Article Archive
Browse all published articles about living in Japan
Japan Delays Bill to Expand Legal Use of Maiden Names
Japan postponed a bill expanding legal maiden name usage as official aliases due to a crowded Diet schedule. The delay affects married individuals, pa...
Japan Approves Insurance Coverage for iPS Cell Parkinson's Treatment at ¥55.3M
Japan approves insurance coverage for Amshepri, an iPS cell treatment for Parkinson's disease, at ¥55.3 million per procedure. Patients with national ...
Japan Considers Energy Subsidies as Middle East Crisis Threatens Summer Bills
Japan's government is considering electricity and gas subsidies for summer 2026 due to Middle East tensions threatening energy price increases, potent...
Japan Moves to Restrict Prosecutors' Appeal Rights in Retrial Cases
Japan's government will propose restricting prosecutors' appeals against retrial decisions, enshrining the prohibition in the Criminal Procedure Code ...
Japan's Emergency Powers Framework Sparks Constitutional Debate
Japan's House of Representatives revealed a constitutional emergency powers framework allowing term extensions and emergency decrees during disasters ...
Iran Crisis Triggers Product Shortages: Garbage Bags, Snack Packaging Affected
Middle East tensions are causing packaging material shortages in Japan, affecting garbage bags and snack food designs. Municipalities are relaxing was...
Rice Prices Expected to Fall Further Despite Recent Market Fluctuations
Rice prices in Japan are expected to continue falling over the next three months due to increased inventory levels, potentially reducing grocery costs...
Middle East Crisis Forces Calbee to Switch to Black-and-White Packaging
Calbee is switching some product packaging to black-and-white designs due to Middle East crisis disrupting ink and naphtha supplies, marking a visible...
Japanese Automakers Slash U.S. EV Plans as Demand Weakens
Nissan and Honda are canceling multiple U.S. EV production plans due to falling demand. Honda projects a 400 billion yen operating loss, reflecting br...
Fatal Expressway Crash Exposes Safety Gaps in School Trip Transportation
A fatal expressway crash involving 21 high school students has exposed potential illegal transportation practices and safety gaps in Japan's school tr...
Tourism Boom Bypasses Most of Japan: 7 Prefectures Dominate Foreign Visits
Foreign tourists overwhelmingly concentrate in seven prefectures, with 72 of Japan's top 100 destinations located there, while 25 prefectures have no ...
Japan Updates Pet Evacuation Guidelines to Improve Disaster Preparedness
Japan's Environment Ministry is revising disaster evacuation guidelines to better promote pet evacuation. The update aims to provide clearer framework...
Koji Suzuki, Creator of 'Ring' Horror Franchise, Dies at 68
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 J...
Nintendo Switch 2 Faces ¥10,000 Price Hike Due to Semiconductor Costs
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...
Japan Debates Major Judicial Reform Limiting Prosecutors' Retrial Appeals
Japan's government and LDP are debating reforms to limit prosecutors' appeals in retrial cases, with disagreement over whether restrictions should app...
Fatal Highway Bus Crash Sparks Investigation into Unlicensed Charter Operations
A fatal bus crash on Fukushima's Ban-etsu Expressway killed one student and injured 20 others. Police arrested the driver and are investigating possib...
Japan Deploys Estimated ¥4-5 Trillion in Golden Week Currency Intervention
Japan likely deployed ¥4-5 trillion in currency intervention during Golden Week, following April 30 action. Officials won't confirm but warn against s...
Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship Heading to Canary Islands
A cruise ship with suspected hantavirus outbreak heads to Canary Islands from Cape Verde. Japanese health ministry says domestic spread risk remains l...
Yen Surges Past 155 Per Dollar in Suspected Market Intervention
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' purc...
Japan and Philippines Establish Framework for Maritime Defense Vessel Transfer
Japan and the Philippines agreed to establish a working group to facilitate the transfer of used JMSDF escort vessels, following Japan's policy change...