A 22-year-old Chinese exchange student has been awarded the top prize in the 20th annual Japanese language essay contest for Chinese nationals with her candid reflections on her initial struggles in Japan. 

Lin Fangfei impressed the judges with her writing about her journey toward making a meaningful human connection.

When Lin arrived in Japan last spring to study at Ritsumeikan University in Osaka, her closest companion was not a classmate or local friend, but “Yume-chan” (“Miss Dream”)—the name she gave to an artificial intelligence chatbot she used to practice Japanese.

She found comfort in chatting with the AI, especially when real conversations with Japanese students felt daunting.

However, Lin gradually realized that she was missing a crucial element in communication: empathy.

“I got used to talking to the AI and stopped thinking about how real people feel,” she wrote in her award-winning essay.

At the award ceremony held in Tokyo, Lin spoke about timeless human values.

“Even as times change, the importance of people meeting, helping one another and connecting heart-to-heart remains the same,” she said.
Born in Jining, Shandong province, in eastern China, Lin was inspired to study Japanese after watching Studio Ghibli films, captivated by the beauty of the landscapes they depicted.

She majored in Japanese at her Chinese university before coming to Japan to study business management.

Her favorite Japanese word is “mamoru,” meaning “to protect.” To Lin, it represents the responsibility of passing on what has been inherited from the past to future generations.

This belief was reflected in her undergraduate thesis, which compared silk textile cultures in China and Japan. She praised Japanese museums that let visitors try traditional weaving, seeing such interactive methods as a model for cultural preservation in China.

Looking ahead, Lin hopes to work for a Japanese manufacturer, developing products and services that blend Chinese technological innovations with Japan’s renowned spirit of hospitality.

Despite the challenges posed by political tensions in Sino-Japanese relations, she dreams of fostering collaboration between the two nations.

This spring, Lin begins her graduate studies at Ritsumeikan University. With more Japanese friends around her now, her days with Yume-chan are behind her.
 

 

Nintendo shares surged Thursday after the gaming giant boasted of higher than expected demand in Japan for pre-orders of its hotly anticipated Switch 2 console.

The successor to the Switch -- the third best-selling console ever behind Sony's PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS -- is set to hit shelves worldwide on June 5.

And the stakes are high: Although Nintendo is diversifying into theme parks and hit movies, analysts say around 90 percent of its revenue comes from the Switch business.

An X post attributed to company president Shuntaro Furukawa published Wednesday said there had been 2.2 million pre-order applications for the new console in Japan.

This is an "extremely high" number which "greatly exceeds our initial expectations", the post said.

"It also significantly exceeds the quantity of Switch 2 consoles" that can be delivered on the release date.

"Therefore, it is expected that a considerable number of customers will not win the lottery when the winners are announced" on Thursday, for which "we deeply apologize".

Shares in the Kyoto-based company gained as much as 5.5 percent on Thursday following the bullish announcement.

Nintendo in early April revealed details about the Switch 2, which like its predecessor is a hybrid console that can be used on the go or connected to a TV screen.

However, the price has raised eyebrows at over a third more than the original Switch in major markets including the United States, where it will cost $449.99.

A Japanese-only version for domestic consumers will be cheaper at 49,980 yen ($350).

"Uncertainty around reciprocal tariffs, global trade and higher component costs" mean a price drop is unlikely within the next five years, industry research firm Niko Partners said earlier this month.

Nintendo delayed pre-orders for the Switch 2 in the United States by several weeks as it assessed the fallout from US President Donald Trump's trade levies.
 
 

Tokyo and Manila are also likely to agree to start negotiations to sign an agreement, under which the Self-Defence Forces and the Philippine military will be able to provide food, fuel and other supplies to each other.

The Japanese and Philippine governments have entered the final phase in coordinating the early signing of a bilateral general security of military information agreement (GSOMIA) at a summit scheduled for later this month, according to Japanese government sources.

GSOMIA is necessary for exchanging highly confidential military information between signatory nations.

Japan and Manila are also likely to agree to start negotiations to sign an agreement, under which the Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military will be able to provide food, fuel and other supplies to each other.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is scheduled to visit Vietnam and the Philippines from April 27 to 30. Ishiba aims to use the trip to strengthen security cooperation with the two countries while keeping China, which has been increasing its hegemonic activities, in mind.

Ishiba will meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in Manila, and they will confirm strengthening cooperation between the SDF and the Philippine military while also working to make progress regarding Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) programs.

Through the OSA, Japan provides defense equipment for free to countries that share the same values.

The leaders are also likely to discuss such issues as conducting joint drills with the countries’ coast guards.

Ahead of his visit to the Philippines, Ishiba will visit Hanoi and meet with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

To boost communication between Japan and Vietnam, Ishiba and Pham are expected to agree to hold two-plus-two meetings between the countries’ vice foreign and defense ministers. Their first two-plus-two meeting will likely be held in Japan by the end of the year.

Ishiba and Pham are also expected to agree to proactively use the OSA programs. As Japan has never implemented an OSA program in Vietnam, it will be the first if realized.

They will also likely agree on fostering personnel in the semiconductor industry.

In addition, Ishiba is expected to have discussions with the two leaders on how to respond to the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The Japanese side hopes to have close communication with the two countries.
 
 

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to make a four-day trip from Sunday to Vietnam and the Philippines as part of Japan's summit diplomacy to maintain a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region, the government said Wednesday.

Japan has been focusing on building stronger ties with Southeast Asian nations, as U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked uncertainty over the global economic and security situation. Ishiba's visit follows Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent trip to the region.

By holding talks with To Lam, general secretary of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Ishiba seeks to deepen "personal" relations with them, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.

"It is one of the top diplomatic priorities for Japan to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia, a major global growth driver and a strategically important area," Hayashi said, adding that Ishiba aims to bolster economic and security cooperation with the region.

"We will actively pursue summit diplomacy to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law," Hayashi, the top government spokesman, said at a regular press conference.
 
 

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday his government will help reduce gasoline prices and energy costs for households as part of inflation relief steps.

Ishiba said the government will take measures to reduce the price of gasoline and diesel fuel by 10 yen per liter, and that of kerosene and heavy oil by 5 yen, from May 22.

From July to September, the government will help curb electricity and gas costs shouldered by households when energy demand typically rises partly due to the summer heat, with details to be decided in May.

The latest inflation-relief measures in the run-up to this summer's House of Councillors election come after a plan initially floated within the ruling camp to offer cash handouts was shelved.

The parliamentary election will be crucial for Ishiba, head of a minority government whose public support remains low in opinion polls, after the ruling coalition lost its majority of the more powerful House of Representatives last year.

Earlier in the day, Ishiba received a set of requests from his Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party, urging the government to take steps to ease the pain of inflation and the expected fallout of higher U.S. tariffs announced by President Donald Trump.

The average price of gasoline is set to fall from around 185 yen per liter to about 175 yen, comparable to the levels seen shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ishiba said.

The government will tap existing funds that have been set aside for purposes other than those covered by regular or extra budgets.

Ishiba did not say how long the support for gasoline, kerosene and others would last, adding that it will depend on the outcome of ongoing cross-party talks on ending a gasoline surcharge.

The LDP-Komeito coalition and the Democratic Party for the People have been in talks to decide when to eliminate the gasoline surcharge currently in place.

Resource-poor Japan has been grappling with higher costs of imported energy, food and other products.

While Japan's inflation has been slowing in recent months, consumer prices, including energy and volatile fresh food, jumped 3.6 percent in March from a year earlier, also driven by surging rice prices.

The persisting inflation has largely offset strong gains in nominal wages, in a blow to households.
 
 

Japan Airlines (JAL) has been announced as an official World Athletics supplier for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

This collaboration reflects JAL’s commitment to empowering the next generation by inspiring young people to take their first steps toward global aspirations through the power of sport.

The WCH Tokyo 25, taking place on 13-21 September, will see the World Athletics Championships return to Tokyo for the second time, and for the first time since 1991, welcoming elite competitors from around the globe back to Japan.

With a history spanning more than 70 years, JAL has long connected Japan to the world, supporting and cheering on those who dare to challenge global boundaries.

As an official supplier for this prestigious event, JAL will implement a variety of initiatives to provide the next generation with opportunities to witness world-class competition up close and to inspire them to take their first steps on to the world stage by sharing the passion that can only be experienced on-site.

JAL remains dedicated to connecting young people to the world through the power of sport, encouraging them to pursue their dreams.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “We are delighted to have Japan Airlines sign on as an official supplier for our World Championships this summer, transporting athletes and key stakeholders to the vibrant city of Tokyo.

As an organisation focused on innovation and pushing boundaries, Japan Airlines is a natural fit for World Athletics as we look to continue growing our ever-expanding group of partners and suppliers, with a sharp focus on those who share common goals and values with us, particularly the critical role athletes play in our sport, and who also work every day to reach new heights, speeds and distances.”

“We are honoured to be a part of World Athletics and welcome athletes and fans from around the world at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 in September,” said Mitsuko Tottori, President & Group CEO of Japan Airlines.

“This global event showcases the spirit of pushing beyond limits, and we hope it inspires young people in Japan to take that first courageous step toward the world.

“By sharing the excitement of the genuine ultimate stage with young people, we aim to keep standing as a backbone of Japan’s youth wishing to challenge themselves on the world stage.”
 
 

Major Japanese automakers unveiled their latest electric vehicle models at the Shanghai motor show on Wednesday, hoping to bounce back in the Chinese market that has seen cutthroat competition with local carmakers amid a rapid shift toward new energy vehicles.

About 1,000 companies, including auto parts makers, are participating in the biennial show through May 2, one of the world's biggest auto exhibitions, at a time when a tit-for-tat tariff war between the United States and China has cast a shadow over the car industry.

Japanese manufacturers stressed their policy of accelerating localization in China, the world's largest auto market, through collaboration with Chinese partners and adopting locally developed technologies to better meet customer needs.

Toyota Motor Corp. is displaying its new bZ7 EV model for the first time, while Honda Motor Co. is exhibiting the latest version of its Ye EV series exclusively launched for the Chinese market.

