year, where its high-quality, affordably priced products featuring exquisite designs resonated with and garnered acclaim from stationery enthusiasts worldwide.

Moving forward, M&G continues to prioritize its consumer-centric strategy, consistently rolling out innovative products that deliver high quality at competitive prices. The company seeks to further enhance its brand image by focusing on attributes of youthfulness and sophistication, and will realize the vision of becoming a "world-class M&G".

 

The Japanese government asked the United States on Thursday for Japan to be exempt from auto tariffs, calling the latest move by its closest ally "extremely regrettable," a top government spokesman said.

"We strongly urged (the U.S. government) to exclude Japan from the measure," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said, adding he was instructed by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to have related ministers cooperate in responding to the issue.

Industry minister Yoji Muto separately told reporters the government had again urged Washington to exclude Japan from the additional 25 percent tariff on all automobiles made outside the United States, following a similar request when he visited the country earlier this month.

Hayashi said U.S. moves to restrict trade could have a "large impact on bilateral economic ties, the global economy and the multilateral trading system."

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday an additional 25 percent tariff on auto imports without exceptions. It is feared the hike, which is expected to be implemented on April 3, will disrupt global supply chains and deal a blow to Japanese automakers given their penetration into the U.S. market.

"We must consider steps to respond appropriately. We have all possible options on the table," Ishiba told a committee session in the House of Councillors.

Given the likely negative economic impact, Japan has asked to be exempted from the auto tariffs. But its efforts to win preferential treatment apparently fell flat.

Shipments of U.S.-bound cars and auto parts made up a big portion of
Japan's total exports by value to the world's largest economy in 2024.
Speaking at a press briefing, Hayashi underlined the "big contributions" that Japanese companies, including automakers, have made to the U.S. economy.

Japanese automakers have made direct investments into the United States worth around $61.6 billion and created around 2.3 million jobs, he said.
"It's extremely regrettable" that the United States decided to hike auto tariffs with no exceptions, he said. "We will carefully examine the impact on Japan and will continue to strongly call for an exemption."

At the headquarters of the ruling Liberal Democratic party, policy chief Itsunori Onodera met with U.S. Charge d'Affaires Joseph Young.

Onodera told Young that Japan needs to negotiate with the United States as the planned tariff hike will have a big negative impact on the Japanese economy. He asked the U.S. envoy to convey that message to the U.S. administration, according to Onodera.

Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi told his U.S. counterpart Christopher Landau during phone talks that the measure "is extremely regrettable" and Tokyo wants to continue talks over the issue, a Japanese government source said.
 
 

Two patients to arrive in Tokyo Wednesday under WHO-coordinated evacuation

Japan will accept injured Palestinians from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment, marking the first time the country has extended such direct support to victims of Israel’s genocidal war on the enclave.

At least two injured individuals from Gaza are expected to arrive in Japan starting Wednesday, according to Kyodo News Agency.

The evacuation and treatment plan was organized in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the patients will be cared for at the Self-Defense Forces Central Hospital in Tokyo.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba confirmed last month that the government was exploring ways to offer medical assistance to Palestinians, including potential educational programs.

“We're making efforts to find ways to accept people in Japan who have fallen ill or been injured in Gaza,” Ishiba said during a parliamentary session, adding that Tokyo is also working on a special initiative for Palestinian students to study in Japanese universities.

The Israeli army launched a surprise aerial campaign on the Gaza Strip on March 18, killing nearly 800 people, injuring over 1,600 others, and shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas that took hold in January.

More than 50,100 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 113,700 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
 
 

The Diet, Japan's parliament, on Wednesday enacted a bill aimed at boosting disaster prevention measures in peninsular areas of the country.

The bill to revise peninsular areas development law aims to conduct the measures with consideration for the geographic features of peninsulas, which are surrounded on three sides by sea. The law, which was originally set to expire at the end of this month, will be extended for a decade through the revision.

Under the current system, 194 municipalities in 23 peninsular regions across the country are designated for special measures and have been subject to industrial promotion measures including tax benefits.

The powerful earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula in central Japan on New Year's Day last year showed that peninsular areas can become isolated after disasters, as routes to the affected area are limited.

Therefore, the revised law states that disaster prevention and regional revitalization measures will be enhanced in all peninsular areas.

It also expands the scope of matters that the central and local governments should bear in mind in regions where the measures are implemented, such as utilizing digital technology to gather information in times of disasters.
 
 

Japan's parliament on Wednesday enacted legislation to set new rules designed to prevent candidates from using inappropriate tactics, such as presenting images of scantily clad women, on election posters to promote themselves, their candidacies or even products.

In official campaigning for last year's Tokyo gubernatorial race, many people ran primarily to gain fame through broadcasted campaign debates and posters, causing concern that the election process was being undermined for personal gain.

The revised public offices election law will take effect one month after its promulgation, probably in time for the Tokyo metropolitan assembly vote in June and the House of Councillors race this summer -- two of Japan's key political events in 2025.

The supplementary provisions also clarify that necessary measures will be implemented to stop candidates from using their own campaigning resources to help another's chances of winning, a tactic labeled a "two-horsepower" candidacy in Japan. Action is also being taken to combat the spread of false information on social media.

Under the revised legislation, campaign posters must not contain content that harms the reputation or dignity of other individuals or political parties, while being required to clearly display the names of candidates.

Anyone who uses a poster to advertise a specific product will face a fine of up to 1 million yen ($6,670).

Dissemination of false information on social media and two-horsepower candidacies have become more prevalent since the gubernatorial race in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, in November, which drew nationwide attention.

In the election, Takashi Tachibana, head of a fringe political group, ran with the express intention to help the eventual winning candidate, Motohiko Saito, who was removed as governor after a successful no-confidence motion was moved against him over accusations of power abuse.

Tachibana, an unconventional politician with around 800,000 YouTube subscribers, has also been criticized for spreading false information on social media about a rival of the candidate he backed.

The ruling and opposition parties have already begun debating how to regulate such matters, but they will continue discussions cautiously out of concern that the move could restrict freedom of expression, lawmakers said.
 
 

A Japanese man wrongly convicted of murder who was the world's longest-serving death row inmate has been awarded more than 217 million yen in compensation, an official said Tuesday.

The payout represents 12,500 yen for each day of the more than four decades that Iwao Hakamata spent in detention, most of it on death row when each day could have been his last.

It is a record for compensation of this kind, Japanese media said.
The former boxer, now 89, was exonerated last year of a 1966 quadruple murder after a tireless campaign by his sister and others.

The case sparked scrutiny of the justice system in Japan, where gaining a retrial is notoriously hard and death row inmates are often informed of their impending death just a few hours before they are hanged.

The Shizuoka District Court, in a decision dated Monday, said that "the claimant shall be granted 217,362,500 yen," a court spokesman told AFP.
The same court ruled in September that Hakamata was not guilty in a retrial and that police had tampered with evidence.

Hakamata had suffered "inhumane interrogations meant to force a statement (confession)" that he later withdrew, the court said at the time.

Hakamata's legal team said the money falls short of the pain he suffered between his 1966 arrest and his release in 2014, when he was granted a retrial.

"I think the fact that he will receive it... compensates him a little bit for all the hardship," lawyer Hideyo Ogawa told a press conference.

"But in light of the hardship and suffering of the past 47 or 48 years, and given his current situation, I think it shows that the state has made mistakes that cannot be atoned for with 200 million yen," he said.

Decades of detention -- with the threat of execution constantly looming -- took a major toll on Hakamata's mental health, his lawyers have said, describing him as "living in a world of fantasy".

Hakamata was convicted of robbing and killing his boss, the man's wife and their two teenage children.

He initially denied the charges but police said Hakamata eventually confessed. During his trial, Hakamada claimed innocence, saying that his confession was forced.

More than a year after the killings, investigators said they found blood-stained clothes -- a key piece of evidence that the court later said was planted by investigators.

Hakamata now lives with his sister with help from supporters.
Hakamata was the fifth death row inmate granted a retrial in Japan's postwar history. All four previous cases also resulted in exonerations.

