Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivered an unusually harsh rebuke of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Kazuo Yana on October 13, describing his claims about cutting road budgets in areas that failed to support him as "inappropriate" and "really lame," while signaling that she would reconsider whether he should remain in office as opposition lawmakers intensified their demands for his dismissal.
Japan is facing a growing wave of cyberattacks as advances in artificial intelligence remove the language barrier that once made Japanese companies difficult targets for overseas hackers, with more than 68 million personal records potentially exposed in a series of security incidents over the past two weeks.
Four people, including a 13-year-old junior high school girl, were injured when a large festival float collided with a roadside tree during an autumn festival in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, on October 12th.
A 46-year-old Cuban national has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a 32-year-old foreign national at a restaurant in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, on October 11, fleeing the scene before turning himself in to police the following day.
The proportion of divorces involving couples married for at least 20 years has reached a record high in Japan, driven by greater financial independence among women and longer life expectancy, with women initiating an estimated 70% to 80% of late-life separations.
A fire broke out at a home in Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture, on October 12th after flames apparently spread to the building during an operation to remove a wasp nest, burning two residential structures and leaving one worker with minor injuries.
Osaka's Midosuji boulevard and the Champs-Elysees in Paris have officially established a sister street partnership, marking a new step in cooperation between the two cities on urban development, streetscape improvements, and efforts to attract visitors.
Japan is expected to experience a warmer-than-normal winter as the El Nino phenomenon currently affecting the Pacific Ocean has reached its strongest level on record, with the Japan Meteorological Agency announcing on October 10th that unusually high sea surface temperatures are likely to persist through the coming winter months.
The Konosu Fireworks Festival, one of Japan's largest fireworks events, set a Guinness World Record for the number of consecutive large-shell fireworks launched on October 10, as approximately 20,000 fireworks illuminated the autumn night sky over Konosu City in Saitama Prefecture.
The Otsu Festival, one of Shiga Prefecture's three major traditional festivals, was held in Otsu City on October 11th, featuring a procession of 13 elaborately decorated floats carrying traditional mechanical puppets through the streets, following the festival's addition to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December last year.
The government’s plan to cut the consumption tax on food is turning into a broader fight over public spending, ministerial accountability and whether Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi can keep her autumn Diet agenda focused on household relief rather than political damage control.
The Japanese government has approved a bill to reduce the consumption tax on food from 8% to 1% for two years beginning in April 2027, while pledging to finance the measure without issuing deficit-covering government bonds, although it has yet to specify how it will cover the estimated 10 trillion yen cost.
Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force unveiled its latest submarine, the Shogei, at a launch ceremony in Kobe on October 8, featuring improved detection capabilities and quieter onboard systems following construction at a cost of approximately 80.5 billion yen.
Highly poisonous mushrooms capable of causing severe skin damage through contact and even death if eaten are appearing in large numbers on Mount Takao in western Tokyo, raising concerns for hikers and families as unusually hot summer weather and prolonged autumn rainfall have created ideal conditions for fungal growth.
In today's video, we have a look at the ongoing kabuki performances at the Heisei Nakamura-za theatre, set up this time in Asakusa, Tokyo.
Miku Yamanaka, a 32-year-old veteran of women's sumo who has claimed 34 national titles, continues to compete against younger rivals while balancing work and training, demonstrating remarkable determination as she battles through injuries in pursuit of further success at the All-Japan Women's Sumo Championships.
Around 90 self-proclaimed ninjas from across Japan gathered in Koka, Shiga Prefecture, for the 43rd All-Japan Ninja Championship, competing in traditional ninja-inspired challenges including shuriken throwing, castle wall climbing, and running across water to claim the title of Japan's top ninja.
Japan's domestic corporate goods price index rose 6.8% in September from a year earlier, slowing to below 7% for the first time in four months but remaining at a high level as soaring crude oil prices and growing demand for AI-related materials continued to push up costs, according to data released by the Bank of Japan on October 13.
Tokyo stocks fell sharply on October 13, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 67,778, down 1,253 points, as selling in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares dragged the headline index below 68,000 after a three-day holiday weekend.
Japan's transition away from decades of ultra-low interest rates is placing increasing financial pressure on students, homeowners and property investors, with some university graduates facing more than 1 million yen in additional student loan repayments while rising mortgage costs and record-high apartment prices threaten to slow the country's property market.
Japan is stepping up efforts to reduce its dependence on China for essential medicines and rare earth minerals, with pharmaceutical giant Meiji Seika Pharma working to restart domestic penicillin production after more than three decades and a government-backed research project achieving a breakthrough in extracting rare earth-rich mud from the seabed near Minamitorishima Island.