Li Hui, general manager of Toyota China, told a press conference the new battery EV sedan, which the company aims to commercialize within a year, will be equipped for the first time with an operating system developed by Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co.

Through the adoption of Huawei technology for the driver's seat interface, "we have achieved smartphone-like functionality in cars," Li said.

Toyota also unveiled a new EV model for the upscale Lexus brand. In February, the manufacturer said it will build a new factory in Shanghai to produce Lexus EVs and batteries from 2027 or later.

Masayuki Igarashi, chief of Honda's China operations, said in presenting the new GT model of the Ye series that the company will adopt artificial intelligence technologies of Chinese startup DeepSeek for all future Ye vehicles.

Referring to cutting-edge technologies in the areas of electrification and intelligence in the Chinese auto market, he added that Honda will "incorporate the strength of local companies" and further develop its own products.

Nissan Motor Co. revealed its new plug-in hybrid pickup truck Frontier Pro, which the company plans to sell in China later this year and export to other markets within a year.

China's BYD Co. and some other local automakers are exhibiting cars equipped with technologies such as AI-powered driver-assistance systems in a heated race to develop smart and intelligent vehicles.

In 2024, new energy vehicles, including EVs and plug-in hybrids, accounted for around 45 percent of new car sales in China.

China slapped additional tariffs of 125 percent on all American imports in retaliation for 145 percent extra duties imposed on all U.S. imports of Chinese goods.

Following the escalation of the trade war, Ford Motor Co. has halted shipments of cars made in the United States to China, while Tesla Inc. has stopped accepting new orders in China for vehicles made in America, according to media reports.

An official of the Lincoln luxury brand under the Ford Motor group expressed concern about the hefty tariffs, saying the most upscale model launched Wednesday is imported from the United States.

"When we finish selling its inventories of 100 units, each carrying a price tag of up to 1.45 million yuan ($199,000), they will be subject to extra 125 percent tariffs. When their prices are more than doubled, we will be beaten by Chinese brands," the official said.
 
 

 

A cross-party group of around 70 Japanese lawmakers on Tuesday attended the spring festival at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, regarded as a symbol of the country's past militarism by its Asian neighbors.

Group member Ichiro Aisawa, a lawmaker from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said at a press conference, "We should never forget the history of how the spirits of many fallen heroes laid the foundation for a peaceful and prosperous Japan after the war."

Yasukuni, however, has long been a source of diplomatic friction with China and South Korea, as the shrine honors Japan's wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by a post-World War II international tribunal, along with about 2.4 million war dead.

On Tuesday, former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, who was narrowly defeated by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in last year's LDP presidential race, also visited the shrine. She has been labeled a "right-wing" nationalist by Chinese state-run media.

The group's visit came a day after Ishibasent a ritual offering to the shrine to mark the festival. He is not expected to make an in-person appearance during the three-day event through Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The cross-party group usually visits the shrine for the spring and autumn festivals as well as the anniversary of the end of World War II on Aug. 15, despite backlash from China and South Korea, where resentment of Japanese wartime militarism runs deep.

For last year's fall festival, the group did not organize a visit to Yasukuni as the event coincided with campaigning for the Oct. 27 general election, in which the ruling bloc led by Ishiba's LDP lost its majority in the House of Representatives.

Japan had invaded and occupied a wide area of China by the end of the war and ruled the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.
 
 

You could even get a bargain, if you get your timing right.
Japan is famous for its vending machines. It could easily be dubbed the “Land of the Vending Machines.” While most countries stick to selection of drinks and snacks, Japan’s line-up also includes cute knick knacks and shocking discoveries.

From origami to potential spouses: the country is littered with quirky and unusual vending machines. The latest example, unveiled in Tokyo, steers away from the shock value, but instead highlights smart technology and healthy eating, which are also things Japan does really well.

Salad Stand is a vending machine service that allows passers-by to enjoy a healthy snack or drink on-the-go. This is a new plan introduced by Japanese wellness company Kompeito’s Office De Yasai (“Vegetables at the Office”) service, which started over ten years ago with the goal of helping office workers to eat a healthier, more balanced meal while they work.

Kompeito felt that the lack of convenience was a major factor in people’s choice to forego the greens and instead indulge in quick and unhealthy foods. The service gained traction over time, and now Kompeito is expanding beyond office walls to reach the general public.

Getting to enjoy a salad when you’re out and about is nice, but nothing revolutionary. However, this is no ordinary vending machine: Kompeito have seen fit to incorporate AI into it. Built-in cameras track foot traffic and expiration dates, allowing the machine to dynamically adjust prices.

So, the same salad you saw at lunch might cost less at dinner. Kompeito is on track to lift the curse of throwing away unwanted, short shelf-life salads once and for all.

Combatting food loss is a noble cause, but are the products themselves worth buying? Let’s take a look.

Their main line-up consists of salads, juices and “fruit granola.” Going by the name of the machine, there’s no doubt that the salads are the stars. With eight different varieties, made with farm-fresh vegetables, you’re bound to find something you like. Combined with meat, fish, fruits, and nuts, the salads are finished with a specially selected dressing to give it that final dash of perfection.

The cold-pressed juices are made to preserve as much of the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, to keep the nutritional content high. They come in two different sizes, 250 and 400 milliliters, and can store up to one and a half kilograms (just over three pounds) of squeezed fresh produce within their bottles.

These juices are sure to be a great way to get a boost of nutrition during a busy morning.

Sad to see the amount of vegetable leaves and peels that get discarded, Kompeito have turned these nutrient-rich parts into tasty, crunchy fruit granola snacks.

Each pack provides the daily recommended intake of fiber (based on men and women in their 30s and 40s), and are a tasty little way to enjoy vegetables anytime, anywhere.

So, where can you go if you want to be part of this futuristic salad experience? Sitting at the base of Tokyo Skytree is the shopping mall Tokyo Solamachi, which is also home to Sumida Aquarium.

Within Tokyo Solamachi, on the second floor of the West Yard in Zone Three, you will find the Salad Stand vending machine just waiting for you to discover if you can get a good bargain on the delicious goods inside.

However, if you were hoping for 24-hour access, you might be a little disappointed, as it follows the operating hours of the mall, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Or, if you happen to be in Kyoto, there’s also one at Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station on the Tozai subway line.

Whether you’re after a healthy snack, or curious about the evolution of vending machine culture in Japan, this machine is certainly worth checking out. If you can’t make it to Tokyo, perhaps you’ll be inspired to rethink your own lunch routine, and keep food waste to the minimum.


Location information

Salad Stand
Address: Tokyo-to, Sumida-ku, Oshiage, 1-chome 1-2, Tokyo Solamachi, West Yard, 2-kai, 3-banchi
東京都墨田区押上１丁目１−２東京ソラマチ ウエストヤード 2階3番地
Open 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.


Website
 
 

The historic surge in rice prices in Japan has led retailers to seek alternatives, using less expensive ingredients like barley and noodles in bento meal boxes to curb prices and retain customers.

Some retailers are expanding the sale of lower-priced foreign rice.
In March, convenience store chain Lawson started selling the "Okazudon!" series of bento products, which contain less rice but more spaghetti and side dishes in order to reduce costs while securing volume.

Due to the soaring rice prices, "the process from product development to sales has become more than twice as difficult as last year," President Sadanobu Takemasu has said.

Natural Lawson stores, targeting health-conscious consumers, began to mix mochimugi chewy barley into rice for all chilled bento products, replacing a blend of rice and minor grains previously used in the products.

Barley is less expensive than rice and is good for adding volume. The company is considering using mochimugi also in products sold at regular Lawson stores.

Among supermarket chains, Seiyu last November began to sell Taiwanese rice for ¥2,797 per 5 kilogram. The price has risen to ¥3,229 because of higher procurement costs, but the product is still lower-priced than general domestic rice.

The Taiwanese rice "sells out as soon as it appears on the shelves, and some stores suffer continued shortages," an official said.

In April, Aeon began selling the Nisui no Takumi brand of rice, a blend of 80% U.S.-grown produce and 20% domestic produce. The price is ¥3,002 per 4 kg.

The blend tastes "as good as domestic rice," a shopper said.
 
 

 

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent a ritual offering to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Monday, as the shrine, seen by Japan's neighbors as a symbol of its past militarism, began a three-day spring festival.

Ishiba, however, is not expected to visit the shrine during the festival, according to sources familiar with the matter, apparently because of diplomatic considerations at a time when Japan's ties with China and South Korea have been improving.

Yasukuni honors Japan's wartime leaders, convicted as war criminals by a post-World War II international tribunal, along with millions of war dead.

Ishiba and his cabinet ministers did not visit the Shinto shrine during its autumn festival last year, soon after he became prime minister in October. The prime minister also sent a masakaki tree offering at that time.

"The prime minster made the masakaki offering in a private capacity and therefore it is not something that the government should comment on," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a press conference.

"It is up to the prime minister to decide whether to visit the shrine or not," the government spokesman added.

Among cabinet ministers, health minister Takamaro Fukuoka and economic security minister Minoru Kiuchi sent offerings on Monday.

Past visits to the shrine by Japanese leaders, cabinet ministers and lawmakers drew sharp rebukes from China and South Korea. Japan invaded a vast swath of China before World War II and colonized the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and Ishiba has expressed his readiness to take a fresh look at why Japan went to war and draw lessons from it.

But he is not expected to issue a statement, unlike his predecessors who released cabinet-approved documents on the 50th, 60th and 70th anniversaries, other sources said.

Yasukuni added wartime leaders including Prime Minister Gen. Hideki Tojo to the enshrined deities in 1978, stirring controversy at home and abroad. Tojo was executed by hanging for crimes against peace.
 
 

More and more university students are teaching children with foreign roots the Japanese language, and working to create places for them to feel comfortable.

Amid a shortage of teachers for Japanese as a second language, students studying Japanese language education at universities are working actively in the field, and putting what they have learned into practice.


Club activities

“Yu-bin-u-ke. Do you know what that means?”
In mid-April in a classroom at Toyo University in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, a senior at the university pointed at a Japanese language textbook and began drawing a picture of a mailbox on a sheet of paper with a felt-tip pen.