Japan is the only major industrialised democracy other than the United States to retain capital punishment, a policy that has broad public support.
Japan's justice minister said in October that abolishing the death penalty would be "inappropriate" even after Hakamata's acquittal.
 
 

Japanese government authorities have barred the country's largest shipbuilder from accepting foreign technical trainees for the next five years due to alleged negligence in safety management and other conditions.

The Immigration Services Agency and labor ministry made the claims against Imabari Shipbuilding in Ehime Prefecture. They also cancelled the firm's 2,134 training plans approved under the technical training program.

Officials gained the power to impose such penalties in 2017 after guidance and oversight were strengthened for companies and organizations accepting technical trainees. Many interns going missing because of alleged harsh working conditions prompted the move.

The number of training plan cancellations at Imabari Shipbuilding is the most for one business since the strengthened oversight system started in 2017.
 
 

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako hosted Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife, Janja, at a welcoming ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday.

This marked the first welcoming ceremony at the Imperial Palace for state guests since a trip to Japan by U.S. President Donald Trump in May 2019 during his first term.

 

The Emperor and the Empress held talks with the Brazilian first couple for about 30 minutes.

Emperor Naruhito was gladdened by the gratitude Lula expressed for Japan's cooperation in the Brazilian auto industry, according to the Imperial Household Agency.
 

 

The Brazilian first lady explained about her work to protect female human rights. The Empress said that she was impressed by the efforts to support socially vulnerable people.
 
 

The Unification Church in Japan was ordered dissolved by a court Tuesday after a government request spurred by the investigation into the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The church said it was considering an immediate appeal of the Tokyo District Court’s revocation of its legal status, which would take away its tax-exempt privilege and require liquidation of its assets.

The order followed a request by Japan’s Education Ministry in 2023 to dissolve the influential South Korea-based sect, citing manipulative fundraising and recruitment tactics that sowed fear among followers and harmed their families.

The Japanese branch of the church had criticized the request as a serious threat to religious freedom and the human rights of its followers.

The church called the court order regrettable and unjust and said in a statement the court’s decision was based on “a wrong legal interpretation and absolutely unacceptable.”

The investigation into Abe’s assassination revealed decades of cozy ties between the South Korea-based church and Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party. The church obtained legal status as a religious organization in Japan in the 1960s during an anti-communist movement supported by Abe’s grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi.

The man accused of killing Abe resented the church and blamed it for his family’s financial troubles.

The church, which officially calls itself the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, is the first religious group subject to a revocation order under Japan’s civil code. Two earlier case involved criminal charges — the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, which carried out a sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system, and Myokakuji group, whose executives were convicted of fraud.

To seek the church’s dissolution, the Education Ministry had submitted 5,000 documents and pieces of evidence to the court, based on interviews with more than 170 people.

The church tried to steer its followers’ decision-making, using manipulative tactics, making them buy expensive goods and donate beyond their financial ability and causing fear and harm to them and their families, seriously deviating from the law on religious groups, officials and experts say.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs said the settlements reached in or outside court exceeded 20 billion yen ($132 million) and involved more than 1,500 people.

The church, founded in Seoul in 1954, a year after the end of the Korean War, by the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the self-proclaimed messiah who preached new interpretations of the Bible and conservative, family-oriented value systems.

It developed relations with conservative world leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as his predecessors Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

The church faced accusations in the 1970s and 1980s of using devious recruitment tactics and brainwashing adherents into turning over huge portions of their salaries to Moon. In Japan, the group has faced lawsuits for offering “spiritual merchandise” that allegedly caused members to buy expensive art and jewelry or sell their real estate to raise donations for the church.

The church has acknowledged excessive donations but says the problem has lessened since the group stepped up compliance in 2009.

Experts say Japanese followers are asked to pay for sins committed by their ancestors during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, and that the majority of the church’s worldwide funding comes from Japan.
 
 

Japan on Monday launched a new command for the Self-Defense Forces to better integrate its ground, maritime and air defenses, in a major revamp aimed at ensuring smoother coordination with the U.S. military at a time when tensions are heightened over potential contingencies involving Taiwan.

The SDF Joint Operations Command was established at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo with about 240 personnel. Gen. Kenichiro Nagumo, who has deep expertise in SDF joint operations, leads the permanent body.

The move is part of Japan's ongoing efforts to significantly beef up its defense capabilities amid a deteriorating regional security environment, with China increasing its assertiveness, particularly toward self-ruled Taiwan, and North Korea continuing its nuclear and missile buildup.

"Our nation is facing the most severe and complicated security environment in the postwar era," and the launch of the new command is of "great significance," Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told a ceremony.

 

Prior to the change, the top uniformed officer in the SDF -- the chief of staff of the Joint Staff -- was responsible for joint operations in which the Ground Self-Defense Force, Maritime Self-Defense Force, and Air Self-Defense Force operated in unison.

However, the chief of staff was also tasked with offering expert advice to the defense minister on SDF operations. The 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster, which also triggered a nuclear power plant accident, demonstrated that the chief of staff's workload could be unmanageable in cases of large-scale emergencies.

The new structure will allow the chief of the Joint Staff to focus on supporting the defense minister, while the new joint headquarters will centrally command GSDF, MSDF and ASDF units across Japan to improve the effectiveness of combined operations and enable prompt response and decision-making, according to the Defense Ministry.

The head of the Joint Operations Command, to use the acronym JJOC, is given broad authority at times of contingencies ranging from force allocation to leading operations, including cross-domain activities that may also involve outer space and cyberspace.

 

"We will respond to situations seamlessly, from peacetime to a contingency, to defend the lives of our citizens and their ability to live in peace as well as our nation's territory, waters and airspace," Nagumo said at the ceremonial event.

As a counterpart to the new SDF command, the United States announced last year that it will reconstitute U.S. Forces Japan into a joint force headquarters which will take on more operational responsibilities amid concerns over the limited role of the USFJ in dealing with contingencies in the region.

While the two countries seek to modernize their decades-old alliance through upgraded command and control frameworks, concerns remain in Japan that closer alignment could lead the SDF to be placed under the U.S. military command in the event of an emergency.

Taiwan is viewed as a potential military flashpoint that could draw the United States into conflict with China, an eventuality that would pose serious security challenges for Japan given the proximity of its remote southwestern islands, including the Tokyo-controlled, Beijing-claimed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
 
 

Japan and China became embroiled in a new spat on Monday (Mar 24) with Tokyo accusing Beijing of misrepresenting its position after high-level weekend talks also involving South Korea.

The discussions in Tokyo were billed as a chance to improve historically frosty relations against a backdrop of US trade tariffs, North Korea's missile activities and the Ukraine war.

But Japan on Monday took exception to a Chinese statement that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that he "respects the positions elaborated by the Chinese side".

Chief government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said Japan had "protested to the Chinese side ... and asked to immediately remove the inaccurate statement".

"Since this is a diplomatic exchange, I will refrain from disclosing the details, including the Chinese response. It is regrettable that an announcement different from the facts was issued," Hayashi told a regular briefing.

"Is it not a normal thing for countries to respect each other's positions in their interactions with each other?" Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday when asked about Japan's protest.

"As far as I know, this important and beneficial meeting and interaction between China and Japan embodied this spirit," he said.

The talks on Saturday followed a rare summit in May in Seoul and came ahead of a mooted state visit to Japan by China's President Xi Jinping.

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said he, Wang and South Korea's Cho Tae-yul "had a frank exchange of views on trilateral cooperation and regional international affairs ... and confirmed that we will promote future-orientated cooperation".

"The international situation has become increasingly severe, and it is no exaggeration to say that we are at a turning point in history," Iwaya said.

Patricia M Kim, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said that while "trilateral dialogues have been ongoing for over a decade", this round "carries heightened significance" due to the new US position.

Beijing "has been working actively to improve relations with other major and middle powers amid growing frictions with the United States", she said before the talks.
 
