Prime Minister Takaichi returned to Japan after visits to Vietnam and Australia during the Golden Week holidays, securing agreements with both nations to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals and enhance cooperation on energy security, as Tokyo seeks to counter China’s economic pressure and navigate instability in the Middle East.

The remains of Ainu people held at the Natural History Museum in London were returned to Japan, marking the fourth case of repatriation of remains taken overseas.

A nationwide effort to recover valuable resources is gaining momentum in Japan, where discarded personal computers are being transformed into a significant source of recycled gold.

Japanese interpretations of overseas cuisine are drawing growing attention from foreign tourists, with pizza in particular emerging as an unexpected highlight in Tokyo’s dining scene.

Nearly 1,500 businesses, including restaurants, have come under scrutiny as authorities move to address a growing issue in Ameyoko, one of Japan’s busiest shopping streets, where eateries have been expanding onto public roads without permits, prompting a crackdown by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

The final day of Golden Week on May 6th saw heavy congestion at Tokyo Station, where returning travelers crowded Shinkansen platforms, with unreserved seating on some lines exceeding 160% capacity.

A children’s book sales event held in a park in Tokyo’s Ueno area on May 4th drew 18,300 visitors including families, highlighting the resilience of the children’s book segment even as overall print publishing continues to decline.

Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has agreed with the Philippines to establish a bilateral framework to begin discussions on the export of Japanese destroyers and other defense equipment.

A proposal to eliminate Japan’s consumption tax on food for two years, long promoted by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is facing complications, with a reduced 1% tax option now gaining traction within the government due to technical constraints that could delay full implementation.

The number of children in Japan continued its long-term decline, with those aged 15 and under falling by 350,000 from a year earlier to a record low of 13.29 million as of May 4th, just ahead of Children’s Day, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

A Japanese lawmaker visiting Russia said on May 4 that Moscow has indicated its readiness to hold a foreign ministers’ meeting with Japan if Tokyo expresses interest, raising the possibility of renewed high-level dialogue between the two countries.

A tanker carrying Russian crude oil arrived off the coast of Imabari in Ehime Prefecture on the morning of May 4th, marking the first such import since the United States launched an attack on Iran and reflecting a government-led effort to diversify energy procurement sources.

As Japan’s Cabinet ministers fan out across the globe during the Golden Week holiday period, Prime Minister Takaichi’s visits to Vietnam and Australia have drawn attention for their carefully calculated strategic significance, revealing a diplomatic push centered on securing resources, strengthening supply chains, and expanding human capital ties.

A 44-year-old man arrested on suspicion of attacking a teenage boy with a hammer on a street in Fussa, Tokyo, is refusing to cooperate with investigators, even as authorities say a 30-centimeter hammer believed to be the weapon was recovered from his residence with what appear to be bloodstains.

A collection of bonsai carefully preserved and passed down by staff of the Imperial Household Agency’s garden division continues to play an important role within the Imperial Palace grounds, where roughly 500 trees across about 90 varieties are maintained and around 300 are used annually in official settings.

Sales of the "Dream Jumbo Lottery," offering a combined top prize of 500 million yen including adjacent number bonuses, began nationwide on May 1st.

Late-night yakiniku and crepe shops are drawing crowds in Tokyo as young diners use midnight meals as a way to unwind, with sweets replacing ramen as the night’s final indulgence.

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s 1st Infantry Regiment halted use of a newly created logo just four days after its release, following a wave of criticism over its design and the use of generative AI.

Japan began a second round of releases from its national oil reserves on May 3rd, as the government moves to stabilize energy supplies following escalating tensions in the Middle East that have effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz.

Japan’s Foreign Minister Motegi, currently visiting Kenya, held a phone call with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi early on May 3rd Japan time, urging Tehran to ensure the passage of all vessels remaining in the Persian Gulf.

Mizuno has made a full-scale entry into the esports market, unveiling gaming controllers and chairs that draw on its expertise in sports equipment, as the company seeks to establish a new source of revenue in the rapidly growing sector.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said discussions toward a decision on constitutional revision would be advanced in the Diet, as she delivered a video message to a pro-revision rally held in Tokyo on May 3rd, Constitution Memorial Day.

The Japanese government has emphasized that sufficient supplies are secured, but escalating tensions in the Middle East are beginning to ripple across Japan’s Golden Week holiday period, affecting not only fuel prices but also tourism and agriculture in unexpected ways.

Japan intervened in currency markets in late April, spending an estimated 5–6 trillion yen to support the yen after a sharp slide toward the 160-per-dollar level triggered concern over rising import costs and market instability, marking one of the largest such actions in recent years as authorities moved to counter what they described as excessive volatility rather than any specific exchange rate target.

Beyond sushi and ramen, there is another side of Japanese cuisine that we think every visitor to Japan should experience at least once: kaiseki. (TabiEats)