Meta Platforms has started running advertisements on its social network Threads in the US and Japan.

A select group of brands will display these ads, as announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri on Jan. 24.

This marks Meta’s first step toward monetizing Threads, which was launched in 2023 to compete with Elon Musk’s X.

Mosseri said the company will assess the effectiveness of this test before expanding ads to other regions.

The focus is to make the ads feel as engaging as the platform’s organic content.

As of December 2024, Threads reported 300 million monthly users and over 100 million daily active users, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
 
 

Japanese medical institutions are having difficulty obtaining supplies of rubella vaccines. Some have temporarily been unable to provide vaccinations.

The Tokyo Medical Association conducted a survey of about 1,000 medical institutions in October. More than 60 percent reported a "severe shortage" or "shortage" of the vaccines.

Rubella is an infectious disease that can cause high fever, rashes and other symptoms. If a pregnant woman contracts rubella, her baby is at risk of developing eye and hearing problems and the heart and other organs could be damaged.

Currently, measles-rubella combination vaccines are regularly administered to children aged one and those between five and six.

Japan's health ministry says three domestic pharmaceutical companies produce those vaccines.

But one of them announced a voluntary recall of its vaccine in January 2024, saying some products had failed to meet efficacy standards. The maker has suspended shipments since November.

The health ministry has been asking the other two pharmaceutical firms to expedite vaccine shipments. It says supply levels are expected to start recovering from February and to eventually reach volumes comparable to average years.
 
 

Japan will provide Indonesia with an additional 83.4 billion yen ($530 million) in low-interest loans for an ongoing project to build a new international seaport east of Jakarta.

The loans are for the development of Patimban Port in Subang Regency in Indonesia's West Java Province and it is hoped the port, set to be completed in 2028, will boost the fast-growing Southeast Asian country's exporting capacity amid surging demand for shipments, Japan's Foreign Ministry said.

The loan deal, signed in Jakarta, came a day before a summit meeting on Jan. 11 between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, where they agreed to deepen collaboration in fields such as security, economy and human resource development.

Located about 120 kilometers east of Jakarta, the planned container and car terminal port is expected to disperse the traffic flow and ease heavy congestion on roads to the existing Tanjung Priok Port, a major export base situated in the capital city's north, the ministry said.

The planned port aims to "reinforce the capital area's logistics functions, and therefore contribute to further economic growth in Indonesia by improving its investment environment," the Japanese ministry said in a recent press release.

The new port's location is strategic for many Japanese manufacturers with production bases in the eastern part of Jakarta that have struggled due to bad access to the Tanjung Priok Port, the ministry said.

Japan has already extended loans of about 190 billion yen since 2017 for the building of Patimban Port, where construction began in 2018, according to the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The port started operating partially in December 2020.
 
 

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday pledged to build a cross-party consensus through parliamentary debate as his minority government seeks to ensure sustained pay hikes and regional revitalization as his priority goals.

At the opening of a 150-day Diet session, Ishiba said he wants to transform Japan into a more "sustainable" and "independent" nation, while underscoring the need to monitor the changing global balance of power in an increasingly severe security environment.

Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner Komeito no longer control the powerful House of Representatives and the parliamentary session will test the ruling bloc's seriousness in heeding demands from opposition parties after an election defeat last year.

"Both the ruling and opposition parties must engage in deliberations thoroughly and strive to make sure that the people understand and stand with us," he said in his policy speech.

Among the challenges awaiting Ishiba are supporting inflation-hit households, elevating the security alliance with the United States undernew President Donald Trump and managing relations with China.

Ishiba, who became prime minister last October, also needs to regain voter confidence in his party ahead of an election this summer for the House of Councillors, the upper house, following a slush funds scandal involving ruling party heavyweights.

"The utmost priority goes to ensuring wage hikes under our economic policy to value human capital. Pay hikes are the linchpin of our growth strategy," Ishiba told fellow lawmakers in parliament.

Under his five-pillar plan to ease urban overconcentration and rejuvenate other areas, he vowed to encourage the regional transfer of offices by the government and head office functions by firms and submit legislation to address the income gap between men and women.

The government plans to submit around 60 bills to parliament during the session that runs through June 22, including one to raise the income threshold for tax payments as demanded by the Democratic Party for the People in one of the first examples of cross-party coordination.

In an apparent attempt to maintain the upward momentum for wages at this year's annual negotiations between management and labor unions, the prime minister also vowed "unceasing" efforts to achieve the goal of raising the average minimum wage to 1,500 yen an hour by the end of the 2020s, from the current around 1,000 yen.

A record 115.54 trillion yen budget for the next fiscal year from April that is pending Diet approval is partly aimed at helping cushion households from the protracted effects of the rising prices of everyday goods.

On the diplomatic front, Ishiba made the case for "multilayered networks" of allies and partners, including Australia, India, South Korea and the Philippines, while avoiding making explicit reference to his long-held vision for a NATO-like alliance in Asia.

"We must deepen cooperation with the United States in a more specific way and continue to ensure its commitment to the region," Ishiba said.

The premier, who is expected to hold his first in-person meeting with Trump in February, said it is critical for such like-minded nations to take the lead in achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Ishiba's first diplomatic event of the year was a trip to Indonesia and Malaysia, a sign of Japan's increased focus on fostering cooperation with Southeast Asian nations in ensuring a rules-based order in the region, where China's assertive behavior is a concern.

Experts in diplomacy expect Trump's hardline stance on China to prompt Beijing to warm to Japan, though Sino-Japan relations remain fraught with difficulties.

The Asian neighbors should maintain communication and pursue a "constructive and stable" relationship that is mutually beneficial, Ishiba said. "We will say what needs to be said about outstanding challenges and differing views but will also cooperate wherever possible."

Public support for Ishiba's Cabinet remains low after some ruling party heavyweights were found in late 2023 to have not properly reported income from fundraising parties. The scandal widened to include party members in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly.

The ruling and opposition parties are yet to agree on how to handle donations from businesses and other entities. The LDP is opposed to imposing an outright ban, proposed by opposition parties.

Ishiba, who heads the conservative LDP, made no mention of whether to allow the use of different surnames by married couples, an issue that the largest opposition group, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, sees as a top priority.

The ruling party is cautious about making such a change, for fear of undermining traditional family values.
 

 

The average price of new condominiums released last year in central Tokyo topped 100 million yen ($639,000) for the second year in a row, as costs for building materials remained high, according to the latest real estate research firm data.

But the price was slightly lower than the previous year, falling by 2.6 percent to 111.81 million yen per unit in the capital's 23 wards, the Real Estate Economic Institute said.

By area, the average price of new condos rose 8.9 percent to 58.9 million yen in Tokyo outside its 23 wards, 13.8 percent to 55.4 million yen in Saitama Prefecture, 18.9 percent to 56.9 million yen in Chiba Prefecture, and 6.0 percent to 64.3 million yen in Kanagawa Prefecture.

However, the drop in prices in the 23 wards saw the average price decline 3.5 percent to 78.2 million yen in the greater Tokyo.

"There were no new super-high-end properties actively sought out by wealthy buyers, but rising costs pushed up the overall prices," said an official of the research firm.

The number of new condominiums put on sale last year in the capital and the surrounding three prefectures dropped 14.4 percent from the year before to 23,003 units, hitting the lowest level since records began in 1973, the institute said.

The figure declined by about 30 percent in the 23 wards amid the introduction of caps on overtime work hour in the construction industry, which has led to extensions of construction periods.

While prices for the 23 wards are expected to climb again this year to exceed those of 2023 due to large-scale luxury properties scheduled to go on sale, the impact of rising living costs is expected to drag down prices in Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama prefectures, the institute said.

Around 26,000 units are expected to be released this year in central Tokyo, returning to 2023 levels, it said.

Average new condo prices in central Tokyo exceeded 100 million yen per unit for the first time in 2023.
 
 

Miho Takagi won her 34th speed skating World Cup gold medal Friday, tying Hiroyasu Shimizu and Nao Kodaira for the most by a Japanese.

The 30-year-old won the women's 1,000 meters at Calgary Olympic Oval after the Beijing Olympics 1,000 gold medalist clocked 1 minute, 13.10 seconds.

Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands was 0.36 behind in second and Han Mei of China was a further 0.12 back in third.

"I'm genuinely proud to be able to reach this record at my age," Takagi said. "But there are areas I'm not doing well. This is not my goal."
 

 

A man stabbed three people at a train station in central Japan on Wednesday (Jan 22) before fleeing the scene, leaving one person dead, local media reported.

The attack occurred around 8pm, local time, outside the JR Nagano Station, the Kyodo and Jiji news agencies said, with police searching for the assailant.

The three victims were waiting at a bus stop and were apparently targeted at random, Kyodo reported, citing an investigative source.

It said the man who died was aged 49, while another male victim in his 30s sustained serious injuries. The third injured person was a woman in her 30s.

One victim told investigators the suspect appeared to be in his 40s and escaped to the south in the city's downtown area, Kyodo news reported, citing the police.

He was of slim build, between 165cm and 175cm tall, and wore glasses as well as something like a white cloth over his head, police said.

Nagano, the capital of Nagano Prefecture, lies some 225km west of Tokyo and is a popular Japanese destination for winter sports.
 
 

The number of births in Japan in 2024 is set to fall below 700,000 for the first time after government data showed Friday that the figure for the first 11 months of the year dropped 5.1 percent to 661,577.

The figure underscores a trend in Japan where more people are choosing not to marry or delaying marriage, partly due to concerns about child-rearing amid rising living costs. The lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are also thought to have had an impact.

The preliminary data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for births from January to November includes foreigners. However, the full-year figure is expected to exclude babies born to foreign nationals.

The number of births in the country has been on a downward trend, dropping to below 900,000 in 2019 and below 800,000 in 2022.

The figure fell in 2023 to 727,277, a record low since comparable data became available in 1899.

A fall of 3.8 percent from 2023 will bring the figure below 700,000. The decline between January and August 2024 from a year earlier was 5.9 percent.

The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research estimated the figure for 2024 to be 755,000 and had projected births to drop below 700,000 by 2038.

Japan faces labor shortages that threaten the sustainability of social security systems, such as health care and pensions.

