Article Archive
Browse all published articles about living in Japan
Japan's Tourism Hits Record July High Despite Sharp China Decline
Japan recorded 3.44 million visitors in July 2026, the highest ever for the month, despite declining Chinese tourists. Strong growth from South Korea ...
U.S. Potato Import Liberalization Sparks Opposition from Hokkaido Farmers
Japan's government is advancing plans to allow fresh U.S. potato imports, facing strong opposition from Hokkaido agricultural groups who fear market d...
ANA and JAL Coordinate Schedules in Historic Move to Save Domestic Routes
ANA and JAL announced their first-ever flight schedule coordination on the Haneda-Okayama route to maintain domestic service amid rising fuel costs. T...
Japan's Long-Term Interest Rates Hit 30-Year High Amid Global Tensions
Japan's long-term interest rates reached 2.93% on August 17, the highest in 30 years, driven by inflation concerns and Middle East tensions. This affe...
ANA and JAL Coordinate Schedules for First Time Amid Rising Costs
ANA and JAL are coordinating domestic flight schedules for the first time to maintain regional routes amid rising costs. The collaboration aims to red...
Chiba Flooding Aftermath: Death Toll Reaches 10, 2,500 Vehicles Stranded
Record rainfall in Chiba Prefecture has killed 10 people and left 2,500 vehicles stranded on city roads. The flooding damaged 1,500 buildings, overwhe...
Japan's War Remembrance Day: Yasukuni Visits Spark Diplomatic Concerns
Four cabinet ministers and 89 lawmakers visited Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, while PM Takaichi sent offerings remotely. Her memorial address omitted ...
Chiba Prefecture Floods: 9 Dead, Over 1,000 Homes Damaged
Record rainfall killed nine people in Chiba, flooded 1,000+ homes. Linear precipitation bands caused unprecedented damage, highlighting flood risks fo...
Akita Official Suspended After Attending Online Press Conference from Love Hotel
An Akita Prefecture official received suspension after attending an online press conference from a love hotel in a bathrobe while smoking, then lying ...
Chiba Floods: Support for Businesses, 10,000+ Homes Without Gas
Record rainfall in Chiba has prompted METI to open business consultation services while over 10,000 homes face gas supply disruptions, affecting both ...
Putin's Visit to Etorofu Island Sparks Strong Protest from Japan
President Putin's first visit to disputed Etorofu Island on August 13, 2026, drew strong protests from Japan's government. Prime Minister Takamichi ca...
Record Rainfall Paralyzes Chiba: What Foreign Residents Need to Know
Record rainfall in Chiba triggered Level 5 emergency warnings, killing two people and stranding 7,000 at Narita Airport. All trains suspended, with 23...
Japan's Top Prosecutor Changes Amid Transparency Push for Investigations
Japan's new Prosecutor General Takashi Kawahara emphasizes transparency as oversight of interrogation recordings begins. The changes follow scandals u...
Typhoon 15 Makes Historic Ibaraki Landfall, Disrupting Kanto Transport
Typhoon 15 made historic landfall in Ibaraki on August 11, injuring four people and disrupting Kanto transportation during Obon travel. Power outages ...
Tokyo Metro Suspends Half of Subway Network After Asbestos Found
Tokyo Metro suspended the Hanzomon Line for 14 hours on August 11 after discovering asbestos-containing debris. Service resumed after inspections, wit...
Typhoon 15 Disrupts Tokyo Metro and Transportation Networks Across Kanto
Typhoon 15 is disrupting Kanto transportation, with Tokyo Metro's Hanzomon Line suspended until midday and landfall expected August 11. Shinkansen del...
Bank of Japan Signals Faster Rate Hikes as Inflation Pressures Build
The Bank of Japan's July meeting minutes reveal growing support for faster interest rate increases due to inflation concerns, potentially affecting ex...
Ohi Nuclear Plant Unit 3 Shuts Down Automatically After Equipment Failure
Ohi Nuclear Plant Unit 3 automatically shut down August 8 due to equipment failure. KEPCO confirms no radiation release or public danger. Investigatio...
Nagasaki Peace Ceremony Marred by Mayor's Error and Taiwan Dispute
Nagasaki's 81st atomic bomb anniversary ceremony faced controversy as Mayor Suzuki skipped speech portions and Taiwan's representative boycotted over ...
Japan Post System Outage Disrupts Package Deliveries Nationwide
Japan Post experienced a nationwide system outage on August 8, 2026, temporarily disrupting package deliveries and pickups across the country. The iss...