Japan plans to nearly double Narita Airport railway capacity through new elevated infrastructure, enabling expanded JR and Keisei express services and new Narita-Haneda connections for improved traveler convenience.
The Japanese government is developing a new learning program for foreign residents to study Japanese language and rules. The ICT-based program will target medium to long-term residents and include pre-arrival access.
Japan Post will increase Yu-Pack delivery fees by 10% from October 2025 due to rising logistics and labor costs. Click Post and shipping materials will also see price increases, affecting expats who regularly use postal services.
Japan will increase permanent residence application fees from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000 starting October 2026. The twenty-fold increase represents a major cost change for foreign residents seeking long-term status.
Japan's fiscal 2025 tax revenue hit a record 84.2 trillion yen, up 9 trillion yen from the previous year, driven by wage increases and strong corporate performance that directly impact expat income taxes.
Japan's government has launched a nationwide USB security audit of all municipalities after malware was found on Defense Ministry devices. The investigation will examine local government data handling practices.
Japan and India announced a 2 trillion yen investment package and 130 corporate cooperation agreements, focusing on economic security and battery supply chains for India's growing EV market.
Major Japanese companies paid record summer bonuses averaging 1,008,000 yen per employee in 2026, up 1.88% from last year. This milestone primarily affects large corporation employees and reflects labor market pressures.
Japan reduced passport fees by up to 7,000 yen starting July 1, but processing times may extend to one month due to expected application surges. Officials urge early applications to avoid delays.
Japan's national civil servants received summer bonuses averaging ¥738,500, up 4.5% from last year. This marks the fourth consecutive annual increase, reflecting private sector wage growth.
Aflac Life Insurance Japan reported a data breach affecting 4.38 million customers through unauthorized access to its policyholder portal. Personal information including names, addresses, phone numbers, and some bank details were compromised.
Over 2,566 food products will increase in price this July, continuing a five-year trend of annual increases exceeding 10,000 items. Middle East instability drives costs higher, affecting groceries and restaurants alike.
Japan's government has passed Imperial Household Law amendments allowing female royals to retain status after marriage and permitting adoption of male descendants from former Imperial branches to address the shrinking royal family.