The government aims to raise the birthrate through measures such as expanding child care allowances and offering benefits for parental leave, viewing the period until the early 2030s as the "last chance" to address the birthrate crisis.
 
 

Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested a 45-year-old man on Friday on suspicion of mutilating and abandoning the remains of his girlfriend, whose bones were discovered on a beach on Izu Oshima last October.

Sotatsu Yanase, who runs a tatami shop on the island, admitted to the allegations.

The victim was identified as Shizuka Takase, a 37-year-old restaurant worker from Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The couple had a history of fighting, mainly about issues related to his relationships with other women.

Authorities believe Yanase is aware of the circumstances surrounding her death and are investigating further.

Investigators suspect that between Sep. 9 and Oct. 23 of last year, Yanase mutilated Takase’s body and abandoned it at Sanohama Beach.

Takase had worked at a snack bar on the island since around 2019. She met Yanase, a customer, in 2020, and the two began dating. She later moved in with him but left the island in September 2023 following an argument.

On Sept. 9 last year, Takase took a ferry from the city of Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, to return to Izu Oshima and is believed to have visited Yanase’s home.

She was scheduled to leave the island on Sept. 12 and meet friends for a trip to Okinawa, but she never showed up, and her whereabouts remained unknown.

On Oct. 23 at around 3:45 p.m., a man in his 70s discovered skeletal remains while cleaning Sanohama Beach and reported them to the police.

Six bones, including a sacrum and femurs, were found in a state of advanced decomposition, with signs of burning and cutting. A DNA test confirmed on Jan. 14 that the remains belonged to Takase.

Takase had lived a nomadic lifestyle, working at resorts across Japan. Her belongings were still left behind in her most recent residence in Shimoda when she went missing.
 
 

 

Japanese TV host Masahiro Nakai, who was a member of the former pop group SMAP, said Thursday he has retired from show business following alleged sexual misconduct that led broadcasters to suspend programs featuring him.

"As of today, I will retire from entertainment activities," Nakai, 52, said on his fan club website, sending shockwaves to his admirers across Japan and other parts of Asia.

"I am sorry for the inconvenience and losses I have caused to so many people," he also said.

The development comes as Japan's entertainment industry continues to be hit by revelations of sex-related scandals, including multiple accusations of abuse by the founder of the male talent agency formerly known as Johnny & Associates Inc. that pushed SMAP and other groups to stardom.

Nakai's scandal also spilled over to Fuji Television Network Inc. for its alleged involvement in the matter and the lack of transparency in its explanation, with many major Japanese companies pulling ads from the Tokyo-based broadcaster, including its affiliated stations, in a rare move.
 

 

According to the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine, what was planned as a meal in June 2023 with employees of Fuji TV ended up with only Nakai and a woman present, leading to nonconsensual sexual activity and a 90 million yen ($575,000) out-of-court settlement.

Without specifically mentioning what happened, Nakai said in his message to his fans that he takes "full responsibility" and offered apologies to the woman.

He said talks on suspending TV programs and the cancellation of contracts with TV networks and sponsors had "all ended," leading to his announcement on Thursday.

"I will continue to deal with various issues sincerely and in good faith," he said. "I am really, really sorry for parting with you (fans) in this way."

A representative for Nakai declined to comment to Kyodo News about the details, saying, "What has been reported by weekly magazines has already been resolved and there is a nondisclosure agreement between the parties."

Nakai gained popularity as the leader of SMAP, a Japanese male idol group that performed for nearly three decades until it disbanded in 2016. SMAP, an acronym for Sports Music Assemble People, was also popular across Asia.

Nakai left Johnny's in 2020, before the talent agency came under fire over multiple claims of sexual abuse against aspiring teen pop singers by its founder Johnny Kitagawa that continued for decades before his death in 2019.

He continued to regularly appear on TV programs as a host before his own sexual misconduct allegation surfaced late last year.

In a joint statement, three other former SMAP members said they were "lost for words."

"We have not yet sorted out our feelings as it happened so suddenly," said Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori.

A 57-year-old fan living in Nakai's hometown of Fujisawa in Kanagawa Prefecture said she was "shocked" and that she wanted to know "the exact facts (on the scandal) because I see various information."

A 22-year-old company worker in Osaka Prefecture said he feels that the scandal, which reportedly involved TV company employees, may not be the only case and that he has grown suspicious about the entertainment business and TV industry.

Some Chinese fans were saddened by the abrupt exit of Nakai, saying through Weibo -- China's equivalent of the social media platform X -- that the path "of seeing the revival of SMAP has been permanently closed."

"What should fans do as he leaves show biz being accused by many people," one post showed.

In Japan, questions arose over Nakai's response to the scandal.
"How he sought to take responsibility all by himself is typical of Mr. Masahiro Nakai, but it leaves fans who wanted to support him bitterly disappointed," script writer Mihoko Yamada said.

Nakai should have held a press conference to offer his own account while making sure that the victim will not have to suffer further from the move, she said.

Fuji TV, meanwhile, said Thursday it will establish a third-party committee to look into the allegation and hold a press conference on Monday to explain the company's response.

The upcoming event is effectively seen as a redo after one last week garnered criticism for limiting the number of participants and banning filming.

"The case is sowing suspicion on commercial broadcasters as a whole," said Ryunosuke Endo, the head of Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association and also vice chairman of Fuji TV.

With TV companies and the public becoming more sensitive to sexual assaults and other types of harassment in Japan, another well-known TV personality Hitoshi Matsumoto went into hiatus in January 2024 after Shukan Bunshun reported that he allegedly forced several women into sexual activities in 2015.

Matsumoto, one half of popular comedy duo "Downtown," filed a lawsuit against the magazine's publisher over defamation but later dropped the suit.
 
 

About 10,000 old Japanese daruma dolls were ritually burned during a memorial service for the good-luck talisman figures, which represent the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma, in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, on Wednesday.

The service was conducted by the prefecture’s Gunma Daruma Doll Manufacturers’ Cooperative Union. The manufacturers collected the dolls from Takasaki residents during the Takasaki Darumaichi market, held there on Jan. 1 and 2.

During the ritual, the dolls were burned as priests chanted sutras, and members of the cooperative union prayed for prosperity in business and world peace.

Furthermore, JR Shinetsu Line will have a new station in the city, which has been named Toyooka Daruma Station. The station will open in fiscal 2026.

“Sales of daruma dolls are growing higher and higher every year,” said Masahiro Yoshida, the chairperson of the cooperative union. “I hope people will continue to live with these dolls for a long time.”
 

 

Japanese Emperor Naruhito, in a poem recited at the annual New Year's Poetry Reading on Wednesday, expressed how he was heartened to see children talk about their dreams for the future during official visits across Japan.

The emperor and Empress Masako visited Ishikawa Prefecture three times to comfort victims of the major earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula on New Year's Day last year. The couple also made official trips to Okayama, Saga, Gifu and Oita prefectures.

The ceremony at the Imperial Palace was also attended for the first time by the emperor's daughter, Princess Aiko, who started working at the Japanese Red Cross Society last spring.

Among other attendees were the empress, Crown Prince Fumihito, his wife Princess Kiko and members of the general public whose poems were selected.

The theme of this year's poems at the reading was "yume," which means "dream."

The official translation of the poem written by the emperor and provided by the Imperial Household Agency reads as follows:

The children I met on my journeys

Talked with sparkling eyes

Of their dreams for the future

Empress Masako's poem reminisced about her time as a student at Britain's University of Oxford, which she visited last June for the first time in 34 years, along with the emperor, who also studied at the university.

Some thirty years after my departure

I visit with His Majesty

Our Alma Mater in Britain

And I recall the youthful dreams

I dreamt then

Princess Aiko used her poem to convey how she felt upon graduating from Gakushuin University last year.

Until the day we meet again

My friends and I will

Each follow our dreams

Compositions by imperial family members and 10 pieces chosen from among 16,250 entries submitted by the public were read in the traditional style at the reading.

Waka poetry was developed by the court aristocracy in ancient Japan. A "tanka" poem, the most common form of waka, consists of 31 syllables in a pattern of 5-7-5-7-7.
 
 

Cargo weighing 400 to 450 kilograms dropped from a U.S. military Osprey aircraft was blown off course and ended up in waters near a small island in Okinawa in southern Japan, a prefectural government official said Tuesday.

The MV-22 transport plane was trying to drop the cargo onto an airfield in Ie Island during a drill on Thursday, but the 1.3-square-meter container was blown off course by an unexpected shift of wind, the official said, citing an explanation from the Defense Ministry's local bureau.

U.S. forces searched the surrounding waters but the container has not been found.

The MV-22 is the variant of the tilt-rotor aircraft used by the Marine Corps.
In Tokyo, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told a press conference that the incident is "truly regrettable," saying that the government has urged the U.S. side to ensure safety and take preventive measures.

Okinawa Gov Denny Tamaki told a separate news conference that it was "just one step away from a serious accident and provokes concerns among residents," urging the U.S. military to investigate the cause.
 
 

Staff had noticed that the sunfish was showing signs of distress after the aquarium was closed for refurbishment

Do fish get lonely? Apparently so, according to staff at an aquarium in Japan, who have provided cut-out human companions for a solitary sunfish they noticed had started to look unwell.

The fish had started to look out of sorts soon after the aquarium, in the western city of Shimonoseki, closed for refurbishment in December.

The animal, which weighed almost 28kg when it was brought to Kaikyokan almost a year ago, suddenly stopped eating jellyfish and started rubbing its body against the side of the tank.

Aquarium staff feared the sunfish, which had been caught in Japanese coastal waters, was suffering from parasites or digestive problems. One, however, suggested it might be struggling to adapt to the absence of visitors as well as the noise and vibrations made by the construction work.

Their colleagues were sceptical, but the theory proved correct. A day after staff taped large photos of human faces attached to a row of uniforms on the side of the tank, the fish regained its appetite and looked generally more content, according to the Mainichi Shimbun.

“It may have become lonely due to the sudden absence of visitors, which could have contributed to its health issues,” an aquarium expert told the newspaper.

The sunfish had become one of the most popular attractions at the aquarium thanks to its friendly nature. “It’s curious and would swim up to visitors when they approached the tank,” Mai Kato, a member of staff, told the Mainichi.