A boy of Chinese nationality in the second grade of elementary school, who was reading the textbook with her, nodded his head in understanding at her drawing.

The university club Spirit, which she heads, holds a Japanese class for children of foreign nationalities every week.

On the day, four Chinese and Australian children were participating in the class. Using simple Japanese, occasionally employing Chinese and English, the university students asked the children about what they did at their schools and helped them with their homework.

“Since we’re university students and closer in age to them, they should be able to talk to us about things. We want to make this a place where children can resolve problems they may have at school,” the leader of Spirit said about the purpose of the club’s activities.



Too few teachers

At the University of Tsukuba in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, students studying Japanese language education have been helping with Japanese classes at junior high schools in the prefecture since fiscal 2020.

The prefecture’s student body has grown more diverse in terms of nationalities, but the foreign students are spread out, making it difficult for schools to hire enough teachers who can teach Japanese as a second language.

Last academic year, about 30 university students supported a total of 51 students enrolled at 24 junior high schools, assessing how the non-native speakers did in the classroom, determining their level of Japanese, and working out what they should study.

When the children received Japanese lessons in a separate room, the university students joined in online, explaining the terms used in the lesson and acting as partners in speaking practice.

At Hokota Kita Junior High School, a municipal school in the prefecture’s city of Hokota, a Pakistani boy received support from university students and successfully went on to a local high school this spring.

The principal of the school recalled, “When the student entered our school, he could hardly speak Japanese. There were no teachers who could instruct him, but the university students saved us.”

“The university students also gain a lot from the program, as it provides them with an opportunity to practice teaching the Japanese language,” said Hiroko Sawada, 49, an associate professor at the University of Tsukuba, who is in charge of the program to help children in need of language support.

Josai International University in Togane, Chiba Prefecture, which has a course for teaching Japanese as a foreign language, concluded a partnership agreement with the city of Sammu in the prefecture in 2023.

The Sri Lankan population in Sammu has been growing quickly, and this academic year there are 88 foreign students, double the figure four years ago.

The university provides advice to teachers who instruct such children in Japanese, and also creates opportunities for exchange between university students and the children.



Rising demand

Japan had about 3.76 million foreign residents at the end of last year, according to the Immigration Services Agency. That number is up by about 1.64 million over the past 10 years, with the government accepting more foreign workers to try to remedy a labor shortage.

In fiscal 2023, students who were enrolled in public elementary, junior high and high schools and needed Japanese lessons totaled about 69,000, according to a survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

This was about 11,000 more students than in the previous survey conducted in fiscal 2021, extending a record high.

The education ministry plans to improve support for students of foreign nationalities by assigning one teacher for every 18 students in need of Japanese lessons by fiscal 2026.

“The national government should assume responsibility for the education of these children, because it intends to increase acceptance of foreigners,” said Hiromi Saito, 63, a professor at Tokyo Gakugei University who is an expert on Japanese language education.

“Meanwhile, it is important for external staff, such as university students, to be made use of as supporters rather than simply as a stopgap measure to fill in for teachers.”
 
 

The Japanese government will require a new vehicle model to be equipped with a device that prevents errors in the use of the pedal starting September 2028.

This provision follows the case of an elderly driver who caused an accident because he mistakenly accelerated instead of braking.

However, the move is likely not to have a major impact on automakers as most vehicles manufactured in Japan in recent years have installed the device, according to Kyodo News April 10.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation, and Tourism will revise ministerial regulations based on the Road Transportation Vehicle Act, requiring all automatic vehicles to be equipped with these devices.

It said the change would not apply to vehicles with manual transmission.
The new regulations require the device to prevent vehicles from accelerating suddenly when there are 1.0 to 1.5 meters hurdles in the depot, keeping speeds below 8 kilometers per hour, even as the driver steps on the gas pedal completely.

Drivers will be notified via notification in the vehicle that the system is operating or their feet must be removed from the pedal.

It is known, based on a survey by the Ministry of Industry, as many as 93.8 percent of domestically produced cars by 2023 have been equipped with devices capable of controlling the forward and backward movement of vehicles.
 

Cherry blossoms of the Somei-Yoshino variety have started blooming in a town on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido.

Officials in Matsumae Town on the southern tip of the island announced on Sunday that the blooms had appeared. They confirmed more than five blossoms on the benchmark tree in Matsumae Park.

They say the tree bloomed seven days earlier than usual, and four days later than last year.

Tourists gathered around the tree to take photos.

A visitor from Taiwan praised the combination of cherry blossoms and a nearby castle.

He said cherry blossoms in Japan are very beautiful because of their colors.
Matsuura Shinya, a town official in charge of tourism, said he feels relieved the blooms have appeared as temperatures had been low recently.

The park has roughly 10,000 cherry trees and there are about 250 varieties. Officials say visitors will be able to enjoy the cherry blossoms for about one month as the varieties bloom at different times.
 
 

Japan will make no concession that could affect food safety in its tariff negotiations with the United States, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday.

"We will not concede over food safety. We must protect the safety of Japanese citizens," he said in a television program of public broadcaster NHK, or Japan Broadcasting Corp., showing a careful approach to the issue of agricultural market access.

Ishiba also said that expansion of liquefied natural gas imports will be examined as a bargaining chip, considering that U.S. President Donald Trump is giving priority to eliminating his country's trade deficit with Japan.

Washington has complained about Japanese nontariff barriers for automobiles. After noting differences in safety standards and traffic rules between the two countries, Ishiba said, "We'll properly work out measures so that we will not be criticized as unfair."

He also commented on Trump's dissatisfaction with Japan's current share of the costs for U.S. forces stationed in the Asian nation.
 
 

A bus driver with 29 years of service lost his retirement package worth $84,000 after being fired for stealing $7 from passengers' fares.

The city of Kyoto sacked the man, who was not named, after he was filmed by a bus security camera taking ¥1,000 ($7) in 2022.

After he was denied his retirement money of more than ¥12 million, the driver sued the city but lost the case.

The verdict was overturned in his favor, with a court ruling that the punishment was excessive.

But on Thursday the Supreme Court delivered a final ruling in the city's favor, reinstating the original penalty.

It ruled that the man's conduct could undermine public trust in the system and the sound operation of the bus service.

In the original incident a group of five passengers entered the bus and paid him ¥1,150, according to the ruling.

The driver instructed the group to drop ¥150 worth of coins into a fare collection box, and accepted a ¥1,000 bill by hand and didn't report it properly.

Despite being caught on camera, he tried to deny taking the bill during a meeting with his superior.

The driver had been reprimanded several times during his career over various incidents, according to the ruling.

This included repeatedly smoking an electronic cigarette while on duty, albeit when there were no passengers on board.
The city of Kyoto hailed the decision.

"Each one of the bus drivers works alone and handles public money," said Shinichi Hirai, an official at Kyoto's public transport bureau. "We took it very seriously that embezzlement related to this area of our work took place.

"If our strict measures were not accepted, then our organization could become careless and it could result in eroding the public's trust," he said.
 
 

Akie Abe, widow of slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said Saturday that Taiwan's security is directly tied to Japan's, offering her view on remarks made by her late husband about the self-ruled democratic island.

"What he truly meant was, if Taiwan is safe, then Japan is safe," Akie Abe said in a speech at a symposium in Taiwan on security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Her husband said in December 2021, during a virtual appearance at a Taiwan think-thank event, "A Taiwan contingency is a contingency for Japan," a remark now widely known in Taiwan.

In Japan, when people care deeply about someone important, they wish them peace and safety, according to Akie Abe.

"I think my husband wanted to offer this heartfelt wish to the people of Taiwan, whom he dearly loved because Taiwan's peace and safety were closely connected to himself and to Japan," she said.

Shinzo Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, was assassinated by a lone gunman during an election campaign speech in July 2022.

Abe remained friendly toward Taiwan even after stepping down as prime minister in 2020 due to health issues.

China regards Taiwan as a part of its territory.
 
 

Don’t freak out when you try to board a flight to this southwestern Japanese prefecture and the destination on the ticket says “Hello Kitty” — you’re definitely on the right plane.

Oita, a scenic region known for its natural hot springs on the Japanese island of Kyushu, has recently renamed its air hub Oita Hello Kitty Airport to lure fans and tourists.

The six-month rebrand, which runs from now through October 13, will inject the otherwise sleepy airport with an extra dose of the country’s quintessential cuteness — or “kawaii” in Japanese.

As expected, Hello Kitty (who is, by the way, not a cat) is everywhere.
Arriving passengers peeking through plane windows will get their first greetings from the Japanese character painted on the boarding bridge.

As they make their way to the luggage conveyor belt, they will see posters of Hello Kitty dragging a suitcase and riding on a miniature plane.

 

The rebranding rides on the hype of Osaka Expo 2025 and seeks to offer an alternative destination to the already congested ones, as Japan grapples with record numbers of tourists.

The tourism boom — which hit a record-breaking 10.5 million in the first three months of 2025 — has given the world’s fourth-biggest economy a needed kick but also created headaches for locals.

“We hope to encourage more tourists, particularly those who typically visit high-traffic destinations like Tokyo and Kyoto, to travel to Oita instead,” a spokesman from Oita Prefectural Government’s tourism bureau told CNN on Thursday.

Oita is about one hour away from Osaka by plane and four hours by train.
Joining Hello Kitty at the Oita airport are friends like My Melody, Little Twin Stars and Pochacco. All are characters from Sanrio, the merchandising company behind her universe of cuteness.

 

Why Oita, though? Sanrio runs a theme park called Harmonyland in the prefecture. The company will be selling exclusive Hello Kitty key chains and T-shirts at the domestic terminal.

“In addition to attracting visitors not only from major metropolitan areas such as the Tokyo and Kansai regions but also by highlighting the unique appeal of Oita Prefecture and Kyushu such as hot springs, nature, and cuisine, we aim to leverage the global popularity of Japan’s Sanrio characters and their theme park,” Sanrio said in a statement.

“We are filled with the hope that this airport will become a bridge connecting countless smiles,” Sanrio Entertainment President Aya Komaki said during a recent launch, before touting Hello Kitty’s slogan written on a flag she holds in posters at the airport: “Hello from Oita to the world.”

