22 September 2020
In much of Japan, the summer heat usually lingers until late September, but a cold snap over the weekend brought the lowest temperatures since last spring.
(NHK)
Yamanashi prefectural police on Monday began a search for a seven-year-old girl who vanished from a campsite on Sept 21 last year.
(Japan Today)
Japan's internal affairs ministry says the number of elderly people in the nation has set a new record high. The ratio of elderly to the total population is also the highest in the world.
(NHK)
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and US President Donald Trump have agreed to further strengthen the Japan-US alliance.
(NHK)
An international research team including a Japanese scientist on Thursday won the Ig Nobel Acoustics prize after showing that an alligator’s pitch rises after it inhales helium-enriched air. (Japan Times)
The former chairman of Japan Life Co, a now-bankrupt company, was arrested Friday along with 13 others on suspicion of running a "rental owner" investment scam involving clothing, jewelry and other goods it claimed had health benefits, police said.
(Japan Today)
The Japanese government has decided to set up a system to exempt athletes competing at next year's Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games from entry restrictions currently placed on 159 countries and regions due to the novel coronavirus that forced the games' postponement, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.
(Kyodo)
Today, over 90 percent of funeral services in Japan are Buddhist. A traditional Buddhist funeral is a chance for loved ones and friends to come together, mourn, and seek closure. At times, it's a solemn affair, so the idea of unintention...
Sep 19
A woman fleeing from a molester in Katsushika Ward was attacked a second time after she fled to a koban police box only to find it unmanned, police have revealed, reports NHK (Sept. 17). (tokyoreporter.com) Sep 18
A Tokyo court ruled Thursday that the 39-year-old second daughter of executed AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara can take possession of his cremated remains, sources familiar with the matter said, in the latest development in a long-running family row over his ashes.
(Kyodo) Sep 17
Yoshihide Suga's hometown In northeastern Japan and his constituency in Yokohama, near Tokyo, were in festive moods Wednesday as supporters celebrated his election as Japan's new prime minister. (Kyodo) Sep 16
A government survey shows that the number of centenarians in Japan has exceeded 80,000 for the first time ever.
(NHK) Sep 16
NHK has learned that residents of a town in western Japan oppose a plan to build a cemetery for Muslims.
(NHK) Sep 22
The political friction between the U.S. and China over TikTok raises strategic questions for Japanese businesses that use the popular video-sharing app in advertising to young consumers. (Sep 22). (Nikkei) Sep 19
The key inflation gauge went negative again last month, driven down by government discounts meant to boost consumer spending and help the pandemic-hit travel industry. (Japan Times) Sep 19
The former chairman of Japan Life Co, a now-bankrupt company, was arrested Friday along with 13 others on suspicion of running a "rental owner" investment scam involving clothing, jewelry and other goods it claimed had health benefits, police said.
(Japan Today) Sep 18
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga hit the ground running on day one, meeting with ministers in charge of top policy goals from cutting red tape and digitizing the government to combating the new coronavirus. (Nikkei) Sep 18
Policymakers at the Bank of Japan have decided to keep their current monetary-easing policy unchanged. (NHK) Sep 18
Developers have released the details of a major construction project that's underway in central Tokyo.
(NHK) Sep 19
A member of the House of Representatives has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and was admitted to a hospital, the Lower House’s secretariat said Friday, the first confirmed infection of a Japanese lawmaker.
(Japan Times) Sep 19
Japan's new prime minister will pursue economic structural reforms through a mixed bag of policies that target specific industries, rather than a grand strategy to reshape society and boost long-term growth.
(Japan Today) Sep 18
Shinzo Abe, Japan's outgoing and longest-serving prime minister, left his office in Tokyo for the last time on September 16, 2020. Abe had announced his plans to resign in August, citing health problems related to ulcerative colitis. (SCMP Clips) Sep 17
Japan's new prime minister says he will prioritize measures against the coronavirus and its economic fallout. Suga Yoshihide is taking over from Abe Shinzo, a close ally who was Japan's longest-serving prime minister.
(NHK) Sep 17
More than half of Suga Yoshihide's cabinet ministers were part of an Abe government -- a reflection of the new leader's intentions to continue his predecessor's policies.
(NHK) Sep 22
Japan will offer a visa lasting up to two years for graduating university students who plan to start a business in the country, in an effort to attract more ambitious and talented individuals. (Sep 22). (Nikkei) Sep 16
About 80 percent of universities and junior colleges plan to conduct both in-person and online lessons in the second semester of fiscal 2020 beginning this autumn, an education ministry survey showed Tuesday. (Japan Times) Sep 14
Anyone who has ever taught or known a teacher knows how intense the workload can be — all over the world, teachers find themselves left adrift against a current of curriculums and nights spent grading papers, only to be rewarded with complaints and abuse from students, parents, and higher-ups alike. (Japan Today) Sep 10
A new survey shows that about 80 percent of the children who contracted the coronavirus in Japan were likely infected by family members.