A post about the sunfish on the aquarium’s X account has attracted more than 12.6m views and comments encouraging the fish to stay healthy. A photo on the facility’s Instagram page has also drawn positive comments.

Most Japanese encounter sunfish, known for their big eyes, awkward-looking shape and distinctive fins, in captivity, but they are still eaten as bycatch in some regions along the Pacific coast, according to the agriculture ministry, which describes them as “chewy and with a texture similar to white fish or chicken breast”.

Kato said she hoped the fish would resume its special relationship with visitors when the aquarium reopens in the summer. “I hope many people take interest in the sunfish, and when the renovation work is finished, I’d like visitors to wave to it in front of the tank,” she said.

It is not the first time an aquarium in Japan has taken unusual steps to ensure its animals have human company.

In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, staff at Sumida Aquarium in Tokyo said its population of “frightened” garden eels were disappearing beneath the sand with increasing regularity after apparently forgetting what humans looked like.

The aquarium said pandemic-enforced closures had denied the eels regular contact with visitors and made them anxious whenever a member of staff passed their tank. In response, it set up tablets facing the tank and asked users to make calming video calls to the eels on the FaceTime app.

“Here is an urgent request,” the aquarium wrote. “Could you show your face to our garden eels from your home?” it said.
 
 

A trio of Japanese organizations plans to fully begin a project in April to analyze seawater temperatures and other data collected by young fishers to study the impact of environmental changes on marine life.

The plan was announced Monday by the Nippon Foundation, the University of Tokyo's Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute and the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations, or Zengyoren.

The changes in the marine environment have led to such anomalies as record-breaking poor fish catches and changes in the periods and regions in which fish can be caught.

"We will analyze data collected from fishers, aiming to produce results that will contribute to better understanding what's happening under the sea and coming up with future measures," said Susumu Hyodo, director of the research institute.

According to Zengyoren, Japanese catches of major fish species such as salmon and saury have been slumping since around 2010.
 
 

Under the new strategy, Japan plans to allow hackers working for the police or Self-Defence Forces (SDF) to infiltrate servers to neutralise the source of cyber attacks.

Japan aims to take a more proactive approach to cyber defence by allowing hackers working for the authorities to “attack” pre-emptively to prevent or stop sabotage attempts.

Under a new strategy of “active cyber defence”, Japan plans to allow hackers working for the police or Self-Defence Forces (SDF) to infiltrate servers to neutralise the source of cyber attacks.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will table the relevant Bills when Japan’s parliamentary session begins on Jan 24.
The urgency to ramp up cyber security has never been more acute in Japan.

On Jan 8, the National Police Agency (NPA) said some 200 cyber attacks that targeted entities such as Japan’s foreign and defence ministries and the semiconductor industry between 2019 and 2024 were carried out by Chinese state-linked hacking group MirrorFace.

One day later, internet security firm Trend Micro said its investigations found that at least 46 Japanese entities came under cyber attack in the two weeks since Dec 26, temporarily disrupting banking services and even causing delays to Japan Airlines (JAL) flights.

Former defence minister Itsunori Onodera, now the chairman of LDP’s policy research council, said on Jan 16 that it is critical to quickly establish laws, given the recent spate of attacks.

He said: “With cyber attacks against critical infrastructure occurring one after another, the lives of Japanese people are at risk if we do not improve our cyber-security capabilities as soon as possible.”

The need for stronger cyber security was spelt out in Japan’s revised National Security Strategy document in 2022, which said cross-border hacks of critical civilian infrastructure amounted to a grey-zone situation designed to intimidate while stopping just short of a conventional war.

“Cyber attacks have been used constantly to disable or destroy critical infrastructures, interfere in foreign elections, demand ransoms and steal sensitive information, even in the form of state-sponsored cyber attacks,” the document said.

Domestic and foreign observers have long pointed to Japan’s cyber vulnerabilities, including a chronic shortage of highly skilled personnel, while private companies have generally been slow to upgrade systems to weed out weaknesses or program bugs.

It is now playing catch-up, including by raising awareness and drastically ramping up recruitment. The Ministry of Defence has sharply grown the SDF’s cyber unit from 620 people in March 2024 to about 2,400 currently. It aims to further expand its ranks to 4,000 people in the year ending March 2028.

This brings it roughly on a par with Western countries, with Japan’s Defence White Paper 2024 noting that the US has a 6,200-member cyber-defence force, while France aims to reach 5,000 people in 2025. But it also noted that China has 30,000 people in its cyber-attack force, and North Korea, 6,800 people.

Nonetheless, the hope is that an “active cyber-defence” strategy can fundamentally strengthen its fight against hackers by boosting public-private sector cooperation, especially in the 15 areas that Japan has identified as its core infrastructure. They include electricity, gas, railways, shipping, aviation, telecommunications and finance.

The tentatively named National Cyber ​​Security Office, due to be set up in 2025, will serve as the control tower for cyber-security policy. It will, among other things, advise the private sector of any bugs or vulnerabilities that it comes across.

To address potential concerns about monitoring, safeguards are expected to be in place.

For one, except for ongoing attacks that call for urgent attention, prior approval is needed for sanctioned hackers to break into the servers used by attackers that may be housed overseas to look out for and track potential malware infections and vulnerabilities, which could also infect even personal devices.

Penalties will also be written into the law to prevent excessive monitoring and leakage of personal information or private communications.

Professor Kazuto Suzuki of the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy, whose expertise includes science and technology policy, told The Straits Times that Japan’s weakness is its “slow decision-making” on cyber-security issues, and it remains to be seen how the new strategy will improve things.

“Deterrence in cyber security is a tough call. We don’t know the intent, and we are not sure what kind of methods attackers may take,” he said. “Active cyber defence may create some fear in the attacker’s mind that there may be retaliation, but I don’t think that will be enough.”

The planned Bills come as the NPA on Jan 8 said it was “reasonable to conclude there was Chinese government involvement” behind the MirrorFace attack campaign, which it labelled an “organised attack with the primary objective of stealing information related to Japan’s national security or advance technology interests”.

The NPA said MirrorFace had attempted to hack into computers by sending e-mails via Gmail or Microsoft Outlook with malicious attachments or links.

The senders’ addresses often mimic trusted – but stolen – identities and bear subject titles such as “Japan-US alliance”, “Taiwan Strait”, “Russia-Ukraine war” or “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”.

MirrorFace also exploited vulnerabilities in virtual private network settings, the agency added.

Besides government organisations, MirrorFace had also attacked the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, think-tanks, private companies, journalists and academics.

Separately, in July 2023, a Russian-led cybercrime organisation paralysed the Port of Nagoya – Japan’s largest shipping port by volume – for more than 48 hours.

Trend Micro has pinned the latest wave of cyber incursions on distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, in which network servers are deliberately overwhelmed with enormous amounts of data from multiple sources over a short period.

DDOS attacks can cause system malfunctions and bring down websites, which was what happened to JAL over six hours on Dec 26, when its check-in luggage services were disrupted and more than 70 domestic and international flights were delayed.

Financial services also suffered brief disruptions in late December with DDoS attacks on Mizuho Bank, MUFG and Resona Bank, while the Japan Weather Association said it was targeted on Jan 9.

Trend Micro said the DDoS attacks stemmed from a “botnet”, or a network of computers, routers, security cameras or other internet-connected devices that have been hijacked with malware. Hackers remotely control these botnet terminals simultaneously, taking down the target site with an overload of data.

“It is possible that the series of damage occurred within a single attack campaign, or even reconnaissance attacks, before a full-scale attack, although the situation is difficult to determine,” said Trend Micro security expert Katsuyuki Okamoto.
 
 

The foreign ministers of Japan and Australia agreed Sunday that their cooperation with the United States and India under the Quad grouping should continue to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

The meeting between Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong took place in Washington on the eve of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House.

Iwaya said there is a need, "more than ever," for Japan and Australia to play a leading role in realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific, working hand in hand with the United States and other partners.

Iwaya and Wong agreed that the security environment in the region is becoming increasingly severe, and that Tokyo and Canberra will advance "multilayered" cooperation with like-minded countries, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

A meeting of the top diplomats of the four countries is expected to take place on Tuesday after Trump's pick for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, is confirmed by the Senate, according to officials involved in its planning.

Iwaya and Wong also agreed to boost bilateral cooperation on economic issues, as well as in areas such as cybersecurity and people-to-people exchanges, the ministry said.

Iwaya later met separately with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who was invited by Trump's team to attend his inauguration ceremony along with the top Japanese and Australian diplomats.

During his meeting with Jaishankar, Iwaya said Japan and India share fundamental values and have "a great responsibility for the peace and prosperity of the international community," according to the Japanese ministry.

The two also discussed ongoing efforts under the Quad and agreed to make the year from April a period of cooperation on science and technology, as Japan and India in 2025 are marking the 40th anniversary of their partnership in the field, the ministry said.
 
 

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba visited the venue of the World Exposition in Osaka on Sunday to bring attention to the event that is experiencing slower advance ticket sales than organizers expected.

It is the first time since becoming Japan's leader in October that Ishiba has visited the site on the artificial island of Yumeshima, where construction of pavilions and other preparations continue with fewer than three months left until the expo opens.

Yumeshima Station, directly connected to the expo site, opened on Sunday, with over 130,000 people expected to use the new station on the Osaka Metro Chuo Line on a busy day.

A journey from the station to the major Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train station of Shin-Osaka takes about 40 minutes.

Some 7.5 million advance tickets for the expo were sold as of early January, well short of the organizers' target of 14 million.

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition expects 28.2 million visitors during the event from April 13 to Oct. 13, with ticket sales anticipated to cover the event's operational costs.

The site's construction cost has nearly doubled from the initial estimate to 235 billion yen ($1.5 billion), with the central government, the Osaka prefectural and municipal governments and the private sector each bearing one-third.
 
 

 

Senior Defense Ministry and Self-Defense Forces officials have conveyed their serious concerns to a delegation from China's military over its increasing activities near Japan, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani has said.

The move came at Tuesday's meeting between Japanese defense officials, including Taro Yamato, director-general of the ministry's Defense Policy Bureau, and the delegation from the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, which covers Taiwan and other areas in the East China Sea, Nakatani said Friday.