Oita prefecture sits about 40 miles southeast of Fukuoka, Kyushu’s biggest city, and is home to some of Japan’s most sought-after onsen towns, like Beppu and Yufuin.

It’s more popular among local tourists than international visitors, though. Almost 80% of 530,033 visitors recorded last month were domestic travelers.

 

The airport operates mainly domestic flights, but also runs a few international routes to Seoul in South Korea and Taipei in Taiwan.

It is not the first airport to name itself after the nation’s much-worshipped cartoon characters, with Japanese manga and anime being among the country’s most influential exports.

In the central city of Tottori, officials renamed its airport Tottori Sand Dunes Conan Airport in 2015 to pay tribute to “Case Closed,” a Japanese manga and anime series about a child detective, Conan, who battles criminals with cool gadgets a la James Bond.

The neighboring Yonago Kitaro Airport also took its name from another manga and anime series, “GeGeGe no Kitaro,” which follows the quest of a young boy named Kitaro who fights off demons — or yokai in Japanese — to protect humans.

Other airports have also featured popular characters from Super Mario Bros and Pokemon in their tourism campaigns, even though they weren’t down for a name change.

The country with one of the most complex train networks in the world also puts its favorite characters on trains, including — guess who — Hello Kitty.
 
 

Many in Japan have recently fallen victim to scams in which their online securities accounts are hijacked and used to trade shares, possibly for market manipulation by criminal groups.

Securities houses are urging customers to beware of such scams. The Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is closely monitoring the market.

The problem came to light when Rakuten Securities Inc. made a related announcement late last month. It has been discovered also at industry peers including Nomura Securities Co. and SBI Securities Co.

 

According to the companies, criminal groups lead victims to fake websites that mimic the companies' real websites to steal their user identification codes and passwords by utilizing a method called phishing. The groups then use the obtained information to log in to accounts and buy and sell shares.

Fraudulent trades mainly involved foreign stocks at first, prompting Rakuten Securities and others to briefly suspend buy orders for Chinese stocks. The illicit activity soon spread to Japanese stocks, however, leading to suspensions in trading of some issues.
 
 

President Donald Trump touted "big progress" in tariff talks with Japan on Wednesday, in one of the first rounds of face-to-face negotiations since his barrage of duties on global imports roiled markets and stoked recession fears.

Japan had not expected the president to get involved in Wednesday's talks, viewing them as a preliminary, fact-finding mission, a sign that Trump wants to keep tight control over negotiations with dozens of countries expected over coming days and weeks.

Tokyo had also been hoping to limit the scope of the talks to trade and investment matters. But announcing his involvement early Wednesday, Trump said thorny issues including the amount Japan pays towards hosting U.S. troops were among discussion topics.

"A Great Honor to have just met with the Japanese Delegation on Trade. Big Progress!" Trump said in a social media message that contained no details of the discussions.

Opposite Trump was Ryosei Akazawa, a close confidant of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba who serves in the relatively junior cabinet position of economic revitalisation minister.

Speaking to reporters after the talks, Akazawa gave few details but said the parties had agreed to hold a second meeting later this month and that Trump had said getting a deal with Japan was a "top priority".

Exchange rates, which the Trump administration has said Japan and others manipulate to get a trade advantage, were not part of the talks, Akazawa added.

The dollar strengthened against the yen after his remarks on forex, up around 0.5% on the day. Tokyo denies it manipulates its yen currency lower to get make its exports cheaper.

Akazawa held a 50-minute meeting with Trump at the White House before another session with his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that stretched to almost an hour and a half, according to Japanese readouts of the talks.

Japan's prime minister, who has previously said he won't rush to reach a deal and does not plan to make big concessions, sounded a more cautious tone speaking to reporters later in Tokyo.

"Of course, the negotiations will not be easy going forward, but President Trump has stated that he wants to give top priority to the talks with Japan," Ishiba said.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni heads to the White House on Thursday to discuss tariffs imposed on the European Union with Trump, while Bessent has invited South Korea's finance minister to Washington for talks next week.



FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE

Trump has long complained about the U.S. trade deficit with Japan and other countries, saying U.S. businesses have been "ripped off" by trade practices and intentional efforts by other countries to maintain weak currencies.

Japan has been hit with 24% levies on its exports to the United States although these rates have, like most of Trump's tariffs, been paused for 90 days. But a 10% universal rate remains in place as does a 25% duty for cars, a mainstay of Japan's export-reliant economy.

Bessent has said there is a "first mover advantage" given Washington has said more than 75 countries have requested talks since Trump announced sweeping duties on dozens of countries - both friend and foe - earlier this month.

Akazawa declined to comment on the matter, adding only that he strongly requested a revocation of the tariffs and that he believed Washington wanted to secure a deal in the 90-day window.

Washington is hoping to strike deals with countries that would cover tariffs, non-tariff barriers and exchange rates, Bessent has said, though Tokyo had lobbied to keep the latter separate.

Trump earlier this month lambasted Japan for what he said was a 700% tariff on rice, a figure Tokyo disputes. Levies on autos are particularly painful for Japan as they make up nearly a third of shipments to the U.S., its biggest export market.

Japan hopes that pledges to expand investment in the United States will help to convince the U.S. that the allies can achieve a "win-win" situation without tariffs.

Possible Japanese investment in a multi-billion dollar gas project in Alaska could also feature in tariff negotiations, Bessent said before Wednesday's talks.

"It sounds like the Trump administration really does want a quick deal, which suggests it will be a less substantive deal," said Tobias Harris of Japan Foresight, a political risk advisory.

"My baseline is that if the U.S. really starts making demands on agriculture and maybe also on some of the auto regulations, it becomes a lot more contentious and hard to do quickly."

Reporting by Nathan Layne in Washington; John Geddie, Chang-Ran Kim, Kantaro Komiya, Rock Swift, Daniel Leussink, Nobuhiro Kubo and Yoshifumi Takemoto in Tokyo; Editing by Gerry Doyle, Frances Kerry, Cynthia Osterman and Lincoln Feast.

 
 
 

In recent years, Japan has seen a wave of Showa era (1926–1989) nostalgia, particularly among the younger generations. Iconic products and appliances that were once considered everyday staples are now being rediscovered as design treasures, each with stories tied to Japan’s postwar growth and evolving lifestyle.

Beyond products, kissaten or traditional Japanese cafes, along with old-school Japanese snacks, have also become increasingly popular among the youth.

Launched in 1976, the Kyoro-chan Ice Maker by Tiger Corporation quickly became a household favorite. Tiger’s 2025 reissue, the Kyoro-chan ABF-G100, revives the machine’s third-generation design.

This manual shaved ice maker features an efficient inward-facing stainless steel blade, a child-friendly screw rotation mechanism and an ice-holding spike for stability.

It’s easy to use for both kids and adults, while its retro look adds an undeniable charm to any kitchen. It’s also lightweight and compact and available in three colors: yellow, orange and blue. 

Priced at ¥8,980, it includes a dedicated ice-making cup for added convenience.
 
 

A series of crimes has occurred in which hackers took over individual investors’ accounts with securities companies and made illegal stock trades.

The criminals are believed to be using the accounts to manipulate stock prices, raising the prices of specific shares by purchasing large numbers of low-priced stocks that are not usually traded actively.

Some individual investors have lost millions of yen through the scams. Criminal groups are also believed to have stolen clients’ authentication information by guiding them to fake websites.

Securities companies are calling on their clients to be wary of the scams.
 
 
Unauthorized login

A 36-year-old company employee in Saitama Prefecture who suffered losses from this kind of scam openly expressed his surprise. “I never dreamed that my account could be hacked and taken over,” the man said.

On March 20, he found records of Chinese company shares, which he did not recognize, in his account with Rakuten Securities Inc.

The man checked the trading records for the previous day, and found that Japanese company shares worth about ¥12 million that he had owned had been sold without his knowledge. In addition, a total of 200,000 shares in a Chinese company had been purchased through his account. The Chinese company stocks were priced at about ¥57 per share.

Because the day was a national holiday, the man could not contact officials of Rakuten Securities. He was worried, thinking that he might have been involved in a crime.

The man immediately sold all the Chinese shares, but he suffered about a loss of about ¥2.1 million from the transaction.

Later, he submitted an inquiry to Rakuten Securities, and signs were found of an unauthorized login from a personal computer that was not his.

The man was perplexed, saying: “I’ve never opened a suspicious email. I have no idea how my authentication information was leaked.”

The man said that an official of Rakuten Securities told him, “Regardless of whether a client actually input commands, we do not provide compensation for transactions that were made with a registered ID and passcode.”

The man said he was considering legal action. “I can’t accept that, because it was illegal trading,” he said.
 
 
Targeting low-priced stocks

Illegal transactions like this have been confirmed and announced by many securities companies since late March. The firms involved include Rakuten Securities, SBI Securities Co., Nomura Securities Co., Monex Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. and Matsui Securities Co.

Rakuten Securities, which has about 12 million general securities accounts for clients, has suspended buy orders for shares of more than 1,000 Chinese companies, to prevent damage from spreading further. On April 14, the company also suspended orders for shares in 20 U.S. companies.

None of the securities companies have disclosed the scales of the damage or other details.

What is the criminal group aiming to do? According to Rakuten Securities and other sources, the hacked accounts showed large purchases of stocks in Japanese and Chinese companies that were low-priced and not actively traded.

The stock prices of some of the companies had shown unusual fluctuations since late Match.

“[The criminals] may be trying to gain profits by raising the share prices through large-scale purchases and then selling stocks that they already owned,” said Naoki Fujiwara, senior fund manager of Shinkin Asset Management Co.

 


 

 
Rapid increase in phishing emails

The IDs and passcodes of the hacked accounts are believed to have been stolen through phishing scams that guide people to fake websites for securities companies, or through the use of malware.

According to the Council of Anti-Phishing Japan based in Tokyo, reports from individuals and companies about phishing emails claiming to be from real securities companies, as well as emails from trying to guide people to fake websites, began increasing in January.