 

In response to the issue of medical institutions having to give up on accepting organs from braindead patients for transplants due to understaffing and lack of hospital beds, the University of Tokyo Hospital, which performs the highest number of transplant surgeries in Japan, plans to hire eight specialists in fiscal 2025, it has been learned.

The hospital hopes to train doctors to become leaders in the field of transplantation and improve the level of transplant medicine nationwide.

The hospital will employ a total of eight doctors experienced in transplant operation, including surgeons, internal medicine doctors, anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists.

They will work as a team to perform heart, lung and liver transplant operations. They will also provide guidance to other doctors from around the country who wish to gain experience in the surgeries.

The costs related to hiring the doctors will be covered by a ¥500 million donation from a 68-year-old male patient of the hospital. A course specializing in transplant operation will also be set up through the end of fiscal 2027. However, if it can secure additional funds, the hospital will consider extending the course.

In addition, the hospital plans to set up an operating room prioritizing transplants and an intensive care unit with three or so beds for patients to stay before and after transplants. The hospital also intends to hire clinical engineers and clinical laboratory technologists to assist with operations and develop a system to monitor patients’ post-op conditions.

At the hospital, transplants using organs donated by braindead patients totaled 88 for hearts, lungs and livers in 2023, and 100 in 2024. Both figures are the highest in Japan. However, as of December 2024, there were 515 patients waiting for transplants.

In the meantime, transplants are being carried out by surgeons and other staff alongside regular duties. Even with previous potential organ donations, in some cases the hospital had to pass on such offers as it was not able to supply doctors, other medical staff and hospital beds, among other issues.

In 2023, there were 36 such cases for heart, lungs and liver transplants, and a similar number of such cases were seen in 2024.

In fiscal 2023, the hospital suffered a deficit of ¥1.18 billion and has said it is unable to increase staff or hospital beds, including that for transplant medicine.

“Training doctors to engage in transplantation is a major issue,” said Prof. Masaaki Sato, a specialist in respiratory surgery, in charge of setting up the course. “We want to create a ‘University of Tokyo model’ for human resource development.”
 
 

The land ministry has selected 26 model projects nationwide to promote a "dual habitation" lifestyle in which people divide their time between rural and urban areas, informed sources said.

Local governments and private companies will work together to support the projects, including ones to cut fares for shinkansen and flight services, the sources said Saturday.

By reducing the burden on people traveling between two regions, the projects aim to nurture human resources for new businesses and increase the number of people who support the lives of residents in regional areas.

The ministry will soon announce the 26 selected public-private projects that will be implemented in 18 prefectures.

According to the sources, the projects are designed to encourage people living in two regions to develop side businesses, and to foster intermediary support organizations that will be responsible for matching people interested in dual habitation with local governments that can support them.

The central government has set aside a total budget of ¥200 million to subsidize a portion of the projects' costs.

Kochi and Tottori prefectures, in collaboration with major airline ANA Holdings, will begin offering airfare discounts through the introduction of a flat-rate system as early as October for individuals based in multiple locations. Saga Prefecture is also expected to join the initiative.

The city of Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture, will work with East Japan Railway, or JR East, to offer shinkansen discounts for such individuals.

The ministry selected three model projects in Ishikawa Prefecture, which aims to promote reconstruction from the major earthquake in January last year.

The city of Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture plans to issue a "virtual" certificate of residence in place of resident registration.

The city of Tomi in Nagano Prefecture, meanwhile, will promote activities to secure successors of agricultural businesses, and the city of Yaizu in Shizuoka Prefecture will strengthen efforts to bring in business owners.
 
 

After nearly a half-century run, skirts to no longer be part of uniforms.

Though Japan celebrates the start of the new year in January, it’s really spring that’s the time for new beginnings in the country. Spring is when the school year begins, when most companies start their fiscal years, and also when the majority of new public policies go into effect.

Included in that last category for 2025 is a new dress code from Japan’s National Police Agency, and as of this spring Japanese policewoman will no longer have skirts as part of their uniforms.

This both is and isn’t a major change. The National Police Agency, which serves as the coordinating organization for Japan’s prefectural police departments, first created standardized nationwide uniform codes in 1976, which specified that female police officers were to wear a dress shirt, a jacket outside of summer, and a skirt or pants. Under the revised unfirm code, though, which goes into effect soon, skirts are being abolished entirely.

Considering that skirts have been part of Japanese policewomen’s uniforms for nearly 50 years, getting rid of them entirely is a pretty big deal. However, the 1976 uniform code specified that policewomen were required to wear a skirt or pants.

The decision between the two has been left up to individual departments to make, based on their assessment of factors including female officers’ preference.

In practice, it’s become rare for policewomen to wear skirts while in uniform, with a key factor being that the scope of female officers’ duties has expanded to include types of on-site and in-the-field questioning and law enforcement that was previously only conducted by male officers.

As skirts limit mobility in ways pants don’t, almost all policewomen now wear skirts, and the majority of Japan’s prefectural police departments, 26 out of 47, no longer even issue skirts in female officers’ uniform packets. 

So while skirts will be officially abolished from policewomen’s uniforms, this isn’t so much a top-down policy dictation by the National Police Agency as it is a reflection that most of them are already wearing pants in order to do their jobs more effectively.

Also coming as part of the uniform code revision are new summer uniforms for men and women which replace the officers’ dress shirts with poli shirts made of a fast-drying polyester.

The change follows a revision made by the Shimane Prefectural Police department last summer that, for the first time, allowed its officers to wear sunglasses while on duty, and similarly seeks to help reduce fatigue and improve operational efficiency of officers in the field during Japan’s notoriously hot and humid summer months.

The skirt abolishment goes into effect on April 1, and the new summer unforms are slated to go into use first in Saitama Prefecture in May.
 
 

A government-appointed panel in Japan has come up with measures on what to do if Mount Fuji erupts on a massive scale and spews large amounts of ash. Japan's highest peak last erupted more than 300 years ago.

The panel of volcanologists and disaster-preparedness experts released their report on Friday.

Mount Fuji's last confirmed eruption began in 1707. Experts say an eruption on a similar scale could blanket wide areas of Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture and elsewhere with 10 centimeters or more of ash.

The panel says in its report that it would not be realistic for residents of densely populated Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures to flee the region at once.

It says those in areas receiving less than 30 centimeters of ash should shelter at home or in other places.

It says that if possible, residents should stock up on necessities that would sustain them for two weeks. Local authorities and businesses are asked to focus primarily on maintaining and repairing key infrastructure.

On the other hand, the panel says people in areas accumulating 30 centimeters or more need to evacuate in principle. It cites the risk of wooden houses collapsing under the weight of wet ash if it should rain.

The experts say people requiring dialysis or nursing care should also basically evacuate when the ash reaches 3 centimeters and causes prolonged power outages.

The panel says the government should establish a system to disseminate information, including volcanic ash forecasts.

They say central and local governments also need to secure evacuation routes.

University of Tokyo Professor Emeritus Fujii Toshitsugu, who heads the panel, says Japan has not experienced an eruption spreading ash over a wide area in the last 100 years. He says the country needs to start preparing now for such a disaster.
 
 

The top diplomats from Japan, China and South Korea met in Tokyo on Saturday, seeking common ground on East Asian security and economic issues amid escalating global uncertainty.

"Given the increasingly severe international situation, I believe we may truly be at a turning point in history," Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said at the start of the meeting in Tokyo with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul.

The three agreed to accelerate preparations for a trilateral summit in Japan this year that would also include talks on how Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul can tackle declining birthrates and aging populations, Iwaya said in a joint announcement after the meeting.

The first gathering of the countries' foreign ministers since 2023 comes as U.S. President Donald Trump upends decades-old alliances, potentially opening the door for China to forge closer ties to countries traditionally aligned with Washington.

"Our three nations have a combined population of nearly 1.6 billion and an economic output exceeding $24 trillion. With our vast markets and great potential, we can exert significant influence," Wang said. China, he added, wants to resume free trade talks with its neighbours and expand membership of the 15-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

However, deep divisions remain. Beijing is at odds with Tokyo and Seoul on several key issues, including its support of North Korea, its intensifying military activity around Taiwan, and its backing of Russia in its war with Ukraine.