The delegation visited Japan for five days through Friday, during which it inspected the SDF Central Hospital in Tokyo and the Maritime SDF base in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture. It was the first such visit in five years.

"It is very meaningful to have frank talks and communication at the commander level," Nakatani told a news conference, suggesting that his ministry will also consider a visit to China by senior SDF officials.

Nakatani and his Chinese counterpart agreed at a meeting last November on the significance of dialogue and exchanges between the two countries' defense authorities.
 

 

NATO has deepened its links with Japan and three other Indo-Pacific partners, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, though not as part of the military alliance.

Japan has formally inaugurated an independent mission to the NATO military alliance as Tokyo and NATO seek to bolster cooperation amid escalating tensions from Russia, China and North Korea.

Previously, the Japanese embassy in Belgium also covered NATO.
The new mission is led by Osamu Izawa, who takes over the role currently filled by the ambassador to Belgium, Masahiro Mikami.

In Tokyo on Thursday, Japan and NATO held high-level consultations to discuss regional security issues in East Asia and Europe, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and closer ties between Moscow and Beijing, NATO has deepened its links with Japan and three other Indo-Pacific partners, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, though not as part of the military alliance.

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has advocated a NATO-like security framework in Asia, though he has not given details.

Countries with shared security concerns are strengthening ties as competition escalates between the United States and China.

Beijing has criticised NATO's growing ties with the Indo-Pacific partners, worried that Washington may move to form a NATO-like alliance in the region.
 
 

Kobe (Japan) (AFP) – Thousands of people marked on Friday the 30th anniversary of an earthquake that claimed more than 6,400 lives and levelled much of the Japanese city of Kobe.

The 7.2-magnitude quake on January 17, 1995, sparked a major review of quake preparedness in the island nation that suffers about one fifth of the world's most powerful tremors.

Mourners observed a moment of silence before dawn at 5:46 am, the exact time that the quake -- Japan's second deadliest since World War II -- struck the port city.

Japan experiences more than 1,000 earthquakes every year. The vast majority are harmless but occasional large ones can still cause enormous damage and loss of life.

In 2011, a 9.0 magnitude quake triggered a huge tsunami that smashed into the northeast coast, killing around 18,000 people and sparking the world's worst nuclear catastrophe in a generation.

The Ishikawa region is still struggling to recover from a huge New Year's Day earthquake last year that killed around 500 people and destroyed houses and infrastructure.

 

- 'Megaquake' -

This week, government scientists marginally increased the probability of a vast "megaquake" along the undersea Nankai Trough over the next 30 years to 75-82 percent.

Such a jolt could potentially have a devastating 8-9 magnitude, trigger colossal tsunamis, kill several hundred thousand people and cause billions of dollars in damage, experts say.

Over the past 1,400 years, megaquakes in the Nankai Trough have occurred every 100 to 200 years, according to the government. The last one hit in 1946.

Despite the ever-present danger and frequent emergency drills, authorities face a constant struggle to maintain public awareness and readiness for a major jolt.

A recent NHK survey among 1,269 people who experienced the Kobe quake showed that over 60 percent of respondents think "the memories and lessons are fading".

"We need to pass on experiences and lessons to the future also with participation by younger generation people who were born after the quake," said Motohiko Saito, the governor of Hyogo Prefecture where Kobe is located.

Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko attended a memorial ceremony in the city, one of several events that took place throughout the day.

The couple on Thursday met with people who experienced the disaster and Akihito told one of them "it must have been very hard," private national broadcaster TBS reported.
 
 

 
In Brief

After three ‘lost decades’ of economic performance, wages in Japan showed signs of positive growth in 2024. To deliver sustained increases to real wages, Japan must improve labour productivity growth. Whether the ‘new trinity’ of labour market reforms will successfully do so requires policymakers to address structural labour market challenges faced by both workers and employers. Due to their complexity and sensitivity, this is far easier said than done.

After 30 years of stagnant growth, Japan’s nominal wages increased by 5.1 per cent in April 2024 as a result of the ‘spring wage offensive’, an annual collective bargaining process where labour unions negotiate with employers for better wages.

The government has been campaigning for real wage growth as part of its ‘New Form of Capitalism’ program, an initiative introduced by former prime minister Kishida.

Kishida’s economic strategy aimed to achieve inclusive economic growth through a virtuous cycle of economic expansion and equitable income distribution, with nominal wage increases serving as a step towards higher real wages.

The government is eager to see another significant rise in nominal wages in the 2025 spring wage negotiations. Compared to other developed countries, Japan’s real wage growth has been significantly lower. Between 1991 and 2021, Japan’s real wages increased by only 1.05 times. Meanwhile, real wages in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and France rose by 1.52, 1.51, 1.34 and 1.34 times respectively.

Sustained real wage growth requires high labour productivity growth. But Japan’s ranking in labour productivity among OECD countries declined from 21st out of 35 in 2000 to 29th out of 38 in 2023. During the same period, Japan’s labour productivity relative to the United States dropped from 71.4 per cent to 58.2 per cent.

Improving labour productivity can be achieved in various ways, such as an increase in capital investment and innovation. In relation to labour, productivity may be improved by enhancing labour quality, allocating labour more efficiently within companies and facilitating labour reallocation across companies and sectors.

To address these issues, the Japanese government is accelerating the implementation of the so-called ‘New Trinity’ labour market reforms, introduced in May 2023 under the ‘Council of New Form of Capitalism Realization’.

These reforms aim to increase wages, narrow wage gaps between Japanese and foreign companies for similar roles and eliminate wage disparities based on gender, age and other factors through public and private collaboration. They also aim to lift the proportion of workers experiencing wage increases through job changes over those experiencing wage decreases.

The New Trinity consists of three pillars — support for skill enhancement through reskilling, introducing a job-based pay system and facilitating labour mobility in growth sectors. These pillars align with the factors necessary for labour productivity growth.

The government has proposed various policies to address challenges in each area. Reskilling is essential for Japanese workers, especially as they face longer careers in the era of 100-year lifespans, so that they can adapt to rapid changes driven by the green transformation and digital transformation.

Japanese companies invest significantly less in human resources compared to their counterparts in other developed countries. Between 2010 and 2014, the proportion of human resource investment in GDP was only 0.1 per cent for Japanese companies, compared to much higher levels of 2.08 per cent and 1.78 per cent for US and French companies respectively.

To address this disparity, the government plans to increase financial support for workers. Unlike traditional methods that channel support through companies, the new approach will emphasise direct support to workers.

The shift to a job-based pay system marks a departure from the seniority-based system that was effective during Japan’s post-war economic recovery. A job-based system establishes clear standards for roles and required skills, enabling objective and transparent performance evaluations.

Recognising that companies vary in their approaches — such as implementing job posting systems or employee performance improvement plans — the government provides model cases as references rather than imposing specific mandates.

For facilitating labour mobility to growth sectors, major obstacles have been identified from the perspectives of both workers and employers.

From the workers’ side, traditional practices such as the seniority-based pay system and preferential tax treatment for a lump-sum salary paid at the end of employment favour long-term employees discourage inter-firm movement.

From the employers’ side, dismissal regulations and the lifetime employment system, which are commonly adopted by large companies, pose significant challenges.

These regulations require employers to provide reasonable cause and need for dismissal. Courts in Japan often side with employees in disputes, emphasising job security.

While the government has outlined measures to address worker-related obstacles, it has not tackled those faced by employers, likely due to the complexity and sensitivity of the issue.

The effective implementation of the New Trinity reforms is expected to improve labour productivity. But the impact on inter-firm and inter-sectoral labour mobility will remain limited unless dismissal regulations are appropriately addressed — such as through the increased use of financial compensation and effective reemployment support for dismissals — to promote inter-firm and inter-sectoral labour mobility. Robust unemployment compensation and a sound social safety net are essential to support these measures.

 
 

 

 

Speculation over Nintendo's new console, a successor to the wildly popular Switch, reached a fever pitch Thursday with specialist media predicting an imminent announcement from the Japanese gaming giant.

The Eurogamer website said it had heard "industry whispers" that the new gadget would be unveiled Thursday, the same date leaked by an influential podcaster.

A reporter from tech outlet The Verge said Tuesday on X: "I've heard it should be the Switch 2 reveal this week", further fueling buzz among fans.

Players have long been hungry for news on a follow-up to Nintendo's hybrid Switch console, which can be handheld or connected to a TV screen.

Since it hit shelves in 2017, more than 146 million units have been sold worldwide, making the Switch the third-best-selling console ever after Sony's PlayStation 2 and Nintendo's DS.

Nintendo estimates it has sold 1.3 billion copies of Switch titles, including "Animal Crossing: New Horizons", which became a must-play among all age groups during Covid-19 lockdowns.

But as the blockbuster Switch ages and sales decline, the Kyoto-based company said last year it would reveal its next console by the end of March 2025.

A Nintendo spokesman told AFP on Thursday that there was "nothing we can share" regarding the announcement.

In November, Nintendo promised users that games made for the original Switch would be playable on the new one.

While the firm has kept tight-lipped on details of the new hardware, that hasn't stopped a steady stream of leaks.

Some purport to show the gadget in production, or accessories designed to fit the next console.

A manufacturer called Genki even showed off a life-sized replica model of the console, featuring a bigger screen than its predecessor, at the CES tech show in Las Vegas this month.

But the new Switch is likely already being made at factories "to ensure there is enough stock, as demand for the new console will certainly be very high", said Darang Candra from game industry research firm Niko Partners.

Gaming rival Sony faced a supply bottleneck that led to empty shelves when it launched the PlayStation 5 in 2020, something Nintendo will be keen to avoid.

One fan, 29-year-old "Animal Crossing" streamer LottieRoseGames, told AFP her audience is "particularly excited" given the latest rumors.
"People are just looking forward to the prospects of what a new console will bring in terms of new features -- and of course mostly new games," she said.
 
 

The probability of a "megaquake" in Japan in the next 30 years has marginally increased, a government panel said Thursday, with a 75-82 percent chance of it happening.

Such a jolt could potentially have a devastating 8 to 9 magnitude, trigger colossal tsunamis, kill several hundred thousand people and cause billions of dollars in damage, experts say.

The Earthquake Research Committee said it has increased its estimate of the probability to between 75 and 82 per cent from between 74 and 81 per cent previously.