The number of reports from March to April 8 rapidly surged to 17,600.
Such illicit emails seek to heighten recipients’ anxiety by using such terms as “urgent,” “important” and “Your account is going to be unusable. Then they try to guide people to fake websites through online links.

“Such emails contain tricks to slip through security systems,” said Yukimi Sota, chief security evangelist of the Japanese unit of Proofpoint Inc., a major email security service company.

The fake websites use graphics copied from securities companies’ actual sites. “It’s very difficult to distinguish between them,” an official of the anti-phishing council said.

“We want people to thoroughly observe these guidelines: never open links in emails or texts, and conduct transactions only via bookmarked genuine sites or official apps,” the council said, calling on investors to be careful.
 
 
Strengthening countermeasures

Securities companies have been enhancing their countermeasures.
On March 23, Rakuten Securities launched a system of risk-based authentication that requires an additional stage of identification if an account is accessed from a computer terminal that is not the one usually used by the account holder.

Also, many securities companies have introduced multifactor authentications, such as the input of one-time passwords in addition to IDs and ordinary passwords, or identifying users through the computer terminal being used. The companies strongly recommend that clients use the additional systems.

However, an official in the securities industry said: “In securities transactions, a swift decision can affect the results. So, there are clients who dislike the increase of one more step.”

As damage from the scams has grown, the Japan Securities Dealers Association this month began discussing revisions of its guidelines to prevent illegal access, with the enhancement of multifactor authentication in mind.

An official of the association said, “They are unprecedented incidents. We shall find out what are happening and consider countermeasures which can make clients conduct transactions with a sense of security.”
 
 

Japan’s expressways require drivers to pay a toll to use them, but at least they have a pretty slick payment system. Rather than having to stop at toll both and fiddle with change to pay to an attendant or feed into a machine, the vast majority of drivers make their payments through an ETC (electronic toll collection) card. 

The system works wirelessly – simply slow down (but don’t stop) as you approach the toll gate, and once your card’s signal is read, the gates will automatically rise and you motor on through. The same process happens when you get off the expressway, with the distance-derived toll then billed to your account.

At least, that’s how things usually go. April 8 and most of April 9 were expectations, though, as the ETC system went down at around 12:30 a.m. on April 8 and wasn’t up and running again until 2 p.m. on April 9, affecting 106 toll gates on the Tomei and Chuo Expressways in Tokyo and the prefectures of Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Nagano, Shizuoka, Aichi, Gifu, and Mie.

With the system unable to read driver’s cards and automatically raise/lower the toll gates, expressway operator Central Nippon Expressway Co, also known as NEXCO Central, made the decision to just open them all up and let cars pass through, keeping traffic flowing on some of Japan’s most-used motorways.

However, even though NEXCO Central waved cars through, it has no intention of waiving the tolls. Following the incident, the company stated that drivers who used the expressway while the ETC system was down are still required to pay the full amount of the toll that they would have ordinarily been charged.

In a statement regarding the situation on April 9, NEXCO Central president Tadashi Nawada said: “There are situations listed within the [ETC] terms of service in which drivers do not have to pay the toll fees, but there is no clause that drivers do not have to pay in the event of what can be called system malfunctions, as was the case here.”

It’s not always easy to get people to pay for something after they’ve already extracted the benefits from it and returned home, but NEXCO Central says that by 10 p.m. on April 8, they’d received offers of payment from roughly 24,000 people.

That’s admirably scrupulous of them, and given that everyone getting on the expressway in Japan already expects to be charged for it, it’s not like they’re getting hit with an expense they didn’t think they would.

On the other hand, NEXCO Central estimates that there were around 920,000 ETC-equipped cars driving around the expressways during the system outage. It’s unclear whether or not all of those cars were traveling within the affected areas of the network, but it’s a safe bet that more than 24,000 cars got waved through a toll gate without their ETC card being read and thus without being charged.

Those who don’t offer to pay could potentially be accused of defrauding NEXCO Central, but they might not necessarily be twirling their villainous mustaches as they chuckle about pulling one over on the company. A large part of the appeal of the ETC system is its convenience.

Toll calculation and billing is automatic, and if you have your ETC account linked to your credit card or bank account with automatic payment enabled, there’s nothing you have to do on your end.

So being asked to compute your toll yourself (which would also require you to figure out how kilometers you drove along the 17 routes of the expressway network that were affected), then set up a bank transfer for that amount to be sent to NEXCO Central, is a hassle that a lot of people aren’t enthusiastically volunteering for, even though NEXCO Central says it is covering any associated bank fees.

Ironically, the reason for the outage that’s resulted in drivers being asked to submit payments appears to have been an unexpected error that occurred during a system update to prepare for discounted late-night tolls, which are scheduled to go into effect this summer.

As for how NEXCO Central would go about tracking down non-payers without any ETC records for the period to refer to, ostensibly they could examine security camera images to determine the location where cars got on and off the expressway.

With 900,000 vehicles to track, though, that seems like it would be a major undertaking, and the company isn’t currently threatening any legal action, but as of this writing it’s also not made any indication that it plans to officially wave the tolls either.
 
 

Around 119,000 people visited the World Exposition in Osaka on its opening day Sunday, the organizer said, with long lines forming in the rain at pavilions admitting only a limited number of guests without reservations.

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition said that more than 140,000 people had made reservations to visit the site on Sunday, but over 20,000 appear to have changed their dates to avoid bad weather.

On Monday, the first weekday since the opening, people lined up in front of the east gate near Yumeshima Station, which is directly connected to the expo site, in a scene reminiscent of the previous day. Entry, however, was smoother than on Sunday.

Inside the venue, a demonstration flight of a pilot-only flying car was held, reaching a height of about 10 meters and flying for around seven minutes as the audience cheered. The event had to be canceled on Sunday due to bad weather.

Later Monday, access to the top of the Grand Ring -- a 2-kilometer-long structure recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's largest wooden building -- was restricted due to concerns about lightning near the venue.

Opening day was not without hiccups, as internet connection issues caused headaches for some participants. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the top government spokesman, told reporters, "We would like to increase visitor satisfaction through continuous improvements."

The expo will run through Oct. 13 on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay, with 158 countries and regions participating. Around 28.2 million visitors are expected, according to the operator.

The expo kicked off with a bang on Sunday, but soaring hotel prices and a shortage of rooms near the venue are casting a shadow over hopes of attracting more visitors and fueling concerns about the impact of overtourism, locals said.

The new hotels that have opened recently are mostly high-end, catering to wealthy travelers. The surge in foreign visitors has tightened supply and demand, driving up accommodation prices.



 
 

Cherry blossoms have come into full bloom in Yamagata, the Yamagata Meteorological Office announced Monday. It was four days earlier than usual and four days later than last year.

At around 9 a.m., the office’s staff confirmed 80% of the flowers blooming on the Someiyoshino benchmark tree in the office’s premise. The office announced this year’s bloom on Wednesday.
 
 

 

The Japanese American National Museum, or JANM, in Los Angeles is struggling with subsidy cuts by the Elon Musk-led "Department of Government Efficiency," also known as DOGE.

The museum said that the subsidy cuts may force it to cancel workshops for teachers on the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

The museum expected to receive about $190,000 in funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, but that is now uncertain due to the termination of subsidies for the public organization that provides funding to museums and libraries.

More than 100 teachers from 31 states attended the workshops in the past two years.

The museum has received some donation offers following local media reports on the situation, but it is still $93,600 short of funding for this year's workshops, which will be attended by 72 teachers.

"Affecting museums and libraries nationwide, these cuts are part of the current administration's attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion and its ongoing efforts to erase history," William Fujioka, chair of the museum's board of trustees, said in a statement.

Since the start of his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump has been working on the abolition of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs.

"Our museum stands as a place of memory, truth, and justice, where history is not only preserved but actively used to confront contemporary threats to democracy and human dignity," Fujioka said.

"At a time when many agencies and organizations have scrubbed their websites of references to DEI, JANM vows to scrub nothing," he added.
 
 

The key to dressing for summer in Japan is to focus on the right kinds of fabric. Investing in linen, silk blends or cotton can make all the difference between a great day outdoors or an absolute sweaty disaster.

Check out brands that come with “cooling” and UV protection pieces and don’t let hot summer days keep you from wearing what you want.

Keep your skin protected from harmful UV rays with a pair of jersey denim pants from n'OrLABEL. The Cool Touch Jersey Denim Tapered Pants are made with material that makes it cool to the touch, offers a 360-degree stretch and helps block out UV rays.

Designed with a tapered silhouette, the pants come in three different shades of denim, making them the perfect wardrobe staple for everyday summer outfits.

Available online for ¥3,960.
 
 

Ryosei Akazawa’s appointment as the minister in charge of negotiations with the United States over its tariff policy has raised concerns, as he has little diplomatic experience. Some are also worried about whether he is capable of handling such a task.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba appointed Akazawa, minister in charge of economic revitalization, on Tuesday. Ishiba and Akazawa have both been elected to House of Representatives from Tottori Prefecture.

The prime minister only has a few close aides, and Akazawa is one of them. Apparently, Ishiba seems to have decided that Akazawa is the right person to lead the negotiations.

“It will be a very difficult negotiation, but I would like to build a relationship of trust between Cabinet members in charge and achieve results as quickly as possible,” Akazawa told reporters on Tuesday at the Diet Building in Tokyo.

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto was previously in charge of negotiations. However, discussions on the latest U.S. tariffs require a response that goes beyond the boundaries between ministries and agencies.

Akazawa was appointed because, as the minister in charge of economic revitalization, he is able to deal with a wide range of economic issues.

In the past, former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi was in charge of trade negotiations with the United States when he was the minister of economic revitalization.

Akazawa has some experience of being involved in Japan-U.S. negotiations when he was a bureaucrat at the transport ministry, but he has no experience being in charge of major diplomatic negotiations as a minister.

There are some within the LDP who are concerned about the appointment.
“[Akazawa] is not as reliable compared to someone like Motegi,” a junior LDP member said.

Regarding the appointment of a negotiator, Ishiba told his aide, “A minister who can coordinate within the Cabinet and has experience negotiating with a U.S. counterpart would be suitable.”

