Food

Eel Regulation Dropped After Japan Opposition

TOKYO, Dec 05 (News On Japan) - The proposal to strengthen regulations on international eel trade has been formally shelved, marking a result in line with the position pushed by Japan and several other countries.
EU member states and others had called for tighter controls on all eel transactions under the Washington Convention, citing global resource depletion and the need for stronger international oversight. However, Japan countered that the Japanese eel faces no imminent risk of extinction and opposed the measure.

At last week’s committee meeting, the proposal failed to secure the required two-thirds majority and was rejected.

During the plenary session held on December 4th, the EU and other supporters did not file objections, and the proposal was officially withdrawn.

With the decision, a surge in eel prices due to tighter regulations is expected to be avoided for the time being. Yet concerns over resource depletion remain strong, and Japan, as one of the world’s largest consumers, is likely to continue facing scrutiny over the robustness of its management and conservation practices.

Source: TBS

Heavy Snow Continues Along Sea of Japan Coast

Heavy snow continued mainly along the Sea of Japan coast on January 22nd under a strong winter pressure pattern, with some low-lying areas also expected to see significant accumulation, prompting warnings over potential disruptions to transportation.

Abe Shooter Gets Life Sentence

Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, who was charged with murder and other crimes over the shooting death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, was sentenced to life in prison on January 21st in a lay judge trial at the Nara District Court, in line with prosecutors’ request after proceedings that spanned 15 hearings since October 2025. Yamagami showed no change in expression as the life sentence was handed down.

Inbound Tourists to Japan Top 40 Million for First Time

Japan welcomed more than 40 million foreign visitors in 2025 for the first time, setting a new annual record, even as arrivals from China fell sharply in December.

Straw Serpent Bites Heads in Kyoto

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Japan Heads for Snap Election

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced on Monday that she will dissolve the House of Representatives on January 23rd, the opening day of the regular Diet session, and hold a snap general election with voting set for February 8th.

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