It concerns what is known as a subduction megathrust quake along the Nankai Trough, an 800km undersea gully running parallel to Japan's Pacific coast.

The trench is where the Philippine Sea oceanic tectonic plate is "subducting" - or slowly slipping - underneath the continental plate that Japan sits on top of.

The plates become stuck as they move, storing up vast amounts of energy that is released when they break free, causing potentially massive earthquakes.

Over the past 1,400 years, megaquakes in the Nankai Trough have occurred every 100 to 200 years, according to the government's Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion.

The last recorded one happened in 1946.

"It's been 79 years since the last quake, and the possibility of another quake occurring is rising every year at a pace of by about 1 per cent," an official of the Earthquake Research Committee's secretariat told AFP.

According to government estimates in 2012, smaller islands off the main coasts could be swamped by a tsunami over 30m high.

Densely populated areas on the main islands of Honshu and Shikoku could be hit by huge waves within a few minutes.

Last August the Japan Meteorological Association (JMA) issued its first megaquake advisory under rules drawn up after the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of 2011.

It said that the likelihood of a new major earthquake along the Nankai Trough was higher than normal after a magnitude 7.1 jolt that injured 15 people.

The advisory was lifted again after a week but caused shortages of rice and other staples as people restocked their emergency stores.

In 1707, all segments of the Nankai Trough ruptured at once, unleashing an earthquake that remains the nation's second-most powerful on record.

That quake - which also triggered the last eruption of Mount Fuji - was followed by two powerful Nankai megathrusts in 1854, and then two in 1944 and 1946.
 
 

Disney-themed bullet trains adorned with characters from hit films such as "Frozen" will run on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line connecting Tokyo and Osaka from Feb. 21 for a limited time, the operators of the railway and Tokyo Disney Resort said Wednesday.

The "Wonderful Dreams Shinkansen," themed after Tokyo DisneySea's "Fantasy Springs" area that opened in June, marks the first special wrapping of trains running on the line in its 60-year history, according to Central Japan Railway Co. and Oriental Land Co.
 
The special trains will run through mid-September between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations, with two round trips scheduled on weekends and holidays.

The train's interior will be decorated with specially designed seat headrest covers and other features. The onboard melody will be "I See the Light," a song from the Disney film "Tangled."
 
Fantasy Springs is the eighth themed area at Tokyo DisneySea. Oriental Land previously collaborated with East Japan Railway Co. and Japan Airlines Co. to promote the new area of the park.
 
 

The National Police Agency (NPA) of Japan has taken delivery of two Airbus H160 helicopters, making it the first para-public operator of the type in Japan.

The National Police Agency (NPA) of Japan has taken delivery of two Airbus H160 helicopters, making it the first para-public operator of the type in Japan. The first H160 was delivered at the end of last year, with the second delivery following in January.
 
Jean-Luc Alfonsi, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Japan noted that: “We are very proud of the delivery of the first public service version of the H160 to our long-standing customer in Japan.

This is the culmination of two years of outstanding work and dedication of the teams in France and Japan. The unique capabilities of these brand-new aircraft will contribute to expanding the envelope of the NPA’s wide-ranging law enforcement missions.”
 
Airbus claims that the H160 is one of the world’s most technologically advanced helicopters, designed and built to deliver the highest levels of operational safety while providing unmatched comfort for a rotorcraft in its class.

The H160 is capable of performing wide-ranging missions including law enforcement, offshore transportation, search and rescue, private and business aviation, and emergency medical services.

The type is in service in Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, UK, US and many other European countries.
 
 

Record numbers of tourists flocked to Japan last year, figures showed on Wednesday (Jan 15), as the weak yen bolstered the appeal of the "bucket list" destination despite overcrowding complaints in hotspots like Kyoto.

The country logged more than 36.8 million tourist arrivals in 2024, topping 2019's record of nearly 32 million, according to estimates from the Japan National Tourism Organization.

It marks a return to a boom that began over a decade ago before being interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with numbers up more than four-fold from 2012.

That is partly thanks to government policies to promote attractions from Mount Fuji's majestic slopes to shrines and sushi bars in more far-flung parts of the archipelago.

Another factor is the cheap yen, which has plunged against other currencies over the past three years, making everything from a bowl of ramen to a handmade Japanese kitchen knife more affordable.

Japan has long been a "bucket list" destination for many people, said Naomi Mano, president of hospitality and events company Luxurique.

But it's "prime time because at the moment it's like Japan is on a 30 percent off sale", Mano told AFP.


DOUBLE TROUBLE?

The government has set an ambitious target of almost doubling tourist numbers to 60 million annually by 2030.

Authorities say they want to spread sightseers more evenly around the country, and to avoid a bottleneck of visitors eager to snap spring cherry blossoms or vivid autumn colours.

But as in other global tourist magnets like Venice in Italy, there has been growing pushback from residents in destinations such as the ancient capital of Kyoto.

The tradition-steeped city, just a couple of hours from Tokyo on the bullet train, is famed for its kimono-clad geisha performers and increasingly crowded Buddhist temples.

Locals have complained of disrespectful tourists harassing the geisha in a frenzy for photos, as well as causing traffic congestion and littering.

In a bid to improve the situation - and cash in - Kyoto on Tuesday announced plans to hike lodging taxes "to realise 'sustainable tourism' with a high level of satisfaction for citizens, tourists and businesses".

"If there's a burden on the infrastructure, I do think taxing tourists is a good idea" but Kyoto must find the "right balance", Australian tourist Larry Cooke, 21, told AFP.
 
 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has complained about Japan's stance on its relations with his country, amid Moscow's continued invasion of Ukraine.

In a press conference held in Moscow on Tuesday, Lavrov said Russia feels that Japan is signaling its readiness to resume dialogue on concluding a peace treaty with Russia, as well as its hope that Russia would allow former Japanese residents of the four disputed northwestern Pacific islands to visit them again.

But he said such a stance taken by Japan is inconsistent with the country maintaining its sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine.

Collectively known in Japan as the Northern Territories, the four islands were seized by the former Soviet Union from Japan at the end of World War II.

The territorial row has been preventing Tokyo and Moscow from concluding a peace treaty to formally end their wartime hostilities.

On the other hand, Lavrov told the press conference that there is a pleasant exception at a time when the two countries have cold relations, pointing to a Russian cultural festival held in Japan every year.
 
 

An NHK event in Hanoi is expected to act as a bridge to further promote the connections between the Vietnamese and Japanese people.

Japan’s public media organisation, Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK), will host an event “Discover Japan with NHK World-Japan” from January 17 to 23 at Aeon Mall Hà Đông in Hà Nội to introduce its Vietnamese language and external information services to the general public in Việt Nam.

The event is aimed at improving service quality and promoting the image of Japan and its culture, according to organisers.

Main activities at the event include interactive games and screening videos introducing NHK to the public.

Participants will also receive the textbook “Learning Japanese together”, among other activities.

A representative from the organisation hosting the event said: “The event is an opportunity for NHK to interact and exchange directly with Vietnamese audiences, helping us better understand the feelings and opinions of the audience towards the NHK’s Vietnamese language service, thereby improving service quality in the future.”

The event is expected to act as a bridge to further promote the connections between the Vietnamese and Japanese people.

NHK is the first and only public broadcasting company in Japan.
It currently has four domestic television channels and three radio channels.

NHK World is an international broadcasting company that aims to provide the world with domestic and international information on Japanese culture and lifestyle, and to promote cultural exchange and friendship.
 
 

Japan said Tuesday that a Chinese military delegation was on a rare exchange visit, as the Asian neighbors attempt to thaw frosty ties ahead of Donald Trump's return as U.S. president.

Members of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) were visiting their Japanese counterparts and senior Japanese defense officials from Monday through Friday, Japan's top government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said.

The trip was organized after the Japanese and Chinese defense ministers met in November in Laos on the sidelines of a regional defense gathering, where they agreed to increase exchanges among troops, Hayashi said.

"For the first time in five years, this resumes exchanges among troops," he said during a regular news briefing.

"The promotion of mutual understanding and trust through frank communication at commanders' level will contribute to the building of constructive and stable relations between Japan and China.

"We think this visit contributes to the peace and stability of the region," Hayashi said.

The PLA Eastern Theater Command echoed the view.
"This visit will help enhance understanding and mutual trust between the two sides, and promote defense exchanges between China and Japan," it said in a statement.

Japan and China have been trying to patch up relations that for years have been strained by territorial and historical disputes as well as other issues.

To ease tensions, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya visited his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in December.

Japanese ruling lawmakers were also visiting China this week for meetings with senior Communist Party officials, and Japan's farm minister is due in the country on Wednesday.

Japanese national security advisor Takeo Akiba visited China in November and held talks with Wang.

Tokyo is expected to invite Wang to Japan next month, seeking to pave the way for a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Nikkei business daily reported last week.

Xi has not visited since becoming president except for in 2019 when he attended the Group of 20 summit in Osaka along with other world leaders.
 
 

A tsunami advisory was issued for part of southwest Japan after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Monday, but the warnings to stay away from coastal areas were later lifted. A few instances of minor damage were reported.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency initially estimated the magnitude was 6.9 but later revised it to 6.6.

One man was slightly injured in Kyushu after falling down some stairs, NHK TV reported. A small landslide blocked a road, and some underground water pipes ruptured.

NHK said a tsunami, estimated to be as high as 1 meter (3.2 feet), reached land within 30 minutes of the quake. The waters detected at Miyazaki Port measured 20 centimeters (0.7 feet) high, the reports said.

Tsunami advisories were issued for Miyazaki prefecture, where the quake was centered, on the southwestern island of Kyushu, as well as nearby Kochi prefecture in Shikoku island, shortly after the quake struck at 9:19 p.m., JMA said. They were all lifted before midnight.

Agency official Shigeki Aoki told reporters that aftershocks were possible, especially in the next two or three days.

The quake, centered at a depth of 36 kilometers (22 miles), shook a wide area in Kyushu, JMA said.

NHK footage showed moving traffic and well-lit streets, meaning that electric power was still working. No problems were detected at nuclear plants in the area.

Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes due to its location along the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

Experts at the meteorological agency met late Monday to gauge how the latest temblor may be related to the so-called Nankai Trough quakes, but decided not to take any extraordinary measures for the time being. The term refers to a wide region believed to be prone to periodic major quakes.

