The typhoon, currently affecting Okinawa and nearby islands as of 4:30 p.m. on June 1st, is expected to turn eastward and move north. Forecasts place its center north of Amami Oshima by 9 a.m. on June 2nd, near Tanegashima south of Kagoshima by 3 p.m. the same day, and approaching the Kanto region by the afternoon of June 3rd. Meteorologists say the period between the afternoon of June 2nd and the afternoon of June 3rd will be particularly dangerous as the storm passes offshore of western Japan, enhancing rainfall over a broad area.
[updated 22:00 p.m.] Airlines and railway operators are warning of further transportation disruptions across Japan on June 2nd and June 3rd as Typhoon No. 6 moves northeast from Okinawa toward southern Kyushu and the Pacific coast of western Japan. More than 130 flight cancellations have already been announced by Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways for June 2nd, following widespread disruptions in Okinawa as the storm passed through the region.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi strongly rejected accusations that Japan is embracing "new militarism," describing such claims as false while delivering a speech at a major regional security conference in Singapore on May 31st.
Cosplayers gathered in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district on May 30th to promote environmental conservation by taking part in a large-scale cleanup campaign aimed at reducing marine plastic waste and other litter.
A series of false bear sighting reports posted to an online alert system operated by Aomori Prefecture has disrupted schools, prompted a police investigation, and raised concerns about the growing impact of misinformation on public safety.
A major transformation is underway in Osaka's Juso district, where the area's first large-scale tower condominium has opened in a neighborhood long known for its retro downtown atmosphere and entertainment district. While the development is bringing new conveniences and attracting new residents, concerns are also emerging over rising rents and the future character of the community.
A social media dispute between a 17-year-old high school student from Tokyo's Itabashi Ward and a 16-year-old boy from Edogawa Ward escalated into a planned group fight involving around 30 youths, some of whom allegedly brought weapons including a rusty saw, iron pipes, a special baton and even a shovel.
Typhoon No. 6 is expected to approach the Okinawa region with strong intensity by the morning of June 1st, prompting authorities to warn of violent winds, extremely rough seas, torrential rain, and dangerous storm surges, while all flights operating at Naha, Miyako, and Ishigaki airports have been canceled.
A Japan Airlines passenger aircraft that made an emergency landing after suffering a tire malfunction has prompted the discovery of runway damage at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, with authorities now investigating whether the two incidents are connected.
Kansai Airport has completed its first large-scale renovation since opening, 24 additional stores, including a Universal Studios Japan outlet, marking the theme park's first airport store in Japan.
Osaka City will stop accepting new applications for its special-zone minpaku program on May 29 as complaints over noise, garbage disposal and other issues involving guests continue to increase.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi renewed her determination to resolve the long-standing abduction issue involving North Korea on May 30th, declaring her willingness to pursue a summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as families of the victims gathered in Tokyo to demand the return of their loved ones.
Japan's Defense Minister Shinji Koizumi held the first-ever trilateral meeting with his counterparts from Australia and New Zealand, where the three sides exchanged views on defense cooperation, including the potential export of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's latest frigate design.
World-renowned musician YOSHIKI is betting on Hokkaido wine as Japan's next global export success story, joining a growing list of international figures and industry leaders who see the island as one of the world's most promising emerging wine regions.
Heart of the Country” is the story of Shinichi Yasutomo, the extraordinary principal of a rural elementary school in Kanayama, central Hokkaido, Northern Japan. Yasutomo is a man driven by his vision for learning and his passion for educating the heart as well as the mind. (TRNGL)
This week, the explore Kawatake Mokuami's 1881 sewamono drama Kiwametsuki Banzui Chōbē ("The Renowned Banzui Chōbē"), revised in 1891 by his student, Kawatake Shinshichi III. (Kabuki In-Depth)
A pair of sisters from Aichi Prefecture are closing in on a dream they have pursued for nearly a decade, with Ren Matsumoto and Non Matsumoto aiming to secure a place at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after rising to the top of Japan's beach volleyball rankings through years of family sacrifice and determination.
Shortages of thinners, paints, adhesive tapes and other petroleum-derived products are continuing to spread across Japan, raising questions about whether supply disruptions can still be explained solely by distribution bottlenecks.
Concerns over instability in the Middle East show little sign of easing, and the effects are increasingly being felt in everyday life across Japan. Supply chain disruptions linked to petroleum-based materials are now affecting everything from household goods to public infrastructure projects.
More than 1,000 food products and other consumer goods will see price increases from June, with the effects of instability in the Middle East now reaching supermarket shelves in unexpected ways, including the appearance of black-and-white potato chip packages.
The “naphtha shortage” triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East is now spreading into Japan’s housing industry, with shortages of paint, thinner, insulation materials and other building products forcing construction delays across the country.
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 soaring valuations in AI and semiconductor stocks prompt concerns about concentration risk, market analysts are increasingly pointing to energy shares as a potential alternative investment theme in an inflationary environment.
Toyota Motor has decided to halt development of the LF-ZC, a next-generation electric vehicle planned under its Lexus luxury brand, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Fixed-rate mortgage costs in Japan are set to rise again in June as the country's five major banks increase home loan rates in response to higher long-term interest rates, with their flagship 10-year fixed-rate mortgages rising to preferential rates of 3.27% at Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, 3.5% at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and 3.25% at Mizuho Bank.