Prime Minister Takaichi's new cabinet prioritizes eliminating consumption tax on food for two years and passing the FY2026 budget by March 31. All cabinet ministers were retained from the previous government.
A fatal arson attack in Higashihiroshima on February 16 resulted in one death after an intruder forced entry, attacked residents, and set fire to the home, prompting a murder investigation.
TEPCO resumed power generation at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Plant Unit 6 on February 16, 2026, after 14 years. The reactor will enter commercial operation on March 18 if inspections proceed smoothly.
Police searched former Ito City Mayor Maki Takubo's home for over seven hours on February 14, investigating academic fraud allegations and potential election law violations.
A 17-year-old boy was killed and two teens injured in a stabbing in Osaka's Dotonbori district on February 14. Police are searching for a suspect in his twenties who may have known the victims.
Japan approves ¥300 million gene therapy under public insurance and expands palliative care beyond cancer patients, affecting all insured residents including expats.
Rakuten Group posted a 177.8 billion yen loss for its seventh straight year despite record sales, driven by mobile network investments. Core services like banking and e-commerce remain strong for expat users.
Seven-Eleven raises prices on 30 rice-based products including onigiri and bento from February 12, 2025, due to Japan's ongoing rice shortage. The increases affect staple convenience foods relied upon by many expats.
JAL's same-day luggage delivery service suffered a data breach exposing names and phone numbers of up to 28,000 customers. Expats who used the service should watch for suspicious calls and phishing attempts.
Sony will stop producing Blu-ray disc recorders due to declining demand from streaming services. Other manufacturers continue production, but the move signals shifting media consumption in Japan.
An overhead wire failure on JR's Utsunomiya Line disrupted service for 20 hours, affecting 190,000 passengers. Damage occurred across 100+ locations over 4 kilometers between Koga and Nogi stations.
The LDP won 316 Lower House seats, securing a supermajority that enables constitutional amendments. The opposition suffered devastating losses, creating a dominant single-party political landscape.
ICE operations have sparked protests in Milan during the Olympics and ongoing unrest in Minnesota following a fatal shooting. Growing international concern reflects tensions over US immigration enforcement practices.