U.S. allies Japan and South Korea, which each host thousands of U.S. troops, share Washington’s view that China - the world’s second-largest economy - poses a growing threat to regional security.

Cho said he had asked China in the meeting to help persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons.

"I also stressed that illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea should stop immediately, and that North Korea should not be rewarded for its wrongdoings in the course of bringing about the end of the war in Ukraine," he added.

Iwaya met separately with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts, including the first high-level economic dialogue with Beijing in six years.

A key issue for Tokyo in the talks with Beijing is a ban on Japanese seafood imports imposed by China after the release of wastewater from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant from 2023.

Iwaya said he confirmed a commitment by China made in September to allow imports of marine products and also asked about expanding imports of Japanese agricultural products, including beef and rice.

"I emphasised that it is important to prioritise resolving those issues that can be addressed early," Iwaya told reporters after the meeting.
 
 

Cherry blossoms are forecast to come into bloom on Monday in central Tokyo, earlier than in any other region of the country, a weather forecasting company said.

The blooms are expected to appear in Hiroshima and Kochi in western Japan and Miyazaki in southwestern Japan on Tuesday, followed by Yokohama, near Tokyo, and the southwestern Japan cities of Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki on Wednesday, according to Weathernews Inc.

Cherry trees are expected to begin blooming in western and eastern Japan by the end of March, and then reach full bloom about seven to 10 days later.
Blossoms are forecast in northeastern Japan by mid-April and Hokkaido in late April.
 
 

Thirty years on from the fatal sarin nerve gas attack in Tokyo's subway network, survivors and families who lost loved ones are still seeking justice.

Thirteen people were killed and thousands were sickened when cult members released sarin nerve gas in the capital's subway trains on March 20, 1995. The attack remains one of the most shocking atrocities in Japan, a country known for its low crime rates.

The cult, Aum Shinrikyo or Supreme Truth, has since disbanded. Its founder, Shoko Asahara, and 12 of his disciples were executed in 2018.

But 1,600 former members still operate under renamed groups and have ignored an order to pay damages to survivors and bereaved families.

Shizue Takahashi lost her husband, a deputy station master, in the attack. The couple was just starting to enjoy time to themselves after raising three children when tragedy struck.

“My life is still being ruined by Aum and its successor groups,” said Takahashi, 78. “We need to carry on and not let the memories fade.”

At 8 a.m. during the morning rush, five cult members got on separate train cars on three subway lines converging at Kasumigaseki, Japan’s government center, each dropping bags of sarin on the train floors. They punctured the bags with umbrellas, releasing the gas inside the train cars.

Within minutes, commuters poured out of the trains onto the platforms, rubbing their eyes and gasping for air. Some collapsed. Others fled onto the streets where ambulances and rescue workers in hazmat suits gave first-aid.

Kazumasa Takahashi didn’t know the puddle he was cleaning on the subway car floor was sarin. He collapsed as he removed a bag — a sacrifice some survivors say saved lives — and never woke up.

The attack sickened more than 6,000. A 14th victim died in 2020 after battling severe after-effects.

The subway gassing happened after a botched police investigation failed to link the cult to earlier crimes, says Yuji Nakamura, a lawyer for the survivors and the bereaved families. “It could have been prevented," he said.

Two days after the gassing, Tokyo police, carrying a caged canary to detect poison, raided Aum’s headquarters near Mount Fuji, where the cultists lived together, trained and produced sarin. Asahara was found in a hidden compartment.

Born Chizuo Matsumoto in 1955, Asahara founded Aum Shinrikyo in 1984. The cult combined Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and yoga, and attracted young people disillusioned with materialism. He taught that death could elevate their spirits and justified killing as a virtue.

Followers paid to drink Asahara’s bathwater and wore electrical head gear they believed synchronized their brain waves with the guru’s. He prophesized an imminent apocalypse, which only true believers would survive.

Asahara gathered doctors, lawyers and scientists from Japan’s top universities as his closest aides.

Using donations from followers and earnings from yoga classes and health food businesses, they bought land and equipment. Asahara’s scientists developed and manufactured sarin, VX and other chemical and biological weapons.

In 1989, its members killed Tsutsumi Sakamoto, a lawyer who opposed the cult, his wife and baby boy. Their criminal activities escalated after their defeat in the 1990 parliamentary elections. A 1994 sarin attack in the central Japanese city of Matsumoto killed eight and injured more than 140 others.

In all, Aum killed 27 people in more than a dozen attacks that culminated in the subway gassing. It was part of a plot by Asahara to hasten Armageddon, envisioning overthrowing the government.

Shizue Takahashi attended most of the Aum criminal trials. She has lobbied for government support, winning the enactment of a law to support crime victims and government benefits of 3 billion yen ($20 million) for more than 6,000 survivors and bereaved families of the Aum crimes.

The government has also enacted laws banning sarin production and possession, and restricted the activities of groups linked to mass killings. Police have since established nuclear, biological and chemical weapons units and beefed up training.

Aum’s main successor, Aleph, has ignored a court order to pay 1 billion yen ($6.7 million) in compensation to survivors and bereaved families. The group has allegedly hidden billions of yen of income from yoga and spiritual seminars.

Many of the subway gassing survivors still suffer health problems and trauma, according to support groups.

Takahashi and others last week called on Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki to do more to accelerate compensation by Aleph and keep them under close watch.

Survivors and their supporters say lessons have not been sufficiently shared with the public.

Shoko Egawa, a journalist and expert on Aum crimes, says attention on the group has largely focused on its crimes rather than teaching people to stay away from dangerous cults. “There is still a lot to learn from (the Aum problems), including how they attracted followers, so that we can prevent people from getting their lives ruined by cults,” Egawa said.

Takahashi recently launched a website that compiles articles and comments by survivors, lawyers and writers, including Haruki Murakami’s 2007 article about his 1997 book “Underground.”

At its peak, the cult boasted more than 10,000 followers in Japan and 30,000 in Russia and elsewhere. Aum has disbanded, but about 1,600 people belonging to Aleph and two smaller groups in Japan still practice Asahara’s teachings, said the Public Security Intelligence Agency, which monitors the groups.

Minoru Kariya, whose father was killed by Aum members in early 1995 while he was trying to get his sister to quit the cult, said authorities need to do much more to tackle the threat.

“It’s scary that they still exist and are operating as organizations and recruiting new followers,” he said.
 
 

A fashion show featuring Japanese brand Yoshiokubo was held at Asakusa Hanayashiki amusement park in Taito Ward, Tokyo.

The event, which took place after the park had closed at night, was part of the Tokyo Collection, one of the main events of Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo.

It was the first time that a full-scale fashion show had been held at the amusement part, which has a history of more than 170 years dating back to its opening at the end of the Edo period (1603-1867).

“I wanted to show something that no one had ever seen before,” said designer Yoshio Kubo. “I think the show has a new style and everyone can enjoy it.”
 
 

The estimated number of visitors to Japan totaled 3.25 million in February, exceeding 3 million for the first time on record for the month, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday.

The number shot up 16.9% from a year before, boosted mainly by an increase in travelers from China during the Lunar New Year holiday period, which lasted until early February.

The number of visitors from the United States and Australia also rose amid the unabated popularity of winter sports such as skiing.

Visitors from South Korea numbered an estimated 847,300, the largest group by country or region, up 3.5%.

China came second with 722,700 visitors, up 57.3%. In addition to the impact of the Lunar New Year holiday period, an increase in passenger flights between the two countries also contributed to the rise.

Visitors from the U.S. were estimated at 191,500, up 28.8%, with those from Australia at 88,800, up 33.5%.

Visitors from the U.S., Australia and South Korea set record highs for February.
 
 

Japan’s tourism boom brings a surge of international visitors to Kyoto, while domestic tourism declines, creating a divide in the city’s cultural attractions.