(NHK) Sep 10
A 4-year-old boy died after choking on a large grape while eating lunch at a Tokyo kindergarten and police have launched a probe into the accident, investigators said Tuesday. (Japan Times) Sep 06
These are are the most used and popular Japanese slang today. These must-know Japanese words are used commonly by younger Japanese people but also used by older ones. (Paolo fromTOKYO) Sep 22
Fujifilm Holdings Corp said Monday it has completed delayed clinical tests of Avigan, a potential treatment for COVID-19, paving the way for the application of sales and production of the antivirus drug. (Sep 22). (Japan Today) Sep 19
An international research team including a Japanese scientist on Thursday won the Ig Nobel Acoustics prize after showing that an alligator’s pitch rises after it inhales helium-enriched air. (Japan Times) Sep 16
Japan's Hayabusa2 space explorer will aim to probe the asteroid "1998KY26" located between the orbits of Earth and Mars in 2031 after completing its current mission of collecting samples from another asteroid, the country's science minister said Tuesday. (Kyodo) Sep 12
Japan's health ministry has decided to give seasonal flu shots to elderly people first, from October 1.
(NHK) Sep 11
A government panel on the coronavirus outbreak says two prefectures, Okinawa and Ishikawa, still remain at the worst of the four stages in hospital bed availability.
(NHK) Sep 08
Sharp Corp. said Monday that research by the firm has shown that its air purifying technology is able to reduce airborne coronavirus particles, claiming it as a world first. (Japan Times) Sep 19
The Japanese government has decided to set up a system to exempt athletes competing at next year's Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games from entry restrictions currently placed on 159 countries and regions due to the novel coronavirus that forced the games' postponement, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.
(Kyodo) Sep 18
Two high school students suffered injuries after they were hit by an athletics hammer on the sports ground of their school in Takizawa, Iwate Prefecture, on Wednesday.
(Japan Today) Sep 16
Kei Nishikori picked up his first win in a year at the Italian Open on Monday, defeating two-time ATP Tour titlist Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) to reach the second round of the clay court tournament in Rome. (Japan Times) Sep 14
Having being a pioneer in Technology, especially in Gaming, Japan’s gaming business has withered owing to stiff competition from Western Gaming Developers. (newsonjapan.com) Sep 13
Japanese tennis star Osaka Naomi has won the women's singles title at the US Open.
(NHK) Sep 22
Last month residents of Yokohama, as well as anime fans around the globe, were thrilled to get their first glimpse of the life-size RX-78 Gundam anime mecha standing in the city’s bayside district, roughly 45 minutes south of Tokyo. But even that was just a precursor to the real excitement. (Sep 22). (Sora News) Sep 18
Tourism businesses in Japan are starting to sell travel packages to and from Tokyo under the government's "Go To Travel" campaign to stimulate domestic tourism.
(NHK) Sep 18
Tokyo Disneyland's new area with attractions featuring characters and sets from 'Beauty and the Beast' will welcome the public starting Sept. 28, operator Oriental Land Co. said Thursday. (Japan Times) Sep 18
Japan's government is easing entry restrictions for travelers from Singapore on Friday to allow short-term visits by businesspeople between the two countries.
(NHK) Sep 14
Scary fun preempted by scary reality of pandemic. (soranews24.com) Sep 14
Japan will resume short-term business travel with Singapore from Sept 18, marking the first time that Tokyo has decided to allow the entry of businesspeople without requiring a 14-day self-isolation period amid the coronavirus pandemic, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Friday.
(Japan Today) Sep 20
Surprise gesture of goodwill comes with an amusing caveat from producer Toshio Suzuki. Studio Ghibli has built up a reputation over the years for steadfastly keeping a stern hold over the distribution and copyright of their films, even once sendi...Sep 19
Author: Tomohiko Satake, NIDS
Since the now former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe announced his resignation on 28 August, many have discussed how Japan's foreign policy will change under the new administration. Questions have emerged about wh...
Sep 17
Poster's final, poignant message has otaku everywhere shedding a tear. Just last month we were rocked by the news that one of Akihabara's most iconic video game arcades would be closing down at short notice. The Sega Akihabara Building 2 arcade, l...Sep 17
Author: Hiromi Murakami, GRIPS
Newly-elected Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has announced that he will continue the policies of his predecessor Shinzo Abe. Hopefully this will not include Abe's approach to the COVID-19 crisis.
Sug...
Sep 16
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Living in Japan, I've been flabbergasted a number of times when asked, in all seriousness, if my home country of England has the same cycle of four seasons as Japan – something they hold as unique and...
Sep 16
When I am not sleeping out for the night I always look for the cheapest type of accommodation possible, so I was delighted to find Blue Train Taragi for the night of my 40th day walking along the Kyushu Pilgriumage.It is three carriages from the ...Sep 15
Author: Hitoshi Tanaka, JCIE
Intensifying US–China rivalry is forcing Japan to reconsider its strategy to secure peace and prosperity in the region. This offers Japan an opportunity to use its diplomatic, economic and security advantages to sha...
Sep 15
Every year on either the 22nd or 23rd of September, Japan celebrates Autumnal Equinox Day (秋分の日) or shuubun no hi. This holiday comes right after another one called Respect for the Aged Day (敬老の日), or keirounohi no hi, which is ce...
Sep 11
Her artificially generated voice will be a crucial instrument in disseminating information. On 9 September, international superstar vocaloid Hatsune Miku assumed her new position as Coronavirus Countermeasure Supporter in the Office for Novel Coro...Sep 11
Labi location says goodbye to the neighborhood it's been a symbol of. In August, Tokyoites and travelers of the otaku persuasion bid bittersweet farewells to the Sega Akihabara Building 2 arcade and Tsukumo Akihabara Ekimae PC parts shop, two of t...