Although there were many people within the government and the ruling block who favored appointing Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, who has experience as foreign minister, Ishiba decided it would be difficult for Hayashi to simultaneously be the negotiator and the chief cabinet secretary, who is in charge of the country’s crisis management.

Ishiba probably appointed Akazawa because there does not seem to be other suitable candidates within the Cabinet, and appointing someone from outside the Cabinet would require a reshuffle.

Akazawa has the advantage of being able to work closely with Ishiba.
However, a senior LDP member voiced concern, saying, “If [Akazawa] doesn’t get any results, it will show that the Cabinet is lacking personnel.”
 

 

Japan's Defense Ministry hopes to coordinate its participation in the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine, or NSATU, initiative, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told visiting NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Tuesday.

In response, Rutte said that the Japanese move is welcome.
NSATU was launched last September to play roles such as supplying and repairing military equipment for Ukraine.

Nakatani said that Japan's participation would be useful, including in drawing lessons from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

 

The Japanese ministry will consider in what way it will participate in the NATO initiative, ministry officials said.
 
 

 
The Emperor and Empress, during their first visit to Iwoto Island on Monday, spoke with families of the war dead and former islanders who were forced to evacuate, listening to their stories of hardships during and after the end of the war.

The island in the village of Ogasawara, Tokyo, was the site of an intense battle between Japanese and U.S. troops near the end of World War II, with the Japanese fatalities at over 20,000. After offering prayers and laying flowers at a cenotaph, the couple met with families of the war dead and former islanders.

“I hear you had great difficulties,” the Emperor said to Tetsuro Teramoto of Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, who chairs an association of families of those who died on the island.

Teramoto’s father, Yasuo, who belonged to a unit of the Imperial Japanese Army, died on the island. His mother raised five children, including Teramoto, after the end of the war.

“I believe the Emperor is a warmhearted person,” said Teramoto, 80. “I can persevere from tomorrow.”

According to Nippon Izokukai, a Japanese association of families of war dead, the average age of the children of those who died in the war is estimated at about 84.

The Emperor asked Yukio Udagawa, 83, the president of the Association of Tokyo Bereaved Society, “How are the second and third generations?”

When Udagawa told the Emperor about the activities of the society’s youth group mainly comprising third-generation members who are the grandchildren of war dead, the Emperor told Udagawa, “This is important.” The Empress nodded with a serious look on her face.

Before the war, more than 1,000 people lived on the island. Most of them were forced to evacuate, and since then, they have not been able to return.
When the representative of an organization of former islanders said that they had to leave their homes and property behind, the Emperor told the representative, “You all had great difficulties.”

Prior to the conversation with them, the imperial couple visited three memorial facilities on the island on Monday afternoon.

During the war, soldiers died after suffering from hunger and thirst. The couple offered water to the water basin at Chinkon no Oka (Hill of Requiem). There is an underground bunker nearby that was used by the Japanese military. The couple stood at the entrance and heard explanations about the bunker.

At the Iwoto peace memorial park, the couple offered prayers at a cenotaph that has the names of 82 islanders inscribed on it who died after serving in roles such as hauling cargo and cooking meals for the military.
 
 

Japanese actor Hirosue Ryoko has been arrested on suspicion of injuring a nurse at a hospital.

Police say she was arrested in Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, early on Tuesday for allegedly kicking and scratching a female nurse.
They have not said whether Hirosue has admitted to the charge.

Police say the suspect rear-ended a large trailer while driving a passenger car on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Monday. She was injured and taken to the hospital.

A man claiming to be Hirosue's manager was also reportedly in her vehicle.
The Shimada General Medical Center, where Hirosue was taken, told reporters that three nurses attended to the patient when she arrived, and that it believes hospital staff behaved appropriately.

Hirosue's agency, which she heads, posted an apology on its website on Tuesday confirming her arrest.

The statement says a vehicle driven by Hirosue caused a traffic accident in Shizuoka Prefecture. It says Hirosue temporarily went into a panic at the hospital and injured a medical staff member.

The office says it apologizes deeply to the victim, all others affected and Hirosue's fans for causing great inconvenience and concern.
It says Hirosue will refrain from all entertainment activities for the time being.

Hirosue Ryoko was born in 1980. She joined the entertainment industry in 1994 and rose to fame after appearing in a TV commercial for a telecom firm.

As a singer, she released hit songs and appeared on NHK's annual year-end music program.

Hirosue played lead roles in numerous Japanese television dramas, including "Beach Boys" and "Summer Snow."

She appeared in the Japanese film "Poppoya" directed by Furuhata Yasuo and co-starred in the French film "Wasabi" produced by Luc Besson.

Hirosue also played the protagonist's wife in the 2008 Japanese work "Departures," which won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
 
 

A medical transport helicopter carrying a patient fell into the sea in southwestern Japan Sunday, leaving three of the six people aboard dead, the Japan coast guard said.

The pilot, Hiroshi Hamada, 66; Kazuto Yoshitake, a helicopter mechanic and a 28-year-old nurse, Sakura Kunitake, were rescued by the coast guard earlier in the day after they were found in the waters clinging to inflatable lifesavers near the capsized helicopter.

The three suffered hypothermia, as their body temperatures dropped abnormally, but were conscious, an official with the coast guard told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The bodies of medical doctor, Kei Arakawa, 34; Mitsuki Motoishi, 86, the patient, and her caretaker Kazuyoshi Motoishi, 68, were later recovered by a Japan Air Self-Defense Force helicopter. Their hearts had stopped, and they were later confirmed dead by a physician.

The coast guard deployed two planes and three ships to the area as part of the rescue operation.

 

The six people were aboard what the Japanese call “a doctor helicopter,” on their way to a hospital in Fukuoka from Tsushima airport in Nagasaki Prefecture, when it crashed, according to the coast guard. It left Tsushima at 1:30 p.m.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation, the coast guard said Monday.
 
 

Automatic lanes at more than 90 expressway tollgates in Tokyo and six other prefectures were shut down Sunday due to a system outage.

Central Nippon Expressway Co. said it opened the affected lanes to traffic, allowing tolls to be paid online later, as it investigates the cause and works to restore the system following a failure in the electronic toll collection control system early Sunday.

The expressway operator apologized for the disruption at a press conference in the evening, saying a system revamp that began the previous day may have caused the failure.

Five people, including two children, were taken to the hospital after a four-vehicle crash near the Toyokawa interchange on the Tomei Expressway in Aichi Prefecture, which was experiencing a traffic jam due to the system failure, police said. No fatalities were reported.

As of 5 p.m., the toll collection system was down on 16 of the 23 expressway sectors operated by the Nagoya-based company.

It was the first large-scale failure of the electronic toll collection system, known as ETC, since Japan Highway Public Corp. was privatized in 2005, the company said.

Tollgates hit with the system disruption include those in the Fuji interchange on the Tomei Expressway in Shizuoka Prefecture, as well as the Chofu interchange on the Chuo Expressway in Tokyo.


https://youtu.be/gLVnMbOc2z4
 

 

 

Japan will play a major role under defense cooperation between the governments in Tokyo and Washington under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump if a conflict occurs in Taiwan, Kenneth Weinstein, Japan chair at Hudson Institute, a U.S. think tank, said in a recent interview with Jiji Press.

"Japan's own self-interest is much more at stake in a Taiwan contingency or in a Japan contingency than the United States is," Weinstein said. "The fact that Japan recognizes that it is responsible now primarily for its own homeland defense, not the United States, is a big step," he said.

Asked about the possibility of Chinese invasion of Taiwan or remote islands in Japan, Weinstein said, "I think it's unlikely in the near future, but it's always a risk."

But he said, "I don't think that (Chinese President) Xi Jinping wants to risk the anger of Donald Trump" because the Chinese economy has not recovered completely from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump "will do all he can to make sure that he does not need to use force" to intervene in a Taiwan conflict, Weinstein said. But if China attacks Taiwan, "you can expect a very firm reaction from the United States," he said.

Weinstein said Japan's plan to introduce proactive cyber defense will open the door for the country to become a member of AUKUS, a security partnership between the United States, Britain and Australia.

It would be useful if Japan contributes components to AUKUS submarines, Weinstein said. "AUKUS would be a lot stronger if Japan were to join it as a full-fledged partner down the road."
 
 

Max Verstappen turned in a brilliant display at Suzuka to claim his fourth-consecutive Japanese Grand Prix win, a new record at the circuit.

Max Verstappen controlled the Japanese Grand Prix from the front to seal victory over the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, his fourth in a row at Suzuka - a new record.

Charles Leclerc enjoyed a comfortable and uneventful day to claim fourth, ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell.

Kimi Antonelli had a day for the history books as well, becoming the youngest-ever driver to lead an F1 race, beating Verstappen's record from 2016 by just two days. The 18-year-old also became the youngest driver to clinch the fastest lap in a grand prix.

Fellow rookie Isack Hadjar scored the first points of his career by finishing eighth, with Alex Albon continuing his ever-present top 10 streak in 2025.
All 20 drivers finished at Suzuka, something that was achieved four times last season.

 

Opening salvo

The leading trio all made a clean start in the damp conditions, as did the rest of the pack in an unusually tidy opening lap at Suzuka.

The top 12 all remained in their starting positions, whilst Yuki Tsunoda displaced the man he replaced at Red Bull, moving into P13 at Liam Lawson's expense.

The vast majority of the pack opted for new mediums Pirellis for the first phase of the race. Lewis Hamilton decided upon the white-walled hard compound from eighth.

Despite the tricky conditions, with all cars on slick tyres on a drying track, it was not until the end of lap two that anyone veered off track, when Kimi Antonelli missed the final chicane. However, the young Italian remained sixth place.

At the start of lap six, Hamilton overtook the Isack Hadjar for seventh, a driver who idolised him growing up, into the first corner to change the top 10 for the first time.

By this stage, Verstappenwas already getting towards two seconds clear of Norris in the battle up front. Piastri remained tucked up in the DRS window behind his McLaren team-mate.

Soft tyre starter Lance Stroll, who occupied the final slot on the grid, was the first driver to pit. The Aston Martin man coming in at the end of lap nine.