A Nankai Trough quake off Shikoku in 1946 killed more than 1,300 people. The area was hit by a 7.1 magnitude quake in August last year.
 
 

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae Yul reaffirmed the importance of advancing bilateral relations in their meeting on Monday, amid prolonged political uncertainty in Seoul following last month's impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Iwaya told a joint press conference with Cho after the meeting in Seoul that they also agreed to maintain close trilateral collaboration with the United States to address the military threat posed by North Korea.

The talks were held during the first visit to South Korea by a Japanese minister since Yoon's impeachment, coming just ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration next Monday.

"The importance of the bilateral ties remains unchanged under the current strategic environment," Iwaya said.

Cho said that South Korea will move forward its relationship with Japan "regardless of any circumstance," adding that Seoul's basic diplomatic policy toward Tokyo "will remain unwavering in the future."

Yoon's presidential duties were suspended after the parliament passed an impeachment motion over his brief imposition of martial law in early December.

It is uncertain whether the two countries will be able to maintain the same level of cooperation achieved under Yoon, as the president may be removed from office by the Constitutional Court, which has 180 days of the National Assembly's Dec. 14 vote in favor of the impeachment motion to decide on the matter.

Iwaya refrained from expressing his view on the current South Korean domestic situation but said that the two nations are "important neighbors that must continue to work together as partners in addressing various challenges in the international community."

Cho said they also shared "strong concerns over North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and missiles, its provocations and its illegal military cooperation with Russia, including the dispatch of North Korean troops," amid the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine.

Marking the 60th anniversary of normalization this year, Japan-South Korea relations have improved since Yoon became president in 2022, with he and then Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida resuming the practice of "shuttle diplomacy," or regular mutual visits by leaders, the following year.

The two ministers confirmed that their governments will support projects to commemorate the anniversary, Iwaya said.

Japan and South Korea have stepped up cooperation with the United States under President Joe Biden's administration to better address the threats posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programs.

But concerns are growing over the future of the three-way partnership due to Trump's skepticism of multilateralism under his "America First" doctrine.
Iwaya has said he will attend Trump's inauguration ceremony and explore a meeting with Sen. Marco Rubio, who has been nominated for secretary of state and is awaiting Senate confirmation.

"I hope to build a relationship of trust and align our understanding on the importance of Japan-U.S. and trilateral Japan-U.S.-Korea cooperation" through the envisaged talks with Rubio, Iwaya said.

As for wartime history issues that have repeatedly soured Japan-South Korea ties, Iwaya said Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government, launched in October, takes over past Japanese administrations' stance. Cho called on Japan to tackle the issues "sincerely."

The last South Korea visit by a Japanese foreign minister was in November 2023 by Yoko Kamikawa, who attended a gathering in Busan with her South Korean and Chinese counterparts.

Iwaya and Cho shared their hope to hold a foreign ministerial meeting with China "at an early and appropriate time." Japan will chair the next meeting.
Iwaya is on a four-day overseas trip through Thursday that also includes visits to the Philippines and Palau.
 
 

Young women in colorful kimonos and and smartly-dressed men celebrated Coming-of-Age Day at ceremonies across Japan on Monday.

Coming-of-Age Day is held annually on the second Monday of January.
As usual, Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea were popular spots for young adults to celebrate the day after their ceremonies.

About 2,000 new adults were invited to a special Twenty Years Old Gathering event at DisneySea.

In Osaka, an event was held in which 20-year-olds climbed the stairs of a 300-meter-tall building to the observation deck on the 60th floor.

This event is held every year at the Abeno Harukas high-rise building in Abeno Ward, Osaka, under the theme of "Climbing the Stairs to Adulthood." Participants walked up the stairs from the basement floor to the 60th floor, where the observation deck is located.

Yokohama Arena had the biggest gathering with approximately 11,000 people attending a morning ceremony. A second ceremony was held in the afternoon.

 

The government lowered the age of adulthood to 18 from 20 in April 2022 by revising the Civil Code and changing the legal definition of an adult for the first time in over 140 years, opening up new freedoms and responsibilities for 18- and 19-year-olds.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the number of 18-year-olds in Japan totaled 1.09 million as of Jan 1.

Of those who have reached Japan's legal adult age, 560,000 were men and 530,000 were women, accounting for 0.88 percent of the total population, the ministry said.
 
 

To reinforce Japan's influence in Southeast Asia, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba embarked on his first official overseas visit after taking office, choosing Malaysia and Indonesia—two key ASEAN member countries—for his trip.

The visit aimed to enhance bilateral cooperation in economic and defense sectors, while also addressing renewable energy and carbon issues, deepening the partnership in sustainable development.


Japan-Malaysia to advance carbon capture, green energy projects

On Jan. 10, Ishiba met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and the two leaders agreed to continue advancing carbon capture and green hydrogen projects.

This includes collaborations between Japanese companies and Petros, the Sarawak state-owned oil company, as well as Malaysia's national oil company Petronas, to develop hydrogen energy technologies. They also discussed using carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies to achieve carbon-neutral liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Following the meeting, Anwar emphasized the need to accelerate these initiatives and proposed holding a meeting in May, either in Tokyo or Kuala Lumpur. As the current ASEAN chair, Anwar also noted the gradual formation of the ASEAN grid, calling for Japan’s participation.

Ishiba confirmed Japan’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with ASEAN on supply chain resilience and further deepening ties with Malaysia under the "Asia Zero Emissions Community" (AZEC).

This collaboration aims to drive both countries’ green transformation efforts, including green ammonia, carbon capture, and green hydrogen, ensuring energy security and achieving decarbonization.

As of 2023, Japan’s cumulative investment in Malaysia exceeded 102 billion ringgit (about 22.6 billion USD), covering 2,810 manufacturing projects and creating 340,000 jobs. Japan has been Malaysia’s fourth-largest trading partner for nine consecutive years.


Japan’s AZEC to lead energy transition in ASEAN

After concluding his two-day visit to Malaysia, Ishiba flew to Indonesia and held a leadership dialogue with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Jan. 11.

 

Ishiba expressed support for Prabowo's energy self-sufficiency policy and pledged continued assistance, particularly in the development of the Muara Laboh geothermal power plant, green ammonia, and green hydrogen.

Under the AZEC framework, the Muara Laboh geothermal plant is one of the three priority projects for Japan’s energy transition assistance to Indonesia. The other two projects focus on the Legok Nangka waste-to-energy plant in West Java and peatland management in Central Kalimantan.

Before his trip, Ishiba stated that strengthening ties with ASEAN countries has become more important than ever due to the increasing global uncertainty.

He highlighted Malaysia and Indonesia as key energy suppliers. The visit underscored the massive demand for clean energy in ASEAN countries and showcased Japan’s efforts to solidify its relations with Southeast Asia in response to geopolitical uncertainties, such as the potential return of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and China's growing influence in the region.
 
 

The delivery of F-35B stealth fighter jets by the United States to an Air Self-Defense Force base in southwestern Japan will be delayed to April or after, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Friday.

A new schedule for the delivery to the ASDF’s Nyutabaru base in Miyazaki Prefecture is under consideration. The original plan was for the jets to arrive by the end of March.

Capable of short takeoff and vertical landing, the F-35B is expected to boost Japanese response capabilities for the defense of the Nansei southwestern island chain.

The Defense Ministry plans to procure 42 units eventually. Some of the jets are expected to be operated from the Izumo and Kaga destroyers after the vessels are remodeled into de facto aircraft carriers.

A temporary flight team for the jets will be established at the base at the end of this fiscal year in March as planned.
 
 

The government on Friday announced additional sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

A total of 33 organizations and 12 individuals, including a North Korean national, were added to the Japanese list of asset freeze targets under the foreign exchange and foreign trade law, and 53 organizations from countries including Russia and China newly became subject to export bans and other measures.

Japan will also ban the export of 335 more goods, including small motorcycles and components for special-purpose vehicles such as cranes, to Russia starting on Jan. 23.

The aim is to strengthen Japan's response to North Korea's support for Russia and Moscow's use of third countries to evade sanctions.

The additional steps "are to contribute to international efforts for peace," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a news conference. "Japan will continue to work in cooperation with the international community, including its Group of Seven partners."
 
 

Ryohin Keikaku Co., the Japanese firm that owns minimalist household goods and furniture brand Muji, will look to build clean power plants in an effort to meet its emissions targets. 

The company will consider developing its own solar power as a way to secure clean electricity, according to a statement on Friday. Ryohin Keikaku’s goal is for all of its stores to run entirely on renewable energy by 2030.

The company said emissions related to electricity use have risen due to business expansion and new store openings, and that extra measures are needed. The firm estimates it will require around 60 megawatts of extra power capacity by 2030. 

Consumer brands globally are under pressure from customers and investors to clean up their supply chains. Firms like Ikea have also flagged their intention to switch to 100% renewable energy to power their operations. 

As a first step, Ryohin Keikaku is planning to develop about 12 MW of power generation capacity, which will cost around 3.6 billion yen ($23 million), according to the statement. It also intends to sell clean electricity generated by its facilities to the nation’s spot power market. 

Ryohin Keikaku signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan’s biggest power producer Jera Co. and its subsidiary Jera Cross Co., to jointly develop and operate the plants, according to the statement. The companies will consider setting up a separate firm for the business. 
 
 

Tokyo also designates Russian individuals and financial institutions aiding DPRK’s access to global financial system

Japan has imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to North Korea as part of a sweeping package targeting Russia over its war against Ukraine.

The restrictions cover a total of 12 individuals and 54 organizations tied to Russia as part of Japan’s contribution to “international efforts for world peace” and aim to resolve the “current international situation in Ukraine,” Tokyo’s foreign ministry said on Friday while announcing the sanctions.

As part of the new sanctions package, Japan will impose asset freezing measures on a North Korean individual named Rim Yong Hyok, who acted as a “deputy representative” for Korea Mining Development and Trading Corporation in Syria. The company is the DPRK’s primary arms exporter.

The U.S. sanctioned him in July 2023 for facilitating weapons sales to Russia’s Wagner Group, while South Korea and the EU imposed their own sanctions on him in May and June 2024, respectively.

