Article Archive
Browse all published articles about living in Japan
Heavy Snowfall Disrupts Transportation Across Japan During New Year Travel
Heavy snowfall across Japan is causing major transportation disruptions during New Year travel, with over 20km traffic jams and delays affecting train...
Japan Post Plans Major Consolidation: 20% of Distribution Centers to Close by 2028
Japan Post will consolidate 20% of distribution centers by 2028 due to declining mail volume, though local post offices will remain open. The changes ...
New Year's Day Tragedies Highlight Safety Risks for Japan Residents
Multiple fatal accidents on New Year's Day included mochi choking deaths, a fall at a sunrise viewing site, and a child's balcony fall, highlighting s...
Noto Peninsula Earthquake: Two Years On, Recovery Remains Incomplete
Two years after the Noto Peninsula earthquake, the death toll has reached 698 with recovery incomplete. Over 30% of disaster-related deaths resulted f...
Major Train Accident Disrupts Tokyo-Area Commutes on New Year's Day
A train-vehicle collision on January 1 halted JR Utsunomiya and Shonan-Shinjuku Line services through day's end. Separately, Kyoto buses faced severe ...
Japan-China Business Ties Strained as Economic Delegation Postponed
Japan-China business relations face strain as economic delegation postpones January visit amid diplomatic tensions. Despite political friction, China'...
New Labor Laws Strengthen Wage Protection for SME Workers in Japan
New SME protection law prohibits unfair pricing by large corporations, potentially enabling wage increases. Employee leave rights remain complex, with...
New Support App for Foreign Workers Amid Property Regulation Debates
A new app provides enhanced support for foreign workers on Specified Skilled Worker visas, while Japanese lawmakers debate property ownership restrict...
Year-End Safety Alert: Mochi Choking Deaths and Highway Accidents Rise
Mochi choking deaths and multi-vehicle highway accidents claimed lives on December 30, prompting safety warnings. Foreign residents should exercise ca...
Major Tax Changes Hit Japan: Gasoline Tax Cut and New Credit System
Japan abolished its 50-year gasoline tax surcharge on December 31, while planning a new refundable tax credit system. Major banks raised fixed mortgag...
New PM Moves to Official Residence as Tokyo Debates Household Waste Fees
PM Takaichi moved to the official residence on December 29 for crisis readiness. Tokyo Governor Koike's household waste fee proposal faces public oppo...
BOJ Rate Hike Signals Strengthen Yen, Impact Stock Markets
The yen strengthened against the dollar on December 29, 2024, while Japanese stocks fell as markets anticipated continued BOJ rate hikes, directly imp...
Noto Earthquake: Two Years On, Recovery Faces Unprecedented Challenges
Two years after the Noto earthquake, recovery faces major challenges including unexpectedly fast tsunamis, unresolved property boundaries from liquefa...
Tokyo Warns of Rising Battery Fires and Payment Scams Targeting Residents
Tokyo reports 228 lithium-ion battery fires through September 2025, exceeding previous records. Simultaneously, QR code payment scams have reached all...
Japan's Healthcare System Faces Mounting Pressure from Elderly Care Crisis
Japan faces 225,000-person elderly care waiting lists, launches antimicrobial resistance research with Southeast Asia, and confronts annual New Year m...
Major Highway Pile-Up and Road Collapse Highlight Infrastructure Risks
A 67-vehicle pile-up on Gunma's Kan-Etsu Expressway killed two and closed the highway for three days, while Saitama's Yashio road collapse recovery co...
Childcare Crisis Deepens: Waitlisted Families Face Employment Disruption
Over 50% of families on after-school care waiting lists have modified their employment due to childcare unavailability, according to a government surv...
Cardboard Beds in Evacuation Shelters Significantly Reduce Blood Clot Risks
Medical research from the Noto Peninsula earthquake shows early cardboard bed installation in evacuation shelters significantly reduced blood clot ris...
Fatal Escalator Accident and Wolf Escape Expose Safety Gaps at Public Facilities
A five-year-old boy died at a Hokkaido ski resort when an escalator's emergency stop failed, while a wolf escaped at Tokyo's Tama Zoo the same day, ra...
Policy Updates: ID Requirements at Hotels and Tokyo Waste Fees Coming
Foreign residents face ID requirement questions at hotels, upcoming paid garbage collection in Tokyo's 23 wards, and reminders to verify municipal ben...