Japan’s Inbound Tourism Boom and Its Impact on Kyoto

Japan is witnessing an unprecedented surge in international tourism, with a significant increase in foreign visitors to the country’s major attractions compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in Kyoto, where a growing number of international tourists are flocking to iconic sites. However, this surge in foreign arrivals has not been mirrored by an increase in domestic tourism, as Japanese visitors to many of the city’s renowned temples, shrines, and gardens have been in decline.


Surging Foreign Tourism in Kyoto

The Kyoto municipal government conducts an annual survey to track tourism patterns, and the results for 2023-2024 have revealed a marked rise in international visitors.

Famous spots such as Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), Fushimi Inari Shrine, Togetsukyo Bridge in Arashiyama, Nishiki Market, Kiyomizu Gojo, and Kitano Tenmangu Shrine all saw significant increases in the number of foreign tourists.


Growth in Foreign Visitors (2023-2024):

• Fushimi Inari Shrine: 46% increase
• Nishiki Market: 42% increase
• Kitano Tenmangu Shrine: 42% increase
• Kiyomizu Gojo: 34% increase
• Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion): 29% increase
• Togetsukyo Bridge: 24% increase

Declining Japanese Visitors to Kyoto’s Major Attractions

While foreign tourism in Kyoto has surged, the same cannot be said for Japanese visitors.

The number of domestic travelers to these key sites has decreased significantly between 2023 and 2024, indicating that the growing influx of international visitors may be deterring locals from visiting.


Decline in Japanese Visitors (2023-2024):

• Fushimi Inari Shrine: 23% decrease
• Nishiki Market: 16% decrease
• Kitano Tenmangu Shrine: 42% decrease
• Kiyomizu Gojo: 34% decrease
• Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion): 29% decrease
• Togetsukyo Bridge: 11% decrease

The contrasting trends suggest that some of Kyoto’s most famous attractions are becoming less appealing to domestic visitors as international tourist crowds grow. Nishiki Market stands as an exception, where both foreign and Japanese visitor numbers have increased, though not at the same rate.


Shifting Domestic Tourism to Kyoto’s Outskirts

Despite the decline in visits to the city’s central tourist hotspots, Japanese visitors have not completely abandoned Kyoto. Instead, many are opting for less famous areas on the city’s outskirts, where attractions are less crowded and harder to reach via public transportation.

These areas provide a more tranquil and less congested travel experience, but visiting them means missing out on Kyoto’s most culturally significant landmarks.


The Future of Japan’s Tourism Landscape

The sustainability of Japan’s tourism boom remains uncertain. The surge in foreign tourism can partly be attributed to pent-up demand from the pandemic and the favorable exchange rate of the yen, making Japan an attractive destination for international travelers.

However, internal economic factors, such as rising living costs and stagnant wages in Japan, coupled with soaring hotel rates due to increased demand from foreign visitors, are causing many Japanese citizens to stay away from tourist-heavy areas.


Conclusion: A Widening Gap Between Domestic and International Visitors

As Japan continues to experience a rise in international tourism, the gap between domestic and foreign visitors in Kyoto is likely to expand further.

While some Japanese tourists are seeking out less crowded destinations, many are avoiding popular sites altogether. Whether this shift will last in the long term remains to be seen, but for now, it seems that the divide between local and international tourism in Kyoto is only growing wider.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday instructed his government to develop a system to operate so-called hospital ships by January 2026.

on the same day, the government adopted a program for the introduction of hospital ships, which provide medical care at sea in the event of large-scale disasters and infectious disease outbreaks.

To prepare for possible megaquakes in the Nankai Trough off the country's Pacific coast and beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area, a law on the promotion of medical care using ships was put into effect last June.

The introduction program calls for using existing private-sector ships for the time being for transporting patients from disaster-affected areas and providing medical care near affected areas.

The government plans to conclude agreements with ship and transport operators, coordinate with medical organizations, and conduct related drills.
 
 

Chubu Electric Power Co has begun dismantling a nuclear reactor in Shizuoka Prefecture, making it the country's first commercial reactor to undergo the process, the utility said.

The company started the disassembly work on Monday by removing the top lid of the pressure vessel of the Hamaoka plant's No. 2 unit in Omaezaki. Dismantling is considered the third of the four phases in decommissioning nuclear installations.

The lid, with a diameter of about 6 meters, about 3 meters in height and about 80 centimeters in thickness, was removed by a crane.

Since a disposal site for burying radioactive waste generated in the dismantling process has yet to be selected, Chubu Electric said it will store the waste inside a reactor building.

In December, the Nuclear Regulation Authority gave approval to the utility to enter into the third phase of decommissioning the Hamaoka Nos. 1 and 2 reactors. Chubu Electric began preparation for dismantling the No. 2 unit first as it secured a site to temporarily store its radioactive waste before doing so for the No. 1 unit.

Chubu Electric plans to begin the fourth phase -- tearing down the reactor building -- in fiscal 2036 and complete the decommissioning work in fiscal 2042.

The No. 2 reactor went online in 1978 but ceased operating in 2009.
While Chubu Electric initially planned to begin the dismantling process in fiscal 2023, it postponed the start of work for a year to study measures against radiation exposure. It also extended last year the duration of dismantling work from six to 12 years.
 
 

The average land price rose for the first time in 33 years in more than half of surveyed rural areas in Japan, government data showed Tuesday, as the nation's economic recovery extends to asset values.

Across Japan, land prices in all categories as well as prices for residential land and commercial land as of Jan. 1 increased for the fourth straight year on booming inbound tourism and firm housing demand sustained by low interest rates.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the average overall land prices nationwide climbed 2.7 percent from a year earlier.

"The upward trend is continuing as the economy moderately recovers," a ministry official said. "Investment demand for accommodation for foreigners and houses is also rising in tourist areas."

Land prices in more than half of the locations, excluding the metropolises of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and their surrounding areas, last rose in 1992, shortly after the period of the country's asset bubble. At that time, prices increased in 5,183 locations, or 63.5 percent of those surveyed, according to the data.

In the latest survey, the prices rose at 6,706 locations, or about 50 percent of the 13,405 assessed. Prices in all categories were up 1.3 percent, while those for residential land grew 1.0 percent and for commercial land were up 1.6 percent.

As for residential-use land, average prices nationwide, including Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, increased 2.1 percent, while they rose 3.9 percent for commercial-use land.

The upward trend has continued since 2022. Before that, prices were depressed by the collapse of the investment bank Lehman Brothers in 2008, the 2011 earthquake-tsunami-nuclear disaster in northeastern Japan, and the COVID-19 pandemic which started in 2019.

In the three metropolitan areas, the average land price in all categories surged 4.3 percent, while it grew 3.3 percent for residential land and 7.1 percent for commercial land, surpassing the rate of increase from the previous year.

Prices for commercial land rose in 34 of the country's 47 prefectures, likely due to the impact of foreign tourists, the data showed.

Furano, a popular tourist destination in Hokkaido where foreigners buy vacation homes, recorded the steepest residential land price increase at 31.3 percent.

Another area in Hokkaido, Chitose, which has a booming semiconductor industry, saw the largest increase in commercial land prices at 48.8 percent.
Ishikawa Prefecture, meanwhile, suffered the sharpest fall due to the impact of a powerful earthquake that rattled the Noto Peninsula on New Year's Day in 2024.

By location, the main store of Yamano Music Co. in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district recorded the highest land price among the surveyed locations nationwide for the 19th straight year at 60.5 million yen ($407,000) per square meter, up 8.6 percent from a year earlier.
 
 

Croatian electrical equipment manufacturer Koncar [ZSE:KOEI] said on Monday that its generators and motors unit GIM has built a compact generator for the Chidori small hydropower plant in Japan.

The generator is designed with a rated power of 2,800 kVA, a nominal voltage of 6,600 V, and an operating speed of 428.57 rpm, Koncar said in its monthly newsletter.

"The Chidori project builds on our strong partnership with an Austrian turbine manufacturer, further solidifying Koncar’s position as a trusted provider of innovative and high-performance solutions for sustainable energy," the company added without disclosing the name of the Austrian partner.