Tokyo’s latest sanctions also target a number of financial institutions previously implicated in facilitating North Korea’s access to the international banking system.

MRB Bank, or International Settlements Bank, located in Georgia’s separatist region of South Ossetia, and its partnering organization TSMRBank (CMRBank) are among the newly designated entities. The U.S. and South Korea sanctioned both institutions last year.

An NK Pro investigation identified TSMRBank and MRB as likely participants in a covert financial scheme used by North Korean operatives to channel assets in and out of the country via South Ossetia, a gray-zone jurisdiction.

The new Japanese measures notably blacklist TSMRBank Vice Previously Dmitry Nikulin, who was previously sanctioned by the U.S., as well as Aleksey Budnev, the owner of Technology Co., Ltd., allegedly involved in trade of DPRK military communications equipment to support the Russian military.

Several other Russian entities sanctioned by Japan on Friday have also been linked to illicit trade with North Korea. These include: 

• Marine Trans Shipping LLC (Astrakhan) — previously sanctioned by the U.S., Canada, New Zealand over Russia-DPRK arms trade  
• Stroytreyd LLC (Moscow) — previously sanctioned by the U.S. and ROK along with TSMRBank and MRB and other financial institutions  
• Russian Financial Corporation Bank (Moscow) and Timer Bank (Moscow, Kazan) — both previously sanctioned by Washington and Seoul for their role in orchestrating illegal transactions between Russia and North Korea, along with CMRBank and MRB

Additionally, Japan blacklisted 31 entities based outside of Russia and Belarus over the Ukraine war, introducing export prohibition measures against them.

Tokyo lifted restrictions on eight individuals — including the mother of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the late leader of Russia’s mercenary outfit the Wagner Group; two Russian military officers; and five figures previously involved in the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of eastern Ukraine.

The news comes as North Korean troops have entered combat in Russia’s Kursk region after it was partially seized by Ukrainian forces in August. Pyongyang began the troop deployment in mid-October.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky recently claimed that North Korea has suffered heavy casualties in Kursk, with 4,000 soldiers killed or wounded.

The deployment of North Korean forces to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine followed Pyongyang’s sales of arms, munitions and ballistic missiles to Moscow. More recently, North Korea has reportedly begun supplying Russia with long-range artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems.
 
 

An expert panel of Japan's National Police Agency released a report Thursday calling for mandatory identity verification for scrap metal transactions following a surge in copper wire theft cases in the country.

The report also proposed the introduction of a notification system for scrap metal buyers to be in business. The NPA plans to draw up a related bill and submit it to the Diet.

The number of scrap metal buyers is estimated at between 50,000 and 100,000 nationwide. The report said that administrative measures such as issuing business suspension orders should be taken against malicious operators.

According to the NPA, the number of recognized metal theft cases in 2023 was 16,276, three times higher than in 2020, reflecting soaring prices of copper and other metals. The total damage was about ¥13.2 billion, of which 80% was related to metal cables such as copper wires.

The number of such theft cases is seen to have exceeded 20,000 in 2024, including 6,742 metal cable theft cases provisionally reported at solar power generation facilities between January and November.

Stolen copper wires are often brought to buyers as scrap metal. But there is no law requiring identity verification of those who bring in scrap metal for sale, making it easier to cash in stolen items. During the panel's discussions, members stressed the need for nationwide regulation.

In its report, the panel called for obliging scrap metal buyers to check the sellers' photo IDs, create and keep transaction records and report suspected stolen items to the police. It said the envisaged regulations should be limited to copper for the time being.

The panel also said the act of concealing tools such as cable cutters, which can be misused for stealing copper wires, should be punished.
 
 

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called on Japan to promote financial support and new-generation official development assistance for Vietnam to implement strategic infrastructure projects.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has called on Japan to promote financial support and new-generation official development assistance (ODA) for Việt Nam to implement strategic infrastructure projects with transformative potential like the North – South high-speed railway, nuclear power, and urban rail systems in Hà Nội and Hồ Chí Minh City.

During a reception for visiting Japanese Minister of Finance Kato Katsunobu in Hà Nội on January 8, the Government leader highlighted financial cooperation as a key pillar of bilateral relations.

He commended Japan’s effective financial support for large-scale infrastructure projects with significant ripple effect in Việt Nam, such as Hà Nội’s Nhat Tan Bridge and Terminal T2 at Nội Bài International Airport, and HCM City’s Metro Line 1, which began commercial operations in December 2024.

The PM said recent efforts to restructure the Nghi Sơn refinery and petrochemical project in Thanh Hóa province have yielded initial results.

He urged Kato to advocate the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)’s greater involvement in restructuring this project in the spirit of harmonised interests and shared risks so that the project is truly a symbol of mutually beneficial cooperation.

With Việt Nam aiming for GDP growth of at least 8% in 2025, the leader underscored the country’s pressing need for substantial capital to accelerate and efficiently execute development projects. He called for continued international cooperation, particularly from Japan.

PM Chính suggested further bilateral cooperation in areas such as technology transfer, institutional perfection, human resources training, governance capacity improvement, investment and trade promotion, locality-to-locality collaboration, science – technology, innovation, digital transformation, and the exploration of underground, marine, and space resources.

It is also necessary for the sides to jointly strengthen educational partnerships and for Japan to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to live, study and work there, he said.

He also called for Japan’s assistance for Việt Nam in the projects on infrastructure development, disaster risk mitigation, climate change response, and those under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC).

The host added that Việt Nam will prepare a list of specific projects for Japan to consider collaboration in while strongly facilitating the working group specialised in cooperation with Japan, thus helping develop the two countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World in a substantive and effective manner.

For his part, Kato expressed admiration for Việt Nam’s high economic growth and affirmed his willingness to beef up mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of shared interest, especially the ones identified by his host.

He said Japan is reviewing policies to better support foreign nationals, and that Vietnamese people account for about one-quarter of the foreign expatriates’ population and have made significant contributions to the country.

The minister also proposed the two nations exert stronger efforts to jointly resolve obstacles, expedite existing projects, and initiate new ones.

On this occasion, PM Chính extended his regards and an invitation to his Japanese counterpart Ishiba Shigeru to visit Việt Nam in the near future.
 
 

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba left for Malaysia on Thursday, embarking on a four-day trip that will also take him to Indonesia as Tokyo seeks to strengthen economic and security ties with the Southeast Asian nations.

Japan views members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as important partners in its advocacy for a free and open Indo-Pacific and in ensuring a rules-based order in a region where China's influence is growing.

The trip marks the first time Ishiba, who became Japan's prime minister in October, will travel overseas solely for bilateral summits.

"I plan to take time to discuss (with the Malaysian and Indonesian leaders) the future of this region, security issues and how the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific will contribute to the peace and security of the international community," Ishiba told reporters before leaving Tokyo's Haneda airport.

"We are placing more importance than ever on our relations with Southeast Asia when the global environment is increasingly becoming uncertain," he said.

He will meet Friday with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Malaysia, a nation located near key shipping lanes, to discuss security cooperation and efforts to secure stable supply chains. Malaysia is this year's ASEAN chair.

Ishiba will then visit Indonesia, where he and President Prabowo Subianto are expected to sign a deal on Saturday for Japan to provide high-speed patrol boats, according to Japanese officials.

Indonesia is among nations that receive defense equipment transfers from Japan under a program intended to bolster security ties with like-minded nations.
 
 

Despite an annual warning from authorities, a deadly New Year's trend continued in Japan this week as two people died after choking on mochi — a doughy cake made from steamed sweet rice that is traditionally served to celebrate the new year.

Nine people were taken to hospitals in Tokyo after choking on mochi during the first three days of January, Japan Today reported, citing the Tokyo Fire Department. Two of those people, both elderly men, later died.

A man in his 70s choked on mochi at his home in Itabashi, just outside Tokyo, on New Year's Day, and was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, local TV reported. Another man in his 80s who lived in the Tokyo suburb of Nerima also died after choking on the delicacy, according to Japan Today.

Mochi is a staple of the Japanese New Year's holiday menu and is often eaten in a savory soup called ozoni. Emily Anderson, a curator at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, told "CBS Sunday Morning" last month that New Year's Day is the most important holiday in Japan, and the rice cake delicacy is an integral part of celebrating.

"Eating mochi is a really important part of the most important family-oriented day," she said.

But the glutinous cakes can easily get stuck in people's throats, restricting breathing. Choking on mochi is so common that authorities offer tips every year on how to help someone who has the food lodged in their throat.

The National Police Agency and the Fire and Disaster Management Agency annually advise people to cut up the rice cakes into small chunks, and to eat them in the presence of someone else, Japan Today reported.

Despite the public warnings, the treats made of pounded, steamed rice have caused suffocation deaths nearly every year, often among elderly people.
According to a survey by the Tokyo Fire Department cited by local media, from 2019 to 2023, 368 people were hospitalized with mochi or other items stuck in their throats, and more than 90% of them were people over the age of 65.

In 2022, four elderly women choked to death on the rice cakes and 12 other people were hospitalized. In 2015, nine people were believed to have died taking part in the annual culinary tradition.

In 2001, a woman famously saved her father's life when she used a vacuum cleaner to dislodge mochi from the 70-year-old man's throat.
 
 

Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin met with his Japanese counterpart, Gen. Nakatani, on Tuesday to discuss advancing military training cooperation as part of a broader strategic partnership.

The dialogue took place at the Defense Ministry office in Jakarta, focusing on enhancing interoperability and defense collaboration between the two nations.

"Japan has shown interest in working with Indonesia on interoperability and strengthening defense cooperation," Head of the Information Bureau of the Defense Ministry, Brigadier General Frega Ferdinand Wenas, said during a press conference after the meeting.

Wenas emphasized that the joint training program will bring significant benefits to Indonesia, such as enhancing combat capabilities for both nations' military forces and fostering stronger military relations.

He also noted Japan's consistent participation in Indonesia's military training efforts, citing major international exercises such as Super Garuda Shield and the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK).

The Defense Ministry confirmed Japan’s participation in two major joint military training activities scheduled for 2025.

In addition to training, Sjamsoeddin explored opportunities for collaboration in military technology exchange.

"Japan's advanced defense technology offers valuable opportunities for cooperation on military equipment, enabling a transfer of technology that will strengthen Indonesia's defense capabilities," Wenas remarked.

