Japan's Loneliness Epidemic

Mar 02, 2022 | News On Japan

Mar 02, 2022 (Journeyman Pictures) - Around the world more and more people are opting for the single life but in Japan, loneliness has become an epidemic.

Marriage and childbirth rates are falling, as more and more young Japanese choose to stay single and childless. Relationships are too difficult, they say. In the country's last Fertility Survey, figures showed that a quarter of women in their 30s were single, and half of those weren't interested in having a relationship. Many Japanese adults aren't even having sex. It's estimated around 10 per cent of people in their 30s are still virgins. By 2040, it's estimated nearly half of Japan's population will be single.

Typhoon No. 27 Forms as Typhoon No. 26 Passes Kanto

Typhoon No. 26 made its closest approach to the Kanto region on October 1 before heading north without making landfall, while a newly formed Typhoon No. 27 is expected to strengthen as it moves toward the Ogasawara Islands early next week, raising concerns about further unsettled weather across Japan as Tokyo extended its record-breaking streak of consecutive rainy days to 36.

First Emergency Bear Shooting Carried Out in Tokyo

Tokyo authorities carried out the capital's first emergency shooting of a captured bear in Hachioji after an adult Asiatic black bear was found caught in a trap near a residential area about 8 kilometers from Takao Station.

Japan's Population Falls to 122.97 Million

Japan's total population, including foreign residents, stood at 122.97 million as of October 1, 2025, down 3.17 million from the previous census in 2020, marking only the third decline since the national census began in 1920.

World’s First iPS Cell Heart Surgery Performed in Osaka

A woman in her 50s with severe heart failure underwent what was described as the world's first surgery using commercially available iPS cell-derived heart muscle sheets at an Osaka hospital on September 29, marking the first practical use of the regenerative treatment.

Tokyo Sets All-Time Record With Rain for 34 Straight Days

Tokyo recorded rain for a 34th consecutive day on September 29, setting a new all-time record for the capital, but the prolonged wet spell could finally end after Typhoon No. 26 passes the Izu Islands between the night of September 30 and the morning of October 1.

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Former Gang Member Arrested Over Deadly Kobe Shootings

A 79-year-old former gang member was arrested on September 30 following two shootings in Kobe that left one man dead and another seriously injured, with police investigating the possibility that the suspect acted alone rather than as part of a conflict between organized crime groups.

Doctor Admits Dismembering Wife's Body in Bathroom

A 46-year-old doctor arrested on suspicion of dismembering his wife's body and dumping the remains in a river in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, has admitted to the allegations, telling investigators that he laid a blue plastic sheet in the bathroom before cutting up the body and transporting it by car.

Bear Rams Car in Hokkaido

A brown bear repeatedly rammed a moving car on a prefectural road in Bifuka, Hokkaido, on the night of September 29, damaging the vehicle but leaving the driver unhurt, police said.

Man-Eating Crocodile Kept Without Permit in Osaka

A 34-year-old pet shop owner has been arrested on suspicion of illegally keeping a saltwater crocodile, one of the world's largest and most dangerous crocodile species, along with numerous other regulated reptiles at his home and business in a residential area of Osaka.

Two 14-Year-Old Boys Arrested Over 'Nagoya Ride'

Two 14-year-old junior high school students have been arrested on suspicion of obstructing police duties by riding bicycles dangerously in front of a patrol car in Nagoya, part of a practice known on social media as the "Nagoya Ride."

Deputy Priest Nabs Thief Red-Handed

A deputy priest at Myoenji temple in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, caught a man red-handed shortly after midnight on September 27 after surveillance footage showed the same person repeatedly appearing at the temple at around the same time each day.

Another Body Found After Landslide in Kanagawa

A woman believed to be in her 20s has been found dead at an apartment building struck by a landslide in Miura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, following heavy rain brought by Typhoon No. 25, raising the death toll across the Kanto region to 13.

Father Arrested for Throwing Kids From Sixth-Floor Balcony

A 25-year-old father has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly throwing his two young daughters from the sixth-floor balcony of an apartment building in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, in the early hours of September 26, with police investigating whether a dispute between the suspect and his wife was behind the incident.

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