The company has secured a new contract to deliver another compact generator - 3,250 kVA, 6,600 V, 500 rpm - for the Shimashimadani small hydropower plant, ordered by the same Japanese customer, Koncar explained.

Koncar’s shares traded 1.70% higher at 478 euro ($478) on the Zagreb bourse on Monday morning.
 
 

Nearly 30% of Japan’s 124 million people are over 65, rising to 40% by 2050. With low birth rates, shrinking pensions, and labor shortages, millions work into their 70s as governments struggle to respond.

“Please move forward… Would you like a plastic bag? … That’ll be 3,000 yen… How will you be paying? … Cash is fine… Here’s your receipt… Thank you, come again.”

Hiroto, a cashier at a discount grocery store in Tokyo’s embassy district, repeats these lines daily. With salt-and-pepper hair and a slightly stooped posture, he takes pride in speaking English to foreign customers. It took months to earn his trust.

“I’ve been working here every day for eight years,” he said one evening, catching a bus home to Shibuya, where no one waits for him. Two weeks later, still at his register, he opened up about his past.

“I’m 73,” he murmured, making sure his younger Nepali and Burmese colleagues couldn’t hear. “I worked in real estate for 40 years, but the company went bankrupt, and I lost a lot of money. I have no choice—I have to work to survive.”

Hiroto’s story is far from unique. In Japan, one of the world’s oldest societies, seniors are everywhere—from public transport to TV screens.


Aging in the public eye

A third of bus seats are reserved for the elderly and are occupied all day. Walkers, canes, and folding stools clog the aisles. Subway stations have elevators and train cars have dedicated seating. Public restrooms cater to aging commuters.

On TV, daytime programming revolves around senior health, nutrition, and social life. Advertisements for adult diapers, anti-aging creams, and reading glasses dominate the airwaves. The elderly are portrayed as vibrant and fulfilled.

But this polished image hides a grimmer reality. “These ads only reflect a wealthy minority,” said Asuka, a social worker in Tokyo. “They don’t show what old age really looks like for most people in Japan.”

According to sociologist Shinya Ouchi of Kobe University, 10 million of Japan’s 36 million seniors are still working—often in difficult conditions.

The official statistics don’t even account for undocumented employment. Many take low-wage jobs simply to make ends meet, as pensions are often too meager to cover living costs.


'I’ll retire when I die'

“I still have 14 years left on my taxi loan,” said Kaito, 61. “I’ll retire when I die—I don’t have a choice.”

It’s a common story. Seniors in Japan work as traffic controllers, janitors, warehouse staff, garbage collectors, and bus drivers. Endo, 72, spent nearly four decades as a metalworker but barely receives $860 a month in pension benefits.

“Payouts have shrunk due to Japan’s aging population and declining birth rate,” he said. He now washes dishes in a restaurant for the equivalent of $9 an hour.

Japan’s pension system is notoriously complex, with benefits distributed between ages 60 and 70. “I officially retired at 60,” said Masayo, a 61-year-old accountant, “but like millions of others, my employer allows me to stay until 65—for half my original salary.” For many, staying employed is less about financial stability and more about maintaining a sense of purpose.

 
'I work, therefore I am'

Toshikazu Shiba, 71, retired from carpentry six years ago but quickly grew restless. “A few months later, I was bored and depressed,” he said. “Work is more fun!” He now has a job at a furniture store.

“After a long day, dinner and a cold beer taste so much better,” he laughed.
Despite stereotypes that Japanese people “love to work,” the reality is far more practical. Many simply have no alternative.

The postwar generation, which rebuilt Japan into an economic powerhouse, devoted their lives to their careers. “Here, work isn’t seen as a punishment,” said Ayumi, a former business consultant.

“In France, people say, ‘I think, therefore I am.’ In Japan, it’s more like, ‘I work, therefore I am.’ Retirement isn’t something to look forward to—it means losing one’s social identity.”


Aging in place

For many, retirement is isolating. Japan’s National Population Bureau reports that 8 million seniors live alone, and only half have daily conversations with another person.

To combat this, cities like Akashi—600 kilometers south of Tokyo—have implemented social programs for the elderly, who make up 40% of some neighborhoods. At the city’s six-story community center, seniors attend cooking classes, board game nights, and origami workshops—free of charge.

“We want to fight isolation,” said Matsuura, a local social services coordinator.

Mayor Satoko Marutani has championed free transportation, in-home care, and subsidized housing for seniors. Volunteers deliver hot meals in Neimai Danchi, where 44% of residents are over 65.

“It’s more than just food,” said Orikawa, who makes deliveries. “I listen to them, check-in, and arrange doctor visits if needed.”

Even the delivery drivers are often seniors supplementing their own meager pensions.

Japan’s 11,000 nursing homes are facing severe staffing shortages, with government-run facilities—costing at least $2,700 a month—unable to meet demand. Waitlists are growing. Private nursing homes charge over $10,800 monthly, pricing out all but the wealthy.

Despite calls to recruit more foreign caregivers from China, the Philippines, and Indonesia, Japan has been slow to open its doors. “Without a strong immigration policy, the country won’t survive,” said Kansai University sociologist Toshihiro Menju.


The numbers don’t lie

The future looks bleak for younger generations. By 2100, Japan’s population will shrink to 63 million—nearly half its current size. “Demographics don’t lie,” said sociologist Brad Glosserman. “Japan will have to manage its transition into a smaller, older nation.”

• Population over 65: 30% (36 million people), projected to surpass 40 million by 2040
• Life expectancy: 87.6 years for women, 81.5 years for men
• Birth rate: 1.15 children per woman (0.99 in Tokyo), one of the lowest in the world
• Working-age population: 74 million today, expected to drop to 60 million by 2040
• Immigration: Japan has over 3 million foreign residents, mostly from Vietnam, China, the Philippines, and Nepal—a historic high

Japan’s aging crisis isn’t just about numbers. It’s about a generation redefining what it means to grow old—and what it takes to survive.
 
 

Japan is considering deploying long-range missiles on the southwestern island of Kyushu as part of the country's efforts to acquire "counterstrike capabilities" to hit enemy targets in the event of an emergency, government sources said Saturday.

The deployment, expected to commence at the end of the next fiscal year in March 2026, is aimed at bolstering the security of the country's southwestern Nansei island chain, strategically important for its proximity to Taiwan, amid growing fears the self-ruled democratic island may be invaded by China.

China regards Taiwan as a renegade province that must be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Authorities are assessing possible deployment sites, with local residents concerned they could be targeted in enemy attacks, the sources said.

The missiles may be deployed at the Ground-Self Defense Force's surface-to-ship missile regiment garrisons in Yufu in Oita Prefecture and the city of Kumamoto, according to the sources.

The southern island prefecture of Okinawa, which lies closer to mainland China, is unlikely to be a deployment site amid concern it could heighten tensions with Beijing, the sources said.

The missiles to be deployed are an upgraded version of the GSDF's Type-12 land-to-ship guided missile, with an extended range of 1,000 kilometers. Deployment in Kyushu would put North Korea and China's coastal areas within range.
 
 

Takuya Onishi, 49, and three other astronauts arrived at the International Space Station on a Crew Dragon spacecraft Sunday, marking the start of their long-term stay.

About 90 minutes after the SpaceX spacecraft docked with the station, the connecting hatch was opened. Onishi was the first to enter the ISS. He hugged the waiting crew who rejoiced at their arrival.

"I was able to return to the ISS with lots of energy," Onishi said in Japanese at a ceremony held later. "From tomorrow, I'll work hard on various tasks, including science at the (Japanese experiment module) Kibo."

Onishi completed his second flight to space, after his first in 2016. The SpaceX Crew-10 mission was launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in the U.S. state of Florida on Friday afternoon local time.

He is set to become ISS commander in the second half of his six-month stay, taking charge of the overall ISS operations and the safety of the crew members. Onishi will be the third Japanese ISS commander, after Koichi Wakata, 61, and Akihiko Hoshide, 56.