With the gap to Verstappen having hovered at the two-second mark for a while, Norris began to close on lap 18, shrinking the deficit to one-and-a-half seconds as engineer Will Joseph came on team radio to confirm 'pit to undercut' the Dutchman at the end of the lap.

That attempted dummy did not trick Red Bull, with the front runners continuing unchanged until Piastri stopped at the end of lap 20, to cover off George Russell, who came in the lap prior.


Mid-phase and pit stops

Verstappen and Norris stopped together at the end of the subsequent lap. The McLaren stop was a second quicker, with the pair emerging side-by-side to one another.

There was not enough space for both, and Norris ended up on the grass at pit exit. The 25-year-old was straight on the radio to complain he was pushed off.

Meanwhile, the four-time F1 drivers' champion defended himself, saying the McLaren drove onto the grass of his own accord - it was noted but not further investigated by the stewards.

By this stage, Antonelli was leading his first grand prix from Hamilton and Hadjar. Further back Alex Albon was quick to take Williams to task over his "ridiculous" late stop, unsure as to why he was kept out longer than those around him.

It had proved inconsequential, as he still led Ollie Bearman and was poised for another points finish.

Tsunoda suffered a slight off-track excursion at the final chicane, as he failed to make his way through the pack under the strain of his high-downforce set up.

At the start of lap 30, Hadjar pulled off a beautiful move on Carlos Sainz, who was yet to stop. Up front another rookie, Antonelli, continued to impress as well, holding steady before pitting at the end of lap 31. This returned the leading eight to their pre-stops order.

 

Closing stages

After the pit stop phase, Verstappen and the McLarens settled back into their previous groove. Norris continued to slowly close in on the Red Bull, as Piastri put himself into his DRS zone behind, applying a little pressure on his team-mate.

GP Lambiase confirmed over radio that the team was happy for the Dutchman to push, as he gently managed the gap behind him.

By the start of lap 41, the Australian McLaren driver, on his 24th birthday, was within half a second of Norris, but did not come close to taking the position from the Briton.

Piastri, growing impatient, pushed the Woking squad to force his team-mate into making a move on Verstappen, arguing he had the pace himself to get the 27-year-old ahead.

That appeared to be the wake-up call Norris needed, quickly breaking DRS behind and closing in on the Red Bull.

However, neither McLaren had enough in their locker to truly trouble Verstappen, with the top three - and following three - finishing the Japanese Grand Prix in the same order it was started in.
 
 

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani on Sunday pledged to strengthen the Self-Defense Forces' transport capabilities to remote southern islands through a newly launched unit dedicated to maritime logistics amid growing tensions over the Taiwan Strait.

"The unit will enable faster and more secure deployment of troops," Nakatani said at a ceremony in the western city of Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture to mark the formation of the Maritime Transportation Group, which was established on March 24 and is based in the city.

The group, placed under the direct control of the defense minister, consists of about 100 members. It aims to have 10 transport ships by March 2028, with two already built, according to the SDF.

The two ship captains are members of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, while most of the other crew members come from the Ground Self-Defense Force. The MSDF has been helping train the crews.

"It is a historically important step that we formed the new unit with the GSDF and the MSDF working on it together," Nakatani said.

The move comes as China increases pressure on Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island that Beijing views as its own and has not ruled out using force to bring under its control.

Taiwan is seen as a potential military flashpoint that could draw the United States into conflict with China, posing serious security challenges for key U.S. ally Japan due to the proximity of its far-flung islands, including the Tokyo-controlled, Beijing-claimed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

The Maritime Transportation Group is expected to transport personnel and equipment of the GSDF's Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, dubbed the Japanese Marines and based in Sasebo in the southwestern prefecture of Nagasaki, in the event of an emergency.
 
 

Prince Hisahito, the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, attended the entrance ceremony of the University of Tsukuba near Tokyo on Saturday.

The 18-year-old prince, who graduated last month from the university-affiliated Senior High School at Otsuka in the capital, will pursue his long-time interest in insects, including dragonflies, at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences.

"I am grateful for being able to learn in various academic fields," he told reporters before the ceremony. "Sometimes I feel nervous about my new life, but I want to cherish every experience."

His parents, Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, said in a statement, "We hope he has a fulfilling time at university."

Prince Hisahito will commute by car from his residence at Akasaka Estate in Tokyo for a while and later from a rented apartment near the university in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, depending on his schedule, according to the Imperial Household Agency.

The prince will celebrate his coming-of-age at a traditional imperial ceremony next September, a year after reaching adulthood at age 18.

He is expected to participate in court events as an adult member of the imperial family from then on, while prioritizing his studies during his years at the university.

While it is customary for members of the imperial family to study at Gakushuin University and its affiliate schools in Tokyo, Prince Hisahito has pursued a different path, starting at Ochanomizu University Elementary School and attending Ochanomizu University Junior High School before entering Senior High School at Otsuka, University of Tsukuba, a first for an imperial family member.

The crown prince's eldest daughter, former Princess Mako, graduated from the International Christian University in Tokyo, the first imperial family member to do so, and was followed by her younger sister Princess Kako.

The University of Tsukuba, founded in 1973, had around 10,000 undergraduates as of last May, and its recent graduates include professional footballer Kaoru Mitoma, who plays as a winger for English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.

 
 

Fuelled by social media, a global boom is outstripping production of the powdered green tea

The appearance of the vivid-green powder elicits smiles and appreciative sounds, and anticipation among dozens of tea lovers. Their hand-milled batches now ready for whisking with hot water, they will soon be rewarded for their patience.

The foreign tourists attending a matcha-making experience in Uji, near Kyoto in western Japan, are united in their love of the powdered, bitter form of green tea the Japanese have been drinking for centuries, and which is now at the centre of a global boom.

Made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and originally served, in highly stylised fashion, at formal tea ceremonies by masters of sado – the way of tea – matcha is the flavour profile of the times, the must-have ingredient in everything from lattes and chocolates to ice-cream and boiled sweets.

After the lean years of the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses in Uji, a town known for deep historical ties to the matcha trade, are cashing in.

Buoyed up by record levels of tourism to Japan, restaurants take the matcha theme to its culinary extreme: gyoza and takoyaki drizzled in matcha-infused dressing, and bowls of “stamina” ramen topped with the chlorophyll-rich green stuff.

Every cafe is packed on an overcast, drizzly afternoon, as are the family-run shops doing a roaring trade in packets of locally produced tea, colourfully decorated containers and matcha-themed confectionery.

At Chazuna, a park and museum devoted to the town’s tea culture, matcha workshops are fully booked for the next fortnight. Of the 60 people a day who come to make, and then drink, their own tea, about 90% are from overseas.

“We opened in 2021 and for the first two years we didn’t have many visitors,” says Chazuna’s director, Naoto Sakayori. “Then everything changed in March last year and, since August, interest has rocketed.

It’s all about matcha, matcha. People think that if they come to Kyoto on holiday, then they absolutely have to come here for a matcha experience. And then everyone posts their photos and videos online.”

Stephen Blackburn, a tourist from New York, was among the first to ride the matcha wave. “I have more or less stopped drinking coffee and now just drink matcha,” says Blackburn, a former barista who started drinking the Japanese pick-me-up eight years ago.

“I like the taste and the way it makes me feel. It’s not like coffee. It doesn’t leave me agitated … it makes me more focused.”

But some visitors to Uji are still not convinced. “To be honest, we don’t really like matcha,” says Henrik Hantel, who is honeymooning in Japan with his wife, Tessa.

“We tried it in Germany several times and disliked it, but we thought Japanese matcha might be different … and it’s everywhere here, so we don’t have much choice but to try it in its traditional home. We’re going to give it one more go and hope we won’t be disappointed again.”

However, the global appetite for all things matcha is a double-edged sword. Reports of a shortage emerged last autumn, prompting tea companies in Kyoto to impose unprecedented purchase limits on the powder, which has been consumed in Japan since the 12th century after it was introduced by Buddhist monks from China.

Soaring demand in Europe, the US and Australia has prompted warnings of further shortages this year. While consumption of leaf green tea and matcha is declining in Japan, the rest of the world can’t get enough, with the global market in matcha alone expected to surge from $2.8bn [£2.2bn] in 2023 to about $5bn by 2028.

According to the agriculture ministry, Japan produced 4,176 tonnes of matcha in 2023, almost three times the quantity in 2010. Keen to exploit the growing commercial potential, Japan’s government is reportedly planning subsidies to encourage growers to move away from traditional leaf tea, or sencha, and produce more tencha – tea for grinding – the type of leaf that produces matcha.

Official campaigns to spread the word about matcha have been wildly successful. The tea promotion account on Instagram, run by the Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Centre, has almost 50,000 followers.

This year’s tea harvest, which will start this month, will replenish the matcha supply, but relief will be temporary. Overseas consumption “reached a record high last year”, Fumi Ueki, chief of the Leaf Brand Group, a department of Ito En, one of Japan’s largest tea companies, told the Japan Times.

Inevitably, social media has been a driver of interest. Matcha content is hard to avoid on TikTok, with users pointing to evidence of the health benefits of regular consumption of antioxidant-rich green tea, whose caffeine levels are slightly lower than those in coffee.

While he has been taken aback by the levels of interest in matcha – Chazuna will soon host large groups of British visitors – Sakayori appreciates its aesthetic, even spiritual, appeal.

“It’s not like drinking coffee or English tea,” he says. “It’s about more than the taste… drinking matcha is an experience.”

The march of the brilliant-green powder continues, winning unlikely converts along the way, including Henrik and Tessa Hantel. “We decided to try matcha along with a dessert and, to be honest, it was the best experience we’ve had so far,” they wrote in an email after speaking to the Observer.

“I still don’t think we’ll order it back in Germany but it was a happy way to end our matcha experience in Japan.”
 
 
 

A survey published Thursday by a Singaporean state-owned think tank said Japan remains the most trusted major power among respondents in Southeast Asia due to the country's "respectful and cooperative approach to regional engagement," with trust rising over the past year.

