Article Archive
Browse all published articles about living in Japan
Record Rainfall Disrupts Transportation and Claims Life in Eastern Japan
Record rainfall across eastern Japan has caused one death, major train disruptions, and dangerous flooding. Weather authorities warn heavy rain may co...
Rising Interest Rates Create Housing Crisis for Japan Homeowners
Rising interest rates and soaring property prices are straining homeowners while creating barriers for buyers. Tokyo's market shows an 80 million yen ...
Heavy Rain and Fatal Accident Cause Major Transportation Disruptions
Heavy rain and a fatal accident have suspended Tōhoku Shinkansen service between Tokyo and Sendai with no resumption time set. Tokyo's Yamanote Line w...
Kurazushi Cancels 'Chiikawa' Campaign After Employee Fraud Discovery
Kurazushi canceled its Chiikawa collaboration campaign on September 6, 2026, after discovering employee fraud involving promotional merchandise. The d...
Cabinet Reshuffle: Key Ministers to Stay as Takaichi Prioritizes Stability
Prime Minister Takaichi will retain Finance Minister Katayama, Foreign Minister Motegi, and Defense Minister Koizumi in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle...
Record Rainfall Strikes Tokyo's Izu Islands as Linear Precipitation Bands Form
Tokyo's Izu Islands faced severe weather on September 5, with Hachijo Town recording 110mm of rain per hour. The JMA issued emergency alerts for linea...
Japan May Advance Flu Vaccination Schedule as Cases Surge Early
Japan's health ministry allows municipalities to advance flu vaccinations for seniors as cases surge 1.6 times above previous week. Eligible expats ag...
Western Japan Braces for Heavy Rain and Linear Precipitation Bands
Typhoon 24 and autumn rain front threaten western Japan with heavy rainfall and dangerous linear precipitation bands through October 7th. Kagoshima, M...
Yamato Holdings to End Dedicated Cargo Flights Amid Rising Fuel Costs
Yamato Holdings will end dedicated cargo flights by June 2027 due to rising fuel costs. The service was launched to address truck driver shortage regu...
Japan's Minimum Wage Rises to ¥1,177 Average in Second-Largest Increase
Japan's minimum wage increases to ¥1,177 average nationwide from October 2026, a ¥56 hike marking the second-largest increase on record. The raise aff...
Japan to Purchase 210,000 Tons of Reserve Rice Amid Record Oversupply
Japan will purchase 210,000 tons of reserve rice starting September 18 to address record oversupply. The move has drawn criticism as wasteful spending...
Long-Term Interest Rates Breach 3% Barrier: What Expats Need to Know
Japan's 10-year bond yields surpassed 3% on September 2, driven by inflation concerns and BOJ rate hike expectations. Housing loan consultations are s...
Japan Allocates 616 Billion Yen to Extend Gasoline Subsidy Program
Japan's government approved 616 billion yen to extend fuel subsidies, keeping gas prices lower amid Middle East tensions. The automatic subsidy benefi...
Mayonnaise and Seasonings Among Staples Facing Price Hikes in Japan
Kewpie and Ajinomoto will raise prices on mayonnaise, seasonings, and other staples due to rising raw material and packaging costs, according to NHK, ...
Honda and Nissan Join Forces on Software-Defined Vehicle Development
Honda and Nissan announced a partnership to jointly develop software-defined vehicles, sharing costs for components and operating systems. The collabo...
Japan Cuts Speed Limit to 30 km/h on Residential Roads from September 1
Japan reduced the legal speed limit on narrow residential "living roads" to 30 km/h starting September 1, 2026. The change affects residential streets...
Japan Schools to Integrate AI Education, Gain Flexibility in Class Hours
Japan will introduce AI education across all subjects and grant schools flexibility in class scheduling starting in four years, affecting all public s...
Japan's Interest Rates Hit 30-Year High as Major Banks Raise Mortgage Rates
Japan's long-term interest rates reached a 30-year high of 2.955% in September 2026, prompting Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo Mitsui banks to raise varia...
Record Rainfall Paralyzes Fukui Transportation, Infrastructure Damage Spreads
Record rainfall exceeding 300mm in 24 hours has caused major flooding in Fukui and Hokuriku, suspending multiple rail lines and closing key highways i...
Japan Police to Deploy Body-Worn Cameras Nationwide from April 2027
Japan will introduce police body-worn cameras nationwide from April 2027 to prevent disputes during questioning and traffic stops. The cameras aim to ...