Ahead of the launch, Onishi said: "I believe this will be my last trip to the ISS. It will be a culmination of the experience, insights and knowledge I have gained so far."

The ISS is set to end its service life in 2030.
 
 

Around a quarter of victims who responded to a survey about posttraumatic stress linked to their experience of the Aum Shinrikyo nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway 30 years ago are likely still suffering the disorder, a nonprofit support group said.

The findings by the Recovery Support Center are based on an annual survey and free medical checks conducted on hundreds of victims since 2000 following the sarin attack on March 20, 1995, that killed 14 people and injured over 6,000. It is still considered Japan's worst terrorist attack.

In the survey, respondents were asked to answer 22 questions such as whether the scene of the attack suddenly comes to mind, and if they try not to think about the incident on a five-point scale. The respondents' total score determines whether they are considered to be suffering PTSD.

The latest research conducted in 2023 on around 200 people showed 24.1 percent of both male and female respondents likely suffer PTSD, according to analysis by Yoshiro Okubo, professor emeritus at Nippon Medical School.

The ratios compare with 26.7 percent of males and 38.8 percent of females in the 2000 survey and 20.3 percent of males and 45.5 percent of females in 2010.

When asked about physical aftereffects in 2023, 56 percent said they have difficulties in focusing their vision, 44 percent said they get tired easily, 26 percent noted numbness in hands and legs, 24 percent headaches and 22 percent suffered dizziness.

With 2025 marking 30 years since the attack, the center has decided to end its activities in support of victims due to the aging of its members and a decrease in the number of victims seeking health examinations, it said.

"As the central government and public offices were slow in offering support to the victims, I had the feeling that somebody had to do it," said Shinsuke Kimura, an 80-year-old lawyer who heads the center.

Noting that victims still suffer from aftereffects, Kimura said, "I hope to set up a framework by this summer so victims can continue to interact and bond."

In the Aum Shinrikyo attack, the nerve agent was scattered in five subway train cars during the morning rush hour at the instruction of cult founder Shoko Asahara.

Asahara, whose real name was Chizuo Matsumoto, was executed at age 63 with 12 other former senior members of the cult in July 2018.
 
 

The Immigration Services Agency has said in a report that it recognized 1,661 people as "quasi-refugees" in 2024, with Ukrainians accounting for more than 90% of them.

On top of the 1,618 Ukrainians, 17 people from Syria, 13 from Myanmar, 11 from Sudan, and one each from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan were given protection by Japan under the quasi-refugee system, which the country launched in December 2023 to shelter conflict-displaced people other than refugees, the agency said Friday.

Meanwhile, the agency said it ordered 17 foreign nationals to leave the country under a rule enacted in June last year that enables forced deportations of those who had applied for refugee status three times or more.

Previously, applicants for refugee status had not been repatriated without exception.

According to the report, the number of refugee status applicants stood at 12,373, down 10% from 2023. Among them, 2,455 were from Sri Lanka, 2,128 from Thailand and 1,223 from Turkey.

The number of those who gained the status fell 40% to 190, including 102 from Afghanistan, 36 from Myanmar and 18 from Yemen.

As of the end of 2024, the number of foreign residents was 3,768,977, up 10.5% from a year earlier, setting a new record for the third consecutive year. Of the total, 873,286 were from China, 634,361 from Vietnam, 409,238 from South Korea, and 341,518 from the Philippines.
 
 

Takuya Onishi and three fellow crew members embarked Friday on a mission to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX rocket launched from Florida.

Onishi, traveling in SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule with American and Russian colleagues, is making his second trip to the ISS as part of NASA's mission, having last participated in 2016. This time, he is scheduled to orbit the Earth for around six months.

"Thank you to everyone in Japan for your support. I'm savoring the feeling of weightlessness for the first time in nine years. I hope to keep enjoying my space journey," Onishi said aboard the spacecraft.

The crew will conduct experiments on carbon dioxide removal technology necessary for Gateway, a space station that will orbit the moon as a centerpiece of the U.S.-led Artemis moon exploration program.

The 49-year-old former All Nippon Airways pilot will assume the post of ISS commander, making him the third Japanese astronaut to lead a mission. Koichi Wakata led the ISS in 2014 and Akihiko Hoshide in 2021.

It was the second launch attempt by the spacecraft after its initially scheduled departure Wednesday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida was aborted due to a ground system malfunction.

Two astronauts from the United States who arrived aboard a new spacecraft in June 2024 under former President Joe Biden's administration have been stranded on the ISS for about nine months because of a defect in the vehicle.

President Donald Trump instructed Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, to return the two astronauts as soon as possible, meaning Onishi's departure, originally planned for late March, was brought forward. The two are set to return to Earth after a few days of handover.
 
 

Japan is on the verge of formally dissolving the Unification Church, stripping it of legal recognition and tax-exempt status following accusations of financial exploitation and child neglect.

The controversial sect, founded in South Korea and widely known as the “Moonies,” has been under scrutiny since the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Authorities blame the church for pressuring followers into massive donations, with some estimates suggesting Japanese members have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars over the decades.

Nearly 200 former members seek 5.7 billion yen ($38.5 million) in damages.

 

The church’s looming dissolution would mark just the third time Japan has taken such action against a religious group, following the disbandment of the Aum Shinrikyo cult responsible for the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack.

However, legal appeals could delay the process for up to a year. Critics fear the church may transfer assets overseas, complicating efforts to compensate victims.

Despite the loss of its official status, the Unification Church could still operate, though experts believe its influence and membership will decline significantly.
 
 

Japan's cabinet has approved an amended bill requiring companies to adopt protective measures against overbearing or abusive behavior from business clients or the public.

The bill mandates that firms establish clear rules against abuse and set up a system for victims to file complaints. The move follows a rise in workers quitting or suffering from mental illness due to kasuhara, a Japanese slang term for customer harassment.

The legislation will also task companies with establishing policies against the sexual harassment of students interviewing for graduate jobs and broaden the scope of firms required to disclose gender pay disparities.

The central government will offer guidance or advice if a company fails to respond adequately and will publicly disclose its name if it does not comply with recommendations.

Under the amendment, customer harassment is defined as behavior by a guest, business partner or facility user that goes beyond socially accepted norms, harming the working environment. Municipalities will also need to take steps to address the issue.

The government also plans to revise the country's gender equality legislation to, for the first time, include a statement in its basic principle on the need to address challenges related to female health.
 
 

Japan’s gross domestic product in October-December last year increased 0.6 pct from the previous quarter in price-adjusted real terms, or 2.2 pct at an annual rate, the Cabinet Office said in a revised report Tuesday.

The figures marked a downward revision from the preliminary rises of 0.7 pct and 2.8 pct, respectively, announced last month.

In nominal terms, the country’s GDP rose 1.1 pct for an annualized increase of 4.6 pct, against the preliminary growth of 1.3 pct and 5.1 pct.
 
 

Japan on Tuesday marked 14 years since a devastating earthquake and tsunami rocked the country's northeast and triggered a nuclear crisis, with residents in one of the hardest-hit areas again reeling from the impact of a natural disaster.

The commemoration came at a particularly hard time for residents of Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture who have evacuated due to a massive wildfire that broke out in late February. The blaze has been contained, with all evacuation orders lifted by Monday.

When the triple disasters struck 14 years ago, scores of people were forced from their homes. The disaster-prone nation has since taken steps to be better prepared for natural calamities, including the handling of evacuations, and rebuild the affected areas.

People across Japan will observe a moment of silence and prayer for the victims at 2:46 p.m., when the magnitude-9.0 temblor struck off the Pacific coast, leading to the deaths of over 22,000.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is scheduled to attend a memorial service hosted by Fukushima Prefecture, where the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex is located.

 

Residents of the three hardest-hit prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima gathered from early morning to mourn the victims.

At the site of the former disaster prevention office in Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, where 43 people, including town officials, died, Masayuki Nitanai, an official of the town's general affairs division, offered prayers.

"Even though people remember the tragedy, I feel that disaster awareness is fading. I want to keep passing on the importance of disaster prevention to protect this town," the 59-year-old said.