The European Union ranked second at 51.9 percent, followed by the United States at 47.2 and China at 36.6, according to the survey by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

Japan "has maintained its position as the most trusted major power" in the region, with a trust level of 66.8 percent, up from 58.9 a year ago, according to the survey conducted from Jan. 3 to Feb. 15.

Trust in Japan remained high despite its political shift as the administration of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba came into office in October last year, which "has raised expectations of a potential foreign policy recalibration from Tokyo," the survey said.

Trust in China rose to 36.6 percent from 24.8 a year earlier. "China's rising trust owes much to its strong economic influence," the report said.

However, the survey said China continues to raise concerns in Southeast Asia, with 41.2 percent of respondents expressing distrust toward the Asian superpower and nearly half fearing it could use its economic and military power to threaten the interests and sovereignty of their countries.

This compares with 33 percent expressing distrust toward the United States and 16.5 percent toward Japan.

The survey also showed that regional expectations for U.S. political engagement with Southeast Asia increased under President Donald Trump's second administration.

The United States has also overtaken China as the strategic partner to align with if the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were forced to choose between the two rivals.

The survey involved about 2,000 respondents in the fields of academia, business and journalism, as well as government and civil society.

The respondents were from the 10 members of ASEAN -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- plus East Timor, which awaits formal admission to the grouping.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Friday that the importance of bilateral cooperation with South Korea will not change, after President Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted by the country's Constitutional Court over his short-lived declaration of martial law.

Ishiba told a parliamentary committee that the two nations working side by side is crucial for regional peace and security, noting that it is one of his government's priorities to coordinate more closely with South Korea as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of their relationship.

Long chilled over issues related to their wartime past and territorial disputes, relations between Japan and South Korea had been thawing in the years since Yoon became president in 2022.

Trilateral cooperation that includes the two nations' common ally, the United States, has also taken on greater urgency in the face of North Korea's nuclear and missile development and China's assertiveness in the region.

"Bilateral cooperation between Japan and South Korea will be extremely important for regional peace and stability under whoever is president," Ishiba told a session of a House of Representatives committee.

An election must be held in South Korea to select a successor to Yoon within 60 days. The South Korean court on Friday upheld a parliamentary impeachment motion, in a unanimous decision by its judges.

Ishiba refrained from commenting on the election, saying it is up to the people of South Korea to decide who the next leader should be.
 
 

Tokyo has also sent a 32-member Japan Disaster Relief Medical Team to Yangon to aid humanitarian efforts

Japan will provide US$6 million in emergency aid to assist victims of the recent earthquake in Myanmar, its government said.

The details of the aid will be coordinated with relevant international organizations as soon as possible, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said April 2, citing the “enormous humanitarian needs on the ground.”

Additionally, Japan dispatched a 32-member Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) Medical Team to Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, on April 2.

The team, which includes doctors and nurses, is the first of its kind sent by the Japanese government and will provide medical assistance for two weeks.

The foreign ministry said Japan will also supply emergency relief goods, including sanitary items, water, and water purifiers, through the United Nations and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

A five-member assessment team, including JICA staff and medical personnel, was sent to Myanmar on March 31 to evaluate needs, monitor security conditions, and coordinate the JDR team’s deployment.

On March 30, Japan delivered 240 waterproof sheets and 450 tents funded by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund through the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN.

“The government of Japan continues to provide as much humanitarian assistance as possible in a manner that directly benefits the people of Myanmar who are in need,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Japanese government said it remains committed to supporting the people of Myanmar and is prepared to offer further assistance.

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, causing widespread devastation, including loss of life and significant structural damage. Tremors were felt as far as Thailand and China.

As of April 3, Myanmar had reported 3,085 deaths, 4,515 injuries, and approximately 351 people missing. Officials expect the toll to rise as search operations continue.

Two Japanese nationals were confirmed injured in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city near the epicenter, and another in Bangkok, Thailand.
One Japanese national remains unaccounted for in Mandalay, according to the Japanese government.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi called for prayers in Tokyo diocese, highlighting the strong ties between the Church in Mandalay and Tokyo.

“The Church in Mandalay, Myanmar, is a sister church of Tokyo diocese, and has been providing various forms of support together with Cologne diocese for many years,” he wrote in a March 29 online diary entry.

“We have received information from the Mandalay Diocese that the recent earthquake has caused great damage, including to churches, and that the church has begun relief efforts,” he said.

He noted that while many people have offered immediate donations, the diocese will determine the best approach and provide updates on its website.
Caritas Japan, the Catholic aid organization, announced on its website April 3 that it has begun accepting donations for Myanmar earthquake relief.

“There is a shortage of basic necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter, and the situation remains serious,” the organization said.

“In light of the damage caused by this earthquake, Caritas Japan has decided to accept Myanmar Earthquake Relief Donations. Donations will be used for relief efforts in the affected areas,” it added.
 
 

The Japanese government has warned of catastrophic economic damage and nearly 300,000 deaths when the next "megaquake" hits the archipelagic nation, according to a new estimation released on Monday.


Why It Matters

Japan lies along the circum-Pacific seismic belt, better known as the "Ring of Fire," located along the outer edges of the Pacific Ocean, where about 81 percent of the largest earthquakes in the world occur, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Quake-prone Japan's four main islands and its outlying islands sit on five major and minor tectonic plates on the Earth's crust—Amur, Okhotsk, Pacific, Philippine Sea, and Okinawa—which are slowly moving, and earthquakes are concentrated along their boundaries.

On March 11, 2011, the 9.0-magnitude Great East Japan Earthquake struck the country, making it the largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan. The unprecedented disaster triggered a tsunami and caused a nuclear accident, killing at least 19,729 people.


What To Know

In the latest report prepared by a Japanese government earthquake task force, it was estimated that up to 298,000 people could be killed in a Nankai Trough megaquake with a magnitude of 8-9. The casualties would include 215,000 deaths caused by tsunami waves, the report said.

The Nankai Trough is an oceanic trench located off the southern coastline of the Japanese mainland. It is located at the triple boundary between the Amur, Okhotsk and Philippine Sea plates. The 2011 earthquake occurred in the nearby Japan Trench.

A Nankai Trough earthquake has struck Japan every 100 to 150 years—and experts have long feared that another could hit there in the near future. The last confirmed temblors linked to the trough were recorded in 1944 and 1946, hitting the country's central to southwestern region.

At nearly 300,000, Tokyo's current estimate of the potential loss of life is down by 10 percent from the previous report released in 2012, while projected economic losses rose to $1.8 trillion from $1.4 trillion.

There is a 70-80 percent chance of a megaquake occurring within 30 years, the Japanese government estimated. In a worst-case scenario, some regions could experience the highest level of 7 on Japan's seismic intensity scale, as well as tsunami waves rising over 98 feet, according to official estimates.

The highest level of Japan's seven-number scale will make it impossible for people to remain standing, while buildings that have low resistance to earthquakes will collapse, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The release of the Japanese megaquake report comes after a magnitude-7.7 earthquake hit Myanmar on Friday, causing tens of thousands of deaths, according to U.S. estimates.

A series of earthquakes occurring in 24 hours in Asia last week also revived discussions about the Japanese comic book The Future I Saw, a recording of the cartoonist author's dreams published in 1999. The manga was later called a "prophecy" after readers discovered that it apparently had predicted the 2011 earthquake.

Debate rose again over the book's complete edition, in which the cartoonist dreams of a catastrophe in July 2025. In the comic, the disaster leaves one-third of Japan's territory submerged following an "eruption" of the seabed between Japan and the Philippines, causing a giant tsunami three times as large as the one that struck in 2011.

Ten of 15 prophecies mentioned in the comic are interpreted to have come true, according to Taiwanese magazine Global Views Monthly. Among them appeared to be the COVID-19 pandemic.


What People Are Saying

Nobuo Fukuwa, professor emeritus at Nagoya University and a member of the government's earthquake task force: "Unless damages are reduced, there are concerns about the nation's future. We want [the government] to take countermeasures more seriously."

U.S. Geological Survey, in the frequently asked questions about natural hazards: "[Japan] is in a very active seismic area, and they have the densest seismic network in the world, so they are able to record many earthquakes."

The Hong Kong Observatory in a recent update: "Globally, statistical data indicates that approximately 20 earthquakes of magnitude 7 or above occur each year, but the exact timing, location, and magnitude of these events remain unpredictable."


What Happens Next

Japan's Kyodo News said that the Japanese government will revise the "disaster prevention plan" to designate additional priority regions based on the expanded flood risk zones, as the report highlighted the importance of swift evacuation in the event of a tsunami.
 
 

Japan sees about an 80 per cent chance of a magnitude 8 to 9 earthquake along a seabed zone known as the Nankai Trough.

Japan's economy could lose as much as US$1.81 trillion in the event of a long-anticipated megaquake off its Pacific coast, which could trigger devastating tsunamis, the collapse of hundreds of buildings and potentially killing about 300,000 people, a government report said on Monday (Mar 31).

The expected economic damage of 270.3 trillion yen, or nearly half of the country's total gross domestic product (GDP), was up sharply from the previous estimate of 214.2 trillion yen as the new estimate accounted for inflationary pressures and updated terrain and ground data which have expanded anticipated flood areas, the Cabinet Office report showed.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, and the government sees about an 80 per cent chance of a magnitude 8 to 9 earthquake along a tremulous seabed zone known as the Nankai Trough.

Under the worst-case scenario, based on a potential magnitude 9 earthquake in the area, Japan is likely to see 1.23 million evacuees or 1 per cent of its total population.

As many as 298,000 people could die from tsunamis and building collapses if the quake occurs late at night in winter, the report showed.

The trough is off Japan's southwest Pacific coast and runs for approximately 900km, where the Philippine Sea Plate is subducting under the Eurasian Plate. The accumulating tectonic strains could result in a megaquake roughly once in 100 to 150 years.

Last year, Japan issued its first-ever megaquake advisory that there was a "relatively higher chance" of a quake as powerful as magnitude 9 in the trough, after a magnitude-7.1 quake occurred at the edge of the trough.

A magnitude 9 quake in 2011 that triggered a devastating tsunami and the triple reactor meltdowns at a nuclear power plant in northeast Japan killed more than 15,000 people.
 
 

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.