Japan is facing growing pressure over its treatment and recruitment of foreign workers, with serious allegations of abuse emerging even as companies compete for a shrinking pool of overseas labor and some industries approach government-set limits on the number of workers they can accept.
Seven Myanmar nationals working at an agricultural corporation in Hokkaido under Japan's Specified Skilled Worker status have accused their employer of repeated violence, intimidation and financial penalties, with some workers saying they were also called by numbers instead of their names and threatened with having their residence status revoked.
Foreign students in Japan are taking on demanding part-time jobs to cover rising living costs and finance their education, with convenience stores emerging as one of the most desirable workplaces because they offer valuable language training, exposure to Japanese culture and experience that could lead to future business opportunities.
Japan's restaurant industry is facing growing uncertainty after the government suspended the acceptance of new foreign workers under the Specified Skilled Worker visa program for the food service sector, a move that is affecting businesses, language schools, and students who had hoped to build careers in Japan.
As the number of foreign residents living in Japan continues to rise, so too does the number of foreign children attending Japanese schools, prompting educators to strengthen support not only for language learning but also for cultural adaptation.
Airport quarantine inspectors in Japan are repeatedly finding prohibited foods hidden inside souvenirs, from pork and chicken products to fruit and even vegetable seeds, as travelers return from overseas unaware that strict import rules apply.
A woman riding a bicycle was killed after being dragged about 250 meters by a truck following a collision at an intersection in Osaka’s Fukushima Ward, with police arresting the driver at the scene.
Nearly 18 years have passed since journalist Kenji Nagai was shot dead while covering a protest in Myanmar, and new analysis has revealed that his final words were recorded on the video camera he held until the very end.
The number of foreign workers in Japan has reached a record high, but illegal employment is also rising sharply. Last year alone, more than 6,500 foreign nationals disappeared after arriving in Japan to work, often caught between exploitative brokers, low wages, and harassment in the workplace.
A powerful earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28th, leaving 3,600 dead and hundreds missing, prompting Myanmar nationals living in Fukuoka City to call for support for their stricken homeland.
A Japanese emergency relief team dispatched by the government has begun operations in Mandalay, a region heavily affected by the recent earthquake in central Myanmar that has claimed more than 3,000 lives.
The combination of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket has been transferred to the launch area, according to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, on October 22, 2024, Beijing time.
A Japanese employee of the Aeon Group, who had been detained in Myanmar for over 40 days after being convicted of violating rice price controls, has been released.
A Japanese man detained in Myanmar over the sale price of rice has been charged and will face trial on Friday, July 12.
It has been three years since Myanmar experienced a military coup. Although not a major tourist destination for Japanese citizens, over 300 Japanese companies have established operations in Myanmar.
Four individuals, including a Japanese national, have been detained in Myanmar for allegedly selling rice at prices higher than those regulated by the government.
Tokyo's downtown market district, Ameyoko, which attracts hundreds of thousands of shoppers, especially around New Year, is undergoing a major transformation. Traditional fresh fish stores have dwindled, while multinational restaurants have surged. What is happening?
The Myanmar community in Tokyo gathered in Koto Ward on Sunday to celebrate the Myanmar New Year, marked annually on April 17th. The festival, known as "Thingyan," attracted around 10,000 participants this year, including both the local Myanmar population and Japanese guests.
During his farewell press conference on March 23, outgoing Japan Football Association President Kozo Tashima addressed the cancellation of the men's soccer World Cup Asian second-round qualifier between Japan and North Korea, which was scheduled for March 26.
Saga Women's Junior College held its graduation ceremony on Thursday, attended by international students, adding a rich cultural diversity to the event.
In a groundbreaking decision, the Nagoya High Court has overturned a lower court ruling and ordered the government to recognize a Rohingya man living in Nagoya as a refugee, citing the risk of persecution and ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya in Myanmar.
In 2024, the Japanese government aims to mandate tuberculosis tests for individuals from six countries seeking to enter Japan for over three months. (visaguide.world)
The second day of the G7 Hiroshima summit is underway. The leaders held talks aimed at boosting engagement with the emerging and developing nations, collectively known as the Global South. (NHK)
The family of a Japanese journalist killed while reporting on Myanmar's 2007 "Saffron Revolution" released his last pictures on Wednesday, sharing footage from a recently obtained video camera that went missing since his death 15 years ago. (South China Morning Post)
Thirteen crew members were rescued from a cargo ship that sank off southwestern Japan early on Wednesday during fierce winter winds but two have since died, the coast guard said. Rescuers were searching for the remaining nine. (devdiscourse.com)