He expressed confidence that this collaboration would bolster military strength and enhance bilateral ties between the two nations.

Wenas also highlighted the potential for expanded dialogue, proposing meetings involving defense and foreign ministries as well as military commanders to address defense issues.

"Hopefully, this meeting can evolve into a 'two-plus-two' format, involving not only defense and foreign ministers but also military commanders and chiefs of staff," he added.

From January 9 to 12, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will visit Indonesia and Malaysia to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional issues.
 

Indian Ambassador to Japan Sibi George has said there are absolutely no issues with Japan over a high-speed railway project using Shinkansen-style bullet trains currently underway in western India.

In the project, Tokyo hopes to introduce a Japanese-style railway signal system and train cars, while the Indian side has begun to say it wants to use domestically produced train cars.

During an interview with Jiji Press in Tokyo on Tuesday, the ambassador said that India considers Japan "a very important partner" in the railway sector, showing expectations for support for renewing over 60,000 kilometers of existing lines in India.

"If there are any...difficulties, (these) will be addressed through discussions," George said. "So there is absolutely no worry, no concern."

He sounded confident about the high-speed railway project, saying, "We will have a train running by 2027."
 
 

Japan and Saudi Arabia are nearing their 70th year of diplomatic ties, and the Japan National Tourism Office is gearing up to host additional exhibitions aimed at appealing to Saudi tourists, according to Daisuke Kobayashi, the executive director based in Dubai.

Daisuke Kobayashi clarified that there are currently no plans to establish a JNTO office in Saudi Arabia. However, he assured that the organization will maintain its efforts to promote Japan within the Kingdom, reflecting the increasing curiosity of Saudi travelers about the destination.

In December 2024, JNTO organized its inaugural event in Riyadh under the theme “Feel Your Four Seasons.” The exhibition showcased Japan’s rich seasonal offerings, highlighting unique experiences and luxury travel opportunities.

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, scheduled for April, is expected to draw significant interest from travelers in Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC region.
Kobayashi noted that visitors from these areas often favor traditional Japanese experiences, such as staying in ryokans—Japanese-style inns that typically feature onsen (hot springs) and authentic local cuisine.

Additionally, the widespread appeal of anime and manga in the Middle East plays a major role in attracting Arab tourists to Japan.

Culturally, Kobayashi highlighted the shared values between Japanese and Arab traditions, which create a sense of familiarity and comfort for Saudi travelers exploring Japan.

Kobayashi revealed that the number of visitors from Saudi Arabia to Japan surged by 72.2 percent in the first half of 2024 compared to the same timeframe in 2023.
 
 

Japan and China will resume dialogue between their ruling parties next week, it was learned Tuesday.

The dialogue between the Japanese ruling bloc and the Chinese Communist Party will take place in China, Makoto Nishida, secretary-general of Komeito, the junior coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters. The last round of such dialogue was held in October 2018.

A delegation of the LDP-Komeito pair, scheduled to visit China for three days from Monday, is expected to call for an early resumption of China's imports of Japanese fishery products.

The delegation comprising members including Nishida and his LDP counterpart, Hiroshi Moriyama, is seeking a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Japanese and Chinese ruling parties are expected to exchange views on how to deepen the two countries' mutually beneficial bilateral relationship based on common strategic interests.
 
 

The initiative aims to make it easier for Japanese companies to enter the countries by encouraging the countries to introduce Japanese safety standards.

The government from fiscal 2025 will launch a joint project with the United States to develop human resources in the energy sectors of Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states.

The initiative aims to make it easier for Japanese companies to enter the countries by encouraging the countries to introduce Japanese safety standards.

Under the program, administrative officials from the ASEAN member states will be invited to Japan to attend lectures by experts from Japan’s and the United States’ public and private sectors.

Specifically, the officials will receive training on Japanese and U.S. security standards and regulations for operating nuclear power and liquefied natural gas plants.

If Japanese security standards are introduced in power plants in ASEAN countries, Japanese companies with expertise in maintenance and inspection of the plants will be more likely to receive contracts for such work from those countries’ governments and businesses.

Japan also hopes to contribute to the countries’ decarbonization efforts by providing advanced technology.

The government has appropriated about ¥150 billion in the fiscal 2024 supplementary budget as expenses to enhance collaboration with the group of emerging and developing countries known as the Global South, which includes ASEAN member states and India.

In recent years, Japan has been emphasizing the importance on the Global South in maintaining a free and open international order. In June last year, the government decided on a policy of strengthening its partnership with Global South nations.

Under the policy, members of the Global South are positioned as partners in creating an economic society of the future. The policy also includes actively backing companies venturing into such fields as artificial intelligence and decarbonization.
 
 

A Japanese fishing boat has capsized off the Pacific coast in eastern Japan. Two of 20 people onboard are dead and three others remain unaccounted for.

Japan Coast Guard officials say they received a report shortly after 2 a.m. on Monday that a round haul netter appeared to have capsized about 30 kilometers east of Kashima port, Ibaraki Prefecture.

Twenty people, including Japanese and Indonesian nationals, were onboard the Daihachi Ohamamaru. Three of them were thrown into the sea and remain unaccounted for.

Seventeen others were rescued and two of them who are Japanese have died.
The vessel headed to sea to catch sardines. It is believed to have sunk after it overturned.
 
 

Uncertainty about tax revenues is causing concern about how Japan will pay for an expansion in its defense budget the government believes is necessary to deal with threats from an aggressive China and North Korea's deepened military ties with Russia.

In late 2022, the government decided to spend around 43 trillion yen ($272 billion) over five years through fiscal 2027 to bolster national security. It also planned to collect 1 trillion yen as of fiscal 2027 through higher income, corporate and tobacco taxes to help fund the cost.

The government recently scheduled corporate and tobacco tax hikes for April 2026. However, it delayed raising the income tax in the face of growing public calls for financial relief amid the cost-of-living crisis.

A senior ruling party official stressed a belief that it is possible to meet the 1 trillion yen target as "corporate tax revenues are surpassing forecasts."

Whether those revenues are sustainable, however, remains uncertain as tax hikes are unpalatable and may prove politically damaging.

After the ruling bloc lost a majority in the Oct. 27 general election, the minority government has been cautious about hiking taxes, fearing repercussions in the House of Councillors poll in the summer of 2025, said Takahide Kiuchi, executive economist at the Nomura Research Institute.

Japan had traditionally limited defense expenditures to around 1 percent of gross domestic product under its war-renouncing Constitution, and an increase in that spending could be difficult to realize in a country that has the worst fiscal health among leading developed economies.

With a target to ramp up defense spending to 2 percent of GDP by fiscal 2027, the Japanese government is aligning with global trends as nations respond to escalating geopolitical tensions and evolving security challenges.

For fiscal 2025, the third year in the five-year plan, the government earmarked a record defense allocation of 8.70 trillion yen, which is estimated to account for about 1.4 percent of GDP.

Toshihiro Nagahama, chief economist at the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, said expanded defense spending might rely on issuing government bonds, a common practice to finance national security priorities globally.

However, analysts are split on the wisdom of using debt when revenue streams are potentially unreliable. Some warn it could undermine investor confidence and exacerbate fiscal vulnerabilities over the long term, destabilizing the government bond market.

A Finance Ministry official sounded a warning about relying on debt to finance defense spending, saying, "Building a healthy system for national security is our generation's responsibility" and that the "Heavy use of debt simply shifts the burden to future taxpayers."

Some critics, meanwhile, argue the government and the ruling bloc should reconsider the targeted defense spending if they cannot identify stable sources of funding, though any change of policy remains highly unlikely.

Saisuke Sakai, a senior economist at Mizuho Research & Technologies Ltd., said, "It is theoretically possible (to revise defense spending commitments) but not a practical choice, politically."

Kiuchi has urged the government to accelerate efforts to establish long-term funding for the defense budget, as costs required to address regional concerns and military advancements are only set to increase.

"Effective measures, such as reducing costs in other sectors, must be considered," Kiuchi said, adding specific proposals should be transparently presented to taxpayers.
 
 

The agency hopes to process huge amounts of data using AI and thereby help Japanese athletes improve their performance.

The Japan Sports Agency plans in March to revise their strategy for strengthening athletes, reformulating their policies to explicitly include the use of AI in the training of top athletes for the first time, with an eye toward Olympic and Paralympic Games between now and the Brisbane Games in 2032, it has been learned.

The agency hopes to process huge amounts of data using AI and thereby help Japanese athletes improve their performances so that they can win a lot of medals.

However, the strategy will also sound a warning about the risks athletes may face from overdependence on AI, including losing their powers of judgment and feeling for the sport, as well as injuries from overly intense practice.

The strategy serves as the highest guideline for measures to strengthen athletes aiming for the Olympics and Paralympics.

It will be reflected in projects by the Japan Sports Agency and the Japan High Performance Sport Center (HPSC), a strengthening base for top athletes in Kita Ward, Tokyo, and support initiatives for various sports organizations.

AI is used to improve athletes’ form, manage their condition and develop sports strategies. For gymnastics, AI systems which have been fed information on gymnastics skills so they can analyze and score filmed performances have been brought in to help judges at world championships.

In Japan, universities and private companies are developing AI systems to help with shot selection in curling and analyze athletes’ positions in trampolining, but they lack accuracy due to a scarcity of data, such as footage of games, that can be used to train AI. Many sports organizations also lack human resources well-versed in AI.

According to sources, the agency will add AI-related items to the strategy it is developing for enhancing the performances of top athletes, as Japan is falling behind the United States, Europe and Australia in this field.

The revised strategy is expected to include policies such as sharing effective examples of using AI with sports organizations and enhancing the accuracy of AI by working with researchers to collect greater volumes of data.

Meanwhile, it plans to identify potential risks such as training athletes without considering their condition, or that they might lose their feeling for the sport and ability to read each play due to becoming overdependent on AI.

The agency is expected, based on the new strategy to strengthen its network of researchers centered around HPSC, and start to use AI in earnest across a variety of sports from fiscal 2026.

“The use of AI is indispensable to compete with world,” a related person said. “However, AI is only a tool to improve work efficiency, and final decisions must be made by humans. If athletes let AI dictate how they play, the charm of sports itself will be lost.”