Article Archive
Browse all published articles about living in Japan
Yellow Hat Data Breach Exposes 1.8 Million Customers' Personal Information
Yellow Hat's reservation system was breached, potentially exposing 1.8 million customers' names and phone numbers. Foreign residents who used the serv...
September Utility Bills Set to Rise as Government Subsidies Reduced
September utility bills will increase nationwide due to rising LNG prices and reduced government subsidies. All major electricity and city gas provide...
Heavy Rainfall and Flooding Risk Continues in Hokuriku Region
The Hokuriku region faces continued heavy rainfall and flooding risks through August 31, following record precipitation on August 27. Ishikawa and Toy...
Major Supermarkets Cut Prices as Japanese Consumer Spending Weakens
Major Japanese supermarkets including Aeon are cutting prices on hundreds of items as consumer spending weakens. The limited-time campaigns offer expa...
Constitutional Democrats Reject Merger with Centrist-Komeito Coalition
The Constitutional Democratic Party rejected merging with the Centrist Reform Alliance and Komeito after local branches objected. The decision maintai...
Japan's Daycare Waiting List Grows for First Time in Nine Years
Japan's daycare waiting list increased to 2,435 children in April 2026, the first rise in nine years. A severe childcare worker shortage is preventing...
Japan to Replenish Rice Reserves in September Amid Supply Management
Japan's agriculture ministry will buy back 150,000 tons of reserve rice in September 2026, focusing on 2025-harvest rice currently held in private inv...
Level 5 Emergency: Ishikawa and Toyama Face Catastrophic Heavy Rain
JMA issued Level 5 emergency warnings for Ishikawa and Toyama on August 27 due to catastrophic rainfall from linear rainbands, causing flooding, lands...
Japan Issues New AI Intellectual Property Protection Guidelines
Japan's government released AI intellectual property protection guidelines requiring transparency in training data collection. The framework balances ...
New Unified My Number App Launches to Simplify Government Procedures
Japan's Digital Agency launched a unified My Number app on August 25, 2026, consolidating two previous applications to simplify online identity verifi...
Suzuki Launches First Kei-Class EV as Competition Heats Up in Japan
Suzuki unveiled its first electric kei-class vehicle, launching this autumn amid growing competition. The move brings eco-friendly options to Japan's ...
Japan Considers Major Prostitution Law Reform to Criminalize Buyers
Japan's Justice Ministry is considering criminalizing buyers who solicit prostitution, addressing inequality in current laws that only penalize seller...
Auto Insurance Premiums Rising: Sompo Japan Announces 5% Increase
Sompo Japan will raise auto insurance premiums by 5% from January 2027 due to rising repair costs. Other major insurers are expected to implement simi...
Typhoon 18 Approaching Okinawa and Amami: Severe Winds Expected
Typhoon 18 will approach Okinawa and Amami from August 25 with extremely violent winds starting August 24. Residents should prepare immediately with s...
Record Rainfall Floods Tokyo and Chiba, Disrupting Major Train Lines
Record rainfall on August 22 caused severe flooding across Tokyo and Chiba, with streets submerged and manholes overflowing. JR Sotobo Line resumed fu...
Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Strikes Kanto: Infrastructure Damage Reported
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Kanto at 2:00 AM August 23, causing infrastructure damage and injuries. Authorities warn of possible aftershocks for...
JAXA Sets October 20 Launch for Groundbreaking Mars Moon Mission MMX
JAXA will launch the MMX Mars moon mission on October 20, 2026, at 5:00 AM from Tanegashima. The spacecraft will collect samples from Phobos and retur...
New Rice Harvest Prices to Drop Sharply, Threatening Japan's Farmers
Japan's 2026 rice harvest faces sharp price declines, with advance farmer payments dropping significantly. Agricultural leaders warn this threatens su...
Japan Post Considers Major Service Cuts as Postal Business Bleeds Red Ink
Japan's government has formed a committee to address Japan Post's ongoing losses, potentially leading to reduced mail delivery services. Changes could...
Osaka Expo Construction Scandal: Takenaka Employee Arrested for Fraud
Takenaka Corporation employee arrested for allegedly embezzling 13 million yen through inflated Expo construction bills to fund personal home renovati...