Rice prices in Japan are expected to continue falling over the next three months due to increased inventory levels, potentially reducing grocery costs for expats despite concerns from farmers about declining revenues.
Calbee is switching some product packaging to black-and-white designs due to Middle East crisis disrupting ink and naphtha supplies, marking a visible impact of geopolitical tensions on Japanese consumer goods.
Nissan and Honda are canceling multiple U.S. EV production plans due to falling demand. Honda projects a 400 billion yen operating loss, reflecting broader challenges in the automotive industry's electric transition.
A fatal expressway crash involving 21 high school students has exposed potential illegal transportation practices and safety gaps in Japan's school trip arrangements, prompting questions about rental vehicle regulations.
Foreign tourists overwhelmingly concentrate in seven prefectures, with 72 of Japan's top 100 destinations located there, while 25 prefectures have no top-100 sites, creating stark regional disparities.
Japan's Environment Ministry is revising disaster evacuation guidelines to better promote pet evacuation. The update aims to provide clearer frameworks for accommodating animals at shelters during emergencies.
Koji Suzuki, creator of the iconic "Ring" horror novel series, died May 8 at age 68. His work sparked the global J-horror phenomenon and established Japan as a major force in international horror culture.
Nintendo announced a ¥10,000 price increase for the Switch 2 in Japan due to rising semiconductor costs. The hike affects the domestic model and comes less than a year after launch.
Japan's government and LDP are debating reforms to limit prosecutors' appeals in retrial cases, with disagreement over whether restrictions should appear in main legal text or supplementary provisions.
A fatal bus crash on Fukushima's Ban-etsu Expressway killed one student and injured 20 others. Police arrested the driver and are investigating possible unlicensed charter operations.
Japan likely deployed ¥4-5 trillion in currency intervention during Golden Week, following April 30 action. Officials won't confirm but warn against speculation, affecting expats' purchasing power and remittances.
A cruise ship with suspected hantavirus outbreak heads to Canary Islands from Cape Verde. Japanese health ministry says domestic spread risk remains low despite some virus strains having 40% mortality rates.
The yen surged past 155 per dollar on May 6th in suspected government intervention, rising over 2 yen in 20 minutes. The movement affects expats' purchasing power and signals authorities' concern about currency weakness.