At Usuiso beach in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, Reiko Endo, 59, remembered a friend she lost to the tsunami as she faced the gentle waves.
"After 14 years, I can finally look at the sea with a sense of calm," Endo said. "I don't usually talk about the disaster much, but on this day, I reflect on those who passed away and feel gratitude for my own life."

Meanwhile, 19-year-old university student Kazutomo Tamashiro observed a moment of silence at the Takatamatsubara Memorial Park in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, where the "miracle pine" that survived the devastating tsunami still stands.

Having experienced a large earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan in 2016, he said, "I am visiting disaster-hit areas to learn about recovery. I want to think about what I can do for my hometown and the Tohoku region."

While recovery is progressing in the three prefectures, about 28,000 people remain displaced across the nation, and areas in seven municipalities in Fukushima are still designated as off-limits due to radiation, according to the Reconstruction Agency.

In Chojahara, a district in the Fukushima town of Okuma where entry remains prohibited, a stone monument bearing the names of 44 residents who died while evacuated was completed last month.

Mitsuyoshi Yamaguchi, 80, the local district chief who led the project, visited the site alone on Tuesday and planted cherry blossoms.
"They cannot be laid to rest in their hometown graves. At the very least, I wanted to leave their names here," he said.

Cleanup efforts at the Fukushima complex continue amid controversy over the release into the sea of treated radioactive wastewater from the crippled plant, with decommissioning expected to last for several decades.

Drawing on lessons from the worst nuclear crisis since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, a Kyodo News survey found that 72 of 116 municipalities located within 30 kilometers of reactors across Japan feel the need to review their evacuation plans for nuclear accidents.

In the survey, 28 municipalities said they had not included the possibility of severed roads in their current evacuation plans.
 

 

The Japanese government adopted Tuesday its basic policy for operating a new skill development program for foreign workers that will replace the existing technical intern scheme.

The policy seeks to specify sectors that accept foreign workers based on staffing needs. It also calls for avoiding concentration of foreign workers to metropolitan areas to secure staff in rural areas.

The government will design sector-by-sector details by the end of the year to start the new program in fiscal 2027.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba underscored the significance of the basic policy at a meeting of his ministers.

"The basic policy is important guidelines for providing an attractive working environment for foreigners at a time when Japan is facing a serious labor shortage while international competition to attract foreign talent is intensifying," he said.
 


 

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The Japanese government began a rare auction on Monday of its emergency rice stockpiles in a bid to help drive down the surging price of the national staple.

Rice shortages driven by factors from poor harvests caused by hot weather to panic-buying over a "megaquake" warning last summer have caused prices to nearly double over a year.

Exacerbating the problem, some businesses are also thought to be keeping their inventories and waiting for the most opportune time to sell. Japan stores about a million tons of rice for emergencies.

The country has previously tapped into these reserves during disasters, but this is the first time since the stockpile was built in 1995 that supply chain problems are behind the move.

The agriculture ministry is expected to select successful bidders for 150,000 tons of rice by Wednesday -- with the auctioned grain expected to hit store shelves by the end of March.

The ministry says it plans to release another 60,000 tons if necessary. "This is a highly irregular situation," agriculture minister Taku Eto told parliament on Monday. "By sorting out the clogged parts of the distribution network, we hope to relieve the hardship experienced by consumers."

Experts say several factors have contributed to the crisis. Among them is a tourism boom and shortages caused by record heatwaves in recent years, as Japan, like other countries, experiences the effects of human-driven climate change.

In August last year, shelves in some stores emptied after the government warned of a possible "megaquake", along with one of the fiercest typhoons in decades and the annual Obon holiday.




 
 

Japan's National Museum of Territory and Sovereignty is set to reopen in mid-April after renovation.

The government will update the museum's displays for the Northern Territories, or the four Russian-controlled northeastern Pacific islands, and the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea to experience-based types using advanced visual technologies, with an aim to encourage young people, many of whom are believed to be indifferent to territorial issues, to take an interest in them.

The Russian-held islands, located off Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, have long been claimed by Japan, while China claims sovereignty over the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan. The museum in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward is designed to publicize Japan's position on disputed territories.

The government opened the museum in 2018 to promote public understanding of these disputed islands as an inherent part of Japan's territory. The museum has mainly used panels to showcase the histories and natural environment of the islands.

Some 10,000 people visit the museum each year, with many being middle-aged and older individuals interested in territorial issues. Attracting younger generations to the museum has been a challenge for the government.
 
 

Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Devavesi Waqa are expected to agree on establishing the framework in their talks scheduled to be held in Tokyo on Monday.

The government plans to establish a framework for dialogue with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Secretariat, a group mainly comprising Pacific island nations, to counter the presence of China in the region.

Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and PIF Secretary General Baron Devavesi Waqa are expected to agree on establishing the framework in their talks scheduled to be held in Tokyo on Monday.

Under the envisaged framework, Japan and the PIF are expected to hold a dialogue once or twice a year to discuss issues such as regional affairs and climate change.

A Foreign Ministry official serving as the ambassador for the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting and the PIF’s deputy secretary general will be among those who will take part in the dialogue.

In Monday’s meeting, Iwaya is expected to inform Waqa, the former president of Nauru, that Japan plans to provide ¥417 million (about $3 million) to help the Pacific island nations deal with climate change and natural disasters.

The amount is about six times the about $500,000 that China has announced. With the contribution, Japan aims to make its presence felt in the region.
 
 

 
Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Art World Tales, the 44th theatrical film from the Doraemon anime franchise, opened in 383 theaters in Japan on March 7 and made a first-place debut in its first weekend, according to Kogyo Tsushinsha.

The film beat the award-winning American musical fantasy film Wicked, which ranked second in its opening weekend in Japan with 519 million yen (3.54 million USD).

The Doraemon franchise's 45th-anniversary film earned 703 million yen (4.78 million USD) on 571,000 admissions between Friday and Sunday, which was 107 percent of that of the previous 43rd film, Doraemon: Nobita's Earth Symphony, released in March 2024. Meanwhile, the film ranked third in Filmarks' first-day satisfaction ranking with an average rating of 4.16/5.0 based on 931 reviews.

The TRILLION GAME live-action feature film based on the manga series written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami went to fifth in its fourth weekend, down two spots from last weekend.

The film's official website confirmed that the sequel to the 2023 TV drama now has an accumulative of 1.62 billion yen (11.01 million USD) earned from 1.18 million ticket sales in 24 days since debuting in Japanese theaters on February 14.

The live-action film adaptation of Kengo Hanazawa's action manga series UNDER NINJA dropped two spots to seventh place in its seventh weekend. The film has earned 1.2 billion yen (8.18 million USD) on 900,000 admissions in 45 days since its release on March 9, according to the movie's official X (formerly Twitter).

A live-action film adaptation of Karin Anzai's romantic comedy manga It Takes More Than a Pretty Face to Fall in Love (known as Kao Dake ja Suki ni Narimasen in Japan) opened in 253 theaters on March 7 and ranked eighth in its opening weekend. The film also ranked seventh in Filmarks' first-day satisfaction ranking with an average rating of 3.73/5.0 based on 103 reviews.

In its third weekend, HYPNOSISMIC -Division Rap Battle-, the first feature film from the rap battle-themed HYPNOSISMIC project, reappeared in eighth place after staying outside the Top 10 last weekend.

While finally disappearing from the Top 10 in its seventh weekend, advance theatrical screenings of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-, the re-edited episode version of the upcoming Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX TV series, built up a 52-day cumulative of 3,050,997,300 yen (20.79 million USD) with 1,854,932 admissions, according to the anime's official website. It continues to be the highest-grossing film released theatrically in Japan in 2025.

In Kogyo Tsushinsha's mini-theater ranking, the 4K revival screening of Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence stayed in second place for two consecutive weekends, while the 1995 film Ghost in the Shell went down two spots to third in its second weekend.

Both films are showing in 30 theaters in Japan for a limited two weeks from February 28.